Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Wrap-up November 5-11, 2023
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Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Wrap-up November 5-11, 2023
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Here are Larry's picks among the past week's important, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions and insider back stories presented as expertly crafted easy-to-understand automotive universe news nuggets. for Nutson's Auto News Weekly Wrap-up November 5-11, 2023.
* October new-vehicle sales in the U.S. continued showing healthy results. Initial estimates show that the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR), or sales pace, came in right at the year-to-date average of 15.5 million, and sales volume was 1.20 million in October, slightly below our expectations, according to Cox Automotive. Most foreign automakers benefited from improved inventory and showed sales growth in October. Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp posted sales increases in the U.S. Toyota’s inventory has been recovering quickly since the summer, allowing them to regain share from Honda and Nissan. Hyundai and Kia had positive sales growth for the 15th consecutive month. Meanwhile, U.S. sales for the Detroit brands were likely down for the month, perhaps reflecting a small impact from the UAW strike.
* Reuters says legacy automakers have a problem: Nearly half the customers who buy their EVs buy a combustion, ICE-powered vehicle for the next purchase, according to a new study by S&P Global. In contrast, S&P found in a different study that more than 75% of Tesla owners stay loyal to EVs – although Tesla’s narrow product line means some Model Y customers opt for an internal combustion truck for their next purchase. HERE
* The Wall Street Journal writes: Amid a slowdown in sales growth for electric vehicles, manufacturers including Tesla, Ford and Hyundai are offering price discounts of as much as one-third. Other tactics being deployed include cash rebates and cheaper monthly payments. For consumers such promotions can be a boon, helping to shrink the price difference between an EV and a traditional gasoline vehicle. But it is another sign that the once-hot market for these models is losing its charge. Car executives and dealers say the discounts and price cuts are necessary because buyers are less willing to pay a premium for an EV. Dealers say part of the problem is that a wealthier group of early EV adopters have already purchased a vehicle. Now, the industry is confronting a more reticent group of consumers, who are already being squeezed by high interest rates and rising costs. “I think there was a miscalculation about demand and how much EVs would be coveted,” said Joseph Yoon, an Edmunds analyst.
* The growing number of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities has caused several cities such as Washington, D.C., and Ann Arbor, Mich., to reexamine traffic laws that allow drivers to turn right after stopping for a red light. Though there haven't been recent, nationwide studies of injuries or deaths caused by right-turning drivers, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that the odds a pedestrian would be killed in this scenario were significantly higher if a pickup truck and SUV was involved because of their larger blind spots and the increased force of these larger vehicles. Chicago, San Francisco, Denver, Los Angles and Seattle are looking into changing right-on-red traffic laws.
* Ram trucks announced the new 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger. The Ramcharger will have a 92 kWh battery giving it 145 miles of electric driving range. A Pentastar V6 with a generator is targeted to provide up to 690 miles of total range. Technically the new Ramcharger it is a plug-in series hybrid. The new 3.0-liter inline-6 Hurricane engines will join the Ramcharger powertrain. Starting in 2025 there will no longer be a V8 offered in a Ram.
* There is an effort in the US Congress to require automakers to maintain AM radio in all vehicles, including new electric vehicles (EVs). However, the nature of EVs and their operating conditions, including acceleration and deceleration, pose a challenge to ensuring electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) with the analog AM band radio. The Center for Automotive Research found that reducing the electromagnetic interference generated by EVs, which can distort AM radio signals, "could lead to added costs for vehicle manufacturers." Keeping AM radio in EVs could cost automakers $3.8 billion, the report says.
* Maine voters decided "yes" allowing local repair shops and mechanics access to the same data as dealerships. Maine is the sixth state in the U.S. to approve such a measure, likely indicating the start of a wave of support behind similar initiatives. Maine has now joined Massachusetts in a growing national movement to update automotive Right to Repair laws for the modern age of connected cars. Opposition to the Right to Repair law primarily came from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade group representing car manufacturers like General Motors, Ford, Subaru, and Toyota. Reportedly, the automakers called the Maine vehicle right-to-repair approval ‘disappointing.'
* Four large pickups offer strong protection in side crashes but fall short when it comes to protecting passengers in the back seat. The Ram 1500 crew cab, Ford F-150 crew cab and Toyota Tundra crew cab — all 2023 models — earn good ratings in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s updated side crash test, while the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab is rated acceptable. However, in the updated moderate overlap front crash test, which now emphasizes back seat safety, only the Tundra manages a marginal rating. The F-150, Ram 1500 and Silverado are rated poor. IIHS launched the updated moderate overlap front test last year after research showed that in newer vehicles the risk of a fatal injury is now higher for belted occupants in the second row than for those in front. https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/large-pickups-offer-strong-side-protection-but-falter-in-back-seat-safety
* GM's Cruise Automation is recalling 950 driverless cars after a collision involving a pedestrian. The recall is because the collision detection subsystem of the Cruise Automated Driving Systems software did not properly respond after a crash, NHTSA said. In the case of the pedestrian collision, the Cruise automated vehicle continued to move, dragging the pedestrian resulting in increased injuries.
* Celebrities and car enthusiasts are buzzing about the sensational new book “Tales From the Garage” by Rodney Kemerer, which is poised to become one of the hottest gifts this holiday season. Designed with the look and feel of an automotive owner’s manual, this beautifully illustrated book is a collection of funny and emotional essays, each with a personal perspective on pop culture told through the lens of the automobile. “Tales From the Garage” is now available through Amazon.
* Ryan Blaney earned his first career NASCAR championship and gave Roger Penske back-to-back Cup titles, also a first. Blaney claimed his first career Cup Series championship last Sunday at Phoenix Raceway in his first Championship 4 appearance. Driving the No. 12 Ford Mustang for Team Penske, he outlasted fellow title hopefuls Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson and William Byron for the most prestigious prize in NASCAR. It’s the second consecutive season Team Penske took home NASCAR’s top prize, with Blaney following Joey Logano’s 2022 title conquest. It's Team Penske's 44th motorsports championship.
* Chevrolet completed the sweep of the manufacturers’ championship in all three NASCAR national series by clinching the Cup series honor at Martinsville Speedway. It is the third consecutive year Chevrolet has won the manufacturers’ championship in the Cup Series and their 42nd overall. Chevrolet previously clinched in both the Craftsman Truck series and Xfinity series Oct. 21 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Stay safe. Be Well.
