Alan Taub, General Motors head of Research and Development
On October 1, Alan Taub will become VP of Research and Development at General Motors.
It's a big job, not to mention that the company's historically independent R+D group was just made part of the Product Development group as GM starts to emerge from its recent bankruptcy with the aid of low-interest government loans.
Our sister site GreenCarReports.com interviewed Taub at length. We thought we'd simply share our five favorite excerpts:
- We don't do any research just for its own sake. We have to go in with some application to a vehicle in mind.
- In our labs, we have car interiors where the seating is much more like business class on an airplane.
- We know we can package extended-range electric vehicles, like the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. The challenge is cost, cost, and cost.
- The technology for autonomous driving will be there by 2020. And not just for the highway; that's almost there today.
- We will have a future, one day, where there are no crashes.
And then, because we're generous, a sixth, bonus quote:
- Our motto is: We will partner and collaborate with the best researchers, anywhere in the world, who have great ideas. We're looking for great ideas.
Could this be a new humility on the part of GM? Or just smart business?
For the full interview with Taub, visit GreenCarReports.com. And while you're there, check out yesterday's very popular article on why cash for clunkers is working.
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