“Forever Young”

文/馬克·馬里奧·吉拉爾迪（Marco Mario Gilardi）

I am from Italy,and I am a vehicle engineer.For 14 years,I have lived in Guangzhou,and I work in GAC(Guangzhou Automobile Company) R&D Center;it has been a fantastic experience,an adventure in a certain way.

Above all,it is a tribute to Guangzhou,a pearl nestled between the sea and the mountains;Guangzhou is genuinely expressed by its Western name,Canton,which in some languages means a territory that is a small world with its authenticity of culture and personality.Cantonese is inclusive,gently curious,and keen on friendship,and life in Guangzhou is lively and intense.Guangzhou has a cosmopolitan halo.As for the future,what the futuristic Guangzhou will be,and which kind of talents it needs.

My prediction is that it needs talents extremely young.Software is transforming any industry,mainly,of course,those that make products with plenty of software,like the auto industry and consumer electronics industry,but not only because metaverse will become the central marketplace for any goods but also for those without software inside,that means any product will be designed to engage buyers in virtual worlds.

Software is much faster to develop than mechanics,so that the trends will change faster and faster.Metaverse designers gaming designers have the best period for their creativity before turning 30;software engineers and developers get seniority well before turning their hair to white.Coaching and guidance will be given by chief futurists able to see what is still invisible to a vehicle chief engineer like me.My 40 or more years of vehicle experience will still count something;what we are and why depend on our history,but it is no longer that crucial.

So,I recommend Guangzhou engage young talents and startuppers.

For them,the “normal” is not enough.Otherwise,they would not be as creative as you need;they are “extravagant”.“Extravagance” is something our spirit considers necessary.Most young talents prefer things with a bit of extravagant fancy taste to life with nothing special.For instance,as passionate about cars,I felt the meaning of “extravagance” in Tokyo during the week of the Auto Salon,the Japanese way to celebrate the automotive culture.It is something to see,not to explain.

Give Guangzhou that extra bit of “extravagance”,and people will like it.Show what you want to do,not explain;visuals count more than words for youngsters.Do not be afraid they are too green,and give them a chance;they may surprise you.

After almost 14 years as an expert in Guangzhou,I believe Guangzhou needs a broad generational change,maybe jumping a couple of generations.To keep Guangzhou flourishing,firstly,we need to develop our new product development,and recruiting young talents is a column of that.Then,we can create new products,such as cars that wanna be forever young,like Bob Dylan’s song,“Forever Young”.

Our cars are singing to us,their creators.The same song,be forever young is the way for them to survive in the Darwinian evolution of the species in the transportation world.Sustainability demands for electrification and electrification demands added cost in any electrified vehicles: electric vehicles,plugin hybrids,and hybrids.Autonomous driving will also add a considerable cost to the sensing system.Connectivity compliance with Metaverse will add further more.Above all,young buyers want sustainable,autonomous,in-car metaverse theater,but they do not want to pay extra money for that.

The comparison between automobiles and consumer electronics is fierce: portable googles deliver more and more without costing more,and carmakers must do the same.Sorry,our technology has barriers of cost reduction,and saving money on carpets &tires invites our audience to become Didi girls and boys and say good-bye to the owned car.

“Forever young” may become a solution: design cars that last a long time as new,so the lease time can be extended,even doubled,up to one-decade long,so the monthly installment of the leasing can be the same as now.About 80% of the “Forever young” concept of the car is software development no-stop throughout the whole lifetime of any car we sell.Going beyond the software,updating the upholstery,part of “Forever Young” may become a highlight.

And all that can be done in Guangzhou,with the tradition and modernity of Guangzhou,and with our young overseas friends.