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Tag Archives: Ken Zino
Chrysler Pacifica Gets Top Safety Pick Award from IIHS
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety* said today that the 2023-24 Chrysler Pacifica minivan is rated as a Top Safety Pick. The Pacifica had a good rating in the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front and original moderate overlap front tests, as well as an acceptable or good rating in the updated side test. Continue reading
November 2023 EU Car Market Grows on Mixed Results
In November 2023, the EU’ car market grew by 6.7%, according to data just released by ACEA.* This was the sixteenth consecutive month of expansion. There were substantial double-digit gains in some markets, including two of the largest: Italy (+16.2%) and France (+14%).
However, the German car market retracted, recording a -5.7% decline compared to November 2022, which provided a small base line for comparison across the EU. Overall new car registrations were +6.7% in November; with a battery electric market share at 16.3%. Eleven months into 2023, new car registrations increased by 15.7%, reaching nearly ten million units. With the exception of Hungary, all EU markets grew during this eleven-month period. The four largest markets contributed to this trend: Italy (+20%), Spain (+17.3%), France (+16.2%), and Germany (+11.4%). Continue reading
Audi, Porsche, Scout Motors and VW EVs to offer NACS in 2025
“This is great news for our electric vehicle customers in the North American Region,” said Pablo Di Si, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “This potentially provides them with access to more than 15,000 additional charging points as well as the current near-4,000 DC fast charging outlets operated by Electrify America.” Continue reading
Posted in auto news, connected vehicles, customer satisfaction, electric vehicles, global warming, marketing, milestones, mobility company, news analysis, shows and events
Tagged audi, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Combined Charging System, Ken Zino, North American Charging Standard NACS, Pablo Di Si, porsche, Rebecca Tinucci, Scout Motors, tesla, volkswagen, Volkswagen Group EVs
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Forecast is Finally Normal for 2024 US Auto Market
“Our research suggests that Americans are putting more emphasis on buying/owning personal transportation, in contrast to 2018 and 2019, when consumers put a higher value on “access to transportation,” said Jonathan Smoke Cox Automotive Chief Economist. “And after tumbling in 2021 and 2022, satisfaction with the car buying process is expected to improve in the year ahead, thanks in part to better inventory and the return of discounting, but also from improved processes at the dealership that save time and make car buying more efficient.” Continue reading
Mercedes-Benz – Turquoise Autonomous Driving Marker Lights
Mercedes-Benz said today that it has approvals for turquoise-colored automated driving marker lights in California and Nevada. The exemption permit for California is for testing vehicles and initially limited to two years. The Nevada permit applies to Mercedes-Benz Model Year 2026 production vehicles. Thus a marketing component – styling with lights – is now part of the ongoing debate about the effect of autonomous vehicles on the safety of other road users and pedestrians. Continue reading
Posted in auto news, autonomous cars, autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles, electronics, milestones, mobility company, news analysis, public health, safety, transportation
Tagged auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, DRIVE PILOT, Ken Zino, Markus Schäfer, SAE J3134, SAE-Level 3 automated driving
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Toyota Mobility Foundation Meets on Zero Accident Casualties
Last Friday on 15 December 2023, the Toyota Mobility Foundation general meeting gathered together participating members to review the progress of various activities and share insights between subcommittees. A report was issue today from the subcommittees at the Tateshina Meeting, which promotes discussions and the expansion of collaboration among participants with the goal of zero casualties in traffic accidents. Continue reading
Annals of Marketing – Nissan Ariya EV Arrives at South Pole
The Ariya EV was basically factory-standard with no modifications to the powertrain or battery. However, it was modified by polar mobility specialist Arctic Trucks to adapt 39-inch BF Goodrich tires. Continue reading
Preorders Open for Acura 2024 ZDX Performance EV
The 2024 ZDX A-Spec is forecast to start in the $60,000 range with a single-motor (rear-wheel-drive) powertrain. A more powerful dual-motor (all-wheel-drive) configuration is also available. ZDX Type S has a performance tuned dual-motor AWD powertrain producing ~ 500 horsepower and is expected to start in the $70,000 range. Continue reading
Posted in connected vehicles, electric vehicles, electronics, environment, global warming, marketing, mobility company, new vehicle
Tagged 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, 2024 Sundance Film Festival, 2024 ZDX Performance SUV, Acura Energy Key Card, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, Ken Zino
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Mercedes-Benz GLE350 and GLE450 Recalls for Fire Risk
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 2021-2022 model year GLE350 and GLE450 vehicles (the so-called 167 platform). A 12-volt ground connection under the driver seat may not be secured properly, resulting in the ground connection overheating. This might increase the risk of a fire. Continue reading
Kia Soul and Seltos Recalls for Sudden Airbag Inflation
The side curtain airbag may inflate inadvertently without a deployment command from the ACU increasing the risk of injury to an occupant and may also create a driver distraction increasing the risk of a crash, Kia said in the required safety defect recall filing made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The initial explosion came in a parked vehicle. There are no known crashes, injuries or fatalities. Continue reading
Ford Credit to Regroup Next March
Ford Motor (NYSE: F) said today that Marion Harris will retire 1 March 2024 as president and CEO of Ford Credit. Replacing him will be Cathy O’Callaghan, Ford’s vice president, controller, and chief accounting officer since June 2018. Mark Kosman will become chief accounting officer. The new jobs for O’Callaghan and Kosman are effective 12 February, after Ford has reported its Q4 and full-year 2023 financial results. O’Callaghan and Kosman will report to CFO John Lawler. Continue reading
Ford Mustang Endurance Racing Docuseries Starts Tonight
The Mustang GT3 team has been preparing for the first substantial endurance race of 2024, the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The cameras have had full access behind the scenes throughout to capture the effort. A documentary series is the result, dubbed ‘Mustang Endurance.’ (AutoInformed: New Ford Mustang GT3 Racing Documentary Starts Next Week) Continue reading
Fossil Fuel Phase Out or Cop Out at COP28?
Nations at the COP28 United Nations Climate Conference in Dubai approved this week a roadmap for “transitioning away from fossil fuels,” a first for a UN conference. However, the agreement is without any apparent way to enforce it. Worse, in the view of the many, many critics of the United Nations actions or lack thereof on planet-killing Climate Change, it did not clearly call for an end of using oil, coal and gas. The latest edition of the annual UN climate conference had been running in Dubai, the largest city in the United Arab Emirates, since 30 November. UAE of course is a major producer of fossil fuels and used the conference lobbying among attending countries to further its own self-interests, according to critics. Clearly we need to do better, much better. Continue reading
Posted in alternative fuels, AutoInformed Editorial, electric vehicles, environment, fools 'n frauds, global warming, news analysis, public health, shows and events
Tagged Antonio Guterres, auto industry commentary, autoinformed.com, automotive blog, Automotive news and analysis, COP28, Dubai, Ken Zino, McKinsey Consultancy Sustainability Blog, United Arab Emirates
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New Toyota, Lexus Airbag Recall ~1 Million US Vehicles
The recalled cars, SUVs and vans have the so-called Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensors in the front passenger seat that could have been improperly manufactured, causing a short circuit. This would prevent the airbag system from properly classify the occupant’s weight, and the airbag may not deploy as designed in certain crashes, increasing the risk of injury. Continue reading →