Automotive

Pressures on Fuel Ethanol Production Capacity

November 18, 2009 -- Capacity to produce fuel ethanol from corn nearly tripled between January 2006 and January 2009. However, over the past 18 months, a combination of surplus production capacity, the decline of gasoline prices from their mid-2008 peak level, and high corn prices that boosted producers’ input costs have resulted in a sharp decline in ethanol margins. The combination of economic pressures on capacity led some producers to idle plants, and in some cases, file for bankruptcy.    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its Motorcoach Safety Action Plan which lays out concrete steps for improving motorcoach safety across the board. The action plan addresses major safety issues such as driver fatigue and inattention, vehicle rollover, occupant ejections and oversight of unsafe carriers.

"We are committed to making sure that bus travelers reach their destinations safely," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "These improvements will not only help reduce the number of motorcoach crashes, it will also help save lives and reduce injuries."    » read more »

Chrysler’s Congressman Says He’ll take Former Presidential Candidate up on His Offer, “anybody believes that Chrysler is going to survive, I'd like to meet them”

November 17, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Congressman Gary Peters, whose district is home to Chrysler Group LLC World Headquarters in Southeast Michigan, today challenged Senator John McCain’s prediction that Chrysler will soon fail and that preventing the collapse of American auto companies was a mistake.

As reported in the Detroit News this week, while serving as grand marshal of a NASCAR race in Arizona, Senator McCain said “anybody believes that Chrysler is going to survive, I'd like to meet them.”    » read more »

New requirement to win is good rating for protection in rollovers

ARLINGTON, VA — Nineteen cars and 8 SUVs earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick award for 2010 For the first time, good performance in a roof strength test to measure protection in a rollover is required to win. Top Safety Pick recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rear, and now rollover crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests.

Winners also must have electronic stability control, which research shows significantly reduces crash risk. This is the second time the Institute has tightened criteria since announcing the first recipients in 2005.    » read more »

Washington, DC - 11/16/2009 - One in four (26%) of American teens of driving age say they have texted while driving, and half (48%) of all teens ages 12 to 17 say they’ve been a passenger while a driver has texted behind the wheel.

These findings form the centerpiece of a new report from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project that looks at teens, mobile phones and distracted driving. The report is based on a telephone survey of 800 teens ages 12-17 and a parent or guardian as well as 9 focus groups with middle and high school students.

Boys and girls are equally likely to report texting behind the wheel as well as riding with texting drivers. As teens get older, they are more likely to report riding with drivers who text.    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, General Motors announced that it plans to start repaying its government loans more than five years ahead of schedule and that it generated $3.3 billion in cash in the third quarter. Although the automaker did not post a profit, it exceeded expectations and increased revenue by 21 percent from the second quarter.

As Co-Chair of the Congressional Automotive Caucus and a native of Flint, MI, the birthplace of G.M., Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) has worked tirelessly to return the company to productivity and profitability and welcomed this encouraging news. Congressman Kildee released the following statement:    » read more »

Veteran Congressman Asks: Why Are Republicans Rooting for GM To Fail?

November 16, 2009 -- Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) made the following remarks after General Motors (GM) announced the company would repay the United States more than $1 billion dollars next month, years earlier than required.

“Today, General Motors has come forth with good news. The company is on its way to fulfilling its promise to America’s taxpayers – much sooner than expected or required. The new GM has a healthier balance sheet, reduced inventories and a competitive cost structure, putting it on a path towards repaying its debts and rebuilding the company’s value. The company is better situated to deal with economic hardship.    » read more »

Operating actions result in EBIT loss before special items of $261 million and managerial net loss of $1.2 billion; Accelerated plan to repay U.S. and Canadian taxpayers; first $1.2 billion payment in December

November 16, 2009 -- DETROIT – General Motors Company (GM) released today preliminary non-GAAP managerial results1 for its first 83 days of operation, providing an initial look at its financial performance since it began operations as a new company on July 10, 2009.    » read more »

Saudi Aramco Announces New U.S. Pricing Formula

November 12, 2009 -- The U.S. imported slightly more than 1 million barrels of crude oil per day from Saudi Arabia during the first 8 months of 2009. Despite a decline of more than 33 percent compared to the same period in 2008, Saudi Arabia was still the third largest source of U.S. crude oil imports during the first 8 months of this year, according to EIA import data.    » read more »

November 13, 2009 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein (both D-CA) as well as Congressman Pete Stark (D-CA) sent a letter last night urging Labor Secretary Hilda Solis to approve the State of California’s request for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for workers at the New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) facility.

NUMMI workers would become eligible for job training, job search and relocation assistance, and tax credits to cover health insurance costs.

The text of the letter follows:

November 12, 2009

The Honorable Hilda Solis

Secretary of Labor
U.S. Department of Labor

200 Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20210

Dear Secretary Solis:    » read more »

WASHINGTON (November 10, 2009) Holiday travelers can save money and reduce their contribution to global warming at the same time, thanks to a handy green travel guide from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

UCS researchers calculated the amount of carbon dioxide—the chief heat-trapping gas that drives global warming—associated with travel in a variety of modes, including passenger cars, SUVs, planes, trains and buses. Since trip emissions also depend on the number of passengers traveling, UCS evaluated trip emissions for solo travelers, couples and families of four.    » read more »

Governor’s recent trip to Japan leads to investment, more than 100 new jobs in Kentucky

November 10, 2009 -- FRANKFORT, Ky. – Joined by officials from Hitachi Automotive Products (USA), Inc. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear today announced the company will expand its Harrodsburg operation, adding a new advanced fuel system production line to the plant. Furthermore, the expansion could also result in an additional product line for hybrid electric products in the near future.    » read more »

HFO-1234yf Has Lower Global Warming Potential Than Current Refrigerant

Wilmington, Del., Nov. 10, 2009 - DuPont applauded the European Patent Office for its plans to grant a patent for a new, low-global-warming automotive air conditioning refrigerant. DuPont and Honeywell, working with the auto industry, jointly led the development of the new product, HFO-1234yf. DuPont will have access to Honeywell’s patent worldwide.    » read more »

TORRANCE, Calif., November 11, 2009 - - Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. (TMS) announced today that it has joined U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WasteWise program. As the first national voluntary solid waste reduction program, WasteWise encourages organizations to reduce municipal solid waste through waste prevention, recycling and buying or manufacturing recycled products.

“The WasteWise program is a great opportunity to recognize the efforts of Toyota associates that contribute to our waste reduction and recycling efforts every day,” said Bob Wade, corporate manager of environmental, hazardous material and safety.    » read more »

Search for New CEO Underway

November 10, 2009 -- DETROIT – Nick Reilly, GM executive vice president and president, GM International Operations, will immediately assume responsibility for the operations of Opel/Vauxhall Europe while an external search for a new CEO commences, it was announced today.    » read more »