Volkswagen, Porsche kill old models – create new opportunities for BYD

The United Nations is launching new cyber security rules named UN R155, which the EU will implement from July 7.

It means that drivers on European roads will have to get used to not seeing some of the innovative cars, including Volkswagen’s Up and some versions of Porsche’s Cayman.

It’s also the latest sign of European cars slowly disappearing from their native roads, as Chinese automakers like BYD rush to fill the void of bargain-hunting consumers.

‘Spy machines on four wheels’

Thanks to the rapid growth of automotive upgrades, older models are not equipped with the necessary protections to prevent things like cyber attacks.

Experts have been cautious in their warnings about the potential for next-generation cars to cause serious damage to drivers and pedestrians.

“It’s about sensitive data that can be filtered—especially for electric vehicles. From the point of view of the intelligence agencies, these cars, with many sensors and cameras, are nothing but spy machines on four wheels,” the German economist. Moritz Schularick told Handelsblatt the month of March.

Because the cost of retrofitting cars would be high, European automakers are instead choosing to phase out cars that don’t meet EU standards. The Wall Street Journal information.

of Volkswagen Automatic top it is set to be phased out 12 years after launch, with the VW Transporter T6.1 also being discontinued.

In February Forbes information that cyber security laws will also halt production of the Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster cars. Luxury automakers will only sell combustion engine versions of these vehicles in certain jurisdictions, including North America.

The move to phase out older models could be the latest jolt to supply-demand dynamics, giving low-cost Chinese manufacturers such as BYD another push into the European market.

Speaking to Luck Last week, Nigel Griffiths, director of automotive forecasting at S&P Global Mobility, said BYD had previously benefited from a series of problems facing European carmakers during the crisis years.

This includes the semiconductor crisis, which forced automakers to cut production of C-segment brands, giving BYD an opportunity for impatient customers.

The cost of living crisis exacerbated this trend, Griffiths said, creating a perfect storm for European automakers.

“Compact and midsize SUVs, and so on, have been largely discounted by European consumers, and are a great value proposition. And those are what Europe should be most concerned about,” he said.