Snitching for Safety: OEM whistleblowers protected, rewarded in new NHTSA rules proposal
Toronto, Ontario — In an effort to incentivize safety and good faith among automakers, the U.S.’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) put forth a set of rules last Wednesday that aim to protect and reward OEM whistleblowers. This proposed rulemaking on the part of the NHTSA intends to outline more concrete implementations of the […]
Junk in the Trunk: Images leaked of massive Tesla Cybertruck rear megacast at Giga Texas plant
(Photo by Kim Java/Twitter) Toronto, Ontario — Observers of Tesla’s Texas Gigafactory were seen doing dramatic double-takes after images of the yet-to-be-released Cybertruck’s massive single-piece rear megacast were leaked earlier this month. The images, which found their way online in the days following Tesla’s recent Q3 earnings call, depict several versions of the huge part; […]
Bye, See You Never: Chrysler 300, Hyundai Veloster, Ford EcoSport to cease production in 2023
Toronto, Ontario — Repairers ought to start stocking up on parts as the Chrysler 300, Hyundai Veloster and Ford EcoSport are all scheduled to be discontinued at the end of this year. The Chrysler 300, along with its fellow Brampton, Ont.-produced Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger, will be sent off into the sunset in 2023. […]
Precious Cargo: NHTSA expands child seat testing to include side impact ‘t-bone’ test
Washington, D.C. — The U.S.’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration granted final approval on Monday to a set of updates to testing requirements for child safety seats which introduced a 48 km/h side impact “t-bone” test to the list of requirements. “Side-impact collisions cause serious injuries and deaths in young children each year,” said NHTSA […]
Just Keep Building: GM to bolster EV development with expanded truck, SUV production
Detroit, Michigan — In the face of global parts shortages and skyrocketing gas prices, General Motors’ CEO has announced that the legacy OEM will double-down on its North American production capabilities and plans on “selling every truck we can build.” Mary Barra, the automotive giant’s head since 2013, made the announcement on Monday during GM’s […]
Rogue’s Gallery: Nissan engineer delves into Rogue body material strategy
Franklin, Tennessee— A senior engineer at Nissan pulled back the curtain on the body materials that drive the third-generation Nissan Rogue SUV at this year’s Great Designs in Steel (GDIS) symposium in Novi, Mich. Repairers may already know this, but the third-generation Rogue, first introduced in 2021, contains a great deal more advanced high-strength steel […]
Belt Buster: Exploding seat-belt pretensioners launches 281,000 vehicle recall for Hyundai
Toronto, Ontario — Hyundai is recalling 281,000 vehicles in North America over seat-belt pretensioners that are prone to exploding and projecting metal shrapnel, following three separate injury reports. The recall covers some 2019-2022 Accent, 2021-2023 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra hybrid vehicles. About 42,000 Canadian vehicles are estimated to be affected by the recall. Seat-belt pretensioners […]
A Price on Friendship: Stellantis sees decline in supplier relations, study says
Detroit, Michigan — Plante Moran published the results of its twenty-second annual North American Automotive OEM-Supplier Working Relations Index (WRI) Study on Monday, showing that some automakers are trending positively, some are hitting a plateau—and one in particular is on a sharp decline. The annual study from Plante Moran tracks supplier perceptions of working relations with […]
Upping the Ante: IIHS to update AEB testing to address higher speed collisions
Toronto, Ontario — The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has announced that it will be re-evaluating the conditions in which it runs automatic emergency braking system (AEB) testing to address front-to-rear collisions at higher speeds. The institute is calling for OEMs to look into ways of preventing such collisions while also stating that the […]
All Air, No Chips: Semiconductor shortage likely to continue into next year, Stellantis COO says
Windsor, Ontario — A current picture of the ongoing semiconductor shortage has come in, thanks to the CBC, with reports showing that the lack of microchips in the auto industry has resulted in the equivalent of an entire year of layoffs for Stellantis auto plant workers. According to Unifor Local 444, the Windsor, Ont. chapter […]
