All the points that you make, Dennis, are solid and right. It is true that the bottom line is that the Project Better Place

Thanks for your considered comments Amid. I think the core point here is that none of us truly knows what it will take to bring change. Shai’s infrastructure approach is but one piece in a highly complex jigsaw that connects people to technology and without overtly defending Mark’s position - he can do that for himself - I generally agree that this is not a slam dunk. We should not forget for instance that there is cultural bias so while the project may succeed in one territory, it may not in another.

As to Shai’s abilities - I’ve met him, I know people who have worked with him. He’s a great performer and when set to task he can deliver. But as we all know, past success is no guarantee for the future. I do of course wish him all success. It’s a worthy cause.

Amit, I appreciate your comments. My argument was that concepts such as telecommuting and Project Better Place should *not* be treated as mutually exclusive. Rather we need ways to tackle lots of interconnected social and technical factors.

There is space for more problem-solvers here. Shai does what he does brilliantly but his chosen approach is surprisingly low on ‘digital’. Most of it could have been implemented in 1978, or 1987, if the politics and energy pricing equation had been right. That’s fine, but it’s quite surprising, and just a tiny bit disappointing, given his background. If anyone could have done it, it was him.

Project Better Place has huge potential and yes, it can really make a difference. Agassi has a lot to do and is going to have to stick to implementing his chosen solution for a few years to come.

So we can’t wait for him to be ready to solve the next problem. We need a line of Shais, rethinking the myriad aspects of how we move, and some of them need a deep rooted understanding of software and systems, and how they can shape paths to adoption that are not currently obvious. People who can influence vehicle flow, invent better usage and sales models, and address the deeply problematic relationship cars now have with cities, or rather city authorities have with cars. The people with answers are out there. We just need to encourage them.

I completely agree with both of you Dennis as well as with most of your statements Mark. The only thing that I will challenge is that the PBP approach could have been implemented before. I think that many developments were made recently that make this scheme more feasible. Would it be from the batteries perspective (after all you do need a battery technology that will allow to drive at least 40 miles per charge) or from the social dynamics such as putting a lot of emphasis on environmental issues.

At the end of the day that all of us agree about one point, the market is ripe and in need for innovators and PBP is a worthy project. It is about implementing it and finding other supporting (and not necessarily mutually exclusive) initiatives.

Good luck to us all.