Carvana Virtual Vehicle Tour in 3D View

Posted on 20 August 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Carvana 360-Degree Vehicle Photography

Have a 360-degree look at rare vehicles from Barrett-Jackson.

Carvana is offering a tour of some of the most impressive cars out there, courtesy of Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson. Never have these cars been photographed in 360-Degree Photography, it’s claimed.

A Porsche 911 GT2 RS, Ford Shelby GT350 convertible, 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda and Bugatti Veyron can be taken for a virtual spin, from your home or on the go via mobile device, at Carvana.com/spinner. 
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COVID-19 Auto Related Closings, Openings, Closings

Posted on 20 August 2020 by Ken Zino

AutoInformed - Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on NASCARMCACN says that it is in the “best interest of all involved” to cancel the 2020 event, scheduled for November 21-22, 2020. Ongoing safety and health concerns about Covid 19, as well as the State of Illinois regulations limiting indoor gatherings to 100 people were the reasons for the cancellation of Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals.

Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Covid Second wave and global auto sales. Source: Johns Hopkins University and The New York Times via Pew

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Few U.S. Adults Say They’ve Been Diagnosed with Corona virus. More Than A Quarter Know Someone Who Has. Only 2% of U.S. adults say they have been officially diagnosed with COVID-19, and a mere 2% say they have taken a blood test that showed they have COVID-19 antibodies, an indication that they previously had the virus. But far more say they are “pretty sure” they had the virus despite not getting an official diagnosis or say they personally know someone who was diagnosed with it, according to the latest Pew Research survey.  Continue reading →

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First Look – 2021 Mazda CX-9 Crossover SUV

Posted on 19 August 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Mazda CX-9 Crossover SUV 2021 MY

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The 2021 Mazda CX-9 – the brand’s self-proclaimed flagship three-row midsize crossover SUV – goes on sale with a starting MSRP of $33,960 and will arrive at dealerships later this month. This model year CX-9 receives improvements to its technology.

The badly named Skyactiv-G 2.5 Turbo engine equipped on all CX-9 models is rated at  320 lb.-ft. of torque and 250 horsepower on premium (93 octane) gasoline or 310 lb.-ft. of torque and 227 horsepower on 87 octane gasoline. Continue reading →

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Timely Tide Tracks: Ford Helps RNLI with Water Safety

Posted on 18 August 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Ford and RNL Tire Tracks

Writing messages in the sand is a tradition and prompted Ford to create a way of spreading water safety messages quickly across miles of beaches using its vehicles.

New research* from Ford and the RNLI** shows 40% of people who say they would take an inflatable into the sea in the UK admit to previously getting into difficulty.  As a result, Ford ordered custom tires that can leave key water safety messages imprinted on stretches of sand as part of a new initiative with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Ford says it  aims to support the lifesaving charity to educate people on and raise awareness of key beach safety advice. The custom tires have been designed to leave 3 key water safety messages in the sand, including ‘float to live’, ‘no inflatables’, and ‘emergency? call 999’. Continue reading →

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Toyota and Amazon Web Services Working on Connected Cars, Ridesharing, Driving Behavior-Based Insurance…

Posted on 18 August 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on ACE, connected cars, mobility services and autonomous vehicles.

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Toyota Motor Corporation and Amazon Web Services are expanding their global collaboration, applying AWS’s collection of services to expand Toyota’s Mobility Services Platform to help Toyota develop, deploy, and manage the next generation of data-driven mobility services for driver and passenger safety, security, comfort, and convenience in Toyota’s cloud-connected vehicles.

It’s the latest example of  an emerging trend among automakers to offer owners and lessees thus far unclear advantages of processing and analyzing data from vehicle use from Toyota’s growing worldwide fleet of connected vehicles. Nowhere in the announcement was an acknowledgement that the use of such customer data raises vast unaddressed privacy, security and law enforcement concerns. In communist China where these are lessor concerns, GM has more than 5,000,000 connected vehicles on the road now.
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Milestones: Intelligent Traffic Management Now Deployed at Center for Applied Research in Reno Nevada

Posted on 17 August 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Velodyne Ultra Puck lidar sensors

The University of Nevada, Reno’s Nevada Center for Applied Research has Velodyne Ultra Puck lidar sensors with traffic signals to detect, count and track pedestrians, cyclists and traffic.

Velodyne Lidar is working with the University of Nevada, Reno to advance research in transportation infrastructure. The Nevada Center for Applied Research purchased and, in conjunction with the Nevada DOT and Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development, is using Velodyne’s lidar sensors in its Intelligent Mobility initiative to collect data aimed at making transportation more efficient and safe.

The program has integrated Velodyne Ultra Puck lidar sensors with traffic signals to detect, count and track pedestrians, cyclists and traffic to help improve traffic analytics, congestion management and pedestrian safety.

One reason the lidar sensors have been placed at crossing signs and intersections is because lidar used today does not allow for facial recognition. In theory smart by anonymous city applications can preserve trust among the public. However, the US is far from even thinking about privacy, let alone articulating a policy about private data use as evidenced by Google and Twitter and Facebook among many other rich and powerful corporations that own politicians.
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WEC SPA – Toyota One-Two. 24 Hours of Le Mans Next

Posted on 17 August 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on WEC SPA Aug 2020

Spa Start – #1 Rebellion Racing / CHE / Rebellion R-13 -Gibson -#8 Toyota Gazoo Racing / JPN / Toyota TS050, #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing / JPN / Toyota TS050 – Total 6 hours of Spa Francorchamps, Stavelot Belgium.

Toyota Gazoo Racing posted a one-two victory in a tense and rain-affected race at  the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the sixth round of the season of the 2019-2020 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

After days of sunshine and high temperatures, the frequently variable Spa weather struck just over an hour before the start, with a heavy rainstorm causing the race to begin behind the safety car: two heavy rain showers, and three more Safety Car non-passing periods, made strategy as important as pace. It would have been a vastly different race and outcome if it had remained dry as the rwd Rebellion was clearly faster, until it got wet and had to run against awd Toyotas.
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Software – 2020 Corvette Recall for Trunk Release Failure

Posted on 17 August 2020 by Ken Zino

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling 5,141 2020 Chevrolet Corvette sportscars because the release button located inside the front trunk compartment won’t function after the vehicle has been shut off for ten minutes. These Corvettes fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, “Internal Trunk Release.”

These Corvettes are designed to enter a low power “sleep” mode ten minutes after powering off. The trunk lid release button located inside the front trunk compartment “may not function” while the vehicle is in this sleep mode.
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Petersen Museum Reveals Latest Ford GT Sunday

Posted on 14 August 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on 2021 Ford GT Heritage Edition

Last year for the GT.

Ford Motor Company will reveal the 2021 Ford GT in partnership with the Peterson Automotive Museum’s Car Week Sunday, highlighting two new variants of the Ford GT supercar – including a special-edition that honors its earliest endurance racing roots.

The Ford GT reveal marks the final day of Petersen Car Week, which started airing Wednesday on the Petersen Museum’s YouTube channel. Highlights include several virtual events featuring 25 hours of original content from manufacturers and enthusiasts, plus automotive lifestyle and auction house activities.
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Mazda, Toyota Add Money to Manufacturing in Alabama

Posted on 14 August 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Mazda Toyota Manufacturing

THEN 1998 – the Toyota Mazda JV plant in Alabama. Some assembly required.

Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, (MTM), the joint-venture between Mazda Motor Corporation and Toyota Motor Corporation, have announced an additional $830 million investment for more manufacturing technologies to its production lines and provide enhanced training to its workforce of up to 4,000 employees in Huntsville, Alabama. Full-scale construction of the plant continues, with 75%-100% completion on roofing, siding, floor slabs, ductwork, fire protection and electrical. (See AutoInformed.com on Mazda and Toyota Establish JV to build Vehicles in Alabama, Mazda-Toyota Plant Under Construction in U.S., Toyota Shifts Plans at Its Mazda JV Plant in Alabama to SUVS)

Total funding slated for the facility is now $2.311 billion, up from the $1.6 billion originally announced in 2018. The investment  is said to reaffirm Mazda and Toyota’s commitment to produce the highest-quality products at the facility.

It also insiders say makes production line enhancements made to improve processes supporting unannounced Mazda vehicle and design changes and to the thus far unknown Toyota SUV that will be produced at the plant. Continue reading →

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RumbleOn Posts Q2 Profit of $8.5m, 10.0% of Revenue

Posted on 14 August 2020 by Ken Zino

RumbleOn, Inc (NASDAQ: RMBL), an e-commerce company using technology to gather and distribute used vehicles to and from both consumers and dealers, today announced financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2020. RumbleOn During Q2 had a Gross profit of $8.5 million or 10.0% of revenue compared to $15.6 million or 5.8% of revenue year-over-year. (See AutoInformed.com on RumbleOn Posts Q1 Net Loss of -$22 Million, RumbleOn Posts 2019 Loss. Cancels Guidance)

  • Total vehicle unit sales of 3,694, down from 13,928
  • Total revenue was $84.3 million, down from $270.2 million
    • Powersports revenue was $8.2 million
    • Automotive revenue was $68.3 million
    • Transportation revenue was $7.7 million
    • Other revenue was $0.2 million
  • Net Income was $1.0 million, or $0.47 per basic and fully diluted share, including the effect of $5.6 million of insurance proceeds as compared to net loss of $13.0 million or a loss of $(11.69) per share.
  • Basic and fully diluted shares in Q2 were 2,214,241 shares of common stock outstanding and 1,111,809 shares in Q2 2019.

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Chinese Junk Watch – Intertex Recalls Blowers For Fires

Posted on 14 August 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Recalled Intertex B-Air, BlueDri, BlueDri Pro and Soleaire blowers

Recalled Intertex B-Air, BlueDri, BlueDri Pro and Soleaire blowers. Click to Enlarge.

This recall for fires involves several models of centrifugal and axial blowers sold under the B-Air, BlueDri, BlueDri Pro and Soleaire brands.  Each blower has convenience outlets on the side of the unit to allow the blowers to be “daisy chained” (several blowers plugged together in series) or other devices to be plugged in.

Consumers should immediately stop using the convenience outlets on the side of the recalled blowers and contact Intertex for a free repair. Consumers with recalled units will receive a free cord set adapter with an integrated circuit breaker. Intertex, LLC at 800-465-7300 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email to recall@b-air.com or online at www.b-air.com for more information. Continue reading →

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Death of the Diesel: Daimler in US to Pay $1.5B for Noxious Diesel Emissions Fraud

Posted on 13 August 2020 by Ken Zino

Daimler AG and its subsidiary Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) have reached an agreement in principle with multiple U.S. authorities to settle civil and environmental claims regarding emission control systems of  ~250,000 diesel passenger cars and vans in the United States.

Vehicles involved in what AI calls Dieselgate starting with Volkswagen in 2015 had engine calibration software that caused them to emit fewer harmful diesel pollutants in lab tests than actual driving on the road. The concerned U.S. authorities involved in the fraudulent cheating scandal are the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the California Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Continue reading →

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Michigan and Cavnue to Create Autonomous Vehicle Lanes Linking Ann Arbor and Detroit

Posted on 13 August 2020 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Michigan and Cavnue Autonomous Vehicle Corridor

An investment in the future to save a key part of Detroit’s past. Click to Enlarge.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) today announced a plan to develop a “first-of-its-kind corridor for connected and autonomous vehicles designed to improve transportation for communities in Southeast Michigan.”

She claimed the main goal of the project will be to design the corridor with a focus on closing long-standing gaps in access to transit and transportation across the region.

The project will draw on an advisory committee of automotive and autonomous mobility companies, including Ford, GM, Argo AI, Arrival, BMW, Honda, Toyota, TuSimple, & Waymo. Notably absent is Fiat Chrysler. (AutoInformed.com on Bye Bye FCA and PSA. Hello Stellantis) Continue reading →

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Making America Poor Again

Posted on 13 August 2020 by Ken Zino

The Trump Administration keeps lying about its failure to contain COVID-19 and the Great Economic Depression Trump Version 2.0 that is underway. The latest evidence comes from the Associated Press, whose reporters do not gather their real – not fake news – from the isolated confines of white country clubs. Instead AP spoke to people who have lost their jobs.

The Depression Version Trump 2.0 sees The AP’s Business team chronicling the changing economy, “from the difficulties faced by people who have lost their jobs to how businesses are adapting to the new reality. We are using data and interviews with experts, officials and people affected to understand which changes are temporary and which ones are likely to permanently alter the ways we live and work.”

Also the number of U.S. residents who have died since March is now more than 200,000 higher than it would be in a normal year, a New York Times analysis found. Those “excess deaths” most likely reflect the true cost of the pandemic — and suggest that the official death toll may be a substantial undercount. Continue reading →

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