Auto industry and Big Oil trading blows

It would seem that if there are two parties who really shouldn't be playing the blame game regarding the world's energy problems: oil companies and auto manufacturers. That certainly hasn't stopped either from taking shots at each other in the media, however. Late last year, ExxonMobil apparently started running print ads that took automakers to task for a lack of fuel efficiency improvements in the past twenty years. In response, Chrysler VP of communications Jason Vines decided to strike back with a post on the company's blog.

We're not quite sure what to make of this fight so far, but it seems like both sides are waging a war in an attempt to win public sympathy that simply doesn't exist. It seems rather strange that ExxonMobil is upset that it has turned record profits recently largely on the back of the automotive industry, and indeed, it would be hard to argue that Big Oil has been proactive in bringing new energy solutions to the market. Of course, some critics would charge that carmakers haven't exactly been aggressive in their development of fuel-efficient vehicles. In both cases, the consumer has ultimately been in charge of the decision-making, but blaming customers has never been a successful marketing tactic.

If you'd like to take a side, feel free to do so in the comments. As for us, we'd rather see cooperation between automakers and energy suppliers to improve the situation.

[Source: The Detroit News; image from Frank Galasso]