• wosat@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I don’t disagree with the criticisms of American cars – overpriced, uninspired, unreliable, over-engineered, etc. – but to everyone saying “we should just compete”, do you realize the realities that Chinese workers experience? Have you heard of 996? It’s shorthand for a common work schedule in China: 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week. Benefits that are common in the U.S., even in non-union shops, like retirement plans, PTO, worker’s comp, and overtime pay are rare. So, yeah, things can be made much cheaper if you are willing to feed your workforce into the grinder.

    • Jhex@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      So we should then let American oligarchs drive American workers to the same but slower? because that is what has happened so far

      • psycho_driver@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        That is certainly their wet dream, now that they can’t easily just move their manufacturing to China and reap all of the benefits like they could 70s - 90s.

    • Horsey@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I will strongly disagree with “over engineered”. Why a car company with all their money and bailouts that they can’t compete with Apple/Android on touchscreen features and responsiveness is the whole reason why Chinese cars will kill American car companies. Chinese cars support Android auto even when Google play services isn’t even available in China (last I checked).

      • wosat@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Okay, I’ll concede that point to you. U.S. carmakers suck at software. And, even on the hardware, they’re resistant to change and slow to innovate.

        • Horsey@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Software is the answer to many of the mechanical issues too though. Granted, the physical engineering is definitely over engineered, but would they really need to have 6 different taillight frames when LEDs can be multicolor and just tuned with software for each market? I also see zero reason why manufacturers can’t start from a base and tweak for different market configurations. You also see car companies complain about complex regulation, but then in this day and age when east Asia can make you anything, that’s not an excuse I’m willing to be fed. I fucking hate Elmo like everyone else here, but why the hell is the Model Y the most popular car in the world. None of the other companies want to copy Tesla? They don’t want to compete? We’ve gotten to the point where it’s ludicrous that they’re not competing.

    • InternetCitizen2@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      but to everyone saying “we should just compete”, do you realize the realities that Chinese workers experience? Have you heard of 996?

      I get what you are saying, but sometimes I think we should in a way, or at least we should get republicans exposed to it, so they can live their hogwash ideas of free markets.

    • andros_rex@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Have you heard of 996? It’s shorthand for a common work schedule in China: 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week

      So a typical American teacher’s schedule?

    • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      Exactly, which is why I’m left scratching my head why the US wants to bring manufacturing back to the US. We’re much better of growing the well-paying jobs where our education systems can compete favorably vs bringing back jobs that compete with low-paying jobs…