Tag Archives: automotive news

Largest Road Test of Connected Vehicle Crash Avoidance Started

Posted on 21 August 2012 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Department of Transportation is starting the largest road test or vehicles with crash avoidance technology today in Ann Arbor, Michigan. About 3,000 cars, trucks and buses equipped with “connected” Wi-Fi technology that allows vehicles and infrastructure devices to “talk” to each other. The goal is to see if crashes could be avoided and traffic flow improved during the next year. In Europe, such technologies are also under study. Continue reading →

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Auto Theft UK Style – $473 Million Unrecovered in 2011 Alone

Posted on 21 August 2012 by Ken Zino

The latest auto theft numbers in Great Britain are just as grim as in the U.S. In 2011, 65,000 vehicles were taken from their owners in the UK and never recovered for losses of £300 million or $473 million. More than two thirds (71%) of stolen cars disappear, never to be seen again. As they are stripped for either parts or shipped out of the country, according to swiftcover.com. Not surprisingly, more expensive stolen cars are more likely to disappear without a trace. Continue reading →

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GM China Begins Building and Testing Advanced Batteries

Posted on 20 August 2012 by Ken Zino

General Motors China is now making and testing prototype battery cells and complete systems at its Advanced Technical Center in Shanghai, potentially creating a huge offshore industry that will build more affordable batteries for customers globally. Continue reading →

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D.C. Court Throws Out E15 Lawsuit on a Technicality

Posted on 20 August 2012 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has dismissed petitions challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s partial waiver allowing gasoline with 15% ethanol or E15 in 2001 and newer model vehicles. Federal law establishes a renewable fuel mandate that requires gasoline producers to introduce significant amounts of renewable fuel such as ethanol into the Nation’s gasoline supply. Continue reading →

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Top Ten Stolen Vehicles for 2011 Revealed by NCIB

Posted on 20 August 2012 by Ken Zino

The National Insurance Crime Bureau or NICB today released its list of the 10 stolen vehicles in the United States. The top spots were evenly split in 2011 with five occupied by offshore brands and five by U.S. automakers. The most popular stolen vehicles among the Detroit Three bands were Ford, Dodge and Chevrolet pickup trucks each holding one spot with Dodge Caravan and Ford Explorer rounding out the domestic models. Continue reading →

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School Driving Safety – Slow Down and Get off the *#$+ Cell Phone

Posted on 20 August 2012 by Ken Zino

As summer wanes and school bells ring 55 million children in the United States will return to the classroom. With 13% those school children typically walking or biking to school, AAA warns drivers to drive carefully – as it has since 1946 – and to be especially vigilant for pedestrians during before- and after-school hours. Continue reading →

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Marine Corps to Test Finnish Personnel Carrier as U.S. Long Term Unemployment Continues at Post Depression Highs?

Posted on 20 August 2012 by Ken Zino

It was not immediately clear if Lockheed really intends to import the Finnish-built personnel carrier for the 600 units the Marine Corps eventually plans to buy at ~$5 million each while long-term U.S. unemployment continues at post Great Depression highs. There are competing U.S.- and Canadian-built carriers available from General Dynamics, BAE Systems, and Science Applications International Corporation. Continue reading →

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Sinclair Oil to Pay $3.8 Million Penalty for Refinery Pollution

Posted on 20 August 2012 by Ken Zino

Sinclair Oil Corporation will pay a $3.8 million fine and install pollution control equipment at its refineries in Casper and Sinclair, Wyoming after it previously agreed to reduce pollution, but then failed to do so. The U.S. Justice Department said today that the pollution controls would cost about $10.5 million, including other projects to resolve the allegations of violations of the Clean Air Act. Continue reading →

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NHTSA Investigation Prompts GM Recalls of SUVs for Fires

Posted on 20 August 2012 by Ken Zino

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has prompted recalls of more than 249,000 GM SUVs because of fires in the driver’s door caused by a defective electric window motor. Affected are 2006-2007 model year Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Isuzu Ascender and Saab 9-7x models, all from the GMT360 platform. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation has received a total of 83 complaints, 66 alleging the door module had melted or burned, and the remaining 17 stating that the window switches acted erratically or were inoperative. Twenty-eight of the reports received have led to driver door fires, some of which allege the vehicle was keyed off and unattended. Continue reading →

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Elite or Street – Woodward Dream Cruise and Pebble Beach Concours

Posted on 17 August 2012 by Ken Zino

Nowhere will the two diverse approaches to automobile collecting be more apparent than at the Woodward Dream Cruise in the northern Detroit suburbs and the Pebble Beach Concourse in Northern California this weekend. Continue reading →

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GM to Double Solar Power with German Opel Plant Addition

Posted on 17 August 2012 by Ken Zino

General Motors will double its output of solar power with the planned addition of an 8.15-megawatt solar array on the rooftop of the Opel Rüsselsheim facility in Germany. The array – one of the largest alternative energy projects in Europe – is equivalent to the area of 32 soccer fields. Continue reading →

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Incentives, Declining Used Car Prices Could Boost U.S. Auto Sales

Posted on 17 August 2012 by Ken Zino

New-vehicle incentives and rebates, as well as declining prices on used vehicles are a couple of factors pointing to steady auto sales as the summer months come to a close, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association. Continue reading →

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China Sales Satisfaction Down. Audi, Nissan, Hyundai Lead

Posted on 17 August 2012 by Ken Zino

There is a decline in customer satisfaction in China as experienced salespeople are in short supply as auto dealerships continue to expand. Coupled with the slow down in Chinese vehicle sales this year, there is a “notable deterioration” in overall sales satisfaction among new-vehicle owners in China. Continue reading →

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Porsche Sales up 16% in July. Boxster and 911 Strong

Posted on 17 August 2012 by Ken Zino

Porsche increased sales in July by 16% helped by strong sales of the Boxster and 911. The automaker sold 12,391 cars and trucks during the month. Led by sales of the Panamera sedan and Cayenne sport utility vehicle, Porsche has sold 81,562 vehicles (+14 %) in the first seven months of 2012. Continue reading →

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GM CEO Akerson to Auction His 1958 Corvette for Detroit Charity

Posted on 16 August 2012 by Ken Zino

General Motors Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson plans to auction off his Corvette with proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity Detroit and the rebuilding of the Morningside Commons neighborhood. Continue reading →

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