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Canadian Auto News Watch - Monday December 22, 2014
General Motors Corporate News
Column: Bumper year seen for vehicle recalls; expected to top 60m
Byline: Jeff Green And Jeff Plungis, Source: Bloomberg News, Page: FP2, Edition: All_but_Toronto
National Post - Mon Dec 22 2014
Why this record year of recalls is a good thing
Byline: Kumar Saha, Page: W12, Edition: ONT
Toronto Star - Sat Dec 20 2014
Technology adds a new touch to vehicle safety
Note: GM safety systems.
Byline: Jeff Gelles, Source: Times Colonist, Page: F7, Edition: Final
Times Colonist (Victoria) - Fri Dec 19 2014
Layoffs at Lear Whitby: 106 jobless as of Dec. 23
Page: 1, Edition: Final
Whitby This Week - Sat Dec 20 2014
J.D. Power unveils 2014 sales satisfaction index
Byline: Charles Jolicoeur, Source: AutoGo.ca, Page: D6
The Telegram (St. John's) - Sat Dec 20 2014
GM wants to make more Chevys look like Stingray
Byline: NICK TRAGIANIS, Source: Driving, Page: C9, Edition: Early
Montreal Gazette - Mon Dec 22 2014
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General Motors Product News
2015 Cadillac Escalade 4WD 4dr Premium - Autofocus.ca
Permalink: www.autofocus.ca...
autofocus.ca - Mon Dec 22 2014
How is mileage measured for electric cars?
Note: Chevrolet Volt.
Source: - Wheelbase Media, Page: C4, Edition: Final
The Daily Courier (Kelowna) - Fri Dec 19 2014
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General Motors Corporate News
Bumper year seen for vehicle recalls; expected to top 60m
National Post
Mon Dec 22 2014
Page: FP2
Section: Financial Post
Byline: Jeff Green And Jeff Plungis
Column: In Southfield, Mich. In Washington, D.C.
Dateline: Southfield, Mich. ; Washington, D.C.
Source: Bloomberg News
U.S. automobile recalls surpassed the 60 million mark for the first time in a single year, largely because of the
rush to prevent more deaths from defective General Motors Co. ignition switches and Takata Corp. airbags.
The tally of 60.5 million through Saturday is almost double the previous annual record of 30.8 million recalled
vehicles set in 2004, according to an analysis of data on the website of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration. The number will rise further as recent recalls that have been announced by automakers are
recorded in the database.
"I don't think we're going to see a year like this for a long time," said Neil Steinkamp, a managing director at
Stout Risius Ross, who studies warranty and recall issues.
Recalls may remain above historical levels for a while, he said. The Takata airbag crisis continues to grow, and
following its slow response to GM's ignition switch defect, the NHTSA has been pressuring automakers to
recall cars more quickly when evidence of a flaw is discovered, using subpoena power and the threat of
US$35-million fines as motivation.
"Automakers do not want to be accused of dragging their feet, so they're very quick to issue a recall" now, said
Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst at Autotrader.com. "We're going to see lots of recalls because cars have
gotten so complex and there's so much sharing of parts by all automakers."
The flood of recalls hasn't deterred buyers this year. Light-vehicle sales in the U.S. rose 5.4% through
November, according to Autodata Corp., and are heading for their biggest total since 2006.
GM alone has recalled almost 27 million cars and trucks in the U.S. this year, a record for any single
automaker. The Detroit-based company has issued 10 safety actions of more than one million vehicles each,
according to the NHTSA database. Defective GM ignition switches in small cars have been linked to at least 42
deaths and 58 injuries.
Honda Motor Co., the third-largest Japanese automaker, has recalled 5.4 million vehicles to replace Takata
airbags. Exploding Takata airbags have been tied to at least four fatalities in the U.S. and more than 100
injuries caused by shrapnel.
Other recalls of more than one million vehicles this year included those related to steering, cruise control,
engines and seat belts, according to the NHTSA data, which is compiled from automaker filings to the agency.
NHTSA plans to release its official recall numbers for 2014 next year.
The Takata airbag flaw investigation led to the recall of more than eight million vehicles. Unstable propellant in
airbag inflators can cause the devices to explode with too much force and spread shrapnel through the car in a
crash. Takata on Nov. 6 widened an annual loss forecast and said it can't estimate the full financial liability of
the defect.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said Dec. 19 that it would accede to a NHTSA request and expand an existing
airbag recall from hot, humid areas of the U.S., where most failures have occurred, to the entire nation. That
will add 2.89 million vehicles to the recall total for the U.S. when reflected in the government database. GM has
said its ignition switch recalls have cost about US$2.7 billion through the first three-quarters of this year. GM
has said the switches, which it knew were defective for more than a decade, can shut off when bumped,
disabling the vehicle airbag and increasing the risk of death or injury in a crash.
With the focus on more and quicker recalls, 2014 will probably signify a period of elevated safety fixes, Mr.
Steinkamp said. The average number of recalled vehicles per year from the 2004 through last year was 16.1
million, according to NHTSA data.
"It's a landmark year; it's the start of a new era," he said.
© 2014 Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• J. Scott Applewhite, The Associated Press Files / Senate commerce committee member Bill Nelson displays a defective airbag
made by Takata of Japan that has been linked to four deaths.
Edition: All_but_Toronto
Story Type: Column
Length: 621 words
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Why this record year of recalls is a good thing
Toronto Star
Sat Dec 20 2014
Page: W12
Section: Wheels
Byline: Kumar Saha
If they ever made a movie about Automotive Year 2014, guess what they would call it?
Total Recall.
Pardon the terrible pun, but it was that kind of a year.
More than 56 million cars were requested to be taken off the road for production defects, setting a record for
most number of recalls ever made in automotive history.
The previous record year, 2004, had only about half as many - 30 million.
And to think we are on the cusp of bringing self-driving cars onto our highways, cars that would potentially drive
us around while we safely snooze our way through the daily commute.
So what gives?
To be fair, General Motors alone was responsible for 30 million cars and 80 different recalls made in 2014.
Most of them centred around older models from what I like to refer as the "dark ages of Detroit" - the first
decade of the new millennium, a time when American cars were just phoning it in and cruising along.
Among the brands recalled for faulty ignition switches were the likes of Saturn and Pontiac, brands that no
longer exist, and rightfully so.
GM was also part of a broader recall for defective airbags made by Japanese safety systems supplier Takata.
As many as 15 other auto brands were affected by the issue of exploding airbags that have allegedly caused
five deaths so far.
This might sound unnecessarily gloomy, particularly in the middle of the festive season and especially in an
otherwise unstoppable year for vehicle sales in both Canada and the U.S.
But wait ...
In the spirit of the always reassuring holiday classic It's A Wonderful Life, I believe there's a silver lining to it all.
The GM fiasco proved once and for all that a callous automotive culture, especially when it comes to safety,
helps no one in the end.
For GM, the cost of endless lawsuits, enormous recalls and regulatory fines will be far more than what it would
be had it been handled well when the original concerns had surfaced in the mid-2000s.
You can also partly thank the GM incident for the enormity of the ongoing Takata recalls. Many automakers are
taking no chances and are being proactive about getting the impacted cars back to dealerships for a fix.
Some regulatory fallout is also expected. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA),
which drew plenty of flak for its handling of GM, has been in enforcer mode throughout the year. Tighter rules
for automakers are surely on their way.
Most importantly, I think the recalls tempered the recent arrogance of the automotive industry.
Our cars are obviously safer and smarter every year. They can park themselves, detect objects in blind spots even brake on their own.
But we can still get the basics wrong. And when we do, in this age of unforgiving social media chatter, it's best
to acknowledge mistakes and tackle them in the most transparent possible way.
The lesson extends beyond humdrum technologies such as airbags and switches.
As our cars enter the matrix, they will be exposed to other kinds of safety and security threats in the future hackers, code malfunctions.
In our exuberance to stuff our vehicles with as much software/hardware wizardry as we possibly can, the need
for bulletproofing them for safety's sake could fall off the priority list.
Thankfully, 2014 also saw the software security debate come to the forefront. Various vehicle vulnerabilities
were exposed and discussed throughout the year.
Plenty of work is being done by carmakers to build the best possible cyber armour for cars.
For instance, the Association for Global Automakers, which represents companies such as Toyota and Honda,
has created task forces that will closely evaluate vehicle "soft spots" and share the knowledge to build tougher
cars. Some companies are learning from aircraft makers and defence firms and are bringing similar robustness
to their own vehicles. Others like Tesla have even hired former hackers to tighten their own systems.
Despite the concerns, our roads are much safer these days. Crash rates have steadily fallen over decades and
my feeling is that 2014 will go down on record as a pivotal year in bringing those stats down in the future.
Now that's a happy ending worthy of the holiday spirit.
See you all in the new year!
Kumar Saha is a Toronto-based automotive analyst with the global research firm Frost & Sullivan. He writes
regularly for Toronto Star Wheels. For more Toronto Star Wheels stories, go to thestar.com/autos. To reach
Wheels Editor Norris McDonald: nmcdonald@thestar.ca.
© 2014 Torstar Corporation
Illustration:
• GM was part of a broad recall for defective airbags made by Japanese safety systems supplier Takata. Shizuo Kambayashi/THE
ASSOCIATED PRESS file photo
Edition: ONT
Length: 756 words
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Technology adds a new touch to vehicle safety
Times Colonist (Victoria)
Fri Dec 19 2014
Page: F7
Section: Driving
Byline: Jeff Gelles
Source: Times Colonist
General Motors noted on Sun Dec 21 2014 10:00 pm ET
GM safety systems.
Until we all start riding around in Google's self driving cars, or getting ourselves delivered by Amazon's drones,
accident avoidance systems will loom as the ultimate in vehicle-safety technology. Rather than just protecting
people in a crash, like seat belts and air bags, they hold the promise of preventing crashes entirely. They're
also a huge challenge to create, a classic example of easier said than done. Combinations of sensors - video
cameras, radar, lasers - and software can detect conditions that predict an imminent accident risk. But how do
you communicate that instantly to a driver in a way that guides corrective action?
Most automobile alerts use sound or sight - warning beeps, or flashing red alerts on a dashboard or windshield.
But another category relies on a different sense: touch. Milliseconds matter in these situations, and studies
suggest that so-called haptic warnings can get a driver's attention more quickly than alternatives.
That's the theory behind the Safety Alert Seat I tested recently in a 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe - one of three large
Chevys offering a safety system that General Motors debuted in Cadillac’s and also offers on its Buick
LaCrosse.
The safety seat doesn't totally replace other kinds of alerts. If you drift across a lane marker at 60 km/h or
above, you'll see a green dashboard icon suddenly change to amber and start flashing. But rather than an
audible warning, you'll feel three quick pulses from the left or right side of your seat, depending on the direction
of your drift.
The feeling is more subtle than rolling across one of the rumble strips often installed at the edge of highway
shoulders. It reminded me more of hitting the raised reflectors that some road builders use to demarcate
highway lanes.
The GM system also pulses to warn a driver of an imminent forward collision when it detects that your vehicle
is approaching another too quickly. In that case, the vibrations supplement a flashing red alert on the
windshield.
How well do these systems work?
The jury is still out, says Russ Rader, a spokesman for the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which
continually pores over accident data. But there's one exception: Growing evidence supports the value of
forward-collision warning systems, particularly those that include automatic braking.
Auto-braking systems were available on one in five vehicle models in 2014, and are reaching such mainstream
brands as Subaru. (The 2015 Tahoe offers auto-braking, too.) When the insurance institute publishes its 2015
ratings this month, only vehicles offering an effective auto-braking system will be eligible for its "Top Safety
Pick Plus" rating.
Rader says some systems haven't met their promise, earning only the same "basic" rating IIHS awards
vehicles with frontal-crash systems that warn drivers rather than actually stopping a car.
Rader says the institute hasn't given up on the potential of lane-departure warnings, which it once estimated
could prevent or mitigate about 179,000 crashes a year, including 37,000 that cause injuries and 7,500 that
cause deaths. But so far, the evidence is mixed.
"We don't have enough real-world data yet to say how it's working," Rader says.
Nor has the institute evaluated the relative value of haptic alerts versus other kinds of warnings, or compared
different approaches to haptics. Some warn with steering wheel pulses. Others give more active feedback resistance, essentially - to help drivers avert risky lane changes and crashes.
The good news, Rader says, is that automakers "are now competing on safety." That may be the most
welcome innovation of all.
Illustration:
• General Motors / Many of the Buick LaCrosse's active safety features work with the Safety Alert Seat, which sends vibrations
through either side of the seat bottom to alert the driver.
Edition: Final
Story Type: News
Length: 577 words
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Layoffs at Lear Whitby: 106 jobless as of Dec. 23
Whitby This Week
Sat Dec 20 2014
Page: 1
Section: News
WHITBY -- Lear Corporation, a General Motors feeder plant in Whitby, has laid off 106 workers after a shift in
production at the GM plant.
The layoff includes 74 full-time workers and 32 temporary workers. The employees are laid off as of Dec. 23,
said Scott Bateman, Lear Whitby chair for Unifor Local 222.
Mr. Bateman said the layoff is because of a shift in Impala production volume at the General Motors Oshawa
flex plant.
"It wasn't a surprise because we knew the volume increase was temporary but we always hoped the vehicles
would pick up and start to sell better and keep these people working but that wasn't the case," said Mr.
Bateman.
Including the 74 full-timers to be laid off, there are 395 full-time workers at the Lear plant. The remaining
workers will continue to build seats for the Cadillac XTS and Buick Regal.
Although there are some workers eligible for retirement, Mr. Bateman said it's not even close to absorbing the
amount of people losing their jobs.
"There's never a good time to lose your job, you could say it puts a damper on the holidays, I wouldn't say if it
was in the summer or it was in the fall it's any easier for the people that are losing their jobs."
Mr. Bateman said job losses at Lear hurt not only the employees and their families but also the community as a
whole, pointing out employees collected more than $5,000 during a recent Christmas charity drive and are
regular contributors to the United Way.
"This trend will continue as long as our government continues to turn its back on manufacturing in Canada and
continues to sign agreements with countries we cannot compete with," he said.
Ron Svajlenko, president of Unifor Local 222, which also represents GM workers, said the union will be
ramping up efforts in 2015 to highlight the importance of auto jobs and the impact their loss will have on the
community.
He said union officials have met with GM to discuss the future of the Oshawa plant.
"We've asked them point black do you have plans to close Oshawa and they said they have no plans to close
Oshawa," said Mr. Svajlenko.
But he said that answer is too ambiguous.
"If you're not going to close us we need some product that gives us some longevity for the long term."
To support the laid off Lear workers, the union has been in touch with Regional service providers like the John
Howard Society, the YMCA, municipal leaders and the Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre.
Mr. Bateman said anyone who has potential job opportunities for the workers should contact the union.
"If there are some people that will be hiring and they're looking for people to work by all means contact us, we
can put them in touch with people who need the work."
Representatives for Lear did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.
© 2014 Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing
Edition: Final
Length: 482 words
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J.D. Power unveils 2014 sales satisfaction index
The Telegram (St. John's)
Sat Dec 20 2014
Page: D6
Section: Drive
Byline: Charles Jolicoeur
Source: AutoGo.ca
Each year, J.D. Power evaluates the brands that are best able to satisfy consumers during the sales process.
J.D. Power unveiled last week the 2014 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index Study, ranking each manufacturer on
how well they satisfy their customers seeking a new vehicle.
Among all manufacturers except luxury brands, British manufacturer Mini took first place with a score of 727,
an increase over last year. Among luxury manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz finished first with 761 points in
addition to recording the largest score increase of all manufacturers compared to last year.
The key element of the J.D. Power sales satisfaction index is the ability of sales representatives to identify the
needs of their customers. The index is based on a survey of over 29,000 consumers who purchased a new car
in April and May 2014.
Other criteria such as the environment in the dealership, negotiation ease, the quality of the service offered by
the sales rep, the diversity of the inventory, and price fairness also affect the rating. Each manufacturer
receives a grade on 1,000 based on these criteria.
Buick finished second behind Mini while Ford, Hyundai, GMC, Chevrolet, Fiat, Volkswagen, Honda and Toyota
received scores above the industry average. Nissan, Chrysler, Mazda, Scion, Jeep, Kia, Dodge, Ram and
Mitsubishi finished below average. Kia is the only manufacturer to see their grade decrease compared to last
year.
Among luxury automakers, Infiniti, Jaguar, Lexus, Porsche round out the top five behind Mercedes-Benz.
Cadillac, BMW, Audi, Land Rover, Volvo, Lincoln and Acura finished below average.
© 2014 Transcontinental Media G.P. All rights reserved.
Length: 250 words
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GM wants to make more Chevys look like Stingray
Montreal Gazette
Mon Dec 22 2014
Page: C9
Section: Driving
Byline: NICK TRAGIANIS
Source: Driving
GM wants to inject a bit more style into the Chevrolet lineup by drawing inspiration from the Corvette Stingray.
Speaking with Automotive News, Chevrolet design head Ed Welburn says we'll soon "be able to see a subtle
link between some of the form vocabulary" when the redesigned Cruze, Malibu and Volt eventually hit the
market.
Although you can see a bit of Camaro in the current Impala, Welburn says Chevy hasn't quite taken advantage
of the styling seen on iconic models, such as the Camaro and Corvette.
In particular, we'll see Corvette inspired hood lines and headlights, in an effort to give otherwise mainstream
cars a competitive edge in the styling department.
The first push we'll see in this direction is the next-generation Volt. Teased last month ahead of its Detroit
debut, the front end already appears to be considerably sharper than the current model Volt.
© 2014 Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• GM / GM will introduce Corvette-inspired hood lines and headlights to give its mainstream cars a competitive edge in the styling
department.
Edition: Early
Story Type: News
Length: 145 words
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General Motors Product News
2015 Cadillac Escalade 4WD 4dr Premium - Autofocus.ca
autofocus.ca
Mon Dec 22 2014
View original item at www.autofocus.ca...»
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How is mileage measured for electric cars?
The Daily Courier (Kelowna)
Fri Dec 19 2014
Page: C4
Section: Wheels
Source: - Wheelbase Media
Although the electric cars coming onto the market plug into the wall, how is it that they're rated in miles per U.S.
gallon?
The key word here is "equivalency."
In the case of the Chevrolet Volt, for example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency makes it easier to
compare cars with different propulsion systems.
The Volt's 93-m.p.g.-equivalency rating is established by taking the cost of a full electric charge and dividing it
by the number of miles that can be driven on that charge.
A cost per 100 miles (160 kilometres) is assigned (based on average range and a fixed price for electricity) and
then a conversion to miles-per-gallon equivalency can be made, also assuming a fixed price for gasoline.
To match the Volt's cost per 100 miles in full electric mode, the EPA calculates that a gasoline-powered car
would need to achieve 93 m.p.g. The formula is complicated by the fact the Volt uses gasoline once the
batteries run down: in full gas mode, the Volt is rated at 37 m.p.g. Actual economy is somewhere in between 93
and 37, depending on how much gas is used between battery top-ups.
How you drive a Volt, the cost for charging and how often you charge are all factors.
© 2014 The Okanagan Valley Newspaper Group. All rights reserved.
Illustration:
• / (See hardcopy for photo)
Edition: Final
Story Type: News
Length: 209 words
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