In Stunning Turnaround, Dodge Shoots to #1 in J.D. Power Initial Quality Study
Dodge is the first domestic brand to rank first in the 34-year-history of the the 2020 J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey.
Kia, tied with a score of 136 problems per 100, has been the highest-ranked mainstream brand for six consecutive years. Genesis, which was the top-ranked brand overall in 2019 fell to third this time – but remained the top-ranked luxury brand. Tesla lands last, confirming EV maker’s ongoing quality headaches.
The real issue with current models is with technologies that, Dave Sargent, Power’s vice president of automotive quality explained in a statement, “are difficult to use, hard to understand or don’t work the way owners want.” The 2020 study found infotainment systems alone were responsible for a quarter of owner complaints, especially when it came to things like voice recognition, touchscreen operation and Bluetooth connectivity;
Read the article at The Detroit Bureau.
2021 Ford F-150: It’s Got Screen Presence
The 2021 Ford F-150 promises to outperform its competition when it comes to max towing, payload, and horsepower and now has given its best-selling model a more inviting interior with company's latest Sync 4 infotainment system.
The fancy Ford unit comes standard with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, which was previously optional. A new fully digital instrument cluster gives the F-150 a much more modern look.
Buyers can upgrade to a 12.0-inch screen which features a landscape design. Its split-screen functionality lets you control navigation on the left of the screen and music on the right, for example, and displays key information such as speed, gear selection, and even off-roading data.
Read the article at MotorTrend.
Crash Statistics Show No Added Risk For Convertibles
Convertibles may not look as safe as other vehicles when they’re cruising down the highway with the top down, but crash statistics tell a different story, a new IIHS study shows.
Crash rates and driver death rates were lower for convertibles than for nonconvertible versions of the same cars. However, the differences in driver death rates weren’t statistically significant.
“Based on this study, convertibles don’t appear to pose a particular safety risk,” Eric Teoh, IIHS director of statistical services said. “If you’re shopping for a convertible, you should consider crash test ratings and safety features, just as you would if you were shopping for any other car.”
Read the article at IIHS.
The 4 Value Tiers of Data
Geotab speaks of the importance of the 4 Value Tiers of Data: Fleet Productivity, Data-Enabled Insights, Public Good and New Mobility.
Start-Up Company Building Road That Charges Electric Vehicles Wirelessly While They Drive
Israeli startup Electreon Wireless is developing a solution to electric vehicle owner's range anxiety, creating roads that can charge as they drive.
Electreon markets its system primarily to governments, cities, and fleet operators, with a proposal to increase efficiency by lowering battery size, cost, and weight. Electric coils installed under roads can transmit energy to electric vehicles on them, charging them as they go.
The company intentionally chose to start working first on public transportation, like shuttles between train stations and airports. Electreon chose this point of entry because of the large population served by urban public transportation, and its role as a large polluter. Eventually, it hopes to expand to ridesharing, trains, and autonomous vehicles.
Read the article at Business Insider.
