automakers Archives

Automakers, let my wife use the nav

Filed under: Technology

My wife and I have been shopping for a house in the Bay Area for the better part of a month (if you’re selling in Oakland, hit me up) and, as you’d imagine, that means entering a lot of addresses into a lot of different navigation systems. Since I’ve got the directional ability of a brain-damaged opossum, the proliferation of in-car GPS (and mobile map apps) has moved beyond a convenience to an absolute necessity.

But there’s a problem..

About half the vehicles block out destination entry while the car’s in motion – a serious PITA when you’re bouncing from one fixer-upper to the next..

Now we’re fully aware that voice control is the future and the public shouldn’t be fiddling with touchscreens and all-in-one knobs while driving through a school zone, but what if you’ve got a perfectly capable passenger sitting in the seat next to you?.

There’s a simple solution..

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Automakers, let my wife use the nav originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSA: Japan automakers have lost half a million units since quake

Filed under: Etc., Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota

Damaged Suzuki vehicles

According to Automotive News, Japanese automakers have seen their production drop by over 500,000 units since the March 11 earthquake struck the island nation. In the month since the disaster, the country’s seven largest automakers lost around 516,000 units of production due to damage to production facilities and supplier delays. Toyota has been the hardest hit, with a loss of 260,000 units as of April 8. The automaker has a total of 18 domestic manufacturing facilities, and while two of those are back online, the remainder won’t open their doors until at least April 18. Even then, the plants may shut down again after April 27.

Honda, Suzuki, Subaru, Nissan, Mazda and Mitsubishi are all operating on some level, though production is an on-again, off-again affair. As an example, Nissan has managed to re-open all five of its Japanese facilities, though production has been scaled back to half-pace for the time being. There’s no word as to when full production will ramp up once again.

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.| Image: Wally Santana/AP]

PSA: Japan automakers have lost half a million units since quake originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Update on Japanese automakers recovering from earthquake

Filed under: Japan, Honda, Nissan, Toyota

Prius production resumes, Honda further delays restarting plants

Japanese automaker news resulting from the March 11 earthquake is coming in fast and furious right now, so we’ve packaged the latest information in one convenient spot.

Toyota announced some good and bad news this week on the production front. The good news is that the company will resume limited production of the Prius, Lexus HS250h and CT 200h hybrids with all-new parts coming in. Eighteen other Toyota plants remain closed, however, through at least March 28, and the automaker has warned its assembly plants in North America that they could soon face parts shortages that interrupt production.

Honda has moved the restart date of its Japanese plants again from March 27 to April 3 or later. Among the vehicles affected are the Fit and CR-V. The company also says its research and development center will be closed for months due to extensive damage. Some of the work being done at the R&D facility has been moved to other Honda facilities in Japan.

Nissan restarted production in Japan on March 24, though the plants are using only existing parts stock with no new parts coming in. The company is studying whether its Tennessee engine plant could supply VQ V6 engines to Japan due to damages sustained at an engine plant in the quake zone. The automaker also lost 1,300 Infiniti models that were damaged at a Japanese port during the quake. CEO Carlos Ghosn claims 40 Japanese suppliers are still in trouble.

Mazda has been running some plants in Japan, though parts are starting to become scarce. The CX-7 and CX-9 are among the vehicles affected.

Subaru has postponed any production in Japan until at least March 28. In the U.S., the automaker has suspended overtime at its Indiana plant.

[Source: Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Automotive News – sub. req. | Image: AP Photo/Koji Sasahara]

Update on Japanese automakers recovering from earthquake originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: China tells foreign automakers they must build low-cost local brands

Filed under: China, Plants/Manufacturing

Chinese flag If you want to do business in the Chinese market, you have to play by the rules set out by the Chinese government… and those rules are subject to change. Such is the case in the automotive segment, where officials from China are reportedly set to add some requirements for automakers that wish to update any contracts in an effort to build more vehicles in China.

Apparently, as much as 30 percent of any additional production capacity over what has already been agreed upon will be earmarked for the Chinese market, and that percentage of vehicles would have to be sold under a new Chinese brand name at a “low cost.”

It’s not necessarily more brands China wants, it’s intellectual property. “During 10 years of trying, China has become a big factory for foreign companies, and their Chinese partners didn’t get advanced technology. Through this industrial policy they would like Chinese carmakers to get IP in order to own this market,” said Lang Xuehong, automotive analyst with Sinotrust, quoted by Financial Times.

Will the scales fall in favor of more access to the lucrative Chinese market or will the desire to keep valuable intellectual property under the roof of the company that actually earned it through actual research and development triumph? We’ll see.

[Source: Financial Times – sub. req.]

Report: China tells foreign automakers they must build low-cost local brands originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dismal hybrid, electric vehicle sales in China concern automakers

To say that sales of alt-energy vehicles in China have been dismal would be an understatement. Despite investing million into advanced alternative fuel powertrains, the Global Times reports that many Chinese automakers are facing the tough decision to either ditch their green car plans or continue on with sales that are far below expectations.

Due to poor sales volume, Changan Auto has pulled the plug on its hybrid Jiexun. According to the company, not a single Jiexun was sold during the last year. BYD faces similar struggles, reporting that it has sold only 54 E6 electric vehicles and just 290 F3DM plug-in hybrids between January and October of this year. Even Toyota admits that Prius sales volume, which has been at less than 4,000 for each of the past three years, is below the company’s expectations.

Many Chinese automakers have voiced concerns and are calling upon the government to help boost sales of advanced-technology vehicles. So far, however, buyers have shown little interest in purchasing the high-tech rides that often come with steep price tags.

Source: Global Times]

Dismal hybrid, electric vehicle sales in China concern automakers originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Dec 2010 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Muller in talks with three automakers about Saab 9-2 revival

Filed under: Saab, Spyker

Eduard Gray’s Saab 92010 Sixten concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Saab has already talked up its hopes for entering the forthcoming 9-2 in a future installment of the World Rally Championship. But before it can, the 9-2 needs to exist. And before that can happen, Automotive News reports that Saab needs the technology and money from a partner automaker. A recent rumor surfaced that Saab was talking to BMW about building the 9-2 on the Mini chassis. At the same time, another rumor came to light that Saab was discussing using Mini engines for the next 9-3.

Now word has it that Spyker’s Victor Muller is in talks with three companies about getting the help necessary to build the 9-2. Muller hasn’t disclosed the companies’ names, but we assume one of them is BMW. The hook is that the cost of the 9-2 wasn’t included in the turnaround plan, so Saab needs its chosen partner to injects some cash as well. The model has yet to be officially confirmed, of course, so at this point, it isn’t even clear that a teardrop Saab will get off the ground at all.

Gallery: Saab 92010 Sixten Concept by Eduard Gray

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Report: Muller in talks with three automakers about Saab 9-2 revival originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: The ridiculous heights automakers like VW go to launch a new car

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Volkswagen

2011 Volkswagen Jetta being hoisted into launch position – Click above to watch video after the jump

It’s said, by America’s postmen at least, that nothing will stop them from delivering your mail. Comparable dedication is found in carmakers, who will do everything that time, city permits and bagfuls of money will allow in order to put on a good show for the press.

Case in point: The 2011 Jetta launch is still going on in San Francisco right now, and to create the right impact, Volkswagen put a Jetta on the fourth floor of the St. Regis hotel. It took halting a few lanes of traffic and a ol’ big crane to make it happen, but nothing succeeds like excess, right? Maybe next time the can do like Porsche did with the Panamera and just use the elevator… Follow the jump for the video.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta: First Drive

[Source: YouTube]

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Video: The ridiculous heights automakers like VW go to launch a new car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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