Category: Auto Industry

Report: UAW to vie for board seats at GM, Ford and Chrysler

Filed under: Chrysler, Ford, GM, UAW/Unions

United Auto Workers president Bob King

The United Auto Workers currently doesn’t have any representation on the boards of General Motors, Chrysler and Ford, but boss Bob King apparently wants to change that. TheDetroitBureau.com is reporting that King and co. would like to add union representation to boards, and the UAW chief is looking to Germany for inspiration. German automakers adhere to a co-determination law that requires automakers to have union representation on the Board of Supervisors of each company.

According to TDB, the UAW hasn’t had any representation on a board since Owen Bieber (no relation to Justin) served on the board of Chrysler in the 1980s. Bieber was allegedly voted off the board for voting against executive pay raises. The union has also has some indirect representation thanks to the Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association. General Motors and Chrysler each have a VEBA representative, though the board spots aren’t affiliated with the UAW.

King hasn’t given many specifics about any plan to add union representation on company boards and he hasn’t outright called for The Detroit Three to agree to such an arrangement, but it looks like it may come sooner or later. The UAW contracts are up as of September, and there has been talk that King may want to negotiate with all three automakers at the same time instead of picking one target for pattern bargaining.

UAW to vie for board seats at GM, Ford and Chrysler originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Oscar Mayer takes on food truck craze with new Wienermobile

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Truck, Etc., Marketing/Advertising

oscar mayer weinermobile food truck

Oscar Mayer Weinermobile Foord Truck – Click above for high-res image gallery

Food trucks are everywhere right now. We’re not talking about the metal boxes that slog from business to business hawking puddles of grease, but rather the burgeoning genre of mobile kitchens stocked with culinary treats. From Kogi to Baconmania and the OC Food Truck, many are packing up kitchens, and bringing food to waiting, hungry masses. One major food icon has taken notice of this trend and decided to jump into the food truck game.

Oscar Mayer has just added a 30-foot Wienermobile food truck to its fleet of vehicles. This newest Wienermobile was revealed in New York City, where celebrity chef Tyler Florence was on hand to dish out Oscar Mayer hot dogs.

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile Food Truck has a lot to live up to. This Ford E-Series wiener-delivery system joins a fleet filled with six iconic 27-foot-long Wienermobiles, and one mini 15-footer. The food truck is longer, and has hot dogs on hand to feed hungry folks, so it might not have to work too hard to become a welcome part of the family. A full press release is waiting for you after the jump, but sadly there are no hot dogs over there.

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Oscar Mayer takes on food truck craze with new Wienermobile originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 May 2011 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Cars 2 trailer remade in Lego Land

Filed under: Videos, Toys/Games, Celebrities

Cars 2 trailer in Lego

Cars 2 trailer in Lego – Click above to watch the video after the break

Cars 2 Lego charactersIf there’s a cooler child’s toy for adults than a box of Legos, we don’t know what it is. To wit, it’s possible to take a couple handfuls of Lego blocks and assemble a miniature car… or a couple hundred pounds of the bricks to make a full-size car. And since you’re apparently someone who, like us, obsesses over the automobile, there’s really no better way to spend quality time with the kids than joining them in a marathon session of Lego building.

But what if you have even grander Lego-based aspirations? The sky’s the limit as far as Legos go, as evidenced by the video you’re about to watch after the break. Combining two of our most recent we’re-really-too-old-for-this obsessions, one pioneering Lego building team recreated the entire trailer for Pixar’s Cars 2 using nothing but little plastic building blocks. Well, they may have cheated a little with lighting and, of course, cameras… but we won’t hold that against them for such a worthwhile endeavor.

See for yourself in the video after the break.

Continue reading Cars 2 trailer remade in Lego Land

Cars 2 trailer remade in Lego Land originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Autoglass envisions the windshield of 2020

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos

autoglass windshield 2020

Autoglass windshield of 2020 – Click above to watch the video after the jump

We don’t spend much time thinking about our windshields, yet we spend a good portion of our lives looking right through them. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of room for improvement. The folks at Autoglass envision a smart windshield that does away with a nav screen on the center stack in favor of all the necessary information being displayed on your auto’s most important piece of glass.

Beyond the jump is a video simulation that shows what that windshield might look like from the driver’s seat. Among the displayed information is data for navigation, music, speed and fuel. The futuristic, king-of-all-head-up-displays also warns of pedestrians and an arrow even points to potential destinations.

Apparently, the windshield isn’t smart enough to know that the vehicle is driving on the wrong side of the road. And if you’re hoping the five-speed auto transmission will be dead and gone by 2020, it’ll be alive and well, at least according to this demo. Must be a Honda. Hit the jump to watch the windshield of 2020 in (simulated) action.

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Autoglass envisions the windshield of 2020 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What you missed on 5.25.11

First Drive: 2012 Fiat 500C

Having spent an afternoon whooping it up in the 500C through the winding lanes of upstate New York, wallet aside, when compared to the hardtop model, the 500C is all gain and just a pinprick of pain.

Video: Is the quickest way to charge a Nissan Leaf… by towing?

As one enterprising Leaf driver recently found out, towing the vehicle using a tow bar actually quickly charges the batteries thanks to the vehicle’s regenerative braking.

Vehicles take flight at the ‘Ring’s Flugplatz

Achieving liftoff at the Nürburgring, caught in pics.

Also of interest:

  • Official: 2012 Hyundai Genesis priced from $34,200; new 5.0 R-Spec to start at $46,500
  • Official: Aston Martin V12 Zagato heads from Villa d’Este to the race track
  • Report: Why U-Haul won’t rent you a trailer for your Ford Explorer
  • Official: EPA, DOT unveil updated window stickers [w/video]
  • Report: Kyle Busch busted doing 128 mph while test-driving Lexus LFA

Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed

What you missed on 5.25.11 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 19:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: BMW developing customizable LCD gauges for refreshed 5 and 7 Series models

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, BMW, Luxury

BMW digital LCD gauge cluster

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has had one for a few years, and Jaguar-Land Rover recently fitted units to its all-new XJ and updated Range Rover. Now BMW is getting ready to offer its own fully configurable LCD gauge cluster on the next-generation 5 Series and 7 Series models.

Co-developed in Munich and BMW’s Technology Office in Mountain View, CA, the new gauge cluster will display the standard dials for speed, revs, fuel and temp, but can be configured to show additional navigation, telematics and infotainment data depending on the driving mode. Comfort and Sport settings will tailor the display to suit conditions, possibly placing the tachometer front-and-center in Sport mode, along with providing shift lights and other more driver-centric information.

A BMW engineer we spoke with made it clear that BMW doesn’t want to rely on digital representations of analog gauges. Instead, the automaker is looking at the display as a blank canvas with which it can display a variety of information in an innovative way. However, while consumer customization will be available, BMW believes that keeping the user-tweakability to a minimum is key for ease-of-use and general readability.

Expect the new dash to appear on the refreshed 5 and 7 Series within the next two years.

BMW developing customizable LCD gauges for refreshed 5 and 7 Series models originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Are gas prices changing home buying habits?

Filed under: Etc., Earnings/Financials

gas station

Rising gas prices have an affect over many aspects of our lives. Besides increasing the cost of operating automobiles, more expensive fuel leads to an increase in the cost of shipped goods, food and airline tickets. Can gas prices also create changing attitudes amongst home shoppers?

Coldwell Bankers Real Estate recently conducted a survey of real estate professionals, and it found that 75 percent reported clients reevaluating where they search for homes. Home shoppers are looking to reduce commuting distance in order to reduce fuel consumption. The survey found that 77 percent of real estate professionals saw an increase in the number of folks looking for home offices and 68 percent of that pool believe the surge is attributable to rising fuel costs.

The folks at Nielsen have a different take on the matter, however, and believe U.S. consumers have adjusted to a new “spending reality.” Folks are adjusting their spending habits to conserve where possible, but Nielsen doesn’t believe it’s on the level of the 2008 economic freakout.

So now we’re going to turn to you, dear Autoblog reader. If you’re in the market for a house, have rising gas prices shaped your search in any way? Sound off in Comments.

Are gas prices changing home buying habits? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ford developing seat capable of detecting heart attacks

Filed under: Etc., Safety, Technology, Ford

details of the Ford electrocardiogram seat

A heart attack behind the wheel can render much of your car’s safety equipment moot despite decades of advancement. Ford Motor Company has tasked its European Research Center in Aachen, Germany with finding a way to reduce accidents caused by drivers experiencing heart trouble. According to the automaker, their prototype seat with contactless electrocardiogram technology can warn drivers to seek medical attention immediately by scanning for potential cardiovascular trouble through clothing.

According to Ford, by 2025, nearly one quarter of Europeans will be at least 65 years old, a figure that increases to one third by 2050. As risk of cardiovascular disease increases with age, drivers suffering from conditions like angina can be more than fifty percent more likely to be involved in an accident, so there’s a lot of motivation to push this technology.

The prototype seat presently delivers accurate readings for 95 percent of drivers 98 percent of the time. Ford researchers are now looking into how the seat can be integrated with the other safety systems to work together to protect drivers who experience issues behind the wheel.

The safety aspect may be the most obvious application of this technology, but who knows – maybe it could also give real metrics about just how excited a thrilling run in a Mustang Boss 302 actually is. Press release posted after the jump.

Continue reading Ford developing seat capable of detecting heart attacks

Ford developing seat capable of detecting heart attacks originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tiny Darth Vader brings The Force to VW’s Chattanooga plant

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Marketing/Advertising, Volkswagen, Celebrities

Tiny Vader Max Page at VW Chattanooga opening

Max Page as Tiny Vader at the VW Chattanooga inauguration – Click above for high-res image gallery

On Tuesday, May 24, Volkswagen officially opened its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee that is dedicated to building the Passat. There were all sorts of potentates gathered for the occasion, from Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to current and former mayors of the city. When it came time to press the big, red button to get the factory party started, though, six men gathered around the podium and they didn’t make a move until a surprise guest waved his hands: little Darth Vader.

Otherwise known as Max Page, he’s the kid in costume who practically owned YouTube when he appeared in VW’s 2012 Passat commercial during the Super Bowl. Arriving with an entourage of Stormtroopers and his theme music, he did a little of what he does, the red button was pushed, and it was only then that the Chattanooga facility officially opened.

It was a fun beginning. Let’s hope the plant benefits from The Force and Vader’s touch as much as that commercial did, and as much as VW and Chattanooga are praying it does. Read the official press release after the break, and, more importantly, check out Tiny Vader in our high-res image gallery.

Continue reading Tiny Darth Vader brings The Force to VW’s Chattanooga plant

Tiny Darth Vader brings The Force to VW’s Chattanooga plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: NADA and banks working to curb new federal oversight efforts

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal

nada logoIn 2010, the Federal Trade Commission received 1,339,265 complaints. According to the National Automobile Dealer’s Association, less than one percent of those complaints were related to new or used auto sales. That relatively low number (compared to the 250,854 people who complained of identity theft) has NADA upset over the government’s decision to pursue the creation of an automotive lending consumer advocacy agency.

NADA has given its official support to the congressional Republicans who are looking to put the clamps on this new oversight group.

This agency will be formed as part of legislation that seeks to simplify auto loan disclosure forms, and the entire process of borrowing money to obtain a new set of wheels. On the contrary, NADA believes this advocacy agency could lead to financing abuses related to the level of power granted to those in charge.

NADA and banks working to curb new federal oversight efforts originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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