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- IIHS Pushing for Optimal State Safety Belt Use Laws
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- Volvo Cars – 2.5 Million Software Upgrades Are Now Free
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- Ken Zino on Ford Fuel Injector Leak Recall Now at ~694,000
- Laverne Oliver on Ford Fuel Injector Leak Recall Now at ~694,000
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Category Archives: electronics
Volkswagen Group Recalls ID.4 EVs for Bad Software
Volkswagen Group of America is recalling ~80,000 2021-2023 ID.4 compact electric SUVs. Bad software in the affected electric vehicles may have center displays and instrument panel displays from LG Electronics in Poland that do not boot, or that sporadically reset. This can result in loss of speedometer information or loss of rearview camera image. Continue reading
Posted in customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, electronics, engineering, mobility company, recalls, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 101 and 110, Ken Zino, LG Electronics in Poland, NHTSA 24V344. ID.4 recalls, software recalls, Volkswagen Group of America recalls
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Honda and IBM MoU on Software-Defined Vehicles
“The MOU outlines areas of potential joint research of specialized semiconductor technologies such as brain-inspired computing *[2 ] and chiplet technologies, with the aim to dramatically improve processing performance while, simultaneously, decreasing power consumption. Hardware and software co-optimization is important to ensure high performance and fast time to market. To achieve such benefits and manage design complexity for future SDVs, the two companies also plan to explore open and flexible software solutions,” Honda said in a release from Tokyo. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles, electronics, milestones, mobility company, news analysis, software defined vehicles, software defined vehicles
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, automotive software, hardware and software co-optimization, Honda and IBM, Ken Zino, software-defined vehicles
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Annals of Marketing – Audi Electric Mountain Bike
Audi of America said this morning that it will increase its range of e-mobility products with the launch of a limited-edition enduro-style electric pedal assist mountain bike – dubbed eMTB – powered by Fantic. It becomes available through Audi Genuine Accessories by the summer of 2024. The Audi eMTB has livery said to be inspired by the design of Audi’s electrified Dakar Rally-winning RS Q e-tron race car. Audi eMTB at ~$9795 comes from a deal with Italian motorcycle and e-bike manufacturer Fantic based upon its XEF 1.9 Factory enduro e-bike. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, electronics, environment, marketing, milestones, mobility company, transportation
Tagged Audi Electric Mountain Bike, Audi eMTB, Audi Genuine Accessories, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Fantic XEF 1.9 Factory enduro e-bike, Ken Zino
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Ford Maverick Pickups Recalled for Tail Light Failures
Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 243,000 Maverick vehicles. The Body Control Module (BCM) on 2022-2024 models may deactivate one or both rear tail-lights without warning. The problem appears to simple math error during the design phase of product development. The rear lamps use two position bulbs on a single circuit. However, the BCM current threshold was calibrated to the current draw for one bulb. This is a variation and expansion of a previous rear light recall. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, electronics, engineering, recalls, safety
Tagged 23V-848 or 23V848. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, ford recalls, Ken Zino, Maverick recalls, nhtsa, NHTSA 24V-293 or 24V293, software safety defects and recalls
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Sudden Power Loss Recall – Bronco Sport, Maverick Trucks
“An insufficient calibration strategy for detecting sudden battery degradations during a drive cycle can lead to (a) a vehicle that is unable to restart after an auto start/stop event or (b) experience a stall while coming to a stop at low speed. Either may be accompanied by a loss of 12-volt accessories, including hazard lights,” Ford said in the required filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which the Federal safety agency made public today. NHTSA prompted the recall. Continue reading
Posted in customer satisfaction, electronics, engineering, news analysis, public health, quality, recalls, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ford recall 24S24, ford recalls, Ken Zino, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA 24V267
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EV Grumblings – 2025 Toyota Camry Will Be Hybrid Only
The 2025 Toyota Camry sedans are expected to arrive at Toyota dealerships in late spring 2024 with a starting Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $28,400* – more than $400 less than the outgoing Camry Hybrid base grade and includes more standard features. It is a formidable entry in AutoInformed’s view. Continue reading
Ford Again Recalls Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs for Fires
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is recalling more than 420,00 2022-2023 Bronco Sport and 2022 Escape vehicles because of engine fires. Affected SUVs are equipped with 1.5-liter engines where a fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment, Ford said in the required filing that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made public this morning. This is an expansion of a previous fire recall since the original remedy was inadequate on what was then called the Dragon engine. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, electronics, news analysis, public health, quality, recalls
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Bronco recalls, Bronco sport recalls, Ford Bronco recalls, Ford Escape recalls, Ford recall 24S16, ford recalls, Ken Zino, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA 24V187
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New Grille and Battery for 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS
Mercedes‑Benz said today that the EQS Sedan for 2025 model year has numerous upgrades with a new larger 118-kWh battery for increased electric range, a front fascia with a new grille and the Mercedes-Benz standing star on the hood, as well as new standard and optional equipment. The 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan arrives at U.S. dealerships later in 2024. The EQ brand is all electric, of course. The EQS SUV is a two- or three-row large vehicle produced at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa, which is currently, so to speak, experiencing labor issues. Continue reading
More US Jobs Coming from Chips and Science Act
With investments such as those at TSMC Arizona, the United States is now on track to produce roughly 20% of the world’s leading-edge chips by 2030. With total capital expenditures of more than $65 billion, TSMC Arizona’s investment is the largest foreign direct investment in a greenfield project in U.S. history. Continue reading
Posted in economy, electric vehicles, electronics, manufacturing, milestones, news analysis
Tagged 2 Nanometer or More Advanced Chips, AMD, apple, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Bidenomics, CHIPS and Science Act, Dr. Mark Liu, Ken Zino, large-scale datacenters, machine learning, NVIDIA, President Joe Biden, Qualcomm, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, The U.S. Department of Commerce, TSMC Arizona Corporation
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Suniva, Heliene to Make First U.S. Domestic Content Solar Cells
“With this strategic partnership Heliene and Suniva are well-positioned to rapidly scale domestic cell and module manufacturing to meet the surging demand for secure and reliable domestically made crystalline PV modules. Currently, all U.S.-made solar crystalline modules use only imported cells. This partnership will directly address that gap in the U.S. solar supply chain and help strengthen manufacturing capacity to meet increased demand for domestic products,” the companies said in a joint released timed to coincide with a visit by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at Suniva yesterday. Continue reading
Posted in economy, electric vehicles, electronics, energy, environment, global warming, manufacturing, milestones, news, news analysis, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden Administration economic recovery, Cristiano Amoruso, Domestic Content Bonus Investment Tax Credit, Heliene, Ken Zino, making American manufacturing great again, Martin Pochtaruk, renewable energy, Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen, solar polar, Suniva
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PEVE to Become Toyota Battery Company
Toyota Motor (NYSE:TM) in Japan confirmed today that Primearth EV Energy Co., Ltd. (PEVE) will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota Motor. The subsidiary will use the technology advanced through Toyota’s hybrid vehicle battery business to date. and presumably improve on it. The transaction is scheduled to be approved at PEVE’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in late June 2024. It’s the latest in a series of moves by Toyota to become a dominant EV company.
“The new company name embodies our determination to leverage the technology and skills honed since PEVE’s establishment in 1996 to contribute to the competitiveness of Japanese batteries and become a company that provides high-quality and highly safe on-board batteries. In addition to batteries for Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), we plan to produce batteries for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). Through our efforts in the production of diverse and next-generation on-board batteries, we hope to create new value and be useful to society,” PEVE said. Continue reading
Posted in connected vehicles, electric vehicles, electronics, energy, environment, global warming, milestones, mobility company, news analysis
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, bevs, ev batteries, hevs, Ken Zino, Masamichi Okada, PEVE, PHEVs, Primearth EV Energy Co., Toyota Motor Corporation
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Department of Commerce Proposes $8.5B Intel Funding
The U.S. Department of Commerce and Intel Corporation have reached a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $8.5 billion in direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act to strengthen the U.S. supply chain and re-establish American leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, the Biden-Harris Administration said today. This is the Department of Commerce’s fourth PMT announcement under the CHIPS and Science Act. So-called leading-edge chips power the most sophisticated technology extant, including developing AI and building critical military systems and weapons.
“There is no one who cares more about revitalizing American manufacturing than President Biden, and today’s announcement is a massive step towards ensuring America’s leadership in manufacturing for the 21st century. With this agreement, we are helping to incentivize over $100 billion in investments from Intel – marking one of the largest investments ever in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, which will create over 30,000 good-paying jobs and ignite the next generation of innovation,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, autonomous cars, autonomous vehicles, economy, electric vehicles, electronics, engineering, manufacturing, milestones, news analysis, software defined vehicles, software defined vehicles
Tagged artificial intelligence, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden-Harris Administration, CHIPS and Science Act, Gina Raimondo, Intel, Intel 18A, Ken Zino, Pat Gelsinger, semi-conductors, U.S. Department of Commerce
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Jaguar Land Rover North America Recalls I-Pace EVs
Jaguar Land Rover North America is recalling 2019 I-Pace SUV vehicles, according to documents released this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The high-voltage battery in the electric Jaguar may overheat, which is a potential fire hazard. These vehicles were built at the Graz Vehicle Assembly Plant in Poland from 6 June – 31 October 2018 and use a Polish-built battery from Chinese LG energy Systems. They were previously recalled under NHTSA 23V369 and will need to have the new safety defect remedy completed. Continue reading
Posted in connected vehicles, customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, electronics, engineering, manufacturing, quality, recalls, safety
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, EV recalls, Jaguar I-Pace recalls, Jaguar recall H484, Ken Zino, LG Energy Systems battery recalls, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA 23V369, NHTSA recall 24V183, Tata Group
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OPTIQ EV- Cadillac Introduces an Entry Level Compact SUV
Cadillac today revealed the new 2025 OPTIQ, an entry-level Cadillac luxury EV. OPTIQ is the least-expensive EV in lineup. This is Cadillac’s fourth EV, positioned below the barely-selling LYRIQ mid-size crossover, with a base price of ~$59,000. This fall OPTIQ joins the expensive ~$300,000+ CELESTIC sedan and the Escalade SUV (~ $130,000). Next year, the VISTIQ appears in showrooms. OPTIQ pricing starts at an estimated $54,000 for the Luxury trim, Sport will be more expensive [footnote 10],* including destination charges, excluding tax, title, license, and dealer fees. Obvious competitors include Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Mercedes-EQ EQB, and Lexus RZ. Continue reading →