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  • NHTSA Opens Investigation into Tesla Gaming Software

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    Patton plays games driving Model 3
    Journalist Vince Patton demonstrates its possible to play video games while driving his Tesla Model 3.

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) it is investigating 580,000 Tesla vehicles sold since 2017 that allow those seated up front to play games on the infotainment touchscreen while the vehicle is in motion.

    The investigation stems from a complaint filed with agency earlier this month by Vince Patton, a retired journalist from Portland, Oregon.

    The formal safety investigation, which was announced Wednesday, covers 2017-2022 Tesla Model 3, S, X, and Y vehicles. NHTSA opened the investigation “based on reports that Tesla gameplay functionality, which is visible on the front center touchscreen from the driver’s seat, is enabled even when the vehicle is being driven.”

    Tesla made the software more dangerous

    The 2021 Tesla Model S gets an all-new interior, a yoke-style steering wheel and the updated software being investigated by NHTSA.

    The feature, known as “Passenger Play,” increases the risk of a crash. Since December 2020, the feature can be used while driving. Prior to that, it could only be used when the vehicle was in Park. The agency said that it is evaluating aspects of the feature, including how frequently it’s used and when.

    NHTSA is concerned about distracted driving, an increasing risk as automakers bring increased online connectivity to infotainment touchscreens. Distracted driving caused 3,142 deaths in 2019, all of them preventable. 

    While Passenger Play does have a warning stating the game is meant solely for passengers. Although it asks for confirmation that the player is a passenger and not the driver, there is nothing preventing the driver from playing while driving.

    Other Tesla safety issues

    Consumer Reports criticized the performance of Tesla’s latest version of Autopilot.

    It’s not NHTSA’s only Tesla safety investigation, nor Tesla’s only safety issue.

    In August, the agency opened a formal safety investigation of 765,000 Teslas equipped with its Autopilot driver-assistance system after 11 crashes involving parked emergency vehicles killed one person and injured 17. The inquiry covers 2014-2021 Models S, X, Y and 3. 

    In October, Tesla had to roll back full self-driving, or FSD, with Musk revealing that the company is “seeing some issues with 10.3, so rolling back to 10.2 temporarily.” 

    And in November, Tesla issued a recall for 11,704 vehicles sold in the U.S. since 2017. The recall covers Model S, X, 3 and Y vehicles and came about as a result of an over-the-air firmware update of the automaker’s “Full Self-Driving Beta,” its advanced driver assistance system.

    The company identified a software communication error that could cause the forward-collision warning or automatic emergency brake system to falsely activate, possibly leading to a rear-end collision.

    Other OEM infotainment issues

    2022 Mercedes EQS 580 4Matic black daytime
    The new Mercedes-Benz EQS was recalled after it was found that its MBUX system allowed television and internet to be displayed while driving

    Other automakers are far more concerned over distracted driving than Tesla. On November 29, Mercedes-Benz recalled 227 vehicles in the U.S. after the company discovered that its MBUX infotainment system allowed television and internet to be displayed while driving.

    The recall affected 2021 Mercedes-Benz S580, 2022 EQS450, EQS580, and S500 models. Mercedes-Benz has already corrected the problem, and no deaths or injuries seem to have resulted from the problem.

    Musk pays billions to satisfy tax bill

    In other Tesla news, Reuters is reporting that Tesla CEO Elon Musk sold 10% of his own company stock, 13.5 million shares, 8.06 million of which were sold to pay taxes. The billionaire said he is paying more than $11 billion in taxes this year. 

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk
    Tesla CEO Elon Musk slammed California over its tax policy.

    “California used to be the land of opportunity and now it is … becoming more so the land of sort of overregulation, overlitigation, overtaxation,” Musk told Reuters, adding his combined federal and state tax rate tops 50 percent.

    The tax bill may explain why Musk recently relocated Tesla’s headquarters to Austin, Texas from Palo Alto, California.

    But taxes aren’t Musk’s only concern.

    The company has submitted all the documentation required to get its factory approved near Berlin, Germany. Approval of Tesla’s newest manufacturing facility has been delayed by environmental concerns and red tape due to Tesla’s decision to add a battery factory to the site. That has delayed the approval process. It remains unclear when the new plant is expected to open.


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  • First Look: 2022 Rolls Royce Ghost Black Badge

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    Who would have thought you could make the Rolls-Royce Ghost look so sinister?

    Rolls-Royce revealed a new addition to the Rolls-Royce Ghost line-up in Miami Thursday — the Black Badge — during a North America dealer meeting that saw about 100 retailers meet with the automaker’s top executives. 

    The automaker revealed the new model to dealers at the Mad nightclub in the hip and trendy Wynnewood section of Miami, and will do the same for customers later this week.

    “We just felt this was very Black Badge,” said Richard Carter, director of communications for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “It’s very, noir; It’s very alternative; and that’s the essence of Black Badge.”

    The Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge expands a line-up that began with the Wraith coupe, followed by the Phantom sedan in 2016, the Dawn cabriolet in 2017 and the Cullinan SUV in 2019. The murdered-out Black Badge models now account for more than 27% of Rolls-Royce sales worldwide, including 40% of Cullinan sales.

    The darker side of opulence

    To realize the Ghost Black Badge’s menacing demeanor, the company uses 100 pounds of the industry’s darkest black paint. The Spirit of Ecstasy and Pantheon Grille are darkened using a chrome electrolyte applied during chrome plating. The new model wears exclusive 21-inch wheels with as many as 44 layers of carbon fiber.

    The 2022 Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge can be had in more that 44,000 different hues, although most Black Badge customers choose black.

    As you’d expect, interior components are darkened including air vents and the wood veneer, along with Black Badge badging and other unique interior touches, although clients are free to specify any number of colors and trim to be used on the car’s interior.

    Engineers also contributed, fitting larger air springs to alleviate body roll during assertive cornering. There’s also roughly 29 additional horsepower and a revised transmission to make the Black Badge a bit more athletic. They also reduced brake pedal travel.

    A quick turn behind the wheel of pre-production prototypes revealed a car that can be driven more aggressively than your average Ghost. Grip is impressive while cornering, staying firmly planted despite some noticeable body roll. Body motions never become excessive, and rebound over bumps is very well controlled. Yet its agility doesn’t come at the expense of the brand’s legendary comfort.

    An idea born in Beverly Hills

    The idea of Black Badge occurred in 2014 in Beverly Hills.

    “This whole notion of the alter ego of Rolls Royce, the slightly noir, naughty, edgy side of Rolls Royce is something that we were thinking about. We were looking at ways and means of lowering the age profile of our brand,” Carter said.

    The Pantheon Grille and Spirit of Ecstasy also receive the Black Badge treatment.

    At the time, the brand had one model, the Phantom, and an average buyer’s age of 57. “We were selling one model to a dying set of customers, and there was no future in that,” he said.

    At the time, the company was about to release the first-generation Ghost, followed by its two-door spinoff, the Wraith, both of which would attract younger buyers. But the company needed more. They were searching for an idea, but hadn’t settled on anything yet.

    Torsten Müller-Ötvös, chief executive officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, was waiting for a car to pick him up at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills when a murdered-out Phantom Coupe pulled up. Ötvös was stunned, and asked the owner why he modified his Phantom.

    “He told me over the weekend, that he wants to be a different kind of character,” Ötvös said. “For some of the week, he is friendly and nice. But over the weekend, he wants to be something different. He enjoyed playing a different role; how he was dressed, looked and talked.” 

    A couple weeks later, Ötvös had similar experiences particularly in the United States, particularly in California. This led to the creation of Black Badge at a time where murdered-out cars weren’t mainstream.

    A surprising success

    The Ghost Black Badge is revealed for the first time at the Mad nightclub in Miami.

    Initially, executives expected Black Badge models to have a 10%-15% take rate. But they were mistaken. It turned out to be a stunning success, with a far higher take rate. Currently, Black Badge represents 40% of Cullinan sales. Black Badge, along with new models like Ghost, Wraith and Cullinan, have brought the average Rolls-Royce buyer’s age down to 43, quite a large drop in a little less than a decade. 

    “We are even younger than Mini as a brand in the BMW Group,” Ötvös said, who then explained that the type of wealthy car buyer has changed. 

    “When you look into ultra-high net worth individuals, those people who are our target group worldwide, they became younger and younger over time because the way to generate wealth is very, very different from what it used to be 15-to-20 years ago.”

    Rolls-Royce sees its Black Badge line as one that appeals to iconoclasts, a type of buyer that the brand has always attracted, particularly during the pre-World War II years, when all coachwork was custom built.

    “Black Badge was the most instrumental piece we had in an all-new brand strategy to massively decrease the average age and illuminate the brand in a significant way,” Ötvös said. 

    Mission accomplished.


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  • Ford Reports $1.8B Profit for Q3, Beats Estimates

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    Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford Motor Co. reported net income of $1.8 billion, or 45 cents per share, and adjusted earnings of $3 billion for the third quarter of 2021. 

    Ford CEO Farley Sept 2021
    Ford CEO Jim Farley still believes the company is “spring loaded” for success, especially after the strong third quarter.

    The company’s revenue for the period was $35.7 billion, which was down slightly — like the rest of the quarter’s numbers — from the same quarter last year. However, they’re better than the analysts’ consensus estimate expecting 27 cents per share and revenue of $32.7 billion.

    Those numbers are also an improvement compared with the Q2 results, which were expected to be the worst results for the year due to the ongoing semiconductor shortage.

    Ford officials claim Ford +, the plan aimed at making the automaker a leaner, meaner, more innovative profit-making machine, is taking root and the profitable third quarter results reflect those nearly yearlong efforts to implement it.

    “This is the most exciting Ford lineup I’ve seen, but what matters is that customers love our new products and services – and we’re just getting started,” said President and CEO Jim Farley. “The trajectory of our business gives us huge confidence in Ford+, and we’re obsessively turning the plan’s promise into reality.” 

    More positive numbers

    Kansas City Assembly Plant
    Ford officials confirmed the worst of it is over for the company when it comes to the semiconductor shortage.

    Ford’s adjusted EBIT was $3 billion, with an adjusted EBIT margin of 8.4 percent. Third-quarter cash flow from operations was $7 billion and adjusted free cash flow was $7.7 billion, both up considerably from the second quarter largely because of the higher wholesales and profitability. The company ended Q3 with $31.5 billion of cash and $47.4 billion in total liquidity. 

    The company’s results were strong enough that officials increased its guidance for full-year 2021 adjusted EBIT to between $10.5 billion and $11.5 billion. 

    Some of the improvement comes from the increased availability of semiconductor supplies, the company noted, adding its regional product shipments increased 67% from its second quarter results. The result was an increase in EBIT margin to 10.1% — higher than the 8% benchmark set by the Ford+ program for 2023.

    Ford said it remains what Farley calls “spring loaded” for growth in North America as semiconductor volumes increase, with a 50% sequential increase in orders — to more than 100,000 — for vehicles already on the market, excluding those for the all-new Bronco. 

    More investment as part of the plan

    BlueOvalSK Battery Park exterior rendering
    Ford expects to invest $40 billion to $45 billion in strategic capital expenditures between 2020 and 2025.

    Farley said the Ford+ plan combines foundational strengths and evolving new capabilities to create superior experiences for customers — and profitable growth for Ford — in electric vehicles, commercial vehicles and services, connected services and autonomy/mobility. 

    According to CFO John Lawler, the company expects to invest $40 billion to $45 billion in strategic capital expenditures between 2020 and 2025 — including one-half of the more than $30 billion it plans to devote exclusively to BEVs during that same period. 

    Those investments are highlighted by the move to build a new F-Series truck plant just outside Memphis, Tennessee as well as a EV battery production plant in a complex it’s calling Blue Oval City, plus two more battery assembly sites in Kentucky in partnership with SK Innovation in a venture called BlueOval SK. 

    Other projects mentioned, included: the closed-loop battery recycling facility with Redwood Materials, the construction of the new BEV production facility in Germany and the new joint venture slated to build E-Transit battery-electric commercial vans in Turkey.

    “What’s certain is that we’re going to keep investing smartly and heavily in Ford+ – customer-facing technology and always-on relationships, connectivity, and EVs – on top of a foundation that’s broad and deep,” said Lawler. “We believe the long-term value creation from these investments will be substantial.” 


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  • An Electric Dodge Muscle Car, a Battery-Powered Ram Pickup; Stellantis is Readying an EV Assault

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    Long seen as a laggard in the electric vehicle market, Stellantis revealed a $35 billion program to bring at least 55 plug-in hybrids and pure battery-electric vehicles to market by mid-decade – a list that will include a BEV Ram pickup and an all-electric muscle car that will be the fastest and most powerful ever produced by the Dodge brand.

    The automaker – formed by a merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group early this year – outlined its plans to go electric during a nearly three-hour presentation Thursday morning. During that time, Stellantis executives announced a procession of new plug-ins and BEVs, while also laying out the company’s accelerating shift away from gas and diesel engines. The virtual event was intended to quash concerns that Stellantis was lagging the industry’s race to electrify.

    “We are already in the race,” declared the automaker’s CEO Carlos Tavares. “We are on a rolling start and we are now accelerating.”

    “We are committed”

    While the European side of Stellantis has been active in the battery-car market – it was second-largest by sales volume last year – the U.S. side has been reluctant, at best. When the old Fiat Chrysler Automobiles launched its first BEV, the Fiat 500e, in 2013, the late CEO Sergio Marchionne declared he wanted no one to buy it car because each one lost the company about $14,000.

    FCA began to shift direction with the launch of its first plug-in, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan. And it has scored a runaway hit with the debut this spring of the plug-in Jeep Wrangler 4xe. It has become the best-selling PHEV in the U.S. market, accounting for 20.1% of the compact SUV’s sales over the past several months.

    Now, Jeep will have to prove that’s no fluke. The plan announced Thursday will see the brand add 4xe versions of every product in its line-up by 2025, with a version of the next-generation Grand Cherokee coming for the 2022 model-year.

    “We are committed to zero emissions,” said Christian Meunier, the Jeep brand’s CEO.

    Four new EV platforms

    The automaker’s other light truck brand has big electrification plans, as well. Ram is working up an all-electric version of the familiar 1500 full-size pickup which will reach market by 2024, announced brand boss Mike Koval.

    That will bring the division into the fast-growing EV pickup segment later than key competitors Ford, Chevrolet and GMC, as well as upstarts like Rivian and Tesla. But Koval defended the late arrival by declaring Ram’s entry will be “the right product at the right time.”

    The goal, he added, is to “push past” the competition with a mix of a radical new design and enhanced features. Among other things, the platform the electric Ram will be based on could offer range of as much as 500 miles per charge.

    In all, Stellantis is developing four new architectures for its electric vehicles, one each for small, medium and large passenger cars and SUVs, with a fourth using a body-on-frame structure for use with pickups, such as the electric Ram 1500, as well as commercial vehicles. The familiar Ram ProMaster is one of the trucks that will go electric, while Stellantis also plans to launch a hydrogen fuel-cell powered van before the end of this year.

    Dodge gets an electric muscle car

    The smallest of the new platforms will be used for products like the next-generation Fiat 500e. The Italian automaker will effectively go all electric in the years ahead. Most of its plans target Europe, but some battery models will come to the U.S. And Fiat also will enter the Chinese market with pure BEVs.

    2019 Fiat 500e

    The new STLA Large platform will find numerous applications within the Stellantis line-up, underpinning bigger SUVs – as well as the first electrified Dodge model.

    The upcoming muscle car – which TheDetroitBureau.com first reported on in June – will be faster than any product the muscle car marque has ever before offered, launching from 0 to 100 kmh, or 62 mph, in about 2 seconds. That would put it on a par with the new Tesla Model S Plaid. And it would blow away the previous track star, the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Demon.

    Dodge brand boss Tim Kuniskis put the emphasis on what matters to Dodge customers during the Thursday web event: Performance. And the reality is that going fully electric is the only way to take the brand’s iconic muscle cars to the next level.

    “Our engineers are reaching practical limit of what we can squeeze from an internal combustion engine. We know that electric motors can give us more,” he explained.

    Chrysler not forgotten

    During the nearly three-hour session, Stellantis officials quickly ran through an assortment of the company’s 14 brands, including Opel/Vauxhall, the long-struggling enterprise acquired from General Motors a few years back. Based in Germany, it is making a hard turn towards electric propulsion. All models will be offered with a PHEV or BEV package by 2024, said brand CEO Michael Lohscheller.

    2021 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle Hybrid

    “By 2028 Opel will be purely electric in Europe” he added, noting that the marque also plans to enter China as an entirely electric brand.

    A handful of Stellantis brands were left on the sidelines Thursday, including Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Maserati. But while specific plans for the long-struggling Chrysler were saved for a future announcement, Stellantis took pains to emphasize it will remain part of the family. Ralph Gilles, the head of design for the North American side of the company, was shown riding in and working on an all-electric Chrysler concept.

    By mid-decade, Stellantis expects to be chasing its most aggressive competitors, if not leading, in the EV space. By 2025, the company estimates, plug-based products will account for 14% of its sales in Europe and 4% in the United States. By 2030, however, Tavares forecast that will jump to more than 70% in Europe and over 40% in the U.S.

    To get there will require major changes at all levels of the company, from software development to marketing to manufacturing, officials stressed.

    New battery chemistries

    Stellantis is developing two new lithium-ion battery chemistries, including one that eliminates cobalt, a costly metal that also creates environmental issues in its mining and production. Battery packs will be able to hold anywhere from 37 to more than 200 kilowatt-hours of energy. Range will run up to 300 miles with the STL Small architecture up to 500 miles per charge with the STLA Large and STLA Frame platforms. Charging times are also expected to drop to as little as 10 minutes for an extra 200 miles range.

    By 2026, meanwhile, the automaker hopes to begin shifting to an entirely new type of battery, solid-state technology expected to see substantially reductions in cost even while boosting range, cutting charging times and reducing the risk of battery fires.

    Battery technology will prove critical in numerous ways, said Chief Financial Officer Richard Palmer, not only delivering competitive range, power and charging, but also in bringing down the cost of electric vehicles. Right now, he acknowledged, Stellantis depends on governmental incentives to help it break even on the sale of its EVs. But the goal is to slash the cost of electric technology by more than a third, making it possible for Stellantis to achieve “double-digit” profit margins by the latter part of the decade.

    While the automaker might have taken its time getting off the starting blocks, Tavares insisted it won’t be behind for long. “Stellantis is now in full execution mode,” he declared, “at full speed on its electrification journey.”


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  • Tesla Sets New Records with Q1 Results

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    Tesla set another quarterly record for deliveries during the first quarter of 2021.

    As predicted by many, Tesla Inc. set another quarterly record for production and deliveries during the first quarter of 2021 while rolling out another profitable quarter.

    The delivery numbers eclipsed the previous record by more than 4,000 units, coming in at 184,877 vehicles during the quarter. The overwhelming majority of the deliveries were Model 3 and Model Y at 182,847 vehicles – at 140% increase compared to the year-ago number. It’s also a 21,000-plus unit jump compared with the previous quarter.

    The company’s automotive revenue came in at $9 billion, an increase of 75% compared with Q1 2020. Overall, the company’s total revenue came in at $10.4 billion with a net income of $438 million or 39 cents per share. It also reported an adjusted EBITDA of $1.8 billion for the quarter with operating income reported at $594 million with a 5.7% operating margin.

    Big results — again

    Tesla’s Elon Musk is taking on a new role: host of Saturday Night Live.

    Quarter-end and cash equivalents to $17.1 billion in Q1, driven mainly by a net cash outflow of $1.2 billion in cryptocurrency (Bitcoin) purchases, net debt and finance lease repaymenbts of $1.2 billion, partially offset by free cash flow of $293 million.

    “There’s no guarantee that Elon Musk’s appearance on SNL will garner big laughs, but it’s certain that he’s laughing all the way to the bank,” said Jessic Caldwell, Edmunds’ executive director of insights.

    “Tesla had a record-breaking first quarter, and seems to be doing particularly well compared to its more traditional OEM competitors who are starting to flounder in light of the unique market conditions squeezing the industry right now. It’s pretty ironic that as an automaker known for producing computers on wheels, Tesla’s deliveries in a quarter marred by a global chip shortage have proven to be so strong.

    The big numbers came despite the fact the average selling price for one of its vehicles fell during the quarter. However, officials seem almost pleased by that, noting that lowering “the average cost of the vehicles we produce is essential to our mission.”

    The exterior of the new Model S is a little more angular than its predecessor.

    Big sales — again

    The company was quick to note that with production of its Model 3 basically coming from one plant (Shanghai), it is the best-selling premium sedan “in the world.” It outsold its top competitors, the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes E-Class.

    “This demonstrates that an electric vehicle can be a category leader and outsell its gas-powered counterparts. We believe Model Y can become not just a category leader, but also the best-selling vehicle of any kind globally,” the company told investors.

    With the strong performance of those two, production of the 2021 Model S — the vehicle that really started it all — “should start very shortly.” Officials noted that production of the Model Y production rate in Shanghai continues to improve and “two new factories — Berlin and Texas — are making progress. There is a lot to be excited about in 2021.”

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  • Genesis Goes Electric with Electrified G80 Sedan’s Debut in Shanghai

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    Genesis G80 EV front

    Genesis is looking to make up some ground when it comes to electrification with the new Electrified G80.

    The Genesis brand is determined to go from catch-up mode to leaving its competition behind. After an initial delay, it’s rolled out an assortment of new SUVs and its now getting into the battery-car game with the launch of the Electrified G80 at the Shanghai Auto Show.

    The name of the Genesis Electrified G80 sedan might confuse some folks, making it sound like the automaker simply stuffed some batteries inside the conventional, gas-powered G8. However, the new model gets a major makeover to ensure it gets the range and other benefits offered by switching to battery power.

    “Today is very special because it represents a variety of firsts for the Genesis brand, not only because this is Genesis’ very first appearance at Auto Shanghai, but also as the first time we are unveiling a new product outside of Korea,” said Jay Chang, Global head of the Genesis brand. “The Electrified G80, the perfect balance of athleticism and elegance, marks the beginning of our journey into the EV market, representing Genesis in the era of electrification.”

    Filling in gaps in the product line-up

    Genesis G80 EV side charging

    Genesis has been on a product roll in the last year or so, but an EV was a hole in the line-up — until now.

    Genesis has been on a roll this past year, expanding its SUV line-up, updating initial sedans, including the gas-powered G80, and rolling out concepts like the all-electric Genesis X coupe revealed last month.

    The one thing missing has been a production battery-electric vehicle, something the automaker has long signaled was in the works — though it also was known to be considering different options, including a crossover, a city car or, as it now turns out, a relatively conventional sedan.

    There are some questions left to be answered, such as what platform the Electrified G80 rides on. Parent Hybrid Motor Group has developed the E-GMP architecture for use on products including the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

    It’s not clear whether it also underpins the Genesis Electrified G80. But the luxury member of the family has clearly found a way to squeeze in plenty of batteries, claiming the BEV sedan will deliver as much as 500 km, or 310 miles, range using the global NEDC standard. That likely would drop to something at or under 250 miles using the U.S. EPA test cycle.

    Quicker charging

    Genesis G80 EV interior

    The interior of the new electric G80 sedan features a slew of technology.

    The powertrain also aims to address concerns about charging times. The Electrified G80’s drive system can flip from 400 to 800 volts, allowing it to plug into the latest public quick chargers. Using the newest 350 kilowatt systems it can go from a 10% to 80% state-of-charge in just 22 minutes, Genesis claims.

    The Vehicle-to-Load, or V2L, system also lets a motorist tap energy stored in the battery to power electric tools or, if need be, appliances should a home suffer a power outage.

    Genesis isn’t ready to reveal specifics about the motor drive system, though it does note the all-wheel-drive system has a “Disconnector Actuator” that lets it switch from AWD to just rear-wheel drive. That suggests there is a single motor mounted, most likely, on the rear axle.

    In Sport Mode, the automaker claims, the Electrified G80 will launch from 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds.

    Lots of unanswered questions

    While the battery model looks much like the conventional G80, it features a sealed version of the familiar Genesis Crest Grille. That reduces aero drag since there’s no need to send air to cool and feed a gas engine under the hood. The charging port is hidden within the grille’s upper right corner.

    Inside, the automaker switched to sustainable materials, including fabrics made of PET from recycled soft drink bottles.

    Calling electrification “one of the key strategies” for the brand, Genesis said the Electrified G80 will be followed by “additional EV models.” It also said it will share more information about the BEV and plans to bring it to North America “later this year.”

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  • “Zoom Zombies” Are the Driving Dead

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    Zoom call

    Too many of these could turn you into a zombie if you have to climb behind the wheel afterward.

    If you’re one of the millions of Americans who have been working from home and spending hours a day in video meetings you might notice it can become difficult pulling your thoughts back together at the end of the day. And if you then have to climb behind the wheel that could prove deadly.

    A new study raises concerns about “Zoom Zombies,” motorists who can’t fully focus on the road ahead after a day of videoconferencing. This may be one of the reasons why in 2020 U.S. highway deaths posted their biggest year-over-year increase in nearly a century.

    “COVID-19 fundamentally changed the way we interact with our vehicles,” said David Timm, founder and CEO of Root Insurance, which raised concerns about Zoom Zombies in its annual Distracted Driving Awareness Survey. “As many abruptly shifted to a virtual environment, Americans’ reliance on technology dramatically increased along with their screen time, causing a majority of drivers to carry this distracted behavior into their vehicles.”

    Covid-19 and the distracted driving pandemic

    rollover crash

    NHTSA estimates that more than 10% of highway deaths stem from distracted driving.

    Distracted driving has become an increasingly serious problem as more and more motorists interact with smartphones and other technology while behind the wheel. Even before the COVID pandemic, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that more than 10% of highway fatalities involved distracted driving. Preliminary analysis suggests that has gone up since last year’s lockdowns began.

    The Roots study found 64% of the U.S. motorists it surveyed acknowledging they check their phones while driving. That’s up 2% from last year, and 6% from the 2019 Distracted Driving Awareness Survey. Meanwhile, 53% of the respondents said they check their phones within the first 15 minutes behind the wheel — a 9% jump from 2019 — when they should be trying to shift focus to driving.

    Add the fact that drivers are downplaying the risks. The study found three in 10 drivers don’t see the risk of driving while using a mobile phone. That’s up from 24% just a year ago.

    But the study raised another concern: even when motorists aren’t texting or chatting on their phones, they still might not be paying full attention to the job of driving.

    Lexus Driving Disrupted distracted drivers

    Younger drivers are more likely to have trouble concentrating on the road after engaging in some sort of video conference call.

    The younger the driver, the worse the problem

    Root reports that 54% of the 1,819 adult motorists it surveyed have had trouble concentrating on the road after making videoconference calls with Zoom, Microsoft Meet or some other software platform. The younger the driver, the worse the problem. For Gen Z motorists, 65% reported losing focus while driving, while it was 61% for millennials and 48% for Gen-Xers.

    “The problem with distraction is huge and it’s not just checking e-mail or texting,” said Russ Rader, an executive with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “There’s the risk of cognitive distraction, looking at the road while your thoughts are elsewhere. That zoning out may mean you don’t notice a dangerous situation soon enough to react.”

    Whether you call them “Zoom Zombies” or “Zoombies,” the problem has gained widespread attention, and concern — especially when it comes to driving.

    If it appears drivers has seemingly forgotten how to drive as pandemic-related restrictions eased, it’s because, well, they have.

    “I think computer use, in general, can overload you,” especially after a series of videoconference meetings, said Joan Claybrook, a former NHTSA administrator and longtime auto safety advocate. “After you get into your car you may be operating on auto pilot.”

    Driving skills have atrophied

    That’s all the worse as we emerge from the pandemic, experts told TheDetroitBureau.com. During the last 12 months, most Americans have been driving less and even as roadways begin to look more crowded, “driving skills have atrophied for many people,” warns Sam Abuelsamid, principal auto analyst with Guidehouse Insights.

    “It’s become harder to drive safely because you’re going to forget some of the skills you learned over time,” added Abuelsamid. “It’s not as easy as just jumping back on a bike.”

    While he believes Zoom fatigue is “likely a contributor to the increase in highway fatalities,” how much it contributes is uncertain. What’s clear is that highway fatalities soared in 2020, even as motorists slashed the number of miles they drove.

    Record surge in fatalities

    Preliminary data indicated as many as 42,060 Americans were killed in motor vehicle crashes last year, the National Safety Council reported last month. That was an 8% increase from 2019. That surge occurred even though Americans drove a total of 2.83 trillion miles in 2020. That was a 13.2% decrease from the year before, marking the lowest level of driving by American motorists in two decades, reported the U.S. Federal Highway Authority.

    Traffic fatalities rose in 2020, rising 8%, but the death rate, the number of deaths per miles driven, jumped 24% compared with 2019.

    So, on a per mile basis, the death rate surged by 24% in 2020, the biggest year-over-year increase since 1924.

    Why does “Zooming” take so much out of people? It’s not like sitting around a table for an in-person meeting. Key visual cues are absent, such as body language, while others can overwhelm, according to psychologist Sharon Parker, director of the Centre for Transformative Work Design.

    They tend to be sharply focused, without the normal chit-chat and other interactions that come before — sometimes during — and after in-person meetings, Parker wrote. One result: participants come away struggling to interpret what actually happened rather than transferring attention to what comes next.

    And that may extend beyond the work day to when you’re behind the wheel and should be focusing on the road ahead.

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  • Krafcik Leaves Waymo After Five Years as CEO

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    John Krafcik NADA 2018

    Waymo CEO John Krafcik is way gone, announcing his departure and the company’s plans to move the current COO and CTO into the role of co-CEO.

    Add “former” to the title of Waymo CEO John Krafcik, who announced today he’s left the company.

    The former Hyundai Motor America chief spent five years heading up the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Google, which, according to his farewell on LinkedIn, “was called ‘Chauffeur’ internally.”

    Tekedra Mawakana and Dmitri Dolgov, of whom Krafcik said “having seen their brilliance, vision, and commitment in play for years — I assure you they are very well suited for this,” take over as co-CEOs of the Mountain View, Calif.-based AI-focused company. As is often the case with senior executives, Krafcik will stay on in an advisory capacity.

    “So now, with the fully autonomous Waymo One ride-hailing service open to all in our launch area of Metro Phoenix, and with the fifth generation of the Waymo Driver being prepared for deployment in ride-hailing and goods delivery, it’s a wonderful opportunity for me to pass the baton to Tekedra and Dmitri as Waymo’s co-CEOs,” he wrote.

    Next steps

    Waymo co CEO Tekedra Mawakana

    Waymo named former COO Tekedra Mawakana as its new co-CEO to replace Krafcik.

    Krafcik didn’t offer many details what the future holds, although it could be that he’s uncertain himself. He said he and his wife, Leila, will take a “coupbatical,” which he described as “a refresh period where we look forward to reconnecting with old friends & family, and discovering new parts of the world.

    “After that, we’ve got a few ideas for focus and contribution that we’ll flesh out together and share when the time is right. We’ve already relocated to Austin, Texas, and we look forward to seeing some of you there, or on our travels.”

    Krafcik once headed up Hyundai’s U.S. operations, helping lead the brand through an image renaissance and a period of rapid growth. He even earned the “Automotive Executive of the Year” in 2013. However, his run there ended in late 2013 after the South Korean automaker declined to renew his contract — despite the accolade.

    However, he quickly landed on his feet, taking over as CEO of TrueCar just as the automotive sales and data website was readying to go public. His tenure there was short, however, as he moved on to Waymo, then-Google’s self-driving car project, just a little more than a year later in September 2015.

    Dynamic duo

    Waymo coCEO Dmitri Dolgov

    Waymo CTO Dmitri Dolgov joins Mawakana as co-CEO with Krafcik’s departure.

    As for the company, Mawakana and Dolgov now step into new roles. Previously the COO and CTO respectively, they are described as having “complementary skill sets and experiences.” Due to the nature of their roles, they’re already accustomed to working together.

    Dolgov, who started in autonomy as part of Stanford’s DARPA Urban Challenge team, joined the company in 2009, when it was still referred to as Google’s self-driving car project. Over time, his influence and responsibility grew. He became CTO late in 2016.

    Mawakana, joined­­ Waymo as a policy lead. Prior to joining the company in 2017, she led global policy teams at eBay, AOL, Startec and Yahoo, after beginning her career as Washington, D.C.-based law firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP.

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  • Volts, er, Volkswagen’s April Fool’s Day Prank a Jolt to the System

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    Oh those wacky Germans!! As quickly as it got here, VW took it away: Voltswagen is the company that never was.

    A lesson for wannabe pranksters: if you’re planning an April Fool’s Day joke, stick to April 1st.

    That lesson apparently got lost in translation over at Voltswagen, er, Volkswagen headquarters when the company intentionally leaked an “internal document” on March 29 indicating it was planning to change its name as a way to highlight a dramatic, mega-billion-dollar shift to battery-electric vehicles.

    Like so many others, automotive PR departments have often found ways to tweak the media on April 1 and the closer a supposed story hews to reality the better the joke — though news veterans have learned to tread cautiously with everything they see that day. VW’s gag, it seems, gained credibility because of the timing, even though it would have generated major skepticism had it come out two days later.

    But “There will be no renaming of Volkswagen of America,” the company now says after receiving numerous angry calls from those fooled by the supposed name change — including, we will admit, TheDetroitBureau.com.

    Good one, guys … good one

    Volkswagen of America chief Scott Keogh, left, and VW AG CEO Herbert Diess share a laugh, knowing what was going to be unleashed on the U.S. media.

    As readers will note, we did question whether this was part of a short-term marketing campaign, rather than a real, permanent name change. After all, other companies have taken similar steps. IHOP in 2018 announced it was becoming IHOB, a short-lived switch, it turned out, to promote the fact it offered more than just pancakes for breakfast.

    Indeed, the stunt was intended to highlight the launch of the Voltswagen, er, Volkswagen ID.4, the carmaker’s first long-range battery-electric vehicle targeting the U.S. market. It began rolling into American showrooms this month.

    “The alleged renaming was designed to be an announcement in the spirit of April Fool’s Day, highlighting the launch of the all-electric ID.4 SUV and signaling our commitment to bringing electric mobility to all,” said a statement from VW released the day after the rouse, 36 hours before April Fool’s Day.

    The right amount of credibility for a fake release

    The thread of credibility was, in fact, there for at least a short-term use of the name Voltswagen. The German company is going all-in on electrification, committing to spend more than $80 billion to bring at least 50 all-electric models to market by mid-decade. Its high-line Bentley brand will only sell battery-electric vehicles by 2030 and while the flagship VW brand hasn’t committed to going completely BEV, global CEO Herbert Diess has strongly hinted that is in the works.

    VW ID.4 driving

    Volkswagen has designated $86 billion to bring more than 50 EVs to market in the next few years, including the ID.4.

    “We have said, from the beginning of our shift to an electric future, that we will build EVs for the millions, not just millionaires. This name change signifies a nod to our past as the peoples’ car and our firm belief that our future is in being the peoples’ electric car,” said the fake VW release, purportedly quoting Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Volkswagen of America.

    VW already did adopt a new name for its electric vehicles. They are being grouped together under the ID banner. An all-electric hatchback, the ID.3, went on sale in Europe last year. Other models are coming, including the ID.Buzz, a modern, battery-powered take on the legendary VW Microbus.

    Volkswagen isn’t alone, one rival German automaker marketing its BEVs through the new Mercedes-EQ marque, another opting to call its electric models BMW i. And Hyundai just launched a new battery-car sub-brand called Ioniq.

    VW’s reaching out to promote its electrification efforts shouldn’t be surprising. The automaker’s global CEO Herbert Diess declared a goal of becoming the world’s leading EV manufacturer, his goal to “overtake” today’s top seller, Tesla.

    Whether the Voltswagen stunt will short-circuit the launch of the ID.4 isn’t certain. But wary journalists are likely to be far less willing to get charged up the next time a VW press release arrives.

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  • Bow. Wow! One-Bow Design Takes Mercedes EQS in an Entirely New Direction

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    Mercedes EQS with Thomas Kuppers

    The new Mercedes-Benz EQS battery-electric sedan makes its formal debut April 15.

    One thing’s for sure: there’ll be no mistaking the new Mercedes EQS sedan when it rolls down the street.

    Think of the EQS as the all-electric alternative to the German automaker’s familiar S-Class flagship. But you clearly won’t confuse the two when it reaches showrooms in autumn. Some new battery-electric vehicles share the same design language as conventional, gas-powered products. With EQS, Mercedes goes off in an entirely new direction, one it’s been hinting at with concept vehicles like the 2019 Vision EQS.

    The production model adopts what the automaker calls a “one-bow” design. It takes the look of the coupe-like Mercedes CLS to extremes. The result could have rolled off the set of a sci-fi film. But there are practical benefits in terms of range and interior roominess, as well.

    “We said we have to go further” than just packing batteries into a conventional looking product,” Steffen Kohl, Mercedes’ director of advanced exterior style, said during a media webinar. The EQS “carries the future of Mercedes-Benz,” he added, noting the “one-bow” language of the EQS will strongly influence other products to come from the new, all-electric Mercedes-EQ sub-brand.

    Plenty of power and range

    Mercedes EQS with Robert Lesnik

    Robert Lesnik led the exterior design effort for Mercedes new EQS battery-electric sedan.

    EQS rides on a skateboard-like platform, mimicking virtually all new battery-electric vehicles. Its batteries, motors and other key electrical components sit below the floorboards.

    The automaker will reveal full powertrain details during a formal unveiling April 15. But EQS uses twin motors, one on each axle, drawing power from a 108 kilowatt-hour battery pack. That provides about 435 miles of range using the European WLTP test cycle. The EPA rating should come in somewhere about 350 miles, according to industry observers.

    The layout moves the sedan’s wheels close to the vehicle’s corners. It also frees up space where a traditional gas or diesel engine would be mounted, providing significant flexibility to the Mercedes design team.

    Shorter wheelbase, longer cabin

    The cab-forward design features a short nose, the angled, one-piece aluminum clamshell hood rising aggressively to flow into a steeply raked windshield. Instead of a traditional, two- or three-box layout, the look is like that of a single bow line, explained Robert Lesnik, who led the exterior design effort.

    The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS concept provided a framework for the company’s new electric luxury sedan.

    “EQS will be the world’s best production car ever in terms of aerodynamics,” with a drag coefficient of 0.20 significantly better than even the sleekest of today’s supercars, he explained.

    The effect “looks optically lower than it is,” Lesnik added.

    The front end features a new grille with “abstracted, three-dimensional star pattern(s),” according to Mercedes. It’s framed by slit-like headlamps flowing into the front quarter panels.

    “When people ask why we need a grille anymore,” Lesnik explains that it is “not an air intake. It’s a face.”

    “Coming from the future”

    The side panels lack the normal creases found on conventional Mercedes models, though the greenhouse does pinch in towards the trunk, giving the EQS a sense of muscularity.

    Mercedes-Benz EQS interior

    The new EQS features Mercedes’ newly introduced Hyperscreen technology.

    Around back, the most distinctive feature is a light band connecting what Mercedes calls “curved, 3D helix” taillamps.

    From nose to tail, the new EQS measures 5.2 meters, or 204.7 inches. That’s about 3.5 inches shorter than the U.S. version of the latest Mercedes S-Class. But the electric sedan has more room for four passengers, its cabin pushed forward into what would normally be the engine compartment.

    As distinctive as the exterior might be, the interior takes things even further, said Peter Balko, who oversaw development of the cabin. “We wanted our interior to be modern,” he explained, “as if coming from the future.”

    Buyers will have numerous options

    Buyers have several key options to choose from. The showpiece layout uses the new hyperscreen concept first shown on the latest S-Class. It features a seamless digital cluster running the entire width of the instrument panel. The organically shaped glass blends three different displays, starting with the digital gauge cluster, the touchscreen infotainment screen and a separate display for the front passenger.

    Mercedes-Benz EQS gauges

    The gauge cluster on the new EQS is configurable based on the wants of the driver.

    EQS offers a digital gauge cluster and a large, free-floating, Tesla-like infotainment screen for those seeking a more conventional look. The space in front of the passenger can be outfitted with an assortment of different woods and fabrics and even a version of the Star Pattern grille.

    The EQS will “touch almost all of your senses,” said Kohl. Among other things, the product development team has come up with three distinctive, user-programmable “soundscapes.”

    Sounding off

    While battery cars aren’t entirely silent, they are significantly quieter than vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines. Motorists can enjoy the lack of noise or they can opt for one of the soundscapes, “depending upon the emotions of the moment,” said lead sound engineer Thomas Kuppers.

    • Silver Waves is meant to be soft and soothing;
    • Vivid Flux is “shimming and explosive,” a bit “techie but (with) warmth,” said Kuppers; and
    • Roaring Pulse is “pretty raw, with “the growl of thunder,” especially under aggressive driving.

    “We haven’t finished yet,” Kuppers added, noting that, “There will be new soundscapes over the life of the vehicle that we will download through over-the-air updates.”

    The new EQS will borrow from the conventional S-Class by also appealing to the sense of smell, Mercedes officials noted. The new BEV will have the ability to inject scents into the cabin, including some designed specifically for the new model.

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