The impact of hands-free laws fades over time, according to the latest data from Cambridge Telematics (CMT).* This is because the initial surge of awareness about the law is unsustainable over time and distraction levels increase again.
“In the first few months, reporters write about it, the government runs campaigns for it, and police officers actively educate drivers about it. Over time though, resources and attention shift to other areas,” said Cambridge Analytics. Continue reading
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The 2024 Nissan Armada is on sale now with prices for the full-size SUV ranging from $57,350 – $72,418 plus options, taxes and registration fees.* Armada has a5.6-liter Endurance® V8 rated for 400 horsepower and 413 lb.-ft. of torque, supporting a towing capacity of up to 8500 pounds. Standard Nissan Safety Shield® 3604, class-exclusive Intelligent Forward Collision Warning5 and class-exclusive optional Intelligent Around View Monitor6 are part of the package.
Connectivity includes the largest standard infotainment screen in its class thus far, a 12.3-inch HD screen with standard Android Auto™ and wireless Apple CarPlay®, Amazon Alexa Built-In7, four standard USB ports and wireless device charging. Appealing – maybe – optional items include 22-inch wheels, a 13-speaker Bose® audio system and a Midnight Edition package comprising black interior and exterior trim pieces. Continue reading
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Mercedes-Benz USA said today that its first Charging Hub* opened at its headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Additional charging hubs will open across Texas and the Southeast by the end of 2023. (AutoInformed: Mercedes-Benz will expand EV Charging to 10,000 Points)
“The Mercedes-Benz Charging Network expands global charging options for customers of all EV brands to promote clean, electric mobility,” said Franz Reiner, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG.** “In North America, our strategy is clear: focusing on where EV drivers are and where they are going to enhance the North American EV charging map while setting new standards for quality and customer experience. These efforts will pave the way for greater EV adoption here in North America and around the world.” Continue reading
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Athletic street wear designer Daniel Patrick has collaborated with Nissan to launch a limited line of performance-oriented sleepwear, Nissan said today. The so-called Fast Asleep capsule collection takes inspiration it’s said from NISMO, Nissan’s in-house motorsports and performance division. During the design process, Patrick spent time behind the wheel of the 2024 Nissan Z NISMO and was drawn to its combination of track-ready focus with distinctive styling.
“The Z NISMO is the purest expression of design and performance, and these characteristics are always found in my designs,” said Patrick. “I wanted to evoke a feeling of comfort and premium fit using signature materials that gave a wink to the classic NISMO features enthusiasts really love.” Continue reading
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Polestar* (Nasdaq: PSNY) said today that the start of production of Polestar 4 began at the Geely Holding Hangzhou Bay plant with first deliveries to customers in China expected before the end of 2023. The official launch in all other Polestar export markets is planned for early 2024, with customer deliveries in these markets expected within the same year.
“Polestar 4 stands out in design and performance, a remarkable SUV coupé in many ways. It is the first Polestar to feature a virtual rear window with world-class digital rear-view mirror. This car plays a very important role in our growing line-up of exclusive performance EVs. It illustrates the value of our diversified and asset-light approach, making use of our partner and major shareholder’s development and manufacturing expertise,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. Continue reading
Wayne Taylor Racing with WTRAndretti announced today that 2009 Formula One World Champion, Jenson Button, and 2022 Indianapolis 500 Champion and newly named Andretti Global NTT IndyCar Series driver, Marcus Ericsson, will complete the Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06 GTP driver lineups for the season opener of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship,* the Rolex 24 At Daytona. (AutoInformed:Wayne Taylor Racing, Andretti Autosport to Run Two IMSA Cars)
“Marcus is absolutely the perfect guy for our team because of the way he goes about racing. He’s finished in the top 10 something like 30 times in IndyCar, he’s won the Indy 500,” said Wayne Taylor, Team Principal, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti. “Jenson and I have spoken for quite a few years. We’ve just never been able to make it happen, but this round we got it to happen. He drove for JDC at Petit Le Mans and the relationship that he’s built with Jordan from the Garage 56 program closes the loop on our driver lineups as Jenson will take the last driver slot that’s open.” Continue reading
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General Motors (NYSE: GM) said today that it has registered with the FIA as a Formula 1 power unit manufacturer starting in the 2028 season. Last month, the FIA approved Andretti’s Expression of Interest application for Andretti* Cadillac to race in the FIA Formula One World Championship. (AutoInformed: GM, Andretti Global to Seek Formula One Cadillac Entry)
“We are thrilled that our new Andretti Cadillac F1 entry will be powered by a GM power unit,” said GM President Mark Reuss, who is himself an excellent performance car driver. “With our deep engineering and racing expertise, we’re confident we’ll develop a successful power unit for the series, and position Andretti Cadillac as a true works team. We will run with the very best, at the highest levels, with passion and integrity that will help elevate the sport for race fans around the world.” Continue reading
Hyundai today announced wage increases for its production team members at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) and Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia. HMMA has been producing vehicles in Montgomery, Alabama since 2005. HMGMA, Hyundai’s EV-dedicated plant in Bryan County, Georgia, is scheduled to begin production in early 2025. In a move mirroring similar ones by non-unionized Toyota Motor and Honda in the US following the UAW Detroit Three contract sweep, wages will increase ~25%. There are ~ 4000 production workers at HMMA. (AutoInformed:UAW October Sweep – GM and UAW Tentative Agreement)
“We have the best team members in the industry, and we are compensating them accordingly,” said José Muñoz, president and global COO, Hyundai Motor Company and president and CEO, Hyundai and Genesis Motor North America. Continue reading
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Corvette Racing said today it is expanding its roster of factory drivers that will compete in championships and events globally with the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R during the 2024 racing season. Daniel Juncadella, Earl Bamber, Charlie Eastwood and Nico Varrone will be part of the group that will race Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs in either the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, FIA World Endurance Championship, or in some cases both. (AutoInformed:Corvette Racing Goes Global – IMSA, FIA WEC in 2022)
“As we move into GT3 and customer racing, it is important that we add to our roster of drivers that are available to teams,” said Christie Bagne, Corvette Z06 GT3.R program manager. “We are excited about the wealth of experience in our Corvette factory lineup. Both GM and our teams will benefit from the learnings from each driver.” Continue reading
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The Biden-Harris Administration today released a “National Spectrum Strategy” identifying more than 2700 megahertz of airwaves to study for new uses by both the private sector and federal agencies. President Biden also released the Presidential Memorandum on Modernizing United States Spectrum Policy and Establishing a National Spectrum Strategy, which it’s claimed will promote a trustworthy, predictable and evidenced-based process for ensuring spectrum serves its highest and best use.
“Spectrum is a limited resource that enables the everyday and the extraordinary – from checking the weather on our phone to traveling into space. As demand for this resource increases, the US will continue to lead the world in spectrum innovation, and President Biden’s bold vision for spectrum policy will provide the foundation for that leadership,” said US. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, a Biden appointee. Continue reading
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The Bloomfield Township Police Department in Michigan is working with multiple local police agencies and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to promote the Tie One On for Safety Campaign. This campaign runs from November through January 1.
Tie One On for Safety is a campaign to remind everyone to stay safe and make the right choice to designate a driver this holiday season by placing a red ribbon on their car this holiday season. The M1 Concourse in Pontiac will host and sponsor the kickoff event on 16 November again this year. Continue reading
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McLaren Applied is partnering with Blu Wireless to deliver ultra high-speed telemetry for motorsport applications. Through the collaboration, the two companies aspire to providing a data pipe that can handle all data and video streams from a race car in real-time. The technology it’s claimed has been successfully tested over the last 12 months across multiple tests in the UK and North America, including demonstrating multiple HD video links on race cars traveling at speeds above 165 mph. Potentially this will be a new marketing tool for racing organizations to connect with fans. It also has the potential to increase the sophistication of the growing use of computerized racing strategies.
“We are excited to apply our cutting edge mmWave technology to the challenging world of motorsports. The application we’ve developed with our partner McLaren Applied is a perfect fit for the types of environments and high speeds within which the race cars are performing. Our robust, gigabit connectivity and tailored system is certain to deliver real-time, almost life-like experience and will enhance the nail biting excitement of motorsport for viewers,” said Mark Barrett, Chief Commercial Officer at Blu Wireless. Continue reading
Click for more on US Veterans and the Census.
In 1841, for the first time, the US Census Bureau published information about veterans in a special bound volume on the men who served in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and other American conflicts. While it had been nearly 60 years since the American Revolution had ended, the compendium (now available online) listed the surviving pensioners, including widows, of that war. It wasn’t until 50 years later, in 1890, that another census collected data on veteran status. That census identified only veterans of the Civil War and the widows of Union and Confederate ex-service members.
“Although it had been nearly 60 years since the American Revolution had ended, the compendium listed the surviving pensioners, including widows, of that war,” said Jonathan Vespa, a demographer in the U.S. Census Bureau’s Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division. “In the 18 decades that followed, the data that the Census Bureau collected about veterans continually shifted and expanded, providing a historical record of just how much the definition of military service has been redefined over centuries. Who was counted as a veteran depended on when and where a man served in the U.S. armed forces. And, yes, for most of the nation’s history, only men were considered veterans.” Continue reading
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The all-new 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger has debuted with a targeted range of up to 690 miles from its design that uses a gasoline engine to recharge the EV batteries when needed. It has a 250-kilowatt (kW) front and 238 kW rear electric drive modules (EDMs) powered by the on-board 130 kW generator and a 92 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery. Yes, it’s a hybrid not a pure EV. While purists might scoff at the gasoline engine, since it has no, none, zero need for a public charger, Stellantis might have created a new sweet spot in the pickup market. It is built from the new STLA body-on-frame architecture designed specifically for full-size electric vehicles with a frame that incorporates the battery pack efficiently. You could consider this the best that both gas and electric trucks offer, with little constraints on range – unless you run out of gasoline when the batteries are dead.
“With unlimited battery-electric range, the Ram 1500 Ramcharger is the pinnacle of the light-duty pickup truck segment and the ultimate electric truck,” said Tim Kuniskis, Ram brand CEO – Stellantis. Continue reading
October Global Light Vehicle Sales at 94 Million Annually
The Global Light Vehicle (LV) selling rate for October was largely in line with an upwardly adjusted September figure, at 94 million units annually. Year-over Year (YoY) the market was up nearly ~11% last month, and up more than 10% YTD, according to data just released by the GlobalData Light Vehicle Sales Forecasting Team.
“While growth in the US was impacted by the UAW strikes through October, other key markets saw double-digit growth, although this is partly due to 2022 being a weak base for comparison,” GlobalData said. Continue reading →