Automotive Industry
News covering the Automotive Industry at large.
503 articles in this category
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J.D. Power has announced the results of their inaugural Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study. The study focused on the experience of owners with a vehicle's technology features such as infotainment and safety during the first 90 days. The good news is the average satisfaction score was 730 out of a possible 1,000 points. But owners aren't impressed with their vehicle's navigation system. It earned the lowest average score of 687 in the study. More than half of the owners surveyed said they neve
Owners like the safety tech, Navigation not so much
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 7, 2012 New legislation introduced into the House and Senate this week aims to end rental car companies renting or selling vehicles that are under recall. The legislation, co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) want to prohibit the rental of vehicles under a safety recall. The bill was introduced after two people were killed in 2004 when their unrepaired recalled Chrysler PT Cruiser,rented fro
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As expected, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have unveiled a proposal that will suspend increases in fuel economy put forth by the Obama administration, and take away California's ability regulate vehicle emissions. The new proposal is called the "Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule." Under the new proposal, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) would be capped at the 2020 level of 37 mpg through
Prepare yourselves, there are some mental gymnastics involved
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Automakers are leveraging new technologies such as automatic parking systems, concierge services, and mobile internet to bring people into showrooms. But a new study done by J.D. Power reveals that a number of owners aren't using it. J.D. Power published today the 2015 Driver Interactive Vehicle Experience Report, a new study which looks at 33 tech features in vehicles and ask owners if they have ever used them. According to the report, at least 20 percent of owners have never used 16 out of
With All Technology Being Added to Cars, You Would Think Owners Would Be Using It... Not So.
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There has been a prevailing thought about the likes of Uber and Lyft that once they switch from human drivers to self-driving vehicles, they would stand to see a significant reduction in overall operating costs. This possibly means consumers could see these services as an alternative to owning a vehicle. But a new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) disputes that claim. Researchers Ashley Nunes and Kristen D. Hernandez examined the San Francisco market on the per-mile
...That whole autonomous-vehicle will be our savor to ride-hailing services.... that may not be exactly true...
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Many new cars are fitted with various driver assist systems; backup cameras, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and lane-keep assist to name a few. But this has introduced the problem of drivers becoming too reliant on these systems, causing them not realize the limitations and taking their own "preventative measures". The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety published a report this month looking into drivers' experiences with the assistance technologies
Drivers rely too much on assist systems
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 5, 2012 The Highway Loss Data Institute, part of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), released a study this week looking into crash avoidance technology. The results are a bit surprising. The study looked property damage liability (PDL) claims, meaning drivers who had a accident with another vehicle. The study also limited the number of manufacturers in the study to four; Buick, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo. Unsurprisingl
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 9, 2013 Don't own a vehicle? You are not alone. In fact, the number of people who don't own a vehicle is increasing. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials released a brief that states the number of American households that don't own a vehicle has seen a uptick. Starting in 1960, the number of households that didn't own a vehicle declined steadily, reaching a low of 8.7 percent in 2007. But since that tim
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Most people aren't so keen on letting an autonomous system take control of their vehicle according to a new survey done by Cox Automotive. Nearly 85 percent of the 1,250 people surveyed said they should have the option to drive themselves even in a self-driving vehicle. Only 16 percent said they would feel comfortable allowing a autonomous driving system take over. When asked if they would be a fully-autonomous vehicle (Level 5 under SAE's vehicle autonomy guidelines), almost half said no.
Blame the number of recent crashes involving self-driving cars
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What is the big problem with new cars? According to a new survey, it happens to be the infotainment systems. A study done by automotive consultants SBD and polling firm Nielsen asked some 14,000 owners about features in their cars and asked which ones were the best and the worst. The ten that scored the lowest in the survey were all related in some form to the infotainment system. These included smart phone integration, built-in apps, customizable instrument panels, and voice recognition.
From the Not Surprising Department On Infotainment Systems
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The U.S. Congress is voting on a new highway bill that if passed, would bring some much needed money and changes for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Automotive News reports the new bill, called Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act would be the first long-term highway plan in a decade. If passed, the bill would provide roughly $300 billion for roads, bridges, and mass-transit projects. The bill would also increase NHTSA's budget for defect investigati
Larger Budget on defect investigations and a increased maximum fine are some of the changes in store.
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com February 14, 2012 Tesla’s first car, the Roadster had to bow out last year due to Lotus choosing to end production of its own Elise and Exige sports cars, which the Roadster was based on. Since then, Tesla has promised a sequel to the Roadster, but it might be a long wait. Inside Line spoke with Tesla Chairman and CEO Elon Musk about the next Roadster. Musk said he's decided to hold up on a replacement roadster for now. The reason isn’t tech
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has submitted revised rule to the White House and missed two self imposed deadlines. We'll start with the revised rule. On December 25th, NHTSA submitted a revised rule which could cause automakers to make backup cameras standard on vehicles. The regulation would set new rear visibility standards for light vehicles sold in the United States. Details on the regulation were not given. This is aimed at reducing the number of kids being run over a
NHTSA Goes One For Three On Safety Regulation Deadlines.
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While General Motors has gotten most of the blame in the ignition switch fiasco, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) isn't getting away scot free. The New York Times reports that the Department of Transportation released two internal documents revealing a series of failings by NHTSA. One of those failings was the administration not paying sufficient attention to a Wisconsin state trooper’s report in 2007 which suggested that the ignition switch played a key role in a f
New Reports Show NHTSA Has Some Blame In the Ignition Switch Mess
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In light of the GM Ignition Switch and Takata airbag recalls, you would think owners would be aware whether or not their vehicle has a notice and take it in to be repaired. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. Bloomberg reports that only two-thirds of vehicles get repaired. Even more worrying is a third of vehicles under a recall notice aren't repaired within 18 months. “Recalls are only successful, and they only save lives, if they end up getting the cars fixed,” U.S. Transportation Secretary An
How Do You Get More Consumers to Fix Their Vehicles?
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 31, 2013 With automakers and researchers testing autonomous cars more and more, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration put its regulatory hat on and announced guidelines that outline the recommended rules for the vehicles and drivers. NHTSA in its guidelines says it recognizes five different levels of vehicle automation. Those five levels are, Level 0 - No Automation: Driver is in complete control of the vehicle Level 1-
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Dolder, Falco and Reese Partners LLC, the company behind an aftermarket device called the Autopilot Buddy. Autopilot Buddy is a small, weighted device that clips onto either side of the wheel to place minor amounts of torque. This fools the Autopilot system into thinking that a driver has their hands on the wheel. The company markets the device as "nag reduction device", reducing the amount of warnings
This was bound to happen sooner or later
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 15, 2013 A new mandate issued by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will make it somewhat easier for owners to access recall information on their vehicle. Announced yesterday, the mandate will require automakers to offer a free online tool that allows an owner to search recall information via a vehicle identification number or VIN. This allows an owner to instantly determine if their vehicle is involved in recall or not. "Sa
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2014 will go down as the year as the recall, but also the year where many glaring issues of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were made evident - mostly due to the GM ignition switch mess. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx told reporters on Tuesday couldn’t keep pace at current staffing levels with 75,000 complaints coming in every year. “It’s no longer reasonable frankly to expect an office with 8 screeners and 16 defects investigators to adequately analyze 75,000 complain
NHTSA Wants More Staff To Better Track and Catch Problems
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 10, 2012 NHTSA is expected to finalize a long-awaited proposal to make event data recorders, the 'black box' standard on all new vehicles. Last Thursday, the White House Office of Management Budget completed a review of the proposal which has cleared the way for NHTSA to finish up the final regulation. The proposed regulation would raise the percentage of vehicles required to have a black box from 91.6% today to 100%. The incremental
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 2, 2012 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened investigations into the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and the 2010 Jeep Wrangler for engine fires. The government agency received two complaints about fires on the Cruze and eight for the Wrangler, with some owners reporting their vehicles were completely destroyed. In the two complaints for the Chevrolet Cruze, both reported the fires began while the vehicle was in motion.
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 16, 2013 During a congressional hearing on crash-prevention features yesterday, the National Highway Traffic Administration's administrator David Strickland told the hearing that NHTSA was considering a new mandate to require new vehicles to be equipped with an automatic braking system. Automatic braking systems uses either or both radar and cameras to monitor the road for vehicles and objects then apply the brakes if the system detects
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 12, 2012 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced has announced plans to update the agency's current vehicle safety standards to include a mandatory brake-throttle override system. The system would ensure that the brake will overpower the gas pedal when the two are applied at the same time and bring the car to a stop. The hope is to curb the amount of unattended acceleration cases. The new standards will apply o
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com December 9, 2011 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration proposed today a new rule that would make all keyless ignition systems operate in the same manner. The proposed rule would require the system be able to turn off the engine regardless of the position the gear selector is in. The rule would also reduce the number of seconds someone has to hold the button to turn the engine and have an audible warning if the driver tries to sh
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Reporting through December 20th, 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has data about manufacturer recalls for the year. Ford has issued 54 recalls affecting 5,692,135 vehicles. Not only is this the highest of any automaker, but it marks the third year in a row that Ford is at the top spot for recalls. Ford had almost twice as many Kia vehicles at 3 million. This was related to leaking brake fluid which is a fire risk. Stellantis came second with 45 recalls and 2.
One automaker dominates the number of total recalls.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun testing vehicles that have cameras in place of real mirrors. The request to test such devices goes back to March of 2014 when the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers along with Tesla filed a petition with the NHTSA to get approval to install based rear or side vision cameras and screens in their vehicles. Daimler filed a similar petition in 2015 for their heavy duty trucks. Japan and Europe have already approved the technology.
...New tech to replace old tech...
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A historic commitment was announced today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and twenty automakers to make automatic emergency braking (AEB) standard by 2022. “It’s an exciting time for vehicle safety. By proactively making emergency braking systems standard equipment on their vehicles, these 20 automakers will help prevent thousands of crashes and save lives. It’s a win for safety and a win for consumers," said U.S. Transportation
A Historic Safety Commitment Was Announced Today
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The Frankfurt Motor Show is only just a month away, where will see a new selection of production and concept vehicles. But there will be some no-shows. Automotive News Europe has learned of nine automakers that will be skipping the show. They include, Alfa Romeo DS Fiat Infiniti Jeep Mitsubishi Nissan Peugeot Volvo The nine automakers combined make up 20 percent of all automotive sales in Europe. So why are they skipp
More automakers are deciding to skip Frankfurt
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A few weeks after Honda announced the closure of its manufacturing plant in Swindon, Sky News is reporting that BMW and Nissan are both looking at moving operations out of the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit. BMW currently produces the Mini-Cooper in Oxford. BMW's Peter Schwarzenbauer has said that the company would "need to consider" moving production out of the UK. In addition to Mini production, some engine production would move to Austria from Birmingham. Likewise Nissan, whic
A no-deal Brexit may kill automotive jobs in the UK.
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January is usually not a strong month for car sales as it just after the holidays and people don't have the money to buy a new car. This is reflected in our January sales figure ticker where most automakers post small increases and decreases. There were some automakers that posted some surprising numbers. Nissan reported a 10 percent increase and Toyota noted an impressive 16.8 percent rise. The two automakers credit their utility as a key reason for the rise. But Bloomberg reports there is anot
How do you explain a noticeable increase in January sales?
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It has not been an easy go for the organizers of the Detroit Auto Show. Last year, they had to cancel the revamped show due to concerns about the growing COVID-19 pandemic. The hope was to launch the indoor-outdoor event that would sprawl various parts of Detroit for 2021. But with COVID-19 still a major issue, organizers this afternoon announced the 2021 version would be canceled. Automotive News reports that a new, outdoor program called Motor Bella will take its place from September 21st
Remember the Detroit Auto Show?
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Per Norway's own news and electrek story following up on the local news in Norway, they hit a record 54% electric auto sales market share for 2020. As more and more EV options come to market, gas and diesel sales have crashed. March 2021 gas auto sales were 4.8% of the market with diesel following at 4.7% market share. This is less than half of the market share they had for the same period a year ago. Norway originally set 2025 as a target of electric auto sales only for the whole country
During 2020 Pandemic, auto sales continued in Norway giving electric auto's a 54% market share allowing the country to stay on track to stop all gas and diesel auto sales starting in 2025.
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 3, 2013 In not surprising news, California is the place where most electric vehicles are being sold. New data from Polk says that more than more than 35 percent of electric vehicles registrations come from two California cities: San Francisco and Los Angeles. The California New Car Dealers Association says in the first half of this year, 9,700 electric vehicles were registered and represented 1.1 percent of the state’s auto sales. “A
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One group of automakers that are on the up and up are luxury automakers. Just take a look at April's sales, Porsche - Up 28.1% (5,217 Vehicles Sold This Month, 16,647 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Lincoln - Up 19.6% (8,134 Vehicles Sold This Month, 29,612 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Cadillac - Up 13.7% (15,801 Vehicles Sold This Month, 52,976 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Mercedes-Benz - Up 12.8% (29,188 Vehicles Sold This Month, 107,344 Vehicles Sold So Far This Year) Lexu
Entry-Level Models Boost Sales of Luxury Brands
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Yesterday, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended a nationwide ban on using any personal electronic devices while driving. The recommendation was made to all US states. So what kind of personal electronic devices are we talking about? The NTSB’s director was specific about wanting to ban phone calls, texting, updating your status on facebook, etc. However, the director was less specific on possible provisions that would allow specific driving related uses like GPS. NTSB cited stu
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 15, 2012 The National Transportation Safety Board announced their 2013 Most Wanted safety list which is used to "increase awareness of, and support for, the most critical changes needed to reduce transportation accidents and save lives." On this year's list, the NTSB put "Collision-Avoidance" technologies to be standard on all new vehicles. What the NTSB means by "Collision-Avoidance" technologies are features like rear-end collision w
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The Pandemic had at the start made investors fearful that companies would be hurt, and profits and stock payouts would fall if not be stopped right out as companies looked to find ways to save cash as people stayed home due to Covid-19. Yes, some companies did stop many things and some companies even closed due to the global pandemic, yet Auto companies found that having control of a tight inventory actually pushed up record profits and in this their workers have also prospered along with
The days of yearly reviews, raises and maximum auto production might be coming to an end as OEM auto companies find bigger profits in controlling production.
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2014 will likely go down as the year of the recall in the automotive industry. General Motors is the champion with the most recalls so far with 70 recalls as of today, but other OEMs have been making their mark with their own recalls. CNNMoney crunched the numbers on the recalls so far in 2014 and figured out that there has been a total of 544 recalls, about two a day. Those 544 recalls have affected 52 million vehicles in the U.S., or about 1 in 5 vehicles. While that figure is disturbing to s
Or about 52 Million Vehicles In Total
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While the big story at PSA Group (parent company of Citroen and Peugeot) is about the possible sale of Opel, they are also getting ready to begin to take their first steps into re-entering the U.S. marketplace. In April, car-sharing service TravelCar will launch at airports in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The service has been operating at various airports and train stations in Europe since 2012. The expansion into the U.S. is thanks to a 15 million euro (about $18.5 million) investment by
Via CarSharing
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In 2009, the U.S. saw its lowest number of pedestrian deaths. But since then, that number has increased by 46 percent as pedestrian crashes have become more frequent and deadlier. Why is that? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released a study today investigating the possible reasons. One key indicator is the number of crashes involving SUVs. According to IIHS data, between 2009 and 2016, fatal single-vehicle crashes involving SUVs rose 81 percent - the largest increase of any vehi
Highest amount since 2009
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Automakers for the most part were hurting in sales during the second quarter. The COVID-19 pandemic and the economy coming to a screeching halt for a brief time caused new car sales to drop by a third according to Automotive News. But there is a slim silver lining to this, full-size pickups have moved into being the best-selling segment of vehicles. According to data from Automotive News, one out of four vehicles sold between April and June was a pickup truck. This helped put them ahead of
The Trucks Are Alright, Everyone Else TBD
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More and more police departments are going towards crossovers and SUVs for their fleets. According to Automotive News Canada, police departments are going with these vehicles over their sedan counterparts as they are able to fit all of their equipment needed on a daily basis. Officers like them as crossovers and SUVs are easier to get in and out. “We’re all dealing with the same issue, and that is the vehicles are getting smaller, yet there’s still demand for more gadgets and equipment put
The next police vehicle that pulls you over maybe an SUV/Crossover
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If the Trump administration goes forward with placing a 25 percent tariff on new cars, it could cost automakers between one to two million sales. Analysis done by researcher LMC Automotive said if automakers pass on the full 25 percent tariff to customers, it could cut sales by about two million - about 10 percent of annual U.S. sales. If automakers absorb some some of tariff, the sales drop would reduce to just a million. Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting for LMC Aut
The possible 25 percent tariffs could do some serious damage to car sales
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Premium battery manufacture of Germany, AKASOL has announced that they will open a battery system production plant in Detroit Michigan USA. This dedicated operations in North America will ensure that AKASOL's customers comply with the Buy America Act Regulations and is in response to demand for their high energy battery modules from various OEM manufacturer of Trucks, Buses and auto's. This considerable investment will create over 200 jobs within the next 5 years. State of Michigan awarded
Detroit Michigan has been chosen to ensure that AKASOL's customers comply with Buy America Act regulations, which dictate that they must purchase locally-produced battery systems.
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com March 8, 2012 Yesterday, President Barack Obama announced a new proposal that would make alternative-energy cars and trucks more attractive to buyers. Part of his proposal calls on Congress to change the current tax credit for plug-in vehicles into a point-of-sale rebate. Also he is calling for an increase in the maximum credit from $7,500 to $10,000. But plug-ins won't be the only vehicles getting a tax credit. Obama said he would like to
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com February 16, 2012 President Obama has a goal of getting a million plug-in vehicles on U.S. roads by 2015. Last year during his State of the Union address, Obama talked about changing the current $7,500 tax credit into a point-of-purchase rebate. That hasn’t happen at the moment, but in the President's proposed budget that was released this week, Obama is trying another way to reach his goal; raising the tax credit to $10,000. To go along wit
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In a not surprising move, President Donald Trump announced today that his administration will reopen a review into the 2025 fuel economy standards set by the EPA before the end of President Barack Obama's term. “We’re going to work on the CAFE standards so you can make cars in America again. There is no more beautiful sight than an American-made car,” said Trump at an event in the former Willow Run bomber factory in Ypsilanti, Michigan - soon to become a testing ground for autonomous vehic
Back to the review desk
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Since the recession has ended, the average price of a used car was soared due limited supply. But The Detroit News says with more vehicles coming in due to leases coming to an end, prices are beginning to fall. According to CNW Research, the average transaction price of a used car in September was $10,963. Compared to the same time last year, the average has dropped 2.1 percent. "During the recession, it almost cost as much to get a used car as it did to get a new car, but now the market is go
Used Car Prices Are Beginning To Drop
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With more people trending towards trucks and utility vehicles, it would be expected that prices on cars would be falling. But not on used cars according to Edmunds. In their latest Used Car Report, Edmunds says the average price for a used subcompact rose 3 percent in the first quarter. Compacts saw their average price increase by 3.9 percent. The reason according to the report is due to the increasing cost for a gallon of gas. "Used-car shoppers are typically more price-sensitive to
Thank you high gas prices
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 1, 2013 If you been looking at used midsize trucks and wondering why the prices are somewhat high, a new study has an answer to that. According to Black Book, the deprecation rate is much lower on midsize trucks than the whole used car market. In June, used cars as a whole saw a deprecation hit of 1.3 percent. In that same time, midsize trucks saw a 0.7 deprecation hit. Look over the past year and the margin grows wider. Used cars deprecat
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For the first time in sixteen years, J.D. Power and Associates says data from its recent vehicle dependability study shows that the average number of problems per 100 cars has increased. This year's study charted 2011 models over three years of ownership and tracked the number of problems. Looking at first-owner cars from the 2011 model year, J.D. Power reports an average of 133 problems per 100 cars (or shorten to PP100). This is an increase of six percent when compared to 2010's 126 PP100 ave
J.D. Power Says Vehicle Dependability Is Going Down For The First Time Since 1998
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Protean Electric is proud to introduce their latest innovation to the auto world, the Protean 360+. A super-efficient, fully integrated in-wheel motor that brings 922lb-ft of torque or 1250Nm with 107hp or 80kW of power per wheel. This give the mobility solution a total of 428 hp or 320 kW of power with 3,688 lb-ft or 5,000 Nm of torque to move the auto. Urban mobility has never had a better option for ultimate maneuverability with the Protean 360+ delivering the following: Limitles
…An advanced new powertrain for urban transport...
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PSA Group has been hard at work on its plan to return to the U.S. by 2026. They already have a brand chosen that will lead the launch (bur aren't saying if it will be Citroen, DS, Peugeot, or the recently acquired Opel/Vauxhall) and has open their U.S. headquarters in Georgia. The next step is figuring out where they'll begin selling vehicles. Larry Dominique, CEO of PSA Group North America told reporters that he has his eyes on 15 states to launch. Among the states mentioned include,
But what happens if the tariffs go into effect?
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PSA Group is slowing making end roads into U.S. as part of their 10-year plan. We have already reported on their carsharing service, TravelCar that will be launching in select markets this month. Now, the French automaker has taken the next step by announcing former Nissan and TrueCar executive Larry Dominique as a Senior Vice President of PSA North America. Automotive News reports Dominique's role will first deal with the car-sharing aspects before starting to make progress on one or all o
Meet PSA Group's new VP of North America
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PSA Group's decade-long plan of possibly returning to the U.S. continues forward and they are facing their next roadblock, setting up a dealer network. Trying to convince dealers to sell brands that haven't been sold since the early nineties. But the French automaker believes they have a solution, using a tech-centric approach that will be affordable. "We see the high cost of doing this business; we see the challenges that exist in profitability for dealers and OEMs. We believe with the new
There's a fair amount of tech involved
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As PSA Group - parent company of Citroen, DS, and Peugeot - gradually makes moves into possibly selling vehicles into the U.S., they are taking the next step by engineering their next-generation vehicles to meet U.S. regulations. "That means that from three years down the road we'll be able to push the button, if we decide to do so, in terms of product compliance vis-a-vis the U.S. regulations," said PSA Group CEO Carlos Tavares to Automotive News. Tavares also said PSA has decided whi
It appears PSA Group taking the next step into their U.S. plans
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It has been hinted at and rumored for a few years. But today, PSA Peugeot Citroën announced they would be making a return to the U.S. During a presentation for analysts and investors at PSA's headquarters in Paris, CEO Carlos Tavares unveiled a ten-year plan that could result in the launch of Citroën, DS, and Peugeot vehicles to the U.S. The plan would be split up into three steps. Step one: Enter the U.S. as a mobility operator from 2017, possibly with Bollore,” said Tavares. Bollore is a
The Good News: PSA Peugeot Citroën is making a comeback to the U.S.
The Bad News: Don't expect it immediately
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It was only a few years ago that French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroën was on life support due to massive losses and poor sales. But thanks to an infusion of cash from Chinese automaker Dongfeng and the French government, the company was able to right the ship. The past couple of years has seen PSA Peugeot Citroën emerge as a healthy and profitable automaker. Now the company is looking at expanding into new markets, including the U.S. According to Automobilwoche, officials at PSA say the U.S.
PSA Peugeot Citroën Considers Return to U.S.
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PSA Group CEO Carlos Tavares told attendees of the Automotive News World Congress yesterday they are employing the know-how from Opel engineers to develop vehicles for the U.S. market. Tavares declined to say which brand will lead the charge but did hint that future Opel models would be engineered to be compliant with U.S. regulations. Launching one of PSA Group's brands will be the last step in the company's 10-year plan of re-entering the U.S. market. Already, PSA is offering mobility se
Also announced plans to electrify their entire lineup
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While the primary focus at PSA Group for the past few months has been purchase of Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors, there has been another project that has been going in the shadows, the return of the French automaker to the U.S. Speaking at the CAR Management Briefing Seminars this week in Traverse City, MI, the CEO of the recently established PSA North America Larry Dominique gave a status update. Back in April, PSA made their first foray into North America with the launch of ca
Progress is being made. Slowly.
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com January 29, 2013 Ray LaHood, the Transportation Secretary of the Obama administration announced today that he would be stepping down. "I have let President Obama know that I will not serve a second term as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It has been an honor and a privilege to lead the Department, and I am grateful to President Obama for giving me such an extraordinary opportunity," LaHood wrote in an email. LaHood has
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Financial Times is reporting that Renault wants to make the marriage to Nissan more official and formally merge. Renault wants to start talks within the next 12 months and include a potential bid for automaker FCA . The combined companies of Nissan, Renault, Fiat, and Chrysler would be a conglomerate that rivals the size of Toyota and Volkswagen. Carlos Ghosn tried to start merger talks prior to his arrest for financial wrongdoing, however, the French government stopped his proposals. Ren
.. Move from alliance to formal merger
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Since the Volkswagen diesel emission scandal came to light, more scrutiny has been put on automakers and emissions standards. Recent real-world tests of European market diesel vehicles have revealed a number were 10 times over the legal limit for emissions. With stricter regulations coming into effect next year, automakers are reconsidering their investment in diesel. Case in point is Renault. Reuters has learned from sources at the company that it believes diesel engines will disappear fro
Renault sees a dim future for diesel in Europe
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Around this time last year, rental car companies found themselves selling off a fair amount of their inventory as the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the travel industry. With travel starting to bounce back, rental car companies now find themselves with a new problem - a shortage of vehicles to rent. Usually, they would turn to automakers and buy up a batch of new cars to shore up inventory. But the on-going semiconductor shortage has automakers cutting back on production, and causing rental compan
We'll Pick You Up (in a used car)
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com May 21, 2012 The annual "Car Wars" report by Bank of America Merrill Lynch states that Ford, General Motors and Toyota will gain back share and that Hyundai and Kia will lose share by 2016. The report is based on the rate at which automakers launch new products. Ford has the highest rate with 26% of the lineup being replaced by 2016. GM follows next with 25% and Toyota is next with 24%. The report says with these replacement rates, Ford sho
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Back in 2010, Renault-Nissan and Daimler announced a new partnership that would see the two share powertrains and work on various projects. Some of those have come to fruition such as the Infiniti QX30, which is a Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class in different clothing and the platform that underpins the Infiniti QX50. But other projects between the two have been halted. Late last week, the Nikkan Kogyo business daily reported that joint development of luxury compact car project has been suspended. T
Consumer tastes and tariffs are to blame
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While Takata has agreed to declare its airbags in nearly 34 million vehicles defective yesterday, a new report from Bloomberg says the supplier changed the design to reduce the risk of abnormal deployment back in 2008. Sources tell Bloomberg that Takata changed the propellant mix to help reduce the effect of humidity - what many believe to be the cause of problem - around the same time that Honda announced that it would be replacing airbags in some of their models. This new information c
Some new information shines a light on the Takata mess
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 2, 2013 Coda Automotive is the latest casualty in the electric car industry. Yesterday, the company sent out a press release announcing they would be filling for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in the District of Delaware. "After concluding a comprehensive review of our strategic options, the Board of Directors, management team and senior lending group have concluded that focusing on the Company’s energy storage business presents the best opportun
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Affective January 1st, 2022, Rimac Automobili became two companies, Rimac Group which is a majority shareholder in the Bugatti Rimac with a 55% stake and Porsche owning the remaining 45%. Rimac Technology is a sister company 100% owned by Rimac Group. rimac_technology_video.mp4 Rimac found themselves working with multiple auto companies to engineer, develop, produce and supply high-performa
Rimac Automobili, an EV Hyper Auto builder has become two companies expanding their ability to deliver superior electrification technologies to the auto industry.
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 15, 2013 On the face of it, sales for new vehicles haven't been better. Total sales for new vehicles could reach 15.5 million this year and some analysts believe that 2014 will see total sales reach 16 million vehicles. But with increase in sales, warning signs are appearing in automotive loans and leases which could put an end to the increases. Automotive News that the average loan length has gone up to 65 months (about five and a half
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Technology is moving at a rapid rate and it seems every aspect of our lives are affected by it. Take for example cars, many believe in the future that cars will be fully self-driving and be powered by some sort of alternative powertrain. One person believes that kids born now will not even need a driver's license because of this technology. Henrik Christensen, head of UC San Diego’s Contextual Robotics Institute said in an interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune said in about 10 to 15 y
Kids born today may not need a driver's license
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The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple is going forward on building their own vehicle. According to sources, the company recently gave the approval for the project after spending a year investigating the feasibility of it. Codenamed 'Titan', the team behind the vehicle will grow from 600 to around 1,800 people. Not much is known about the vehicle except for that it will be electric and feature some sort of autonomous technologies. A fully autonomous vehicle isn't expected till later
The Apple Car Could Be Real
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The number of automakers teaming up to share and develop new vehicles and technologies is growing in an effort to help reduce costs. A new report from German paper Handelsblatt says that BMW and Daimler are considering such a move. Speaking to sources at both companies, BMW and Daimler are looking into possibly jointly developing their next-generation compact cars (BMW 1-Series and Mercedes-Benz A-Class) - as part of a wider cooperation that includes sharing autonomous car tech. Working tog
The next-generation BMW and Mercedes-Benz compacts may be quite similar
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The Chinese government is considering a proposal to reduce tariffs on U.S.-Built vehicles from the current 40 percent back down to the 15 percent before the trade war broke out between it and the U.S. Sources tell Bloomberg a proposal has been submitted to the cabinet to be reviewed in the coming days. This proposal stems from a trade summit in Buenos Aires where U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day truce on the trade war earlier this month. After
Could the trade-war be cooling down?
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Last October, we reported that PSA/Peugeot-Citroën was considering a return to the U.S. “We want to make DS a global premium brand, and you cannot be global without the U.S.,” said DS CEO Yves Bonnefont. Now a final decision as to whether or not the DS brand would come to the U.S. isn't expected till 2017 at the earliest. But Car and Driver reports that Citroën is leaning towards yes. Speaking with sources at the french automaker, Car and Driver reports that a move into the U.S. mark
The DS family from Citroën Is More Likely Coming to the U.S.
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When we last reported on the date change of the Detroit Auto Show, organizers had made the final decision on what month it would be held beginning in 2020 - either October or June. A new report from The Detroit News says June will be month that will be announced at a press conference on July 24th. Sources tell the paper that back in January that the Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA), organizers of the show sat down and started discussions as to moving the show. Originally, DADA had Oc
Might have some elements of the Goodwood Festival of Speed
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A new report from the German publication Handelsblatt says that Ford and Volkswagen are considering expanding their partnership "that stands to change the German industry.” The two are reportedly looking into working together on autonomous tech and electric vehicle development. There are a number of ideas under consideration between two. One example is for Volkswagem's Moia self-driving subsidiary to take a 50 percent stake into Ford’s Autonomous Vehicles LLC. In return, Volkswagen could sh
May include autonomous vehicles
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Volvo's owner, Geely is planning to enter Europe and U.S. in the coming years. Reuters reports that Geely will building a new crossover based on the Compact Modular Architecture - a platform that Geely and Volvo have been working together. Along with new engine technology, this car will launch in China in 2017. The crossover will then head into several Europe markets a year later, followed by the U.S. in due time. "With the CMA car, Li wants to tell the world we're ready for the big time. We'r
A new crossover will kick off the push
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersansGears.com July 12, 2012 From the we're a bit skeptical on this file; Autocar had the chance to talk with Tesla’s chief designer, Franz von Holzhausen. von Holzhausen told the magazine that work on a new model has begun and will be an entry level model. “The third model will continue to drive down the price point as fast as possible,” said von Holzhausen. von Holzhausen goes onto say the new model will have more distinctive styling than recently released
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Electric car startup Lucid Motors has been in process of trying to raise extra cash to move forward with the development of their first model, the Air and a factory in Arizona. But Bloomberg has learned from sources at the startup that Lucid reached out to Ford about a possible sale. Reportedly, Ford said they are not looking for a deal at the moment. Currently, the blue oval is undergoing a 100-day review by new CEO Jim Hackett. Interestingly, a source went on to say that Ford isn't ruling out
The electric start-up is looking for money
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com March 26, 2013 McLaren is hard at work on their next model that will slot below the MP4-12C as the automaker’s “entry-level” model, McLaren executive chairman Ron Dennis has confirmed to Autocar. Wearing the codename of P13, sources tell Autocarthe model will likely be designed as a Porsche 911 Turbo rival. Power will come a detuned version of McLaren’s twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8. Power is expected to somewhere in the middle of 450 and
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com June 28, 2013 Here's a story that we're filling under the 'wait and see' file. Reuters is reporting that the Peugeot family, which currently owns a 25.4-percent stake in PSA Peugeot-Citroën automaker and 38.1 percent of voting rights is willing to give up its stake and try to revive a tie-up with General Motors. "GM faces the same overcapacity situation with Opel, and that's why PSA is trying to convince them to merge the two. The Peugeot famil
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President Donald Trump is no fan of German automakers. Take for instance this quote from last January, He has also made comments about BMW in the past few months in light of possible tariffs (which appear to be going into effect today). Now, new comments have been brought to light where the president wants to try and ban German cars from the U.S. German magazine Wirtschaftswoche reports that during French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to the U.S. in April, Trump said that he will
Because automakers really want more uncertainty
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Consider this: Citroen pulled out of the U.S. in the eighties, while Peugeot would leave in 1991. But according to Automotive News, PSA/Peugeot-Citroen could be making a return with their DS brand. “We want to make DS a global premium brand, and you cannot be global without the U.S.,” said DS CEO Yves Bonnefont. The DS lineup was previously a division of the Citroen brand, providing premium models to compete with likes of MINI Cooper and Audi A3. However, PSA made the decision to make DS a sta
PSA Could Be Making A Return To The U.S.
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Last week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) could help provide the necessary funding to make the company private. But a new report hints that the PIF could invest its money into a different electric automaker. Reuters has learned from sources that the PIF is in talks with Lucid Motors about a potential investment. The two have drawn up a term sheet where the PIF could invest more than $1 billion into Lucid Motors and become the majority stakehold
Another automaker may be in the sights of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund
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The threat of a 20 percent tariff on vehicles exported from the European Union has a number of automakers panicking. But that tariff could be taken off the table if the EU removes their tariff on vehicles exported from the U.S. German paper Handelsblatt learned from sources that a meeting was held between the US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell and number of CEOs from German automakers. Grenell presented an offer directly from President Donald Trump - "elimination of all tariffs on au
But they would need to make some concessions
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com August 6, 2012 If you're one of those people who wanted a H1, or the actual wartime vehicle that inspired it, have we got some news for you. After a twelve year break from the civilian market, AM General is reportedly set to offer a kit-car of the C-Series HMMWV, or Humvee. The kit will meet U.S. government regulations and has been made possible by a deal with GM. The kit will include a body with 2,800 installed rivets, chassis with springs
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The long-rumored joint roadster/sports car project that BMW and Toyota are working on has found a home for production. German newspaper Kleine Zeitung reports Magna Steyr - a unit of Magna International based in Canada and specializes in building low-volume models - has been contracted by BMW to build a new model at the Graz, Austria plant starting in 2018. The plan is to have an annual production run of 60,000 vehicles. BMW has confirmed that it will be contracting Magna Steyr to build a ne
A possible production has been picked for the joint BMW and Toyota sports car
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The Takata Airbag recall now stands as the largest vehicle recall ever due to how many vehicles around the world use them. In the U.S. alone, 19 auto manufacturers have recalled 49 million vehicles with the airbags that can shoot out shrapnel in the event of an accident. 11 deaths and 184 injuries in the U.S. have been linked to these airbags. Due to this, Takata has been facing numerous lawsuits and investigations. A new report says that Takata is close to closing one of those investigations.
Takata could be settling with the Justice Department over the massive airbag recall
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Chinese automakers see the U.S. as a land opportunity and have been making promises to start selling vehicles in the near future. None so far have made it. Now one Chinese brand is reconsidering their plans. SAIC Motor Corp., China's largest automaker and partner with GM, has put their U.S. ambitions on hold. Michael Yang, executive director of SAIC Motor’s international department said at a briefing that they have uncertainties about the trade policy between China and the U.S. due to the e
SAIC: You know on second thought, we're going to put our plans entering the U.S. on hold
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 2, 2012 According to research firm Baum and Associates, American buyers are taking a liking to diesel vehicles. Through June of this year, 61,214 diesel-powered vehicles have been sold in the U.S., an increase of 27.5%. That number might not sound like a lot, but sales of diesel vehicles are steadily climbing. From April to June, Diesel vehicles saw increases in sales ranging from 14.4% to 28.2%. This news comes in the face of the high
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 7, 2012 Hurricane Sandy was the largest storm in the Atlantic in US history, and the economic damage is beginning to come into view. Automotive News is reporting that around 15,000 new vehicles will be scrapped due to storm damage. About 40% of those are Nissan and Infiniti vehicles that were determined to be unfit for sale. Toyota is next with the possibility of having to scrap close to 4,000 vehicles. Other automakers that have annou
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If you happen to be visiting Saudi Arabia, don't drift your rental car, you could lose your head. A popular amateur sport in the kingdom, drivers push their cars into skids at high speeds through traffic while spectators gather on the side of the road to watch and cheer, sometimes with disastrous results. Scores and scores of videos of the practice, called “Hadwalah”, are available on Youtube. In the video below, a Honda Accord is seen speeding down a highway with guns blazing out of the window
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May was a horrible month for automakers as many reported sales drops. Part of this can be attributed sales of cars (especially sedans) imploding. According to Automotive News, the 15 largest automakers all posted lower car sales. Overall car sales dropped 16 percent. "We don't get a lot of ups on cars right now, as far as people even wanting a price on them," said Gary Uftring, president of Uftring Auto Group in Peoria, Ill. "Styling has changed, and what people want to be seen in is a c
May was a bad month for sedans
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A self-driving shuttle service got off to an auspicious start yesterday in Las Vegas when it was involved in an accident with a delivery truck. According to NBC affiliate KSNV, the accident took place during the shuttle's first hour of service when a delivery truck back into the shuttle. According to an AAA representative on Twitter, the driver was cited by Las Vegas Metro Police. "The autonomous shuttle was testing today when it was grazed by a delivery truck downtown. The shuttle did
Not off to a good start
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com December 15, 2011 Yesterday, the Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill that would overhaul the nation's auto safety laws. The bill includes measures to raise the maximum fine for automakers that delay recalls from $17.35 million to $250 milllion. The bill also includes measures that would give states grants for banning texting while driving or the use of cell phones by teen drivers, increase funding for research, improve the vehicle reca
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com May 15, 2012 Its been working its way through the halls of congress, but according to Car and Driver, the "black box" mandate for cars could be in the books. The Senate has already voted to adopt a transportation bill that has a provision mandating event data recorders to be equipped into new vehicles starting in 2015. The House of Representatives is considering a version with slightly different language. The current state of the bills are "
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com March 16, 2012 This week, Senators on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee criticized the Energy Department on their handling of the $25 billion Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing initiative. Created in 2007, the Energy Department has only given out less than half of the funds during the four years of existence. Only four companies have gotten their loans; Ford, Nissan, Fisker Automotive, and Tesla. The Energy Department hasn’t
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William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 18, 2012 Shelby has been synonymous with the Mustang since the late sixties with the GT350 and GT500. Since the two got back together in 2007 with GT500, Shelby has been reestablishing itself as the halo car producer for Ford. But Shelby is looking to expand. Autoblog talked with Shelby president John Luft about what the future holds for the company. Luft said the company is looking at whether to branch out to other vehicles in the For
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Automakers have been struggling since 2020 to launch their new vehicles on time. Shifts to creating electric vehicles and the COVID-19 pandemic created large supply chain issues. These issues have increased delays for new vehicles to be launched. PwC Consulting discovered in a report that 34% of vehicle launches 2023 had production delays. An additional 21% of delays were "due to other factors". PwC did a calculation of production delays with issues such as quality standards, supply chain
These setbacks are due to software issues, more advanced safety systems, and a large lean toward EVs.
