-
Recent Posts
- Ford Motor Eliminates Model E in Profit Seeking About Face
- Wadda You Say? Personalized Sound at Nissan, Infiniti
- Bye Sauber – Hi Audi Revolut F1 Team
- Pre-Owned Vehicle Marketing – Stellantis, Cox Automotive
- Chinese Junk Watch Death Risk – Luyuan Youth ATVs
- ICE Vehicle Mobile Apps – Wide Satisfaction Differences
- Sports Betting Tax Revenues Soaring
- IndyCar Cheating – New Independent Officiating for 2026 Series
- Ford Expands Mustang Cup USA Series in 2026
- GM Canada Leadership Change – Jack Uppal new President
- Toyota Enhances Arizona Proving Ground
- Happy Nightmare! Holiday Travel to Set New Record
- First Look – $34,995 Subaru Uncharted EV
- Stellantis and Bolt Partner on Driverless Mobility
- Detroit Auto Show – Official U.S. Route 66 Centennial Project
Recent Comments
- Magna on its Share Repurchase Plan in reference to on Magna Posts Solid Q3 2025 Earnings Gain
- Daniel Ricciardo Global Ford Racing Ambassador on Ford Performance Rebranded as Ford Racing
- Gen 3 2026 Nissan Leaf Less than $30,000? | AutoInformed on Milestones – Nissan Begins Assembly of 2013 LEAF EV in Tennessee
- ACSI – Customer Satisfaction with Autos Dropping | AutoInformed on New DOGE Scorecard Announced to Track Trump
- Cadillac Off-Roader – Elevated Velocity | AutoInformed on Annals of Marketing – Cadillac Opulent Velocity Concept EV
Archives
Meta
Category Archives: engineering
Hyundai Recalls 55,000 Vehicles for Sudden Power Loss
The fuel control valve in the high-pressure fuel pump assemblies equipped in the vehicles could allow excess fuel to enter the fuel pump due to gradual wear of the FCV plunger. An air/fuel mixture that runs too “rich” may result in a reduction or loss of motive power at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash. The problem resulted in a recall in Korea last month. According to HMC, upon detection of a fault, the vehicle entered a “limp” drive mode that limited acceleration when exceeding 60 MPH. Continue reading
Hyundai 2025 Tucson – $29,750 to $48,485
The Tucson has a redesigned panoramic curved display that integrates an optional 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an enlarged 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display. A redesigned center stack includes the addition of supplementary knobs and switches for frequent-use controls including audio volume and tuning (copying a long standing Toyota and Lexus tradition). A new dashboard tray located above the glovebox adds storage space for front-seat passengers. Continue reading
IIHS Pooh-Poohs Merits of Partial Automation Systems
“Everything we’re seeing tells us that partial automation is a convenience feature like power windows or heated seats rather than a safety technology,” said IIHS President David Harkey. Continue reading
Biden Administration – $1.6B in Semiconductor Manufacturing
The US Department of Commerce today published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to open a competition for new research and development (R&D) activities that it said will establish and accelerate domestic capacity for semiconductor advanced packaging. The CHIPS for America program predicts that up to $1.6 billion in funding will go to five R&D areas. These were first outlined in the vision for the National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP). Through potential cooperative agreements, CHIPS for America would make several awards of ~$150 million federal funding per award in each research area. Continue reading
Posted in economy, electronics, manufacturing, milestones, news, news analysis, shows and events, software defined vehicles
Tagged advanced node chips, Arati Prabhakar, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, CHIPS for America, Ken Zino, National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program, US Department of Commerce, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo
Leave a comment
Ford Mustang, F-Super Duty Recalls for Steering and Brakes
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today made public more safety defect recalls on 2022-2023 Ford Mustangs, some 2024 Mustangs as well as 2025 F-Super Duty F-650 and F-750 pickup trucks. The safety defects come from a variety of causes including, improper heat treating, power steering control module (PSCM) software and body control module (BCM) software. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, electronics, engineering, manufacturing, quality, recalls
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ford Recall 24S42, Ford Recall 24S43, Ford Recall 24S44, Ken Zino, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA 24V493, NHTSA 24V494, NHTSA 24V496
Leave a comment
Ex VP of KanRus Trading Guilty Exporting Avionics to Russia
Douglas Edward Robertson, 56, of Olathe, Kansas, the former vice president of KanRus Trading Company Inc., pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a years-long conspiracy to circumvent U.S. export laws by filing false export forms with the U.S. government and, after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. KanRus continued to sell and export sophisticated and controlled avionics equipment to customers in Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Justice Department said. The so-called Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB aka FSS) the main security agency of Russia, successor agency to the KGB of the Soviet Union also used KanRus. Continue reading
Posted in aviation, electronics, engineering, fools 'n frauds, people
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, controlled avionics equipment, Douglas Edward Robertson, fbi, KanRus Trading Company Inc, Ken Zino, Matthew G. Olsen, Putin’s war on Ukraine, Russian FSB or FSS, Russian KGB, Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System
Leave a comment
EVs, PHEVs Worse Than Gas Vehicles On Power 2024 IQS
“Proponents of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) often state these vehicles should be less problematic and require fewer repairs than gas-powered vehicles since they have fewer parts and systems. However, newly incorporated repair data shows BEVs, as well as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), require more repairs than gas-powered vehicles in all repair categories. “Owners of cutting edge, tech-filled BEVs and PHEVs are experiencing problems that are of a severity level high enough for them to take their new vehicle to the dealership at a rate three times higher than that of gas-powered vehicle owners,” Hanley said. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, electronics, manufacturing, mobility company, news analysis, quality, software defined vehicles, software defined vehicles
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Frank Hanley, J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Initial Quality StudySM, JDPower.com, Ken Zino
Leave a comment
Chinese Trade Wars – Exports Growing, Prices Dropping
Two very real problems are increasing for non-Chinese global automakers. First, is the penetration rate. This is the market share of the vehicles that are the future of the companies that will survive what is an historic reshaping of a global industry. Here, so-called New Electric Vehicles – [NEVs – battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and range-extended electric vehicles combined] that have been heavy promoted, subsidized and pushed forward by the Chinese government are now accounting a 43% share in April, an historic high. The economies of scale are enormous and a clear Chinese competitive advantage. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, electric vehicles, electronics, environment, global warming, manufacturing, marketing, mobility company, news analysis, public health, sales, software defined vehicles
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden Administration, Bidenomics, BYD Qin L, Chinese Trade Wars, consumer electronics, Global Data Analyst comment, GlobalData, internet of things, Ken Zino, Nan Zhang, Xiaomi
Leave a comment
EPA 2031 CAFE – EVs, PHEVs, Hybrids Will Grow
For those of you who inhabit the Trump Washington swamp and have misinformation fever, Trump did not decrease the standards as he promised. Incremental increases were slowed down a bit. Enter the Biden Administration, which basically went back to the sharp CAFE increases that occurred under the Obama Administration. Simply put, CAFE will increase because of the significant fines for non-compliance now in place. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, connected vehicles, electric vehicles, engineering, environment, global warming, manufacturing, news analysis, public health
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, CAFE through 2032 model year, EVs, hybrids, internal combustion engines, Ken Zino, PHEVs
Leave a comment
Toyota Releases More Details on Vehicle Certification Fraud
“All the cases are related to certification. The certification system in Japan verifies whether a product meets the established standards mainly in the fields of safety and environment using measurement methods in accordance with rules. Vehicles can only be manufactured and sold after meeting certification test standards. The point of this issue is that the vehicles were mass-produced and sold without going through the correct certification,” Toyoda said. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, engineering, litigation, news analysis, safety
Tagged akio toyoda, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Customer First Promotion Group, Daihatsu, Hino, Ken Zino, MLIT, Shinji Miyamoto, Toyota Group, Toyota Industries
Leave a comment
Michigan Central Station Reopening June 6th
“Michigan Central means a great deal to us all. In many ways, this building tells the story of our city. This Station was our Ellis Island – a place where dreamers in search of new jobs and new opportunities first set foot in Detroit. But once the last train pulled out, it became a place where hope left. In 2018, I decided it was time to change that by re-imagining this station as a place of possibility again. Over the past six years, Ford Motor Company and teams of forward thinkers, designers, community leaders, and more than 3000 skilled tradespeople have worked to bring this landmark back to life,” said Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, economy, electronics, engineering, environment, milestones, mobility company, shows and events, software defined vehicles
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Beaux-Arts buildings, Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood, Ford and Michigan Central, Ford Executive Chair Bill Ford, Joshua Sirefman, Ken Zino
Leave a comment
Don’t Drive 2002-2006 Nissan and Infiniti Models
NHTSA is urging all vehicle owners to immediately check to see if their vehicle has an open Takata air bag recall. If it does, owners should contact their dealership to schedule a free repair as soon as possible and follow any warnings from the vehicle manufacturer. Nissan and Infiniti are offering free towing, mobile repair, and in some locations, loaner vehicles. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, engineering, litigation, recalls, safety
Tagged 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4, 2002-2004 Nissan Pathfinder, 2002-2006 Nissan Sentra, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Infiniti Takata recalls, Ken Zino, NHTSA 20V-747, NHTSA 20V208, NHTSA 20V747, NHTSA recall 20V-008, Nissan Takata recalls, Takata airbag recalls
Leave a comment
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
Bosch Buys HVAC businesses from Johnson Controls, Hitachi
The businesses Bosch wants to buy had sales revenue totaling ~€4 billion in 2023, employing ~12,000 people worldwide. The transaction includes 16 manufacturing sites and 12 engineering locations in more than 30 countries. The product portfolio covers vast HVAC products for residential and light commercial buildings. This includes brands such as York and Coleman in the U.S. and Hitachi in Asia, for which Bosch will be granted a long-term license. Continue reading →