North American International Auto Show Kicks Off in Detroit
The North American International Auto Show has opened in Detroit.
Originally scheduled for January, the event was postponed due to the aftermath of “Big One.” The central theme of this year’s motor show is future vehicles, primarily represented by self-driving cars and electric vehicles.
Automakers, as well as IT companies and startups, participated, showcasing a variety of new technologies, including electric vehicles, self-driving cars, and vehicles made with 3D printers.
While hydrogen cars were frequently seen in previous shows, they have completely disappeared this year. Even BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Nissan, who had previously ventured into hydrogen car development alongside Eunseong Motors, showcased electric vehicles instead of hydrogen cars.
This is because, for now, electric vehicle technology is advancing faster than hydrogen car technology, although the future may hold different developments.
While various companies unveiled new cars, the company that garnered the most attention was CarOS.
At this motor show, CarOS unveiled its first new electric vehicles: the AD3, a sports sedan, and the AD4, an urban SUV.
Both models boast aerodynamically considered, futuristic designs. People were amazed by the drastically different designs compared to previous models.
The reason for this sudden design change from the plain and unremarkable AD1 and AD2 is the arrival of a new automotive designer.
Cesar Lancaster, who previously oversaw Audi’s design and created numerous hit models, joined CarOS, seeking a more challenging and exciting endeavor.
“New wine must be put into new bottles. The AD3 and AD4 are not cars that continue the lineage of the existing Chrysler, but completely new vehicles that will change the paradigm of automobiles. Therefore, we needed to showcase a design that is entirely different from anything we’ve done before.”
Traditional automakers inevitably face design constraints to maintain their heritage and identity. However, CarOS was free from such limitations.
This freedom resulted in completely new designs. The most distinctive feature of the exterior is the disappearance of side mirrors, replaced by cameras and displays.
The design alone was enough to draw attention, but surprisingly, the driving range exceeded 1,000 kilometers. Furthermore, despite the increased battery capacity, they also showcased rapid charging technology capable of charging approximately 40 percent in 15 minutes and up to 80 percent in 30 minutes.
It’s no exaggeration to say that this level of performance significantly compensates for the shortcomings of electric vehicles.
Moreover, they have incorporated even more advanced autonomous driving technology, utilizing data accumulated from driving the AD1 and AD2.
Ryan, the COO of CarOS, stated at the presentation:
“Everything is ready. CarOS will usher in the era of fully driverless cars, beyond autonomous driving. The future is now.”
The unveiling of the AD3 and AD4 was a huge sensation. However, what received even more attention was, surprisingly, the concept car, ADX.
The ADX is a five-seater pickup truck, and not a compact one, but a full-size.
Pickup trucks are like soul cars to Americans, consistently ranking among the best-selling vehicles in the U.S. every year.
Although there is immense latent demand in this market, electric pickup trucks have been absent due to range limitations. Full-size pickup trucks, in particular, are notorious gas guzzlers due to their size and weight.
With existing batteries, they could barely achieve a driving range of 200 kilometers. However, the ADX, equipped with the OTK battery, could travel up to 500 kilometers.
Ryan stated that the ADX is only a concept car and there are no plans for official release, but public and media interest was explosive.
– Full-size, four-wheel drive electric pickup truck!
– The design is sick.
– 300 miles of range, that’s enough for long distances.
– It looks like it would be a hit even in the city.
– If it’s released, I’m buying it for sure!
– A full-size pickup truck is a real man’s car!
Motor show articles were dominated by CarOS, reflecting the overwhelming response.
[CarOS Unveils Electric Vehicles, Will the Automotive Industry Landscape Change?]
– The protagonist of this year’s North American Auto Show is undoubtedly CarOS. There was no room for other cars with the three new models they brought out.
While other companies are looking towards mass production of self-driving cars, CarOS declared they will usher in the era of driverless cars. (Omitted portion)
CarOS’s value is already estimated to be higher than Toyota, GM, Nikola, and Ford combined. Furthermore, Faceit is entering the car infotainment market leveraging know-how accumulated from the adult entertainment industry, and M Pizza is already actively adopting CarOS’s autonomous driving technology for deliveries.
In the next year or two, seeing cars driving on the road without drivers will become commonplace, and driving will remain only as a hobby for some.
CarOS is at the forefront of all these changes.
Until now, Henry Ford was the king of cars. However, in the 21st century, that throne may have to be handed over to Kang Jin-hoo.
***
The North American International Auto Show concluded successfully, and articles poured in.
I was at work, playing games with Taek-gyu, when Senior Manager Gi-hong rushed into the CEO’s office in a hurry.
“C-CEO, we have a big problem!”
I paused the game.
“What’s going on?”
“P-Please don’t be shocked when you hear this.”
“I won’t be, just tell me.”
He looked like he had received a tremendous shock from what he heard.
“Did the Fed raise interest rates by 100 basis points last night? Or did the exchange rate break 2,000 won, or did oil prices rise above $200 per barrel?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
Senior Manager Gi-hong shouted as if crying out,
“You’ve been nominated as a leading candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize!”
Silence fell for a moment, and Taek-gyu and I looked at each other.
“What? That’s it?”
“What’s the big deal? No biggie.”
Senior Manager Gi-hong looked bewildered.
“N-No, aren’t you surprised? The Nobel Prize nomination! Not just any award, the Nobel Prize!”
As everyone knows, the Nobel Prize is awarded by the foundation established by Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, and is the most famous and authoritative award in the world.
“It’s not just me, it’s a joint nomination, right?”
“Yes, it is.”
I took the tablet Senior Manager Gi-hong offered.
I, President Ronald Stamper, and Professor Kiran Mohan were jointly nominated. The reason, of course, was for preparing for Big One in advance and saving millions of lives.
Taek-gyu patted my shoulder and said,
“Isn’t it most likely you’ll get it this year anyway?”
Senior Manager Gi-hong quickly bowed deeply.
“Congratulations, CEO! All employees are cheering you on with one heart.”
Although I had expected it, it didn’t feel real. Me, a Nobel Prize? I don’t think I even received many awards back in school.
“Don’t they give prize money too?”
“It won’t be much.”
I looked it up, and it was a little over a billion won.
“Is this given per person, or do we have to divide it by three?”
“We can play rock-paper-scissors and give it all to one person.”
“……”
Genius.
A call came in from the White House. Ronald was laughing so hard, his laughter burst out first.
[Hahaha! A Nobel Peace Prize! The joke you made to me back then has become reality.]
“Excuse me?”
Did I say something like that?
[When you were persuading me to prepare for Big One, didn’t you say we’d win the Nobel Peace Prize later?]
“Ah, yes. I did.”
I must have said all sorts of things in my urgency.
It’s just a nomination, the award isn’t confirmed yet. But Ronald is already celebrating as if it’s a done deal.
“Shouldn’t we wait until the winners are announced?”
[Haha! Who cares about awards? If they don’t give it, we just won’t accept it. I have no desire for awards whatsoever. Ahahaha!]
“……”
He seems a bit too happy for someone who doesn’t care about awards. If they don’t give it to him, it feels like he might retaliate with trade sanctions against Norway.
Norway already suffered once from China for awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo. If the US does the same, wouldn’t they just quit holding the awards ceremony altogether?
Anyway, apparently, there are no major competitors this year, so our chances of winning are very high. Once you’re nominated, they’ll probably give it to you.
South Korea has fewer Nobel laureates compared to its economic size. So far, there’s only been one recipient: former President Kim Dae-jung, who received the Nobel Peace Prize.
When the news broke that a Korean might receive the Nobel Peace Prize again, people were generally welcoming.
– Oh! Finally, will our country get its second Nobel laureate?
– Envy. He’s already filthy rich, and now a Nobel Prize. Some people are just destined for success, no matter what they do?
– He worked so hard to save people, it’s right that he gets it.
– But shouldn’t Kang Jin-hoo get the Nobel Prize in Economics instead of Peace?
– If they give the Nobel Prize in Economics just for making a lot of money, Warren Buffett should have received it first.
– Strictly speaking, the Nobel Prize in Economics is not actually a Nobel Prize. The awarding body is the Swedish Central Bank, not the Nobel Foundation.
– Anyway, it’s another Peace Prize. Neighboring Japan wins in science and literature so well, is Peace Prize the only thing we can receive?
– Anything is good if we receive it.
However, not everyone welcomed this news. As much as there are people who like me, there are also those who dislike me.
Conservative groups immediately started to protest.
– Nobel Prize for the pro-North Korean commie Kang Jin-hoo!
– What has that guy done to deserve an award?
– This is unacceptable. We must stop this!
– How dare he try to take credit for President Ronald’s accomplishments!
– An award for a speculator who only cares about money? He should be punished, not rewarded!
– Let’s patriotic conservatives unite!
– Let’s abolish the Nobel Prize altogether on this occasion!
– We love President Park Si-hyeong!
Conservative groups announced that they would hold a rally in front of Daehanmun Gate over the weekend, combining protests for the release of President Park Si-hyeong and against Kang Jin-hoo’s Nobel Prize.
For this purpose, they even formed a group with a grand name: ‘National Action Committee to Prevent Kang Jin-hoo’s Nobel Prize Award.’
This group is collecting signatures and decided to send one letter to the Nobel Committee every day. They distributed letter paper and envelopes to members and collected donations to cover international postage.
Some lawmakers from the Liberty National Party also jumped on the bandwagon, raising their voices, saying, “Kang Jin-hoo should not receive the Nobel Prize, and even if he receives it, he should return it.”
Assemblywoman Lee Jung-hye spoke in a strong tone:
“President Ronald’s decision was entirely responsible for preventing the Big One disaster. It is absurd for a Korean to be a joint recipient for a disaster that occurred in the United States. This not only violates international fairness, but also threatens the US-ROK alliance. The National Assembly should issue a statement of opposition!”
The public’s reaction was one of bewilderment.
– I’m conservative too, but who the hell voted for those bastards?
– I apologize on behalf of my constituency. I’m so ashamed and embarrassed, I’m moving out immediately.
– I searched to see which constituency it was, and it’s my neighborhood ㅜㅜ Ah! S***, I should have voted instead of going out that day.
– Other countries are in an uproar for not getting Nobel Prizes, but Korea is making a fuss even when they are given one.
– I heard letters protesting against giving Kang Jin-hoo the Nobel Peace Prize are pouring into the Nobel Committee like bombs.
– But what are they thinking, sending letters written in Korean? Can they even read that? Do they even have brains?
– Just like Liu Xiaobo, put Kang Jin-hoo under house arrest. Then he won’t be able to receive it, right?
– Who was the idiot who sent a letter to the UN asking them to abolish the Nobel Prize? Why send it to the UN?
– Just leave them be. They must want to bring national shame.
Taek-gyu, watching the news articles and comments, said,
“It suddenly reminds me of how President Park launched a campaign to revoke former President Kim Dae-jung’s Nobel Peace Prize.”
“……”
In the process of exposing Park Si-hyeong’s corruption, suspicions that he orchestrated a campaign to revoke the Nobel Prize were revealed to be true. Even conservative groups and the National Intelligence Service were mobilized for this.
No matter how different political stances are, is it even sensible to mobilize national institutions to ask for the revocation of a Nobel Prize that has already been awarded?
So much so that a judge on the Nobel Committee at the time was dumbfounded, saying that he had seen countries lobbying to get the Nobel Prize, but this was the first time he had seen a country lobbying to revoke a Nobel Prize.
“And yet, he himself put on a tearful and desperate show to try and win the Nobel Peace Prize.”
Of course, what had he done to deserve an award from the Nobel Foundation? And once awarded, the prize cannot be revoked.
In the end, it was just a waste of taxpayers’ money on useless efforts.
Professor Mohan remained calm, refraining from media interviews, but Ronald was completely ecstatic. Everywhere he went, supporters shouted “Nobel,” and his beaming smile was captured by media cameras each time.
In this situation, another piece of good news arrived.
“Professor Kim Ho-min has been nominated as a leading candidate for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry!”
[Notice: Some of you might not know this but don’t worry we’ll be announcing it soon official that Moonlight Novels will be closing soon. I’ll be moving all my novels to another group for those who want to keep up with the update of the current novel “An investor who see the future” click on the image below and follow me for further updates.]
