We are in a transition year for the auto world... really we are in a transition decade. Things are kind of crazy right now as manufacturers recover from supply chain issues and further invest in alternative powertrain technologies that lack the same profitability that they were accustomed to with gas-powered vehicles. 2024 will be a continuation of that, with the future kind of all over the road. Executives are having a hard time deciding which business units to invest in, and stockholders are wondering just how much value to place on hopeful EV startups. "The EV transition is causing brutal ..read more

Addressing a previous story that had false information I covered what turned out to be a completely made-up product in a previous article. After being emailed and invited to Washington D.C. by what I thought was a PR rep, I wrote about an AI software that Toyota had released that was supposed to make drivers more efficient. This AI and the associated websites were all fake, as well as the people who I had been contacted by. This hoax was orchestrated by a hacker group that has targeted other large corporations in the past and apparently did this because Toyota is slow to adopt EVs. Apologies ..read more

Press Release - Washington D.C. (Jan 17, 2024) - Ahead of DC Auto Show Toyota Research Institute has introduced a AI "eco-copilot" yesterday morning that will assist drivers in lowering their environmental impact. This software is called Electra, and is a Large Language Model (LLM) which is the same technology that is seen in other software such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Bard. These models essentially analyze vast amounts of text data to determine how to speak (type) like a human, which is then connected to a server system with roadway conditions, fuel efficiency, and global and local ..read more

Wild statement, I know, but let's start at the beginning. When most car manufacturer's reveal a concept car, it looks cool at the time but once it finally makes it to production the car has usually been neutered and is a creative husk of its former self. This is not the case with the Cybertruck, as Tesla has delivered a truck that is nearly identical to the one that was revealed about four years ago in November of 2019. While barely changing since that initial reveal, the truck introduces various technologies that are totally new to the industry. The importance of this is huge, and when we lo ..read more

Rustic Cybersecurity Motivated to change the industry he loves, Scott Sheahan is betting on himself Rustic Cybersecurity Business Spotlight: November 2023 Auto Digest recently sat down with Scott Sheahan, a dedicated automotive industry veteran that has worked for OEM's, Tier-One's, and startups in roles ranging from controls engineering intern to product cybersecurity engineer. He has worn quite a few hats over the years, and gained insights into the industry along the way. This knowledge has laid the foundation for what is to come. ? I guess my story is one of personal discovery - I am t ..read more

Rustic Cybersecurity Motivated to change the industry he loves, Scott Sheahan is betting on himself Rustic Cybersecurity Business Spotlight: November 2023 Auto Digest recently sat down with Scott Sheahan, a dedicated automotive industry veteran that has worked for OEM's, Tier-One's, and startups in roles ranging from controls engineering intern to product cybersecurity engineer. He has worn quite a few hats over the years, and gained insights into the industry along the way. This knowledge has laid the foundation for what is to come. ? I guess my story is one of personal discovery - I am t ..read more

By: John Will Keller and R. Clayton Coffey Volvo dared to be different. Their marketing transformation is a testament to a steadfast commitment: putting safety at the forefront of every journey. When most consumers think of Volvo, one thing comes to mind: safety. The brand has leaned on this as a critical selling point since the 1960s. They wouldn't be wrong though. In 1959, Nils Bohlin, a Volvo engineer, invented the three-point seat belt, a design that has since become a standard safety feature in vehicles worldwide. Volvo made the patent for this invention available to other car manufac ..read more

If you are a governor, apparently the cool thing to do these days is to acquire a gigafactory for your state. Texas has Tesla, and Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Indiana and Michigan have all announced their plans to be the home of new EV battery plants. There are more states to add, but you get the point. Governments at the local and national level want to brag about their commitment to the EV transition. Source: https://electrek.co/2022/10/13/us-ev-battery-belt/ U.S. capacity for the production of EV batteries is extremely low right now, but many of these sites are expected to come online be ..read more

This article is about a conversation I had with a project manager at Mercedes earlier this year about their in-car software and how the industry is evolving. This gentleman wants to remain anonymous, but he is well-versed in the happenings of Mercedes software and knows a thing or two about the direction of the company and the industry more broadly. He will be referred to as Karl for simplicity. We've spoken before, and he has been with Mercedes for over two years now. Growing Pains Mercedes, and every other auto manufacturer, has been working diligently to transition to this new era of mobil ..read more

This article is about a conversation I had with a project manager at Mercedes earlier this year about their in-car software and how the industry is evolving. This gentleman wants to remain anonymous, but he is well-versed in the happenings of Mercedes software and knows a thing or two about the direction of the company and the industry more broadly. He will be referred to as Karl for simplicity. We've spoken before, and he has been with Mercedes for over two years now. Growing Pains Mercedes, and every other auto manufacturer, has been working diligently to transition to this new era of mobil ..read more