Tag Archives: connected vehicles

Germany Drops Hard Coal After 200 Years

In 2007, the social partners in German coal industry reached a deal to phase out hard coal production by 2018. However, fossil fuels still account for an important part of the energy mix, and the lignite, or brown coal, produced in Germany still derives a part of it. Continue reading

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Toyota N. America Sales Flat in 2018. Truck Sales Set Record

For the year, TMNA reported sales of 2,426,672 vehicles, a -0.3% decrease on a volume basis and down -0.6 percent on a DSR basis. Continue reading

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Inside Job – Mark Reuss Named General Motors President

Reuss once kicked the author’s butt at a closed track in New York State. It’s surprising when the North American president of an auto company appears at a race track to drive a car he worked on as an engineer. It’s embarrassing, though, when he’s as fast, well frankly faster, than any hot shoe out there. I was looking at Reuss’s taillights – in the distance. (see AutoInformed on Driving the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe) Continue reading

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Volkswagen Offers First Look at Mobile Charging Station

The mobile charging station works like a power bank does with smartphones, but for electric vehicles instead. The charging capacity of up to 360 kWh enables up to 15 e-vehicles, including members of Volkswagen’s new ID line to be charged in stand-alone operation. Continue reading

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Autonomous Vehicles – OmniVision is Watching with High-Speed Global Shutter Image Sensors

Semi-autonomous vehicles use DSM to track the driver’s eye gaze and allow the vehicle to take control when the driver becomes drowsy or distracted. DSM is currently available in high-end cars, but over the next few years, the tracking will likely migrate into mainstream vehicles, a market segment that is much more cost-sensitive. Continue reading

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Will Updated Ontario Distracted Driving Laws Induce Drivers to Finally Put Down Their Connected Mobile Devices?

Distracted driving continues to be a challenge everywhere but on Ontario’s roads, nearly a decade after the initial legislation banning handheld devices was passed it’s still a problem. In Ontario one person is injured in a distracted driving collision every half an hour. Continue reading

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Geely moves Closer to Owning AB Volvo. Chinese Company Owns the Car Brand and Is Buying Into the Truck Business.

China’s Geely Holding [GEELY.UL], owner of the Volvo car brand, is buying an 8.2% stake in Volvo (VOLVb.ST) from Cevian Capital. This is worth more than $3 billion at market prices. This makes Geely the biggest individual shareholder in AB Volvo and second ranked in terms of voting rights behind Swedish investment firm Industrivarden (INDUa.ST). Continue reading

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Predictably – So-Called Tokyo “Court” Secretly Prolongs Detention of Carlos Ghosn By 10 Days According to TV Asahi

Ghosn, accused of aggravated breach of trust, is facing allegations of making the car maker take on ¥1.85 billion ($16.8 million) in investment losses that allegedly were his. (See AutoInformed from last Sunday: Japanese Justice or Farce?) Continue reading

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US Insurance Industry Group to Test Emergency Braking. Does the Driver Assist Technology Really Protect Pedestrians?

The pedestrian autobrake test is the fourth crash avoidance evaluation in the Institute’s group of safety tests, along with ratings of front crash prevention, rear crash prevention and headlights. Lurking in the background is the promise and threat of autonomous vehicles. Continue reading

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Happy New Year or is that Old Year? Impaired-Driving Still Remains Primary Cause of Deaths

The first four states with legalized recreational marijuana use saw as much as a 6% increase in vehicle crashes compared with neighboring states without such laws, according to research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute. Continue reading

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Stefan Juraschek on BMW Electric Car Development

We currently produce the following electrified models: the BMW i3 (third model evolution with 120 Ah) , BMW i3s, BMW i8 Coupe, BMW i8 Roadster, BMW 740e, BMW 740Le, BMW 530e, BMW 225xe Active Tourer, MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 and, in China, the BMW X1 xDrive25Le. Continue reading

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Hyundai Delivers First 2019 NEXO Fuel Cell SUV

Mr. Hochrad isn’t the typical automotive buyer. More than 15 years ago, he purchased his first hybrid car and over the years has driven dedicated electric vehicles as well. His new NEXO will deliver about five times the driving range of his first unnamed all-electric car. Continue reading

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Mobility Company Capital Destruction. Latest German JV Attempts to Lessen Negative Effects on Shareholder Value

It’s just the latest example of the capital intensive, shareholder-value destroying transition to an ill-defined, but demonstrably expensive mobility company that all automakers are now pursuing. Continue reading

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Milk Run – McLaren 720s Spa 68 – a Three Car Set

The McLaren 720S Spa 68 Collection car is available from McLaren Brussels – two of the three are sold. Maybe more should have been built? Continue reading

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Hyundai Motor Claims World’s First Smart Fingerprint Technology. Big Convenience or Electronic Big Brother?

To unlock the vehicle, the driver places a finger on the sensor located on the door handle. The encrypted fingerprint information will be identified and delivered to the fingerprint controller inside the vehicle. The driver can also easily start the vehicle by touching the ignition that is also equipped with a fingerprint scanning sensor. Continue reading

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