First Round – no GM decision.
In its latest statement – with perhaps a hint of desperation – GM said today that “We presented a strong offer that improves wages, benefits and grows U.S. jobs in substantive ways, and it is disappointing that the UAW leadership has chosen to strike at midnight tonight. We have negotiated in good faith and with a sense of urgency. Our goal remains to build a strong future for our employees and our business.” GM Claims the Offer contains…
The opening day for contract talks this year arguably began with baseball. An example of idiocy from the tone-deaf management of General Motors, the opening day lineup was changed as UAW members arose in anger and successfully got a Mexican-Made Chevrolet Blazer removed from the Chevrolet Fountain at Comerica Park, the home of the Detroit Tigers. Both the Union and GM leadership just watched the Mexican stolen base with defensive indifference. In the Blazer’s place now is a U.S.-made Traverse.
Local UAW Union leaders from across the nation met Sunday morning after the 2015 General Motors collective bargaining agreement expired last night and opted to strike at midnight on Sunday. In a widely expected development, the autoworkers are calling on the Big 3 automaker “to recognize the contributions and sacrifices that the company’s UAW members have made to create a healthy, profitable, industry.”
There are other issues in play that thus far have not been part of the publicly known parts of the negotiations. UAW President Gary Jones, of course is under an investigation by the FBI in the fraudulent diversion of funds from FCA Fiat that were supposed to support UAW worker training. He refused to stand down as president during the contract talks as criminal investigations ensue. Continue reading
Trump’s economic whims are the cause of the prolonged US-China trade conflict, and a slowing economy continues to present a major risk to the automotive market.
Global Light Vehicle (LV) sales fell 3.9% in year-on-year (YoY) terms in August, but the selling rate accelerated to 94.9 mn units/year, from 90.9 mn units/year in July, according to the LMC* consultancy. However, in a whistling past the graveyard qualifier, LMC notes that “the selling rate was the strongest since August 2018’s WLTP-distorted result, though additional WLTP requirements may have contributed to the surge in Europe’s selling rate in August 2019 as well.” (WLTP How Does It Work? Will it Work?)
Elsewhere, selling rates in the USA and China appear stabilized. “However, in YoY terms, China is still firmly in negative territory, while the US comparison was positive, helped by calendar effects. Meanwhile, August brought some renewed weakness in South America, too.” (AutoInformed: July Global Vehicles Sales Drop More Than 3M) Continue reading
Ford Motor Company is issuing a safety recall on 2017 Ford Explorer vehicles for an improperly coined seat-frame edge that cuts users hands. Affected Explorers are equipped with power seats and may have seat frames with sharp edges. Customers could come in contact with the sharp edges when reaching between the power front seat and center console, presenting the risk of injury.
It took 31 reports of hand injuries before Ford acted on replacing the dangerous part. This is the seventh safety defect recall – thus far – on the 2017 model Explorer. Continue reading
If the vacuum level drops, customers may experience increased brake pedal effort, hard brake pedal, and/or potentially increased stopping distance. The Driver’s Information Centre “Service brake assist” alert will activate 2-5 minutes after the vacuum level drops, and a Diagnostic Trouble Code will also be set. The safety defect is more prevalent at low speed when softly applying the brakes. At all times, the brakes remain functional and exceed the requirements of S7.11 of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 135, Light Vehicle Brake Systems, GM claimed.
General Motors LLC is recalling 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade, 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon vehicles. The amount of vacuum created by the vacuum pump may decrease over time. As the vacuum level drops, the brake assist decreases, increasing braking effort, extending the distance required to stop the vehicle – increasing the risk crashes on these large and heavy vehicles. GM did not disclose the source of the U.S.-made pump. Continue reading
Click to Enlarge. See text for electric power utilities studied in chart.
It’s a simple problem with potentially complex answers and political sub-problems. If EVs are the future of automobility because they pollute less than internal combustion cars, how much do they pollute when recharging? A new report from WattTime* explores the question and offers Automated Emissions Reduction software as a solution. It is in AutoInformed’s view a closely reasoned – albeit self-interested – argument that is devoid of the usual hype, omissions and prevarications of many EV producers and actors.
The number of electric vehicles (EVS) on U.S. roadways allegedly will grow from 1 million in 2018 to nearly 19 million in 2030. In tandem, electric vehicle charging points are also expected to increase, including nearly 10 million level 2 charging stations distributed across homes, offices, and public locations. Continue reading
Translating the fashion babble into an English-like language: The brand’s collection includes bold, striped jumpsuits, high-waisted trousers, cheeky, graphic t-shirts and silky nude evening gowns.
Fashion week in New Yawk City this year sees the Spring Collection of alice + olivia festooning a final edition model of the Volkswagen Beetle. Designer Stacey Bendet’s Spring 2020 fashion staging eschews a catwalk for nine “vignettes” described by Volkswagen as “social-media-ready sets ranging from frothy pink flowered swings to a backdrop of neon orange teddy bears.”
It’s a latter-day version of Janice Joplin’s bathtub Porsche without the superstar musical talent owner or the 1960s backdrop. This century, Volkswagen joined Bendet by displaying its Beetle Final Edition, wrapped in alice + olivia’s quirky hero print for Spring 2020. Guests were able to participate in the set “experience” and take pictures inside and around a whimsical VW Beetle – sort of a Jetta platform on hallucinogens.
Continue reading
This is starting to sound like Judy Garland singing the Company that Got Away from the law: “The road gets tougher…
The Board of Nissan Motor Co. has “asked” Hiroto Saikawa to resign as representative executive officer and CEO of the company, effective September 16. The same day, Nissan’s representative executive officer and COO, Yasuhiro Yamauchi, will become acting CEO. Group Renault thus far has been silent on significant changes at its alliance partner.
Details that are now known allege that from Japanese fiscal year 2009 through fiscal year 2017, Ghosn and former Representative Director Greg Kelly concealed a total of 9.078 billion yen in compensation payable to Ghosn.
Hiroto Saikawa is the latest casualty in the Carlos Ghosn matter that has turned into farce as investigations into Nissan corporate governance practices post Carlos Ghosn reveal layers of incompetence and/or malfeasance, as well as various degrees of criminal activity that are virtually unheard of in western corporations. (Was 2008 the Year When Carlos Ghosn Went Rogue? Ghosn’s Former Speechwriter on What He Did for Nissan – And What That Did to Him)
The move comes following a report from the beleaguered company’s Audit Committee that recognizes several instances of misconduct from the findings of the internal investigation that is only partially available publicly in filtered form. On May 14, 2019, Nissan belatedly issued numerous amendments to its past annual securities reports, correcting director compensation figures to reflect the amounts that should originally have been disclosed. Continue reading
German automakers whose entire reputations – especially in expensive segments – are built on technology and they are struggling to catch up with Toyota and Lexus on hybrid models and have few EV entries thus far. European Regulations are forcing the issue.
Porsche has opened the new factory for the Taycan in front of 320 guests from politics, business and media. “We have a level of responsibility for the environment and society. Production of the Taycan is already carbon-neutral. Heritage meets the future at our parent plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, which is the heart of the brand,” said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG.
The brand’s first all-electric sports car was revealed less than 48 months ago with the debut of the Mission E concept vehicle at the IAA motor show in 2015 and the start of production for the first Taycan customer vehicles. “The investment by Porsche sends out a strong message about Stuttgart. Where others just talk, Porsche acts,” said Fritz Kuhn, Mayor of Stuttgart not without self-interest. (Porsche Claims 20,000 Potential Taycan Buyers) Continue reading
A nudge to NHTSA to prioritize or mandate certain safety systems?
A study of 3.7 million GM vehicles across 20 different models from 2013-2017 of automated safety systems show they work, according to GM, which is touting a zero-fatality automotive world at some point in the future. Fifteen different systems were evaluated using police report crash databases available to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute from 10 states.
After comparing the crash instances involving vehicles with and without active safety features, the study GM claims that certain features evaluated had an impact in preventing the types of crashes the features were designed to help prevent or mitigate. Continue reading
It’s supposed to be a pickup not an automatic drop off.
Chrysler (FCA US) is recalling more than 1.1 million RAM pickups because the tailgate may suddenly open while driving. The safety defect stems from a tailgate actuator limiter tab that may fracture and cause the tailgate to unlatch and pop open. The unsafe trucks were assembled in Mexico and the U.S. with bad parts from ADAC Plastic in Saranac, Michigan. (Chrysler Recalls 400,000 Ram Trucks for Tailgate Openings)
Affected are 1,103,479 2015-2017 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks equipped with an 8-foot bed and a power locking tailgate. Chrysler is also recalling all 2013-2014 and 2018 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks built before April 1, 2018 with a 6- or 8-foot bed and a power locking tailgate. On August 29, 2019 Chrysler expanded the recall to include an additional 693,128 model year 2013-2014 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks. Continue reading
With Google Assistant drivers can use their time on the road with just their voice. Distracted driving enabler? Another invasion of your privacy and personal data?
General Motors said today it plans to introduce new in-vehicle technology that will enhance the overall customer experience and make it easier for customers to bring their digital lives into future connected vehicles. It will do this by the integration of Google’s Voice Assistant, Navigation and App Ecosystem in GM Infotainment Systems in 2021. Whether this adds to the distracted driving problem remains to be seen.
GM said its research shows that many customers prefer an embedded technology in the vehicle, and increasingly expect seamless integration between the tech in their hands and the tech in their vehicle. GM will work with Google to bring new options for a voice assistant, embedded navigation and in-vehicle applications to compatible Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles in regions around the world beginning in 2021. Broad deployment across all GM vehicle brands is expected to roll out in the years following. Continue reading
Click to Enlarge.
Western European car registrations fell by 8.5% year-on-year (YoY) in August. The YoY contraction was “inevitable” claims consultancy LMC due to the distortion in the market in August 2018 caused by sales being pulled forward ahead of the 1 September 2018 implementation of WLTP emission tests after the German automaker diesel emissions scandal. (WLTP How Does It Work? Will it Work?) However, the selling rate jumped to 16.9 million units/year in July, from 14.3 million units/year in July.
The introduction of WLTP in September 2018 distorted the market in August last year (the selling rate for that month was 18.4 million units/year), providing a very high base effect which was never likely to be matched this year. In addition, August has historically provided the lowest sales volumes in the year, meaning that relatively small changes in sales can have an exaggerated effect on the selling rate. Continue reading
Click to Enlarge.
British car manufacturing output declined -10.6% in July, with 108,239 units produced, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). This was the 14th successive month of decline as ongoing weakness in major EU and Asian markets coupled with some key model changes affected performance. Casting a pall over it all is the unresolved Brexit fiasco/crisis by the conservative government.
“Another month of decline for UK car manufacturing is a serious concern,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive. “The sector is overwhelmingly reliant on exports and the global headwinds are strong, with escalating trade tensions, softening demand and significant technological change. With the UK market also weak, the importance of maintaining the UK’s global competitiveness has never been more important so we need a Brexit deal – and quickly – to unlock investment and safeguard the long-term future of a sector which has recently been such an international success story.” Continue reading
Teamsters to Honor Picket Lines of 50,000 UAW GM Workers
Click for more.
“Teamsters and the UAW have a decades-long relationship of having each other’s back. And that continues with the UAW’s notification that it will go out on strike against General Motors at midnight. Our 1.4 million members stand in solidarity with the UAW and will honor their picket lines,” said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa this afternoon.
“We laud the UAW for its work to ensure that its GM employees are treated with respect and dignity on the job. At a time when more and more companies are downsizing and shipping jobs out of the U.S., it is imperative that unions fight for their members. Workers should be rewarded for good work with fair wages and benefits. That’s what the UAW is demanding.”