Is the movement to modernize automobiles why GM is closing plants?

The cars they build in those plants have little or no market. Everybody wants pick-ups and SUV’s.

The plants they are closing make unpopular “traditional” cars, like Impalas. I don’t know anyone who has had an Impala in thirty years!

The plants are not being abandoned, but they are stopping production until they can determine what vehicles to make there, and retool to produce them.

One of the factories has only been open one shift a day; general car economics means a plant must be open for at least two shifts to produce enough to cover costs.

The plants they are closing are not making profit !

I have my doubts about “modern cars” and their market value. Would you buy a expensive all electric battery powered car that was only good for the junk heap when it was about 10 years old? Or would you buy a new $15,000 battery for it?

Thanks all.

I agree that it’s simply they aren’t going forward with producing traditional sedans because they aren’t profitable enough. I don’t know if the cars aren’t making a profit at all, or if the profit is so marginal it isn’t worth the trouble. I haven’t read the specifics.

I personally like a sedan, but I own an SUV, because my husband wanted one this time, and I went along with it, because there wasn’t a particular sedan I was interested in.

I do think a lot of work places are pushing employees to do the work of two people. This bothers me a lot, and I hope this gets addressed in America, but as far as modernization, like companies using robotics, and as far as companies closing down parts of the business that aren’t profitable, I don’t see how we can call that evil. What’s evil is if we don’t take seriously the direction technology is going in, and do something as a country to protect people.

I think eventually we should go to a shorter work week, more reasonable expectations on employees, and socialized healthcare at minimum in terms of social systems. Having some other social systems would also reduce the need for people to “hoard” money for retirement and rainy days, but too much of a social system reduces productivity and invention.

In the simplest terms, “modernizing” manufacturing means employing fewer humans. Remember 9 years ago, when we were promised “leaner and meaner” car companies? Well…. who says politicians don’t fulfill their promises?