Top Headlines June 2015
1.5 Million Vehicles on the Road Burn Oil Excessively
BUSINESS June 30, 2015 | 12:50 PM
- Audi, BMW and Subaru top list
- Manufacturers claim oil usage is normal
- Some consumers suing auto manufacturers
Some new vehicles burn oil excessively, nonprofit consumer organization Consumer Reports reveals in its annual auto survey.
The survey examined nearly 500,000 vehicles, model years 2010-2014, with most still under manufacturer warranty.
Read more »Made in America: Toyota Camry Tops the List
BUSINESS June 29, 2015 | 12:49 PM
- To qualify, vehicle must have 75% of parts manufactured in U.S. or Canada
- This year’s list is the smallest in history
- Customers choosing domestic for various reasons
Finding a vehicle that’s “made in America” is more difficult than ever, according to automotive classified website Cars.com.
According to the site’s annual American Made Index, the vehicle that’s most American is the Toyota Camry. The Camry has claimed the top spot five times, most recently in 2012.
Read more »Paris Ride Sharing Success Inspires London
BUSINESS June 25, 2015 | 2:45 PM
- Program has 150,000 French members
- Launches in London in early 2016
- Electric cars will be mainstream in future
Bolloré, owner of the all-electric car-sharing service Autolib, has seen success in Paris and is now expanding to London.
Autolib launched in Paris in 2011. At the time, the company hoped to reach 80,000 members, the number needed to break even, but it has surpassed that goal and currently has 150,000 members.
Read more »GM and Isuzu Partnering to Sell Trucks
BUSINESS June 24, 2015 | 1:29 PM
- Isuzu will build Chevrolet branded vehicles
- GM once owned stake in Isuzu
- GM reentering truck market as part of company strategy
U.S. automaker General Motors Co. and Japanese auto manufacturer Isuzu Motor Ltd. are partnering to produce trucks as GM reenters the medium duty work truck market.
GM benefits from reentering the commercial truck market while Isuzu will benefit from adding to its lineup.
Read more »General Motors Continues Repair of Classic Corvettes Damaged in Sinkhole
BUSINESS June 23, 2015 | 12:25 PM
- 1 millionth Corvette has signatures of workers on parts
- 1962 model still awaits restoration
- Museum getting ready to reopen showroom
General Motors Co. has begun the process of repairing classic Corvettes damaged 16 months ago when a sinkhole opened underneath a museum showroom.
On Feb. 12, 2014, a sinkhole opened under a showroom at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. Of the eight Corvettes that fell into the sinkhole, only three will be able to be repaired.
Read more »NTSB Recommends Collision Avoidance Become Standard
BUSINESS June 22, 2015 | 11:49 AM
- There are 1.7 million rear-end accidents in the U.S. annually
- Safety systems save lives
- Auto alliance disagrees with recommendation
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board recommends collision avoidance systems be standard features on all new vehicle as a matter of public safety.
In a 60-page report released earlier this month, the NTSB said customers shouldn’t have to pay extra for safety.
Read more »Top Selling Cars in the U.S. in May 2015
BUSINESS June 18, 2015 | 1:42 PM
- Shoppers still attracted to SUVs
- Car and light-truck sales modest
- Top-selling used cars are foreign makes
The top auto manufacturers have reported May results for U.S. sales, and while cars fared better than in past months, SUVS and trucks are still popular with buyers.
Total sales for the month were 1.6 million vehicles, a 1.6% increase from 2014.
Read more »Uber Releases Game App for iPhone
BUSINESS June 17, 2015 | 11:53 AM
- Goal to show what it’s like to be an Uber driver
- App also can be used as recruiting tool
- Uber being investigated in UK
Web-based minicab service Uber wants to show potential drivers and the public what being an Uber driver is like. The company has developed a smartphone app for iOS called UberDRIVE.
The game allows users to pick up passengers and drive through the city. Players are also quizzed on local trivia.
Read more »Virginia Allows Testing of Autonomous Vehicles
BUSINESS June 16, 2015 | 2:03 PM
- Virginia roads some of the U.S.’s most congested
- Test supervised by transportation institute
- Many people afraid of autonomous vehicles
Virginia recently became the latest U.S. state to allow the testing of autonomous vehicles on its roads.
The state has approved testing for a 70-mile stretch of highways in Northern Virginia, some of the most-congested roadways in the country. These roads will allow researchers to determine how autonomous cars handle road traffic, traffic jams and construction zones.
Read more »Ford Shortens Summer Shutdown for 14 Plants
BUSINESS June 15, 2015 | 12:18 PM
- Change affects manufacturing, parts factories
- U.S. automakers making more vehicles with less plants
- Customer demand high for larger vehicles
Ford Motor Co., the second-largest U.S. auto manufacturer, plans to shorten the annual summer shutdown at five of its manufacturing plants and nine stamping and powertrain plants in preparation to produce an extra 40,000 vehicles.
This is the third consecutive year, Ford has shortened its shutdown.
Read more »