Kobe Steel Surprises

I wonder if any auto manufacturers experienced surprising crash test results that can be explained by the Kobe Steel misstatements.

transportation as a service

There has been a lot of good thinking and action regarding transportation as a service.  BMW, Daimler, and Ford have all made announcements and begun initiatives here.

I wonder how much these efforts will echo their previous attempts in transportation services?  Recall that each of GM, Chrysler, and Ford owned the US rental car industry until very recently.  This was for a very different reason (to ensure vehicle deliveries) but still, there is an echo of the past here...

Subprime Auto Loans

Wells Fargo's announcement of a cap on its subprime auto loan business is puzzling (WF announced that subprime will make up no more than 10% of its auto portfolio).  I wonder if the real approach is more complicated - WF will tighten its underwriting standards in a way that is expected to limit growth in subprime loans.  And, to signal to competitors its expected price discipline, it stated the 10% cap (i.e., WF will draw the line around here for its underwriting standards - it is at about 10% today).

All of this could be bad news for auto sales and manufacturers (but good news for creditworthy buyers faced with a glut of unsold mid/low priced cars and hungry manufacturers).

asymco

Funny how asymcar began almost two years ago, well before breaking stories about potential Apple engagement in the automotive space.  Mr. Dediu has been consistently ahead of the curve and more thoughtful than others.  This is just another example of that pattern.

ML 350 gearshift

Complete speculation but, based on the brief snippets of information, I wonder if the gear selector played a role in the tragedy on Metro-North.

Specifically:

"Instead she walked back to the driver’s seat and climbed in. There was a pause, he said, as if she were buckling her seatbelt ... 'I just knew she was going to back up — never in my wildest dreams did I think she’d go forward.' She drove forward."

And:

"Also, Brody had only been driving the 2011 Mercedes since December".

update: Consumer Reports had some similar thoughts.

Chrysler resurrected

If Chrysler really does turn around and become a successful manufacturer for a meaningful period, I wonder if it is because Chrysler, out of nearly all other manufacturers, is very much a hit-driven company.  More specifically, they have often sold style in a mass market which, like most mass markets, is generally geared towards efficiency, reliability, etc.  And thus, control by an Italian group, from a country that manages to sell goods based more on emotion than data, could be the perfect fit for success.

iPad video mirroring

Why isn't there video mirroring on the iPad?  All I want is to be able to plug the iPad into a monitor and see the same thing on the monitor and the iPad's screen.  For me, it's for the kids (they can watch the same programming in the car using the existing screen).  For others, it's for academic efforts (electronic whiteboard).  Or for business presentations.  Etc.

This must be trivial to program but, unfortunately, isn't susceptible to third-party app solutions because it has to be part of the OS.

This is a real stumbling block to buying an iPad...

iPad for the car

I'd like to see a case for the iPad that velcros on (or similar) so it can be attached and detached from the headrest in front.  Alternatively, some sort of snap-in system where it goes in a bracket with cords hidden away for power (and maybe audio).  At $500, it's not much more expensive than other high quality 9" screens but it also holds a lot of media, is easy for the kids to run, and, obviously, is very portable compared to most screens.

Toyota Accelerator Pedals

It just occurred to me that the Lexus ES crash that widely publicized Toyota's acceleration problems can't be a result of the CTS pedal assemblies as the ES is built in Japan and so should use the Denso units.  This isn't news (as it was this crash that triggered the floormat recall) but it is somewhat ironic that the most conspicuous event was not part of the more concerning recall.  And, perhaps, will continue to fan concerns of an electronic throttle problem rather than a mechanical problem.

1959 Bel Air

Seems a little sad that they totaled the Bel Air for this.