What happens if Detroit becomes more like Silicon Valley?

Software has become a bigger part of just about every major industry, whether it’s media, publishing, distribution and even the staid old auto industry. While I think that’s generally a good thing, it does mean that some of the foibles of software development are bleeding into other areas.

While I’m a big fan of innovations that get us more fuel efficient cars, I can’t help but wonder what happens when new projects apply the sometimes naive methods of project management to a product that will ultimately be cruising down highway 280 at 85 miles per hour. (Or at least 15 miles per hour on highway 101 during rush hour.) Will my Microsoft Windows powered car suddenly put up a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death)?

And consider what’s been going on at Tesla Motors recently. Their 100% electric Tesla roadster sportscar now appears to be about a year late and they’ve sacked the CEO and several top execs. While the Tesla roadster is built on a modified Lotus Elise chassis, it’s basically an all-new everything else, from the use of 6,800 laptop batteries to a new high-tech transmission, the latest source of delays. So it’s like building a new application on a new operating system with a new language and a new app server using developers who’ve never built something like this before.

It will be a stunning car when it finally ships, going 0-60 in 4 seconds and an equivalent cost of 135 miles per gallon (e.g. less than 2 cents per mile.) That assumes you don’t mind ponying up $100K to be a beta tester, er customer. Personally, I think I’ll pass and wait until version 2.0.

Still it’s interesting to see the industry get more competitive in the area of fuel efficiency by using more advanced technology. The Toyota Prius has already become one of the best selling new cars in recent years having sold more than a million cars so far. Chevy has come up with their Volt concept car. And newcomer Fisker Automotive has a luxury hybrid in the works.