You work as a middle manager for one of the top U.S. producers of luxury and mass-market automobiles and trucks. The chief technology officer (CTO) of your company has been researching new technology developments that the company could integrate into its vehicles to enhance their usefulness and access to sensor data. Such data is acquired by the many digital sensors that have been integrated into vehicle subsystems over the past 20–30 years. The technology trend of particular interest to the CTO is the internet of things (IoT), the interconnection of embedded devices such as sensors and computers over the internet to share data. For automobiles, the trend points to creating connected cars.

Directions

Senior management has decided to explore IoT for your company’s trucks and cars. Your task is to create an internal memo explaining that the company should integrate IoT into its product line using the RWW (real, win, worth it) screening tool and the information from the CTO Brief, Comparative Growth Data, Comparative Operating Statistics, and Comparative Product Plans documents included below in the Supporting Materials section below. Your submission should address the following elements:

1. Discuss the feasibility of the product line (refer to RWW screening tool question number one: Is it real?).
   1. Is there a need or desire for the product in the market?
   2. Is the size of the potential market adequate?
   3. Can the product actually be made? Why or why not?
   4. Will the final product meet the market demands and expectations?
2. Discuss the ability of the company to win market share (refer to RWW screening tool question number two: Can we win?).
   1. Will your company’s products have a competitive advantage?
   2. How might your competitors respond to your company launching this product?
   3. Is your company equipped to understand the market properly and respond to changes?
3. Discuss the potential benefits to the company of producing this product (refer to RWW screening tool question number three: Is it worth doing?).
   1. Will the product be profitable at an acceptable risk?
   2. Does launching the product align with your company’s strategy?
   3. Will your company’s senior management support this project? Why or why not?
4. Explain the reasons why IoT and connected cars are strategically important to your company based on the answers to the questions above.
   1. Consider the evolving customer needs and desires; how would they impact your company’s product plan?
   2. How might competitors change their product offerings or strategies in response to the changes in your company’s development plan?
   3. Could accelerating development of connected cars help grow your company? Consider short-term and long-term impacts.