Blogging While Driving

Jesse Walker | March 8, 2006

The Detroit Free Press has published an interesting article about the ways blogs are influencing the automobile industry:

They blast corporate strategy, single out top-level executives for failed projects and provide their own thoughts on what the automakers should do to turn things around. Several of the sites have developed a loyal following with thousands of regular visitors....

Whether the companies like them [or] not, the Internet sites are increasingly pushing information to the public, said David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor. They quickly circulate news and ideas about the auto companies.

"There are no secrets," Cole said. "You can't hide anything."

All of which is to the good, though I chortled a bit when I read about the fellow whose site "helps him land consulting jobs in the auto industry." He "declined to give the names of his clients but said it hasn't created a conflict of interest." Hmm -- maybe it's not so hard to hide things after all.