The only companies named in the article are Google, Apple, and GM. What's "big on the horizon" for tech and auto companies? Autonomous transportation.
After "horse-and-sun-powered agrarian economy" and "electricity-and-motor-powered industrial economy" and "silicon-based information economy", it seems we're going to "automation-based service economy".
After "horse-and-sun-powered agrarian economy" and "electricity-and-motor-powered industrial economy" and "silicon-based information economy", it seems we're going to "automation-based service economy".