Looking Out - The Podcast

Joe and Drew aren't short of opinions. While the boys might be sometimes (often?) wrong, at the very least, an opinion gives us something to discuss, something to weigh the merits of. In this episode of Looking Out, they sincerely wish the automotive industry would have some stronger opinions of its own. Topics covered include the relaunch of Scout by Volkswagen, the Paris Motorshow, Renault's emerging range of retro EVs, the 5, the 4, and the upcoming Twingo, and the Zeekr Mix. That's it fo...

Hoo boy, it's been a beat! But: Joe and Drew are back with a dissection of everything that's wrong with the Bugatti Tourbillon's windshield wiper, and the massively missed opportunity that is Apple's second-generation CarPlay. That's it for this episode! Thanks for listening. If you like what you hear, please leave a review for us on your favourite podcasting platform. It helps other folk like you find us! And you can sign up for Looking Out - The Newsletter, the sidekick to our podcast,...

In this episode, we dive in to software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and what they mean for the customer experience. We cover why car makers are developing them, including their need to diversify revenue streams in saturated markets, and the ability to deliver over-the-air updates. We also talk about some of the pitfalls, like accelerated obsolescence and good ol' enshitification. And we talk about the character we loose when everything becomes software-defined. 📨 Subscribe t...

Five months ago, we recorded our most incendiary episode yet. In The EV Inferno, we wondered whether EV sales were about to fall off a cliff, or whether we’d just hit a bump in the road. With the benefit of time, the picture’s becoming a little clearer, if no cleaner. In this episode, we look at how the EV market might be fracturing between the EU, the US, and China, and what that means for legacy OEMs and startups, particularly when it comes to plug-in hybrids. Of course, we can’t escape th...

The death of the desirable hatchback has been exaggerated. In the space of two weeks, we've been gifted the new Renault R5 and the Rivian R3 and R3X. We discuss their design, and what they mean for their respective manufacturers. Meanwhile, the death of the Apple Car is now (almost definitely) certain and we explore why Apple finally caved. And we also discuss what's happening to design in the C-Suite, and whether maybe our time at the big table is up, and whether that's actually a bad thi...

For over a decade now, the Consumer Electronics Show has also been one of the most significant automotive shows in the world. In January 2024, after the year in which generative AI changed everything, Drew’s hopes were high for a few radical new takes on what the car might become when fused with artificial intelligence. What he found was lipstick on a pig. Join Joe and Drew as they take a look at the lowlights from the world’s largest trade show, and, yes, find some cause for joy. That's i...

For two decades, China has been the goose that laid the golden egg for Western automakers. Now, it might just be the market that screws the pooch. Joe heads to Shanghai after a few years away to see just how far the Chinese manufacturers have come. We explore how automotive culture is developing, and paint a picture of the challenges ahead for both Chinese and Western automotive manufacturers in this critical market. That's it for this episode! Thanks for listening. If you like what...

There’s been a flood of news these past weeks about the slowdown in EV sales. Challenging market conditions and the high cost of funding the transition to EVs is giving manufacturers cause for pause. Tesla is halting work on further factories, and GM and Honda scrapping a partnership to produce affordable EVs, for example/ Meanwhile, Mercedes EQ models are sat unloved and unsold on dealer lots, and the Chinese are struggling with overcapacity. So what the heck is going on? Is this j...

📺 Watch this episode on YouTube! Take a peak at the design secrets behind the new Tesla Model 3, also known as Highland, and how they give Tesla an incredible pricing advantage against legacy OEMs. Joe and Drew also discuss a small French company called Lormauto, which is reinventing the origianl Renault Twingo as a EV designed for life. And they take a looks at the interiors of the new Mercedes EQS SUV and E-Class, and the new Mini, to see what they say about the future of German car make...

In this episode: GM's post-CarPlay Culture So GM's gone out on a limb and said they're ditching Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for their next generation of cars. To help them on their way, they've hired Mike Abbot, formerly head of Apple's (notoriously) flakey iCloud services. But we reckon that hiring a big name from another sector won't be enough to fulfil GM's connected car ambitions. The company will need to fundamentally rethink their culture, and we offer a few ideas for how they mig...

In this episode of Looking Out - The Podcast, Joe and Drew discuss: BMW's i Vision Dee, why some folk find her scary, and what she says about BMW's futureJoe's surprisingly normal Christmas run in an EV from Gothenburg to LeedsWhy CES left us longing for a more systemic approach from the auto industry to the challenges we faceJoe also gives a preview of an upcoming piece for Looking Out - The Newsletter about the Tesla Semi, and Drew wonders what Apple's struggles in China might mean for the ...

Joe and Drew dive deep on the most popular topics from our recent newsletter. In this show, they explore: the EV charging clustercuss, why a car costs more than your house, and cars in the cloud.They also share some thoughts on the end of the age of abundance, and the emergence of AI art. Show Links: The Bentley Batur The end of the age of abundance Jeep's new EVs Looking Out: Subscribe to: Looking Out - The Newsletter Subscribe to: Looking Out - The Podcast Joe Simpson &am...