Future Factories Will Thrive with Big Data
Assembly plants will become more flexible and agile thanks to the rise of big data, the shift to electric vehicles and increased visibility into the supply chain, a Toyota Motor Corp. manufacturing executive said Tuesday. Brian Eggleston, Toyota general manager, strategy and planning, told attendees at SAE International's World Congress Experience in Detroit that the industry's transformation is giving companies an "amazing opportunity to re-imagine the infrastructure" they have come to rely on in recent decades. Automotive News reports he said assembly plants are beginning to leverage huge amounts of data from their machines, giving the company more insight into how to make their production lines more efficient — potentially changing the role of humans in the factory. "We are going to be able to get the work force further and further away from repetitive action that takes less thought and move towards decision-making," Eggleston said. "How we present the data to the work force is going to be so important. We have to use the most important part of the human: their brains, not their hands or their feet." Click here for the full story.
Are Cars Getting More Expensive? Carscoops Compared 2012 and 2022 Prices to Find Out
Inflation is forcing the prices of everyday goods to rocket, but does that include our cars? Carscoops heard countless stories about dealers charging new prices for used cars, and massively over MSRP for box-fresh models due to a shortage of supply, but some manufacturers, including Hyundai, Kia, and Subaru, have been trying to stamp out the trend, and some dealers from other brands are still willing to give buyers a fair deal. Sticking with MSRP prices, how do the prices of today’s cars look compared with those of, say, a decade ago? Carscoops picked seven cars from 2012 and compared their prices with today’s models to see if there is a better deal in 2022. Naturally, the newer cars are better equipped, but where possible they looked at equivalent trim grades to get the most accurate picture. To help make the comparisons data was used from from the U.S. Inflation Calculator website, which says $1 in 2012 would be worth $1.24 today. Click here to find out the results.
U.S. Government May Need More Than 100,000 Charging Stations
The U.S. government may need more than 100,000 charging stations to support widespread electric vehicle use, a government watchdog told a congressional hearing on Tuesday. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in testimony that as of March, federal agencies own about 1,100 charging stations. President Joe Biden in December signed an executive order directing the U.S. government to end purchases of gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The House Oversight and Reform Committee is holding a hearing on the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) plans to buy mostly gas-powered next-generation delivery vehicles. USPS is not covered by Biden's executive order. Reuters reports less than 0.3 percent of the government's 657,000 vehicles were electric as of 2020, or 1,777. In 2020, the government spent $4.2 billion on vehicle costs, including $730 million for fuel. The General Services Administration (GSA) said that as of March 10, federal agencies have ordered an additional 1,854 zero-emission vehicles since the prior report. Click here for the full story.
What Auto Dealerships Can Do for Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Distracted Driving Awareness Month has arrived. For the twelfth year, April has been designated as the month to promote distracted driving awareness, and the focus couldn’t be more important. The National Safety Council is committed to ensuring there are fewer distractions on the road, considering there were more than 46,000 on-road deaths in 2021 that could have been prevented. This staggering statistic is up 9 percent over the previous year. The biggest distractions come from in-vehicle technology systems and mobile devices. Additionally, eating on the road and talking with passengers can also cause a distraction. The good news is that there are steps dealerships can take to help prevent these accidents from occurring. CBT News put together a few tips that your dealership can do to prevent distracted driving and promote this important month. Plus, these tips will not only protect your customers but also help you gain more business. Click here to read the tips.
With a U.S. Plant, Vinfast Eyes Quick EV Success
Vietnamese automaker VinFast is taking a page from technology startups in its approach to launching a line of electric vehicles in the U.S., beginning with two premium crossovers this year. That means big product promises, a breakneck timeline for mass production and the risk of failing fast. The young automaker, which just delivered its first gasoline-powered vehicle in 2019, made its biggest commitment yet to the U.S. market last week with a preliminary agreement to build assembly and battery factories at a North Carolina industrial park. Automotive News reports U.S. production is planned for mid-2024. The factory plan comes after VinFast showed two electric prototypes at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, followed by three more models at CES in January. Preorders for its Vietnam-made VF 8 and VF 9 crossovers began in January for delivery this year. VinFast is also expanding to Canada and Europe. Click here to learn more about Vinfast’s plans.
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Special 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 Honors Designer Virgil Abloh [Car and Driver]
Lexus’ First EV Will Have a Yoke for a Steering Wheel [The Drive]
A Week With: Land Rover Defender 110 SE [The Detroit Bureau]
