Category: Automotive News

Auto industry, partners, researchers join the EV charging consortium

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The National Charging Experience Consortium has more industry involvement than other government-led consortia, Smart said. The industry has struggled with charging consistency and reliability for a number of reasons, including a lack of data sharing as automakers and charging companies are reluctant to share data with competitors. The national labs will keep members’ data confidential and provide an independent review of data from all participants, Smart said. Industry participation is critical to scaling and validating EV charging infrastructure, Smart said. “Our goal is to produce solutions that the industry buys into and can immediately implement to overcome barriers to charge…
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Gentex auto supplier hit by ransomware attack

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According to TechTarget, a Dunghill operator reached out with a link to what the group claims is 5 terabytes of sensitive corporate data from Gentex, including client documents and personal employee information. The report indicated Dunghill posted the stolen information on the dark web as well as shared data with unspecified foreign and domestic manufacturers after Gentex “refused to cooperate.” Threats against companies in the manufacturing industry have become more prevalent and more costly as of late. According to an annual report from IBM, the cost of a data breach for the industrial sector — which includes chemical, engineering and…
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Construction of Stellantis EV battery module plant remains at stand still

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Ford said May 19 that his government would offer more support. “I will confirm we’re putting more money on the table,” he said after an unrelated announcement in St. Catharines, Ont. “This is all about saving jobs and giving people the quality of life they deserve in southwestern Ontario.” The premier wouldn’t provide details on the additional amount of funding the province is prepared to provide. A Stellantis spokesperson on May 23 said the company has “no new comments or statements at this time.” “Construction remains stopped for the module building.” The plant, expected to employ 2,500 people and slated…
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Consider This Before Repairing Your Windshield

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Does your windshield currently have a crack, chip, or some sort of break? While you may not believe the damage is too significant right now, it can turn into a real problem for your safety. As such, windshield repair and replacement are important and should be pursued urgently. The skilled, friendly, and professional team at Lucky Dog Auto Glass has put together a list of questions for you to consider before choosing how to deal with windshield damage–take a look! How bad is the chip in the windshield? Yes, chips may seem small or, as stated above, insignificant, but they’re…
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2024 Ford Ranger Raptor to boost ICE profits at little extra cost

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“When you can get scale and engineering efficiencies through a lot of re-use of parts, you can really do a lot of things both from a business perspective and also from a customer perspective, making sure we’re bringing them new and exciting products ,” John Emmert, Ford’s general manager of North America trucks, told Automotive News. “A lot of our enthusiast products create a halo for the rest of the brand.” The Raptor line started as a skunkworks project on the 2010 F-150 that was well received by customers looking for off-road performance. Such buyers also exist in the midsize…
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Polestar 3 electric crossover delayed again

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Polestar now expects 2023 global sales volumes of 60,000 to 70,000, compared with its earlier forecast of about 80,000 units. Polestar delivered 51,491 units last year. “Given the tougher economic climate, it is difficult for us to compensate for the absence of the Polestar 3 volumes with an incremental Polestar 2 volume,” Polestar CFO Johan Malmqvist said on an earnings call Thursday. “That, coupled with high market uncertainties, led us to call down the volumes.” Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath said the volume forecast adjustment would also help the automaker protect the profit margin on the Polestar 2. “We are intent…
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Insurers sue Hyundai and Kia over costs of easily hot-wired vehicles

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The widespread theft of vulnerable older Hyundai and Kia models not equipped with a crucial anti-theft device could end up costing the US insurance industry up to $600 million. Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, American Family and 65 other auto insurers, which comprise only a fraction of the country’s insurance companies, estimate that just their portion of the payout to owners who have been affected by the social media-driven crime wave could top $300 million . The insurers, who filed a lawsuit in US District Court in Orange County, Calif., in March, say they have already paid out $190 million. They are…
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Canada’s Linamar will ‘immediately’ break ground on new plant

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Canadian auto supplier Linamar Corp. plans to break ground “immediately” on a new plant in Welland, Ont., that will house three giga-casting presses capable of producing very large aluminum structural parts for electric vehicles. The Guelph, Ont.-based parts supplier announced the new site in the city south of Niagara Falls as it reported its first-quarter earnings on Wednesday. Company CEO Linda Hasenfratz said the state-of-the-art plant will be a “flagship location” for the company’s structural castings business. “As the first supplier to invest in this equipment in North America, Linamar will naturally take a market leadership position in this technology,”…
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