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Automotiv News

Hyundai Q3 earnings slump on lower demand

The earnings were hurt by warranty costs of 320 billion won ($231 million) for its Santa Fe crossover engines in the United States.

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Newer AEB systems surpass older ones but still struggle at high speeds

Newer automatic emergency braking systems prevent about twice the number of crashes that older models do but still fail to stop crashes at high speeds, a challenge for automakers preparing to meet a strict new federal standard for the technology.

Model-year 2024 vehicles with automatic emergency braking avoided 100 percentof forward collisions at 35 mph, a much better performance than 2017 and 2018vehicles, which avoided collisions 51percent of the time at that speed, according to research published Oct. 24 by AAA.

“AAA is very pleased to find that automatic emergency braking systems are getting significantly better, and that’s a great result for drivers and safety of the road,” said Greg Brannon, director of automotive research at AAA.

However, only three out of four test vehicles were able to avoid a collision at 45 mph, and none could avoid a collision at 55 mph.

NHTSA is requiring that all new vehicles be equipped with automatic emergency braking that can meet a high-speed requirement starting in September 2029. Vehicles must avoid a collision automatically with no manual braking for speeds of up to 50 mph. Vehicles must avoid a collision at speeds of up to 62.2 mph when a combination of the automatic emergency brake and the manual brake is engaged.

While AAA tested only full automatic emergency braking without driver intervention, that none of the vehicles could avoid a collision at 55 mph suggests that the industry has a ways to go to meet the new federal standard.

“The new standard doesn’t go into place until 2029, so there’s a lot of work and development and testing and things that will have to happen between now and then,” Brannon said. “The good news is, we’ve got five years to do that.”

Automatic emergency braking has well-documented safety benefits, but the technology must navigate complexity. The government has determined that automatic emergency braking must prevent crashes at certain speeds, but oversensitivity of the system can pose its own danger.

Manufacturers including Honda, General Motors, Mazda, Nissan, Tesla and Volkswagen have faced investigations or recalls related to false activations of the systems, when vehicles brake for nonexistent obstacles. NHTSA has compiled reports of injuries because of these false activations — 93, for example, as a part of the Honda investigation. And automakers and other stakeholders have voiced concerns that stricter standards could create more false positives.

Despite the challenges facing manufacturers that must meet the new standard, the AAA research indicates that in seven years, automakers have been able to double the prevention capabilities of their automatic emergency braking systems.

The automotive industry has been “tuning, refining and making better, and the tweaking of those those algorithms combined with the additional sensors — it seems to be headed in the right direction,” Brannon said.

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Penske expands service-scheduling AI pilot nationally

Penske Automotive Group's artificial intelligence platform to improve customer service and increase service and parts revenue is expanding across the auto retailer's dealerships nationwide.

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Sonic Automotive Inc.’s Q3 net income rises on tax benefit

Sonic Automotive Inc.'s third-quarter net income rises with assist from tax benefit.

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Used-vehicle power players Carvana, CarMax see AI uses in inspections, appraisals and more

Used-vehicle sales giants are among auto retailers assessing and expanding applications of artificial intelligence.

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GM Canada delays St. Catharines EV motor output until 2027, affecting 1,000 workers

Unifor opened a labor action center in Niagara Region this month to help about 1,000 members find work following layoffs and retooling delays at General Motors Canada’s St. Catharines Propulsion Plant. 

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GM sees China red ink grow in Q3 amid extended sales slump

GM is working to restructure its struggling business in China, where its market share has fallen amid heightened competition, particularly from domestic brands selling low-priced EVs.

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Tesla posts Q3 net income of $2.2 billion, forecasts sharply higher 2025 deliveries

Tesla said it expects to launch lower-cost models next year. "Plans for new vehicles, including more affordable models, remain on track for start of production in the first half of 2025."

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Lithia saved $50 million more than planned through Q3, sees another $100 million soon

Lithia Motors Inc. by the end of the third quarter reduced expenses by $50 million more than the group's original target for a cost-cutting initiative launched this year, COO Adam Chamberlain said Oct. 23 on the company's Q3 earnings call.

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Texas man, caught up in dealerships' feud, ticketed for missing license plate during test drive

Longo Toyota of Prosper said it was the first such incident, but police reportedly told the man they were having problems with area dealerships.

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Wayve, a British automated driving startup, embarks on U.S. expansion

British automated driving startup Wayve has opened an office in Sunnyvale, Calif., where it will locate a test fleet that's learning how to drive on American roads.

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Column: Industry may need to think about Musk-Trump relations

We don't know why Elon Musk has become Donald Trump's biggest supporter, but he could be looking to regulate the regulators.

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GM, Ford try to ease fleet customers' switch to EVs

Switching to an electric vehicle comes with a host of considerations, including when and where to charge it.

For fleet operators, moving away from gasoline-powered vehicles also comes with business implications. Some companies might be interested in adding EVs to their fleets but don't know how to begin.

General Motors and Ford Motor Co. want to make it easier for business customers to go electric. GM has launched a turnkey program called EV Starter Kit to give companies more confidence that battery power can meet their needs, said Jennifer Costabile, director of marketing and sales enablement for the GM Envolve fleet and commercial business unit.

Ford offers a digital tool, E-Switch Assist, that analyzes gasoline vehicles' energy usage and estimates the energy needs for comparable EVs, based on data about driving distances, cargo loads, terrain, heating and climate, and driver behavior. E-Switch Assist, part of the Ford Pro commercial division, uses the data to suggest which vehicles could be a good fit to make the switch to EVs.

Ford said the tool has assessed more than 38,000 commercial vehicles and found that close to 53 percent could be suitably replaced by an EV.

"We are aiming to provide those insights to help fleet managers make those best decisions," said Nate McDonald, cross-vehicle brand manager for Ford Pro, whose work includes EVs. "It's about getting rid of the unknown."

GM starter kit

GM's program pulls in several components to help fleet customers make a successful EV transition — surveying drivers to determine the likeliest adopters and the best routes, installing home chargers and using OnStar telematics data to help businesses figure out how to reimburse employees who charge company EVs at home.

The program includes customizable training for drivers to increase comfort with EVs, Costabile said. OnStar analytics also can help fleet managers analyze ownership costs and compare them against internal combustion vehicles.

GM believes it is "coming out with something that is complete, holistic and gives the business and the fleet manager — but more importantly, the driver — the confidence that EVs can do this work," she said. "And we're here in the long run to support them."

GM has a few EVs aimed at commercial customers, including work truck versions of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and electric commercial vans from its BrightDrop brand, which will become part of Chevy in the 2025 model year. But the automaker said other models, including the Equinox EV, also could be options for fleet buyers.

Fleet companies can use the EV Starter Kit to determine which drivers might be willing and able to transition into an EV and use the findings to identify the best-suited routes, Costabile said. GM also is providing its PowerUp Level 2 charger and standard home installation at no cost to fleet customers, some of whom have drivers take vehicles home. The installation process includes procurement, permitting, quotes and inspections, Costabile said.

"This is not their area of expertise," she said of fleet managers. "It takes a lot of time and energy off their plate so they can continue to manage their business like they need to."

Zurich North America ordered about 90 Chevy Equinox EVs in the spring and 90 more this fall to reduce emissions in its vehicle fleet, said Megan Kock, a business consultant for the insurance company.

Many drivers who have moved into EVs are claims adjusters and risk engineers who do site visits and take their vehicles home overnight, Kock said. Those still in gasoline vehicles include crop claims adjusters who drive pickups, employees who can't charge at home and those who drive more miles a day than an EV can accommodate, she said.

Zurich's switch came as GM was developing the EV Starter Kit, and the training it offered has been helpful, Kock said.

"They're the expert," she said. "It's the manufacturer talking about your car."

Ford EV incentives

In addition to Ford's E-Switch Assist tool, the automaker is offering bundled services including a Level 2 EV charger to commercial customers in California and Massachusetts who subscribe to Ford Pro charging software. The software itself is more widely available to fleet customers and helps manage energy consumption and related costs.

Ford Pro also will give commercial customers a $2,000 incentive to offset EV charging costs, whether at home, a central depot or a work site, the automaker said.

"Our solutions are aimed at making this transition easier and potentially reducing the total cost of ownership," McDonald said.

 

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Advanced driver-assistance systems could become $307 billion market by 2035, report says

Revenue from advanced driver-assist systems is expected to surge from just $1.7 billion in 2023, according to a report by Oliver Wyman Forum. The firm also expects massive revenue growth in EV charging services.

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1 Thing We're Talking About: Mobile service platform Curbee names new CEO

Mobile service startup Curbee has named Amit Chandarana as its new CEO. He replaces Denise Leleux, who helped launch the startup after serving as director of global customer and ownership experience at Tesla.

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Ford Bronco sales slide unconcerning to dealers after 2 years of markups

U.S. sales of the Bronco SUV are down 16 percent this year, but dealers and analysts say it's a function of supply and demand finally normalizing. Accessories and other add-ons remain lucrative.

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Ram's U.S. sales are rebounding after incentive drive, CEO says

Light-truck brand is trying to clear inventory ahead of two new launches by year-end: the all-electric Ram REV, and the Ramcharger, a battery-powered pickup with an on-board gas generator to boost range and towing capacity.

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Rob Cochran in line to be NADA chairman in 2026

The National Automobile Dealers Association picked Florida car dealer Tom Castriota as chairman and Pennsylvania dealer Rob Cochran as vice chairman for 2025.

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Dealership service departments gain ground on independent shops in latest CDK service study

Dealership service departments saw a 14-point jump in customer satisfaction scores in the latest CDK Service Shopper study.

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VW China marketing chief Jochen Sengpiehl deported after drug test

Veteran marketing executive Jochen Sengpiehl's future at VW is uncertain. The automaker has launched an internal investigation after he was deported to Germany from China.

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In 51 U.S. states are published

4087 Companies
1101 Counties
1940 Cities

The 5 newest Companies

Stewart Title Guaranty Co

2100 Southbridge Pkwy #640, Birmingham, AL 35209

Chicago Title

5404 W Elm St, McHenry, IL 60050

Fuller Bradford A

500 Cornwall Ave, Cheshire, CT 06410

Escrow Nation Inc

7545 Irvine Center Dr, Irvine, CA 92618

Destination Title Services LLC

501 Commendencia St # 1, Pensacola, FL 32502

Other Companies

Mid Atlantic Title Services

1004 Palmer Plaza Ln STE 200, Charlotte, NC 28211

Stewart Title Company

4913 Matterhorn Dr #100, Duluth, MN 55811

First Commerce Title Co

2708 Village Ln, Bossier City, LA 71112

Hallmark Title Inc

8381 Old Courthouse Rd # 120, Vienna, VA 22182

First Advantage Title Partners

59 Alafaya Woods Blvd, Oviedo, FL 32765