Category Archives: engineering

GM and Honda to Make Fuel Cells in Michigan

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) and Honda (NYSE: HMC) will start the auto industry’s first joint venture to “mass produce” a hydrogen fuel cell system that will be used both companies. It’s the latest example of how increasing capital costs and pressure from stock markets on overall returns are forcing unlikely alliances between competitors within the auto industry. Continue reading

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Penske Truck Rental now Providing Collision Avoidance

It’s the latest step in the ongoing, rapidly expanding driver assist safety system deployment that is the run up to autonomous vehicles. Continue reading

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New Genesis App Adds Apple Watch, Android Wear

The Genesis Intelligent Assistant app that works with Genesis Connected Services now has Apple Watch and Android Wear integration. Continue reading

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Chrysler Portal Concept, Millennial Family Wheels, New at CES

In what it is calling the “fifth generation” of family transportation – the Chrysler Portal concept debuted today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Eschewing its home town auto show, NAIAS that opens next week, the electric-powered Portal is estimated to have more than 250 miles of range on a full charge. Continue reading

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Hyundai Vehicles Adding Google Assistant

Hyundai tomorrow at CES will show the compatibility of its Blue Link with Google Assistant. Continue reading

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Toyota, Daihatsu Form Emerging Market Compact Car Company

Toyota is under intense competitive pressure from global automakers and is experimenting with a different organizational approach to getting mini cars to market. Honda, Maruti and Tata, among others come to mind here. However, this – potentially – could also change Toyota’s approach and cost basis to compact vehicles in established markets. Continue reading

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2017 Volvo V90 Cross Country, V60 Polestar Debut at LA

The V90 Cross Country completes the 90 Series line-up. Significant improvements have been made to both the S60 and V60 Polestars compared to the 2016 models, most notably a 362-horsepower version of Volvo’s Drive-E powertrain for the low volume specialty vehicles. Continue reading

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Bosch CEO – Car as We Know It Will Soon Be History

Between 2017 and 2022, the global market for connected mobility is expected to grow by nearly 25% annually. Just a few years from now, cars will be an active part of the internet of things (IoT), able to communicate with other connected modes of transportation, and even with the smart home. Continue reading

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Jaguar I-Pace Concept – Electric but not Electrifying

The revenge of tougher fuel economy regulations is on full display at the Los Angeles Auto Show with the debut of the Jaguar I-Pace concept – a frumpy electric vehicle that runs counter to Jaguar’s low and sleek design practices. Continue reading

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Intel: $250 Million More Investments for Autonomous Driving

Brian Krzanich, Intel Corporation chief executive officer, today announced that Intel Capital is targeting more than $250 million of additional new investments over the next two years to make fully autonomous driving a reality. Continue reading

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Toyota with Plethora of Patents Tops at 2016 R&D Awards

Toyota has been awarded more patents than any other automaker over the past 8 years. Continue reading

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Honda Has Sophisticated Language Analysis Technologies

Successful development of language software that doesn’t require precisely phrased commands has enormous potential in vehicles and other applications – think Siri squared or Asimo to the third power. Continue reading

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Planet M Buys Space at 2017 NAIAS

Planet M was launched in June 2016 as a collaborative branding effort to promote Michigan as the “epicenter of mobility.” The messaging pushes Michigan’s leadership in talent development, auto R&D and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) testing. Continue reading

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Toyota Moves on Connected Cars, R&D JVs, Takeovers

The latest developments come as Toyota is once again battling what is now a beleaguered, wounded Volkswagen Group for the world’s biggest car company title. The moves reflect a growing problem at all automobile companies. How do you pay for the cost of moving forward in a world with increasingly stringent safety and emissions regulations, web enabled cars, as well as the entire future of automobility and autonomous vehicles? Continue reading

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Magna Expending in Active Aerodynamics

A vehicle’s aerodynamic profile is a major contributor to its fuel economy, of course, which is inversely is proportional to CO2 emissions. Thus, the higher the fuel economy, the lower the production of CO2, a greenhouse gas. Expect to see many more active aerodynamics – deflectors, spoilers, wings, splitters in the near future – because they can increase fuel economy by 1% or more. Continue reading

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