Remember when we had to actually shift gears "manually"? Those where the good ole days...

Change and progress are relative. I remember my parent's car having the bright light toggle on the floor, no power steering, no power brakes, analog everything, AM radio, and, of course, manual gear shift on the column. The only potential interactive experience was with whomever was sharing the ride with you. Fast forward to my lifetime experience with owning automobiles. The change and progress I have experienced is astounding. Engineering, safety, technology, design.... driving has transformed into an immersive, mobile experience. Feeling nostalgic, I recently tried to describe my first car to my kids and explain the idea of the manual transmission. It was completely foreign to them. I tried to explain the power and the beauty of truly operating the vehicle and feeling in control of the drive. It fell on def ears. They simply didn't get it. They had no context. This chat made me think. The lack of appreciation and understanding my children have for the manual transmission will be the same their children will have for driving at all. I can only imagine my children explaining to my grandchildren a time when humans actually had to drive and control the vehicle. I assume my grandchildren would look at them cross eyed and be in disbelief at the notion of "driving". The automobile and the automobile manufacturing industry are in the midst of a complete transformation from auto maker to mobility services provider. Creating services and solutions for getting you from point A to point B. Subscription models vs. lease or purchase options, immersive experiences vs. passive down time, connected and in touch vs. solitary disconnection. And, now, self driving, autonomous automobiles - Mobility Machines. Your car will now not only drive you from point A to point B, it will know when your hungry and recommend a restaurant, it will let you pay your bills or shop from the in dash display, it will suggest music play lists based on your trip and current experience, it will know your passengers and adjust the ambiance and experience to suit. Car manufacturers are now mobility solutions providers building mobility machines... not cars. What an amazing opportunity, watching a complete industry transform in our lifetime. So... back to my future grandchildren. The manual gear shift.... even the need to drive at all will be ancient history and just a story told by grandpa from back in the good ole days......