Chapter 72

Chapter 72

If Karos has an overwhelming edge like Microsoft’s Windows or Gubble’s Andromeda, then there’s no problem.

Even if they stood still, they would have begged me to let them use it.

However, the autonomous driving market is just about to open, and most companies already have their own technology.

Karos clearly has the most advanced technology compared to them.

However, there is no one in the development team who has returned with future knowledge, nor is there any over-technology brought from outer space.

It is simply the result of talented people who are better than others taking a good direction and moving quickly.

As Isaac Newton said that he is standing on the shoulders of giants, new technologies are created by consolidating existing technologies.

In other words, what Karos has developed can be developed by other companies.

How far ahead?

In my opinion, it’s 3 years at best.

It’s easy to think that three years is enough to catch up quickly, but it’s not like they’re playing while they’re following.

Depending on how you do it, you can catch up or get ahead.

Anyway, it is clear that in three years, other companies will also arrive where we are. If you hesitate here, you may be caught up in the blink of an eye.

In this situation, leading automakers have proposed technology alliances and share exchanges.

I asked Daryl.

“What do you think of that offer?”

“No matter how good software is developed, it is useless if there is no hardware that can use it. In that sense, it is welcome.”

The technology developed by Karos is also meaningful when it is installed in automobiles. If commercialization is delayed, it gives other companies an opportunity to catch up.

In retrospect, that’s not a bad thing. Hopefully, software and hardware companies can exchange shares and grow together.

This is to secure automakers as allies.

However, this is a small business while it is a large company. As the size of the company differed, there was a high possibility that they would be dragged around.

And that’s not the picture I was thinking of.

Which of the companies OTK Company owns is the most valuable? From an external point of view, it is a face-it.

Faceit already occupies 30 percent of the US porn site access rate, and is also making money through pay-per-view.

But I think it’s Carlos.

The difference is the size of the market.

No matter how big the porn market is, it is not comparable to the automobile market. Even if you can’t live without watching porn, can’t you live without a car? (Isn’t there anyone who doesn’t?)

If Karos succeeds, it will occupy a unique position like Windows on PC and Andromeda on smartphone!

Of course, the existing automakers can’t just keep an eye on them, so they must first bow down and extend their hands.

“What if I say no?”

Sergei shook his head at my words.

“Checks and pressures will begin. As you may know, automobile companies and IT companies are working hand in hand with each other to develop technology at a tremendous speed. We also need to form partnerships quickly.”

I can’t be unaware of that.

In the first place, Karos itself was a joint venture between AMZ, Itachi, and Eunsung Motors.

Ryan helped too.

“Competition is also getting fiercer. You may be aware that Seosung Electronics acquired Herman.”

A month ago, Suseong Electronics acquired Herman for $8 billion. Although the company is well known to the general public as a high-end audio brand, it is actually a strong player in the automotive-related B2B market.

This meant that Suseong Electronics would jump into the autonomous driving and automotive electronics business. It aims to overcome its technological prowess that is lagging behind through mergers and acquisitions.

As an aside, there are rumors that Suseong Electronics provided the money when borrowing money from a financial company using the Karos stake as collateral.

If the rumors were true, if we didn’t pay the money on time, Carlos would have passed on to Seong-Eun Suh.

Considering the current situation of Karos aside from technical issues, it cannot be said that it is good. Investment is still needed, but cash is running out, and if you do it wrong, you will miss the timing of commercialization.

If you make a partnership even if you give away the stake, you can solve the immediate difficulties and speed up the commercialization as much as possible.

But that’s only if everything goes well.

Maybe they will be subordinated to several automakers and become a mere company. Or, after working together in moderation, and developing technology there, he might throw it away.

Judging from the atmosphere, it seems like we were discussing with each other how much stake we should give and how much cooperation we should have.

Well, it must have been difficult to find another option at the moment.

If I was going to give up the stake, I wouldn’t even have come this far.

I looked around the meeting room and suggested a new proposal.

“We make cars entirely.”

Everyone was taken aback by my words. I guess I never imagined that such a word would come out.

Daryl asked, surprised.

“Hey, what does that mean?” I told him what he said before.

“In the past, automobiles were nothing more than machines powered by an internal combustion engine. But now they are turning into giant electronics.”

The machine could only work with hardware. However, electronic products must have software.

“We have the software. So instead of being dragged around by hardware companies, we want to make our own hardware.”

It is often said that steel is the rice of industry. This is because it is the most fundamental material of the industry. So, Korea also built a steel mill in Pohang with reparations and loans from Japan.

If steel is the rice of industry, automobiles are the rice of that rice.

If a country develops and produces finished cars on its own, you can roughly guess the level of industry and technology in that country.

As such, it is not an exaggeration to say that automobiles are an integral part of all industrial technologies.

“I don’t have enough time or money to make my own.”

Money is not a problem.

But time is an issue. What time would you start with the sketch and make the finished product?

The automobile industry is currently undergoing rapid change.

Experts predict that the changes that will occur in the next 10 years will be greater than those in the previous 100 years.

To seize victory in that change…

“I am thinking of acquiring an automobile company.”

Money is an opportunity.

If it had been before Brexit, it would have been difficult to find a way other than alliances. But we currently have $30 billion in cash.

This is enough to take over any automaker.

* * *

After the meeting, we headed to the hostel under Henry’s guidance.

It was a room on the top floor of a 5 star hotel. The interior is a two-story structure, overlooking San Francisco Bay through the glass walls.

Taek-gyu went inside and burst out in admiration.

“Wow!”

I looked inside and said.

“It’s too good for two.”

Henry said with a smile.

“I am glad that you liked it. Please let me know if you need anything.”

Wouldn’t this be more than $10,000 a night? Even if we are Golden Gate VIP customers, they seem to treat us very well.

After Henry left, we floundered on the couch.

Taek-gyu took a Coke from the mini-bar and threw it at me. I don’t usually use the hotel mini bar, but it’s okay because we don’t pay for it.

“Did you know of a car company worth taking over?”

“If you have money, you can buy a lot.”

But this is not as simple as it sounds.

Acquiring an automobile company, regardless of the amount, is completely different from acquiring a startup.

Automakers, along with brands and factories, have numerous workers and subcontractors. As it has a large impact on the local economy, not only the contract between the parties but also the government’s approval is required.

In some cases, active support may be available.

However, this means that once an investment is made, it is difficult to get out. Therefore, the issue of acquisition should be decided with caution.

Because if you buy the wrong thing, you will become a money eater.

Taek-gyu said while drinking Coke.

“By the way, if Eunsung is the goal anyway, can’t we just fight alongside Daimler and Toyota?”

“Oh oh!”

It’s an opinion so good that it’s hard to believe it came out of his mouth.

However······.

“When Nikola made the first electric car, the existing car makers were ridiculed. Who rides a car that doesn’t perform well, doesn’t run for long, takes a long time to charge, and is even expensive? However, when the electric vehicle market opened in earnest, Nikola grew explosively.”

Nikola’s current market cap is enough to threaten the silver car.

“Autonomous driving technology will change the world beyond electric vehicles. If you want to completely dominate the market early on, you need a bold investment.”

Establishing a united front except for Eunsung is one way, but in that case, other companies will only do good things.

Aside from the feelings about the silver car, business is business.

“If you don’t have money, you don’t know, but if you have enough money to invest, what do you need to share with other companies?”

Taehyung nodded his head.

“Well. It would be nice to make software and hardware together like NPL.”

NPL independently produces smartphones, PCs, and tablets equipped with its own operating system. It has generated huge annual revenues in both software and hardware, ranking first in terms of market capitalization worldwide.

“There’s no law that says we shouldn’t be.”

Speaking of which, I am getting hungry.

“Dinner?”

“I talked to Henry.”

Unlike Hyun-joo’s older sister who is a workaholic, Taek-gyu and I are careful to have fun in moderation. No matter how much work you come here, you should go sightseeing and eat delicious food while you are in America.

So, I proposed to Henry to have a meal together, and asked him to look for restaurants nearby. Ding Dong!

Just then the bell rang.

When the door opened, Henry was standing there.

“Ready. Let’s go.”

We got into the limousine that was waiting in front of the hotel. On the way to the restaurant, Henry asked us.

“At the same time, my grandfather is nearby. If it’s not uncomfortable, would you mind eating together?”

I nodded.

“Yes. Fine.”

“I’m fine too.”

The restaurant was located inside San Francisco Bay. It’s more like a home than a fancy restaurant.

When I followed the guidance of the staff, the inside was like a garden, and on one side the chefs were grilling the steaks they ordered.

“Five! It smells good.”(Read more @ wuxiax.com)

We were seated at the reserved seats.

While we were waiting for our order, a man in a suit approached us. He was a skinny old man with a neat white beard. Would you like to be in your 70’s?

He wore gilt-rimmed glasses on his wrinkled face, and a gold ring on his finger. And he was holding a staff in one hand and a fedora on his head.

It’s like watching an old gentleman in the West, something you’d only see on TV.

said the old man.

“It’s been a while, Henry.”

Henry introduced us to the old man.

“You are my grandfather.”

They are so similar that you can tell that they are grandchildren just by looking at their faces.

We got up and said hello.

“Good morning. It’s called Kang Jin-hoo.”

The old man looked at me, and he looked like a child.

“To meet the CEO of OTK Company. It’s really nice to see you.”

“·················ogue.”