Sep 23, 2026 · 31 min
Cars struggle to keep pace with fast-changing phone technology
Hotline: Folding phones in cars, EVs in Mexico
The episode examines whether automakers should build around phones, develop native software, or simplify vehicles as connected technology quickly becomes obsolete.
- 1Foldable phones could extend the car console, but they clash with the Slate Truck’s stripped-down affordability strategy.
- 2Native navigation can outperform CarPlay by connecting maps to battery range, charging needs, and other vehicle data.
- 3Fisker’s failure shows how assembling proven components still leaves automakers exposed to software and business-model problems.
Don't miss
Andrew Hawkins connects Fisker’s software failures and bankruptcy to the limits of building cars from existing components.
The brief
Transportation editor Andrew Hawkins joins the hotline to consider whether foldable phones could become practical car consoles, especially in stripped-down electric vehicles such as the Slate Truck.
Wireless chargers, USB ports, and phone storage reveal a deeper problem: cars last for years, while the devices and standards they support change rapidly.
CarPlay may not be the essential feature; maps are. Native navigation can connect routes with battery range and charging data, giving EVs information phone platforms cannot fully provide.
Fisker’s Ocean illustrates why off-the-shelf parts do not guarantee a viable car company: software problems and a failed business model can overwhelm a sensible hardware strategy.
The closing question turns to Chinese EV brands in Mexico, a market that could reveal how vehicles and strategies may evolve before reaching the United States.