Telsa opening electric car patents.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

In a move that stands to benefit both the environment and his own electric car company, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced Thursday that, "in the spirit of the open source movement," the company "will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology." The goal is expansion of the overall electric car market:

    According to Musk, Tesla made this gesture toâ€"once againâ€"try to nudge the rest of the automotive market along. Tesla’s Model S has proved that there’s massive interest in a well-made, fun-to-drive electric car. Still, Tesla is barely making a dent in the massive auto market. Musk wants to promote a more dramatic shift toward electric cars, so he will do what he can to accelerate things. “I don’t think people quite appreciate the gravity of what is going on [with regard to global warming] or just how much inertia the climate has,” Musk said during a conference call. “We really need to do something. It would be shortsighted if we try to hold these things close to our vest.”

Increasing the market for electric cars around Tesla's patents could expand the infrastructure to support Tesla drivers:

    Carter Driscoll, a senior tech analyst at investment bank MLV & Co., told HuffPost that Tesla could be trying to entice innovators to build battery-powered cars that are compatible with Tesla chargers. Doing so would help Tesla become the industry backbone and expand its network of power stations without building them itself, he said.

    "On the charging side, there is no standard," he said by phone. "This is [Tesla] trying to standardize the technology they've created."

So there's actually a sound business reason for Musk's step in making the patents available. But, as his statement announcing the move makes clear, it's not just about a race for profit. There's another, much bigger race going onâ€"and this move comes out of the knowledge that "it is impossible for Tesla to build electric cars fast enough to address the carbon crisis." Musk is hoping that offering Tesla's technology to other companies will help slow that crisis.

http://m.dailykos.com/stories/1306796

[Sargon The Grape]

Good on them.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

I have read that Tesla.

I...ugh..errrr.. Why I'm just a lazy speller aren't I?

[Nam]

Dammit! Now the cars I was building for the blackmarket to rip people off is out the window! Damn Tesla!

Wait...what?

-Nam

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Oh it is really Tesla. 

That's it.. I misspelled it so the whole project is called off.

[Jason Harvestdancer]

It's their patents, they can do that if they wish.

Although I have issues with other aspects of that company, I find that there are things about this company I do like.  The part I like is how they are fighting back against the old model of buying a car.  You don't need to go through a dealer to buy a Tesla, you can buy one directly from the factory.  The Auto Dealers Association actually filed suit against them for that.

Now this.  Not bad.

[Solitary]

Tesla is the best car going now for innovation and driving---until the infrastructure is updated, and then it will be the best car to get if you can afford it. Solitary

[Poison Tree]

  You don't need to go through a dealer to buy a Tesla, you can buy one directly from the factory. 

Allow me to go on a little rant here. What's the point of a (new) car dealer? Middle man mark up. Convincing you that you really need all those extras. Assuming the costumer is too stupid to shop around on their own; are they living in a pre-google world?

Take those Toyota commercials:
"Hi I'm, Jan, how may I help you."
"I'd like to buy a Toyota Tundra"
"Oh, did you know that has class leading towing and fuel efficiency?"
"Yes, that's why I came in here specifically to buy one"

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Dealers are a system of distribution kind of like going to the grocery instead of each individual farm..or so goes the theory. 

[Shol'va]

Dealers are not entirely useless, especially when dealing with a specialized vehicle like a Tesla. I'd be worried about trusting a non-dealer shop with delicate operations. Then again I never really bothered to look into whether or not Tesla has a list of trusted/approved/recommended shops.

[aitm]

I wish good hookers had dealers so I could use my mouse trap and...er.......never mind

[SGOS]

Allow me to go on a little rant here. What's the point of a (new) car dealer?

Dealerships distribute cars.  The real question is what's the point of the salesman?

[Nam]

Dealerships distribute cars.  The real question is what's the point of the salesman?

To butter bread?

-Nam