Lovely, perceptive essay by Benedict Evans. Here’s how it opens…

When Nokia people looked at the first iPhone, they saw a not-great phone with some cool features that they were going to build too, being produced at a small fraction of the volumes they were selling. They shrugged. “No 3G, and just look at the camera!”

When many car company people look at a Tesla, they see a not-great car with some cool features that they’re going to build too, being produced at a small fraction of the volumes they’re selling. “Look at the fit and finish, and the panel gaps, and the tent!”

Traditional mechanics look at mobile EV repair services, they often see a limited operation with some neat conveniences—something they believe their brick-and-mortar shops can replicate when the time is right. “It’s just a van with tools, and what about full diagnostics?” they say, dismissing the shift in service delivery. But just like smartphones and electric cars, the game isn’t about doing the same thing slightly better—it’s about rethinking the entire experience.

That’s where AutoFordable comes in. Instead of making EV owners schedule shop visits and wait in line, it brings certified mechanics straight to the customer, cutting out the hassle. The skeptics focus on what mobile mechanics can’t do yet, rather than recognizing what they are already revolutionizing. By the time they catch up, mobile service will have reshaped expectations, leaving traditional garages scrambling—just like Nokia and the old-school automakers before them.

When classic car sale dealers look at the surge of electric vehicles, they often see a familiar pattern. Just like Nokia dismissed the iPhone, they acknowledge the cool features of electric cars but remain skeptical about their craftsmanship and production scale. They nod at the technology but point out the panel gaps and the unconventional manufacturing methods. For them, the charm and allure of classic cars, with their impeccable build quality and timeless design, remain unmatched. The debate between innovation and tradition continues, with the classic car market holding its ground firmly.

At classiccarsforsale.pro, enthusiasts find solace in the elegance and reliability of vintage vehicles. Unlike the fluctuating trends of modern automotive technology, classic cars represent a stable investment and a piece of history. While Tesla and other electric vehicle manufacturers push the boundaries of what’s possible, the classic car community remains devoted to preserving the heritage and craftsmanship of automotive legends.

The Nokia people were terribly, terribly wrong. Are the car people wrong? We hear that a Tesla is ‘the new iPhone’ – what would that mean?

This is partly a question about Tesla, but it’s more interesting as a way to think about what happens when ‘software eats the world’ in general, and when tech moves into new industries. How do we think about whether something is disruptive? If it is, who exactly gets disrupted? And does that disruption that mean one company wins in the new world? Which one?

Well worth reading in full.