Tag Archives: Regulatory

GM’s Ultra Cruise Will Leapfrog Tesla Autopilot, Offer Full Hands-Free Driving Virtually Everywhere

admin • October 6, 2021

In the race to put self-driving vehicles on the road, General Motors may be ready to take the lead with the new Ultra Cruise system it plans to put on the road by 2023.

Cadillac plans to expand the rollout of Super CruiseTM, the worldâs first true hands-free driver assistance feature for the freeway. Super Cruise will be available on all Cadillac models, with the rollout beginning in 2020. After 2020, Super Cruise will make its introduction in other General Motors brands. — GM is currently rolling out its original Super Cruise system on a wide range of products, including Chevy and GMC models, as well as those from Cadillac.

The new system will increase by tenfold the number of miles of roads GM’s Super Cruise system can operate on – and where the current system only can operate on limited-access roadways, Ultra Cruise will cover “every road including city streets, subdivision streets and paved rural roads, in addition to highways,” GM said in a statement announcing the new technology. At launch, Ultra Cruise will operate on 2 million miles of roads, said GM, with a goal of increasing that to 3.4 million.

With Ultra Cruise, GM seems positioned to leapfrog Tesla, the EV automaker that marketed the first “self-driving” system, Autopilot. Despite releasing a new update it refers to as “Full Self-Driving,” Tesla’s technology still requires drivers to keep their hands on the wheel at all times.

“Ultra Cruise is not just a game changer in terms of what it enables − a door-to-door hands-free driving experience − but a technological one as well,” said Doug Parks, GM’s executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain.

The race for autonomy

The auto industry is in a race to develop autonomous vehicle technology – with the eventual goal of having vehicles operate without the assistance of a human driver. GM’s San Francisco-based Cruise subsidiary recently won approval from the State of California to test prototype vehicles that don’t even have a steering wheel or other driver controls. But most experts believe that it will be late in the decade before such systems are ready for widespread use.

In the meantime, the focus is on more limited systems that can reduce the role of the driver – though a motorist would still need to be ready to take control in an emergency, or if the vehicle were to travel outside a “geofenced” area.

A number of manufacturers are developing these systems – known in industry parlance as “Level 2 autonomy.” Tesla was first to market with the original Autopilot, GM following with Super Cruise which it is now rolling out on a wide range of vehicle lines.

Both have significant limitations and make various trade-offs. Tesla has dubbed the latest version of Autopilot “Full Self-Driving,” and many owners have been using the system hands-free. Some have been recorded going so far as to jump into the back seat while the vehicle is moving. But the automaker actually stresses that motorists need to maintain at least a loose grip on the wheel.

Tesla v GM

GM claims drivers actually can take hands off the wheel using Super Cruise. But the system is restricted to about 200,000 miles of U.S. and Canadian roads. And the GM system uses a camera to ensure that the driver remains alert and in position to take over quickly, if necessary.

Tesla FSD Simulation — A digital simulation of Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system.

Tesla has, until recently, not monitored the driver. But it plans to do so after coming under fire for the lax way in which many drivers use Super Cruise. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is conducting a probe of Autopilot in the wake of several dozen crashes, a number of those involving Tesla vehicles impacting stationary emergency vehicles.

“The way Tesla is doing it, there always will be error problems,” said Sam Abuelsamid, principal auto analyst with Guidehouse Insights.

Tesla relies on the data gathered by a network of cameras to operate Autopilot. GM, on the other hand, uses radar, as well as ultra high-definition street maps, with Super Cruise. And the Ultra Cruise system will add LIDAR, a 3D laser technology.

“This is a more robust solution,” said Abuelsamid. “They’ve taken a safer approach (even as they) expand tenfold the number of roads they can use Ultra Cruise on.”

No rollout roadmap – yet

The GM system will be able to recognize street signs and traffic signals, as well as pedestrians, bicyclists and animals. And it will be able to handle pretty much any sort of situation that a human driver would normally be required to negotiate, according to GM.

The automaker hasn’t provided a specific roadmap for rolling out Ultra Cruise but it’s expected to follow the same model used for the original Super Cruise system. That would begin with the flagship Cadillac brand and then expand to other GM brands.

Motorists pay additional fees for vehicles equipped with the basic Super Cruise hardware and GM recently announced that it will charge a monthly usage fee, as well. Tesla, Ford and other manufacturers are adopting similar pricing models.

SEC Investigating VW Due to the “Voltswagen” Stunt

admin • April 30, 2021

The “Voltswagen” April Fool’s Day prank has led to an investigation by the SEC.

What started out as a “humorous” advertising and marketing ploy could land German automaker Volkswagen in serious trouble with the federal government.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is apparently looking into VW’s “Voltswagen” marketing stunt to determine if it hurt company stock prices and may have broken any U.S. securities laws, according to German news outlet Der Spiegel.

The incident in question dates back to March 29. As a sort of early April Fool’s Day prank (and marketing ploy), VW “accidentally” released a rough draft of a press release declaring the company was going to change its name to “Voltswagen” as part of a larger effort to promote its ever-growing line-up of electric vehicles (EVs).

This action was picked up by the worldwide automotive press and on March 30 VW issued an official press release to several news outlets, including the Associated Press, confirming the leaked statement from the day before.

This action resulted in VW’s stock price going up. At one point it was 12.5% above its price before the whole incident.

SEC looking at jump in stock price

VW of America President Scott Keogh took responsibility for the poorly received April Fools’ prank that wasn’t on April 1.

This is what caught the attention of the SEC, taking what many considered a fairly unfunny publicity ruse to a possible federal offense.

After the April Fool’s stunt failed in the eyes of the media and the public, VW issued a press statement saying the releases were actually part of a larger tradition in which companies often issue prank statements.

This one just meant to also focus the world’s attention on VW’s growing EV portfolio.

But public statements that affect stock prices usually don’t get an “April Fools” immunity. An SEC investigation could result in charges against the company.

Several news organizations, including The New York Times and Reuters, have asked for a comment from VW. So far, the company has declined to issue one.

Just one of many VW legal scandals

This is not the first time VW has gotten into trouble for the way it conducts its business.

Oh those wacky Germans!! As quickly as it got here, VW took it away: Voltswagen is the company that never was.

In October 2015, as Volkswagen struggled to deal with its diesel emissions scandal, new data raised questions about whether the automaker properly reported death and injury claims to U.S. regulators during the past decade.

A study by the financial advisory firm Stout Risius Ross Inc., found that Volkswagen of America reported nine times fewer deaths and injuries than the average of the 11 largest automakers operating in the U.S. market. Significantly, VW reported less than half as many incidents as either Fiat Chrysler or Honda, both of which have been fined for underreporting their own death and injury data.

Back in September 2015, the EPA accused the German maker of using a so-called “defeat devices,” software designed to fool government emissions tests, on a variety of luxury models from the Audi and Porsche brands. The feds charged VW took steps to cover up excess emissions on 482,000 vehicles sold in the U.S. during a 7-year period.

The end result was VW paying billions of dollars in fines to various governments around the world. The company also faced numerous consumer lawsuits that further cost the company money.

html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container { background: #fff; border: 3px solid #91a6bf; -webkit-border-radius: 5px; -moz-border-radius: 5px; border-radius: 5px; margin: 10px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; padding: 20px 30px; color: #555; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-miniText { font-size: 1em; line-height: 28px; text-transform: uppercase; color: #54C3A5; font-weight: bold; font-family: 'Alfa Slab One', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; display:none; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-heading { font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-caption { margin-top: 12px; font-style: italic; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container .columbine-form { overflow: hidden; margin-top: 20px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col1 { float: left; width: 33.333%; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col2 { float: left; width: 33.333%; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col3 { float: left; width: 33.333%; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col1 { float: left; width: 66.333%; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col2 { float: right; width: 33.333%; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.columbine-input, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.date-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.text-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.password-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container select.mo-optin-form-custom-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container textarea.mo-optin-form-custom-field { background-color: #ffffff; width: 100%; display: block; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-border-radius: 0; -moz-border-radius: 0; border-radius: 0; padding: 11px 17px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left; border: 1px solid #ccc; color: #555; outline: none; margin: 0; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.columbine-input, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.date-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.text-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.password-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container textarea.mo-optin-form-custom-field.textarea-field { -webkit-appearance: none; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.columbine-submit, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input[type="submit"].mo-optin-form-cta-button { display: block; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-appearance: none; border: 0; background: #54C3A5; padding: 13px 10px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; color: #fff; outline: none; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 700; width: 100%; margin: 0; border-radius: 0; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-note { margin-top: 10px; line-height: normal; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.mo-optin-error { display: none; background: #FF0000; color: white; text-align: center; padding: .2em; margin: 0; width: 100%; font-size: 16px; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid #FF0000; } @media only screen and (max-width: 650px) { html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.mo-optin-error { margin-bottom: -10px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col1, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col2, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col1, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col2, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col3 { float: none; width: 100%; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 10px; } } html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-column, html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col1, html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col2, html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col1, html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col2, html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col3 { float: none; width: 100%; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 10px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-column textarea.mo-optin-form-custom-field.textarea-field { min-height: 80px; }div#JkaXGWBzgI *, div#JkaXGWBzgI *:before, div#JkaXGWBzgI *:after {box-sizing: border-box;-webkit-box-sizing: border-box;-moz-box-sizing: border-box;}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field:focus {outline:0}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-submit-button:focus {outline:0}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div.mo-optin-powered-by{margin:5px auto 2px;text-align:center;}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div.mo-optin-powered-by a {font-size:16px !important; text-decoration: none !important;box-shadow:none !important;border-bottom-width:0px !important;cursor:pointer !important;}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container .mo-acceptance-checkbox {background-color: #fff;line-height: 0;border: 1px solid #bbb;width: 16px;min-width: 16px;height: 16px;margin: 0 5px 0 0 !important;outline: 0;text-align: center;vertical-align: middle;clear: none;cursor: pointer;}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container .mo-acceptance-label {cursor:pointer}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost p {padding:0px !important;margin:0px !important}div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-wrapper label {color:inherit;font-weight: normal;margin: 0;padding:0;}div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost input[type=submit] {-webkit-appearance: none;}div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost input {z-index: auto;}div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-cta-button-flag .mo-optin-form-note .mo-acceptance-label {display:none;}div#JkaXGWBzgI .mailoptin-video-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; } div#JkaXGWBzgI .mailoptin-video-container iframe, div#JkaXGWBzgI .mailoptin-video-container object, div#JkaXGWBzgI .mailoptin-video-container embed, div#JkaXGWBzgI .mailoptin-video-container video { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.mo-optin-form-wrapper {max-width:100% !important}#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-spinner { border-radius: inherit; position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; background: #fff url(https://www.thedetroitbureau.com/wp-content/plugins/mailoptin/src/core/src/assets/images/spinner.gif) 50% 50% no-repeat; left: 0; top: 0; opacity: 0.99; filter: alpha(opacity=80); } #JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-success-close { font-size: 32px !important; font-family: "HelveticaNeue - Light", "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif !important; color: #282828 !important; font-weight: 300 !important; position: absolute !important; top: 0 !important; right: 10px !important; background: none !important; text-decoration: none !important; width: auto !important; height: auto !important; display: block !important; line-height: 32px !important; padding: 0 !important; -moz-box-shadow: none !important; -webkit-box-shadow: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; } #JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-success-msg { font-size: 21px; font-family: "HelveticaNeue - Light", "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; color: #282828 !important; font-weight: 300; text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; position: absolute !important; left: 50%; top: 50%; -webkit-transform: translate(-50%, -50%); -moz-transform: translate(-50%, -50%); -o-transform: translate(-50%, -50%); -ms-transform: translate(-50%, -50%); transform: translate(-50%, -50%); } #JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-success-msg a { color: #0000EE; text-decoration: underline; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field:not(select), html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .checkbox-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .radio-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .select-field { margin-top: 6px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .checkbox-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .radio-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .select-field { text-align: left; padding: 6px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .checkbox-field label, html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .radio-field label { display: block; text-align: left; margin-top: 6px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .checkbox-field label input, html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .radio-field label input { margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .select-field select { width: 100%; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field:not(select), html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .mo-optin-form-custom-field.checkbox-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .mo-optin-form-custom-field.radio-field { padding: 0 !important; border: 0 !important; background: transparent !important; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field label { display: block !important; margin: 5px 0 !important; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field label:last-child { margin: 0; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field input[type=checkbox] { cursor: pointer; } div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-headline, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container h2, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container h1 { font-size: 32px !important; }div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-description, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost p { font-size: 18px !important; }div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-note { font-size: 14px !important; }@media screen and (max-width: 768px) { div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-headline, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost h2, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost h1 { font-size: 30px !important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-description, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost p { font-size: 18px !important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-note { font-size: 14px !important; } }@media screen and (max-width: 480px) { div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-headline, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost h2, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost h1 { font-size: 25px !important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-description, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost p { font-size: 16px !important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-note, div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-note * { font-size: 12px !important; } } #JkaXGWBzgI #JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-name-field::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #JkaXGWBzgI #JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-name-field:-ms-input-placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #JkaXGWBzgI #JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-name-field::placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #JkaXGWBzgI #JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-email-field::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #JkaXGWBzgI #JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-email-field:-ms-input-placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #JkaXGWBzgI #JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-email-field::placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-mailchimp-interest-container { margin: 0 10px 2px; } div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-mailchimp-interest-label { font-size: 16px; margin: 5px 0 2px; } div#JkaXGWBzgI input.mo-mailchimp-interest-choice { line-height: normal; border: 0; margin: 0 5px; } div#JkaXGWBzgI span.mo-mailchimp-choice-label { vertical-align: middle; font-size: 14px; } div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-mailchimp-interest-choice-container { margin: 5px 0; }div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-mailchimp-interest-label { display:inline-block!important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI span.mo-mailchimp-choice-label { vertical-align:baseline!important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-mailchimp-interest-container { padding:18px 0 6px 0; } div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-mailchimp-choice-label { font-size:16px!important; }

After Warning from Feds, Tesla Recalling 135,000 Faulty Vehicles in the U.S.

admin • February 2, 2021

Tesla is recalling 135,000 vehicles to fix an ongoing problem with its touchscreens.

With federal safety regulators breathing down its back, Tesla has agreed to recall nearly 135,000 battery-electric vehicles equipped with touchscreens that are prone to unexpectedly failure – which could make it difficult for motorists to operate the vehicles and potentially lead to a crash.

The problem has been widely reported by owners and Tesla has been making free repairs on an ad hoc basis, but that didn’t satisfy the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which felt that the screens should be replaced before they fail, avoiding the chance that drivers would be left at risk.

Tesla uses its laptop computer-sized displays to operate virtually all vehicle functions and such failures could make it difficult to see what gear a vehicle is operating in, as well as being able to use its backup camera. And because the driver could lose the ability to control the vehicle’s climate control system – including front and rear window defoggers, NHTSA warned the problem “may decrease the driver’s visibility in inclement weather.”

(Tesla told to recall 158,000 vehicles due to touchscreen failures.)

The recall covers two of Tesla’s original product lines, a total of 134,951 Model S sedans and Model X SUVs.

The problem can cause the Model S touchscreen to fail, impacting several of the vehicle’s functions.

The safety agency has been looking into the touchscreen problem since last June – upgrading the probe in November after receiving 12,523 reports related to the problem.

It took the unusual step of requesting a recall in a letter sent to the EV manufacturer on Jan. 13. That followed discussed between Tesla and NHTSA officials, including a presentation that, regulators said, “confirmed that all units will inevitably fail.”

What has become known as the “eMMC failure” issue involves the displays that are ubiquitous in all Tesla vehicles but, in particular, those used by 2012-2018 Model S sedans and 2016-2018 Model X SUVs. They rely on NVIDIA processors and an 8 gigabyte flash memory device known as an eMMC NAND. The memory systems have a limited capacity and lifecycle. Once exceeded, they fail, taking down the Tesla display screen.

When it launched the probe in November, NHTSA announced that, “The data show failure rates over 30% in certain build months and accelerating failure trends after three to four years in service.”

(NHTSA expands probe into Tesla touchscreen issue.)

Early on, Tesla had been charging owners for repairs if their vehicles were out of warranty when the screens failed. The carmaker subsequently began making all repairs for free but, until now, had declined to proactively replace the displays until they did fail – something it knew would happen on all of the affected vehicles eventually.

The “eMMC failure” issue involves the displays in 2012-2018 Model S sedans.

The automaker tried to downplay the risks a failure could cause by stating that, “the driver can perform a shoulder check and use the mirrors. If the screen is not visible to control the climate control and defroster settings, the driver will be able to manually clear the windshield.”

The automaker also advised owners of the affected vehicles that it had released a software update that would maintain at least some critical functions in the event of a touchscreen failure. If the update were installed, “then the rearview backup camera will remain available, the exterior turn signal lighting will remain functional, and the windshield defogging and defrosting controls will automatically default to a preset cabin temperature to ensure windshield visibility,” Tesla said, while warning that vehicles that weren’t updated faced “possible malfunctions.

While Tesla resisted, until now, recalling the vehicles in the U.S., it did take such a step already in China, its second-largest market.

The touchscreen issue raises further concerns among safety advocates about Tesla’s extreme reliance on technology without offering any backup. That approach was underscored last month when the automaker announced that the new, super high-performance version of the Model S, the Plaid+ edition, will adopt a squared-off, yoke-style steering wheel devoid of manual turn signals. According to Tesla, the vehicle will intuit when a driver is about to make a turn. It has also said the vehicle itself will know when it needs to shift into forward or reverse.

(Tesla cleared of sudden unintended acceleration by NHTSA.)

This isn’t the first time the automaker has had a run-in with federal safety regulators. And it has been cited on several occasions for playing at least a partial role in serious, and sometimes fatal, crashes involving its Autopilot system. With the new Biden administration expected to call for increased diligence by NHTSA and other regulators, it could mean closer scrutiny for Tesla as it continues to push the boundaries of technology in its vehicles.

Toyota Agrees to Pay Record $180M Fine for Emissions Violations

admin • January 15, 2021

Toyota agreed to pay a $180 million fine after failing to report EPA-mandated emissions information.

Toyota Motor agreed to pay the largest civil penalty ever – $180 million – to settle a lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice because the automaker failed to report violations of U.S. emissions regulations for a decade.

The Japanese automaker avoided reporting violations of the Clean Air Act to the Environmental Protection Agency between 2005 and 2015. The company didn’t report defects that hindered its vehicles’ ability to control tailpipe emissions “designed to protect the public health and the environment from harmful air pollutants,” the DOJ said.

The lawsuit was filed and settled simultaneously in U.S. District Court in Manhattan because Toyota agreed to all the provisions in the consent decree. The company’s late or, in some cases, non-existent filings allowed for millions of potentially non-compliant vehicles to be sold in the U.S.

(New Toyota patent lets dirty car drive itself to the car wash.)

For a decade, the automaker systematically failed to report defects and top Toyota executives in Japan knew about the practice but failed to stop it, the DOJ contends.

Toyota either delayed or simply failed to send emissions information to the EPA from 2005 – 2015.

“Toyota shut its eyes to the noncompliance,” Audrey Strauss, the acting U.S. attorney, said in a statement, “failing to provide proper training, attention, and oversight to its Clean Air Act reporting obligations.”

“Toyota’s actions undermined EPA’s self-disclosure system and likely led to delayed or avoided emission-related recalls, resulting in financial benefit to Toyota and excess emissions of air pollutants. Today, Toyota pays the price for its misconduct with a $180 million civil penalty and agreement to injunctive relief to ensure that its violations will not be repeated.”

(Toyota boss Akio Toyoda remains EV skeptic.)

While Toyota officials agreed to pay the fine, they appear unwilling to go as far as being the environmental bad guy the Justice Department suggests. Eric Booth, a spokesman for the automaker, told the New York Times the company alerted the authorities as soon as the lapses came to light, and that the delay in reporting “resulted in a negligible emissions impact, if any.”

Toyota contends that while it erred in not sending the information, the impact was negligible.

“Nonetheless, we recognize that some of our reporting protocols fell short of our own high standards, and we are pleased to have resolved this matter,” Booth added.

This isn’t Toyota’s first brush with this issue. In 2003, the automaker was penalized $20 million for selling 2.2 million vehicles with noncompliant on-board diagnostic systems. That was two years before the current round of transgressions began.

(Launching 25 models over 16 months, remain active in passenger car segments.)

In addition to the financial penalty, the company is working under an injunction that ensures it complies with emissions-reporting requirements going forward.

Former Michigan Governor in Line for Secretary of Energy Post

admin • December 16, 2020

Former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm is reportedly Biden’s choice to head the Department of Energy.

President-elect Joe Biden is apparently prepared to nominate former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm to lead the U.S. Department of Energy, giving the domestic auto industry an influential ally in the new administration’s inner circles.

Granholm’s selection, which hasn’t been announced formally, was kept well below the radar. However, Biden worked with Granholm on the critical effort to rescue General Motors and Chrysler Corp. during the early days of the Obama administration in 2009 when she was in her last term as Michigan’s governor.

As Michigan’s governor, Granholm was a forceful champion of the domestic auto industry and pushed hard to bailout Chrysler at a time when some of Obama’s Wall Street-oriented advisers and others were recommending the company be allowed to fail and its remnants absorbed by other automakers.

(As Biden’s new Transportation chief, “Mayor Pete” will face massive list of automotive challenges.)

Granholm’s advocacy earned her the thanks of the United Auto Workers and her proven track record with union should help bolster the Biden administration’s credibility with blue-collar workers, particularly in the Midwest.

General Motors Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre (left to right), Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano look on as the first Chevrolet Volt battery comes off the line at the GM Brownstown Battery plant in Brownstown Township, Michigan Thursday, January 7, 2010. The facility is the first lithium ion battery pack manufacturing plant in the U.S. operated by a major automaker. X10SN_SN013 (Photo by Steve Fecht for General Motors) (01/07/2010)

Then-General Motors Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre left, Granholm, and former U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu at a GM battery plant .

At the same time, she also prodded Detroit’s automakers to adopt new technology.

In addition, Granholm has long been a champion of alternative energy, pushing Michigan’s utilities to develop wind and solar power despite opposition from state Republicans, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and other business leaders, who complained incessantly that the state’s cold, cloudy weather made it impossible to use wind or solar power.

Now Michigan’s two major electric utilities, Consumers Power and Detroit Edison, are in the process of phasing out coal-fired plants.

Granholm’s commitment to alternative energy dovetails neatly with Biden’s own commitment to develop new sources of energy that could gradually wean the U.S. from its dependence on the oil — a commitment Biden defended during his final debate with President Donald Trump before the election.

Under Trump, the DOE had been run by former Texas Governor Richard Perry, who was heavily influenced by oil and gas interests.

(Barra, Gamble meet with President-elect Biden.)

According to Politico, the lion’s share of DOE’s budget is revolving around nuclear power and nuclear weapons.

Granholm, left, with the-auto recovery czar Ed Mongomery, argued to save Chrysler Corp.

However, it also oversees a network of 17 national laboratories that act as a key resource for the development of new technology and have worked closely with automakers on batteries and electric propulsion and other inventions for use in manufacturing.

Carla Bailo, CEO for the Center for Automotive Transportation in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said during a webinar sponsored by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation it is important that the technology necessary for building and operating electric vehicles be developed in the United States and not drift offshore to China and Europe, which are making major investments in electric vehicles.

While the Trump administration has made a trade a central part of its China policy, the incoming Biden administration is very aware that the U.S. is in a race for new technology with the Peoples Republic of China, according to Chris Krueger, managing director of the Cowen Washington Research Group.

Getting more consumers to use battery electric vehicles will also require a substantial effort to educate consumers about the noted, Michelle Krebs, executive analyst with Autotrader. Up until now, consumers have been reluctant to let go of traditional vehicles, she noted.

Granholm was first elected Attorney General of Michigan in 1998 and served one term before capturing the Democratic nomination for governor in 2002. She was re-elected in 2006, defeating Richard DeVos, the husband of Trump’s Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.

(Unions helped Biden in 2020 election.)

Since then she has been a law professor at the University of California-Berkeley and a political commentator on CNN.

GM Looking to Grow its Finance Arm’s Capabilities

admin • November 27, 2020

GM is reportedly looking to apply for a banking charter for its financing unit, GM Financial.

General Motors has been generating plenty of attention for its plans to shift to battery-electric vehicle production; however, the auto company has also been looking to get back into some old businesses too, namely banking.

It’s an oversimplification, but the Wall Street Journal reported today that GM’s captive financing unit, General Motors Financial Company Inc. is seeking to apply for a banking charter. The move would allow the company to accept deposits — like a bank. The move is part of a strategy allowing it to form an industrial loan company.

The specialized charter gives a company the ability to own a commercial firm and banks — typically a no-no with a traditional banking license, the newspaper noted. GM has done this before with its GMAC unit, which not only offered auto loans, but also home mortgages and other types of lending options.

(GM financial arm strengthens loan portfolio.)

GM’s financing arm, GM Financial, has contributed to the auto company’s bottom line in growing amounts of significance during the past decade.

That could occur as early as next month, according to sources cited by the WSJ. The company has been nosing around the subject with federal and state regulators for several months. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and Utah Department of Financial Institutions are reportedly on board with this.

GMAC nearly failed during the Great Recession in 2008 due to subprime mortgages. The government bailed the unit it out and it was renamed Ally Financial, and GM eventually sold its stake in 2013. Ally Financial currently offers auto loans for several automakers, including Fiat Chrysler and Hyundai, as well as offering online banking resources.

According to WSJ sources, this would not be round two of GMAC, rather the deposits would be used to help with the automotive loan business. It would essentially act as a low-cost form of capital for those auto loans. Currently, the unit has to issue debt in order to provide financing for its customers. It’s possible the newly chartered unit would offer high-yield savings accounts as well as other deposit-based accounts to consumers.

(Treasury adds capital to GMAC Financial Services.)

GM isn’t alone in offering financing to potential buyers. In fact, it’s often part of the marketing push to draw customers into dealerships by advertising low rates on new car loans and leases. It gives dealers a chance to secure sales to buyers with less-than-ideal credit scores.

The move to accept deposits would give GM Financial a low-cost form of capital for auto loans.

In the case of GM Financial, it’s added some green to the company’s bottom line. It generated $14.5 billion in 2019, accounting for 10.6% of GM’s overall revenue, WSJ noted. In 2010, the unit’s revenue was less than 1% of auto company’s revenue while it rose to 4.2% in 2015.

Getting the industrial loan company structure in place wouldn’t make it unique in the auto industry, the newspaper noted. Toyota Motor Co. and BMW AG employ similar units to not only offer auto financing, but home mortgages and credit cards. What is different is that few companies have attempted to get back into that business since the 2008 banking collapse.

(GM delivers $4B in Q3 earnings as auto market rebounds.)

html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container { background: #fff; border: 3px solid #91a6bf; -webkit-border-radius: 5px; -moz-border-radius: 5px; border-radius: 5px; margin: 10px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; padding: 20px 30px; color: #555; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-miniText { font-size: 1em; line-height: 28px; text-transform: uppercase; color: #54C3A5; font-weight: bold; font-family: 'Alfa Slab One', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; display:none; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-heading { font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-caption { margin-top: 12px; font-style: italic; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container .columbine-form { overflow: hidden; margin-top: 20px; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col1 { float: left; width: 33.333%; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col2 { float: left; width: 33.333%; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col3 { float: left; width: 33.333%; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col1 { float: left; width: 66.333%; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col2 { float: right; width: 33.333%; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container input.columbine-input, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.date-field, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.text-field, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.password-field, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container select.mo-optin-form-custom-field, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container textarea.mo-optin-form-custom-field { background-color: #ffffff; width: 100%; display: block; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-border-radius: 0; -moz-border-radius: 0; border-radius: 0; padding: 11px 17px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left; border: 1px solid #ccc; color: #555; outline: none; margin: 0; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container input.columbine-input, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.date-field, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.text-field, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.password-field, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container textarea.mo-optin-form-custom-field.textarea-field { -webkit-appearance: none; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container input.columbine-submit, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container input[type="submit"].mo-optin-form-cta-button { display: block; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-appearance: none; border: 0; background: #54C3A5; padding: 13px 10px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; color: #fff; outline: none; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 700; width: 100%; margin: 0; border-radius: 0; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-note { margin-top: 10px; line-height: normal; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.mo-optin-error { display: none; background: #FF0000; color: white; text-align: center; padding: .2em; margin: 0; width: 100%; font-size: 16px; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid #FF0000; } @media only screen and (max-width: 650px) { html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.mo-optin-error { margin-bottom: -10px; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col1, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col2, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col1, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col2, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col3 { float: none; width: 100%; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 10px; } } html div#gJSomKNtPm.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-column, html div#gJSomKNtPm.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col1, html div#gJSomKNtPm.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col2, html div#gJSomKNtPm.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col1, html div#gJSomKNtPm.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col2, html div#gJSomKNtPm.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col3 { float: none; width: 100%; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 10px; } html div#gJSomKNtPm.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-column textarea.mo-optin-form-custom-field.textarea-field { min-height: 80px; }div#gJSomKNtPm *, div#gJSomKNtPm *:before, div#gJSomKNtPm *:after {box-sizing: border-box;-webkit-box-sizing: border-box;-moz-box-sizing: border-box;}div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost_container div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-field:focus {outline:0}div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost_container div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-form-submit-button:focus {outline:0}div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost_container div.mo-optin-powered-by{margin:5px auto 2px;text-align:center;}div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost_container div.mo-optin-powered-by a {font-size:16px !important; text-decoration: none !important;box-shadow:none !important;border-bottom-width:0px !important;cursor:pointer !important;}div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost_container .mo-acceptance-checkbox {background-color: #fff;line-height: 0;border: 1px solid #bbb;width: 16px;min-width: 16px;height: 16px;margin: 0 5px 0 0 !important;outline: 0;text-align: center;vertical-align: middle;clear: none;cursor: pointer;}div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost_container .mo-acceptance-label {cursor:pointer}div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost_container div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost p {padding:0px !important;margin:0px !important}div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-wrapper label {color:inherit;font-weight: normal;margin: 0;padding:0;}div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost_container div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost input[type=submit] {-webkit-appearance: none;}div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost_container div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost input {z-index: auto;}div#gJSomKNtPm.mo-cta-button-flag .mo-optin-form-note .mo-acceptance-label {display:none;}div#gJSomKNtPm .mailoptin-video-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; } div#gJSomKNtPm .mailoptin-video-container iframe, div#gJSomKNtPm .mailoptin-video-container object, div#gJSomKNtPm .mailoptin-video-container embed, div#gJSomKNtPm .mailoptin-video-container video { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost.mo-optin-form-wrapper {max-width:100% !important}#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-spinner { border-radius: inherit; position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; background: #fff url(https://www.thedetroitbureau.com/wp-content/plugins/mailoptin/src/core/src/assets/images/spinner.gif) 50% 50% no-repeat; left: 0; top: 0; opacity: 0.99; filter: alpha(opacity=80); } #gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-success-close { font-size: 32px !important; font-family: "HelveticaNeue - Light", "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif !important; color: #282828 !important; font-weight: 300 !important; position: absolute !important; top: 0 !important; right: 10px !important; background: none !important; text-decoration: none !important; width: auto !important; height: auto !important; display: block !important; line-height: 32px !important; padding: 0 !important; -moz-box-shadow: none !important; -webkit-box-shadow: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; } #gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-success-msg { font-size: 21px; font-family: "HelveticaNeue - Light", "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; color: #282828 !important; font-weight: 300; text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; position: absolute !important; left: 50%; top: 50%; -webkit-transform: translate(-50%, -50%); -moz-transform: translate(-50%, -50%); -o-transform: translate(-50%, -50%); -ms-transform: translate(-50%, -50%); transform: translate(-50%, -50%); } #gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-success-msg a { color: #0000EE; text-decoration: underline; } html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field:not(select), html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .checkbox-field, html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .radio-field, html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .select-field { margin-top: 6px; } html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .checkbox-field, html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .radio-field, html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .select-field { text-align: left; padding: 6px; } html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .checkbox-field label, html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .radio-field label { display: block; text-align: left; margin-top: 6px; } html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .checkbox-field label input, html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .radio-field label input { margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle; } html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .select-field select { width: 100%; } html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field:not(select), html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .mo-optin-form-custom-field.checkbox-field, html div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .mo-optin-form-custom-field.radio-field { padding: 0 !important; border: 0 !important; background: transparent !important; } html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field label { display: block !important; margin: 5px 0 !important; } html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field label:last-child { margin: 0; } html div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field input[type=checkbox] { cursor: pointer; } div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-form-headline, div#gJSomKNtPm div.mo-optin-form-container h2, div#gJSomKNtPm div.mo-optin-form-container h1 { font-size: 32px !important; }div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-form-description, div#gJSomKNtPm div.mo-optin-form-container div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost p { font-size: 18px !important; }div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-form-note { font-size: 14px !important; }@media screen and (max-width: 768px) { div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-form-headline, div#gJSomKNtPm div.mo-optin-form-container div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost h2, div#gJSomKNtPm div.mo-optin-form-container div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost h1 { font-size: 30px !important; } div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-form-description, div#gJSomKNtPm div.mo-optin-form-container div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost p { font-size: 18px !important; } div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-form-note { font-size: 14px !important; } }@media screen and (max-width: 480px) { div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-form-headline, div#gJSomKNtPm div.mo-optin-form-container div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost h2, div#gJSomKNtPm div.mo-optin-form-container div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost h1 { font-size: 25px !important; } div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-form-description, div#gJSomKNtPm div.mo-optin-form-container div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost p { font-size: 16px !important; } div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-form-note, div#gJSomKNtPm div#gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-form-note * { font-size: 12px !important; } } #gJSomKNtPm #gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-name-field::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #gJSomKNtPm #gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-name-field:-ms-input-placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #gJSomKNtPm #gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-name-field::placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #gJSomKNtPm #gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-email-field::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #gJSomKNtPm #gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-email-field:-ms-input-placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #gJSomKNtPm #gJSomKNtPm_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-email-field::placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-mailchimp-interest-container { margin: 0 10px 2px; } div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-mailchimp-interest-label { font-size: 16px; margin: 5px 0 2px; } div#gJSomKNtPm input.mo-mailchimp-interest-choice { line-height: normal; border: 0; margin: 0 5px; } div#gJSomKNtPm span.mo-mailchimp-choice-label { vertical-align: middle; font-size: 14px; } div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-mailchimp-interest-choice-container { margin: 5px 0; }div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-mailchimp-interest-label { display:inline-block!important; } div#gJSomKNtPm span.mo-mailchimp-choice-label { vertical-align:baseline!important; } div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-mailchimp-interest-container { padding:18px 0 6px 0; } div#gJSomKNtPm .mo-mailchimp-choice-label { font-size:16px!important; }

BMW Does a Complete U-Turn on its EV Program

admin • November 4, 2020

The production version of the i4 Concept will reach the U.S. next year. It will use a shared platform.

A week before unveiling the all-new iNext battery-electric vehicle, BMW said it will “realign” its strategy and begin developing a unique architecture solely for “electric drives,” rather than sharing the same platform for vehicles using both battery and conventional gas and diesel powertrains.

That’s a complete about face for the Bavarian marque which, in recent years, had hoped to save money and simplify manufacturing by coming up with common architectures that could roll off the same line. But it also marks a return to BMW’s original strategy when electrified models like the all-electric i3 city car and plug-in hybrid i8 sports car used unique platforms.

“The aim is to create an overall optimum with the new architecture,” CEO Oliver Zipse said during BMW’s quarterly earnings presentation on Wednesday.

(BMW preps for i4 launch, confirms plans for all-electric 5-Series and X1.)

Over the past decade, the auto industry has gone back and forth on the appropriate approach to developing electrified vehicles, pure battery-electric models, in particular. Some, like the Ford Focus Electric and the Volkswagen e-Golf, shared common platforms with the gas and diesel versions of those vehicles. Others, such as the original BMW i models, as well as the new Ford Mustang Mach-E and VW ID.3, used unique architectures.

BMW says the production iNext should get nearly 400 miles of range per charge.

Each approach had both pluses and minuses. Shared platforms result in design compromises, often limiting the amount of batteries that could be stored on a vehicle – impacting range, among other things. But development costs can be held down, while increasing the flexibility of a company’s assembly lines.

Unique platforms, most adopting a skateboard-style layout with batteries and motors mounted below the load floor, can handle larger packs, increasing range and lowering a vehicle’s center of gravity. But that means additional development costs and the tooling up of plants dedicated solely to EVs.

With an upcoming wave of new products BMW had aimed for a compromise strategy. They use flexible platforms that can squeeze more batteries under the load floor for models like the all-electric i4 fastback due out next year. But there’s space for a conventional internal combustion engine for products such as the next BMW 4-Series.

Now, , “We will realign our vehicle architecture from the middle of the decade,” said Zipse, adding that, “Our new cluster architecture is geared towards electric drives” exclusively.

BMW’s i3 is one of the automaker’s best-selling electric vehicles. It uses a unique, rather than shared, platform.

“Our new plant in Hungary plays a key role here,” said the CEO, noting that production of “the new BEV-centered architecture will start there.”

(BMW and Mercedes suspend joint autonomous vehicle development program.)

The plan is to make the new strategy a high priority, an all-new product development operation reporting directly to Zipse. But it will be able to reach out to all other areas within the company, from engineering to sales and marketing which “gives us more control and makes us much faster,” he explained.

The shared platform strategy had come under intense scrutiny within BMW, noted German magazine Automobilwoche, Over the summer, Manfred Wochs, the head of the BMW Works Council, had warned that it resulted in “too many compromises” that could set BMW back competitively, especially in key markets like the U.S. and China.

BMW is racing to get a leg up in an emerging market segment that currently is dominated by the upstart Tesla – with an assortment of traditional competitors, as well as start-ups like Lucid, Fisker and Rivian, aiming to gain share.

But Zipse insisted that BMW will be ready when its new EVs hit market around 2025. “We anticipate that the demand for fully electric vehicles will continue to increase significantly from 2025 onwards. Exactly then – keyword timing – we will ignite phase III of our transformation.”

(BMW may go for a plug-in hybrid with upcoming X8 M.)

TheAutomotiveArchaeologist.com – Car Care and Trends in the Auto Industry

Just another WordPress site