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®Detroit AutoScene®

VOL. 87 NO. 1 JANUARY 14, 2019ESTABLISHED 1933 AS NEW CENTER NEWS AND 1983 AS OAKLAND TECH NEWS

View This Week’s Edition at http://DetroitAutoScene.com

“F IRST IN THE HEAR T OF DETROIT”

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Chevy’s most recent ad campaign for the Silverado shows many locations where the truck is most useful.

SHAP’s facility retrofit meant installing 12,000 LEDs for better lighting.

When it comes to creating aproductive and pleasant workingenvironment on the factory floor,let there be light.And to that end, FCA has rung

in 2019 on a bright note after in-stalling intelligent lighting sys-tems in two metro Detroit opera-tions, Jefferson North AssemblyPlant and Warren StampingPlant, helping drive down energycosts by at least 50 percent andimproving employee productivi-ty by making the spaces respon-sive to the needs at each work-space, said FCA spokeswomanKaileen Connelly.“Making the move now to the

most advanced LED lights withwireless control capabilities (sen-sors) gives us the ability to trackour real-time consumption and re-act, respond and customize ourenergy use quicker than ever be-fore,” said Kevin Dunbar, Corpo-rate Energy manager at FCA.“LEDs also mimic natural light,

which has shown to increaseour employees’ comfort andproductivity. This transition isjust one element that helpsmodernize our operations whilealso reducing our environmentalfootprint and operational costs.”

FCA Adds LED Lighting

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Both Dodge and LEGO launched new 2018 Challenger SRT Demon models.

It’s been said that often thedifference between men andboys is the price of their toys.Thanks to a new FCA arrange-

ment, that’s literally true.Dodge and The LEGO Group

entered into a partnership pair-ing the two brands through anew multimedia marketing cam-paign, said FCA spokeswomanDiane Morgan.The campaign launches with a

new 30-second television com-mercial “Metamorphosis” thatfirst breaks across the Dodgebrand’s Instagram, Twitter, Face-book and YouTube channels. Theinitiative also includes a newLEGO Speed Champions buildingset that features the 2018 DodgeChallenger SRT Demon and the1970 Dodge Charger R/T.“We know that many of our

Dodge//SRT enthusiasts becomefans of the brand at an early age,and like me, also grow up build-ing LEGO vehicles that we dream

of one day driving on the road,”said Steve Beahm, head of Pas-senger Car Brands, Dodge//SRT,Chrysler and FIAT – FCA NorthAmerica.“With the new Speed Champi-

ons set featuring the 2018 DodgeChallenger SRT Demon and the1970 Dodge Charger R/T, ouryoungest fans can now build andjump into the ‘driver’s’ seat oftwo of their ultimate fantasymuscle cars.”“We are thrilled to bring the

exciting Dodge designs to aLEGO build and play experiencethat is sure to capture the imagi-nations of not only LEGO fans,but also car lovers and the pas-sionate community of Dodge en-thusiasts around the world,” saidChris Stamp, senior designer,LEGO Group.As part of the LEGO Speed

Champions series of buildable

Dodge, LEGO Challenger SRTDemon Comes in All Sizes

Ford Debuts 2020 Explorer Ahead of NAIAS

Ford brought out the Explorer’s entire build team to debut the 2020 edition of the SUV at Ford Field.CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Ford unveiled the 2020 Explor-er at a special event at Ford Fieldin downtown Detroit just in timefor the 2019 North American In-ternational Auto Show (NAIAS).The new 2020 Explorer’s debut

took place on Jan. 9 and the vehi-cle is a complete redesign ofAmerica’s all-time best-sellingSUV, said Ford spokesman DanJones.The new Explorer now features

the broadest model lineup ever,more power and space, and newsmart technologies to help driv-ers tackle life’s adventures, Jonessaid.Explorer is now more capable,

comfortable, sportier and roomi-er in all three rows thanks toFord’s flexible new rear-wheel-drive architecture, said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s head of product de-velopment and purchasing. The

new SUV arrives in dealershipthis summer.“Explorer drivers told us what

they want – more capability,more power, more space,” saidHau Thai-Tang, Ford’s head ofproduct development and pur-chasing. “They want more tech-nology, not just for the driver,but for the whole family. Andthey want all of it with a beauti-fully sporty exterior. This newExplorer gives them all of that,and more, helping make everyjourney more enjoyable.”Improved off-road capability

comes courtesy of intelligentfour-wheel drive and an availablenew Terrain Management Systemthat features seven easy-to-engage drive modes.Powertrain offerings include a

3.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoostV6 projected to produce 365

horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. oftorque using 93-octane gas, mak-ing this the most powerful Ex-plorer ever. Jones said. The Ex-plorer lineup now features stan-dard, XLT, Limited, Limited Hy-brid, ST and Platinum models.The new Explorer comes

packed with more than a dozennew standard features for only$400 more over the previousmodel. Standard features includea power liftgate, 2.3-liter Eco-Boost engine with a new 10-speed transmission, 8-inch digi-tal touch screen with SYNC 3,FordPass Connect Wi-Fi servicefor up to 10 devices and more.Owners will find design and en-

gineering updates throughoutthat deliver comfort and SUVfunctionality, Jones said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Chevrolet and GMC are goingall-out to promote the latest Sil-verado and Sierra.GMC’s campaign is called,

“Step Up Like A Pro,” and fea-tures the world’s first six-func-tion MultiPro tailgate offered onthe next-generation Sierra.The launch commercial,

“Anthem,” encourages cus-

tomers to step up to GMC, con-firming the 2019 GMC Sierra’sstatus as the premium modelamong all trucks, said Rich Latek,director of GMC Marketing.“‘Step Up Like A Pro’ is an em-

powering call to action that res-onates with truck owners, en-couraging them to reach higherin their lives and not accept the

ordinary. ‘Anthem’ continues todefine our GMC ‘We Are Profes-sional Grade’ standards and sig-nals landmark change to the in-dustry,” said Latek.Chevrolet debuted its most

comprehensive integrated mar-keting and social campaign to

Chevy Goes ‘A Little Bit Country’

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

mailto:[email protected]

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Explorer’s sloped-roof silhou-ette protects rear-seat head-room, while its comfort-en-hanced second-row seats slide toimprove access to the third row.

“We obsessed about what Ex-plorer customers need andwant,” said Bill Gubing, Explorerchief engineer. “We met with cus-tomer groups, pored through in-ternet forums, and dissected so-cial media posts to determinewhat they love about today’s Ex-plorer and understand their painpoints.

“Then we found ways to im-prove it across the board. Everyenhancement on this all-new Ex-plorer was inspired by our cus-tomers.”

Building upon Ford’s push tobring more driver-assist technol-ogy to market, the all-new Ex-plorer introduces available Ac-tive Park Assist 2.0, Jones said.

The class-exclusive feature –standard on Explorer Platinum –allows the driver to park in aparallel or perpendicular spotwith a touch of a button withouthaving to work the steeringwheel, gear shifter, gas pedal orbrake pedal.

Available reverse brake assist,also standard on Platinum, usesradar and ultrasonic sensors todetect an object in Explorer’spath, and can apply the brakesautomatically to avoid an immi-nent collision when the vehicle isbacking up at a low speed – suchas when exiting a driveway.

Explorer also is available withFord’s new Intelligent AdaptiveCruise Control with Speed SignRecognition, Jones said. In addi-tion to automatically slowingwhen traffic ahead slows andhelping keep the vehicle cen-tered in its lane, the system usescameras to read speed signs and,combined with the available nav-

igation system, adjusts cruisecontrol settings accordingly.

Passengers in all three rowswill enjoy FordPass Connect,a standard feature that servesup 4G LTE Wi-Fi for up to 10 mo-bile devices with a compatiblewireless subscription service.

FordPass Connect gives driv-ers remote access to their Ex-plorer, allowing them to use theirsmartphone to lock, unlock, lo-cate and start the vehicle, as wellas monitor key vehicle diagnos-tics, Jones said.

Explorer features an available10.1-inch touch screen mountedin portrait configuration on thecenter stack. Navigation mapscan fill the entire screen for easyviewing, or split the space withaudio information.

The screen uses capacitiveglass comparable to what con-sumers are accustomed to onsmartphones and tablets, provid-ing a quicker, more responsive in-teraction with the updated SYNC3 system, Jones said. StandardSYNC 3’s more intuitive layoutgives drivers compatibility withavailable features such as AppleCarPlay, Android Auto and Wazenavigation.

A wireless charging pad is avail-

able that allows customers torecharge compatible mobile de-vices, and up to four USB ports, in-cluding new type-C outlets, chargenext-generation mobile devices.Up to three 12-volt outlets and a110-volt outlet are also available.

The powerful new engine line-up features a pair of EcoBoostentries – a 2.3-liter turbochargedI-4 that comes standard on base,XLT and Limited models, and a3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6that powers Explorer Platinum.

The 2.3-liter engine is projectedto produce 300 horsepower and310 lb.-ft. of torque, with im-proved performance over theoutgoing Explorer equipped withthe same engine, Jones said.

“A vehicle like Explorer can’tjust be good-looking,” said CraigPatterson, Ford SUV marketingmanager.

“Explorer customers need it todo certain things. They need tobe able to drive certain placesand haul specific items.”

Finding a place to charge oneEV is going to get a little bit easi-er for GM customers.

General Motors will collabo-rate with EVgo, ChargePoint andGreenlots, three of the nation’sleading electric vehicle (EV)charging networks, to enable ac-cess to the largest collectiveelectric vehicle charging networkin the United States, includingmore than 31,000 charging ports,said GM spokeswoman MegSoule.

GM plans to aggregate dynam-ic data from each of the EVcharging networks so owners ofthe all-electric Chevrolet Bolt EVcan have a more seamless charg-ing experience with their GM ve-hicles.

“GM believes in an all-electricfuture, and this is a significantstep to make charging easier forour customers,” said Doug Parks,General Motors vice president ofAutonomous and Electric VehiclePrograms.

“By collaborating with thesethree companies, we expect toreduce barriers to create astronger EV infrastructure forthe future. This is an importantstep toward achieving GM’s vi-sion of a world with zero emis-sions.”

Dynamic charging informationreceived from EVgo, ChargePointand Greenlots will enhance fu-ture versions of the myChevroletapp, Parks said.

New information to be provid-ed by the charging networks willinclude real-time data on charge

station health to report if acharging station is working, avail-able and compatible with a BoltEV.

Parks said that results in offer-ing a one-stop shop for all rangeand charging data before or dur-ing a trip.

Importantly, Parks said, GMalso expects to make it easier forcustomers to enroll for chargingwith these networks by creatingan app interface for all three net-works.

That will allow cusstomers tostreamline charger access andpotentially allow activation of acharging session using the appinstead of a membership card,Parks said.

The myChevrolet app was re-cently updated to enable projec-tion of the Energy Assist featureto the vehicle’s infotainment sys-tem via Apple CarPlay and An-droid Auto3 for drivers withmodel year 2017 or newer BoltEVs.

This update enables Bolt EVdrivers to access certain features

through their vehicle’s infotain-ment system, such as vehiclerange, charging station locationsand search, as well as route plan-ning that takes into considera-tion charging stops along theway if the destination is out ofrange.

Original purchasers of newBolt EVs will have access tothese features at no additionalcost for five years from the vehi-cle delivery date after they ac-cept the myChevrolet mobile appterms and review important in-formation about using Energy As-sist features within their my-Chevrolet app, Soule said. Vehi-cle users should see user termsfor limitations.

GM’s Maven Gig and EVgopartnered in early 2018 to deliverthe nation’s first dedicated fast-charging network for on-demanddrivers, Parks said.

GM expects to finalize theterms of its collaboration andagreements with EVgo, Charge-Point and Greenlots during thefirst quarter of 2019.

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William Springer II, publisherLisa A. Torretta, operationsJim Stickford, editorDetroit Auto Scene is a registeredtrademark of Springer Publishing Co.

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PAGE 2 JANUARY 14, 2019DETROIT AUTO SCENE

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EV drivers can now get help from Chevy in finding EV charge stations.

Ford Debuts 2020 Explorer Ahead of the 2019 Auto Show

The new Explorer interior boasts a 10.1-inch touch screen.

Looking to expand its positionin the global auto industry, Troy-based Röchling Automotive USAhired Michael Brosseau as presi-dent, effective Jan. 8.

He brings 30 years of auto ex-perience, including three aspresident of the Brose Group.His expertise includes new mo-bility integrated system solu-tions, said company spokes-woman Christine Olszewski.

“We are delighted to haveMike, with his extensive automo-tive industry experience, joinour team to grow and lead ourbusiness within the North Ameri-can market,” said Erwin Doll,CEO, Röchling AutomotiveGroup.

“Röchling has an impressivehistory of developing solutionsto address industry challengesincluding reducing emissions,weight and fuel consumption.With our industry constantlyevolving, we’re excited to haveMike help us expand our posi-tion in the market and add to ourexperience and knowledge.”

Troy-based AutoSupplier HiresNew President

GM to Make It Easier to Find EV Charging

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support the launch of the newSilverado. The campaign ele-ments will reach a wide array ofconsumers through traditionaland digital media, unique inte-grations and creative contentthat features real truck owners,said Chevrolet spokeswomanAfaf Farah.The blitz began during the

College Football Playoff Nation-al Championship on Jan. 7 withthe debut of the new 60-secondTV commercial, “A Little BitCountry, A Little Bit Rock ‘n’Roll.” Later that evening, thetruck appeared in custom inte-grations on “Manifest” and “Jim-my Kimmel Live!”“In today’s hyper-connected,

always-on society, we knew theall-new Silverado launch cam-paign needed to be bold, engag-ing and comprehensive to breakthrough the clutter while stay-ing true to the brand’s valuesand overall advertising ap-proach,” said Paul Edwards, U.S.vice president of Chevrolet Mar-keting. “Leveraging all the avail-able channels – traditional andnew – along with unique part-nerships and integrations al-lows us to reach both tradition-al truck buyers and potentialnew customers who may bedrawn to the versatility andlifestyle that comes with owninga pickup truck.”To reach the widest possible

audience, Chevrolet is using avariety of different ways toreach the public, Farah said.For example, in a first for the

automotive industry, two Silver-ados will be featured in thecommercial breaking throughthe traditional brown Amazonpackaging boxes. And Chevy

owners can have their 7.1 mil-lion packages delivered to theirvehicle through the AmazonKey In-Car Delivery partnership.And Chevy has partnered

with several magazines to spon-sor custom front cover designs.Magazine covers include BonAppétit, ESPN, GQ, Motor Trend,Rolling Stone, Southern Living,Sports Illustrated, Texas Monthlyand US Weekly.

And Chevrolet will showcasethe versatility of the Silveradobed with a unique infield activa-tion at the Daytona 500 calledHotel Silverado, Farah said.Chevrolet partnered with the

American Cancer Society to re-ward a deserving family withthe once-in-a-lifetime experi-ence of “camping” in the Day-tona International Speedway in-field – sleeping in specially out-fitted Silverado truck beds. Al-so, for the first time ever, theDaytona 500 will be paced by apickup truck. Dale Earnhardt Jr.will lead the crowd to the greenflag in a new Silverado.The GMC Sierra campaign, on

the other hand, is more tightlyfocused in its message – thetruck’s bed. The campaign waslaunched across numerous me-dia channels and consumertouchpoints with innovativecontent, some of which “breaks”out of a user’s social feed, saidGMC spokeswoman Jennie Ec-clestone, who also said the Sier-ra campaign emphasizes thebed of the pickup for a specificreason.“The bed of a pickup truck is

the main reason that light-dutypickup owners purchase theirvehicle for, it helps them withwhatever their passion or workmight be,” Ecclestone said in anemail.

“Knowing this, our engineerswanted to try to make the newtruck as functional and versatileas possible and developed thisall-new, industry-leading tail-gate.“With six different functions,

including easier access to thebox with a fold down panel, aninner gate load stop for second-tier loading and a full-width stepwhich doubles as a convenientseat. The development of thisdidn’t come at the expense ofother key technology differen-

tiators for Sierra, including thefirst-in-class 15-inch diagonalhead-up display and rear cam-era mirror.”A GMC exclusive, the avail-

able world’s-first MultiPro tail-gate offers six functions and po-sitions for enhanced second-tierloading, load-stop solutions andeasier access to items in thecargo box, including primarygate. This opens with the keyfob from inside the truck or viaa button on the gate, Ecclestonesaid.

®Detroit AutoScene®

JANUARY 14, 2019 PAGE 3“FIRST IN THE HEART OF DETROIT SINCE 1933”

Chevrolet’s New Campaign ‘A Little Bit Country’

The Sierra’s new ad campaign urges customers to ‘step up like a pro.’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

iconic vehicles, modern meetsclassic in a new set featuring the2018 Dodge Challenger SRT De-mon and 1970 Dodge ChargerR/T. Fans of all ages of theDodge and LEGO brands canrecreate a thrilling drag racingexperience after building theLEGO Speed Champions 2018Dodge Challenger SRT Demonand 1970 Dodge Charger R/Tmodels.The Dodge Challenger SRT

Demon features two sets ofwheel rims, authentic designdetails and decorative stickerswhile the cool LEGO versionof the Dodge Charger, an iconicAmerican muscle car, has aemovable supercharger andalternate engine cover. Theset also includes three LEGOminifigures: a Challenger driver,

Charger driver and a race mar-shal.

Then there is the race-ready,buildable 2018 Dodge ChallengerSRT Demon features a minifigurecockpit, removable windshield,wheels with rubber tires, 2 setsof rims, rear spoiler, dual ex-haust, and authentic design de-tails and decorative stickers.The buildable 1970 Dodge

Charger R/T muscle car featuresa minifigure cockpit, removablewindshield, wheels with rubbertires, removable superchargerand alternate engine cover,translucent light-style elements,and authentic design details anddecorative stickers.A limited number of LEGO

Speed Champions building setsfeaturing the 2018 Dodge Chal-lenger SRT Demon and the 1970Dodge Charger R/T also will beavailable on Dodge.com.

Demon Comes in All SizesCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The Lincoln Continental, forthe second year in a row, hasearned the TOP SAFETY PICK+rating from the Insurance Insti-tute for Highway Safety.This makes Lincoln the first

U.S. auto manufacturer to earnthe award this year, said Lincolnspokeswoman Angie Kozleski.The 2019 Lincoln Continental’s

front crash prevention systemearned a superior rating, and itearned good ratings in all fivecrashworthiness tests necessaryfor the award.In addition, the Continental’s

optional LED projector head-lights earned a good rating, pro-viding ample lighting on astraightaway and most kinds ofcurves, Kozleski said. The head-lights can be obtained with high-beam assist. This automaticallyswitches between high beamsand low beams, depending onthe presence of other vehicles.Vehicles qualify for a TOP

SAFETY PICK+ award if theyhave good ratings from IIHS infive crashworthiness tests.

New ContinentalGarners Top

Safety Ratings

Andreas Weller, 49, has beennamed president and chief exec-utive officer of Southfield-basedChassix, Inc., a global automo-tive supplier of safety-criticallightweight casting and machin-ing solutions.Weller joins the company as it

expands globally with new cus-tomers, new facilities in Europeand China, and the capabilitiesto benefit from industry macrotrends including electrification,emissions reduction and im-proved fuel economy, said Chas-six spokesman Craig Miner.“Andreas has an impressive

track record of strategic and op-erational accomplishments withsome of the industry’s most no-table automotive suppliers overthe past two decades that willprove valuable as we continue toaccelerate our growth globally,”said Jonathan F. Foster, chairmanof Chassix, Inc.“As a leading company in each

of the markets we serve, An-dreas’ experience in leading andmanaging global operations willserve Chassix and our customerswell in delivering high-quality,timely and innovative light-weighting solutions.”

Chassix Names New CEO

Lawrence Technological Uni-versity and West Bloomfield HighSchool celebrated the opening ofa “Tech Hub” space in the highschool on Orchard Lake Road.

The university and high schoolhave a history of close to 10years of collaboration in severalcapacities, including dual-enroll-ment classes, internships, sum-mer training sessions for WestBloomfield High School teachers,and special programs for WestBloomfield students interested inengineering.

The 650-square-foot Tech Hub,which opened on Jan. 10, willprovide distance learning oppor-tunities – classes taught byLawrence Tech professors andWest Bloomfield teachers, bothvia videoconferencing and in per-son – as well as with mathemat-

ics tutoring, special classes andevents, and admissions counsel-ing, said Matt Roush, director ofMedia Relations at LTU.

West Bloomfield principal PatWatson said the goal is to createas much opportunity as possiblefor students to consider multiplecareer pathways, including somethey may not have consideredbefore.

The Tech Hub also givesLawrence Tech the opportunityto make WBHS students aware ofthe multiple affordable educa-tional opportunities available atLTU.

“Our partnership with LTU al-lows students to participate inexceptional, real-world learning,and further differentiate theirlearning experiences, all whilestill in high school,” Watson said.

Lisa Kujawa, LTU assistantprovost for enrollment manage-ment, called Watson “an extraor-dinary leader who has developeda unique and innovative experi-

ence for his students and teach-ers” through the Tech Hub andother efforts.

Watson predicted that the rela-tionship between LTU and WestBloomfield High “will last for avery long time.” And, she said,Lawrence Tech was currentlyplanning additional activities andprograms for the space.

The West Bloomfield SchoolDistrict (WBSD) is a residentialsuburban community of about24,000 residents, Roush said. Theschool district lies within WestBloomfield and includes thecities of Keego Harbor, SylvanLake and Orchard Lake Village.

With 10 nationally recognizedschools, there is a legacy of ex-cellence, and the district contin-ually strives to enhance the edu-cational experience of its stu-dents, Watson said. The districtcaters to a culturally diverse stu-dent body of nearly 5,500 with 46languages represented in addi-tion to English.

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The sensors “talk” with eachother via a wireless network andcan adjust illumination based onoccupancy needs or the intensityneeded in the specific location,Dunbar said.

The sensor-based digital net-work creates a smart building thatruns on autopilot, reducing oper-ating expenses and increasingbusiness efficiencies for the op-erations teams.

The company has now retrofit-ted more than half of its manu-facturing facilities, two MoparParts Distribution Centers and 87dealerships with more than 35,000LED fixtures, Connelly said.

The 5-million-square-foot SterlingHeights Assembly Plant is lit by12,000 LEDs, making it one of thelargest LED retrofits in the manu-facturing industry. The installationreduced energy use by 34 percent.

And through the “FCA BrightInitiative” launched in 2017, thecompany has now transformed87 FCA dealerships with indoorand outdoor LED lighting solu-tions to provide customers anddealership employees with abrighter and safer environmentat night, Connelly said.

The initiative can slash a deal-ership’s total electricity costs byup to 50 percent.

The two newest U.S.-basedMopar Parts Distribution Cen-ters in Romulus and Winchester,Va., use more than 2,800 LEDlights, Connelly said. By 2020,FCA aims to achieve a 30 percentreduction in energy consumedper vehicle produced versus2010 at mass-market vehicle as-sembly and stamping plantsworldwide. By the end of 2017,FCA’s energy consumption wasdown 24 percent compared with2010.

FCA Adds LED LightingCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

by TOM KRISHERAP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) – Toyota is re-calling 1.7 million vehicles inNorth America to replace poten-tially deadly Takata front passen-ger air bag inflators.

The move announced Jan. 9 in-cludes 1.3 million vehicles in theU.S. and is part of the largest se-ries of automotive recalls in thenation’s history.

Takata inflators can explodewith too much force and hurlshrapnel into drivers and pas-sengers. At least 23 people havebeen killed worldwide and hun-dreds have been injured.

The recall covers Toyota mod-els including the 2010 through2016 4Runner, the 2010 through2013 Corolla and Matrix, and the2011 through 2014 Sienna. Alsocovered are Lexus models, in-cluding the 2010 through 2012 ES350, the 2010 through 2017 GX460, the 2010 through 2015 IS250C and 350C, the 2010 through2013 IS 250 and 350, and the 2010through 2014 IS-F. The 2010through 2015 Scion XB also is in-cluded.

Takata used the chemical am-monium nitrate to create a smallexplosion to inflate the air bags.

But the chemical can deteriorateover time due to high humidityand cycles from hot tempera-tures to cold. The most danger-ous inflators are in areas of theSouth along the Gulf of Mexicothat have high humidity.

Toyota and Lexus dealers willeither replace the inflator or theentire air bag assembly withequipment made by other manu-facturers that does not containammonium nitrate. Owners willbe notified by mail or othermeans in late January.

Toyota wouldn’t say if anyonehas been injured in vehicles cov-ered by the latest recall.

Owners can check to see iftheir vehicles have been recalledby going to toyota.com/recall orairbagrecall.com and keying li-cense plate or vehicle identifica-tion numbers.

Toyota’s recall is part of aphased-in replacement of Takatainflators. Automakers are sched-uled to replace 10 million start-ing this month. Ford and Hondahave already announced recalls.

More than three years after theU.S. National Highway TrafficSafety Administration took overmanagement of recalls involvingTakata inflators, one-third of therecalled inflators still have notbeen replaced, according to anannual report from the govern-ment and a court-appointedmonitor last year. The reportsays 16.7 million faulty inflatorsout of 50 million under recallhave yet to be fixed.

Safety advocates say the com-pletion rate should be far highergiven the danger associated withthe inflators.

The recalls forced Takata ofJapan to seek bankruptcy protec-tion and sell most of its assets topay for the fixes.

Takata Airbag DifficultiesForce Large Toyota Recall

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Members of the faculty at Lawrence Tech and West Bloomfield High School celebrated opening a tech hub.

Stoneridge, Inc. of Novi hasbeen recognized as a 2018 top-performing supplier by commer-cial vehicle manufacturer PAC-CAR, said Stoneridge spokes-woman Jennifer Carlson.

Jon DeGaynor, CEO, Stone-ridge, Inc., accepted the award atthe annual PACCAR Supplier Per-formance Management (SPM)program awards ceremony onDec. 6 in Bellevue, Wash.

“We are excited about theheightened levels of perform-ance achieved by our supplierssince we launched the SPM pro-gram four years ago,” said RonAugustyn, vice president of glob-al purchasing, PACCAR. “We ap-preciate the value created for

customers, dealers and PACCARfrom continuous improvementinitiatives under the program.”

PACCAR’s SPM program evalu-ates a supplier’s performance inthe areas of product develop-ment, operations support andbusiness alignment with PACCARobjectives.

Stoneridge and 25 other sup-pliers were recognized as SPMAchievers for 2018. PACCAR hasgiven 126 supplier awards sincethe launch of the SPM program in2014, Carlson said.

“This award is a testament tothe hard work of our sales, prod-uct development and operationsteams and their dedication toour customers,” said DeGaynor.

Stoneridge Named Top Performer

JANUARY 14, 2019 PAGE 5DETROIT AUTO SCENE

The 2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubi-con has been named FOURWHEELER “2019 SUV of the Year.”The award is given annually bythe editors of the off-road enthu-siast magazine.“The Wrangler Rubicon is

packed full of innovation andtechnology, fully modernizingthe Jeep experience, yet capabil-ity, comfort and user-friendli-ness have only been improvedupon,” said Sean Holman, GroupContent director for FOURWHEELER.“This is one of those rare in-

stances where a company gotsomething so right, you can haveyour cake and eat it, too. It is atruly modern interpretation ofthe Wrangler without any dilu-tion to the formula of what aJeep should be.”Over the course of a week,

FOUR WHEELER’s judges con-ducted a variety of tests span-ning more than 1,000 miles ofterrain that included pavement,gravel, dirt, sand, rocks, mudand snow at elevations rangingfrom sea level to more than 9,000feet.During the off-road portion of

testing, judges evaluated visibili-ty from the driver seat, four-wheel-drive system selectionand performance, tire perform-ance and durability, engine pow-er and cooling, transmissionfunction and cooling, suspensiontuning and performance, andtraction control system function,said FCA spokesman Todd Goy-er.Judges spent time on the road

evaluating driving characteris-tics, such as handling, ride quali-ty, interior comfort and steeringfeel.Other factors also taken into

consideration include price, fuelefficiency, tire size and ramptravel index (RTI), which testssuspension articulation.“Our all-new Jeep Wrangler

has been improved in every way,and we are thrilled the FOURWHEELER editors have honoredthe pillar of our brand with thisimportant award,” said Tim Ku-niskis, head of Jeep Brand –North America.“Jeep Wrangler is the original

SUV and has long been the mostcapable vehicle on the planet.This new Wrangler is completelyrefined, with more fuel-efficientpowertrains, dramatically im-proved on-road driving dynam-ics, and an array of advancedtechnology, connectivity andsafety features that make it apleasure to drive every day – onthe road or trail.”The Jeep Wrangler has proved

to be popular with more thanmagazine editors, Goyer said.U.S. sales increased 26 percentin 2018.

Wrangler ScoresTop Marks WithFOUR WHEELER

DETROIT (AP) – The city istemporarily saying “no” to theopening of used auto and sal-vage yards in Detroit.Mayor Mike Duggan has de-

clared a 1-year moratorium onapplications to establish or ex-pand those types of businesses.It goes into effect on April 1.It’s also aimed at used tire

storage and sales, scrap iron andmetal processors, junk dealers,and auto dismantling and wreck-ing shops.Duggan’s office says there is

concern about the growth ofthose types of businesses inneighborhoods.The moratorium does not stop

currently existing, legally estab-lished businesses from renewinglicenses or obtaining requiredcertificates.

Detroit to StopEstablishmentOf Scrapyards

JANUARY 14, 2019DETROIT AUTO SCENE

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by TOM KRISHERAP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) – Sales of newvehicles in the U.S. rose slightlyin 2018, defying predictions andhighlighting a strong economy.Automakers reported an in-

crease of 0.3 percent over a yearago to 17.27 million vehicles.The increase came despite ris-

ing interest rates, a volatile stockmarket, and rising car and truckprices that pushed some buyersout of the new-vehicle market.Industry analysts and auto-

makers said strong economicfundamentals pushed up salesand should keep them near his-toric highs in 2019.“Economic conditions in the

U.S. are favorable and shouldcontinue to be supportive of ve-hicle sales at or around their cur-rent run rate,” Ford Chief Econo-mist Emily Kolinski Morris saidafter the company and otherautomakers announced theirsales numbers Jan. 3.That auto sales remain near

the 2016 record of 17.55 million isa testimonial to the strength ofthe economy, said Mark Zandi,chief economist at Moody’s Ana-lytics. The job market, he said,has created new employment,and wage growth has accelerat-ed.“That’s fundamental to selling

anything,” he said. “If there arelots of jobs and people are get-ting bigger paychecks, they willbuy more.”The unemployment rate is 3.7

percent, a 49-year low. The econ-omy is thought to have grownclose to 3 percent last year, itsbest performance in more than adecade.Consumers, the main driver

of the economy, are spendingfreely.The Federal Reserve raised its

key interest rate four times in

2018 but is only expected to raiseit twice this year.Auto sales also were helped by

low gasoline prices and risinghome values, Zandi said.It all means that people are

likely to keep buying new vehi-cles this year even as they growmore expensive. The Ed-munds.com auto-pricing site esti-mates that the average new vehi-cle price hit a record $35,957 inDecember, about 2 percent high-er than the previous year.It will be harder for automak-

ers to keep the sales pace above17 million because they havebeen enticing buyers for severalyears now with low-interest fi-nancing and other incentives,Zandi said.He predicts more deals in the

coming year as job growth slowsand credit tightens for higher-risk buyers.Edmunds, which provides con-

tent, including automotive tipsand reviews, for distribution byThe Associated Press, predictsthat sales will drop this year to16.9 million.Edmunds Senior Analyst Jessi-

ca Caldwell says leases will ex-pire on over 4 million vehicles,putting more people into themarket for new vehicles but alsoadding an abundant supply oflate-model used vehicles.It’s too early to tell if more peo-

ple will opt for used cars, trucksand SUVs, she said.“They may be priced out of the

market,” she said. “Interest ratesand purchase prices are higher.”Auto interest rates averaged

around 5.6 percent last year, up

from 4.8 percent in 2017, shesaid.The massive shift from cars to

trucks and SUVs continued lastyear. Cars made up only 32 per-cent of sales, while trucks andSUVs were 68 percent.Here’s how major automakers

fared in sales last year comparedwith 2017:• General Motors, down 1.6percent to 2,954,037. Thecompany passed 200,000 inU.S. sales of electric vehicleslast quarter, meaning its fed-eral electric vehicle tax cred-it will start to expire. The fullcredit will be availablethrough March and willgradually be phased out byMarch 31, 2020.

• Ford, down 3.5 percent to2,497,318. F-Series pickupsales rose 1.4 percent to909,330, and it remained thetop-selling vehicle in the U.S.

• Toyota, down 0.3 percent to2,426,672. The RAV4 com-pact SUV was the top-sellingU.S. vehicle that isn’t a pick-up truck. Sales rose 4.8 per-cent to 427,170.

• Fiat Chrysler, up 8.5 percentto 2,235,204. The Jeep brandposted a record year withsales of 973,227, up 17 percent.

• Honda, down 2.2 percent to1,604,828.

• Nissan, down 6.2 percent to1,493,877.

• Subaru, up 5 percent to arecord of 680,135.

• Hyundai, down 1.1 percent to677,946.

• Kia, flat at 589,673.

FCA Big Winner in 2018 New Vehicle Sales

by YURI KAGEYAMAAP Business Writer

TOKYO (AP) – The appeal bythe lawyers of Carlos Ghosn, Nis-san’s former chairman, againsthis prolonged detention since hisarrest Nov. 19 was rejected Jan. 9by the Tokyo District Court.Ghosn’s lawyers filed the ap-

peal a day earlier. Ghosn’s deten-tion on suspicion of breach oftrust had been approved throughJan. 4. It is unclear what the pros-ecutors might do next. They cantag on additional allegations and“rearrest” a suspect or might de-cide to file formal charges on thebreach of trust allegations.The lawyers and Ghosn argued

in court Jan. 8 against the deten-tion. In his first public appear-ance since his arrest, Ghosn vig-orously asserted his innocenceand defended himself againsteach allegation.The judge rejected the argu-

ments, reiterating concernsGhosn might flee Japan or tamp-er with evidence.Denial of bail for months is

common in Japan’s criminal sys-tem and is often criticized as“hostage justice.”Legal experts say that, once

suspects are charged, they canbe held until their trials start sothat evidence and witnesses canbe decided upon and registeredwith a court, while they are stilldetained.Ghosn, who led Nissan Motor

Co. for two decades, is chargedwith falsifying financial reportsin underreporting his income byabout 5 billion yen ($44 million)over five years through 2015.No trial date has been set. Tri-

al preparation can take months.The breach of trust allegations

center around having Nissanshoulder Ghosn’s personal in-vestment losses in foreign ex-change transactions, and pay-ments of money from Nissan to aSaudi businessman.Ghosn and his lawyers say

there was a prior agreement Nis-san would not suffer any losseson the collateral deal, and legiti-mate payments went to the busi-nessman for his services to help

with Nissan’s dealer problemsand investments in the Gulf.Ghosn has been held at the

Tokyo Detention Center, al-though he has been transferredto a bigger room with a bed.Until his sudden downfall,

Ghosn was a respected figure inthe global auto industry. He wascredited with rescuing Nissanfrom near-bankruptcy, revivingthe Japanese automaker, alliedwith Renault SA of France, intoone of the world’s most success-ful auto groups.

Ghosn Remains Behind Bars

OSHAWA, Ontario (AP) –Unionized workers at the Gener-al Motors assembly plant inOshawa, Ontario, staged a sec-ond work stoppage on Jan. 9 af-ter the company confirmed itwould not reconsider plans toclose the facility that would leadto the loss of 3,000 jobs.The union said the protest

Jan. 9 morning lasted close totwo hours and followed about afive-hour sit-down at the plantthe evening before.Union president Jerry Dias sat

down with GM on Jan. 8 to talkabout union proposals to extendthe life of the Ontario plant, in-cluding extending the life of theChevy Impala and Cadillac XTSproduced at the plant or shiftingproduction slated for Mexico tothe plant. GM said they were noteconomically viable.GM announced in November it

would cut up to 14,000 workersin North America and put fiveplants up for possible closure.David Paterson, vice president

of corporate affairs at GM Cana-da, said the union should in-stead work with the company ontiming and transition plans forthe workers losing their jobs.GM said it has identified job

opportunities, is willing to payfor retraining and is open to ne-gotiations on packages for work-ers on top of what is already in-cluded in contracts.

Canadian UnionProtests GMClosing Plant

JANUARY 14, 2019 PAGE 7DETROIT AUTO SCENE

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