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Category Archives: news
Software Recall on 2024 Porsche Taycans
Porsche Cars North America is recalling 2024 Taycan vehicles. The incorrect headlight control module software may have been installed, according to documents release this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As such, these 2024 Taycans fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.”
The supplier- ZKW Lichtsysteme in Austria – erroneously adopted the ECE-compliant lighting behavior in the data set. Due to this programming error, affected vehicles were equipped with headlight control module software intended for the EU market that does not comply Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, electronics, manufacturing, news analysis, recalls, safety, software defined vehicles
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, FMVSS 108, Ken Zino, nhtsa recall, Porsche recall ARB4, X @KenAutoinformed
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Mazda Software Recall on Forward Sensing Camera
Mazda North American Operations is recalling 2024 Mazda 3, CX-30, and 2025 CX-50 vehicles. A software malfunction in the forward sensing camera may prevent the automatic emergency braking system and the lane-keep assist system from functioning.
In addition, the headlights will not automatically adjust from high beams to low beams as intended, according to documents released this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recalled Mazda models were built at Mazda de Mexico Vehicle Operation. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, electronics, manufacturing, news analysis, recalls, safety, software defined vehicles
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Exterior Lighting, Forward Collision Avoidance, Ken Zino, Lane Departure, Mazda recall 6824H, NHTSA recall 24V649, X @KenAutoinformed
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Annals of Marketing – Shohei Ohtani and Taycan Turbo S
In an updated social media twist on what was once known as the rag trade in the New York garment district, Porsche said this morning there was a meeting Shohei Ohtani – the two-way player* – recently in Los Angeles, his adopted home. With all the well-deserved tsunami level of publicity surrounding Ohtani since his arrival in 2018, many were hoping to sign the Japanese-born athlete as the next star player on their team following the announcement of his departure from the Los Angeles Angels in late 2023.
*A two-way player is one who both pitches and hits. Babe Ruth was a hitter and pitcher between 1914 and 1935. When the owner of Red Sox traded him for enough cash to finance a stage show called My Lady Friends, The Curse of the Bambino was born – keeping the Red Sox (dead sox) from winning a World Series for 86 years from 1918 to 2004. Ruth as a ballplayer hit 714 home runs, won seven World Series titles, played on the 1927 Yankees, arguably the greatest team ever, and made the All-Star team twelve times. He was among the initial players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Full disclosure here as an ex-New Yorker who spent time in Yankee stadium with relatives, and even more time watching and talking baseball, the Dodgers have always been known in my clan since 1957 as that team that used to play in Brooklyn. Continue reading
McLaren P1 $449.99! Some Assembly Required
McLaren F1™ driver, Lando Norris has completed a lap of the British racetrack, Silverstone, in a 1:1 scale LEGO Technic McLaren P1. Norris successfully lasted through the twist and turns of the 5.891km (3.66 miles) track. You can buy the 1:8 scale LEGO Technic McLaren P1 Lego for $449.99 (£389.99, €449.99), but some assembly is required.*
“Having worked on the original P1 program for McLaren, it’s amazing to see so many of the elements from the original McLaren P1™ brought to life so realistically by the LEGO Technic team for the full-scale model. The car was an icon of its time. I hope that through this collaboration with the LEGO Group, we are able to inspire the next generation of designers and engineers to push the boundaries of automotive innovation,” said Ben Gulliver, Test & Development Director, McLaren Automotive. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, marketing, new vehicle, news analysis, performance, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ben Gulliver, Ken Zino, Lando Norris, LEGO group, LEGO® Technic™, Lukáš Horák, McLaren Automotive, mclaren p1, X @KenAutoinformed
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Stellantis to Invest +$406M in Three Michigan Plants for EVs
“Sterling Heights Assembly has performed an incredible transformation in record time and I want to thank our colleagues for this great achievement,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares. “Gearing up to build our first-ever Ram electric truck and the range-extended version in Michigan is a meaningful moment of pride for our teams. With these investments supporting both Jeep and Ram, we’re adding innovations to our Michigan manufacturing footprint to support a multi-energy approach that is laser-focused on customer demand.” Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, manufacturing, milestones, mobility company, news analysis, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, carlos tavares, Dundee Engine Plant, Ken Zino, NYSE: STLA, Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, Warren Truck Assembly Plant, X @KenAutoinformed
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Volkswagen Group Recalls 2021-2024 ID.4 Models
The affected vehicles may have been built with door handles that do not meet the factory specifications for protection against water ingress. Water ingress into the printed circuit board can lead to malfunctions causing an “open command” – signaling an open command by the door handle when the handle is not being activated by a person. An open door on a moving vehicle puts occupants at risk of injury, and can cause damage to objects and people who may be outside of the vehicle. If the recall problem is present in the vehicle, occupants may notice an audible clicking noise , similar to the sound of a vehicle door being locked/unlocked by the key fob. The planned recall remedy and series production countermeasures are still under development. It is not corrected yet in production. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, electronics, engineering, news analysis, quality, recalls, safety
Tagged 2021-2024 Volkswagen ID.4 recalls, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, NHTSA 23V-213, NHTSA 23V-312, NHTSA recall 24V-651, Volkswagen Group of America recall 57J9, X @KenAutoinformed
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North Carolina Parts Seller Fined for Emission Defeat Devices
North Carolina automotive parts manufacturer and seller, Rudy’s Performance Parts Inc. (Rudy’s), and its owner, Aaron Rudolf, have agreed to pay a total of $10 million in criminal fines and civil penalties for manufacturing, selling and installing devices, commonly known as “defeat devices,” used to remove or disable required emissions controls in motor vehicles, the U.S. Department of justice said today.
“Defeat devices, such as those sold by Rudy’s, can lead to pollution at high levels that pose health risks and harm the environment,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This plea agreement and civil settlement show that we will take strong action to enforce the Clean Air Act and emissions controls requirements for motor vehicles.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, electronics, fools 'n frauds, fuel economy or emissions, litigation, manufacturing, news analysis, people
Tagged Aaron Rudolf, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, OBD defeat devices, Rudy’s Performance Parts, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden, X @KenAutoinformed
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Manheim – U.S. Wholesale Used Vehicle Prices Up In August
“The trend of higher wholesale values at Manheim continued into August from July, as we saw prices appreciate every week except the last,” said Jeremy Robb, senior director of Economic and Industry Insights at Cox Automotive. “Sales conversion continued to rise and held at much higher levels than prior years for the month as more buyers came to markets to replenish supply for used retail inventory. We know lease maturities are on the decline, and used retail days’ supply has tightened over the last month. That will likely keep pressure on buyers at Manheim in the next several weeks.” Continue reading
Unifor Bargaining Starts for GM CAMI Assembly Plant Workers
Master bargaining between Unifor and General Motors opened today on behalf of Local 88 members employed at the CAMI Assembly plant and Battery Assembly facility in Ingersoll, Ontario. Negotiations at CAMI follow the union’s 2023 bargaining with Ford, General Motors and Stellantis on behalf of 20,000 Detroit Three members, where the pattern agreement was set.* As a result of the different bargaining cycle there is a significant and ongoing delay before CAMI workers receive the same rate of pay as their counterparts at other GM locations.
“Our members at CAMI are on the frontline of the EV transition in Canada, and Unifor will fight to protect the good union jobs and secure future every autoworker was promised,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “These negotiations will focus squarely on securing workers the economic stability our members deserve and that includes aligning CAMI workers with the rest of our GM membership to eliminate the historical lag in wage increases and other negotiated benefits.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, electric vehicles, global warming, labor issues, manufacturing, news analysis, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Chevrolet BrightDrop EV 600, EV 400, Ken Zino, Lana Payne, Mike Van Boekel, Ultium battery modules, unifor, Unifor local 88, X @KenAutoinformed
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Annals of Marketing – Porsche Turbonite at Fashion Week
“Every designer and graphic artist knows the Pantone color cards. In the same way that the Porsche 911 is the archetype of all sports cars, for more than 60 years the US company’s color standard system has been the reference work for everyone that uses colors in design,” says Michael Mauer, Vice President Style Porsche. “We are proud to be the first outside brand represented in Pantone’s Fashion Color Trend Report. Turbonite is unique. An innovative, timeless, strong, but not loud color that gives our Turbo derivatives an unmistakable, self-assured look. Like all Porsche colors, the newly developed color shade was created over several years in a labor-intensive creative and development process,” Mauer claimed. Continue reading
Posted in design and styling, marketing, news analysis, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, Laurie Pressman, Michael Mauer, New York Fashion Week, Paint to Sample, Paint to Sample Plus, Pantone Fashion Color Trend Report, Porsche color program, Turbonite, X @KenAutoinformed
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Global Warming – EPA Issues HFC Enforcement Alert
“After another summer of record-breaking heat, the urgency of the climate crisis continues to accelerate. The Biden-Harris administration is committed to meeting our goals to phase-down HFCs, which contribute dramatically to near-term climate change, so that our children and grandchildren can have a sustainable future,” said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann, of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
“EPA and its law enforcement partners will police our borders and ports to halt HFC smuggling to protect our nation from the harmful effects of climate super pollutants,” said Ulmann.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, environment, global warming, litigation, news, news analysis, public health
Tagged AIM Act, American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, David M. Uhlmann, epa, hfcs, hydrofluorocarbons, Ken Zino, Montreal Protocol, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, X @KenAutoinformed
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Toyota’s Next-Gen Battery Plan Certified by METI
Toyota Motor Corporation said today that the development and production plans for its next-generation batteries (performance version) and all-solid-state batteries were certified by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) as part of the Japanese government’s “Supply Assurance Plan for Batteries. Certification was granted for (1) production of next-generation batteries (performance version) at Prime Planet Energy & Solutions, Inc. (PPES), (2) production of next-generation batteries (performance version) at Primearth EV Energy Co., Ltd. (PEVE)* and (3) R&D and production of all-solid-state batteries.
“By advancing battery development and production in Japan, Toyota aims to contribute to the further development of the industry and the strengthening of the production infrastructure of batteries. Additionally, by enhancing the competitiveness of batteries, Toyota seeks to improve the marketability of electrified vehicles and achieve carbon neutrality through a multi-pathway approach,” Toyota said in a release. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, electric vehicles, environment, global warming, manufacturing, milestones, mobility company, news analysis
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Japanese Ministry of Economy, Ken Zino, Prime Planet Energy & Solutions, Toyota Motor Corporation, Trade and Industry, X @KenAutoinformed
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Mazda and Panasonic Link on Cylindrical Lithium-Ion Batteries
Panasonic Energy Company and Mazda Motor Corporation today announced that they will prepare for the supply of next-generation cylindrical automotive lithium-ion batteries, in anticipation of their installation in Mazda’s battery electric vehicles with scheduled production from 2027 onward. In a release they said this follows their formerly concluded agreement and reflects their aim of establishing a medium- to long-term partnership.
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry also approved today their joint project for the expansion of battery production and technology development as part of its plan for establishing a stable supply of batteries. The Japanese government has positioned storage batteries as a strategic asset for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, and is working to expand the domestic battery supply chains and improve industrial competitiveness. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, electric vehicles, electronics, environment, global warming, manufacturing, milestones, news analysis, public health, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Kazuo Tadanobu, Ken Zino, Masahiro Moro, MAZDA BEVs, Mazda Motor Corporation, METI, Ministry of Economy, Panasonic Energy, Panasonic Suminoe and Kaizuka factories, the Japanese Minister of Economy Trade and Industry, X @KenAutoinformed
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Best Selling Car Now at Dealerships – 2025 Honda Accord
The 2025 Honda Accord started arriving at Honda dealerships this week with more standard features, and a new turbocharged SE trim with black exterior accents and other standard high-demand features. The Honda Accord, America’s best-selling car over the last five decades , is available in six trim levels, starting with the turbocharged LX and SE, and topped by the hybrid-electric powered Sport, EX-L, Sport-L and Touring.
“The Honda Accord is a critical driver of brand loyalty and the new Accord SE brings even more expressive styling and value to Accord that already commands more than 25% of all retail sales in segment,” said Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales. “Accord SE is one more reason that Accord will continue to set the standard for midsize cars in exceptional value and a sporty driving experience.” Continue reading →