Note to the Internal Combustion Engine: Your Days are Numbered
EVs saw impressive, sustained growth throughout 2020: just about every single OEM announced or debuted new and soon-to-be-released electric vehicles of all sorts. Tesla has kept its lead in this booming market but industry behemoths like VW, Hyundai, GM and Fiat Chrysler have jumped in the competition in a big way!
In addition to new EV models both battery technologies and much-needed infrastructure have made some incredible gains of their own. Among the highlights was Tesla’s Model Y, which increased battery range 20% over the 2019 model - to over 400 miles per charge for the 2020 model.
Carjackings Were Up in 2020 – Way Up
Violent carjackings are way up in 2020 in cities across the U.S., including Philadelphia, Louisville, Oakland, Nashville and New Orleans, to name a few. In Chicago alone, carjackings had hit 1,150 by Thanksgiving, more than double the 507 reported instances in all of 2019.
This disturbing rise in carjackings is happening in conjunction with more car thefts overall, not to mention crime in general. According to the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), "Preliminary data from 223 police agencies across the United States reveal steep increases this year in homicides and aggravated assaults."
What Buttigieg’s Nomination to Transportation Secretary Means for Cars
President-elect Joe Biden nominated Pete Buttigieg to be Secretary of Transportation, and the former mayor could have an impact on the auto industry.
Last week, President-elect Joe Biden nominated Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, to be the Secretary of Transportation. This will be the most prominent public service position Mayor Pete is yet to hold and in this role he will be able to shape and influence the auto industry for years to come.
From this position, Buttigieg is expected to take on initiatives such as expanding the electric-vehicle charging network, regulating autonomous and advanced driver assist technologies, setting vehicle emissions rules, and investing in infrastructure.
Read the article at Car and Driver
D.C. Looking to Target Messages to Bad Drivers
Bad drivers in the District could soon get a serious warning sent straight to their cellphones.
The city is working to identify drivers with a history of traffic violations, such as speeding and red-light camera tickets, to send messages alerting them of their history of infractions while warning of their risks of getting into a fatal crash.
A team of city data experts is analyzing traffic citation data to identify drivers at a high risk involvement in a serious crash. The “tailored messages,” they say, will be sent to a sample of those drivers next year. At the end of the 18-month pilot, officials say, they expect to know the answer to a key question: Can targeting messages to high-risk drivers prevent crashes?
Read the article at The Washington Post
Art Liggio, Fleet Industry Veteran, Inducted Into Fleet Hall of Fame
Recognized as a fleet safety pioneer, Driving Dynamics CEO and president was honored at a ceremony held during the 2020 Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association (AFLA) virtual conference
(Newark, Delaware, December 21, 2020) – Driving Dynamics Inc., a provider of advanced performance driver safety training, coaching and risk services for organizations that operate vehicle-fleets in North America and around the globe, announced Art Liggio, the company’s CEO and president has joined the Fleet Hall of Fame ranks.
During his acceptance speech, Liggio noted, “Thank you for this recognition! For three decades I have been actively involved with fleet operators, supporting their efforts to keep drivers safe. It is an honor to have this work recognized. Every day I am heartened and humbled by the support and dedication of my associates at Driving Dynamics along with other individuals in the fleet community. My colleagues, partners and customers will continue to be a constant motivator for me and my team to continuously explore new ways to enhance our services and take all the needed measures to support our clients and their drivers.”
