J.D. Power 2023 APEAL Results: OEMs Missing the Mark with Design and New Technology
By Dave Bean, FMW Associate Editor
For the first time in its nearly thirty year history, the J.D. Power U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study revealed a decline in owner satisfaction in back-to-back years.
“The decline in consecutive years might look small, but it’s an indicator that larger issues may lie under the surface,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power.
Porsche 911 was the highest ranking model overall. Kia garnered the most brand awards, with the KIA K5 winning a model-level award for the third consecutive year.
Report: Heat Waves Reduce Range of Some EVs up to 31%
People living under extreme heat conditions probably don’t need another thing to worry about. But we have one for them anyway. Extreme heat can reduce the range of some electric vehicles (EVs) by nearly a third, according to a new study.
The data comes from Recurrent, a company that tracks EV battery life and uses machine learning to help owners care for their car’s batteries. The company “analyzed battery readings from 7,500 vehicles to answer the summer range question and underlying concerns.”
Driver Impairment: Protect Your Fleet with Proactive Monitoring
By Adam Danielson, Director of Business Development, SuperVision
Excessive drug and alcohol use in the U.S. negatively impacts almost every aspect of our society and economy.
And the trucking industry is no exception, where positive drug test results are rising. In the first three months of 2023, truck drivers testing positive for marijuana increased by 9.2%. Also, many of these drivers have not enrolled in the return-to-work program. This troubling data from the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse defines the significant challenges this problem puts on fleet management.
However, there are ways of dealing with drivers testing positive for marijuana.
One of the most effective ways is proactive monitoring. In this article, you will learn more about this issue and how preventative fleet monitoring with SuperVision can help protect your fleet from the increasing drug and alcohol challenge.
These States Are Following California’s ZEV Goals
California's Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) framework is on a roll, with more states taking steps to adopt the program's regulations that envision 100% zero-emission sales of cars and light trucks by 2035.
New Jersey would join others in the region, including New York, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and others in taking steps to adopt ACC II in recent months, with 2026 being the first major interim date on the road to the 2035 target, requiring that 35% of cars and light trucks sold in the state to be zero-emission by that year, which also encompasses plug-in hybrids. New Mexico is moving to adopt Advanced Clean Cars and Advanced Clean Trucks regulations, also following California's lead.
Car Thefts Are Way Up in Multiple Major Cities: Study
Many major cities in the United States are seeing massive increases in motor vehicle theft, according to a study by the Council on Criminal Justice. While not every city that reported data to the CCJ saw an increase in car theft, U.S. cities in the first half of 2023 saw a 33.5% increase on average, compared to the same timeframe last year.
Obviously, some cities have it worse than others. For instance, Rochester, New York saw a massive increase of 355% in the first half of 2023 versus 2020. However, St. Paul, Minnesota saw a decrease of 41%. Interestingly, some of the U.S.'s largest, most densely packed cities saw decreases in car theft, such as Denver, Phoenix, Boston, and even Los Angeles.
