Each week TheDetroitBureau.com reports on the biggest news and events about new vehicles, mobility, technology, trends as well as offering our years of experience and insights in our car reviews. Then we put it all into our weekly the Headlight News podcast.
All automotive eyes are focused on the Monterey peninsula as the Pebble Beach Concours drew its usual spate of classic vehicles, painstakingly restored for hundreds of thousands of dollars by people with millions of dollars. Naturally, automakers took advantage of that to introduce a slew of new or concept vehicles like Kia’s EV6 GT, Acura’s Precision Concept EV that was then revealed to be the next ZDX, the Lincoln Model L100 and its solid-state batteries, the Lucid Air Sapphire and more.
Some of the other stories you need to know about include:
- For the fourth consecutive year, the organizers of the Geneva Motor Show have cancelled the event, citing political uncertainty and potential health concerns. The group is still proceeding with its smaller event in the fall of 2023 in Qatar;
- NHTSA extended the amount of time for public comment on requests by General Motors and Ford to put as many as 2,500 autonomous vehicles on U.S. roads for testing. These vehicles would have no safety drivers behind the wheel, causing some organizations to express concerns. You get an extra 30 days to offer your viewpoint to federal safety regulators;
- After selecting sites in Ohio, Tennessee and Michigan, it appears GM and LG Energy have selected a site near South Bend, Indiana as the location for its fourth and final Ultium Cells LLC battery plant;
- NHTSA reported the U.S. saw its highest number of traffic deaths during the first quarter of 2022, up 7% compared to Q1 2021. The estimated 9,560 fatalities were the highest first quarter result since 2002, officials noted; and,
- The Inflation Reduction Act signed into law by President Joe Biden already has one automaker taking action, as Toyota officials said the company plans to expand its U.S. production output to to meet the North American content mandates for the EV tax credits.
President Joe Biden signed the sweeping Inflation Reduction Act into law. Aimed at fighting climate change using new technology, such as electric vehicles, it was initially hailed by supporters, reports Executive Editor Joe Szczesny. While it allows companies that no longer had EV tax credits to offer buyers a new round to discounts, it comes with plenty of U.S.-centric requirements automakers are less than thrilled about, making it not the form of assistance they were hoping for.
Managing Editor Michael Strong says it’s tough to find an uncomplicated, yet rewarding driving experience these days. However, he spent a week enjoying just that with 2022 Polaris Slingshot S. Essentially the entry-level model of the popular three-wheeler, it’s just a couple of seats, a steering wheel and three pedals — and loads of fun. Get more details at TheDetroitBureau.com.
In the week ahead, Strong continues, there will post-Pebble Beach Concours stories to write based on one-on-one interviews with some of the industry’s top designers and other executives. Additionally, we’ll be heading back to California midweek to drive the all-new 2023 Lexus RX. In addition, we’re headed Toyota’s R&D center near Ann Arbor, Michigan to see what innovation the automaker is planning to unleash.
Executive Editor Larry Printz takes us for a trip back in time to tells us about the last car to wear the Packard named rolling off the assembly line. Once considered among the top luxury vehicles one could own, a series of bad decisions — highlighted by an ill-fated merger with Studebaker — brings this storied marque to its knees.
Find out more the industry’s history and more by listening to TheDetroitBureau’s latest edition of the Headlight News podcast by clicking here. And look for a new episode every Monday!