Natwerk Designs

How come our capitalist innovations didn't help us make better vehicles?

The Japanese have the best selling autos on the market. Why did our car companies refuse to increase mpg. Now we have to lease the technology from them to build hybrids. Did someone cuts some back room deal to keep our cars and truck guzzling gas?

Public Comments

1. Because in America the oil companies pressured the car manufacturers to continue producing vehicles that demanded twice as much gas as the Japanese ones.
2. It's possible I suppose. Who knows? I don't think it was a necessity until recently to have cars that get better gas mileage. Just a few years ago, it wasn't cool to buy a geo metro or something that uses less gas than a ford expedition. No one worried about it.
3. We could build better autos than the japanese. It is our way overpaid union workers who are screwing it up! Our cars would have to cost twice as much for the same quality due to our auto workers making twice as much as Japanese auto workers. It is the same with EVERY other product. We invent it, and then the Japanese come along and do it cheaper because of labor costs.
4. Because big oil is and always has been in bed with Detroit automakers. Notice how finally U.S. automakers are coming around to meet popular demand. The Wall Street Journal reported that Toyota has nearly overtaken GM in sales in the U.S. It's embarrassing...U.S. automakers continue to be a step behind Japan.
5. BIG OIL HAS HINDERED OUR ADVANCES FOR BETTER ENERGY TECHNOLOGY. TWO OF THE BIGGEST OILMEN ARE IN CHARGE IN WASHINGTON, WHICH ALSO DIDN'T HELP. DON'T YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY THAT GAS WENT FROM ABOUT $1.30 TO $4.30 IN EIGHT YEARS?
6. John Hunt pls stop repeating those ignorant board room rants, American workers work just as hard and efficent as any other workers. And as far as the union workers they seem to be working more for the company now days then the people who pay their salary.
7. The point of cars is to use as much gas as possible to make the Bush family as rich as possible! You silly goose! Problem is then the Japanese come along and build better, more efficient cars and nobody buys US cars anymore - puts more Americans out of work but the Bush family still makes it's money and the CEO's give each other multi-million dollar bonuses.
8. In one word " GREED"
9. That is a very good question,but Gm has built better cars it just would not be beneficial to the Bottom line for them to build things that work better. That is why the Government has to force it on them.
10. because we are capitalists
11. It is because a handful of companies have created a market that isn't flexible and keeps all new competition from entering the market. At which point they can merely work on selling points rather than innovation. There isn't enough competition in that market due to the difficulty for a new company to enter.
12. The capital was in oil because that's where Bush's family fortune is. If obama gets elected the capital will go into welfare programs. I grew up on welfare. It sucks. That's no way to live. If MCcain gets elected the capital will goes into alcohol distribution. I vote McCain he's going to have the better party over the next 8 years.