Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Wrap-up November 10-16, 2024
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Auto Central November 17, 2024;Every Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Car Guy and Auto Channel Executive Producer, with able assistance from senior Detroit editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Auto Channel's "take" on this past week's automotive news, condensed into easy to digest news Nuggets.
Here are Larry's top story picks from this past week's important to you, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions and insider back stories presented as expertly crafted easy-to-understand automotive news nuggets.
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Automotive News November 10-16,2024.
New vehicle prices remain high. The average transaction price (ATP) paid for a new vehicle in the U.S. in October was $48,623, according to new data from Kelley Blue Book. Transaction prices last month were higher than the revised September price ($48,423) and higher by 1.7% from year-earlier levels ($47,826). For more than a year now, new-vehicle prices in the U.S. have remained mostly unchanged and near $48,500, as higher inventory levels continue to hold downward pressure on the market. Electric vehicle ATPs, at $56,902 in October, were lower than the revised September estimate of $57,580. Year over year, EV prices were higher by 0.9%, and compared to the industry average, electric vehicle ATPs in October were higher by just more than 14%, roughly in line with the premium paid one year ago.
EV sales volume on the rise. Sales of new electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States have exceeded those in Europe for the first time, with a record-breaking 344,000 vehicles sold in Q3 2024. According to data from New AutoMotive’s Global Electric Vehicle Tracker (GEVT), this achievement occurred despite a slowdown in September, which saw over 104,000 units sold in the US during the month. Globally, EV sales reached 1.05 million in September, accounting for 18.6% of the global market share. The year-to-date total for EV sales by September 2024 now stands at 10.6 million.
EV chargers on the rise. The US DoT reports there are now 200,000 publicly-available electric vehicle charging ports in the U.S.—more than double since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration. With about 1,000 new chargers added weekly, the infrastructure law is driving progress and private investment in EV infrastructure. HERE
Bye bye EV tax credits. President-elect Donald Trump's transition team is planning to kill the $7,500 consumer tax credit for electric-vehicle purchases as part of broader tax-reform legislation, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Ending the tax credit could have grave implications for an already stalling U.S. EV transition. And yet representatives of Tesla, by far the nation's biggest EV maker - have told a Trump-transition committee they support ending the subsidy, said the two sources, speaking on condition of anonymity. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation urged Congress in an Oct. 15 letter to retain the EV tax credits, calling them "critical to cementing the U.S. as a global leader" in future auto manufacturing. U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said that cancelling the credits would make the U.S. less competitive. More details : here
Slow down for Thanksgiving. Verra Mobility Corporation , a provider of smart mobility technology solutions, announced new proprietary data from its U.S. traffic safety systems, showing that for the past five years (2019-2023), the Wednesday before Thanksgiving recorded the highest number of red-light violations over the holiday weekend, while Thanksgiving Day experienced the most speeding violations for the past two years (2022 and 2023). AAA estimates around 49.1 million Americans will drive to their Thanksgiving destinations this year. More details : here
Micromobility. A North American Bikeshare and Scootershare Association survey from 2020 to 2023 revealed that 57% of shared micromobility trips were for social activities, as well as recreation and exercise. A quarter of all trips (25%) were work- or school-related, and 18% were for shopping, errands, and appointments. Micromobility provides the public with more options for short-distance transportation while encouraging recreation and exercise.
As expected. New York City will revive its once-abandoned plan for the nation’s first congestion-pricing program, but at a reduced rate of a $9 toll for most vehicles to enter Midtown and Lower Manhattan. Gov. Kathy Hochul intends to announce the state’s revised proposal before Trump takes office. here
Teslas are not self driving. The U.S. government’s highway safety agency says Tesla is telling drivers in public statements that its vehicles can drive themselves, conflicting with owners manuals and briefings with the agency saying the electric vehicles need human supervision. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is asking the company to “revisit its communications” to make sure messages are consistent with user instructions. NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation has been seeking information on a probe into crashes involving Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system in low-visibility conditions. The agency began the investigation in October after getting reports of four crashes involving Full Self-Driving when Teslas encountered sun glare, fog and airborne dust. Critics, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, have long accused Tesla of using deceptive names for its partially automated driving systems, including Full Self-Driving and Autopilot, both of which have been viewed by owners as fully autonomous.
Honda engines fail. Associated Press reports the U.S. government’s highway safety agency is investigating complaints that engines can fail on as many as 1.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles. The probe by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers the 2016 through 2020 Honda Pilot and Acura MDX, as well as the 2018 through 2020 Honda Odyssey and Acura TLX. Also included is the 2017 through 2019 Honda Ridgeline. The agency said that connecting rod bearings on vehicles with 3.5-liter V6 engines can fail, leading to complete engine failure.
Honda recalled about 250,000 vehicles in November 2023 to fix the same problem. But the agency says it has 173 complaints from owners who reported connecting rod bearing failures, yet their vehicles weren’t included in the recall.Tesla recall. Tesla Inc. said it was recalling 2,431 Cybertruck electric pickups in the U.S. as loss of drive power could increase the risk of a crash. It is the sixth recall of the relatively new truck in the U.S. this year.
GM recall. General Motors is recalling 461,839 diesel engine pickup trucks and full size SUVs in the United States due to a faulty transmission control valve. The defect can lead to wear and tear, resulting in a gradual loss of pressure and a temporary wheel lock-up, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall covers certain Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups from the 2020 through 2022 model years. Also included are the 2021 Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban.
Another GM recall. General Motors will recall 77,824 2022-2023 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles as incorrect software in the transmission control module could cause the vehicle to move in an unintended direction, increasing the risk of a crash, according to the U.S. auto safety regulator. Incorrect software in the transmission control module may result in reduced power, unintended deceleration, rear-wheel lockup, or cause the vehicle to move in an unintended direction, the regulator said.
Jeep & Dodge Recall. Stellantis is recalling about 207,000 Jeep and Dodge SUVs in the U.S. to fix a computer problem that can disable the antilock brakes and electronic stability control safety features. The recall covers certain 2018 and 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs. Stellantis says in government recall documents that the SUVs may have a brake control computer that falsely reads brake pressure. The computer can disable the safety features, illuminate the brake lights and let a driver shift out of park without putting a foot on the brake pedal. That can cause unintended movement. *
Ford pays big. Ford Motor Co. will pay the second-largest civil penalty in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's history after the automaker failed to comply with federal recall requirements, according to a news release from the agency. The three-year consent order agreed to by Ford and the NHTSA includes a civil penalty of up to $165 million. An investigation that began in 2021 found the company didn't recall vehicles with defective rearview cameras in a timely manner or provide accurate and complete recall information as required by the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. The recall affected more than 600,000 vehicles and included various models including certain 2020 model year Escape, Explorer, F-150, Mustang and Transit vehicles
GM pays fine. General Motors' self-driving car unit, Cruise, admitted to submitting a false report to influence a federal investigation and will pay a $500,000 criminal fine as part of a deferred prosecution agreement, the Justice Department said. The department said Cruise failed to disclose key details of an October 2023 crash to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in which one of its robotaxis in San Francisco struck a pedestrian after she was hit by another vehicle and dragged her 20 feet. Full story here
SEMA happenings. A Mustang GTD lookalike was banned from SEMA at Ford’s urging. Hagerty Media reports TJ Hunt’s wide-body Mustang coupe, built in about three months, was banned from the event shortly after reaching Las Vegas because Ford argued that it looks too much like the limited-edition, 815-horsepower GTD. Get the scoop: HERE
NASCAR champ. Joey Logano, a 34-year-old Connecticut driver, driving his No. 22 Team Penske Ford won the NASCAR finale at Phoenix Raceway last Sunday, giving him his third Cup championship. He also won the 2022 and 2018 titles. It's Team Penske's third major motorsports title in less than a month. Logano held off Penske teammate Ryan Blaney over the final 20 laps to beat him for the series title by 0.330 seconds. Blaney was trying to become the first back-to-back champion since Jimmie Johnson won five straight from 2006 to 2010. Instead, Logano became the 10th driver in NASCAR history to win three or more championships and broke a tie with Kyle Busch as the only active drivers with multiple titles. It was the first time in Team Penske history the organization finished 1-2 in the championship. And, it came after Roger Penske’s sports car team in IMSA won the title last month and his World Endurance Championship team won the title last weekend in Bahrain. Penske and Ford have won three consecutive Cup Series championships. Logano won in 2022 and Blaney won last year.
RIP. Bobby Allison, founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, has died. He was 86.
NASCAR released a statement from Allison’s family that said he died at home in Mooresville, North Carolina. A cause of death wasn’t given, but Allison had been in declining health for years. Allison won the Daytona 500 three times, claimed the 1983 NASCAR Cup title and ranks fourth in all-time wins. Allison moved to fourth on NASCAR’s Cup Series victory list last month when chairman Jim France recognized him as the winner of the Meyers Brothers Memorial at Bowman Gray Stadium in North Carolina in 1971. The sanctioning body updated its record books to reflect the decision, giving Allison 85 wins and moving him out of a tie with Darrell Waltrip. Allison trails only fellow Hall of Famers Richard Petty (200), David Pearson (105) and Jeff Gordon (93) in Cup wins. Allison was inducted into NASCAR’s second Hall of Fame class in 2011.RIP. Wally Booth, a legendary Michigan drag racer, died at age 87. Booth campaigned a fleet of Chevrolet's in the mid to late 60's and a Hemi Mopar in 1969. He campaigned Camaro's for a few more seasons in the early 1970's. From then on he was all AMC with Gremlin and Hornet race cars. Wally would win 5 "Wally's" as a pro stock driver in the NHRA.
Stay safe. Be Well.
Kind regards,
Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy