U.S. Trade Groups Urge Congress to Rein in 'Tariff Man' Trump
According to Reuters, nearly two dozen U.S. lobbying groups have joined forces to try to rein in U.S. President Donald Trump’s power to unilaterally impose tariffs amid growing concern about the negative economic impact of his trade policies. Led by the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), the groups on Wednesday said they had formed the Tariff Reform Coalition to urge Congress to wrestle back greater control over trade policy and increase its oversight of the president’s use of tariffs. NFTC President Rufus Yerxa said the U.S. Constitution gave Congress the power to regulate commerce, and lawmakers should ensure that tariffs were used only in exceptional circumstances. The 23 groups outlined their concerns in a letter to the two congressional committees that oversee foreign trade, the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. The letter was signed by large U.S. trade associations, including the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the National Retail Federation, the Association of Global Automakers, and the American International Automobile Dealers Association. Read more here.
California Braces for 'Fight of a Lifetime' as Trump Moves to Revoke MPG Waiver
The Trump administration will move to revoke part of California's right to set its own gas mileage rules for cars, and the Golden State is gearing up for a legal fight that is likely to head to the U.S. Supreme Court, reports The Detroit News. "The Trump Administration is revoking California’s Federal Waiver on emissions in order to produce far less expensive cars for the consumer, while at the same time making the cars substantially SAFER," President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday. In a series of tweets, the president pre-empted an official announcement scheduled Thursday morning. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is expected to say Thursday that it will revoke the Clean Air Act waiver that has been used for years by California to set its own emission standards. That would undo California's Advanced Clean Car Rule, which calls for automakers to reduce pollution from new cars from 2012 model year levels by 40% by 2025. Read more here.
VW Upgrades Infotainment System to Include Free Remote Start
Most 2020 Volkswagens will come with an upgrade of the automaker's Car-Net infotainment system that will let owners use a smartphone app to remotely start the vehicle or use it as a secure place to have packages delivered, reports Automotive News. Many of the upgraded features will be free for five years, even if the vehicle changes ownership, while emergency roadside assistance, stolen vehicle location and others will be part of an annual subscription model. Volkswagen demonstrated the new Car-Net system for reporters Tuesday using preproduction versions of the 2020 Atlas Cross Sport, a two-row version of the Atlas crossover that is due in dealerships early next year. The upgraded infotainment system will allow remote access to the vehicle via smartphone, enabling users to turn the engine on or off, lock or unlock the doors, honk the horn and flash the lights. The app also is able to show the vehicle's location when parked and provide remote information on fuel level, odometer reading and whether the doors and windows are open or closed. Read more here.
Honda Unveils 2020 CR-V Hybrid in Detroit, Says More Electrics Are on Way
Honda is adding another hybrid to its U.S. lineup, but this time it's doing so with an SUV. According to The Detroit Free Press, the company unveiled the 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid during a media event Wednesday at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit. The vehicle joins the Accord Hybrid and the Insight as the third "electrified" Honda built in the United States. Honda said it will assemble the CR-V Hybrid at its Greensburg, Indiana, plant, where the CR-V and the Insight Hybrid are made. The company plans to invest $4.2 million and add 34 jobs. Henio Arcangeli Jr., senior vice president of automobile sales at American Honda Motor Co., said the vehicle signals Honda's electric future. "The CR-V Hybrid . . . signifies our direction to bring hybrid-electric technology to all core models and to invest in the production of electrified vehicles in America," he said. Read more here.
Tesla Model 3, Audi e-tron Get Top Marks in Crash Tests
New crash tests show the Tesla Model 3 and the Audi e-tron, are among the safest models out on the road. According to CNBC, the results bolster the theory electric vehicles may be better designed to protect passengers in crashes than internal combustion vehicles. The series of crash tests conducted by the IIHS measured how well three electric vehicles and one hydrogen fuel cell vehicle protect drivers and passengers in a variety of collisions. The results: the Tesla Model 3, Audi e-tron, and Hyundai Nexo, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, qualified for the best rating possible, Top Safety Pick +. The Chevrolet Bolt, a small electric car, earned a rating of “good” in all but one crash test, but did not receive the designation of Top Safety Pick. Read more here.
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