Honda and Google in Tokyo today said that the two companies have agreed to integrate Google’s in-vehicle connected service into an all-new model that will come to market in the second half of 2022 in North America, then expand it globally in stages. Continue reading
AlixPartners today released its latest forecast regarding how much the ongoing semiconductor shortage is costing the global automotive industry. The consultancy’s updated estimate is that the shortage will cost the industry globally $210 billion in lost revenues this year. This is a breathtaking increase its estimate in May of $110 billion. AlixPartners is now forecasting that production of 7.7 million units will be lost in 2021, up from 3.9 million in its May forecast.
Exec Summary: There are no more cushions left in the industry when it comes to production or obtaining material. Any shortage or production interruption in any part of the world affects companies around the globe. Worse, the impacts are now amplified due to all the other shortages. Continue reading
Constellium SE (NYSE: CSTM) today announced that it will supply aluminum structural components for the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning that is might be available Spring 2022. The F-150 Lightning, and all F-Series pickup trucks, extensively use high-strength aluminum alloys. Constellium-supplied structural components for the F-150 Lightning include the windshield header, rocker, and radiator support.
Aluminum can be used in electric vehicles to manage crash energy in front, side and rear impacts, and provide intrusion resistance. Plug-in hybrid and full battery electric vehicles use more aluminum than the typical internal combustion engine vehicle today. (Ford Introduces All-Electric F-150 Lightning Pro – Bring Money; EV Pickup! Ford is Betting Lightning Can Strike Twice; Ford Motor Posts Q2 Revenue $26.8B, Net Income $56M, Earnings $1.1B as Market Share Drops ) Continue reading
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The Federal Aviation Administration said today that unruly passenger incidents on commercial flights has dropped since the FAA launched its Zero Tolerance campaign, but the rate remains too high, according to new data just released.
As of last week, unruly passenger incidents were occurring approximately six times per every 10,000 flights. That’s a ~50% drop from early 2021, when Republicans were promoting the “Big Lie” about voter fraud, which was the cause of the January 6th insurrection at the US Capital. However, it’s more than twice as high as the end of 2020. Since the FAA launched its public awareness campaign with memes and two public service announcements, the rate has fallen ~30%. Continue reading
Members reach OnStar Emergency-Certified Advisors by saying, “Alexa, call for help.”
General Motors and Amazon today announced plans to introduce “OnStar Guardian skill for Amazon Alexa1. This new addition will provide a voice-enabled connection to Emergency-Certified OnStar Advisors2 at home through compatible Alexa-enabled devices. The OnStar Guardian skill for Amazon Alexa is part of the OnStar Guardian platform, which aims to help keep people safe.
When the OnStar Guardian skill for Amazon Alexa (OStGsfAA?) is enabled on compatible, in-home Alexa devices, people can reach OnStar Emergency-Certified Advisors by saying, “Alexa, call for help,” during crisis events, such as house fires, medical emergencies, break-ins and so forth. Continue reading
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Toyota has previewed what it calls an “all new” Tundra pickup truck, which will be in its third generation when it debuts later this year as a 2022 model. That’s an if, perhaps a big if – if the runaway corona virus Delta variant in Texas and the semi-conductor supply crisis don’t abate.
A new twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 engine is rated at 389 horsepower and 479 lb.-ft. of torque. When paired with a >marketing babble alert> ”brilliantly engineered bell-housing motor system called the i-FORCE MAX, the result is a combined performance output of 437 horsepower and a whopping 583 lb.-ft. of torque.” Both configurations use the same 10-speed automatic transmission.
SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum and 1794 models will eventually be available. TRD Pro will also return to the Tundra lineup, but it will only be offered with the i-FORCE MAX powertrain, whereas i-FORCE MAX will be an option on Limited, Platinum and 1794 models. Continue reading
Jimmy Johnson and Romain Grosjean, who suffered right sidepod damage after his No. 51 Dallara-Honda briefly went airborne in the corkscrew.
In a hard-fought and thrilling race, Honda took the makers championship yesterday after the 95-lap Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey by sweeping the podium with Colton Herta first from the pole, and the mulita-lingual Alex Palou* and Romain Grojean finishing 2nd and third respectively.
It was Honda’s tenth maker’s title** ending this year with an impressive fourth straight maker’ crown. If Palou participates at Long Beach next week, all drivers not within 49 points do not have a chance. That means Palou’s only significant challenger is Pato O’Ward. Continue reading
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Optimism by European automakers and analysts, with now wrongful claims that vehicle output would improve markedly in the second half of 2021 are a stark lesson in the resilience of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The most recent setback has been the forced closure of semiconductor facilities in Malaysia to contain the latest COVID-19 outbreak, the LMC Automotive consultancy notes. This disaster comes from raw material price increases, semiconductor shortages and bottlenecks in the production of intermediate products. Continue reading
Graphics on EV are not available for sale.
Ford is now toying with all-electric, purpose-built law enforcement vehicles. The Dearborn base automaker said today that a vehicle with an electric powertrain stand up to demanding police duty cycles. Ford is submitting an all-electric police pilot vehicle based on the 2021 Mustang Mach-E SUV for testing as part of the Michigan State Police 2022 Model Year Police Evaluation on Sept. 18 and 20.
Ford said it will use the pilot program testing as a benchmark while it continues to explore purpose-built electric police vehicles in the future. Continue reading
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Stellantis N.V. today announced that CEO Carlos Tavares has decided to step down from the Airbus Board of Directors at the end of his second term in 2022. (Stellantis Posts Record H1 Results. Full-Year Guidance Upped)
“This personal decision should allow Carlos to dedicate his full professional time to leading Stellantis to success, together with the leadership team, through this critical transformation period in the automotive industry,” Stellantis said in a statement. AutoInformed opines that cars are much more fun than airlines where all the customers – at best – dislike them.
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The U.S. Department of State has awarded GM Defense a contract to develop next generation Large Support Utility Commercial Vehicles (SUV). The goal is to start mass production to support of the Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). As part of the total development contract valued at, gulp, $36.4 million, GM Defense will create a purpose-built Heavy-Duty (HD) Suburban, building 10 vehicles over the next two years.
GM says the commercial vehicle architecture designed for full size pickup trucks and large SUVs – already paid for – will use significant commercial-off-the-shelf parts, including the body, exterior, propulsion, interior and brakes for the government, purpose-built HD Suburban. Continue reading
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Ford Motor Company, Argo AI and Walmart are starting an autonomous vehicle delivery service in Miami, Austin, Texas, and Washington, D.C. This is Walmart’s first multi-city autonomous delivery collaboration in the U.S. The so-called last mile delivery service will use Ford self-driving test vehicles equipped with the Argo AI Self-Driving System to deliver Walmart orders. (Volkswagen Joins Ford by Investing in Argo AI; Milestones: Volkswagen Completes Promised Argo AI Funding; Volkswagen, Argo AI to Start Autonomous Driving Tests; Argo AI, Ford to Launch Self-Driving Vehicles on Lyft Network; CARB Fines Walmart for Selling Harmful Hair Spray)
The deal blends a self-driving technology provider with an automotive manufacturer able to integrate that technology with mass-produced vehicles and the world’s largest retailer. The multi-city service will enable Walmart customers to place orders of groceries and other popular items online for door-to-door autonomous delivery directly to customers’ homes. Continue reading
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Mercedes-Benz of Brazil has shown a fully electric eO500U bus chassis designed for Latin American cities. It will be produced at São Bernardo do Campo, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo starting in 2022. The electric bus chassis has a range of up to 250 kilometers.
The battery charging system of the eO500U is a plug-in design with the same technological that Daimler Buses has installed in the fully-electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro city bus. A full charge of the high-voltage batteries takes around three hours. (Daimler Truck, Volvo Group Create “cellcentric” Fuel-Cell JV; Daimler to Spin-Off Daimler Truck into Separate Company; Daimler Boards Approve Spin Off of Mercedes-Benz Cars and Daimler Truck as Two companies. Shareholder Vote in October; Mercedes-Benz – New Platforms Electric Only From 2025) Continue reading
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The Global Light Vehicle (LV) selling rate was 82 mn units/year in July, prolonging the weaker trend seen in recent months. The semiconductor shortage held back the post-lockdown recovery of vehicle sales in Europe, while its impact on inventories in the US meant average transaction prices rocketed, according to the LMC Automotive Consultancy. Worse, rising Delta variant cases threaten to impair the outlook in parts of Asia.
The US Light Vehicle market continued to be hurt by low inventories during July. Sales grew by only 3.2% YoY, to 1.28 mn units. This is a slight advance compared to July 2020’s pandemic-affected result. The selling rate declined more to 14.6 mn units/year, from 15.4 mn units/year in June. This is the lowest rate since June 2020. Continue reading
Lithium-Sulfur – Better than Lithium-Ion Battery?
A Silicon Valley startup is claiming a new electric vehicle battery – LytCell EV lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery is designed to deliver three times the gravimetric energy density of conventional lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries (claimed potentially at 900 Wh/kg). Moreover it also claims to outperform solid state batteries.
Whether this is a genuine breakthrough or just another silly-CON (Do you know the ways of San Jose? Privately held until the IPO?) remains to be validated by vehicle use on the road and ultimately adoption by major automakers. Lyten expects full production and market availability for ‘25-‘26 model year vehicles. Continue reading →