Arrivederci Autopsy for the Fiat 500
The truth behind Fiat’s slow-motion exit-stage-left from the North American car market is that Americans just aren’t that interested in “efficient” small cars. If they were, as the government (and media) constantly claim that they are, then available efficient small cars like the 500 three-door hatchback would be selling well. They’re available; anyone who wants one is free to buy one. […]
Crushed Every Four Years
If you’ve been wondering what’s behind the electric car/automated car push, Ford’s John Rich just let the cat out of the sack: “We will exhaust and crush a car every four years in this business.” That business being the automated/electric car business. Rich should know since he’s the head of Ford’s Autonomous Vehicles Operations. He means automated, […]
Tips and Tricks to Use Apple CarPlay the Smart Way
Apple CarPlay is the interface for your car’s infotainment system that presents you a smarter way to use your iPhone on the road. As driving requires your increased attention and focus, it can also be a very tiring and monotonous process. No wonder, many drivers like to have some background soundtrack while traveling. CarPlay was […]
A Better Way to Train Human Drivers and Test Autonomous Vehicles
By guest writer, Richard Goodwin, an NMA member The light turns green, and I start to move out when I see a car heading for the red light on my left. I hesitate, briefly touching the brake, and am treated to a horn blast from behind, so I start to go but the car approaching the light flies right […]
How Drone Technology is Changing Farming, Surveying, Police Work and Search and Rescue Missions
Drone technology is synonymous with two things: war and photography. Yes, the word “drone” came into mainstream use after the US military started weaponizing their large military units. With the advent of multirotor camera drones, the most common real-world use most people see drones used for is as a flying camera. Most recently, delivery services […]
Vision Zero Invasion of the Car Itself
This post first appeared as the NMA E-Newsletter #532 in March 2019. In three years, all new cars and light-trucks purchased in EU countries will be required to include standard price-increasing features that will change how motorists drive. Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection voted in February to approve […]
Autonomous Cars: Future of the Freeways or Fool’s Errand?
Mass acceptance of a new paradigm isn’t easy to predict. Few of us would have ever thought back in 2009 that people would jump in a car with a stranger or pay to sleep in someone else’s spare room halfway around the world. With millions of people embracing both Uber and Airbnb as part of […]
The Dangers of Unintentional Idling
If you don’t think your engine’s still running, you might forget to turn it off. Well, you might forget to push the ignition button off because the engine isn’t running right now. It seems to be off. So you think it is, don’t push Off and leave the car. Which might start running again a few minutes after you […]
Is Nissan About to Sleep With the Fishes?
Some very bad news for Nissan. Profits are down 99 percent. Not a typo. A near-total wipeout which triggered the wiping out of 12,500 jobs, the immediate suspension of manufacturing in Indonesia and Spain and an announcement that Japan’s second-largest car company will reduce its model lineup by at least 10 percent by 2022. Nissan’s […]
Second Quarter Automaker Profit Reports ain’t Pretty and other Auto Tech News
Boy, when it rains, it pours for the auto industry. Lots of bad news came out this week. In Alphabetical Order, here is what we know so far: Aston Martin—even the likes of 007 James Bond might not be able to salvage this ailing British automaker. Ford—Second quarter profit dropped 86 percent worldwide as restructuring […]