Future IT services might drive developments able to save today’s car-makers. For new technology to become reality, a much greater openness within the vehicle sector and a radical shift in the way vehicles are viewed is strongly needed.

” The vehicle industry currently views IT services as something that primarily concern the physical vehicle. However, a broader perspective provides the realization that a vehicle is so much more, it is a workplace, a cog in a complex transport flow, a financial asset – but also a cause of accidents and environmental impact,” says Jonas Kuschel, a researcher in applied information technology at the University of Gothenburg.

In his thesis, Vehicle Services, Jonas Kuschel studies the prerequisites for the development of future IT services for vehicles, so-called vehicle services. For example, IT solutions within the vehicle sector might make it possible for a vehicle to automatically book a time for service and repair via a wireless connection, but it might also entail supplying services to town planners to enable understanding of traffic patterns or current emissions levels. The list of potential services can easily be extended.

However, if the perspective is limited to focus on the physical vehicle, there is a risk that the vehicle industry misses out on a lot of new innovations. According to Kuschel, the capacity to develop new inventions and applications requires the vehicle industry to open up its innovation work and allow other actors to enter into the field of developing services.

“It requires the vehicle industry to move from perceiving vehicle services as a part of the product and instead to focus on the services as a part of vehicle usage within a network of actors. It is more important to focus on how a vehicle is used and which role it plays in society and people’s lives than on product development,” says Jonas Kuschel.

The Relic – “Mr Dino Sore”

Dino is an aggressive sales manager living in the past. Everything he says and does is based around old techniques and clichés. He was trained in the early eighties using the Pendle system, which was a highly pressurised form of selling. Customers are ruthlessly bullied into purchasing on the day, by any means necessary.

The sales team are expected to close customers at the first attempt and any failure to do so results in extensive questioning. Dino insists on breaking down the sale to infuse his closing tactics. An example would be placing change in front of the customer to demonstrate the daily difference being discussed. “We are only talking about 58p a day. That’s how close you are from owning this car.”

Despite not moving with the times, Dino does have the ability to manage the team. He takes responsibility and helps out with the day to day forecourt maintenance, leading by example. Unfortunately his help soon becomes interference by always having to be right. You will need to be focused and prepared to succeed under such an aggressive old school boss, as he has no intention of moving into the twenty first century.

On a personal level he dresses like he has been frozen in time since the eighties. All Farah trousers and brogue shoes, Gabicci polo shirts and Ray Ban Wayfarers. In his late thirties, he struggles to attract females younger than him and ends up going from one short relationship to another, usually with divorcees over five years his senior.