Jeep Wrangler owners like topersonalize their vehicles and,with the new 2018 Wrangler com-ing soon to dealerships, Mopar isready.A total of 98 percent of Jeep
Wrangler vehicles are typicallyoutfitted with at least one Moparproduct, said Mopar spokesman
Ariel Gavilan. To that end, Moparrevealed a selection of thebrand’s more than 200 new JeepPerformance Parts and acces-sories for the new 2018 JeepWrangler during a press event atthe 2017 Specialty EquipmentMarket Association (SEMA) Showin Las Vegas Oct. 31.
The Mopar brand’s new line-up, created with more than100,000 hours of development,validation and testing, assistsowners in personalizing the newWrangler for any adventure orlifestyle, and will be available at
View This Week’s Edition at http://DetroitAutoScene.com
Springer with his 2018 Chevy Silverado Centennial Edition pickup.
Mopar Shows Itself Ready for New Wrangler
Excellence deserves excel-lence.The 2017 Willie Mays World Se-
ries Most Valuable Player, GeorgeSpringer, was presented with a2018 Chevrolet Silverado Centen-nial Edition pickup truck inrecognition of his strong per-
formance on the field as theHouston Astros won the firstWorld Series championship intheir franchise history.Springer, the Astros center-
fielder, went 11-for-29 with fivehome runs and seven RBI. Hetied the record for the mosthome runs in a World Series, afeat achieved by only two otherplayers – Reggie Jackson withthe New York Yankees in 1977and Chase Utley with thePhiladelphia Phillies in 2009.A media panel and online fan
votes on MLB.com, the club sitesand the MLB.com At Bat apphelped determine the MVPAward winnerd. Earlier this year,Major League Baseball honoredHall of Famer Willie Mays by re-naming the MVP award in recog-nition of his many contributionsto the game.“In a matchup of the two best
teams in baseball, GeorgeSpringer’s performance on thefield tonight and throughout theWorld Series truly embodies thesame ‘Never Give Up’ spirit thatdrives the Chevrolet team to winevery day,” said Brian Sweeney,U.S. vice president of Chevrolet,at the post-game ceremony. “Weare proud to recognize Springer’stremendous efforts with theWillie Mays World Series MVPaward and the 2018 Chevrolet Sil-verado Centennial Edition pick-up.”Chevrolet has been the Official
Vehicle of Major League Baseballsince 2005 and through itsChevrolet Youth Baseball pro-gram has helped raise more than$28 million to aid hometownteams over the last 10 years, saidChevrolet spokeswoman AfafFarah.Nearly 5.2 million young
people in communities acrossthe country have benefited fromthe program, and more than1,500 Chevrolet dealers are in-volved.Chevrolet is also a sponsor of
PLAY BALL, baseball’s collectiveeffort to encourage young peopleand communities to participatein baseball- or softball-relatedactivities, including formalleagues, events and casual formsof play.
World Series MVP SpringerGets Pickup as His Prize
®Detroit AutoScene®
“F IRST IN THE HEAR T OF DETROIT”
VOL. 85 NO. 43 NOVEMBER 6, 2017ESTABLISHED 1933 AS NEW CENTER NEWS AND 1983 AS OAKLAND TECH NEWS
2018 Ford Edge 2018 Jeep Compass 2018 Buick Enclave
by TOM KRISHERAP Auto Writer
DETROIT (AP) – Fueled by in-creased demand from rental carcompanies, strong truck and SUVsales, and recovery from hurri-canes in Florida and Texas, U.S.auto sales appear to have posteda surprise increase in October.It would be the second straight
monthly increase for the indus-
try, which before Septemberhadn’t posted positive numbersin any month this year. But ana-lysts say even a strong finish tothe year won’t be enough tomatch last year’s record sales ofmore than 17.5 million. Still, theindustry should finish 2017 closeto the record at around 17 mil-lion vehicles.Ford, Honda, Nissan, Toyota
and Volkswagen all reported
gains for October, defying expec-tations that buyers would pullback and that fewer people thanexpected would replace hurri-cane-damaged vehicles.Fiat Chrysler, General Motors
and Hyundai reported declines,with most automakers postingOctober numbers last week.At Ford, sales rose 6 percent
due to a big gain in F-Series pick-up demand and an increase in
sales to fleet buyers such as gov-ernments and rental car compa-nies.At Fiat Chrysler, sales dropped
13 percent as a 43 percent cut infleet sales offset an Octoberrecord for Ram pickup sales.GM sales fell 2 percent as all
four of its brands posted de-clines.
Ford Tops Among Domestics in October Vehicle Sales
Ford subsidiary Argo AI has ac-quired Princeton Lightwave,which develops and commercial-izes LiDAR sensors, said Fordspokesman Alan Hall.In February, Ford declared that
the company was investing $1billion during the next five yearsin Argo AI, combining Ford’sautonomous vehicle develop-ment expertise with Argo AI’s ro-botics experience and startupspeed on artificial intelligencesoftware – all to further advanceautonomous vehicles, Hall said.Bryan Salesky, CEO of Argo AI,
said acquiring Princeton Light-wave makes sense for the compa-ny.“We can’t talk about a future of
self-driving cars without men-tioning LiDAR technology – andwe won’t be able to build thatfuture without it,” Salesky said.“These sensors are crucial to cre-ating a three-dimensional view ofthe world that helps autonomousvehicles find where they are onthe road and detect other vehi-cles, pedestrians and cyclists.“To accelerate our mission to
realize the self-driving future, Ar-go has acquired Princeton Light-wave, a company with extensiveexperience in the developmentand commercialization of LiDARsensors. The technology that un-derpins their lineup of LiDAR
Ford Continues Investing in LiDAR Companies, Technology
LiDAR tech helps driverless vehicles “see” their local environment.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Gorlier, at the 2017 SEMA show, reveals some parts Mopar will have for 2018 Wrangler customization.
Ford brought its heavy hittersto last week’s SEMA show in LasVegas.Vehicles on display included
custom Ford vehicles such astougher F-Series Trucks, saidFord spokesman Matt Leaver.Other vehicles included SUVsready to take adventure-seekersto new levels at the 2017 SEMAwith customized power, off-road-ing gear and bold designs.There were 11 custom builds,
in total, that were part of themore than 50 vehicles Ford hadon display at the SEMA show,Leaver said, making it the largestautomaker display at the event.Ford Out Front also offered at-
tendees an interactive experi-ence of riding in one of the per-formance cars or trucks on aclosed course, Leaver said.Among the many custom vehi-
cles that Ford had on displaywere:• The Project SD126, also
known as the “No Mission is Im-possible” truck.This 2017 Ford Super Duty XLT,
Leaver said, is an extremely ca-pable vehicle right out of thegate. Dubbed “Project SD126,” itoptimizes a 2017 Super Duty forultimate off-road performance.Starting with a standard cab, thistruck was converted to a shortbed for the 126-inch wheelbasebefore transforming it inside andout with race-proven BDS andFOX suspension technology, astout powertrain, and a widerbody to accept the massive 42-
inch tires. The cab features a pairof racing seats and harnessesalong with an off-road GPS andcustom stereo.• A custom 2018 F-150 that re-
calls the sport-truck mania of the1990s with continued emphasison outright muscle. Its powerfulstance creates an aggressive atti-tude powered by Air Design’snew line of Street Series Acces-sories that include full bodystyling kit, hood scoop, fendervents, rear spoiler and rear tail-gate applique. Each custompiece is specifically CAD-de-signed and crafted to fit the new2018 Ford F-150 Lariat Super-Crew, backed by Air Design’slong history of innovation andsleek designs with easy installa-tion.• The “Modern Adventurer”
project that combines productsthat elevate the F-150 XLT Super-Crew to the mecca of technologyand innovation, while serving avariety of uses for the ultimateadventure seeker. The customblack-and-red tonal paint job isan attention-getter, while the newA.R.E. Z Revo cap protects thestorage system and gear locatedin the bed of the truck. This F-150was designed from bumper tobumper to modernize the adven-ture truck experience.• A custom F-150 that seeks a
bend in the road or rough ter-rain. Leaver said this pickup isas fun to drive on road as it is offwith an eye-catching paintscheme and the seven-inch liftkit, making an instant impres-sion. To make sure this monstercan move, a 3.5-liter EcoBoostengine is paired with a customtune. For a little extra growl, aFord Performance exhaust wasadded. Whether it’s the moun-tains or Manhattan, this F-150can conquer any terrain in styleand luxury, said Leaver.• A custom SUV that boasts
luxury and comfort, said Leaver.This 2018 Ford Expedition fea-tures seats with the latest de-signs by Alea Leather. Ford Li-censed Accessories hasequipped it with the latest DVDrear entertainment system. Don’tlet the pretty looks fool you, saidLeaver, because this SUV haspower to compete with the best,including a CGS Performance Ex-
haust System for added horse-power and a throaty sound. Thesix-piston brakes from Spartahelp it stop on a dime.• Ford’s Showcased Specialty
Mustangs.Pony car lovers attending the
Specialty Equipment Market As-sociation show in Las Vegas thisyear got a first-hand look at sev-en souped-up 2018 Mustangsthat have been designed withunique interpretations of power,performance and style, Leaversaid.The Ford Out Front display
also offered attendees an interac-tive experience of riding in one ofthe performance cars or truckson a closed course.The public also had the chance
to see the 2018 Ford MustangConvertible created by MAD In-dustries, Leaver said.The customized convertible
was designed to deliver an open-air thrill ride, Leaver said. Thisdesign by MAD Industries en-hanced Mustang’s aggressivenew look with dramatic eye ap-peal for a dynamic top-down ad-venture, Leaver said. The world-class luxury sports car, he said,was outfitted with staggered 20-inch Niche Staccato Wheels.APR Carbon Fiber Drag Wing
provides the down force and ag-gressive look of this custom con-vertible.A retuned 2.3-liter EcoBoost
engine with Ford Performance in-take and exhaust enhance power.Inside, the cockpit artfullyblends white details from the ex-terior theme and Braum Elite-XSeries Racing bucket seats de-
tailed in white stitching, saidLeaver.• The “Baja Forged Adventur-
er” Expedition.This SUV has room for the
whole family to travel in styleand comfort, whether drivingaround town or exploring thefreedom of the outdoors, Leaversaid. The upgraded suspensiongives drivers the ability to attackthe open road, he said. Otheramenities include a rooftop tentand refrigerator.
PAGE 2 NOVEMBER 6, 2017DETROIT AUTO SCENE
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Mustang: Ford’s Featured Player at 2017 SEMA Show
The 2018 Ford Mustang Convertible was created by MAD Industries.
DETROIT (AP) – The DetroitSymphony Orchestra says fourfoundations are giving a com-bined $18.5 million to the organi-zation to boost programmingand its permanent endowment.The ensemble said Oct. 30 the
lion’s share, $15 million, comesfrom the William Davidson Foun-dation, which continues itssponsorship of the orchestra’sNeighborhood Concert Series.The Davidson gift includes a
$5 million challenge grant to en-courage additional endowmentsupport. The orchestra says thatchallenge is halfway met withfunds from The Andrew W. Mel-lon Foundation, Fred A. and Bar-bara M. Erb Family Foundationand Dresner Foundation.
DSO ReceivingCharity Funding
the vehicle launch in dealer-ships.New Mopar products available
for the new Wrangler includeJeep Performance Parts lift kits,beadlock-capable wheels, off-road bumpers, LED off-roadlights, and rock rails, Gavilansaid. Mopar accessories for theWrangler include a roof rack formounting a variety of lifestylecargo carriers, a tailgate table,vehicle graphics, tire coversavailable in a variety of stylesand designs, fuel doors andmore.“An iconic vehicle such as
Jeep Wrangler deserves nothingbut the best, which is why theMopar and Jeep brands have de-veloped a new set of product so-lutions to meet the uniquelifestyles of Wrangler owners,”said Pietro Gorlier, head of Partsand Service (Mopar), FCA.“From Jeep Performance Parts
like winches and wheels to ac-cessories such as bikini tops andtailgate tables, Mopar has incor-porated input from Wranglerowners in bringing to the mar-ketplace the most powerful, reli-able and authentic lineup of ac-cessories and performance partsavailable.”New Jeep Performance Parts
LED off-road lights, available in5- and 7-inch applications, pumpout a maximum of 8,000 lumens,putting commercial and militarygrade illumination into thehands of hard-core off-roaders.The off-road lights mount to
the frame rails, winch guard orwindshield via new Jeep Per-formance Parts off-road lightbrackets. A new auxiliary switchbank featuring its own powerdistribution center offers an or-ganized central area for operat-ing accessories such as the off-road lights, winch and otherelectrical-powered items.New, unique Jeep Performance
Parts rock rails are thicker andwider to protect the body, andfeature the same coating used onRam Truck bedliners to add anon-slip finish, Gavilan said.A Wrangler Rubicon off-road
bumper guards the modern andrenowned Wrangler profile,maintaining factory standardsand properly harmonizing withthe design aesthetics of the newWrangler.Jeep Performance Parts and
accessories for the 2018 Wran-gler will be available when theWrangler arrives in dealerships.
Mopar UnveilsNew PackageFor Wrangler
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
®Detroit AutoScene®
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While it may be called the Sub-urban, Chevrolet hasn’t forgottenthat the SUV can be used formore rural pursuits.Country music superstar Luke
Bryan has lent his name toChevrolet’s bold, stylized Subur-ban concept with added func-tionality that speaks to Bryan’s“Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ EveryDay” outlook, said GM spokes-man Randy Fox.Bryan introduced the Luke
Bryan Suburban concept lastweek at the SEMA Show, where itjoins Chevrolet’s display of con-cept and production vehicles,crate engine systems and per-formance parts during the auto-motive personalization and per-formance exposition.“Chevy has been part of our
family and a part of our work lifeon the farm for as long as I canremember,” says Bryan. “If youwere a Bryan, you drove a Chevy– and I’m a longtime Suburbanowner.“This partnership is a natural
fit for me and this unique Subur-ban represents everything I andmy family want for our outdooradventures.”Blending the utility of a truck
with the versatility of an SUV,Fox said the Luke Bryan Subur-ban concept is aimed squarely ataccommodating the outdoor ac-tivities he enjoys with his chil-dren. Chevrolet designers inter-viewed Bryan to learn his wishlist for his ultimate outdoor ac-tivity vehicle, which includedmore access to the open air.
To help the Suburban go justabout anywhere and “lookproud” doing it, said ToddParker, Chevrolet Design direc-tor, the suspension was liftedand rides on modified 22-inchChevrolet Accessories wheelsmounted on 35-inch-tall off-roadtires.The vehicle also features a
roof-mounted equipment carrierwith a fishing rod holder.“This concept is all about max-
imizing the Suburban’s spaceand utility for a family that trulyenjoys hunting, fishing and otheroutdoor activities,” said Parker.“There’s plenty of room for alltheir gear, along with addedamenities that make the journeymore enjoyable.”In addition to the functional
enhancements, Parker said theSuburban concept also features acustom Hunter Bronze exteriorcolor with Dark Carbon accentsand camo graphics, a roof-mounted light rack and a customlower fascia.The liftgate was re-engineered
to swing outward rather than up-ward and incorporates a customspare tire mount.“If you live in that hunting, fish-
ing, loving every day mentality,you’re going to be a little morestress-free,” says Bryan. “Andyour quality of life will be a littlebetter.”Like other regular-production
2018 Suburban models, Bryan’sconcept is powered by a direct-injected 5.3L V8, rated at 355horsepower and 383 lb.-ft. of
torque that’s backed by a six-speed automatic transmission.The 5.3L engine is part of theclassic Chevrolet Small Blockfamily that’s delivered provenpower and dependability formore than 60 years, said Parker.The Suburban also features a
locking rear differential for sure-footed traction in the outdoorsand an 8,000-pound trailering rat-ing (4WD with NHT Max Trailer-ing Package).Here are some Luke Bryan Sub-
urban Concept Features.Exterior:• Chevrolet Accessories meshgrille (custom finish);
• Chevrolet Accessories blacktubular assist steps;
• Chevrolet Accessories ThuleCanyon roof basket withoptional extensions;
• Chevrolet Accessories roofrack cross rails;
• “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’Every Day” exterior badges;
• Roof-mounted light rack byBaja Designs;
• Roof-mounted fishing rodholder.
Interior:• Chevrolet Accessories Blue-tooth headphones by KICKER;
• Chevrolet Accessories Blue-tooth Bullfrog music systemby KICKER;
• Concept rear-facing third-rowseats with custom footwell;
• Reverse-mounted rear-seatDVD player;
• “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’Every Day” concept rearfloormat.
Suburban Goes Country with Luke Bryan
This Luke Bryan Suburban is designed specifically for outdoor users.
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) –German automaker Volkswagensaw its profits drop by half in theJuly-September period due to ex-penses for fixing and buyingback diesel cars in the UnitedStates, but otherwise had what itcalled a “strong third quarter”and raised its earnings outlookfor the full year.Profit after tax fell to $1.33 bil-
lion from 2.33 billion in the samequarter a year earlier. Based inWolfsburg, VW announced Sept.29 that it would take around 2.5billion euros in additionalcharges for complying with a set-tlement with U.S. authoritiesover diesel cars.Sales revenues, however, rose
5.8 percent to 55.0 billion euros.The company said the operatingmargin before special items will
be “moderately higher” this yearthan the original 6-7 percent.Chief Financial Officer Frank
Witter said the diesel issue wasnowhere near an end. Volkswa-gen admitted to equipping carswith software that turned dieselemission controls on during test-ing and off during everyday driv-ing. Some 11 million cars world-wide were affected.Witter said the VW’s perform-
ance over the first nine monthsof the year makes “us quite opti-mistic” about the year as awhole. Despite cost of the dieselscandal the company’s automo-tive business still had an ade-quate financial cushion of 25 bil-lion euros in cash.VW will need its cash pile as it
and other OEMs sink billions intonew technologies.
VW Reports Profits Decline
PAGE 4 NOVEMBER 6, 2017DETROIT AUTO SCENE
Mopar Funny Car driver MattHagan finally broke through inthe Nevada desert Oct. 29, as hewon at The Strip at Las VegasMotor Speedway for the veryfirst time.
Hagan put his Hemi-powered,Mopar Pennzoil Dodge ChargerR/T from Don SchumacherRacing (DSR) in the winner’scircle at the 17th annual NHRANationals to take his fourthvictory of the season and 15thfor Mopar-powered Funny Carsin 2017.
It was also the 20th time atleast one Mopar Dodge FunnyCar from DSR has appeared inthe final round through 23events to date this year.
With just one event remainingin the NHRA Mello Yello DragRacing Series season, which in-cludes the six-race Countdownto the Championship playoffs,Mopar vehicles have nowclaimed victory 20 times acrossthe Funny Car and Top Fuelcategories.
Additionally, five Mopar-pow-ered drivers across both cate-gories are still mathematicallyeligible to win the 2017 champi-onship in two weeks at AutoClub Raceway at Pomona.
During this weekend’s NHRANationals, Hagan, a two-timeFunny Car champion, defeatedCourtney Force from the rightlane in the final round.
Hagan turned in a pass of3.942 seconds at 329.42 mphpaired with a .050-second reac-tion time to better Force’s 4.020at 320.05. She left the line with areaction time of .069.
The duel at the Vegas tracksurrounded by desert mountainsand lying 15 miles north of thefamed Strip was a re-match ofboth this year’s NHRA Winterna-tionals and New England Nation-als.
Each of those final roundswere also won by Hagan.
Hagan, whose team has strug-gled in the Countdown, openedhis day by pushing past GaryDensham in round one on aclean pass as Densham smokedhis tires near the 300-foot mark.The round win was the 300th ofHagan’s career.
He next bested Del Worsham,who also struck the tires to putHagan into the semifinal roundagainst his DSR Mopar teammateJack Beckman.
Hagan advanced to the final byturning in his third consecutiveclean pass as Beckman instantlywent up in smoke.
Hagan’s victory was the 26thof his career.
Mopar-PoweredRacer Earns
Victory in Vegas
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) –Michigan State University offi-cials plan to spend nearly $50million modernizing a campuspower plant in the coming years.
The Lansing State Journal re-ports that improvements to theT.B. Simon Power Plant will in-clude replacing two boilers thathave been in operation since theplant’s opening in 1965.
School officials say the newboiler and improvements to theplant’s production capacity areexpected to take around ninemonths to plan.
They should take an addition-al 18 months to complete.
The school says the projectwill also require state approval.
Michigan State University offi-cials celebrated last week cutthe ribbon on a solar panel proj-ect which covers more than700,000 square feet and is ex-pected to generate between 5percent and 6 percent of thecampus’ electrical needs.
Michigan State’sPower Plant to Get$50 Million Boost
NOVEMBER 6, 2017 PAGE 5DETROIT AUTO SCENE
WASHINGTON (AP) – TheTrump administration has quiet-ly set aside plans to require newcars to be able to wirelessly talkto each other, auto industry offi-cials said, jeopardizing one of themost promising technologies forpreventing traffic deaths.The Obama administration
proposed last December that allnew cars and light trucks comeequipped with technology knownas vehicle-to-vehicle communica-tions, or V2V. It would enable ve-hicles to transmit their location,speed, direction and other infor-mation 10 times per second. Thatlets cars detect, for example,when another vehicle is about torun a red light or coming arounda blind turn in time to prevent acrash.The administration has decid-
ed not to pursue a final V2V man-date, said two auto industry offi-cials who have spoken withWhite House and TransportationDepartment officials and two oth-ers whose organizations havespoken to the administration.The industry officials spoke oncondition of anonymity so as notto jeopardize their relations withthe administration.The White House and the De-
partment of Transportation de-clined to comment, but the pro-posal has been dropped from theWhite House Office of Manage-ment and Budget’s list of regula-tions actively under considera-tion and instead has been rele-gated to its long-term agenda.The National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, which ispart of the Transportation De-partment, said in a statementthat it is still reviewing morethan 460 comments on the pro-posed mandate before decidingits next step and that no final de-cision has been made.Industry officials said deci-
sions on the matter are being
made at higher levels of the ad-ministration.Administration officials indi-
cated their decision was basedon several factors, including gen-eral wariness of imposing costlymandates on industry, eventhough most automakers sup-port requiring V2V, industry offi-cials said.President Trump has made re-
ducing government regulations,which he sees as a drain on theeconomy, a guiding principle ofhis administration.The Transportation Depart-
ment estimates the technologyhas the potential to prevent orreduce the severity of up to 80percent of collisions that don’tinvolve alcohol or drugs.V2V was also expected to pro-
vide an extra layer of safety forself-driving cars since it can de-tect even vehicles hidden bybuildings or beyond the range ofthe sensors and cameras of au-tonomous vehicles. And it wasexpected to ease traffic conges-tion since vehicles could commu-nicate with traffic signals, turn-ing them green to prevent need-less waiting, save fuel and reduceemissions.V2V is one of the “most impor-
tant tools” for reducing traffic fa-talities, but the Trump adminis-tration “is locking it in the trunkif they’re not going to put out themandate,” said Deborah Hers-man, president of the NationalSafety Council, a congressionallychartered advocacy group. “Theonly way you’re going to get itadopted and deployed in a wide-spread manner is by having amandate.”The Obama administration
shares some of the blame be-cause it waited years to proposethe mandate, she said.Traffic fatalities have surged
over the past two years to 37,461deaths in 2016, up nearly 5,000
deaths from 2014. It’s the largesttwo-year increase since the early1960s.Another reason administration
officials are allowing the V2V pro-posal to languish is strong oppo-sition from the cable and tech in-dustries, auto industry officialssaid.The government set aside the
5.9 GHz spectrum band for trans-portation technologies in 1999. Itwent unused while the govern-ment and automakers spent overa decade and more than $1 bil-lion developing and testing V2V.Spectrum is finite and in short
supply. Cable and tech compa-nies have been seeking permis-sion to use the 5.9 GHz spectrumfor additional wireless band-width. Automakers say they needthe entire 5.9 GHz spectrum forV2V and other safety uses.The Federal Communications
Commission has been conduct-ing tests to see if the spectrumcan be shared without interferingwith the safety signals. The firsttest results are expected to be re-leased soon.Automakers wanted the man-
date partly because it would es-tablish V2V protocols to ensurethat Fords could talk to Toyotaswhich could talk to Volkswagens,and so on.The mandate was also intend-
ed to get the technology ontoroads faster. It called for half ofnew vehicles to have V2V withintwo years after a final rule was is-sued, and all new vehicles withinfour years.The more vehicles equipped
with V2V, the more collisionsthat could be avoided.It would still take many years
before there were enough vehi-cles with V2V to reap the tech-nology’s full promise. That mightbe accelerated by after-marketdevices that would bring V2V toolder vehicles.
Washington Changes Wireless Car Regs
ATWATER, Calif. (AP) –Google’s self-driving car spin-offis accelerating efforts to con-vince the public that its technol-ogy is almost ready to safelytransport people without any hu-man assistance at all.Waymo, hatched from a
Google project started eightyears ago, showed off itsprogress Oct. 30 during a rarepeek at a closely guarded testingfacility located 120 miles (193kilometers) southeast of SanFrancisco. That’s where its ro-bots complete their equivalent ofdriver’s education.The tour included giving more
than three dozen reporters ridesin Chrysler Pacifica minivanstraveling through faux neighbor-hoods and expressways thatWaymo has built on a former AirForce base located in the Cali-fornian Central Valley city of At-water.The minivans smoothly
cruised the roads – driver’s seatempty and passengers in theback – at speeds of up to 35 mph.By contrast, the Waymo-poweredminivans that have been driving
volunteer riders in the Phoenixarea still use safety drivers totake over control if somethinggoes wrong.But Waymo’s real goal is to get
to the point where people in carsare nothing but passengers.Waymo CEO John Krafcik told
reporters that the company willbe making some cars and freighttrucks totally driverless fairlysoon, though he didn’t provide aspecific timetable. “We are reallyclose,” he said. “We are going todo it when we feel like we areready.”Since Google began working
on self-driving cars in 2009,dozens of established automak-ers such as General Motors andFord Motor have entered therace, along with other big tech-nology companies, including Ap-ple and ride-hailing service Uber.The competition is so fierce
and the stakes so high that Way-mo is currently suing Uber, alleg-ing that one of its former man-agers stole its trade secrets andtook them with him when hejoined Uber in 2016 as part of anelaborate scheme.
Waymo’s Test Vehicles –Pacificas – Hit the Road
One of the Chrysler Pacifica vehicles used by Waymo to test technology.
sensors – which already servethe commercial mapping and de-fense industries – will help us ex-tend the range and resolutionneeded to achieve self-drivingcapability in challenging urbanenvironments.
“Princeton Lightwave’s tech-nology also complements andexpands the capability of LiDARsensors already available to theautomotive industry today.”
Salesky said that with the addi-tion of the Princeton Lightwaveteam, Argo is uniquely posi-tioned to innovate in both sensorhardware and the interface be-tween sensor and software – en-abling Argo to achieve perform-ance improvements that wouldnot otherwise be possible.
Princeton Lightwave’s technol-ogy, Salesky said, will help thecompany unlock new capa-bilities that will aid their virtualdriver system in handling objectdetection in challenging scenar-ios, such as poor weather condi-tions, and safely operate at highspeeds in dynamic environ-ments.
“As we’ve talked about before,even considering how far we’vecome in bringing about a worldof self-driving cars, there’s stillmuch we need to accomplish,”Salesky said.
“We are constantly exploringhow to increase the range, reso-lution and field of view of LiDAR,but we’re also looking to lowercosts and manufacture these sen-sors at scale.
“We have to continue makingimprovements through dedi-cated research and develop-ment that’s aligned with ouroverall hardware and softwarestrategy.
“Our expanded team remainsfocused on accelerating the de-velopment of a virtual driver sys-
tem that’s mandated for SAE lev-els four and five autonomousdriving – meaning there’s nodriver behind the wheel.
“By collaborating with our in-house hardware and softwaredevelopers, as well as our supplybase, we will work to createLiDAR sensors that not onlymeet the demanding perform-ance required for high-volumeproduction, but also are afford-able.”
Argo’s expansion serves toexpedite our mission to com-mercialize and deploy self-driving cars at scale, Saleskysaid.
“To our talented new teammembers from Princeton Light-wave: Welcome aboard,” Saleskysaid.
“We’re thrilled to embraceyour expertise as we all work to-gether to build an exciting futureof autonomous vehicles.”
Most industry analysts had ex-pected October sales to fall aftera big increase in September.
But stronger than expected de-mand for pickups and SUVs, big-ger incentives such as cash re-bates, and higher sales to bigfleet buyers drove the increase,said Jeff Schuster, senior vicepresident of forecasting for theLMC Automotive consultingfirm.
While some fleet sales areprofitable, those to rental carcompanies generally are madeat low profit, and that cancut into automakers’ bottomlines.
But some companies such asNissan seemed to go for the high-er sales number, said AkshayAnand, executive analyst for Kel-ley Blue Book.
If history is any indication, No-vember and September will begood months to buy vehicles be-cause companies are likely toraise already high discounts,Anand said.
“If they push with incentives, Ithink you may see some strongsales months” yet this year,Anand said. “I do think that con-sumer interest is still strong re-gardless.”
Truck and SUV sales will be 65percent of new vehicle sales inOctober, with cars in the 35 per-cent range, which has been typi-cal for much of the year, saidSchuster.
With millions of late-modelcars coming off leases into theused-car market and auto-makers still trying to cleardealer lots of slow-selling cars,it’s a great time to get a dealon a less-popular sedan, Anandsaid.
Analysts said Nissan also hada big increase in fleet sales, al-though the company said salesto individual buyers rose as well.Toyota and Honda each reportedgains of about 1 percent, whileVW brand sales were up nearly12 percent.
New vehicle sales also got abump from replacement of hurri-cane-damaged vehicles, althoughSchuster said it wasn’t as largeas expected because many peo-ple bought used vehicles.
Based on data for the firstthree weeks of October, salesin Florida rose 5 percent asshoppers finished purchasesdelayed by Hurricane Irma.
In Houston, they rose only3 percent as the recoveryfrom Hurricane Harvey wounddown.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
PAGE 6 NOVEMBER 6, 2017DETROIT AUTO SCENE
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Ford Sales Top Domestics
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) – Gen-eral Motors has agreed to a $13.9million settlement with OrangeCounty, Calif., after prosecutorsaccused the auto giant of con-cealing serious safety defects toavoid costly recalls and part re-placements.
The lawsuit, filed in 2014, ac-cused GM of deceptive businesspractices and unfair competition.It alleged the automaker market-ed its brand as safe and reliablewhile failing to disclose defectsthat included power steering, airbag and brake problems. As a re-sult of the failures, at least 124people died and 275 were in-jured, according to the OrangeCounty Register.
Earlier in October, GM agreedto pay $120 million to resolveclaims from 49 states and theDistrict of Columbia over faultyignition switches. The CaliforniaAttorney General’s Office re-ceived $7 million in the settle-ment.
In an Oct. 29 statement ob-tained by the Register, the com-pany said: “GM has reached aconstructive settlement with Or-ange County, Calif., to resolveclaims filed by the Orange Coun-ty district attorney regarding thecompany’s advertising of vehi-cles that were subject to certainrecalls in 2014, including the igni-tion-switch recall.”
Prosecutors said GM trainedits staff to never use the words“defect” or “stall” and routinelychose the “cheapest part suppli-er without regard for safety.” Thelawsuit said the company alsodiscouraged employees from ad-dressing safety issues, accordingto the newspaper.
Over five months in 2014, GMwas forced to recall 17 million ve-hicles in 33 recalls for various de-fects, officials said.
“Since 2014, GM has taken im-portant steps to help ensure the
safety of its vehicles, including anew organizational structurededicated to global vehicle safe-ty and a robust Speak Up forSafety program,” the company’sstatement added.
The settlement in OrangeCounty was approved by a judgeon Oct. 29.
“We must protect our con-sumers from businesses that putprofits over people by keepingcars on roads safe and avoidingpreventable accidents,” DistrictAttorney Tony Rackauckas saidin a statement.
“We must also encourage allbusinesses to be fair and live upto safety standards, and mustnot allow those engaging in un-fair practices to punish thosebusinesses that don’t cut cor-ners by compromising safety.”
GM Settles California Suit
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) – AAAMichigan says gas pricesstatewide have decreased byabout 7 cents per gallon in thepast week.
The Dearborn-based auto clubsaid on Oct. 30 that the averageprice for self-serve regular un-leaded gasoline was about $2.51per gallon. That’s about 38 centsmore than at the same point lastyear.
Michigan’s lowest averageprice was about $2.43 per gallonin the Bay City, Midland and Sagi-naw areas.
The highest was about $2.58per gallon in the Marquette areaof the state.
The Detroit area’s average fellabout 2 cents to $2.54 per gallon.
AAA Michigan surveys dailyfuel prices at 2,800 gas stationsacross the state.
State’s Gas PricesSee Decline inEnd of October
NOVEMBER 6, 2017 PAGE 7DETROIT AUTO SCENE
PAGE 8 NOVEMBER 6, 2017DETROIT AUTO SCENE
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