Power of the chip matters more than power of the engine, says Visteon CEO
For decades, the engine was the heart of a car. Power, refinement and fuel efficiency were the key measures of progress. Today, that focus has shifted. Increasingly, what sets cars apart is not what sits under the bonnet but the technology running behind the screens. In many ways, technology has moved from being an add-on to becoming the backbone of modern vehicle design. Speaking in a recent interaction with Autocar India, Sachin Lawande, the CEO of Visteon, said, “Today, the power of the chip matters more than the power of the engine.” Touchscreens, digital clusters, connected services and driver-assistance systems have become central to how buyers judge a car. In many segments, especially mass-market, technology and features now matter as much as – if not more than – outright performance. As Lawande put it, “We all grew up in an era where cars were about powerful engines. Now, the generation buying cars isn’t looking at horsepower – the focus is on technology.” Cars are now sof...