Archive for the ‘Automobiles’ Category
But new drivers may find careers cut short as self-driving rigs come to market.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Oct.23, 2017
Trucks will handle about two-thirds of U.S. freight this year, but driver shortages pose problems.
If you’ve spend any time on the freeway lately you’ve likely seen the signs on the back of some semi-trucks: “Drivers Wanted.” Indeed, the trucking industry is expected to come up about 50,000 drivers short this year.
If anything, the shortage only appears to be getting worse, according to the American Trucking Association which has issued a new report warning of what it called a “significant tightening of the driver market.” In fact, shippers may get less than half of the roughly 90,000 new drivers they need this year to meet growing demand.
Keep On Truckin'!
Once seen as a well-paying road to a middle-class lifestyle, the job is more often viewed today as low-paying, tedious and risky. Worse, millennials may be questioning the long-term potential of a career behind the wheel as they read stories revealing the industry’s plans to replace human drivers as soon as possible with self-driving trucks that not only don’t draw paychecks but which can operate 24/7.
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Tags: auto news, autonomous truck, car news, driver shortage, driverless truck, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau, truck driver, truck driver shortage, truck freight
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New funding raises latest effort to $1.1 billion.
by Joseph Szczesny on Oct.23, 2017
Tesla is working on a deal to build its vehicles in Shanghai, which may get accelerated if China eases ownership rules for EV makers.
Tesla Inc. increased its borrowing capacity for a car lease program to $1.1 billion from $600 million, according to a regulatory filing.
The increase in borrowing capacity will give the Tesla the ability to offer consumers better lease deals as it scrambles to break bottlenecks that have dogged production of its newest and most affordable vehicle, the Model 3.
Industry News!
The company increased the borrowing capacity under certain warehouse loan agreements, which are specialized loans to help companies finance inventory, the company said in a filing and a spokesman said financing was related to Tesla’s car lease program. (more…)
Tags: Tesla China factory deal, Tesla China-built EVs, Tesla deal in China, Tesla funding, Tesla raises $500M more, Tesla raising $1.1 billion, TheDetroitBureau.com., VW CEO chides Tesla, auto news, joseph szczesny, tesla news, thedetroitbureau
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City doubling fees for driving older diesels in the city.
by Michael Strong on Oct.23, 2017
London is nearly doubling the fees it charges drivers of diesel drivers in certain parts of the city.
The war on diesel continues as the city of London – already known for charging drivers for motoring through the city in older vehicles – is almost doubling the rates it charges diesel drivers for the privilege of commuting through the city.
London charges all drivers $15 each time they enter the financial district and parts of west London under a congestion charge. But those driving gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles registered before 2006 will need to pay an additional charge of nearly $13.
News You Can Trust!
The city is one of many making efforts to chase cars, particularly diesels, out of cities to improve air quality. Paris has limited the use of vehicles in cars and many countries are moving toward eliminating these types of vehicles altogether, including China, Norway, India and Germany with the UK and France mulling similar plans. (more…)
Tags: EV promotion, London charing old cars more, London congestion tax, London diesel fee, London news, London raises fees, Sadiq Khan, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, banning diesel engines, banning gasoline engines, diesel car bans, michael strong, thedetroitbureau
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Money going to 49 states and D.C.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Oct.20, 2017
One of the defective GM ignition switch units now blamed for causing at least 124 deaths.
General Motors has agreed to pay out $120 million to settle a lawsuit filed by 49 states and the District of Columbia over its handling of an ignition switch defect linked to at least 124 deaths and 275 injuries.
The problem was revealed in early 2014 and eventually led to the recall of 2.6 million vehicles and the firing of more than a dozen GM employees who either failed to act on early warning signs or attempted to sweep the problem under the carpet.
The Last Word!
“GM will continue ongoing improvements it’s made to ensure the safety of its vehicles,” a spokesman for the automaker said. That includes changes ordered by CEO Mary Barra after the problem was first revealed, as well as efforts that were agreed to as part of a settlement with the federal government in December 2015.
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Tags: auto news, auto safety, car news, defective ignition switch, gm ignition switch, gm ignition switch recall, gm ignition switch settlement, gm news, gm safety, mary barra, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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Durheimer replaced by Jaguar Land Rover's Hallmark.
by Michael Strong on Oct.20, 2017
Wolfgang Durheimer took over the helm at Bentley from former CEO Franz-Josef Paefgen.
Another company is playing musical executives, as Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer is stepping down and being replaced by former Jaguar Land Rover executives Adrian Hallmark. The move is effective Feb. 1, 2018.
In addition to Hallmark’s hiring, the company announced that is board members for engineerings, sales and marketing, and human resources, will also resign effective Jan. 1, 2018.
The Last Word!
“I would like to thank Wolfgang Durheimer for his dedication to Bentley Motors and the Volkswagen Group,” Matthias Mueller, CEO of the VW Group, said in a statement. “He has had an outstanding career and has launched some of the most important cars the Group has ever created.” (more…)
Tags: Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer, Bentley executive shuffle, Bentley names new CEO, Hallmark new Bentley CEO, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, automotive executive changes, bentley news, michael strong, thedetroitbureau
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GM subsidiary was the last company standing.
by Michael Strong on Oct.20, 2017
Workers at Holden's plant near Adelaide commemorate the last car built at the plant and the last in Australia.
The “Lion” roared one last time today as the last new vehicle produce in the Australia, a Holden VF Commodore, rolled out of the GM-subsidiary’s plant in Adelaide, to mark the end of a 70-year history of producing cars there.
GM Holden Ltd. built its first car, the FX Holden, in 1948 while the last was a gleaming red Holden VF Commodore, a six-cylinder rear-wheel drive sedan, at the plant in the Adelaide suburb of Elizabeth that had grown over decades. At the end, there were nearly 1,000 employees at the facility.
Global Auto News!
“It’s pretty tragic really that we’ve let go probably one of the best cars around the world,” an auto painter who identified himself as Kane told reporters, according to the Detroit News. (more…)
Tags: Australian auto industry, Australian automotive production ends, GM Holden ends production, GM Holden news, Holden 7.6 million cars, Holden's last Australian-made car, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, michael strong, thedetroitbureau
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Makers were ignoring front passenger to bolster driver's side.
by Michael Strong on Oct.20, 2017
IIHS Senior Research Engineer Becky Mueller says the new passenger-side offset testing gives a clearer picture of how safe a car is.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is implementing a new passenger-side offset impact test for 2017–18 models after discovering makers weren’t always providing the same level of protection to both front-seat passengers.
Individual models will now have to earn good or acceptable passenger-side ratings in order to qualify for IIHS’ Top Safety Pick + award.
News Now!
Last year, the organization found inconsistencies in passenger-side small overlap test results on seven small SUVs from the 2014 through 2016 model years that had good ratings for driver-side protection. (more…)
Tags: IIHS new passenger-side offset testing, IIHS new test, IIHS news, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, michael strong, new safety tests, passenger-side tests, thedetroitbureau
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Competition creates new incentive floor for auto projects.
by Joseph Szczesny on Oct.20, 2017
Toyota President Akio Toyota and his Mazda counterpart Kogai announce their alliance.
Proposals for Amazon’s second headquarters were due last night and communities from across the United States e-mailed their bids hoping to be selected as the host for a $5 billion project that could eventually produce as many 50,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The battle royal now underway for Amazon is also expected to have a major impact on other economic and job development projects, which when combined are also expected to boost the amount of cash automakers will get for new future projects
News You Can Trust!
In a culture where even the opening of the equivalent of a new warehouse for a distributing almost anything is hailed by local politicians, Amazon is expected to attract dozens of proposals. Denver has been proclaimed by the New York Times as the front runner because it’s located near the center of the country; has a skilled workforce, lots of land and a public transportation system. (more…)
Tags: Amazon HQ bids help automakers, Amazon incentives aid automakers, Amazon second headquarters, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, automakers benefit from Amazon, automakers want plant incentives, joseph szczesny, new auto plants, thedetroitbureau
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Updated sheet metal, lots of new technology.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Oct.20, 2017
The 2019 Audi A7 Sportback is a bit lower and a bit wider, enhancing the overall look without compromising interior space.
Few cars have made more of a dramatic design statement in recent years than the Audi A7. Like rival Mercedes-Benz’s CLS, it helped usher in the era of the coupe-like sedan, though few have come close to capturing the Audi model’s elegance.
What to do for the next act? We’ve just found out, Audi introducing the new 2019 A7 Sportback during an event in Germany and, if anything, it seems to have found ways to improve the original model’s proportions.
Reviews You Can Use!
But the 2019 remake is about more than just new styling. As with its new, top-of-the-line A8, the new Audi A7 is brimming with the latest in digital technologies. Indeed, it shares many of the infotainment and advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS, found on the brand’s new flagship. (more…)
Tags: 2019 Audi A7, Audi A7 Sportback, Audi A7 coupe-like sedan, Audi product intro, TheDetroitBureau.com., audi news, auto news, new A7 Sportback, new Audi model, paul a. eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
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Maker is “literally electrified” by EV racer set to challenge 12.4-mile hill climb.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Oct.19, 2017
Volkswagen is ready to show off its electric vehicle expertise by racing up Pike's Peak.
Few automakers are doing more to plug into the emerging market for electrified vehicles than Volkswagen, the German company announcing last month it will invest $20 billion to develop a vast fleet of hybrids, plug-ins and pure battery-electric vehicles.
The big question is whether there’s a market for all those new models, so VW is taking a page from the Automotive Marketing 101 handbook and tweaking it ever so slightly. “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday,” goes the old adage. And if it works for classic, internal combustion vehicles, why not try it for your battery cars, as well?
Stay Plugged In!
So, VW is giving us a first look at the all-wheel-drive battery-electric that it will use to challenge the grueling Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb next year, Sven Smeets, Volkswagen’s Motorsport Director telling us, ” Our team is literally electrified about taking on this incredible challenge” — which happens to mark the first time in 30 years the company will have campaigned at the Pike’s Peak Climb. (more…)
Tags: TheDetroitBureau.com., VW EV news, VW EV plans, VW EV racing Pike's Peak, VW electric vehicle race, Volkswagen Pike's Peak, auto news, new VW EV Pike's Peak, paul a. eisenstein, thedetroitbureau, vw news
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