Automotive News

What Happens if ADAS Calibration Isn’t Done?What Happens if ADAS Calibration Isn’t Done?

May 7, 2023| 6:02 pm

Automotive design and technology are constantly evolving; each year, vehicles become increasingly advanced and reliable on electronic and computerized features to deliver better safety, performance, and comfort. Windshields are no exception. Although the windshields of newer vehicles may look like they’re just a piece of glass, most of them contain sensors, cameras, and other advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) equipment that play a large role in how your car functions. Unfortunately, this makes the process of replacing windshields more complex—and costly. Understanding ADAS Calibration ADAS refers to a wide range of automated features that assist or alert drivers while they’re… [...]

Aston Martin to renew DB11, Vantage, DBS sports cars in 2023Aston Martin to renew DB11, Vantage, DBS sports cars in 2023

May 7, 2023| 4:24 pm

LONDON — Aston Martin will reveal the first of its overhauled sports-car range at the end of this month, Chief Financial Officer Doug Lafferty said. The automaker has promised to reveal new versions of its three core sports-car models – the DB11, Vantage and DBS – over the next 12 months. The company has not said which will be first, but the DB11 is the oldest model in its lineup. Aston Martin will increase prices on all three cars as it looks to return to profitability with a target margin of 40 percent. “All the next-generation sports cars carry that… [...]

Study reveals drop in customer satisfaction for independentsStudy reveals drop in customer satisfaction for independents

May 6, 2023| 4:17 pm

Recent numbers from research firm Ducker Carlisle showed growing dissatisfaction with franchised dealership service departments. This week, JD Power released its 2023 US Aftermarket Service Index Study that showed an overall decline in satisfaction with independent repair facilities as well. The data firm revealed independent shops dropped in all three categories that make up the study — quick oil change, full-service maintenance and repair and tire replacement. Shops were scored on seven measures within each of the three segments. These include ease of scheduling, fairness of charges, service adviser courtesy and quality of work. This is the [...]

F&I talks over video a good option for car buyersF&I talks over video a good option for car buyers

May 5, 2023| 4:10 pm

Jonathan Jordan, director of retail strategy for F&I product provider JM&A Group, said his company launched its so-called virtual F&I offering in 2018. He told Automotive News in late January the company had logged more than 23,000 transactions where the F&I manager and customer had never actually met — with about 20,000 occurring in the past two years. The video chat feature at first focused on the notion “customers don’t want to come to the dealership,” Jordan said. But this hypothesis was found to be incorrect, he said. “What I like to say is ‘it’s not that they don’t want… [...]

Quebec toughens ZEV sales mandate, frustrating automakersQuebec toughens ZEV sales mandate, frustrating automakers

May 4, 2023| 3:46 pm

Quebec Environment Minister Benoit Charette announced April 21 that the province was “accelerating” the yearly percentage of ZEVs that must be sold until the goal of 100 per cent is reached in 2035. The current Quebec sales mandates are already more aggressive than the proposed federal mandates and the new provincial targets widen that spread significantly. For example, the federal ZEV target for 2027 is 23 per cent, the current mandate in Quebec is 34 per cent and the newly proposed mandate is 43 per cent. For the 2030, the federal target is 60 per cent, the current Quebec [...]

Robotaxi companies like Cruise, Waymo, Baidu seek scaleRobotaxi companies like Cruise, Waymo, Baidu seek scale

May 2, 2023| 3:20 pm

Robotaxis operate like ride-hailing services. Both incorporate data analytics to determine where rides will be needed, maximizing the utilization of their platforms. Customers hail them via apps. The similarities end there. “It is an entirely different business than ride-hailing,” said Alisyn Malek, CEO of consulting firm Middle Third and former COO of self-driving tech startup May Mobility. Unlike Uber and Lyft, which rely on independent drivers who own and maintain their own vehicles, robotaxi providers must account for vehicle ownership and maintenance costs, whether they absorb themselves or partner with fleet management companies. That business is inclined to conventional taxi… [...]

Facebook Is Trying to Make Dealers Pay for Car ListingsFacebook Is Trying to Make Dealers Pay for Car Listings

May 2, 2023| 2:30 pm

Photo: Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto (Getty Images) Facebook Marketplace, over the past few years, has taken the vehicle-classifieds crown from Craigslist. It did so almost by accident; Facebook spun up Marketplace just as Craigslist instituted a fee for selling cars on its platform. Now, it seems new rules from Meta aim to get in on that cash — but only for dealers. In case you missed it: Early this year, according to Automotive News, Meta changed the rules around Facebook Marketplace listings. Now, Facebook business pages can no longer post Marketplace ads for vehicles. Instead, they’ll have to purchase [...]

Searching “Windshield Replacement Near Me”Searching “Windshield Replacement Near Me”

May 1, 2023| 5:58 pm

Car windows and windshields are things that many drivers just don’t think much about– until one day they suddenly need to be replaced. Maybe it’s a large chip, or a small crack that has since flourished over time into a web of other cracks. Perhaps it was a single incident of blunt force that smashed the windshield in seconds. Regardless of what it looks like or how it happened, the truth is that any damage to car windows and particularly windshields should be repaired as soon as possible. But since this is not something drivers actively [...]

Tesla will shoot for volume over profit: Elon MuskTesla will shoot for volume over profit: Elon Musk

May 1, 2023| 3:14 pm

Tesla missed market estimates for first-quarter total gross margin after cutting prices in the US and globally. The electric vehicle maker reported a total gross margin of 19 percent, compared with an expectation of 22 percent from analysts polled by Refinitiv, Reuters reported. Net income during the most recent period dropped 24 percent to $2.5 billion. Tesla reported global deliveries of 422,875 in the first quarter, a 4.3 percent increase compared with the previous quarter. That small growth suggests price cuts were necessary to maintain momentum amid rising EV competition and higher interest rates. The EV maker likely sold 161,630… [...]

Leasing a Nissan Leaf just got cheaperLeasing a Nissan Leaf just got cheaper

April 30, 2023| 3:08 pm

Nissan was an early proponent of local sourcing for the Leaf, when it constructed a dedicated battery plant next to its Smyrna vehicle assembly that produced its own battery cells. Japanese supplier Envision AESC now operates that battery production center on the Smyrna site. But now, to qualify for the full $7,500 federal tax credit, at least 40 percent of the value of the EV battery’s critical minerals must be extracted or processed in the US or in a country where the US has a free-trade agreement, or from materials recycled in North America. In addition, at least half of… [...]

Category: Automotive News