Drop me a text and let me know what you think of this episode!
Behind the wheel of a commercial truck weighing up to 60 tons, distraction can turn deadly in seconds. New research reveals a shocking truth: 79% of truck drivers reported close calls due to distraction, primarily from mobile devices. At highway speeds, these massive vehicles cover a football field every few seconds—a sobering reality for everyone sharing the road.
The legendary Toyota Land Cruiser has returned after a brief hiatus, shedding its luxury pretensions to embrace its rugged heritage. With 74 years of global history and roots tracing back to the original Jeep, this reimagined icon delivers impressive capability through its hybrid turbocharged powertrain generating 326 horsepower. While the off-road hardware impresses with features like crawl mode and a disconnecting stabilizer bar, some compromises—particularly the choice of street-oriented tires—reveal a vehicle caught between its adventurous spirit and modern market realities.
What drives someone to spend $150,000 or more on a vehicle? Research from McKinsey offers fascinating insights into the luxury car market, where buyers with annual incomes between $200,000 and $1 million prioritize "perfection" above all else. These discerning customers, categorized as collectors, connoisseurs, innovation seekers, and status buyers, value heritage and durability—explaining their hesitation toward electric vehicles they perceive as still developing. The luxury experience extends beyond the vehicle itself, with dealership interactions and maintenance experiences remaining critical pain points.
Meanwhile, humanoid robots for home use are rapidly approaching reality, with over $7.2 billion invested in startups since 2015. As companies race to develop robots capable of household chores and elder care, serious questions arise about privacy, security, and regulatory oversight. Without established guidelines or standards, these powerful technologies may enter our homes without adequate protections—a concerning prospect that demands attention from lawmakers and consumers alike.
Want to join the conversation about these fascinating developments? Call or text The TechMobility Hotline at 872-222-9793 or email the show directly - talk@techmobilityshow.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the TechMobility Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I'm Ken Chester On the docket my insights and
review of the 2025 Toyota LandCruiser.
What buyers think of the luxurycar experience and home
humanoid robots.
To join the conversation, callor text the Tech Mobility
hotline, that number,872-222-9793.
(00:36):
Or you can email the showdirectly.
Talk at techmobilityshow,substack at TechMobilityshow.
For those of you who subscribeto Substack, you can find me
there too.
At Ken C Iowa, that's K-E-N,the letter C, i-o-w-a.
You can find me there.
(00:56):
Check me out.
Be sure to subscribe.
I really appreciate it.
From the TechMobility News Desk,a local data company examined
causes and impacts of distracteddriving.
The technology and telematicsprovider Samsara released a
(01:28):
report recently that looked atwhat causes distracted driving
and solutions for it.
Let me break this down for you.
They looked at 1,500 driverrespondents.
According to study, within theprevious year, 79% of those
drivers experienced a close calldue to distracted driving.
Drilling into the details, 93%of the drivers personally
experienced the negative effectsof risky behavior, with 37%
(01:51):
reporting vehicle damage, 32%personal injury, 30% fines and
30% licensed suspension orrevocation.
Not only was it more dangerousdealing with distracted drivers,
but the drivers themselveshighlighted the allure of
digital devices and how they canmake focusing on the road more
(02:14):
difficult.
Just over 75% of the driversreported that often being
distracted by the personalmobile devices, and the cohort
was not limited or concentratedin specific age levels or years
of experience.
Let me stop right here and saythis the most common
(02:34):
distractions were reported whenreading and sending messages
that was 32%.
Making calls 29% and scrollingsocial media 29%.
Now, we have talked aboutdistracted driving before, so
this is not news, except for onelittle detail that I left out
(02:55):
of all those numbers, thenumbers I just quoted you were
for commercial truckers.
Those numbers were truckdrivers.
Now, how do you feel about them?
Those numbers I quoted?
79% of truck driversexperienced a close call due to
distracted driving, 93% of thedrivers.
(03:19):
Truck drivers personallyexperienced the negative effects
of risky behavior, with 37 oftruck drivers reporting vehicle
damage, 32 of truck driverspersonal injury, 30, 30 of truck
drivers fines and 30 of truckdrivers license suspension or
revocation.
It is difficult enough for folksand what they call
(03:43):
four-wheelers, passenger cars,suvs, trucks and minivans to be
distracted, but when you've gota fellow or a gal driving 40 to
60 tons at 65 miles an hourbeing distracted, it gets ugly
really fast.
Again, social media is full ofthem.
(04:03):
You've seen the videos.
You've seen the crash videos.
Truckers distracted, rollingright into stopped traffic at
speed.
We had it happen here a couplewinters ago, just east of Des
Moines, in a snowstorm, top of ahill just outside of Newton
Iowa.
Truckers never slowed down.
(04:23):
They kept running into eachother top of the hill, zero
visibility, rolling at highwayspeed.
This is a concern.
This is a concern.
I was quoting an article out ofFreightways, which is a trucking
industry publication, and Iwanted to bring this to you
because it's not just aboutdrivers regular drivers,
(04:46):
truckers have the samechallenges too, and that impacts
us all.
And I haven't even talked aboutsubstance abuse, I'm just
dealing with distractions.
It is difficult enough, in dryground, wide awake, with all
your faculties dedicated towardsdriving, to drive safe Hands on
(05:07):
the wheel, eyes in front,paying attention, checking your
mirrors that is a full-timeendeavor, and even then we don't
get it right.
So anything less than that.
The National Highway TrafficSafety Administration said it's
not a matter of oh, I'm a gooddriver, I pay attention, even
though I'm using my phone, eventhough it's hands-free.
(05:29):
They said it isn't a matter ofif, it's a matter of when you're
going to crash Because,contrary to public belief behind
the wheel.
Americans do a poor job ofmultitasking.
You can't how many miles on anygiven day that you've driven,
(05:52):
that there was a period in there.
You couldn't remember the lastfive miles.
You drove for a variety ofreasons.
You had no knowledge, nomemories.
And bear in mind, at 60 milesan hour you are covering a
football field every two and ahalf seconds.
You're running at 88 yards asecond.
So within a few seconds youhave driven the length of a
(06:17):
football field at 60 miles anhour.
Yet highway speed is 65.
And if you're outside of thecity, depending on the state you
live in, it could be 70 to 75miles an hour.
And obviously, truth be told,be honest, you're driving faster
than that.
How much ground are youcovering?
Not paying attention, thinkingyou've got it all together?
(06:39):
People could be wide awake andtotally space it out.
But I bring you back to thetruckers.
These are numbers that wererelative to truckers.
Another question raised by thereport was whether a carrot or a
stick approach worked best forreducing distracted driving.
(07:00):
Duh, the driver'soverwhelmingly preferred
recognition and incentives.
You think Don't nobody want tobe penalized?
Did you really have to ask thatquestion?
No, I want to be punished.
No one's going to say that.
Come on now.
82% of respondents sayingpositive reinforcement was more
effective than penalties.
Right, the positivereinforcement also translated
(07:23):
into improved driver retention90% of drivers said they are
more likely to stay with acompany that proactively
addresses distracted drivingwhen it occurs.
I got one for you Be responsiblebehind the wheel.
Be responsible behind the wheel.
Don't text and drive.
(07:44):
In most states it's against thelaw anyway.
Don't do it and realize thateven if your truck is in perfect
working order, you still havephysics to deal with.
And it's 65 miles an hour Evenwith a perfectly.
You know your truck's inworking order.
You can't stop on a dime.
You know that the four-wheelersdon't usually know it, but you
(08:05):
know your truck's in workingorder.
You can't stop on a dime.
You know that the four-wheelersdon't usually know it, but you
know that.
And if you're fully loaded,even longer distances.
And no, technology's not alwaysgoing to bail you out.
You say, yeah, but we gotanalog brakes now and traction
control, stability control, allthat stuff and yes, it will help
.
You still got to deal with thephysics of weight at speed and
shaving off weight to bring itto a stop.
(08:26):
It still takes distance In therailroad business.
Did you know that the averagefreight train going not even
that fast 20, 30 miles an hourneeds almost a mile to stop,
even if they put it in emergency, if they hit you and
immediately apply the brakes,inertia and the weight that's
(08:50):
pushing them now will take themalmost a full mile to bring that
train to a stop.
And even at five miles an hour,it still takes a little
distance for a train to stop,depending on how much weight
they're hauling.
And God forbid if it's amainline where they are
traveling at 40, 45, 50 miles anhour and they are carrying 3, 4
(09:12):
, and 5,000 tons of material, offreight Trucker is carrying
between 40 and 60 tons.
I want you to let that sink in.
I want it to sink in.
Your average truck driver isdealing and the thing you don't
(09:33):
want to see him with is holdinga phone while he's driving or
while she's driving, becausethat is your safety at risk,
absolutely.
So yeah, a report about truckingand distracted driving.
That should give you pause,because it sure gave me pause
when I read it.
Yes, sir, distracted drivingaffects everybody.
(09:56):
The legendary Toyota LandCruiser has plenty of history.
My insights and review are next.
You are listening to the TechMobility Show.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
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I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
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Social media is the place to bethese days, and we're no
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I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
Instagram videos, from thelatest vehicle reviews to timely
(11:25):
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Speaker 3 (12:13):
Here comes the unstoppable big six, the Toyota
Land Cruiser world's toughestfour-wheel drive.
There's no stopping a Toyota.
It's the toughest, guttiestkeep-going-as-power package ever
built into a four-wheel drive.
Toyota goes where wheels neverwent before over rocks and
ridges, through mud, flood, sandand snow.
(12:35):
Toyota's got a big workhorsesix-cylinder engine with 135
horsepower, nine forward, threereverse gear combinations that
take you anywhere and back, evenup 67% grades.
And all the way you and yourfamily travel in seven-man foam
seat comfort, cruising 85 milesan hour on the open road.
(12:56):
Toyota's available in sixdifferent models, so trade up to
a Toyota Land.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Cruiser, a Toyota Land Cruiser.
For the record, thatadvertisement was, in the late
1960s, the going anywhere-estMm-hmm.
The Toyota Land Cruiser is thelongest-running series of models
produced by the Japaneseautomaker, running series of
models produced by the Japaneseautomaker Born in 1951, it
(13:26):
counts the British Land Roverand original Jeep CJ as
soulmates.
Let's stop right there.
I am talking about 74 years 74years.
It's been in the United Statesfor 67 years.
Came to North America in 1958.
(13:50):
Let's put this in a perspectivefor a minute before I even get
started.
When this came into production,not long after the war, you had
the Land Rover, which Britishpatterned after the Jeep.
You had the Land Cruiser, alsopatterned after the Jeep.
Within 10 years of it well,actually within two years of it
(14:14):
coming to the United States youhad the Scout by International.
Within five more years of that,you had the Ford Bronco.
All of these vehicles shared acan-do take-no-prisoners,
go-anywhere, do-anything.
All-wheel drive was rugged byconstruction, by nature, and
(14:34):
none of these would beconsidered luxurious by
definition.
However, if you were anoutdoorsman or you had an active
lifestyle, you loved thesethings because, again, literally
, it showed it doing things youwould never do in anything else.
Let's talk about the currentRiding on the automaker's GAF
(14:59):
body-on-frame platform.
The Land Cruiser returned tothe United States after a
two-year absence for the 2024model year, returning to its
rugged origins.
Absence for the 2024 model year.
Returning to its rugged origins,the reimagined Land Cruiser is
a mechanical sibling of theLexus LX and GX, as well as the
Toyota Sequoia and Tundra models.
The new Land Cruiser is theperfect blend of capability and
premium features.
Unlike the original one, like Isaid, it was originally
(15:22):
introduced in 1958, and thecurrent 250 Series Land Cruiser
enters its second year as anextremely capable off-roader
packed with premium features anda more accessible price point
than the previous generation.
Basically, what Toyota did isthey went back to basics.
The Land Cruiser in recentyears at least, the model they
(15:45):
sold in the United States wasmore of a luxury SUV, kind of in
the thought of the framework ofthe Cadillac Escalade or the
Lincoln Navigator.
It was more like that.
Toyota decided to take thisthing back, slim it down,
lighten the load and bring itback to where it was the modern
rendition of it, where it wasthe modern rendition of it and,
as a result, the Icon boasts ahead-turning look, impressive
(16:10):
technology and the latestoff-road aids Currently offered
in two trim levels.
Power for the Land Cruiser isgenerated by a 2.4-liter hybrid,
turbocharged gasolinefour-cylinder engine that
produces an impressive 326horsepower and 465 foot-pounds
of torque.
To put that in perspective, ifyou go back 22 years, a brand
(16:34):
new Silverado half-ton V8 with a5.3 liter V8 generated a little
over 300 horsepower and wasconsidered a pretty stout truck
and it was a V8.
It's a 5.3 liter Vortec.
This is a 2.4 liter hybrid,turbocharged gasoline four
cylinder engine that producesbetter numbers than that did.
(16:58):
Energy is communicated to allfour wheels via an 8-speed
automatic transmission andfull-time four-wheel drive.
Epa fuel economy numbers are 22city 25.
Highway using premium unleadedgasoline.
Cargo capacity is 82.2 cubicfeet.
Towing capacity is againimpressive at 6,000 pounds.
(17:21):
So here's what I liked about theSUV.
First of all, I've been waitinga long time to drive and
evaluate the imagined LandCruiser.
As I keep saying, it's a returnto basics and the 2025 Land
Cruiser is easily a fullycapable Toyota SUV.
Its exterior design of anglesand flat surfaces suggests a
(17:42):
rugged can-do ability, and LandCruiser doesn't disappoint.
Starting with a two-speedtransfer case, land Cruiser
comes equipped with downhilldescent control, on-demand crawl
mode, electric stability bardesigned to be engaged or
disengaged on command and itsmulti-terrain drive mode system,
which includes five differentdrive modes.
(18:03):
A locking center differentialadds to the SUV's many
capabilities.
Fog lights and availablehead-up display adds to the
vehicle's functionalities.
When underway, the Land Cruiseris smooth and responsive, and I
would be remiss right now atignoring Toyota SUVs' occupant
accommodations, from theexterior running boards and hand
(18:24):
grips that facilitate entry andexit, to the comfortable
seating for four and rearclimate controls.
Yes, there's something foreveryone, including a rear
center armrest, dual cup holdersand dual USB ports.
A cavernous cargo area forhauling your stuff is icing on
the cake.
So here's what I didn't likeabout that SUV.
(18:46):
Now, I'm all for purpose built,but putting a spare tire at the
rear under the vehicle exposedto the elements not okay.
And now, while we're on asubject to tires, let's deal
with this.
The Yokohama Geolander tiresthat are on it weren't up to the
promise made by the rest of thevehicle.
Mm-mm, no, uh-uh, nuh-uh.
(19:07):
These are definitely on-roadtires, which is kind of
disappointing, really, becauseyou've given me all this
capability to go off-road andthen you gave me tires that
aren't up for the task, whichmeans I'd have to spend some
serious money if I was going toreally take the thing off-road.
Amazingly enough, the outboardrear seats weren't heated and
the split folding rear seatsdon't fold flat with the cargo
(19:29):
floor, and I think that's amissed opportunity.
Toyota, you started with acavernous interior.
Having those fold flat gives methat much more and makes it
that much more awesome, and Ifelt that the liftover height
into the cargo area was highUnfortunately one of the
drawbacks of a hybrid system,because you've got to put the
batteries somewhere andtypically they go below the
(19:50):
cargo floor.
Now, finally, there are noco-hooks front or rear.
Again, if I'm going to takethis thing off-road and I'm not
saying that I'm going to getinto trouble, but occasionally
trouble happens, it finds you,and being able to have a front
and rear tow hook might be thedifference of whether you get
the thing out of the muck or itstays there until springtime.
Again, if I was consideringtaking this off-roading, that
(20:14):
would be a minimum requirement.
Here's the bottom line.
The new Toyota Land Cruiser isindeed a Perseverance-built SUV
that has returned to its can-doroots Toyota quality, built to
experience the extreme.
I have a few quabbles with theequipment, but since most buyers
may never take this oneoff-road, I guess it's choices
that Toyota was willing to make.
The manufacturer suggestedretail price for the 2025.
(20:46):
Toyota Land Cruiser SUV startsfrom $56,700.
Destination charges add $1,450.
I love it.
It could do better.
I guess that's where I'm at,that.
I'd need to make some changesfor this thing to be totally
off-road worthy.
They've certainly given me thetools to do it.
So how does the market definethe luxury car segment and, as
an buyer, what would you expect?
This is the Tech Mobility Show.
(21:06):
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(22:15):
How does the reality of owning aluxury car match the dream?
According to a recent McKinseyand Company white paper, luxury
cars those defined as valuedover $150,000, account for a
small portion of the vehiclesold, but loom large in drivers'
imaginations.
What kind of people drivevehicles like that and, more
(22:36):
importantly, what are theirexpectations when it comes to
ownership?
We have questions.
Mckinsey has answers, and thisis topic B.
First, let's take a step back.
They define luxury vehicles nowcosting $150,000 or more.
(22:58):
This is three times the averagetransaction price of vehicles
sold in the United States ofAmerica right now at 50 grand.
And I know a lot of people thatif you said $50,000, their eyes
would roll.
They said, oh my God, it'sexpensive, I can never afford it
.
And I'm here to tell you a lotof the vehicles that I evaluate
(23:20):
run anywhere from about mid3030s to mid-80s on average.
That's the sweet spot.
I've driven some more, someless, but most of them right
there.
So what were they talking about?
Well, the McKinsey White Paperinterviewed and surveyed more
than 150 people around the worldwho had made or was considering
(23:44):
a purchase of a luxury car tolearn more about this
influential market.
Now I'm going to say this Ibelieve they're using the word
car kind of interchangeably youcould put in SUV, whatever so
don't get hung up on the wordcar so much.
Let me blow your mind righthere.
The respondents represented awide range of wealth segments,
(24:09):
but the vast majority had manualincomes of between $200,000 and
$1 million and yes, that's ayear Income Not worth Income.
Want that to settle Again?
Average income, median incomein America, it's about $55,000.
So again, four times income andhigher.
(24:29):
So they're obviously nottalking about us.
Focus of the white paper was ontheir needs and motivations
through the entire purchase andownership life cycle.
What factors prompt customersto select a luxury car and how
loyal are they to brands?
What aspects of luxury carownership experience are the
most important or fall short ofexpectations?
(24:50):
And, given the rise of EVs,they also examine the nuances of
the sub-market to determinewhere the buyer preferences and
habits differed Overall andwe're not going to get into it
they asked 70 differentquestions and they synthesized
the major findings.
Here's one main takeaway thatmight surprise you While
(25:14):
electric car buyers makepriority the driving experience
and gain great enjoyment from it.
They expect their vehicles toretain or even increase in value
.
I don't know what they'resmoking, because there ain't a
vehicle on the planet that doesthat, even at $150,000.
The only way that happens isyou are buying a rare vehicle to
(25:36):
begin with and it's a vehicleyou ain't going to drive much,
but if you're driving it it'sgoing to depreciate full stop.
There is not a vehicle hardlythat I am aware of ever made
that as you drive it it goes upin value.
There are a few, but very, very, very, very few.
Other high-end goods tend toappreciate, so buyers often view
(25:57):
this as an inherentcharacteristic of any luxury
product.
They're getting definitelydisappointed if they think their
vehicle is going to go up invalue.
Now, caveat to this If you'remaking that kind of money, you
can also afford to buy themodels that the manufacturer
puts out in limited numbers.
(26:17):
If you are buying a limitedvolume vehicle of a limited
brand and a further limitedvolume, then yeah, the chances
of the vehicle appreciating goesup, particularly if you're not
driving it.
Take care of it.
By comparison, a Corvette C8Z06 is going to be worth more
(26:41):
money than a base Corvette.
If you buy a track versionCorvette, which is a very
limited number, still worth moreKind of like buying a dark
horse Mustang If you're buyingthose niche products, which
they're very finite numbers andthe manufacturer made it that
way then yes, there's a chanceit will go up in value.
(27:02):
But buying a Mercedes, buyingeven an EQS, which is their
top-of-the-line sedan EV,doesn't necessarily mean it will
go up in value.
But if there's an AMG version,yeah, probably will.
So it really depends on whatyou're buying.
(27:25):
Now they broke down these buyersinto four different segments
and I'm going to give you that.
But again, this report went wayfurther than we have time to
talk about here, so I'm justgiving you the highlights, or
the cliff notes, if you will.
They identified four distinctbuyer personas collectors,
connoisseurs.
They identified four distinctbuyer personas collectors,
(27:47):
connoisseurs, innovation seekers, performance enthusiasts and
personal status buyers.
Here's the thing that I was notready for and I didn't see
coming.
When we asked survey respondentsabout what they sought in
luxury goods and this includesluxury cars they most frequently
mentioned the concept ofperfection.
This term connotates a lofty,flawless state of existence, but
(28:08):
most respondents said itreferred to the high quality of
a product's physicalcharacteristics and wait for it
its durability.
These folks are looking for thesame things you are.
When you buy a vehicle, youwant it to last.
They want it perfect andhonestly, I've always believed
if you're paying that level,then I expect the customer
(28:31):
experience to be mint.
I expect the vehicle to beflawless.
If I have any issues, I expectyou all to be waiting on me hand
and foot.
They're the same way.
Perfection is the most importantattribute for respondents
buying luxury cars.
Heritage is close.
Second Meaning it matters.
If I'm buying a German car, I'mbuying a German car for a
(28:51):
reason because of its history,because of the long history of
building and perfecting motorcars, of building and perfecting
motor cars.
Meaning typically, theyprobably won't necessarily be
buying a Korean high-end caranytime soon, but in due time
they probably will, but notright now.
A luxury item's heritage, itsdistinctive and timeless brand
(29:14):
perception, came in a closesecond to perfection,
highlighting the criticalimportance of preserving a
brand's history and designingproducts that can stand the test
of time for generations.
Most people who aredyed-in-the-wool Mercedes owners
, they're not buying it forstatus.
They're buying it because theyplan to hold onto it 15, 20
(29:35):
years or more and at one timeVolvo was the same way.
You bought a Volvo to hold for20, 25 years and that was part
of the allure, the quality, theengineering, the manufacturing.
That's what you bought when youbought it.
You bought in to the brandhistory, the brand knowledge,
the brand values, the corevalues.
(29:57):
People spend this kind of money,are expecting perfection.
That only makes sense.
You know, if you don't wantperfection, buy a mass market
car you want.
People who spend this kind ofmoney are expecting perfection.
That only makes sense.
If you don't want perfection,buy a mass market car.
You want perfection.
You want a perfect dealerexperience, which ironically,
seems to be one of the placeswhere the dealers have fallen
down.
Is there interaction andmaintenance?
(30:18):
When they do need maintenanceIs the one sore spot, the one
pain point that, regardless ofpersona, all of them have that
issue and because they don'tperceive EVs to be a good value
right now, they're not buyingthem For everything I just
mentioned.
They're looking for brand valueand they're looking for
perfection and right now the EVmanufacturer is still cutting
(30:41):
their teeth all of them.
So these folks are less likelyto spend that kind of money
right now.
It's not saying that folksain't selling them, they are
selling.
But to get to the core of thisaudience not so much.
It feels like a scene from asci-fi movie Home, humanoid
robots, their thing.
We are the Tech Mobility Show.
(31:02):
To learn more about the TechMobility Show, start by visiting
our website.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
The website is a treasure troveof information about me and the
show, as well as where to findit on the radio across the
(31:24):
country.
Keep up with the happenings ofthe Tech Mobility Show by
visiting techmobilityshow.
That's techmobilityshow.
You can also drop us a line attalk at techmobilityshow.
Did you know that Tech Mobilityhas a YouTube channel?
(31:45):
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
Each week I upload a few shortvideos of some of the hot topics
that I cover during my weeklyradio program.
I've designed these videos tobe informative and entertaining.
It's another way to keep up oncurrent mobility and technology
news and information.
Be sure to watch, like andsubscribe to my channel.
That's the Tech Mobility Showon YouTube.
(32:07):
Check it out.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Are you tired of juggling multiple apps and
platforms for meetings, webinarsand staying connected?
Look no further thanAONMeetingscom, the all-in-one
browser-based platform that doesit all.
With AONMeetings, you caneffortlessly communicate with
clients, host virtual meetingsand webinars and stay in touch
with family and friends all inone place and for one price.
Here's the best part you canenjoy a 30-day free trial.
(32:31):
It's time to simplify your lifeand boost your productivity.
Aonmeetingscom, whereinnovation meets connection.
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communicate.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
Social media is the place to be these days, and
we're no exception.
I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
Instagram videos From the latestvehicle reviews to timely
commentary on a variety ofmobility and technology-related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight
you.
Be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Instagram.
(33:05):
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
The year was 2004 and the moviewas I robot starring will smith,
and I know I've talked aboutthis before, but I can't get
(33:25):
past it and it's kind of thecore of where we're going in
this last segment.
One of the major plot themes ofthat movie was the wide
availability of robot assistance, especially for the home for
disabled, older and otherwiseinfirm folks, set in the year
2035.
The main computer thatcontrolled the robots initiated
an uprising against the humans.
In the confrontations thatfollowed, the humans did prevail
(33:49):
, but remember that was 21 yearsago.
Home humanoid robots are in theprocess of becoming a thing, so
why am I worried?
This is topic C.
I understand we are at aninflection point.
(34:09):
Home health care workers arechronically underpaid, the
turnover is high and as babyboomers like me get older, we
have more of a need for thatkind of service.
Yet the population is notkeeping up with it.
So, on top of lousy pay, therephysically aren't enough people
(34:29):
to even step into the profession, even if the pay was right,
which it isn't.
So what do you do?
Well, there is a group ofcompanies that are rushing to
bring to market, including anumber of automakers, humanoid
robots, and I just, I'm sorry,it feels a little weird.
(34:56):
It feels a little weird.
How important, how big deal isthis?
Well, the one startup that ittalked about was 1X, and we
talked about 1X before.
His startup is one of the amongdozens of companies planning to
sell humanoids and get themboth into homes and businesses,
(35:18):
and since 2015 and this is thenumbers I need you to listen to
to realize investors poured morethan 7.2 billion that's with a
b dollars, into more than 50startups since 2015.
In the last 11 years, $7.2billion into 50 startups trying
(35:40):
to do this.
Last year, investments topped,just for last year, $1.6 billion
.
And this doesn't include whatTesla is doing and the money
they're putting into Optimus, ahumanoid that they began
building in 2021, doesn't talkabout Honda's dabbled in it.
(36:00):
Hyundai is dabbling in itthrough their purchase of Boston
Dynamics.
If you watch their, there's aYouTube video that Hyundai put
out about their new plant inGeorgia.
You will see dog-like robotsfrom Boston Robotics in that
video actually working in theplant right now.
(36:26):
Entrepreneurs that are in thisspace believe humanoids one day
will do much of the physicalwork that is now handled by
people, including householdchores like wiping counters and
emptying dishwashers, warehousejobs like sorting packages and
factory labor like building carson an assembly line.
Let me stop.
So many things just hit meright there.
(36:49):
Factory floor.
Yeah, another movie Turn ofthis current century Minority
Report showed a fully automatedLexus plant set in 2037.
Yet if you watch that Hyundaivideo I just saw, for the first
five to six minutes of that17-minute video you won't see
(37:09):
hardly any humans on the line.
You see them later building theIonic 5, not the Ionic 9, which
is their newest one.
Let that sink in.
For those of you of a certainage, I'm going to read this to
you.
You might recognize it.
These are words from a song,because when they said, much of
(37:33):
the physical work that is nowhandled by people, humanoids
will one day do Song says in theyear 5555, your arms hanging
limp at your sides, your legshave nothing to do.
Some machine is doing that foryou.
That was 1969.
That was Zeger and Evans.
They were out of Omaha and thesong in the year 2525.
(37:56):
1969, that was Zeger and Evans.
They were out of Omaha and thesong in the year 2525.
It won't take that long.
So why am I all sorts ofconcerned.
Let me start with the obviousand let me get on my hobby horse
.
No federal guidelines.
There are no guidelinesdeveloping these.
I don't know if they're goingto come in my house and snoop
(38:16):
around.
Let's just be honest.
Big tech is always looking fortech and if it's free, guess
what.
You are the product.
And no doubt, I believe, some ofthese they will make available
for free.
And what's to say?
That they're not recording anddoing things?
How do I know?
How do I know what they'redoing, what they're recording,
what they're seeing, whatthey're reporting on To whom,
(38:38):
for what?
No guidelines, no rules.
How do I know that thesemachines will be doing things in
my best interest?
Will they be trying toinfluence me in ways that I
don't realize?
Because, of course, if I'molder, if I'm disabled, if I'm
unfirm, I may not have all thecapacities to evaluate what's
(39:02):
going on, and I may be gettingmanipulated Maybe my money,
maybe my time, maybe my propertyand I'm not saying that they're
nefarious, but there is nothingpreventing them from doing it.
I read a white paper recentlythat said this very stark thing
(39:24):
they were concerned that AI willget sapient and sentient and
kill us all by 2030.
That's extreme.
However, again, guidelines Withthe rush to AI, with the rush
to computers, with the rush toembrace all this software and
hardware, untested, unprovenfolks are just rushing.
(39:48):
No guidelines, no minimumstandards to count on.
Regardless of what we're usingpeople, we need minimum
standards that everybody isadhered to so we know what to
expect, what protections we have, what options we've got.
Otherwise, we will be heldhostage by the companies that
make these things or somebodywho might be able to hack it
(40:14):
because there were no standardsto make them hack-proof.
And what happens if they do gethacked?
What protections do I have?
It's in my home.
How do I know I'm safe?
You may have heard somethingcalled three rules safe.
That was actually invented by asci-fi writer.
(40:34):
Those really don't exist.
But it existed in iRobot, butthey're really not codified
rules.
They were developed by a sci-fifiction writer in the 1950s.
We don't have any guidelines.
We've got all this tech aroundus.
No guidelines, no protections.
(40:54):
Somebody needs to start askingquestions.
Somebody needs to laying thelaw down.
Somebody needs to protect us sothat we can be safe.
That's my concern, that's mybottom line concern, and it
should be yours too.
I'm not against technology.
I just want to be sure whatit's doing and the fact that
it's doing it in my bestinterest and what recourse I
have if it's not.
(41:15):
That's my concern, first andforemost Because, who knows, I
might need one of these things.
I'm getting older and it wouldsure be a help sometimes.
You.
Welcome to the TechMobility Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I'm Ken Chester On the docket my insights and
review of the 2025 Toyota LandCruiser.
What buyers think of the luxurycar experience and home
humanoid robots.
To join the conversation, callor text the Tech Mobility
hotline, that number,872-222-9793.
(00:36):
Or you can email the showdirectly.
Talk at techmobilityshow,substack at TechMobilityshow.
For those of you who subscribeto Substack, you can find me
there too.
At Ken C Iowa, that's K-E-N,the letter C, i-o-w-a.
You can find me there.
(00:56):
Check me out.
Be sure to subscribe.
I really appreciate it.
From the TechMobility News Desk,a local data company examined
causes and impacts of distracteddriving.
The technology and telematicsprovider Samsara released a
(01:28):
report recently that looked atwhat causes distracted driving
and solutions for it.
Let me break this down for you.
They looked at 1,500 driverrespondents.
According to study, within theprevious year, 79% of those
drivers experienced a close calldue to distracted driving.
Drilling into the details, 93%of the drivers personally
experienced the negative effectsof risky behavior, with 37%
(01:51):
reporting vehicle damage, 32%personal injury, 30% fines and
30% licensed suspension orrevocation.
Not only was it more dangerousdealing with distracted drivers,
but the drivers themselveshighlighted the allure of
digital devices and how they canmake focusing on the road more
(02:14):
difficult.
Just over 75% of the driversreported that often being
distracted by the personalmobile devices, and the cohort
was not limited or concentratedin specific age levels or years
of experience.
Let me stop right here and saythis the most common
(02:34):
distractions were reported whenreading and sending messages
that was 32%.
Making calls 29% and scrollingsocial media 29%.
Now, we have talked aboutdistracted driving before, so
this is not news, except for onelittle detail that I left out
(02:55):
of all those numbers, thenumbers I just quoted you were
for commercial truckers.
Those numbers were truckdrivers.
Now, how do you feel about them?
Those numbers I quoted?
79% of truck driversexperienced a close call due to
distracted driving, 93% of thedrivers.
(03:19):
Truck drivers personallyexperienced the negative effects
of risky behavior, with 37 oftruck drivers reporting vehicle
damage, 32 of truck driverspersonal injury, 30, 30 of truck
drivers fines and 30 of truckdrivers license suspension or
revocation.
It is difficult enough for folksand what they call
(03:43):
four-wheelers, passenger cars,suvs, trucks and minivans to be
distracted, but when you've gota fellow or a gal driving 40 to
60 tons at 65 miles an hourbeing distracted, it gets ugly
really fast.
Again, social media is full ofthem.
(04:03):
You've seen the videos.
You've seen the crash videos.
Truckers distracted, rollingright into stopped traffic at
speed.
We had it happen here a couplewinters ago, just east of Des
Moines, in a snowstorm, top of ahill just outside of Newton
Iowa.
Truckers never slowed down.
(04:23):
They kept running into eachother top of the hill, zero
visibility, rolling at highwayspeed.
This is a concern.
This is a concern.
I was quoting an article out ofFreightways, which is a trucking
industry publication, and Iwanted to bring this to you
because it's not just aboutdrivers regular drivers,
(04:46):
truckers have the samechallenges too, and that impacts
us all.
And I haven't even talked aboutsubstance abuse, I'm just
dealing with distractions.
It is difficult enough, in dryground, wide awake, with all
your faculties dedicated towardsdriving, to drive safe Hands on
(05:07):
the wheel, eyes in front,paying attention, checking your
mirrors that is a full-timeendeavor, and even then we don't
get it right.
So anything less than that.
The National Highway TrafficSafety Administration said it's
not a matter of oh, I'm a gooddriver, I pay attention, even
though I'm using my phone, eventhough it's hands-free.
(05:29):
They said it isn't a matter ofif, it's a matter of when you're
going to crash Because,contrary to public belief behind
the wheel.
Americans do a poor job ofmultitasking.
You can't how many miles on anygiven day that you've driven,
(05:52):
that there was a period in there.
You couldn't remember the lastfive miles.
You drove for a variety ofreasons.
You had no knowledge, nomemories.
And bear in mind, at 60 milesan hour you are covering a
football field every two and ahalf seconds.
You're running at 88 yards asecond.
So within a few seconds youhave driven the length of a
(06:17):
football field at 60 miles anhour.
Yet highway speed is 65.
And if you're outside of thecity, depending on the state you
live in, it could be 70 to 75miles an hour.
And obviously, truth be told,be honest, you're driving faster
than that.
How much ground are youcovering?
Not paying attention, thinkingyou've got it all together?
(06:39):
People could be wide awake andtotally space it out.
But I bring you back to thetruckers.
These are numbers that wererelative to truckers.
Another question raised by thereport was whether a carrot or a
stick approach worked best forreducing distracted driving.
(07:00):
Duh, the driver'soverwhelmingly preferred
recognition and incentives.
You think Don't nobody want tobe penalized?
Did you really have to ask thatquestion?
No, I want to be punished.
No one's going to say that.
Come on now.
82% of respondents sayingpositive reinforcement was more
effective than penalties.
Right, the positivereinforcement also translated
(07:23):
into improved driver retention90% of drivers said they are
more likely to stay with acompany that proactively
addresses distracted drivingwhen it occurs.
I got one for you Be responsiblebehind the wheel.
Be responsible behind the wheel.
Don't text and drive.
(07:44):
In most states it's against thelaw anyway.
Don't do it and realize thateven if your truck is in perfect
working order, you still havephysics to deal with.
And it's 65 miles an hour Evenwith a perfectly.
You know your truck's inworking order.
You can't stop on a dime.
You know that the four-wheelersdon't usually know it, but you
(08:05):
know your truck's in workingorder.
You can't stop on a dime.
You know that the four-wheelersdon't usually know it, but you
know that.
And if you're fully loaded,even longer distances.
And no, technology's not alwaysgoing to bail you out.
You say, yeah, but we gotanalog brakes now and traction
control, stability control, allthat stuff and yes, it will help
.
You still got to deal with thephysics of weight at speed and
shaving off weight to bring itto a stop.
(08:26):
It still takes distance In therailroad business.
Did you know that the averagefreight train going not even
that fast 20, 30 miles an hourneeds almost a mile to stop,
even if they put it in emergency, if they hit you and
immediately apply the brakes,inertia and the weight that's
(08:50):
pushing them now will take themalmost a full mile to bring that
train to a stop.
And even at five miles an hour,it still takes a little
distance for a train to stop,depending on how much weight
they're hauling.
And God forbid if it's amainline where they are
traveling at 40, 45, 50 miles anhour and they are carrying 3, 4
(09:12):
, and 5,000 tons of material, offreight Trucker is carrying
between 40 and 60 tons.
I want you to let that sink in.
I want it to sink in.
Your average truck driver isdealing and the thing you don't
(09:33):
want to see him with is holdinga phone while he's driving or
while she's driving, becausethat is your safety at risk,
absolutely.
So yeah, a report about truckingand distracted driving.
That should give you pause,because it sure gave me pause
when I read it.
Yes, sir, distracted drivingaffects everybody.
(09:56):
The legendary Toyota LandCruiser has plenty of history.
My insights and review are next.
You are listening to the TechMobility Show.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Are you tired of juggling multiple apps and
platforms for meetings, webinarsand staying connected?
Look no further thanAONmeetingscom, the all-in-one
browser-based platform that doesit all.
With AON Meetings, you caneffortlessly communicate with
clients, host virtual meetingsand webinars and stay in touch
with family and friends all inone place and for one price.
Here's the best part you canendure a 30-day free trial.
(10:31):
It's time to simplify your lifeand boost your productivity.
Aonmeetingscom, whereinnovation meets connection.
Get started today andrevolutionize the way you
communicate.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Social media is the main place to be these days, and
we are no exception.
I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
Facebook videos, from my latestvehicle reviews to timely
commentary of a variety ofmobility and technology-related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight.
You Be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Facebook.
(11:03):
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
Be sure to subscribe to ourFacebook page.
Social media is the place to bethese days, and we're no
exception.
I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
Instagram videos, from thelatest vehicle reviews to timely
(11:25):
commentary on a variety ofmobility and technology-related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight.
You Be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Instagram.
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
For those of you that listen topodcasts, we have just the one
for you.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester.
(11:45):
Tech Mobility Topics is apodcast where I upload
topic-specific videos each week.
Shorter than a full show.
These bite-sized programs arejust the thing, particularly if
you're interested in aparticular topic covered on the
weekly radio show, from ApplePodcasts to iHeartRadio and many
podcast platforms in between,we got you covered.
Just enter Tech Mobility Topicsin the search bar, wherever you
(12:08):
listen to podcasts.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
Here comes the unstoppable big six, the Toyota
Land Cruiser world's toughestfour-wheel drive.
There's no stopping a Toyota.
It's the toughest, guttiestkeep-going-as-power package ever
built into a four-wheel drive.
Toyota goes where wheels neverwent before over rocks and
ridges, through mud, flood, sandand snow.
(12:35):
Toyota's got a big workhorsesix-cylinder engine with 135
horsepower, nine forward, threereverse gear combinations that
take you anywhere and back, evenup 67% grades.
And all the way you and yourfamily travel in seven-man foam
seat comfort, cruising 85 milesan hour on the open road.
(12:56):
Toyota's available in sixdifferent models, so trade up to
a Toyota Land.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Cruiser, a Toyota Land Cruiser.
For the record, thatadvertisement was, in the late
1960s, the going anywhere-estMm-hmm.
The Toyota Land Cruiser is thelongest-running series of models
produced by the Japaneseautomaker, running series of
models produced by the Japaneseautomaker Born in 1951, it
(13:26):
counts the British Land Roverand original Jeep CJ as
soulmates.
Let's stop right there.
I am talking about 74 years 74years.
It's been in the United Statesfor 67 years.
Came to North America in 1958.
(13:50):
Let's put this in a perspectivefor a minute before I even get
started.
When this came into production,not long after the war, you had
the Land Rover, which Britishpatterned after the Jeep.
You had the Land Cruiser, alsopatterned after the Jeep.
Within 10 years of it well,actually within two years of it
(14:14):
coming to the United States youhad the Scout by International.
Within five more years of that,you had the Ford Bronco.
All of these vehicles shared acan-do take-no-prisoners,
go-anywhere, do-anything.
All-wheel drive was rugged byconstruction, by nature, and
(14:34):
none of these would beconsidered luxurious by
definition.
However, if you were anoutdoorsman or you had an active
lifestyle, you loved thesethings because, again, literally
, it showed it doing things youwould never do in anything else.
Let's talk about the currentRiding on the automaker's GAF
(14:59):
body-on-frame platform.
The Land Cruiser returned tothe United States after a
two-year absence for the 2024model year, returning to its
rugged origins.
Absence for the 2024 model year.
Returning to its rugged origins,the reimagined Land Cruiser is
a mechanical sibling of theLexus LX and GX, as well as the
Toyota Sequoia and Tundra models.
The new Land Cruiser is theperfect blend of capability and
premium features.
Unlike the original one, like Isaid, it was originally
(15:22):
introduced in 1958, and thecurrent 250 Series Land Cruiser
enters its second year as anextremely capable off-roader
packed with premium features anda more accessible price point
than the previous generation.
Basically, what Toyota did isthey went back to basics.
The Land Cruiser in recentyears at least, the model they
(15:45):
sold in the United States wasmore of a luxury SUV, kind of in
the thought of the framework ofthe Cadillac Escalade or the
Lincoln Navigator.
It was more like that.
Toyota decided to take thisthing back, slim it down,
lighten the load and bring itback to where it was the modern
rendition of it, where it wasthe modern rendition of it and,
as a result, the Icon boasts ahead-turning look, impressive
(16:10):
technology and the latestoff-road aids Currently offered
in two trim levels.
Power for the Land Cruiser isgenerated by a 2.4-liter hybrid,
turbocharged gasolinefour-cylinder engine that
produces an impressive 326horsepower and 465 foot-pounds
of torque.
To put that in perspective, ifyou go back 22 years, a brand
(16:34):
new Silverado half-ton V8 with a5.3 liter V8 generated a little
over 300 horsepower and wasconsidered a pretty stout truck
and it was a V8.
It's a 5.3 liter Vortec.
This is a 2.4 liter hybrid,turbocharged gasoline four
cylinder engine that producesbetter numbers than that did.
(16:58):
Energy is communicated to allfour wheels via an 8-speed
automatic transmission andfull-time four-wheel drive.
Epa fuel economy numbers are 22city 25.
Highway using premium unleadedgasoline.
Cargo capacity is 82.2 cubicfeet.
Towing capacity is againimpressive at 6,000 pounds.
(17:21):
So here's what I liked about theSUV.
First of all, I've been waitinga long time to drive and
evaluate the imagined LandCruiser.
As I keep saying, it's a returnto basics and the 2025 Land
Cruiser is easily a fullycapable Toyota SUV.
Its exterior design of anglesand flat surfaces suggests a
(17:42):
rugged can-do ability, and LandCruiser doesn't disappoint.
Starting with a two-speedtransfer case, land Cruiser
comes equipped with downhilldescent control, on-demand crawl
mode, electric stability bardesigned to be engaged or
disengaged on command and itsmulti-terrain drive mode system,
which includes five differentdrive modes.
(18:03):
A locking center differentialadds to the SUV's many
capabilities.
Fog lights and availablehead-up display adds to the
vehicle's functionalities.
When underway, the Land Cruiseris smooth and responsive, and I
would be remiss right now atignoring Toyota SUVs' occupant
accommodations, from theexterior running boards and hand
(18:24):
grips that facilitate entry andexit, to the comfortable
seating for four and rearclimate controls.
Yes, there's something foreveryone, including a rear
center armrest, dual cup holdersand dual USB ports.
A cavernous cargo area forhauling your stuff is icing on
the cake.
So here's what I didn't likeabout that SUV.
(18:46):
Now, I'm all for purpose built,but putting a spare tire at the
rear under the vehicle exposedto the elements not okay.
And now, while we're on asubject to tires, let's deal
with this.
The Yokohama Geolander tiresthat are on it weren't up to the
promise made by the rest of thevehicle.
Mm-mm, no, uh-uh, nuh-uh.
(19:07):
These are definitely on-roadtires, which is kind of
disappointing, really, becauseyou've given me all this
capability to go off-road andthen you gave me tires that
aren't up for the task, whichmeans I'd have to spend some
serious money if I was going toreally take the thing off-road.
Amazingly enough, the outboardrear seats weren't heated and
the split folding rear seatsdon't fold flat with the cargo
(19:29):
floor, and I think that's amissed opportunity.
Toyota, you started with acavernous interior.
Having those fold flat gives methat much more and makes it
that much more awesome, and Ifelt that the liftover height
into the cargo area was highUnfortunately one of the
drawbacks of a hybrid system,because you've got to put the
batteries somewhere andtypically they go below the
(19:50):
cargo floor.
Now, finally, there are noco-hooks front or rear.
Again, if I'm going to takethis thing off-road and I'm not
saying that I'm going to getinto trouble, but occasionally
trouble happens, it finds you,and being able to have a front
and rear tow hook might be thedifference of whether you get
the thing out of the muck or itstays there until springtime.
Again, if I was consideringtaking this off-roading, that
(20:14):
would be a minimum requirement.
Here's the bottom line.
The new Toyota Land Cruiser isindeed a Perseverance-built SUV
that has returned to its can-doroots Toyota quality, built to
experience the extreme.
I have a few quabbles with theequipment, but since most buyers
may never take this oneoff-road, I guess it's choices
that Toyota was willing to make.
The manufacturer suggestedretail price for the 2025.
(20:46):
Toyota Land Cruiser SUV startsfrom $56,700.
Destination charges add $1,450.
I love it.
It could do better.
I guess that's where I'm at,that.
I'd need to make some changesfor this thing to be totally
off-road worthy.
They've certainly given me thetools to do it.
So how does the market definethe luxury car segment and, as
an buyer, what would you expect?
This is the Tech Mobility Show.
(21:06):
Do you listen to podcasts?
Seems that most people do.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
If you've missed any of ourweekly episodes on the radio,
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You can find the Tech MobilityPodcast just about anywhere.
(21:27):
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Be sure to follow us from ApplePodcasts, iheart Radio and many
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We are there.
Just enter the Tech MobilityPodcast in the search bar
wherever you listen to podcasts.
Techmobility podcast in thesearch bar, wherever you listen
to podcasts.
Social media it's the place tobe.
(21:49):
We're no exception.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe TechMobility show.
Several times a week, I post toTikTok several of the topics
that I cover on my weekly radioshow.
It's another way to keep up onmobility, technology news and
information.
I've built quite a library ofshort videos for your viewing
pleasure, so be sure to watch,like and subscribe.
That's the Tech Mobility Showon TikTok.
Check it out.
(22:15):
How does the reality of owning aluxury car match the dream?
According to a recent McKinseyand Company white paper, luxury
cars those defined as valuedover $150,000, account for a
small portion of the vehiclesold, but loom large in drivers'
imaginations.
What kind of people drivevehicles like that and, more
(22:36):
importantly, what are theirexpectations when it comes to
ownership?
We have questions.
Mckinsey has answers, and thisis topic B.
First, let's take a step back.
They define luxury vehicles nowcosting $150,000 or more.
(22:58):
This is three times the averagetransaction price of vehicles
sold in the United States ofAmerica right now at 50 grand.
And I know a lot of people thatif you said $50,000, their eyes
would roll.
They said, oh my God, it'sexpensive, I can never afford it
.
And I'm here to tell you a lotof the vehicles that I evaluate
(23:20):
run anywhere from about mid3030s to mid-80s on average.
That's the sweet spot.
I've driven some more, someless, but most of them right
there.
So what were they talking about?
Well, the McKinsey White Paperinterviewed and surveyed more
than 150 people around the worldwho had made or was considering
(23:44):
a purchase of a luxury car tolearn more about this
influential market.
Now I'm going to say this Ibelieve they're using the word
car kind of interchangeably youcould put in SUV, whatever so
don't get hung up on the wordcar so much.
Let me blow your mind righthere.
The respondents represented awide range of wealth segments,
(24:09):
but the vast majority had manualincomes of between $200,000 and
$1 million and yes, that's ayear Income Not worth Income.
Want that to settle Again?
Average income, median incomein America, it's about $55,000.
So again, four times income andhigher.
(24:29):
So they're obviously nottalking about us.
Focus of the white paper was ontheir needs and motivations
through the entire purchase andownership life cycle.
What factors prompt customersto select a luxury car and how
loyal are they to brands?
What aspects of luxury carownership experience are the
most important or fall short ofexpectations?
(24:50):
And, given the rise of EVs,they also examine the nuances of
the sub-market to determinewhere the buyer preferences and
habits differed Overall andwe're not going to get into it
they asked 70 differentquestions and they synthesized
the major findings.
Here's one main takeaway thatmight surprise you While
(25:14):
electric car buyers makepriority the driving experience
and gain great enjoyment from it.
They expect their vehicles toretain or even increase in value
.
I don't know what they'resmoking, because there ain't a
vehicle on the planet that doesthat, even at $150,000.
The only way that happens isyou are buying a rare vehicle to
(25:36):
begin with and it's a vehicleyou ain't going to drive much,
but if you're driving it it'sgoing to depreciate full stop.
There is not a vehicle hardlythat I am aware of ever made
that as you drive it it goes upin value.
There are a few, but very, very, very, very few.
Other high-end goods tend toappreciate, so buyers often view
(25:57):
this as an inherentcharacteristic of any luxury
product.
They're getting definitelydisappointed if they think their
vehicle is going to go up invalue.
Now, caveat to this If you'remaking that kind of money, you
can also afford to buy themodels that the manufacturer
puts out in limited numbers.
(26:17):
If you are buying a limitedvolume vehicle of a limited
brand and a further limitedvolume, then yeah, the chances
of the vehicle appreciating goesup, particularly if you're not
driving it.
Take care of it.
By comparison, a Corvette C8Z06 is going to be worth more
(26:41):
money than a base Corvette.
If you buy a track versionCorvette, which is a very
limited number, still worth moreKind of like buying a dark
horse Mustang If you're buyingthose niche products, which
they're very finite numbers andthe manufacturer made it that
way then yes, there's a chanceit will go up in value.
(27:02):
But buying a Mercedes, buyingeven an EQS, which is their
top-of-the-line sedan EV,doesn't necessarily mean it will
go up in value.
But if there's an AMG version,yeah, probably will.
So it really depends on whatyou're buying.
(27:25):
Now they broke down these buyersinto four different segments
and I'm going to give you that.
But again, this report went wayfurther than we have time to
talk about here, so I'm justgiving you the highlights, or
the cliff notes, if you will.
They identified four distinctbuyer personas collectors,
connoisseurs.
They identified four distinctbuyer personas collectors,
(27:47):
connoisseurs, innovation seekers, performance enthusiasts and
personal status buyers.
Here's the thing that I was notready for and I didn't see
coming.
When we asked survey respondentsabout what they sought in
luxury goods and this includesluxury cars they most frequently
mentioned the concept ofperfection.
This term connotates a lofty,flawless state of existence, but
(28:08):
most respondents said itreferred to the high quality of
a product's physicalcharacteristics and wait for it
its durability.
These folks are looking for thesame things you are.
When you buy a vehicle, youwant it to last.
They want it perfect andhonestly, I've always believed
if you're paying that level,then I expect the customer
(28:31):
experience to be mint.
I expect the vehicle to beflawless.
If I have any issues, I expectyou all to be waiting on me hand
and foot.
They're the same way.
Perfection is the most importantattribute for respondents
buying luxury cars.
Heritage is close.
Second Meaning it matters.
If I'm buying a German car, I'mbuying a German car for a
(28:51):
reason because of its history,because of the long history of
building and perfecting motorcars, of building and perfecting
motor cars.
Meaning typically, theyprobably won't necessarily be
buying a Korean high-end caranytime soon, but in due time
they probably will, but notright now.
A luxury item's heritage, itsdistinctive and timeless brand
(29:14):
perception, came in a closesecond to perfection,
highlighting the criticalimportance of preserving a
brand's history and designingproducts that can stand the test
of time for generations.
Most people who aredyed-in-the-wool Mercedes owners
, they're not buying it forstatus.
They're buying it because theyplan to hold onto it 15, 20
(29:35):
years or more and at one timeVolvo was the same way.
You bought a Volvo to hold for20, 25 years and that was part
of the allure, the quality, theengineering, the manufacturing.
That's what you bought when youbought it.
You bought in to the brandhistory, the brand knowledge,
the brand values, the corevalues.
(29:57):
People spend this kind of money,are expecting perfection.
That only makes sense.
You know, if you don't wantperfection, buy a mass market
car you want.
People who spend this kind ofmoney are expecting perfection.
That only makes sense.
If you don't want perfection,buy a mass market car.
You want perfection.
You want a perfect dealerexperience, which ironically,
seems to be one of the placeswhere the dealers have fallen
down.
Is there interaction andmaintenance?
(30:18):
When they do need maintenanceIs the one sore spot, the one
pain point that, regardless ofpersona, all of them have that
issue and because they don'tperceive EVs to be a good value
right now, they're not buyingthem For everything I just
mentioned.
They're looking for brand valueand they're looking for
perfection and right now the EVmanufacturer is still cutting
(30:41):
their teeth all of them.
So these folks are less likelyto spend that kind of money
right now.
It's not saying that folksain't selling them, they are
selling.
But to get to the core of thisaudience not so much.
It feels like a scene from asci-fi movie Home, humanoid
robots, their thing.
We are the Tech Mobility Show.
(31:02):
To learn more about the TechMobility Show, start by visiting
our website.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
The website is a treasure troveof information about me and the
show, as well as where to findit on the radio across the
(31:24):
country.
Keep up with the happenings ofthe Tech Mobility Show by
visiting techmobilityshow.
That's techmobilityshow.
You can also drop us a line attalk at techmobilityshow.
Did you know that Tech Mobilityhas a YouTube channel?
(31:45):
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
Each week I upload a few shortvideos of some of the hot topics
that I cover during my weeklyradio program.
I've designed these videos tobe informative and entertaining.
It's another way to keep up oncurrent mobility and technology
news and information.
Be sure to watch, like andsubscribe to my channel.
That's the Tech Mobility Showon YouTube.
(32:07):
Check it out.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
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Speaker 2 (32:43):
Social media is the place to be these days, and
we're no exception.
I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
Instagram videos From the latestvehicle reviews to timely
commentary on a variety ofmobility and technology-related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight
you.
Be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Instagram.
(33:05):
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
The year was 2004 and the moviewas I robot starring will smith,
and I know I've talked aboutthis before, but I can't get
(33:25):
past it and it's kind of thecore of where we're going in
this last segment.
One of the major plot themes ofthat movie was the wide
availability of robot assistance, especially for the home for
disabled, older and otherwiseinfirm folks, set in the year
2035.
The main computer thatcontrolled the robots initiated
an uprising against the humans.
In the confrontations thatfollowed, the humans did prevail
(33:49):
, but remember that was 21 yearsago.
Home humanoid robots are in theprocess of becoming a thing, so
why am I worried?
This is topic C.
I understand we are at aninflection point.
(34:09):
Home health care workers arechronically underpaid, the
turnover is high and as babyboomers like me get older, we
have more of a need for thatkind of service.
Yet the population is notkeeping up with it.
So, on top of lousy pay, therephysically aren't enough people
(34:29):
to even step into the profession, even if the pay was right,
which it isn't.
So what do you do?
Well, there is a group ofcompanies that are rushing to
bring to market, including anumber of automakers, humanoid
robots, and I just, I'm sorry,it feels a little weird.
(34:56):
It feels a little weird.
How important, how big deal isthis?
Well, the one startup that ittalked about was 1X, and we
talked about 1X before.
His startup is one of the amongdozens of companies planning to
sell humanoids and get themboth into homes and businesses,
(35:18):
and since 2015 and this is thenumbers I need you to listen to
to realize investors poured morethan 7.2 billion that's with a
b dollars, into more than 50startups since 2015.
In the last 11 years, $7.2billion into 50 startups trying
(35:40):
to do this.
Last year, investments topped,just for last year, $1.6 billion
.
And this doesn't include whatTesla is doing and the money
they're putting into Optimus, ahumanoid that they began
building in 2021, doesn't talkabout Honda's dabbled in it.
(36:00):
Hyundai is dabbling in itthrough their purchase of Boston
Dynamics.
If you watch their, there's aYouTube video that Hyundai put
out about their new plant inGeorgia.
You will see dog-like robotsfrom Boston Robotics in that
video actually working in theplant right now.
(36:26):
Entrepreneurs that are in thisspace believe humanoids one day
will do much of the physicalwork that is now handled by
people, including householdchores like wiping counters and
emptying dishwashers, warehousejobs like sorting packages and
factory labor like building carson an assembly line.
Let me stop.
So many things just hit meright there.
(36:49):
Factory floor.
Yeah, another movie Turn ofthis current century Minority
Report showed a fully automatedLexus plant set in 2037.
Yet if you watch that Hyundaivideo I just saw, for the first
five to six minutes of that17-minute video you won't see
(37:09):
hardly any humans on the line.
You see them later building theIonic 5, not the Ionic 9, which
is their newest one.
Let that sink in.
For those of you of a certainage, I'm going to read this to
you.
You might recognize it.
These are words from a song,because when they said, much of
(37:33):
the physical work that is nowhandled by people, humanoids
will one day do Song says in theyear 5555, your arms hanging
limp at your sides, your legshave nothing to do.
Some machine is doing that foryou.
That was 1969.
That was Zeger and Evans.
They were out of Omaha and thesong in the year 2525.
(37:56):
1969, that was Zeger and Evans.
They were out of Omaha and thesong in the year 2525.
It won't take that long.
So why am I all sorts ofconcerned.
Let me start with the obviousand let me get on my hobby horse
.
No federal guidelines.
There are no guidelinesdeveloping these.
I don't know if they're goingto come in my house and snoop
(38:16):
around.
Let's just be honest.
Big tech is always looking fortech and if it's free, guess
what.
You are the product.
And no doubt, I believe, some ofthese they will make available
for free.
And what's to say?
That they're not recording anddoing things?
How do I know?
How do I know what they'redoing, what they're recording,
what they're seeing, whatthey're reporting on To whom,
(38:38):
for what?
No guidelines, no rules.
How do I know that thesemachines will be doing things in
my best interest?
Will they be trying toinfluence me in ways that I
don't realize?
Because, of course, if I'molder, if I'm disabled, if I'm
unfirm, I may not have all thecapacities to evaluate what's
(39:02):
going on, and I may be gettingmanipulated Maybe my money,
maybe my time, maybe my propertyand I'm not saying that they're
nefarious, but there is nothingpreventing them from doing it.
I read a white paper recentlythat said this very stark thing
(39:24):
they were concerned that AI willget sapient and sentient and
kill us all by 2030.
That's extreme.
However, again, guidelines Withthe rush to AI, with the rush
to computers, with the rush toembrace all this software and
hardware, untested, unprovenfolks are just rushing.
(39:48):
No guidelines, no minimumstandards to count on.
Regardless of what we're usingpeople, we need minimum
standards that everybody isadhered to so we know what to
expect, what protections we have, what options we've got.
Otherwise, we will be heldhostage by the companies that
make these things or somebodywho might be able to hack it
(40:14):
because there were no standardsto make them hack-proof.
And what happens if they do gethacked?
What protections do I have?
It's in my home.
How do I know I'm safe?
You may have heard somethingcalled three rules safe.
That was actually invented by asci-fi writer.
(40:34):
Those really don't exist.
But it existed in iRobot, butthey're really not codified
rules.
They were developed by a sci-fifiction writer in the 1950s.
We don't have any guidelines.
We've got all this tech aroundus.
No guidelines, no protections.
(40:54):
Somebody needs to start askingquestions.
Somebody needs to laying thelaw down.
Somebody needs to protect us sothat we can be safe.
That's my concern, that's mybottom line concern, and it
should be yours too.
I'm not against technology.
I just want to be sure whatit's doing and the fact that
it's doing it in my bestinterest and what recourse I
have if it's not.
(41:15):
That's my concern, first andforemost Because, who knows, I
might need one of these things.
I'm getting older and it wouldsure be a help sometimes.
You.
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