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Category Archives: connected vehicles
Connected Cars – State Farm and Ford to Offer UBI Coverage
Eligible 2020 Model Year and newer connected Ford and Lincoln vehicles, with the consent of the owner, can share information directly with State Farm to enable Drive Safe & Save. The more customers improve their driving behaviors, the greater the insurance discount they may obtain, the companies claim. Continue reading
Ford Pro Using Lightning EVs in Pilot Farming Study
Winegrowers rely daily on their trucks to haul fertilizer and fuel tanks, water and portable bathrooms. Some vehicles log upward of 50,000 miles a year, traveling between properties from Cloverdale to Petaluma. Operating these vehicles and maintaining them, are among an organization’s largest expenses. At Dutton Ranch, which runs a fleet of ~70 work vehicles, fuel costs average $5,000 per month. The prospect of reducing that monthly expense is critical to operations moving forward. Electric vehicles, coupled with the solar power that many Sonoma County ranches already generate and store, represent another way to help offset rising fuel costs. Large Ford pickup trucks and SUVs of course consume enormous amounts of fossil fuels each day. Continue reading
Posted in connected vehicles, electric vehicles, energy, environment
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, Bevill Vineyard Management, Build Back Better Act Decreases Budget Deficit, Dutton Ranch, E-Transit, F-150 Lightning, Ford Pro, Ken Zino, Sonoma County, Vino Farms, Winegrowers
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Software – Honda Invests in US-based Helm.ai
Helm.ai is an artificial intelligence software startup company established in November 2016. Honda and Helm.ai have been working in together since 2019 through Honda Xcelerator*3, described as a global open innovation program of Honda. Continue reading
Amazon and Stellantis to Connect Vehicles to Digital Services
The STLA SmartCockpit platform will use Amazon products that are purpose-built for vehicles, it’s claimed. Stellantis will produce custom, brand and vehicle-specific capabilities. The software will offer services through an app store displayed through an “adaptive user interface design that presents timely, relevant information and features suited to each occupant’s individual needs and preferences.” In other words, you will be tracked. What happens to your personal information – how it is used, sold or resold or given to government entities – was not disclosed in the announcement. Continue reading
Washington Diddles. India Puts Billions into Securing EV Jobs
This is not an isolated occurrence. Electric vehicles, the so-called hydrogen economy and connected cars are the future of the planet and high paying employment. Virtually all major industrial nations are promoting policies and incentives to become major forces where no automaker dares to go alone. Except the dis-United States it seems. Even Senator Manchin’s next Maserati that he drives to his yacht will likely be an EV. Built where? The question facing Washington politicians of his ilk is simple: Do you care about the people in your district? Continue reading
Mustang Mach-E SUVs Delivered to ‘Customers’ in China
The locally-produced Mach-E is being sold via Ford BEV’s tiny network of 25 direct-to-customer stores located in major Chinese metropolitan markets Continue reading
Posted in connected vehicles, electric vehicles, marketing, people
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, changan ford, china, Ken Zino
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GM Stalks $20B Electric Conversion Market
It’s the latest step in GM’s breakthrough commitment to electric vehicles that have fossil-fueled equity analysts living in the past questioning a strategy they clearly don’t understand given their questions during GM earnings calls. They are in a different cloud, so to speak. Continue reading
Ford Testing VIIZR Field Service Tool Built on Salesforce
Ford Motor is launching VIIZR, a new field service tool built on Salesforce. VIIZR can help small-business owners such as plumbers, and other technicians with invoicing, scheduling and managing requests, so they can work with their customers from anywhere. In … Continue reading
Connected – Bosch Touts Application Independent Software
“Software development is a longstanding core competence at Bosch. Every year, we put more than 200 million control units running our own software into vehicles worldwide. With this new set-up, we want to become the leading provider of application-independent vehicle software,” says Dr. Stefan Hartung, chairperson of the Mobility Solutions business sector of Robert Bosch GmbH. Continue reading
Mercedes-Benz to invest €60B to be Electric Only
The Supervisory Board agreed to an investment plan for the years 2022 to 2026 of more than €60 billion. Mercedes-Benz claims it will reduce capex, research and development expenses for the electrification of the product portfolio and digitalization processes, including steps towards automated driving, albeit at an admittedly high level. Needed to do this is an increase net revenues per vehicle. In addition, a gradual shift toward a direct sales model, which includes control over pricing, is being sought. Rising revenue from digital services will further support results. Continue reading
Automotive Chips – Ford Adds GlobalFoundries to Help Design and Supply
GF and Ford have signed a non-binding agreement for GF to create more semiconductor supply for Ford’s current vehicle lineup, as well as joint research and development to address the growing demand for feature-rich chips to support the automotive industry. Continue reading
President Biden to Attend GM Factory ZERO Grand Opening
The so-called “Internet of Things” is changing manufacturing plants, enabling connected devices to deliver benefits to quality and safety. Countless systems and equipment rely on connectivity, such as robotics, sensors and the Automated Guided Vehicles that deliver materials across the factory floor. Continue reading
Honda Motor to Make Sweeping Organizational Changes in April to Survive and Sustain Itself as a Mobility Company
Translation: The changes are needed to survive the electrification business, new business, and combined solution business, which will require bolstering the development of software, as well as the strengthening the development of core electrification technologies. Continue reading →