Quote Of The Day: Toyoda Prepares For When Cars Retire From The World Of Mobility

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

“In 1909, people shifted from the horse carriage to the automobile, and horses retired from the world of mobility. What happened to the horses? We still have horse races. People love horses. People support horses and horse racing. As long as car enthusiasts exist, motor sports will continue.”

Akio Toyoda, February 2, 2012, at the hachi-roku launch party

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Redliner Redliner on Feb 02, 2012

    30 years from now when everybody is driving plug-in this and hydrogen that,and gasoline is 10 dollars a gallon, people will go out for Sunday drives in their "classic Prius" and say, "I only drive this gas guzzler on weekends, it uses waaay to much gasoline."

    • Stroker49 Stroker49 on Feb 02, 2012

      As previously mentioned the gas is now 7,96 usd/gallon here in Sweden. With a 63 mi commute every day to work I'm spending 30 usd only for gas all other costs excluded. I am considering to take a job closer to where I live. It would be great to sell the car, I live in the city here so I could manage to take the cab or rent cars when I need one. You can rent cars from the carpool a lot for +1000 usd/month a car cost!

  • LeMansteve LeMansteve on Feb 02, 2012

    I agree with the statement that one day automobiles as we know them will no longer be a part of mobility, especially ones that run on fossil fuels and are driven by humans. It is hard to imagine but that is the future. Driving is an inconvenient, boring chore to most people. In the future, I envision a highly efficient, networked, automated infrastructure designed for the chore of driving. All road design features that are geared towards humans will be designed out - traffic lights, lane markers, signage, etc. Due to inefficiencies and safety, it will no longer be normal (or perhaps no longer legal) to drive yourself around in public. Those wishing to shift gears and turn a wheel will need to go to a track or extremely rural roads.

    • See 3 previous
    • Robert Gordon Robert Gordon on Feb 02, 2012

      @kvndoom I enjoy driving, but if driverless cars and so forth means that in future nobody is killed and injured on the roads isn't that something to be embraced and look forward to?

  • Acuraandy Acuraandy on Feb 02, 2012

    So, what's next Toyoda-san? Transporters ala Star Trek? I wouldn't put it past the Japanese...

  • Niky Niky on Feb 02, 2012

    There's an easy way to enjoy horses on the cheap. Move out into the countryside. I agree completely with Toyoda's statement. Automobiles will go that way. Perhaps even up to the point where you have to join an expensive club which has its own closed road for you to drive your old machine on without worry about registration costs or emissions regulations ("off-road use", doesn't count). Where you can actually push your car to its limits, something that's illegal out on a road covered in lightweight electric mobility devices, enclosed bicycles and low-speed road-trains. Wait... that sounds just like a track-day club. The future is here!

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