Wagon Wheels
A Tale of Two Vehicles: The Station Wagon and the Minivan
For as long as the modern automobile has existed, automakers have innovated new methods for carrying greater amounts of passengers and cargo in increasing comfort and style. Not completely satisfied with the capability of pre-WWI American cars, early aftermarket coach builders set to work creating the first vehicles modified to fulfill these evolving needs. Known as depot hacks upon introduction, these custom wood-bodied Model Ts fulfilled commercial uses mainly carrying passengers between platforms at train stations. After the post-WWI military drawdown, production refocused on civilian needs, and Star, a division of the obscure Durant Motors, introduced the first ever factory built station wagon in 1923. Throughout the rest of the interwar period, the majority of America’s OEMs caught on to the station wagon trend…
EV’s – Hope or Hype?
As electric vehicles (EVs) take center stage in the mobility revolution, are they truly the future of transportation or just another passing trend? In this post, AutoMobility Advisors explores the challenges, opportunities, and key innovations shaping the EV landscape. Discover whether EVs are the real solution to a sustainable future or simply overhyped technology.
An (American) Sports Car Story
The Corvette C8 ZR1: A Cumulation of Eight Decades of American Automotive Passion
EXTRA! Vehicle-to-Grid Expansion Saves Planet!
the AutoMobility Roadmap on California’s energy dynamics and the role of electric vehicles! Despite challenges in solar overgeneration, EVs present a solution to utilize surplus energy effectively.
US Auto’s EV Moment
“While well established OEMs have gradually introduced new lineups of electric cars to the market, Chinese auto OEMs are seeking to make their debuts into the US EV market with flashy lineups of very inexpensive cars. Chinese companies such as BYD, Geely, and XPeng are aiming to launch their products in the United States within the next few years, sparking fears of a hostile takeover of the American EV market. “
Insurance – The Next Generation
April 25, 2024
In an accident? Pelted by a freak hailstorm? Hit a deer? The universal answer to all of these problems has for over a century been car insurance. The first car insurance policy was taken out by a Dayton, Ohio resident in 1897, covering the owner in case the vehicle damaged property or hurt/killed an individual. Since then, the car insurance market has ballooned into an enormous industry, with the US car insurance market valued at nearly $400 billion in 2023. Car insurance rates have grown steadily with the increasing price and complexity of new vehicles. With average new car prices reaching a staggering $47,000 in 2023, it is no secret that premiums are on the rise. Cars now have hundreds of sensors collecting the data required for advanced mobility and connected car features. No longer does a simple fender bender cost a few hundred dollars to repair.
Auto’s Duty To Data Details
As our world has grown increasingly interconnected over the last three decades, more and more of our time is spent online. Online transactions and interactions all involve the exchange of differing amounts of data, whether it’s credit card information to make an online purchase, or a live information feed from a connected car.
Classic Mobility
One of the greatest joys of working with cars is having the opportunity to enjoy the collections that have been expertly curated by connoisseurs over the last century of automotive enthusiasm.
The Nada way
Every year, dealers and other industry attendees from across the United States converge for a week in February to discuss the latest trends and business opportunities on the dealership side of the automotive industry.
CES 2024 – It’s an Auto Show!
AutoMobility Newsletter CES 2024 – It’s An Auto Show! January 25, 2024 This past week marked the 56th annual Consumer Electronics Show and the 100th anniversary of the Consumer Technology Association. From January 9-12, thousands of exhibitors and around 140 thousand attendees from across the world flocked to Las Vegas to see the cutting edge of technology. At the event the AMA team set about facilitating dozens of meetings and walked nearly 200 total miles across the bustling Las Vegas Strip and Convention Center complex. So with another successful event all done, there are a few key themes and takeaways that dominated the show and captured significant buzz, fascination, and praise. From Artificial Intelligence to Sustainability, CES innovators showed up in force this year, solidifying the post-pandemic rebound into 2024. Once more, the automotive sector took center stage at CES, stealing the spotlight with its innovative presentations and groundbreaking advancements. Focusing on electric vehicles, their infrastructure, and sustainability processes, the industry solidified its commitment to driving forward a greener and more technologically advanced future. Companies such as Hyundai-Kia, Honda, VinFast, and Mercedes-Benz dedicated a great deal of time, money, and effort to show off the newest in EV technology. For example, Kia unveiled a massive new line of EV vans called the PBV. These all-electric vans were shown in both consumer and commercial configurations, and fostered great excitement for the future of the Korean manufacturer. PBV, stands for “Platform Beyond Vehicle”, and aims to take the software-defined vehicle experience to the next level, utilizing this platform for a variety of services from rideshare and delivery, to family transportation usage. These vehicles all share a common platform, and Kia plans to have several of the models ready to enter the market over the next few years. Hyundai’s exhibits focused on in-vehicle advanced mobility technologies, including hydrogen power, and moved away from specific vehicle announcements. Overall, CES was an impressive showing from the Korean conglomerate. VinFast from the Vietnamese VinGroup revealed an interesting variety of new technologies and new vehicles. In a widely publicized and well-attended press release, VinFast revealed two new EVs, the VF-3 and the VF Wild. The VF-3, which has a similar appearance to the iconic Suzuki Jimmy, boasts a significantly smaller profile and price range compared to its inspiration counterpart. More akin to the size of a Mini or Smart, the VF-3 is a small and economical addition to the entry-level electric SUV market. The VF Wild stole the show, with its avant-garde styling, clamshell doors, and fully foldable rear bench seating. The radical pickup truck design of the VF Wild positions it to compete with other unorthodox EV trucks such as Tesla’s Cybertruck. Hoping to offer a more affordable option than the F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV, and Rivian R1T, the Wild will start at around $45,000 when it goes on sale in 2026. VinFast’s sister company (and fellow VinGroup subsidiary), VinAi unveiled several revolutionary new in-car features that were exhibited in their VF-8 test demo vehicles. “Mirrorsense,” an all-new safety feature created by VinAi, has the ability to track where drivers are looking and automatically adjust in-car mirrors to provide for optimal positioning. This new feature even received “Honoree” status from the show’s CES Innovation Awards. Other cool tech such as their system of cameras which allow drivers to see through the floor of the car in any situation in which a camera may be required were highly impressive, and demonstrated a new push by VinGroup to take the lead in smart in-vehicle technology. VinFast and VinAi’s concerted efforts to widen brand appeal and offer impressive new features unique to the brand were noticeable at CES, making for an outstanding showing by this new automotive innovator. Mercedes-Benz was the only German OEM with an exhibition space at CES this year. Taking up a large space in the West Hall, M-B showed off their top of the line EQE and EQS models accompanied by a radically designed electric CLA concept car. Mercedes-Benz also spent much of the show showing off their redesigned MBUX platform, which is aimed at providing Mercedes owners a next-generation in-car experience via a new wall-to-wall touchscreen display with built-in artificial intelligence features. MBUX will allow users to play classic arcade games from Sega, Atari, and Nintendo, among a slew of other features. Mercedes’ new head unit caused quite a buzz at CES, drawing attention from OEMs, suppliers, and regular showgoers alike. Honda took the lead among Japanese OEMs this year. Like Mercedes, it was the only Japanese manufacturer to have a floor exhibit. Honda revealed a new lineup of EVs called the 0 Series, showing off two all-new concept cars named the “Saloon” and “Space Hub.” Aimed at bringing elegance, safety, and a driver-focused experience to the EV market, Honda hopes to have the 0 Series vehicles ready to launch in 2026. Boasting AD/ADAS based safety features, the Saloon and Space Hub will be capable of Level 3 autonomous driving, on the same level as competitors such as Tesla. As yet another OEM launching a slew of new EVs in the next couple of years, Honda is poised to make its mark in the rapidly growing electric vehicle market. One exciting event at CES was the live interview with George Ayres at the Sonatus booth. Dr. John Heinlein, Ph.D., Chief Marketing Officer of Sonatus, conducted an insightful conversation with George Ayres, Founder and Managing Director of AutoMobility Advisors, for their podcast called The Garage. The interview delved into topics such as software-defined vehicles, vehicle electrification, fleet management, and vehicle personalization. If you missed the live session, you can watch it here: Sonatus Garage Podcast @ CES 2024 Featuring George Ayres In addition to the automotive highlights, AWS showcased its cutting-edge cloud computing solutions at CES. With a booth focused on automotive solutions that attracted tech enthusiasts and industry professionals alike, AWS demonstrated the power of cloud services in enabling innovation across various sectors. From artificial intelligence and machine learning applications to sustainable