Tag Archives: connected vehicles

November Used Vehicle Prices Drop for Third Month

Some of the worst losses are in the luxury mid-size car segment, which has seen steady year-over-year declines since 2012. Prices for this segment are expected to decline by more than 7% annually. Continue reading

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Japanese Justice or Farce?

Carlos Ghosn remains in a tiny jail cell in jail for at least the rest of the year, a Tokyo court ruled today, Sunday 23 December 2018. Ghosn stays locked up until January 1, giving the Japanese “authorities” added time to question him – without his lawyer present – on more alleged wrongdoings as Nissan Motors CEO. Continue reading

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First Fully-Electric Freightliner eM2 to Penske Truck Leasing

Penske Truck Leasing is going to operate the electric truck in local distribution traffic in the Northwest Pacific and in California. During 2019, Penske Truck Leasing Corporation will receive in total 20 fully-electric Freightliner trucks: ten medium-duty eM2 and ten eCascadia for heavy-duty transportation. In total the Freightliner’s test fleet will include 30 vehicles. Continue reading

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British Car Manufacturing Declines -19.6% In November

While home production fell by -1.9% in the month, exports experienced a steeper -22.8% drop – falling for the fifth month in a row. Just over 105,000 cars were exported to global markets in November, still representing some eight in every 10 cars leaving British factories. Continue reading

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The GM Grinch that Stole Christmas, or Did It?

There will be a 15% reduction in GM’s salaried workforce, the closing of the Lordstown and Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plants in the US and the Oshawa complex in Canada in 2019. Baltimore Operations and Warren Transmission plants will also be shut down in 2019. The arrival of year-end auto sales data makes things clearer in the view of consultancy LMC. Continue reading

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Car Rental Rate Holiday Rip-Offs

Travelers in need of a rental car in Seattle this Christmas will pay a lot more than usual. According to a new survey from CheapCarRental.net, rental car rates have nearly quadrupled in the city for the holidays. Continue reading

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2018 Auto Retail Sales Down. Transaction Prices Set Record

“Despite retail sales falling for the sixth consecutive month, the continued growth in transaction prices is allowing manufacturers to offset lower sales with higher revenue,” claims Thomas King, Senior Vice President of the Data and Analytics Division at J.D. Power. “Consumers are on pace to spend nearly $45 billion on autos in December, up 1% from last year and the highest level ever recorded.” Continue reading

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Japanese Scrooges Run Amok as Carlos Ghosn Re-Arrested. Christmas Locked Up for the Gaijin!

Prosecutors then re-arrested Ghosn on new charges in a sordid tale that goes back to Ghosn’s first arrest on 19 November 2018. Ghosn could now be in a tiny jail cell for another 10 days or more, where he has been locked up since last month on initial allegations of financial misconduct. Continue reading

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Nissan Mired in Japanese Corporate Governance Scandals

The latest development also casts doubt about the origination and integrity of a Nissan internal investigation into former Chairman Carlos Ghosn who is due to be released today after a month in Japanese jail for allegedly under reporting deferred income. Ghosn says he will vigorously defend his actions. Continue reading

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Fires! Ford Recalls 874,000 F-150 and Super Duty Trucks

Ford says that the safety defect only exists while the vehicle is parked, and the block heater cable is plugged into an electrical outlet. This, of course, is the sole purpose of a block heater. Continue reading

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Paint Sample Testing with an Artificial Sun

To evaluate the effects of solar energy on paint and other materials, a 4,000-watt Xenon bulb bakes 100 samples at the same wavelengths as the sun. Samples rotate around the Xenon bulb to imitate earth’s orbit – and because the “sun can shine” 24 hours a day, it takes half the time to test paint samples. The material samples endure a series of cycles to study changes and ensure top durability and quality for Nissan customers. Continue reading

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Ford Manufacturing Executives from General Pacheco Plant Sentenced for Crimes Against Humanity in Argentina

Müller was the plant’s manager and Sibilla was security manager at the time the crimes were committed. According to Spain’s El País newspaper, the judges ruled that Müller and Sibilla were actively involved in the dictatorship’s plan to repress union leaders at large companies. Continue reading

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Carma Project, Toyota Try to Up Takata Recall Awareness

Carma Project claims – not without self-interest – that “will further help address the recall of deadly Takata airbags, which is labeled ‘the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history’ by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). About 87% of all Toyota vehicles sold during the past 15 years are still on the road today. Continue reading

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Trump Record Deficit Watch – Another Proposed Increase

More than a year ago, President Trump pledged to eliminate the national debt “over a period of eight years.” But for the first time in history, the national debt surpassed $21 trillion, while Trump is facing 17 criminal investigations, another presidential record. Continue reading

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860 Americans Forecast Dead During Holiday Driving

With preventable deaths at an all-time high, the Council has called for states to take actions to reduce their residents’ risks – particularly when it comes to safety on the roads. The NSC State of Safety report encourages states to implement proven countermeasures to help reduce risk, including instituting sobriety checkpoints, requiring ignition interlocks for first-time and repeat DUI offenders, banning open containers, or automatically revoking licenses for more than 90 days for drivers with blood-alcohol levels above .08 or those who refuse to test. Continue reading

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