Category Archives: electronics

GMC Hummer EV – 2026 Model Year Adds Carbon Fiber Option

Posted on 16 May 2025 by Ken Zino

“The refreshed Hummer EV enhances an already amazing vehicle with new software innovations and forward-thinking design,” said Al Oppenheiser, GMC Hummer EV chief engineer. “From the start, we aimed to provide Hummer EV owners over-the-air software updates. All 2026 Hummer EV owners will have access to our latest software going forward, allowing new features to be introduced throughout the vehicle’s lifecycle.” Continue reading →

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Volvo Car USA Rearview Camera Software Recall

Posted on 12 May 2025 by Ken Zino

Volvo Car USA is recalling ~413,000 model year 2021-2025 XC40, 2022 V90, 2022-2025 S90, V90CC, C40, XC60, and 2023-2025 S60, V60, V60CC and XC90 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display when the vehicle is placed in reverse. These Volvos fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111 on Rear Visibility. The center display will show “Camera is temporarily not available”.

Wide Angle Vision Module (WAM) Software from Google is the problem. “A fault code may be set under certain conditions, which could result in the backup camera image to not be available for the rest of the driving cycle. Park assist warnings, rear automatic braking and cross traffic alert will still be functional if the vehicle is equipped with those features, which will automatically stop the car if an obstacle is detected,” Volvo told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which made the mandatory recall filing public this morning. Continue reading →

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Cabin Fever at Corvette?

Posted on 7 May 2025 by Ken Zino

Chevrolet (NYSE: GM) said today that for the 2026 model year, the entire Corvette* lineup of  Stingray, E-Ray, Z06, and ZR1will have an interior  cabin with larger and more advanced driver-centric displays and fresh interior colorways, finishes and materials.

“Corvette is the ultimate American sports car, which is why it has remained the luxury sport segment leader for more than 20 years – with the next competitor a distant second in terms of market share,” said Scott Bell, vice president, Chevrolet. “With these updates, the mid-engine Corvette will continue to cement its leadership for years to come.” Continue reading →

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Seat Belt and Electrical Recalls from Mercedes-Benz USA

Posted on 28 April 2025 by Ken Zino

Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling a previous recall for fuse boxes, electronic stability control programming and driver’s side seat belt covers, according to documents made public this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. First, an incorrect fuse box that was not designed for the vehicle may have been installed. Second, the vehicle’s electronic stability program (ESP) may display an incorrect warning light during an ESP system failure. Third, the driver-side seat belt cover may not be properly installed on the seat belt tensioner, which can cause the seat belt anchor to come loose.

All told ~6700 vehicles are affected. NHTSA recall campaigns are 25V255 or 25V-255, 25V254 or 25V-254, 25V253 or 25V-253. Planned owner notification dates are not until June 2025. Continue reading →

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Stellantis – Notable Progress in Solid State Batteries

Posted on 24 April 2025 by Ken Zino

Stellantis N.V. (NYSE: STLA) and Factorial Energy today announced the successful validation of Factorial’s automotive-sized FEST® (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology) solid-state battery cells. This feat claims to be  a significant step forward on the path to bringing next-generation electric vehicle (EV) batteries to market.

“Reaching this level of performance reflects the strengths of our collaboration with Factorial,” said Ned Curic, Stellantis Chief Engineering and Technology Officer. “This breakthrough puts us at the forefront of the solid-state revolution, but we are not stopping there. We continue working together to push the boundaries and deliver even more advanced solutions, bringing us closer to lighter, more efficient batteries that reduce costs for our customers.” Continue reading →

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Kia EV4 Sedan Debuts in New York

Posted on 17 April 2025 by Ken Zino

Kia America has unwrapped the all-new 2026 EV4 sedan at the New York International Auto Show. The compact EV4 is Kia’s first global EV sedan. It’s based on a 400V Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), which underpins multiple EV models from Kia. How a sedan performs in an EV market dominated by CUVs and SUVs remains to be seen. The U.S. launch of Kia EV4 expected early 2026. Trim Levels, options and pricing among other variables are subject to the unpredictable whims of Trump tariff decrees of course.

“The EV4 makes all-electric ownership accessible for those customers who are seeking a more practical and affordable option on the EV landscape while still desiring an advanced, technology-driven in-car experience,” said Steven Center, COO & EVP, Kia America. Continue reading →

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Annals of Marketing – McMurtry Upside Down Spéirling

Posted on 11 April 2025 by Ken Zino

McMurtry Automotive said today that it has driven its record-breaking Spéirling hyper track car upside down. Proprietary Downforce-on-DemandTM fan system enabled the upside-down driving stunt. Customer deliveries of all-electric hypercar are scheduled for 2026; with 100 to be made. The specific car used was the McMurtry Spéirling PURE Validation Prototype 1 (VP1).

“That was just a fantastic day in the office! Strapping in and driving inverted was a completely surreal experience. The 2000kg of downforce that the fan system can generate is truly astonishing to experience and it’s great to show the reason why our Spéirling continues to take records around the world,” Said Thomas Yates, Co-founder & Managing Director of McMurtry Automotive. Continue reading →

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Nissan Launches Next Gen Autonomous Drive in FY 27

Posted on 10 April 2025 by Ken Zino

Nissan (7201T and NSANY ADR) said today it will launch the next generation of autonomous driving technology in the Japanese fiscal year of 2027 (1 April 2026 and ends on 31 March 2028).*

“The system, featuring Nissan Ground Truth Perception technology with next-generation Lidar and Wayve AI Driver software, will set a new standard for autonomous driving with advanced collision avoidance capability,” Nissan claimed. Continue reading →

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BMW North America Recalls 2025 xDrive Models

Posted on 7 April 2025 by Ken Zino

BMW of North America is recalling more than 4000 model year 2025 330i, 330i xDrive, 530i, 530i xDrive, 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive), 4 Series Convertible (430i, 430i xDrive), 4 Series Gran Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive) and X3 30 xDrive vehicles. The electrical connection between the Chinese-made starter-generator and battery may come loose. The supplier is Shanghai Valeo Auto-Elec System Company.

“This safety recall involves the power connector component of the starter- generator which may not have been produced by the supplier according to specifications. During the supplier production process, a gap could form at the connector location. If a gap exists, this could cause a loose connection between the connector and the positive battery cable (or wiring harness). As a result, resistive heating could start to occur,” BMW said in the required safety defect recall filing made public this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Continue reading →

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More Ford Motor Recalls – Fires, Power Loss, Seat Belts

Posted on 7 April 2025 by Ken Zino

Numerous Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) recalls covering a wide variety of serious Ford and Lincoln brand safety defects were publicly released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this morning. Continue reading →

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Honda R&D to Test Life-Support Systems in Space

Posted on 4 April 2025 by Ken Zino

Honda today announced plans to test its high-differential pressure water electrolysis system at the International Space Station (ISS) in collaboration with space and technology companies Sierra Space and Tec-Masters.

“The project is part of Honda’s vision for a regenerative fuel cell system that could provide advanced energy storage capable of supporting human life on the lunar surface,” Honda said. Continue reading →

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Toyota Top Automaker Again in U.S. Patent Rankings

Posted on 2 April 2025 by Ken Zino

For the 11th consecutive year, Toyota (NYSE: TM) has obtained more patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office than any other automotive company, according to the annual report by the Intellectual Property Owners Association. Toyota also remains in the top 10 among all patent recipients with 2428 U.S. patents in 2024. Continue reading →

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Ford Recalls Improperly Fixed Explorer Recalls

Posted on 31 March 2025 by Ken Zino

Explorer vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under NHTSA recall numbers 23V-199 or 22V-255. The rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect. This is another Ford Motor recall caused by software errors and its inability to ascertain if the prior recall was implemented correctly. Continue reading →

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Ford Recalls Previous Bronco and Escape Fire Recalls

Posted on 31 March 2025 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: Ford) is recalling ~34,000 model-year 2020-2022 Escape and 2021-2023 Bronco Sport vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under NHTSA recall numbers 22V-859 or 24V-187. A fuel injector may crack and leak fuel inside the engine compartment risking a fire. It’s the latest in a growing series of Ford recalls that were not properly repaired the first time because of software programming errors, requiring a recall of the recall, so to speak. Continue reading →

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Porsche Adding Wider Range of Apps and Services

Posted on 28 March 2025 by Ken Zino

Porsche AG (P911.DE) said this week that  it is optimizing its hardware for improved performance so that its App center offers  a wider range of services, including Dolby Atmos® for an immersive sound,  the integration of the Amazon Alexa® voice assistant among other things. It will also be offering Porsche Connect at no charge for 10 years on the purchase of new Porsche models. Thus Porsche known for its automotive performance technology is finally updating its digital age technology.*

“With the start of the new model year, the 911, Taycan, Panamera and Cayenne model series will benefit from significant improvements in infotainment technology and an expanded range of new functions in this area,” Porsche said. Continue reading →

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