Automotive

4 Consumer Trends Shaping The Auto Industry’s Future

4 Consumer Trends Shaping The Auto Industry’s Future

In recent years, we’ve seen dramatic transformations in a variety of industries; changes triggered by developments in emerging markets, technological innovations, and a shift in consumer preferences. One of the industries affected most is automotive.
For some, that comes as no surprise. The conveniences and access to information consumers are enjoying in other areas of their lives, they’re also demanding from automakers. From flexible ownership, to automation, to transparency in manufacturing practices, consumer trends are driving changes in the automotive industry.
But how will these demands impact automakers in 2017 and beyond?
Ridesharing Services
Many of today’s consumers are treating mobility in the strictest sense of the word – they just want to get from one place to another however they can, whenever they need to. With car ownership no longer being the status symbol it once was, ridesharing is on the rise. Companies like Uber and Zipcar allow consumers to select a vehicle appropriate for their needs at that particular time. Consumers are choosing on-demand mobility options like these over ownership because of the flexibility and potential savings they provide.
In 2016, Zipcar conducted a nationwide study of 1,200 city-dwellers to gauge their attitudes and behaviors regarding work, money, lifestyle, technology, transportation, and urban citizenship.
“As a truly urban brand, it’s important for us to understand how people are living in our cities today and what’s important to them,” said Andrew Daley, Vice President of Marketing for Zipcar.
The study revealed the majority of these urbanites prioritized their mobile phones over their cars, and planned to drive less and/or give up their cars altogether in the next five years.
“Zipcar’s mission has always been to enable simple and responsible urban living, and the survey results are encouraging,” Daley said. “Urbanites are continuing to reconsider personal vehicle ownership and are beginning to embrace the idea of automated vehicles, especially sharing them.”
Uber passengers share a ride in India. Photo: Uber
Autonomous Driving
Smart or connected vehicles have moved from the drawing board to the production line. Widely considered the precursor to self-driving vehicles, these advancements have given drivers a taste of autonomy through relinquished control of specific functions. For example, adaptive cruise control that reacts to traffic conditions and accident avoidance functionality are readying consumers for an automotive future that’s automatic.
For some brands, the reality of autonomous vehicles is closer than for others. Earlier this year, Ford CEO Mark Fields revealed the carmaker’s plan to introduce 13 new electric vehicles, some with self-driving capabilities, over the next five years.
“As more and more consumers around the world become interested in electrified vehicles, Ford is committed to being a leader in providing consumers with a broad range of electrified vehicles, services, and solutions that make people’s lives better,” Fields said. “Our investments and expanding lineup reflect our view that global offerings of electrified vehicles will exceed gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 15 years.”
Process & Practices
As with many industries, automotive consumers have a growing desire to gain an understanding into the processes behind the production – often to ensure safe and sustainable practices are used. More than ever before, customers are focused on the environmental impact of their cars, and greater pressure is being put on automakers to develop more fuel-efficient engines, greater safety features, and alternative powertrains.
It’s a desire for improvement and transparency that every automaker should be prepared for.

Ram 1500 EcoDiesel coming off the line at Warren Truck Assembly Plant. Photo: FCA US LLC.

Buying Versus Leasing
In the past few years, consumer leasing in the United States has risen higher than at any point in more than a decade. For many consumers – but particularly Millennials – monthly charges for everything from rent to phones to vehicles are just part of life. But technology may also be driving the trending lease increase. It seems like a new feature is introduced with each new vehicle release.
“What’s offered inside a car these days is changing so rapidly that some consumers don’t feel they want to be tied down to one vehicle for the next 10 years,” said Alec Gutierrez, Senior Analyst at Kelley Blue Book. “By flipping a vehicle lease every year or two, consumers are able to keep up with automotive tech, trends, and tastes.”

These four trends will absolutely impact how automotive professionals operate in the next few years. Stricter requirements and more knowledgeable consumers will change and influence the industry as we know it.
Scott McLaren is CMO for Fortegra Financial Corporation (a Tiptree Inc. company). Fortegra and its subsidiaries comprise a single-source insurance services provider with a range of consumer protection options including warranty solutions, credit insurance, and specialty underwriting programs.
Cover Photo: Mario Ohibsky

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Automoblog Book Garage: Top Muscle

Automoblog Book Garage: Top Muscle

Being born in 1981, I missed the definitive and quintessential muscle car era. Today my work in the automotive industry covers a wide range of vehicles, from family haulers and trucks to small hatchbacks and sports cars. I’m lucky enough that during a certain portion of the year, I get to teach consumers about the new versions of the Dodge Challenger and Charger.
And man are those cars it on a stick . . .
Modern Day Muscle
The Challenger/Charger of today is as contemporary as any other vehicle. Both have top safety ratings, full on-board stability control systems, navigation, Bluetooth capability, and even heated and air conditioned seats. The Hemi engines under the hood have the latest fuel-saving tech and the TorqueFlite transmission has highly optimized ratios. These cars, like all others on the market, benefit from advancements in engineering and design.
But when you accelerate with a 6.4 Hemi under the hood . . . it’s like being in a time machine.
At that moment, I am no different than the 75 million baby boomers in the 1960s who wanted the rawness of an advanced V8. While I understand from a business sense the popularity and demand of small SUVs, my Detroit roots want to see defiant, powerful, and even outrageous cars have their place: Challenger, Charger, Camaro, Mustang and the like.
Throwback Performance
Top Muscle: The Rarest Cars from America’s Fastest Decade chronicles the golden days of factory muscle cars, including the ones built in secret – the ones never officially approved by senior management. In a “sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll” generation, even car enthusiasts got in on the action, and this book is their story.
The pages examine the definitive collection of these incredibly rare beasts. The machines in this book represent the pinnacle of the muscle car movement. Top Muscle gives us tremendous perspective on where and how the performance cars we love today originated.
Author & Photographer
Darwin Holmstrom has written, co-written, or contributed to over thirty books on subjects ranging from motorcycles and muscle cars to Gibson Les Paul guitars. He is the Senior Editor for Motorbooks, who we partner with for this Book Garage series. Holmstrom is joined by photographer Randy Leffingwell, an established author as well. He wrote his first book, American Muscle, in 1989 while still on staff at the Los Angeles Times. Since then, Leffingwell has authored another 47 titles for Motorbooks and is a respected automotive historian.
Top Muscle: The Rarest Cars from America’s Fastest Decade is available through Amazon or Motorbooks.
Top Muscle Gallery

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Jaguar I-PACE Debuts On London Streets

Jaguar I-PACE Debuts On London Streets

Jaguar’s new I-PACE has finally taken to the streets, hitting the road in its natural environment: A park in the middle of London, one of the most densely packed urban environments on the planet. No, you’re not very likely to see this thing busting up a trail in Moab, but I don’t really think that Jaguar cares very much.
Jaguar calls the I-PACE (yes, it’s in all caps, yes, it has an “I” in the name, no, Jaguar probably doesn’t seem to see the causticness in either of those) an “electric performance SUV concept.”
That does seem like a mishmash of corp-speak right out of a marketing weasel’s mouth, but it’s actually kind of accurate. The I-PACE is the Jaguar brand’s first electric vehicle and will arrive in the second half of 2018. That could be from July 2018 through December 2018, but Jag isn’t getting any more specific, so if you really want one, you’re going to have to deal with that vague description for now.
Concepts & Rulebooks
At the moment, the I-PACE is just a concept and it most definitely is an SUV – truck-like in looks if not truck-like in deed – and it does have performance (if the Jags of the early 80s could get up and go, even this truck-esque thing should move out of its own way). And the Jaguar I-PACE is, literally, electric (there’s batteries and an electric motor buried in there somewhere).
The Jaguar I-PACE finally got its chassis off the auto show floor and onto the streets, hitting the motorways of London for the first time. Specifically it was driving on the streets of London’s famous Olympic Park, to preview the EV SUV actually moving in front of the general public. This is essentially a working version of the show car, whereas the final production version will be revealed later this year.
Jaguar Director of Design, Ian Callum, who has been doing a rather adequate and workman like job, is very pleased with his company’s first foray into both the electric vehicle world, and the realm of SUVs.
“The feedback on the I-PACE Concept has been fantastic; it has surprised people and the enthusiasm for our first electric vehicle has been beyond all my expectations,” he said. “With the I-PACE Concept we’ve torn up the rule book to create a vehicle with supercar inspired aesthetics, sports car performance, and SUV space in one electric package.”
Jaguar I-PACE. Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.

Power & Performance
The I-PACE is motivated by a 90kWh lithium-ion battery, which makes enough juice to accelerate the beast from 0-6 in around 4 seconds, with a targeted range of approximately 220 miles according to EPA test cycles. That’s pretty impressive (given all the equivocating), since this thing probably weighs over a couple of tons. No, there are no official weight figures given, but c’mon, this thing is a truck and it’s hauling around a pallet-load of batteries, and neither “truck” nor “batteries” impart a sense of “lightness” do they?
Jag says that charging is “easy and quick” with an 80 percent charge accomplished in 90 minutes and 100 percent charge achieved in just over two hours using the 50kW DC fast charging system.
The electric motors are compact, lightweight affairs (so that’s a plus) with one at each end driving the front and rear axles. Combined they produce an output of 400 horsepower and 516 lb-ft. of all-wheel drive torque, which is (frankly) a lot, but also remember what I said about this thing being heavy overall.
Putting power down to the tarmacadam and maintaining traction on a variety of “other” surfaces and weather conditions is all down to the electronic brain control unit that governs all the electronic systems; charging, inductance braking, those sorts of things. Jaguar says throttle response is “immediate” and the system provides “exceptional control over the front and rear torque distribution.”
Jaguar I-PACE. Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.
Dramatic Presence
Will it work? Sure, probably, depending on what your definition of work is. If it’s driving Trevor and Sterling to lacrosse practice, then it’ll work. If it means 26 miles of bad gravel “road” to meet up with this job’s logging crew for the next 13 days straight, that remains to be seen.
Still, Jaguar is rightfully optimist about their creation, especially with regard to on-road dynamics.
“You can see the true value of the I-PACE’s dramatic silhouette and powerful proportions when you see it on the road against other cars,” Callum said. “Driving the concept on the streets is really important for the design team.”
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
Jaguar I-PACE Gallery

Photos & Source: Jaguar Land Rover.

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2019 Toyota Yaris Sedan: Mid-Premium Goodness

2019 Toyota Yaris Sedan: Mid-Premium Goodness Here is the 2019 Toyota Yaris sedan . . . wait, they make a Yaris sedan? Why would you make a Yaris sedan? At this point, why would you make a Yaris? I keed! I keed! The Toyota Yaris is a perfectly serviceable car. No, it does not take you in Rolls-like comfort. No, it does not have Ferrari-esque power and agility. But it is a Yaris.
And at a certain point in time, maybe a Yaris is what a person needs. If you can get past the looks – and you’re going to have to, because this thing is gruesomely unattractive – but the Yaris is as dependable as, well, as a Toyota.
Mid-Premium Design
The Yaris sedan will come in three grades for 2019: L, LE, and XLE. The XLE is said to be more of a premium grade, although we here at Automoblog might call it “mid-premium.” The XLE offers up leatherette-trimmed front seats, which Toyota describes as “sporty” along with a leather-trimmed steering wheel, shift knob, and parking brake. The HVAC system has automatic climate control; there are automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, and illuminated entry on the mid-premium Yaris XLE.
There are newer styling touches to be found on the 2019 Yaris, like the front grille with a honeycomb insert, “upscale” piano black accents, and chrome trim. Fog lights are standard on the LE and XLE, and there’s also a new rear lip spoiler and a color-keyed shark fin antenna for the satellite radio. Power outside mirrors are standard on the L, and the LE and XLE get power outside heated mirrors with LED turn-signal indicators. And all this inexpensive yet practical goodness will come painted in seven colors.
Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Power & Performance
As you would expect, the 2019 Yaris sedan is as efficient as any other Toyota out there. It’s powered by a direct-injected, 1.5-liter engine mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Those equal up to 32 mpg in the city, 40 on the highway, and 35 combined. Nice! But if you opt for the six-speed manual box, those figures turn into 30 mpg in the city, 39 on the highway, and 34 combined, but you do get the fun and enjoyment of stirring your own gears. Which actually should be fun thanks to the compact, lightweight design, and short-throw shift changes.
That 1.5-liter DOHC four-banger pumps out 106 horsepower and 103 lb-ft. of torque, or about what a first gen GTI put out. So the Yaris should have some semblance of fun about it.
Chassis & Suspension
There’s a lot of high-tensile strength steel in the body and frame, so the chassis of the Yaris sedan should make for a rigid suspension platform. The ride is controlled via stiffer springs paired with MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam suspension in the rear, and all you gearheads know: torsion beam rear suspension = three-wheeled corning around the AutoX course – yee-HAW!
The steering is provided by the now nearly-completely-ubiquitous electronic power steering unit. There’s a Sport mode for improved torque feel at the flip of a switch. Stopping is taken care of by ventilated discs up front and drum brakes in the rear. No, really: drum brakes and a torsion beam suspension out back. Ha!
Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Tech & Safety
The interior falls into the “modern car manufactured to a price point” category. Every Yaris has a seven-inch touchscreen multimedia system with voice recognition, remote interface, steering wheel controls, Bluetooth connectivity, and a standard backup camera. The speedo is analog, the tach digital, and cruise control comes standard. Every Yaris is standard equipped with an Active Safety System: Dynamic Stability Control, Traction Control System, Brake Assist, Electronic Brake-Force Distribution, Anti-Lock Brake System, and a Brake Over-Ride System.
The Low-Speed Pre-Collision System scans the road ahead for potential collisions. If the system sees something is up, an audio/visual alert and braking assistance are designed to automatically trigger. Should you be a complete dolt and fail to respond, this system may automatically apply the brakes.
Pricing & Availability
The new Yaris will hit Toyota dealerships this fall with pricing information due closer to that time.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.
Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Photos & Source: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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2018 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Arrives: What You Need To Know

2018 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Arrives: What You Need To Know The 2018 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell is now at select Honda dealerships in California. The Clarity Fuel Cell joins a growing lineup of Honda electrified vehicles, including the 2018 Accord Hybrid and the recently announced 2019 Insight. The automaker says their goal is to have electrified vehicles represent two-thirds of their global sales by 2030.
Power & Performance
The Clarity series, which includes the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, Clarity Fuel Cell, and Clarity Electric, each have a low, wide aerodynamic body. The Clarity Fuel cell features a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell, 346-volt lithium-ion battery, and an AC Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Electric Motor. Honda classifies the transmission as a fixed, single-speed, direct-drive transmission with Sport mode and shift-by-wire technology.
The EPA miles-per-gallon equivalent (MPGe) ratings come in at 69 city, 67 highway, and 68 combined, with a refueling time of approximately three to five minutes when using 70 MPa stations. Driving range is estimated between 360 and 370 miles on average. The Clarity Fuel cell produces 174 horsepower and 221 lb-ft. of torque.
The Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety features is standard.
2018 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell. Photo: Honda North America.
Pricing
With $2,868 due at signing, drivers receive their new Clarity Fuel Cell on a 36-month lease for $369 per month. While lease terms can vary, Honda is advertising a generous mileage allowance of 20,000 miles per year. The lease also includes roadside assistance, up to $15,000 of hydrogen fuel, and up to 21 days of access to a luxury vehicle from Avis, although the rental is only good in California. Golden State residents are also eligible for an additional $5,000 rebate.
Availability
Retail leasing of the Clarity Fuel Cell is available through a network of 12 approved Honda dealerships in select California markets, including six dealerships in Southern California, five in the San Francisco Bay Area, and one in the Sacramento area. Honda says as the network of public hydrogen fueling stations expands, the Clarity Fuel Cell will be more readily available.
The Automoblog Staff contributed to this report and can be reached anytime.
2018 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Gallery

Photos & Source: Honda North America.

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Can The 2019 Kia K900 Compete Against The Europeans?

Can The 2019 Kia K900 Compete Against The Europeans? Here it is, the 2019 Kia K900. A car that un-ironically uses words like “classically drawn exterior” and “gravity of prestige” to describe itself. For more than four-thousand words, the Kia press release drags on and on, blah-blah luxury this, flim-flam high-tech that, worry-worry safety stuff over there. All that stuff is beside the point when you get to the part about the new K900’s powertrain and chassis.
You know what words I noticed? Albert Biermann. Yup, that Albert Biermann. The BMW tuner guy.
Kia states very flatly that the whole point of the K900 is to compete against its premium European competitors. And that phrase becomes more than marketing horse manure when you realize that Albert Biermann is the President of Kia’s Vehicle Test and High Performance Development. Yeah, the former Chief Engineer for BMW’s M performance cars with over 30 years of experience.
“The goal for the K900 was to achieve ‘confident comfort’ on the road,” he explained. “To deliver this result, we focused on four main categories: drivability, NVH, comfort, and steering precision.”
Power & Performance
The 2019 K900 is powered by a 3.3-liter twin turbo V6, the same engine found in Kia’s much ballyhooed Stinger fastback. In the K900, it cranks out 365 horsepower and 376 lb-ft. of torque, with the twin, single scroll turbos integrated directly into the exhaust manifold; Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing broadens out the power band. A cooling system described as “robust” is there to handle the increased thermal loading with a wider radiator and 600-watt fan motor.
This plant is mated to a second-gen, in-house built eight-speed automatic operated by a Shift-by-Wire gear selector that allows for quicker shifts during more spirited driving. And on top of all that is full-time “Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control,” or a standard all-wheel drive system in other words. It is electronically biased towards the rear but freely distributes torque to any and all four corners as the system sees fit. Up to 50 percent of the torque can be sent to the front and up to 80 percent of the power can be routed to the rear in Sport mode. The K900 is the second application of this in-house system with the Stinger being the first.
2019 Kia K900 on display at the 2018 New York International Auto Show.
Ride & Handling
The wheelbase is longer and the stance wider for greater control and stability; the chassis was strengthened over the previous K900 with increased front and rear lateral stiffness thanks to a greater use of structural adhesives. Torsional stiffness is up by 33 percent over the outgoing K900; the new model has four times more hot stamping than before to give the vehicle a more solid and premium feel.
The K900 utilizes a wheel air curtain to minimize vortices inside the wheel arches by introducing air from the bumper. The full underbody panels reduce drag as does an active air flap. The bottom line: a drag coefficient of .27 Cd. Noise, vibration, and harshness reduction measures are positively euro-like with enhanced insulation throughout the vehicle structure, including the firewall, under floor cover, and vibration pad behind the headliner. There’s even an acoustic film on the windshield for a quieter cabin.
A new “Quadric pattern” grille is found on the 2019 K900. There are 176 “jewel-like cells” within the grille that visually represent ripples that would result from the impact of a splash. Photo: Kia Motors America.
Steering & Suspension
The steering itself is an electro-mechanical, rack-mounted power assembly designed for increased agility and comfort. There’s “slower” off-center feel, which provides a better sense of stability, especially during high-speed driving. And for anyone who has ever driven a BMW, this will feel quite normal. Huh, I wonder where Kia came up with that notion?
The four-wheel independent suspension delivers tighter and quicker turns via a new front multi-link design, and by increasing the stiffness of the front and rear axle assembly. An Electronically Controlled Suspension is available to boost ride comfort. The system reduces things like chassis motion using an internal damper system to modulate the suspension accordingly.
“Although the K900 prides itself as not being overtly luxurious, the one nod to the haute lifestyle is an analog clock specially designed and co-branded by Maurice Lacroix,” reads a statement from Kia. Photo: Kia Motors America.
Pricing & Availability
The new K900 will be built in Kia’s Sohari facility in South Korea, the same plant where they build the Stinger. Kia didn’t give any definite word on price but it will hit dealers in the fourth quarter of this year. In the meantime, it’s on display at the New York International Auto Show, now through April 8th at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.
I’d love to get my mitts on one of these and a good, used M3 and see what the similarities are.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.
2019 Kia K900 Gallery

Photos & Source: Kia Motors America.

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Scared of Nighttime Driving? New Ford Tech Can Help

Scared of Nighttime Driving? New Ford Tech Can Help

Among all those techno goodies like lane departure warning and automatic braking, some are actually capable of helping a driver in ways they cannot help themselves. Ford’s Pedestrian Detection system, for example, aims to help you see in the dark. Well, see pedestrians at night anyway.
Effectively, what we have here is a way to use on-board sensors that are already in place to do other things like look for, sense, and react to wandering pedestrians. In some ways, this strikes me as a good thing.
There are a ton of news stories out there about pedestrians too distracted by their smartphones, wandering obliviously into traffic and getting wham-o-ed into The Great Beyond.
Night Moves
Ford goes into great detail why, in the dark especially, this is not only difficult for even the most attentive drivers to counter, but also plays on the inherent fears built into our primitive brains. Ford says “night fears rooted in our pre-historic past cause stress behind the wheel,” and a new poll shows most people “worry about night blindness and many fear hitting pedestrians.”
And all of that makes sense, especially from a psycho-anthropological standpoint. And that’s Ford’s nice way of saying, “the stuff that scared the jeepers out of our Troglodytic ancestors still scares us.” So, yeah, fear handed down from cavemen causes stress on the road, and so does that Neanderthal in front of me who’s texting and driving at the same time. But that’s an opinion best left for another time.
Survey Says
Ford also points out how nighttime traffic accidents with pedestrians can be almost twice as likely to lead to a fatality. That is, statistically speaking, a pretty big jump. Ergo, it’s a jump worth paying attention to and trying to minimize. Ford surveyed thousands of drivers across Europe (this was a Ford of Europe study) and they found 81 percent admit to being scared on the roads at night. That’s both an impressive number and also noteworthy, considering what it takes to get a driver’s license in Germany. Getting a driver’s license in Germany is on par with getting a pilot’s license here in America. So they train and test the be-jeebers out of you, and “I am scared of driving on the road” is never an acceptable answer on the driver’s education test.
Ford goes on to say that more than half of the survey respondents say poor night vision is a source of stress, and more than a third worry they might be involved in an accident. Worries that they may mow down a pedestrian were mentioned by one in five drivers surveyed.
So, what can a car company do to help?
Research conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that in the United States in 2015, 3 in 4 motor-vehicle related pedestrian deaths happened after dark. Photo: Megan Krause.

For Dummies
If you’re Ford, you come up with improved Pedestrian Detection technology that works at night for the first time. After coming up with prototypes, Ford’s development team worked at night, sending life-sized dummies into the path of vehicles on closed tracks. And, c’mon, how much fun was that job? You’re out at the test track at night, you and a bunch of your engineer buddies. Along comes Heinrich, the macho factory test driver, and then you and your engineer buddies go, “Eins! Zwei! Drei!! Los gehts wieder, Dummy!!”
And they pay you to do this? Sign me up.
Anyway, by the end of all this fun and dummy ballistics, Ford is able to, for the first time, introduce new technology that detects pedestrians at night. The system automatically applies the brakes if the driver does not respond to initial warnings.
“We know some drivers find hitting the road at night a stressful experience. Especially driving in towns and cities, pedestrians – sometimes distracted by mobiles – can without warning step into the road, leaving even alert drivers very little time to avoid an accident,” said Gregor Allexi, Active Safety Engineer, Ford of Europe.
And how much do you want to bet that with a name like Gregor Allexi, that guy was in charge airborne dummy deployment?
2018 Ford F-150. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Advanced Detection Technology
The Pedestrian Detection system processes information from a bumper mounted radar pinger, as well as a windshield mounted camera. Contained within Ford’s on-board computer is a database of “pedestrian shapes” so the car can tell the difference between people and objects, such as trees and road signs. The camera is firing off at 30 “snapshots” a second (which is a TV camera frame rate). This video feed and viewing angle enables the system to distinguish pedestrians, even in low-light conditions, illuminated only by the headlights.
If the system detects a pedestrian before the driver, it first provides audible and visual warnings. Should you be a complete chowderhead and fail to respond, the system automatically hits the brakes for you. Ford will roll out this advanced pedestrian detection technology later this year, when it is introduced on the next generation Fiesta in Europe. In North America, the new technology will debut first on the 2018 Ford Mustang and F-150.
For tips when it comes to nighttime driving, we recommend this advice from the National Safety Council.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
Cover Photo & Source: Ford Motor Company.

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Report: BMW wants to sell fully-autonomous vehicles by 2021

Report: BMW wants to sell fully-autonomous vehicles by 2021 As the industry trend for self-driving cars continues, BMW wants to ramp up their efforts as well.
What’s going on?
BMW announced some new plans for its lineup in the coming years. According to AutomotiveNews, the Bavarian automaker seeks to produce and sell fully-autonomous vehicles by 2021.
Speaking with BMW’s senior vice president for the brand’s autonomous driving division, Elmar Fickenstein, a new BMW will arrive with “Level 3, 4 and 5” stage autonomous vehicles.
Click here for more news on BMW.
What does that mean?
Well, it doesn’t mean the 3-, 4-, and 5-Series will be the models to become self-driving capable. It means there’s a new classification system for autonomous vehicles, representing just exactly how autonomous capable they are. At the bottom, you have minimally to no self-driving capabilities. At level three and above, the more self-driving capabilities are equipped.
Beginning with level three, the car is semi-autonomous with assistants like lane departure correction, or Mercedes’ latest adaptive cruise control. Levels four and five are fully-autonomous capable, like Tesla’s Model S with AutoPilot.
When could we expect to see these cars begin testing?
BMW recently teamed up with Intel and Mobileye to help develop the new computers to run BMW’s autonomous driving programs. BMW engineers will focus more on developing the handling dynamics and safety systems.
The plan: have a fully operational fleet of autonomous 7-Series for real-world testing by the end of this year.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: AutomotiveNews
Self-Driving BMW 5-Series at the 2017 CES

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2017 Lincoln Continental: Feeling A Little Blue

2017 Lincoln Continental: Feeling A Little Blue

Ah, Lincoln! Once the preferred brand of presidents (Kennedy) and mobsters (Corleone), Lincoln has slipped to being perpetually on the brink of joining Mercury in The Great Junkyard In The Sky. Once they were praised in rock songs by Charley Ryan, now they are mumbled about by Matthew McConaughey.
I like Lincolns. I like their big square style and almost anti-trend when it came to overall design. When Big American Cars were nothing but support systems for fins, Lincolns were big arched boxes with fantastically powerful engines.
Then again, I liked Mercury too, and thought the last genration Marauder was a great car, so what do I know?
Slate Gray Strategy
And now Lincoln, still inexplicably struggling to survive, is starting to talk seriously about color and style and fashion. There’s two things that come to mind: first, a lot of high end car companies are starting to do this. Cadillac, Rolls-Royce, even Mercedes-Benz (that staid bastion of German “style”) have taken to giving a lot of ink about color choices and semi-bespoke this and that. And secondly, I think about the Inter-Society Color Council.
Have you ever noticed that one day, usually in the spring, you see lots of consumer products that are all in similar colors? Say, slate gray for example. You see cars and toasters and sheet sets and furniture that all seem to be in the identical shade of slate gray, or in hues very closely aligned to it? That is because of the Inter-Society Color Council.
The Inter-Society Color Council is an cross-industry group that meets every so often (once a year I think) and says, “okay, what are the colors for 2023 going to be?” And then they settle that question and move on. It’s not as nefarious as you think. It’s mainly a way for companies from across the industry to figure out what paints and dyes to purchase by the rail car load so they can save money.
2017 Lincoln Black Label theme for Continental. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Blue Shades, Black Labels
So when Lincoln says something like, “shades of blue are popular in fashion this spring – ranging from tranquil to refreshing and included as part of a palette based on nature,” and rhapsody is the signature Lincoln Black Label theme for the 2017 Lincoln Continental; the unique monochromatic interior offers rich, layered tones of blue in a multitude of textures,” that means two things:
First, Lincoln is following the lead of Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz et al. and making Fashion (with a capital “F”) a big part of what they sell, and second . . . well, about 8 years ago, a bunch of designers, color people from the Pantone Color Institute, fashionistas from Milan and Paris, design types from Silicon Valley and such were sitting around a table and said, “so . . . blue then? Blue’s gonna be it for 2017? Blue?”
And, unsurprisingly here we are when Lincoln flat out says, “versatile shades of blue, popular in spring designer collections, create the signature Black Label theme of the 2017 Lincoln Continental. Rhapsody uses a rich blend of materials to create a layered effect that complements the monochromatic tone in shades of blue. The materials are purposely arranged to flow like water: Glossier materials highlight the upper portion of the interior, while more lush touch points are lower, down to the softer, thicker carpet. Supple leather, rich Alcantara sueded cloth, mesh, and shearling combine to create an exceptionally diverse tactile experience.”
You better believe that blue is going to be a thing on upper end Lincolns for at least a year. And you’ll also start seeing lots of blues in Wal-Mart and Macy’s and such.
According to Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, blue is a very distinguished color. In her book “Color: Messaging and Meaning,” she writes, “blue has long been associated with serenity, respite and tranquility in nature, while industries have found the hue a perfect representation of quality and achievement.” Photo: Ford Motor Company.

Top Dollar, High Demand
But why? Why make a big, public point of following fashion for an upmarket American car company? And really, you should see Lincoln’s press release on this. It reads like a community college student’s Sophomore Artist Statement: “the range of colors evokes a spectrum of emotion and feeling . . . blue . . . blue is even considered a color of protection . . . blue is an incredibly versatile shade . . . evokes feelings of warmth and security . . . ”
Seriously, the whole corporate letter is riddled with declarations like that.
My hypothesis is that Lincoln has very little choice left at this point. Look at your “average” purchaser of an upper end luxury car. They can afford to buy a new Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Jaguar, Cadillac, or whatever every year. They can afford to take into consideration both the brand and whether it’s fashionable. If all of their friends in Gstaad this past winter were just stunning (simply stunning!) in that tone of Sage Green, and they see it as an Alcantara color option when they’re taking the S-Class in for an oil change, you know they’re going to be seriously considering it when it comes lease-end, trade-in time in 4 months.
These people can afford to be fashionable with their purchases.
Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Lincoln Lawyer
So if Lincoln can tap into that, if they can make the Continental not just a vehicular choice, but a fashion statement as well, then they might find a flowing money river and keep their company solvent. And, honestly, that would be just fine with me. Like I said, I like Lincolns. I like them precisely because they’re sort of the “anti-Cadillac.”
Any Lotto-winning yahoo from the trailer park can go and buy a Caddy, because Cadillac = money. It takes an effort of will and choice to say, “I’ll have what Matthew McConaughey’s driving.”
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.

Photos & Source: Ford Motor Company.

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