When you hear Chrysler do you think Innovation?
The keynote speaker at today’s Tech Summit 10 was Richard Chow-Wah, Vice President, Powertrain Manufacturing, Chrysler LLC. You’ll notice that Chrysler is now an LLC (Limited Liability Company) — that’s because they’re now privately owned, as in, you can no longer buy stock in them. A lot of top auto industry people have left Toyota and others to join the new Chrysler. It’ll be interesting to see what happens to them over the next couple years.
Richard’s speech had some interesting tidbits in it but was overall full of corporate speak, and politically careful mumbo jumbo. Chrysler is cutting jobs in Indiana and elsewehere in a big way, but Richard only once referenced what he called “right-sizing to align costs.” Some other points from his speech:
- Indiana had zero gas stations offering E85 2 years ago and now has 96
- Chrysler uses “smart teams” and lean manufacturing…he didn’t mention the words “six sigma” (a Toyota term) but it sounds exactly like what they’re doing, they just don’t want to call it that
- The auto industry is overburdened with too much safety, fuel economy and emissions regulation…but Chrysler still supports a bill that raises fuel economy standards 40% over the next 15 years. 40% over 15 years? Are you kidding me? That’s pathetic.
- The auto industry is unfairly credited for contributing to global warming when in fact automobiles only contribute 20% of the CO2 in the U.S. I mean come on, they’re only the second highest contributor to global warming, not the highest, give them a break.
Chrysler better stop complaining about regulations and foreign competition and start innovating. Despite the tone of Richard’s speech, it sounds like they’re doing that.
