• Junkyard Gem: 2000 Honda Passport 4WD

    The suits at American Honda Motor Company must have spent the bulk of the 1990s tearing out their hair in frustration as their rivals raked in big money from the sales of ever-more-profitable SUVs, even as American car shoppers lost interest in sedans and hatchbacks. Oh, sure, the Civic-based CR-V appeared here for the 1997 model year and sold well enough, but the lack of a larger SUV pained Honda more with each passing year. With the Acura MDX and Honda Pilot not ready for showrooms until the 2001 and 2002 model years, respectively, some stopgap had to be found. Isuzu stepped up and made a deal with Honda: the Rodeo would get Honda badges and become the Passport, while the Trooper would show up in Acura showrooms with SLX badges (for the 1994 and 1995 model years, respectively). Here’s one of those Passports, found in a Denver-area self-service yard.

    Things got even weirder in the Isuzu/Honda world around the turn of the century, with the Honda Odyssey getting Isuzu badges and being sold as the Oasis. Fast-forward to 2009, and the only Isuzu-badged vehicles available new here were rebadged Chevrolets: the I-Series pickup (Chevy Colorado) and the Ascender (Chevy Trailblazer).

    The Passport name has some interesting American Honda history, stretching back to the first Honda vehicle sold here (and the biggest-selling motor vehicle in human history): the Super Cub. American Honda Motor Company couldn’t use the Super Cub name on our shores, because Piper Aircraft had been selling a small plane called the Super Cub since 1949, so the motorcycle was called the Honda 50 over here. Eventually, this bike got a 70cc engine and became the Honda C70 Passport, sales of which continued through the middle 1980s. That means the Passports sitting in your local Honda dealership right now got their name from a one-cylinder motorcycle.

    General Motors has a Passport connection as well; when GM created the Geo brand to sell rebadged Isuzus, Suzukis, and Toyotas in the United States, it created a marque called Passport to sell the Daewoo LeMans as the Optima in Canada (all the other vehicles sold by Passport dealers were Isuzus).

    So, Honda’s need to offer SUVs in its American dealerships led to an arrangement with GM-connected Isuzu to sell these trucks with a model name bearing links to both companies. So much history in the junkyard!

    Just as Geo-badged Toyota Corollas (mostly) got Delco radios, so did the Passport get Honda radios. Actually, this radio probably was made by either Mitsubishi or Fujitsu TEN, but it has Honda labeling.

    The first-generation (1994-1997) Passports could be purchased with either a straight-four or a V6 under the hood, but the 1998-2002 models all came with this SOHC 3.2-liter V6, rated at 205 horsepower.

    The cheapest 2000 Passports had two-wheel-drive and five-speed manual transmissions, but this one is an optioned up four-wheel-drive with a four-speed automatic.

    The interior is worn but not completely trashed.

    The digital gauge cluster means I can’t read the odometer without powering up the truck’s ECU, but we can assume the final mile total was respectable.

    The MDX appeared the year after this truck was sold, and the Pilot the year after that. Sales of the Isuzu-built Passport overlapped those trucks into 2002, but ceased thereafter.

    This is the first Rainshine Little Tree I’ve found in a junkyard vehicle. I don’t think this scent will topple Black Ice and New Car Scent from their place at the top of the Little Tree hierarchy, but it may have more success across the pond on Wunder-Baums or Arbres Magiques.

    Let nothing stand in your way.

    The Isuzu-badged version shows how only losers drive cars (especially Ford Country Squires, Tempos, and Pintos), which is why Isuzu sold only trucks (the last Isuzu-badged new cars sold in the United States were the 1993 Impulse and Stylus). 



  • 2023 Fleet Technology Trends Report

    December 13, 2022 |11:00 AM PST |Duration: 1 Hr

    Skyrocketing fuel costs. Supply chain disruptions. Labor shortages.

    Last year was a challenging one for fleets. And yet some did more than survive – they thrived. 

    Respondents of a recent survey reported that technology helped fleets navigate operational obstacles, reduce costs, improve productivity, and operate a safe fleet.

    No matter what industry your fleet falls in, you’ll want to see the results. You’ll learn how fellow fleets used technology to face the biggest challenges head on and prosper even in turbulent times.

    The 2023 Fleet Technology Trends Report reveals illuminating fleet insights, including:

    • The most daunting fleet challenges — and how technology helps address them
    • The most popular and beneficial fleet technologies
    • Which technology pays off by cutting fuel, accident, and labor costs
    • Can’t-miss tech trends and can’t-live-without technologies

    Download the 2023 Fleet Technology Trends Report to learn how fleets leverage technology to navigate market challenges and accomplish their goals — and get inspiration for how your fleet can thrive amid rising inflation and ongoing headwinds.

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    Head of Global Sales Operations | Verizon Connect

    Martin Romjue

    MODERATOR | Fleet Content Director | Charged Fleet Editor | Vehicle Remarketing Editor

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  • Project LS: A Boot Install, Interior Refresh & Wheel Work





    Project LS: A Boot Install, Interior Refresh & Wheel Work – Speedhunters


























    Project LS: A Boot Install, Interior Refresh & Wheel Work

    It’s been such a whirlwind year that it feels like forever since Project LS received its Air Lift Performance air suspension install. Truth be told, it’s also been a while since the interior re-trim and audio install I’m about to share with you today was completed, but finally we’re here. 

    Since having the Air Lift kit fitted by the guys at The Lowdown Co. a few months ago, I’ve actually put quite a few miles on the Lexus. I have to say, it’s been really enjoyable too. The LS now rides way better than it did on the stock suspension, and even with its flaky, fading, seen-better-days paintwork, the amount of attention the car gets is amazing. And that’s before I slam it on its belly when I park up anywhere.

    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (79)

    For this latest round of upgrades, I dropped Project LS off at Autosound Gezina, where Abdul and his team would be taking care of a custom audio install and refreshing the stock interior.

    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (70)

    When it came to the boot install, I gave Abdul completely free rein. I knew he already had some ideas in mind, and his work is second to none so my car was definitely in safe hands.

    First up, the original trim panels and spare wheel had to be removed, then Abdul’s guys began mocking up the enclosure.

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    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (98)

    Next, the rear parcel shelf was cut to create openings for the subwoofers to fire through. The prefered route would have been through the centre console in the rear seat, but in the LS 400 this is where the fuel tank sits.

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    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (67)

    Prior to the install happening, my VW Caddy had been returned to stock and sold, meaning I could reuse all of its Rockford Fosgate audio equipment in Lexus. To this I added an extra subwoofer along with some other small items like sound deadening and new wiring.

    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (75)

    While the audio install was being finished off, the seats, steering wheel, shift knob and centre console were removed from the car so they could be re-trimmed.

    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (80)

    We decided to go with genuine leather in a similar colour to the original Lexus material so it would match the rest of the interior as close as possible. For a custom touch, a diamond stitch pattern was added to the seat centres.

    The car stayed at Autosound Gezina for a few weeks, so when I finally got the call from Abdul saying that it was all done, my excitement levels were at an all-time high.

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    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (4)

    Seeing the install for the first time, I was totally blown away. Never did I think this old tank’s big boot could look this sleek.

    The setup features twin Rockford Fosgate Punch P2 10-inch subwoofers on show in the rear, while the two amps that power the entire system are hidden away for a clean look. The Air Lift Performance manifold has become the centrepiece of the entire install.

    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (14)

    Then there’s also the dual Viair compressors and FLO 5-gallon tank with some custom-made hard lines. Abdul wanted to keep the design classy, hence going for leather all over and some silver air vents with black accents.

    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (8)
    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (12)

    To finish it off, the side panels each hold an infinity mirror with the Autosound Gezina logo in a ghosted effect, and LED lighting.

    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (60)
    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (57)

    The audio system looks and sounds great, and having the air suspension system on show is just the cherry on top. I don’t for one second regret leaving the entire design process up to Abdul, because it came out so much better than I could have ever envisaged.

    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (38)
    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (43)

    Sliding over to the interior, the re-trimmed seats are just as I hoped they’d be. The colour matches all the untouched interior parts like the dash, door panels and roof lining perfectly, and with the new padding fitted they’re so comfortable.

    The detailed double stitching paired with the diamond pattern really gives the interior a more contemporary feel.

    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (41)

    I decided to keep the OEM steering wheel, but had it re-trimmed along with the shift knob and centre console lid.

    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (49)

    Finally, the original head unit was removed and replaced with a double DIN Sony unit that has much more control along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (19)

    While all this was being completed, Zahid at The Wheelshop had an opportunity to complete some work on the Riverside Trafficstar STR 2-piece wheels I purchased a little while back.

    The 9-inch rears have been fitted to the front of the car, and the previous fronts now benefit from new barrels that have increased their width to 10-inches, so they’re on the rear. The fitment is not perfect yet, as the fronts still needs a bit of spacing and the rears could do with a little more negative camber, but we are definitely getting there.

    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (33)
    stefan_kotze_project_ls_sound_speedhunters (31)

    I’m not sure if this will be the final colour for the wheels either, but I’m definitely feeling them a lot more now than when I got them though. Options for quality (read: non-replica) new and used wheels are very limited here in South Africa, so it’s definitely a bit of a take-what-you-can-get situation.

    At this point I’ve owned Project LS for a year, and I have to say I’ve enjoyed every bit of the build process thus far. The Lexus has so much more character now, and even with its rough exterior it’s my favourite car to drive. I thought I might have had it resprayed by now, but as my panel beater and I have both been super-busy with work, that just hasn’t happened. Every time I mention it to people I meet though, almost all of them say to keep the paint as-is, which I find interesting. I still think a respray is needed, but I’m keen to hear what you guys think – let me know in the comments.

    My biggest irritation is that damn tow bar, though – it has to go.

    Stefan Kotzé
    Instagram: stefankotzemedia
    info@stefankotze.com
    www.stefankotze.com

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  • Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR Concept First Drive Review: What’s new for model year 2154

    MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. — Who among us hasn’t imagined what it would be like to drive a car from the future? And we’re not talking about a 2028 Honda Prelude or whatever, interesting as that may be. No, we’re talking decades, maybe even centuries beyond what we have now, where even quaint notions like circular tires are reimagined. Something akin to a spinner from “Blade Runner” or one of those light cycles from “Tron.” So color us stunned when Mercedes-Benz actually offered us some seat time behind the wheel of their Vision AVTR concept.

    Mercedes unveiled the AVTR at CES in 2020 as a tie-in to the upcoming movie “Avatar: Way of the Water,” which will hit theaters December 16.The car and the motion picture have the same name, though Mercedes says that AVTR stands for Advanced Vehicle TRansformation. To understand what that means, we have to catch up on the fantasy world writer/director James Cameron created.

    “Way of the Water” is a sequel to 2009’s “Avatar,” which imagined a future in which humans have depleted most of Earth’s natural resources. To keep civilization going in the year 2154 they need to mine other planets, including the Earth-like moon Pandora. Unfortunately for the humans, a sentient race of blue-skinned humanoids resides on Pandora, keeping us from harvesting a compound named, literally, unobtainium. These Na’vi live in harmony with nature, hunting with bows and arrows, wearing loincloths, and generally wishing not to be exterminated by a heavily militarized space mining corporation. 

    The film was groundbreaking in its use of special effects. Cameron — of “Titanic,” “Aliens and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day fame — said that he wanted to make the movie in the 1990s but had to wait a decade for technology to catch up. We say this only in an attempt to explain just how much of a visual feast the natural beauty of Pandora was. Cameron painted a world awash with bioluminescence, lush vegetation and spectacular landscapes.

    Mercedes’ designers wanted to make the AVTR look as if it belonged in this world. As such, the car is imbued with design so organic it makes a 1996 Ford Taurus look like a Volvo 240. In profile, its lines are fluid and unbroken as a river pebble’s, with no angles or corners to denote a traditional three-box shape. An ultra-low roofline melts into a glass bubble cabin nestled more between the wheels than above them. Speaking of the wheels, they’re urethane-skin spheres instead of traditional discs. 

    The most animal-esque feature of the car can be found on the back, where an array of 33 bionic flaps open and close independently of one another. Each moves on carbon fiber hinges that accordion like pieces of origami. Their lightness allows for extremely quick actuation, and they can be programmed to flicker in a wave-like pattern like a bird fluffing its feathers. The honeycomb of holes radiates blue light, but if you were to stop suddenly, the flaps would go vertical like air brakes while the openings glow red. It’s an undeniably neat effect, but you probably shouldn’t stare at them too long if you suffer from trypophobia.

    To be clear, the car never actually appears in “Avatar: Way of the Water.” In the movie, machines are the enemy, destroyers of the natives’ lifestyle. Also, the Na’vi civilization is pre-agrarian, and it would be rather difficult to drive a car in a land where no paved roads exist. 

    It would’ve been easy — expected, even — for Mercedes to stop there. Many show cars aren’t drivable, but it went ahead and built an actual running concept and let ham-fisted journalists go for a spin. 

    Approach the car and it comes to life with a dazzling array of lighting animations that pulse and ebb like the glowing flora of Pandora. It’s almost as if the car is breathing, a sensation amplified by the twitching of the back flaps. Gander at the illuminated front end graphic and you’ll see where the EQS and EQS SUV got their noses. LEDs streak down the lower shelf beneath the taillight like comets. Even the wheels have throbbing light patterns that form the “spokes.” Mercedes chief of design Gorden Wagener says they were inspired by the wood sprites from the film.

    Glass scissor doors swing open on massive chrome hinges to allow access to the cabin. Points of light swirl and trace the edges of nearly every interior surface, adding to the sense that the car is somehow alive. Settling in gracefully requires you to back your posterior onto the thin, leaf-like seats, then swing your legs into the car. 

    The AVTR is so low that you don’t sit so much as you do recline. The first thing you notice is that there’s no steering wheel, no screen, no controls of any kind before you. The dash is simply one sweeping blank curve. All movement of the car is done through a mushroom cap-like joystick in the center console. Its location means either driver or passenger can operate it.

    Push the pad forward for Drive, push it backwards for Reverse. Roll it to the left or right to turn in that direction.The AVTR has rear-wheel steering, so the front and rear wheels can angle in opposite directions for a tightened turning radius. Rotate the pad to the left or right and the wheels will angle in the same direction for a diagonal crabwalk. And no, the wheels don’t actually spin in three dimensions like Will Smith’s Audi in “I, Robot.” The spherical shape looks cool, and only the band at the “equator” ever touches the ground. That’s how the lighting on the tires remains undamaged. 

    We were able to test these functions in a short drive around a parking lot, but it wasn’t as intuitive as it sounds. To my brain, it would’ve been more natural to rotate to turn and roll to crabwalk. It was also a tad difficult to finesse the pad slowly while the car was in motion, as the car has almost no suspension and minor bumps would transmit through my arm to unintentionally jolt the controller. It’s not the fault of the technology per se. This is just a concept and not designed to be driven at more than a few miles per hour. It also admittedly may have been easier if I were using my dominant hand.

    The absence of a steering wheel lets the entire expanse of the curved dash become a screen of sorts. An overhead projector beams a map onto the surface, and as a nod to the movie, Pandora is one of the selectable locations. Changes to the menu are made via gesture. Simply raise your hand to a spot above the console and you’ll see icons projected onto your palm. Then you flick your hand to the left or right to make selections. Like a touchscreen, it takes considerable focus, so such a system would only be prudent when the car is in autonomous mode. 

    Because environmental consciousness is a major theme of the “Avatar” movies, Mercedes says that the 110-kWh battery is organic and compostable thanks to the use of graphene and no rare earth metals. Total system horsepower is 469, and power comes from four motors, one at each wheel.

    It’s a fascinating thought exercise to imagine how a car from 2154 — or perhaps more accurately, a car not born on planet Earth — might differ from our current machines. Mercedes engineers assured me that I’d get used to it with more practice, but perhaps it was too big of an evolutionary leap for this particular human.

    Related video:


  • Honda posts 16% rise in Q2 profit and hikes outlook as motorcycles, yen help

    TOKYO — Japan’s Honda Motor Co posted on Wednesday a 16% rise in second-quarter profit and lifted its full-year outlook, as better pricing, strong sales of motorcycles and a weak yen helped it ride out semiconductor shortages.

    While Japanese automakers, like many of their overseas rivals, have been hit by shortages of chips and supply chain snarls, Honda has been helped by robust performance in its motorcycle business, particularly in Asia.

    The company also said it was helped by pricing that reflected its “increased product value” and by reducing consumer incentives.

    The automaker raised its forecasts “to reflect our efforts to further improve profitability, higher automobile sales volume and the impact of the yen’s depreciation“, Honda Executive Vice President Kohei Takeuchi told a results briefing.

    Still, he noted there were plenty of pressures, including inflation.

    Operating profit totaled 231.2 billion yen ($1.59 billion)in the three months to end-September, short of the average estimate of 243.3 billion yen in a poll of 10 analysts by Refinitiv. The same period a year earlier, the company earned 198.9 billion yen.

    Honda raised its full-year operating profit forecast to 870 billion yen from 830 billion yen for the year ending March 31 mainly helped by weak yen. That compares with a 922.05 billion yen average forecast by 24 analysts.

    The automaker was forced to consistently cut vehicle production at two domestic factories as COVID-19 outbreaks and semiconductor shortages caused delays in parts shipments. Production of its Vezel sport-utility vehicle, Stepwgn minivan and Civic compact car were all hit.

    Its global vehicle production for the first six months of the financial year was down 6.1% year on year while domestic production was up 5.5%.

    ($1 = 145.7500 yen)

    (Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by David Dolan and Muralikumar Anantharaman)

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  • A supercar broker for celebrities says: ‘I’ve bought cars in saunas, in swimming pools, and on airplanes’

    Tom Hartley. Courtesy of Tom Hartley
    • Tom Hartley buys and sells classic cars at his private estate and showroom in northern England.
    • He started out on the grey market and now finds cars through wealthy owners.
    • His estate offers a resort-like experience, with a private spa and cinema available for visitors.

    In 1992, Tom Hartley was in a traffic jam on the edge of Hyde Park in London when a classic Bentley caught his eye. He immediately rolled down his window and struck up a conversation with the man in the back seat, who was being driven by a chauffeur.

    “I bought the car off him in the traffic jam. We pulled over, he got out, I did an invoice, and we picked up the car from his address that day,” he told Insider. “And, of course, we sold it a few days later.”

    This is typical for Hartley, who spends his days brokering deals for supercars and classic cars, focusing on manufacturers like Ferrari and Lamborghini. “I’ve bought cars in saunas, in swimming pools, on airplanes — you can’t name where I haven’t bought a car,” he said.

    Hartley, now 60, runs an eponymous showroom on a 48-acre family estate in Derbyshire. He said his team sells between 40 and 50 vehicles per month, and past clients of his include Elton John, Rod Stewart, Nicolas Cage, and Rory McIlroy. The average sales price of his vehicles is £250,000, or around $286,000 — but a rare Ferrari could fetch $30 million.

    He shared with Insider how he got into the trade and what his job entails.

    He learned the art of selling from hanging out in his father’s store

    Growing up, Hartley’s father owned a carpet business, and Hartley said he spent most of his time at the shop watching deals being made. He itched to follow in his dad’s sales footsteps, and as he watched his family change cars every few months, it seemed like the perfect industry to get into.

    His first deal was brokering the sale of a luxury Range Rover between two of his father’s acquaintances when he was a teen. “I made myself 150 quid on that car, which was a lot of money then,” he said. “By the age of 12, I had the experience of an 18-year-old.”

    After selling the Range Rover, he stumbled onto what’s now known as the grey market, where barely-used luxury goods can be traded at a premium on the secondary market. If you could source an in-demand car like a Range Rover, Hartley’s theory was, there was easy profit in reselling it to a buyer unable to find one.

    man standing in front of a red car
    Hartley. Courtesy of Tom Hartley

    He began buying cars from manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche, which were mostly based in Germany, directly and imported them to the UK to resell to hungry buyers.

    When car brands began cracking down on nonauthorized dealers, he quickly pivoted to buying up supply from car owners.

    Soon after, he saw a man pull up outside a luxury hotel in London driving a brand-new Jaguar Daimler XJ40, a particular model launched on the market just days earlier, and offered to buy it for £3,000 over asking price. Within days, he said, he’d sold it to a C-suite executive who’d been unable to secure one from the manufacturer for £42,000, a profit of just over 16% in a few days.

    Customers can come via appointment only and enjoy resort-level amenities

    man standing next to a luxury car
    Hartley in his showroom. Courtesy of Tom Hartley

    Hartley started out primarily in the supercar market, but he added classic cars to his roster in the wake of the Great Recession, when he saw wealthy clients turning to assets rather than keeping money in cash or stocks.

    “It was an addition to what we were doing, but we didn’t change our method of buying and selling,” he said. “We wanted cars with great history, low mileage, and real rarities.” He handles all his sales from his family estate in northern England, a property he bought in 1981 to serve as both a home and a showroom.

    At any one time, he said, there are 75 cars worth more than $150 million onsite. The key difference between his assortment and that of conventional dealers, he added, is that he stocks different brands like Mercedes and Ferrari in one place — a move aimed at his ideal customer. “Back in the 1970s, a successful guy would have one car, maybe two. A lot of buyers mix and match now and might have anything from six to 10 cars,” he said.

    a red car in front of a large house
    Hartley in front of his estate. Courtesy of Tom Hartley

    Hartley said he gets about five customers a day and takes visitors by appointment only. Despite the car world being mostly dominated by men, Hartley said around 20% of his clients are women.

    Those that stop by his showroom can expect more than just a selection of unique cars: Customers can enjoy the estate’s private spa and cinema, as well as a full restaurant. Sometimes, they’re even invited to stay overnight in one of the estate’s four bedrooms. “I wanted to create an experience around buying a secondhand car,” he said. There’s a helipad for those that travel by air, but Hartley can also send a chauffeur to collect someone from a nearby private airstrip.

    a cinema in someone's house
    The cinema at the estate. Courtesy of Tom Hartley

    Despite being around expensive cars 24/7, he’s never owned one himself. “It’s a personal statement that I can’t get attached to them,” he said.”I always say when you walk on the Hartley estate, everything has a price, except my wife.”

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • Permanent daylight saving time would prevent 37,000 car-deer crashes, study says

    Notwithstanding the annoyances of switching between standard time and daylight saving time that affect our sleeping habits — spring ahead, fall back, all that — there are more serious consequences to the semi-annual transition: A new study says the time change contributes to 37,000 vehicle collisions with deer on U.S. roads.

    The report, published this week in the journal Current Biology, says that year-round daylight saving time would reduce the time that evening rush-hour traffic occurs in darkness each year, preventing 33 human deaths, 2,000 injuries, and saving about $1.2 billion in repair costs stemming from accidents.

    “The numbers are surprisingly large,” reported Laura Prugh, an associate professor of wildlife science at the University of Washington and an author of the study. “It’s just noticeable that a seemingly simple change — not changing the clock back in the fall, not falling back — would lead to such a marked reduction in collisions throughout the country.” 

    “If you drive two hours after dark, you’re 14 times more likely to hit a deer than if you drive before dark,” said Calum Cunningham, a postdoctoral researcher at UW and co-author of the study.

    Switching to permanent standard time, meanwhile, would cost an additional 66 human lives per year and $2 billion in damage from an additional 74,000 collisions.

    To understand the effect of seasonal time changes, researchers gathered wildlife and vehicle collision data from more than 1 million crashes in 23 states to estimate impacts. Deer are most active on both sides of dawn and dusk, and the data showed that drivers are far more likely to hit deer when the evening commute is done in the dark. 

    Some 2.1 million deer-vehicle collisions occur in the United States each year, causing more than $10 billion in economic losses — with 59,000 human injuries and 440 deaths.

    Washington is one of 19 states where the legislatures have approved permanent daylight saving time, but they require congressional action to put it into effect. In March, the Senate weighed in, unanimously voting in favor of the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent year-round for all states but Hawaii and most of Arizona. Those two states would continue to observe year-round standard time. But the bill has stalled in the House.

    Until the House acts, we’re stuck with the current system — so take note that clocks nationwide will “fall back” by one hour at 2 a.m. this coming Sunday morning, Nov. 6.


  • Auto Industry to Spend $1.2 Trillion by 2030 on the Transition to Electrification

    October 31, 2022

    The 119th State of the Fleet Industry video produced by Automotive Fleet offers insights into the state of the fleet market as presented by AF Editor Mike Antich.

    🎙Today’s topics include:

    • Altogether automakers — globally — plan to double their EV spending to $1.2 trillion to build 54 million battery-electric vehicles by 2030.
    • Today’s current transition to EVs dwarfs the cost of the Apollo space program. In fact, today’s transition to electrification will invest $1 trillion more than what it cost to put 12 people on the moon.
    • Globally, automakers are forecasting that half of their total worldwide vehicle production will be EVs by 2030. And it will take $1.2 trillion to achieve this goal.
    • A new tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act is anticipated that will be that provides a $7,500 tax credit for commercial EVs with no restrictions on battery sourcing or manufacturing. 

    Make sure you’re signed up for the AF newsletter so you don’t miss another State of the Fleet Industry video.

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    🤝 Follow and connect with Automotive Fleet on social media!

    🎧 Prefer to listen? Check out the State of the Fleet Industry podcast!

    Timestamps 
    0:00 Intro

    1:00 Automakers to double their EV spending to $1.2 trillion

    1:45 Transition to EVs vs. Apollo Moon Program

    4:30 Forecast: half the total vehicle production will be EVs by 2030

    5:00 New tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act


  • IIHS Safety Awards: Subaru Scores Triple Win

    The 2023 Subaru Outback and two sister vehicles recently snagged Top Safety Pick+ awards. - Photo: IIHS

    The 2023 Subaru Outback and two sister vehicles recently snagged Top Safety Pick+ awards.

    Photo: IIHS

    The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has recognized three Subaru vehicles with its highest safety accolade. The 2022 WRX, 2023 Legacy, and the 2023 Outback, all recently rolled away with Top Safety Pick+ awards.

    The WRX, a small car, and the Legacy and Outback, both midsize cars, mastered six crashworthiness tests — capturing good scores in each evaluation. These included the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, original side, roof strength, and head restraint tests.

    But the rigorous criterion for garnering “plus” status doesn’t end there. Vehicles must also be available with a front crash prevention system that earns advanced or superior ratings in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations. Moreover, good or acceptable headlights must be standard across all trims.

    The trio of Subarus met IIHS’ exacting standards.

    The redesigned WRX offers an optional front crash prevention system that earns superior ratings in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations. The updated Legacy and Outback do even better — both come with standard front crash prevention systems that earn superior ratings in the two required tests.

    As for headlights, the WRX’s Limited and GT trims come with curve-adaptive LED projector headlights that earn a good rating, while the static LED projectors that come with the Base and Premium trims are rated acceptable. IIHS notes that this marks an improvement over the 2021 model, which was passed over for the “plus” because lower trims were equipped with poor-rated halogens.

    Finally, both the updated Legacy and Outback earned good-rated headlights across all trim, giving Subaru everything it needed to score a triple win for the most coveted safety award in the industry.


  • Audi will team up with Sauber for F1 entry starting in 2026

    HINWIL, Switzerland — German manufacturer Audi has chosen Formula One team Sauber as its factory works team when it enters the racing series in 2026.

    Sauber said in a statement on Wednesday that Audi also plans to acquire a stake in the Sauber Group, although no financial details on the shareholding or the timing of it were given.

    It was not immediately clear if Audi will run its own team or only supply engines to Switzerland-based Sauber.

    “To become Audi’s official works team is not only an honor and a great responsibility,” Sauber F1 team principal Frederic Vasseur said. “It’s the best option for the future and we are fully confident we can help Audi achieve the objectives they have set for their journey in Formula One.”

    Sauber’s title sponsorship with Alfa Romeo finishes at the end of next year. The team is in sixth place in the 10-team constructors’ championship, but is only one point ahead of Aston Martin with three races left this season.

    Audi announced in August that it was entering F1 as a power unit supplier in 2026 in line with new engine regulations, and was widely expected to team up with Sauber.

    Sauber will continue to use Ferrari engines until 2025.

    Audi will then manufacture its own power unit in an era when there will be a greater emphasis on sustainable fuels and an increased electrical component in engines.

    From 2026, the electric power output for the power units, consisting of an electric motor, battery, control electronics, and a combustion engine, will increase.

    The electric motor will then be nearly as powerful as the combustion engine and the highly efficient 1.6-liter turbo engines will run on advanced sustainable fuel, which Audi says was a prerequisite for entry into the series.

    “Audi is the best strategic partner for the Sauber Group,” Sauber chairman Finn Rausing said. “It is clear that we share values and a vision, and we look forward to achieving our common goals in a strong and successful partnership.”

    F1 president Stefano Domenicali said Audi’s partnership with Sauber is further proof of how the series is becoming more attractive.

    “The combination of those two names is a very exciting prospect for our sport,” Domenicali said. “It highlights the strong momentum that Formula 1 has and the belief in our strategy to further grow and enhance the sport while delivering on our sustainability plans to be net zero carbon by 2030 with advanced sustainable fuels in the cars in 2026.”

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