Inside Automotive
Examining electric vehicle demand in America’s largest car market — Brian Maas | CNCDA
The California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA) recently published its 2023 California Auto Outlook report, shedding light on automotive industry trends and a surprising shift in electric vehicle demand throughout the second quarter. On this episode of Inside Automotive, host Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by Brian Maas, president of the CNCDA and the 2023 chairman of the Automotive Trade Association Executives (ATAE), to discuss some of the outlook’s findings and what they can tell dealers about the automotive industry. Watch the full segment here
Top stories
On August 2, 2023, three Tesla owners in California filed a proposed class action lawsuit against the automaker, accusing it of misrepresenting the estimated contents of their electric vehicles. The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California follows a Reuters report that claimed Tesla had established a “Diversion Team” in Nevada. Read More
Hyundai broke its monthly sales record for the IONIQ 5 over the course of July, solidifying the automaker’s small but steadily growing presence in the electric vehicle segment. Sales of the EV increased month-over-month as well as year-over-year. Hyundai sold 4,135 IONIQ 5’s in July, a gain of roughly 92% (2,157 units) from the previous year and roughly 32% (999 units) from the month before. Read More
Cruise robotaxi, a division of General Motors, announced on August 3rd that it had signed the first labor union agreement in the autonomous vehicle industry. This marked a significant turning point, given the long-lasting hostility between unions and robotaxi firms. The company is working with two local San Francisco union chapters. Read More
Subaru has released a new advertisement celebrating nature and promoting its partnership with the National Park Foundation. The emotional, minute-long video, titled “A Beautiful Silence,” features a father and son driving their Subaru Forester through Yosemite National Park on their way to a hiking trail with a scenic view of a waterfall. Read More
For Dealers
Closer look | autonomous vehicles and the uncharted road of data privacy
The recent congressional hearing on July 26, 2023, reported in Reuters, opened new horizons in the U.S. journey towards autonomous vehicles (AVs). While the session aimed to revive stalled legislation on AV regulation, it also highlighted a more nuanced aspect of this technological advance: data privacy and algorithmic accountability. The bipartisan effort in the hearing, represented by Republican and Democratic drafts, demonstrated a willingness to steer the nation towards a comprehensive law ensuring safe AV deployment. This step was essential not just for the safety of road users but for America’s leadership in the global industry. Read More
Weekly roundup: UAW shares member demands, Tesla faces class action lawsuit, Toyota Q2 results
Earlier this week: United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain revealed the list of UAW member demands to the Detroit Three. Three California Tesla owners filed a class action lawsuit against the automaker for allegedly misrepresenting some of the features of their electric vehicles (EVs). Toyota’s global sales rose 5.1% in the first half of 2023 to 4.9 million units and more headlines to stay on top of this week in automotive industry news.
