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Category Archives: awards
Quantum Materials Discovery by Honda Research Institute
“Our technology provides a new pathway for the synthesis of quantum nanoribbons with precise width control, leveraging their unique mechanical and electronic properties as a single photon light source to realize secure communication known as ‘quantum communication’,” said Dr. Avetik Harutyunyan, Senior Chief Scientist, Honda Research Institute USA Inc. and the leader of the quantum research. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, awards, car sharing, electronics, mobility company, news analysis, safety, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Dr. Avetik Harutyunyan, Dr. Xufan Li, Honda Research Institute, Ken Zino, nanoribbon material, Nature Communications journal, Nicholas Borys Montana State University, Professor James Schuck Columbia University, X @KenAutoinformed
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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer Defends Auto Industry
“To grow Michigan’s economy and fight for the auto industry, I’ll work with anyone who’s serious about solving problems in Lansing or DC,” said Governor Whitmer. “Right now, there’s an ongoing, global competition between Michigan, China, and other states to build the future of the auto industry. To make sure we win, we need commonsense, bipartisan tools that create good-paying jobs and bring supply chains home. We must also find a fiscally responsible, sustainable solution to fix the damn roads work with our Canadian neighbors to ensure tariffs don’t lead to higher costs for families and businesses. Together, let’s create Michigan jobs, fix Michigan roads, and grow Michigan’s economy. The road ahead is bright, so let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, awards, connected vehicles, economy, electric vehicles, engineering, environment, labor issues, manufacturing, marketing, news, news analysis, people, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, detroit auto show, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, HIRE Michigan, Ken Zino, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Rebuilding Michigan bond plan, Road Ahead Address, road funding, Trump-Proposed Tariffs, Whitmer-Gilchrist administration, X @KenAutoinformed
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Ian Callum Wins 2025 Lifetime Design Achievement Award
A group of the world’s automotive designers selected Ian Callum as the winner of the 2025 EyesOn Design Lifetime Design Achievement Award for his outstanding career in vehicle design, it was announced at the Detroit Auto Show today. Callum will receive the 2025 Lifetime Design Achievement Award at a black tie event on June 13, 2025 as part of the week-long series of EyesOn Design activities. These culminate in its annual automotive design show, held every Father’s Day on the grounds of the lakefront Eleanor & Edsel Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan.
“Callum, who was born in Scotland, knew he wanted to design cars at a young age after he saw a Jaguar E-Type in a dealership window while on a trip to Glasgow with his grandfather. Later, he would work for the storied English brand, where he and his team designed some of the most striking Jaguars, including the R-Coupe, the F-Type, F-PACE and I-PACE, a World Car of the Year Award winner,” EyesOn Design said. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, awards, car sharing, design and styling, people, shows and events
Tagged 2025 Lifetime Design Achievement Award, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Eleanor & Edsel Ford House, EyesOn Design, Ian Callum, Ken Zino, X @KenAutoinformed
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Hyundai Claims EV Altitude Change Record
Hyundai Motor Company said today that an IONIQ 5 recorded a record-breaking total elevation change of 5802 meters over a +4900 km run across India. The publicity route began in Umling La in Ladakh, through steep Himalaya mountain passes, to the finish in the coastal region of Kuttanad, Kerala. (Read AutoInformed.com on: Hyundai Revises Ioniq EV for 2022 with New Platform) Continue reading
Annals of Marketing – Honda Prelude Returns as Hybrid
Honda has announced that an all-new hybrid-electric Prelude* sports coupe will be re-introduced to the U.S. market late next year, presumably as a 2026 model. The first prelude appeared in November 1978. This new one will debut Honda S+ Shift, … Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, awards, car sharing, global warming, marketing, mobility company, news analysis
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Honda Electrification Strategy, Honda S+ Shift, Jessika Laudermilk, Ken Zino, X @KenAutoinformed
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Ram ProMaster Diesel Engines – CARB Fines FCA $4.2M
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) said this week it has reached a settlement agreement with FCA US LLC (FCA) of Auburn Hills, Mich., for $4,185,820 for violations of CARB’s air quality regulations. The FCA vehicles concerned include model year (MY) 2014 through 2016 Ram ProMaster 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles equipped with 3-liter inline-4 diesel engines.*
“CARB’s robust compliance testing ensures that auto manufacturers sell the exact vehicles that received certification for sale within California, without alterations made to skirt the state’s regulations and release excess emissions that harm air quality and public health,” said CARB Executive Officer Dr. Steven Cliff. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, awards, car sharing, environment, fools 'n frauds, fuel economy or emissions, litigation, news analysis, public health, recalls
Tagged 2014 - 2016 Ram ProMaster 1500 and 2500 and 3500 trucks, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, California Air Resources Board, Death of the diesel, diesel emissions compliance, Dr. Steven Cliff, emissions defeat-device software, FCA US, Ken Zino, Marine Vessel Speed Reduction Incentive Program, oxides of nitrogen or NOx emissions, X @KenAutoinformed
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Toyota to Get $4.5M in Fed Funding for EV Batteries
Toyota (NYSE:TM) said today that Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA), inclusive of Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) R&D, has been selected to receive $4.5 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). The funding is part of the Catalyzing Innovative Research for Circular Use of Long-lived Advanced Rechargeables (CIRCULAR) Program, designed to support a circular domestic supply chain for electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
“As it stands, this project and program will highlight avenues for everyone to rethink their approach to battery circularity, and help prioritize the extension of battery life, facilitate battery reuse, and reduce battery waste while unveiling the appropriate pathways to achieve such priorities,” said Nik Singh, principal scientist at TRINA (Toyota Research Institute of North America) who is Principal Investigator on this project. “This is only made possible by the collaboration between the exceptional teams comprised within this project group.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, awards, car sharing, electric vehicles, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, manufacturing, news analysis, public health
Tagged Ankit Verma, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, circular battery supply chain, CIRCULAR Program, Ken Zino, Nik Singh, Sarah Kennedy, X @KenAutoinformed
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Clean Air Act – Power Performance Enterprises Fined
Louisiana-based company Power Performance Enterprises Inc. (PPEI) and its president and owner, Kory B. Willis, were sentenced yesterday in federal court in Sacramento, California, for violating and conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act by tampering with the monitoring devices … Continue reading
Posted in aftermarket, auto news, awards, car sharing, electronics, environment, fools 'n frauds, fuel economy or emissions, litigation, news analysis, public health
Tagged Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Clean Air Act tampering, DOJ Environment and Natural Resources Division, Ken Zino, Kory B. Willis, Power Performance Enterprises, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert, U.S. District Court Judge John A. Mendez, X @KenAutoinformed
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IIHS – Latest 2024 Top Safety Pick Laggards
Four vehicles from four different brands fall short in one or more tests required for a 2024 Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award in the latest ratings release today from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. To qualify for either award in 2024, vehicles need good ratings in the small overlap front and updated side tests, an acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention evaluation and acceptable- or good-rated headlights across all trim levels. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, awards, customer satisfaction, engineering, news analysis, safety
Tagged 2024 Acura ZDX, 2024 Honda Prologue, 2024 Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award, 2025 Altima, 2025 Kia Sorento, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, X @KenAutoinformed
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Life Saving Seat Belt Reminders Improving
Automakers have moved quickly to install louder, more persistent seat belt reminders, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said today. IIHS began rating the devices in 2022. The first year, only 17% of the new models tested earned a good rating; 65% were rated marginal or poor. However, 62% of the 2024 models tested so far are rated good. Only 24% are rated marginal or poor.
“The math is pretty simple,” said David Kidd, the IIHS senior research scientist who led that research as well as the development of the seat belt reminder rating program. “We found that an audible reminder that lasts at least 90 seconds increased belt use by around 30%. That means we could save almost 1,600 lives a year if every vehicle on the road was equipped with a good-rated system.” Continue reading
Loyalty Keeps Vehicle Buyers Out of Market Amidst Shortages
Perennial brand loyalty leaders including Toyota, Honda and Lexus have each been able to grow their respective shares of loyal customers amid stagnation experienced by other brands, according to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Automotive Brand Loyalty StudySM.
“Amid ongoing inventory shortages, the most loyal customers actually stayed out of the market if they were unable to get their desired vehicle,” said Tyson Jominy, vice president of data & analytics at J.D. Power. “Now that inventory levels are recovering, customers are coming back. In particular, Toyota and Honda are benefiting from increased availability of hybrid vehicles, with Honda owners swapping out their gas-powered vehicles for hybrids at nearly triple the rate of the industry average. Lexus is also benefitting from strengthened residual values, which are helping drive loyalty for the brand despite premium brands as a whole experiencing a plateau this year.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, awards, customer satisfaction, marketing, news analysis, shows and events
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, honda, J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Automotive Brand Loyalty Study, Ken Zino, lexus, Power Information Network, toyota, Tyson Jominy, X @KenAutoinformed
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Tech-Aches – Vehicle Owners Overwhelmed by New Gizmos
Vehicle owners are overwhelmed with technology features that don’t solve a problem, don’t work, are difficult to use or are just too limited in functionality. The results of the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Tech Experience Index* (TXI) StudySM released today shows that. The study, which focuses on the user experience with advanced vehicle technologies as they come to market, finds that while owners offer praise for some advanced features, others are found to be lackluster. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, awards, customer satisfaction, electronics, engineering, marketing, news analysis, software defined vehicles, software defined vehicles
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Tech Experience Index, Kathleen Rizk, Ken Zino, return on investment analysis, TXI, X @KenAutoinformed
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Hydrogen – Plug Power Energy Gets $1.6B Loan Guarantee
“Advancing clean hydrogen is a key component of the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach to building a robust clean energy economy that creates healthier communities, strengthens energy security, and delivers new economic opportunities across the nation. Today’s announcement will help unlock the full potential of this versatile fuel and support the growth of strong, American-led industry that ensures the United States remains at the forefront of the global economy for generations to come,” said Jigar Shah, Director of the Loan Programs Office. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, awards, economy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, milestones, news analysis, public health, shows and events, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Biden-Harris Administration, clean energy economy, clean hydrogen, DOE Hydrogen Program, Hydrogen Interagency Task Force, Jigar Shah, Ken Zino
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J.D. Power – Three Year Old Vehicle Problems Up
The results of this year’s study are consistent with the results of the J.D. Power 2022 Initial Quality StudySM which tracked problems early in the ownership period of 2022 model-year vehicles. That year, initial vehicle quality notably declined from 2021, and problems also reached a record high. Three years later, the issues continue to be problematic for owners, according to findings of the 2025 VDS. (Read Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Vehicle Quality Flaws at 36-Year Record High) Continue reading →