A couple of days ago we wrote about General Motors abandoning its Cruise robotaxi. This is not surprising. Robotaxis are really computers on wheels, and the driver is software - artificial intelligence. General Motors is not a software company. This may seem like an obvious statement but it has profound implications. Software companies are used to rapid prototyping, rapid cycles of creation, testing, destruction, corrections and a new round of testing. Companies that work with material things simply cannot match this level of speed. In large measure it’s psychological – even if you hire young computer team, the management still has “physical world limitations” mentality. Tesla and SpaceX do try to replicate this software process – that’s why spectacular explosions of the Starship are considered part of the development plan – but keep in mind Elon Musk made his first fortune in computer software, so the push comes from the top, and he has the u ... read more

Yesterday General Motors announced that it was exiting the Cruise robotaxi business. Previously GM claimed robotaxis would generate $50 billion revenue by 2030. But as Yogi Berra famously said “It is dangerous to make forecasts, especially about the future.” After assessing the competitive space, and the investments they would have to continue to make, GM decided to pull the plug on Cruise. Wall Street analysts were positive about the news – GM spent around 10 billion dollars so far, with not much to show for the expense.  Even with the rapid improvement in artificial intelligence, autonomous driving is a difficult and complex endeavor.  It’s one thing to drive on an empty highway, it’s another matter altogether driving in a city during the rush hour. Anybody who has seen Waymo vehicles on the streets of San Francisco or has watched videos of said Waymo cars performing less than brilliantly, has some inkling of how far we have to go. Not that h ... read more

How often do you ask yourself, “Who’s taking care of my car?” If the answer is unclear, it might be time to reassess your vehicle maintenance routine. Even though cars are much more reliable and better built than they were 40 years ago (all mechanics we know, and we know a lot of them, are in agreement on that), cars still need regular maintenance. Granted, there are plenty of sensors in your car that will alert you to developing problems – something cars from 40 years ago did not have – yet regular maintenance remains the first line of defense against breakdowns, and it significantly lowers total cost of ownership, and extends your vehicle’s lifespan. So establishing a connection with a reliable auto repair shop is vital for your car’s wellbeing and your peace of mind. Just like choosing a doctor for your health, selecting the right mechanic ensures your car stays in top condition, prevents costly surprises, and keeps you confidently on the r ... read more

The study asks responses from over 100,000 purchases and lessees of vehicles acquired in 2024. Study focuses on the first 90 days of ownership. Internal combustion engine vehicles averaged 180 problems per 100 vehicles. On the other hand, battery electric vehicles got 266 problems per 100 vehicles. That’s 48% higher. The study shows that EVs, even though they have fewer parts and systems, ended up requiring more repairs than regular, gasoline powered cars. We understand that newer technologies used in EVs may increase number of problems – but most everybody expected that fewer parts and systems would result in fewer problems – simply because there is less stuff that could break. Apparently this is not the case. Tesla gets the blame for dragging down EV score, which makes sense considering the huge number of Tesla vehicles sold. One sore point was the removal of traditional turn signal controls and traditional wiper control – these changes are not seen as benef ... read more

One of the more interesting announcements at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show was that Nvidia and Mercedes are working on AI in the Mercedes-Benz automobiles.   While Mercedes is researching self-driving cars, in the meantime they offer AI enhancements to the overall automobile use experience. Mercedes announced that it will offer a Virtual Assistant which is supposed to offer a mix of proactive and empathetic interactions. It is supposed to model four emotions and adapt them to the needs, preferences and moods of the humans. While personally I don’t want my car chatting me up, it might come in handy when kids are riding in the back – let the AI handle “Are we there yet?” questions. Mercedes will, supposedly, train large language model (artificial intelligence) to know the history of Mercedes vehicles, but also the know the manual/handbook for a particular model, as well as status of the vehicle information.  Drivers will be able to have a conversa ... read more

Hertz car rental company is selling about 20,000 electric vehicles, including Teslas. Apparently the cost of collision damage for EVs is causing Hertz to rethink their commitment to convert 25% of their rental fleet to electric vehicles by the end of 2024 - clearly this will not happen. Sine a number of customers driving EVs were involved in collisions, Hertz decided to lessen the chance of future collisions involving EVs, by limiting the torque and speed of their EVs. It has not been widely reported, but collision shop owners are thrilled with the EVs, as their high acceleration results in increased probability of a collision, at least until drivers get used to driving EVs. So while there are headwinds facing the EV industry, as individuals we may benefit from Hertz's sale. You can check out their website, apparently in addition to Tesla's Model 3, they also have BMW's i3 and Chevrolet's Bolt for sale. Naturally when you consider used EV purchase, you should keep in ... read more

Tesla’s problems with the Tesla truck are well documented. But what about other automakers? Well, I recently talked to a delivery guy. The company he works for uses a fleet of Ford ETransit  (yes, that’s “electric” Ford Transit) and Rivian trucks.  His enthusiasm was muted. The biggest problem, of course, is the range.  He said that Ford ETransit was giving him about 100 mile range. Rivian vans were better, at 140 miles, but it was not because of super efficiency – they just have a bigger battery pack. The bane of the electric cars – limited range – will continue to impact electric vans for years to come. Imagine crawling in Bay Area traffic, and your electric van is running low on power. Are you close to a charging station? Is it a fast charging station? How about 15 minutes to get 45 mile range at a fast charging station. But at the Level 2 Ford Connected Charge Station, it will take almost 3 hrs. to recharge, so you can go a ... read more

Toyota will invest over $8 billion in North Carolina, expanding its battery manufacturing capability. It will create additional 3,000 jobs and allow Toyota to significantly expand its production of batteries for EVs and for Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Estimates are that by 2030 that plant will be able to manufacture around 600,000 EV battery packs every year. Considering that Toyota has made large bets on hydrogen powered vehicles, and that it continues to improve hydrogen technology, it speaks to its financial prowess that it can invest billions into EV technology that it plans to make obsolete with its hydrogen cars. But then, given Toyota’s position in the automotive industry, it is not surprising that it can invest in two very different technologies simultaneously. It projects yearly profits at 26 billion dollars. Even though Toyota currently offers only two purely electric vehicles - bZ4X SUV and its twin, the Lexus RZ, it also offers plenty of hybrids and plug-in hybrids tha ... read more

Yes, you heard it right, Tesla service at independent auto repair shops. We can now provide Tesla owners not only with new OE tires, but also wheel alignment, brake pads replacement, and suspension work. Tesla finally recognized that the long wait times at the Tesla service centers are not going away, particularly when they are ramping up production at the Texas Giga Factory. So for the first time independent auto repair shops are getting access to Tesla OE parts, and we are also getting more technical information flow. Naturally independent shops  can also provide Michelin OE Tesla tires, as well as Tesla tires from Continental and other well-known brand names. These tires have the special foam inserts to keep the ride quiet. Naturally along with new tires we can provide wheel alignment for Tesla vehicles. We anticipate that over time Tesla will provide more technical information, more parts, and will rely on independent auto repair shops to provide the services that Tesla vehi ... read more

Goodyear is known for its tire innovations including using dandelion latex instead of tree harvested latex (when you break dandelion stem, the white stuff that comes out contains latex). So it’s not a surprise that recently Goodyear announced they were able to produce a 90% sustainable tire. The tire materials include not just recycled polyester, but also plant-based materials, like soybean oil, rice husk waste, and pine resin. Steel used in the tires has high recycled content. According to Goodyear, the tires have passed regulatory testing, as well as Goodyear’s internal durability and performance testing. Naturally Goodyear will need to line up suppliers and create a reliable supply chain in order to scale production, so it will take some time before you can buy 90% sustainable tires at your local tire dealer. The stated goal of Goodyear is to eventually produce tires that are made of 100% sustainable-materials. At present, there is no estimate on when this tire will b ... read more