Vehicles: Page
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Autonomous Vehicles: A Lighter Shade of Green?
University of Michigan and Ford researchers say the added weight, electricity demand and aerodynamic drag of the sensors and computers used in autonomous vehicles contribute significantly to their lifetime energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions.
By Alan Harman • Feb. 22, 2018 -
Putting Brakes on Autonomous Future
The progression toward autonomous vehicles will require use of electronic, by-wire braking systems that supplier Chassis Brakes International is gearing up to deliver.
By Bob Gritzinger • Feb. 22, 2018 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Courtesy of Toyota Motor North America
TrendlineTop 5 stories from WardsAuto
Automakers are evaluating their long-term strategies, revisiting their product mix, and approach to both retail and manufacturing approach along the way.
By WardsAuto staff -
Faurecia Announces New Interiors Plant in Missouri
Faurecia will create more than 300 new jobs and invest more than $60 million in the plant, which will manufacture and assemble door panels and instrument panels.
Feb. 20, 2018 -
’18 Buick Regal TourX Some Kind of Finisher
The TourX shines most getting you to your getaway rather than into the heart of it and, unlike the high-roof SUVs and CUVs, you can reach the bike or kayak stored on top without a step stool or scraping the sill plate with your Timberlands.
By James M. Amend • Feb. 20, 2018 -
Hybrid Energy Storage Key to Electric Auto Features
Premium vehicles’ features have demanding power requirements and each requires frequent, quick, high-power charge and discharge events, which is pushing energy-storage engineers to revolutionize the board-net strategy for the platform.
By Bertrand Renaud • Feb. 16, 2018 -
Autonomous Cars More Vulnerable to Hacking, Expert Says
“The only motive I see is that someone might want to cause damage and chaos. The other possible motive is to cause embarrassment. And right now, that can only be done on a targeted one-to-one basis,” Bryson Bort says.
By Roger Schreffler • Feb. 15, 2018 -
Acura Touchpad Aims to Cut Confusion, Distraction
The new touchpad – lying horizontal in the center console, in easy reach with the driver’s right hand – aims to improve ease-of-use by corresponding directly to the screen: Touching the electronic pad is like touching the actual screen.
Feb. 15, 2018 -
Leaf Electric Vehicle to Be Sold in Asia, Oceania
Nissan will launch the model in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand. The automaker also is looking at other markets in the region, including Indonesia and the Philippines.
By Alan Harman • Feb. 15, 2018 -
Diesel Vehicles Down But Not Out Down Under
New-vehicle buying intentions examined by Roy Morgan Research finds the consideration of diesel-fuel vehicles now trails the appeal of hybrid vehicles with 52%, but remains ahead of electric vehicles (37%) and well ahead of liquid-propane-gas vehicles (21%).
By Alan Harman • Feb. 9, 2018 -
Hyundai Readying Launch of Nexo Fuel-Cell Vehicles
A Hyundai spokesman tells WardsAuto the automaker has targeted 2018 global sales of 3,000 Nexo fuel-cell electric vehicles, more than 12 times the number of Tucson FCEVs sold worldwide last year.
By Vince Courtenay • Feb. 9, 2018 -
Thailand Promoting EV Purchases, Charging Network
The government wants 1.2 million electric vehicles and 690 charging stations operating by 2036 and the Board of Investment last year approved incentives for EVs.
By Alan Harman • Feb. 8, 2018 -
Oz Government Not on Same Electric-Vehicle Page
A spokeswoman for Transport Minister Barnaby Joyce tells the Sydney Morning Herald the government has no plans to follow France, the U.K., Norway and the Netherlands and ban the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars in coming years.
By Alan Harman • Feb. 7, 2018 -
Australian State Upgrading Crash-Testing Facility
Roads Minister Melinda Pavey says the Crashlab upgrade will mean that to achieve a top ANCAP safety rating of five stars, an effective autonomous-emergency-braking or lane-support system will be required on all new vehicles.
By Alan Harman • Feb. 6, 2018 -
Infiniti QX50 Fast, Fun
A torque-y new turbo 4-cyl., dialed-in ride-and-handling and a well-done interior are the high points of Infiniti’s second-generation midsize CUV.
Feb. 6, 2018 -
Malta, Romania Not Going Green Quickly Enough for EU
The European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, is referring both countries to the Court of Justice for failing to provide their green-vehicle infrastructure plans to the EC.
By Alan Harman • Feb. 5, 2018 -
January U.S. Light-Vehicle Inventory Falls to 3.9% Below Year-Ago Levels
With some exceptions, mostly of redesigned models, big cuts to planned car production remain in the cards.
By Haig Stoddard • Feb. 2, 2018 -
Toyota Growing Electrification Presence in Thailand
A central plank to turning Thailand into a global Toyota hub for hybrid model production will be construction of a new battery manufacturing facility at its Gateway plant in Chachoengsao province.
By Edd Ellison • Jan. 31, 2018 -
’18 Buick Regal Sportback Parachutes Into White Space
In a market snapping up CUVs and SUVs with seemingly unquenchable demand while turning their noses up at old-fashion sedans such as the previous-generation Regal, GM thinks shoppers may embrace an alternative to those increasingly cookie-cutter products.
By James M. Amend • Jan. 31, 2018 -
AAM, Drexler Partner on Electronic Differentials
The agreement integrates electro-mechanical limited-slip differentials (eLSDs) into the AAM TracRite portfolio of differential products.
Jan. 30, 2018 -
Government Policies Nurture EV Growth in Norway
Norway shows how a long-term state commitment to electric vehicles can create a sustainable market.
By Diana Yordanova • Jan. 26, 2018 -
A Look at Intersection of Ride Services, Autonomous Vehicles
Six reasons OEMs need to keep an eye on the convergence of these two major trends.
By Partha Mukherjee • Jan. 26, 2018 -
Toyota’s Interiors Affiliate Plots Profit Course
Although its fiscal-2017 operating margin will fall to 4.7% from the prior year’s 5.3%, the supplier in its midterm business plan looks to achieve a sustainable profit of more than 5% and a 10% return on equity from fiscal 2020 onwards.
By Roger Schreffler • Jan. 26, 2018 -
Price Point, Interior Make QX80 Compelling
Infiniti’s 7 ½-year-old large SUV tries to keep pace against the fresh threat of the appealing new Lincoln Navigator.
Jan. 25, 2018 -
Australia to Update 30-Year-Old Vehicle Standards
Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher says the legislation will modernize and strengthen the laws governing the safety, environmental and anti-theft performance of all road vehicles coming onto the Australian market for the first time – both new and used.
By Alan Harman • Jan. 25, 2018 -
Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles ‘Don’t Sell Themselves’
Rick Ricart of Ricart Automotive tells what it takes to become a top CPO seller.
By Adam Armbruster • Jan. 23, 2018