It seems like it was only a year ago that the auto industry started to acknowledge the damage the global microchip shortage was going to do to it; oh wait—it was a year ago! That’s how long this has been going on. While some rather optimistic initial industry estimates discussed this being an issue mostly […]
Category: Current Auto News
Tesla on Trial: Is the EV Leader Becoming Hot Garbage?
For years now, rumors have swirled that Apple was looking to get into the auto industry with their own vehicle, a so-called “iCar.” From where I’m sitting, however, they don’t need to do this because the auto industry already has an Apple of its own named “Tesla.” That’s right Apple and Tesla fans, shots fired, […]
Can the Wrangler Catch Up to the Bronco?
With the recent return of the Ford Bronco, there’s been plenty of heated debate about whether the Bronco or the Jeep Wrangler is the better off-road SUV. For decades now, Jeep pretty well had that title locked down with very little real competition from the other big manufacturers. The Ford Bronco changed all of that, […]
Stories about an Apple Car Continue to Flourish
CurrHere we go again. The news cycle in the auto industry is an interesting creature: there are predictable peaks and valleys throughout different times of the year. As you’d expect, a lot of excitement each year tends to start bubbling in the weeks around the major auto shows, and the end and beginning of each […]
Tesla and Hertz Announce New Partnership
If you’re even mildly interested in the goings-on of the auto industry and the big companies within it, then you’ve likely heard about the partnership that was recently announced between Tesla and Hertz, one of the biggest rental car companies in the world. This is a major announcement for both of them, though for somewhat […]
What Happened to the Sedan?
Go to a car dealership that sells a domestic brand, and you’re going to see something pretty quickly: there are very few sedans left out there. While sedans once dominated American car sales, they’ve been left behind, discontinued, and ignored by many auto manufacturers – especially the Big Three here in the US. Ford, GM, […]
The Chip Shortage is Ending, Right? …Right!?
Some people within the auto industry want to act like the chip shortage isn’t that big a deal; after all, Ford’s chief financial officer, John Lawler, recently said, “…we could see it bleeding into the first part of next year.” That seems like a pretty optimistic take, and it’s funny to me that the auto […]
Car Shows are Back!
Unless you’ve been living off the grid in a pretty extreme way, you already know just how much the COVID pandemic has messed up the world in the last [checks notes] 18 months!? While I enjoy the existential crisis caused by this reminder of how long things have been going so badly, let’s focus on […]
Behind the Curtain – How Advanced Sensors Enable Automated Driving
Automated driving is here – and we’re not talking about the recent release of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving 9.0 Beta. Pretty much every new car (and most recent used models) are officially considered to have some level of driving automation according to the industry standards set out by the SAE. While this is still not a […]
EV Future: What About the Batteries?
We find ourselves at an interesting moment in the auto industry. Not since the development of the internal combustion engine itself and the birth of the industry has there been something quite so revolutionary and important for the future of transportation: the proliferation of Electric Vehicles (EVs). A lot of people (including me) are very […]
Congress Pushes for Strict Emissions Regulations
Fuel economy and standards for emissions have become political subjects, just like many other commercial and scientific considerations. That means that in recent years, there has been a great deal of push and pull over what federal regulations and guidelines should be for the auto industry. In particular, the debate and standards have involved the […]
LFPs: How A New Type of Battery Could Bring Electric Vehicles to the Masses
GM recently joined Jaguar and Volvo as the latest manufacturer to announce plans to fully shift its attention to the electric vehicle market, and a steady rise in the number of electric vehicle charging stations has helped make EV technology a more viable alternative than ever. With such widespread industry buy-in, electric vehicles undeniably represent […]
Is an Apple Car Coming Soon?
If you’re one to keep your finger on the pulse of the auto industry and check headlines from news outlets, then you probably think the answer to that question is a clear and definitive “yes.” After all, it seems like every news website, auto blog, and tech site out there has an article once a […]
Previewing the EV Truck Market
Whether you like it or not, with each passing day, it seems more and more that the future of the auto industry is going to be electric. While EV cars make-up most of the market right now, there’s no denying that SUVs and pickups are a major part of the EV plans being plotted by […]
Lucid Motors Builds its Factory – Now They Just Need to Build Cars
If you’ve been following the auto industry lately, particularly the development of competing Electric Vehicle (EV) models, then you’ve likely heard of Lucid Motors. If not, then now you have – they’re a brand-new auto manufacturer with their sights set squarely on competing with Tesla and other major luxury brands. So far, they’ve talked a […]
Title Lender That Charges 300% Annual Interest Given Federal Pandemic Loan With 3% Interest
I have a riddle for you: a middle-class American worker and a massive, multi-state corporation both apply for a loan. The worker puts up his beloved Ford F-150, which he worked hard to buy, as collateral, while the corporation makes no such offer. One of them receives a $25 million loan while the other receives […]
Truck News, UAW Strike & the Countdown to Tokyo
Annnnd we’re back. AutoInfluence checking in with current auto news headlines for the past couple of weeks. Sure, we’re playing some catch-up, but thanks for joining us…so, let’s get down to it. Ford / Lincoln It was announced that the 2020 Super Duty is continuing Ford’s inarguable reign over the truck segment, delivering some […]
Mopar Editions Celebrate ’10’, The Blackest Black, and the ‘Countdown to Frankfurt’
Annnnnnd we’re back…AutoInfluence with all your current auto news headlines for the week of August 30th – heading into Labor Day Weekend, here in the states. Now, last week, we had offered a rundown of the various auto shows waiting for us right around the corner. And if you needed any greater evidence that […]
Hyundai『45』, Goodbye to VW (as you know it) and ‘3 Cheers’ for the Acura Type S
Annnnd we’re back, AutoInfluence with all the current auto news that you can handle. In fact, there’s quite a bit to cover this week — with lots of stuff on the horizon, as well. That’s right, we’re easing into major motor show season and you won’t want to miss a beat of it. Ford […]
Celebrating Daytona’s ’50th’, a Baby Bronco, and the Eye-Catching Lexus LC500
Ford In the last few weeks, our coverage of the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 has picked up, with official information greatly outweighed by rapid speculation. That said, it’s been reported by mustang6g.com that the GT500 possesses an approximate base curb weight of 4,225 lbs. Slating the vehicle between the 3,890-lb Camaro ZL1 and the […]