vol.87no.6 e n c n o t n · ebikes in those markets, parish said. gmpicksebike’snewname continued...

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®Detroit AutoScene®

VOL. 87 NO. 6 FEBRUARY 18, 2019ESTABLISHED 1933 AS NEW CENTER NEWS AND 1983 AS OAKLAND TECH NEWS

“F IRST IN THE HEAR T OF DETROIT”

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FCA employees at the company’s Trenton engine plant celebrated the building of the 10-millionth Pentastar.

GM’s new eBike brand will be available soon in European markets.

Just call it the engine thatcould.The 10-millionth Pentastar en-

gine was produced on Feb. 13 atFCA US’s Trenton Engine Com-plex.Introduced as a 3.6-liter V6 in

2010, the Pentastar engine family

has accounted for six placingsamong the prestigious annual listof Wards 10 Best Engines and cur-rently comprises six fuel-savingvariations that feature technolo-gies from Variable Valve Lift(VVL) to hybridization.Acclaimed for it silky, torque-

rich performance, said FCAspokesman Dan Reid, today’s 3.6-liter Pentastar is the common de-nominator among 11 currentbest-in-class fuel-economy rat-ings for U.S.-market, gasoline-

FCA Marks 10M Pentastar Engines

As the saying goes, don’t rein-vent the wheel. But that’s justwhat GM has done with its neweBike brand.Last year, the company said

that it had created a new type ofeBike and that it would be releas-ing more details about the eBikein the future.On Feb. 14, GM released the

name of the two-wheeler brand –ARĪV.This new eBike brand will in-

clude two innovative, integratedand connected eBikes: the Meld,a compact eBike, and the Merge,a folding eBike.The name ARĪV was selected

as part of a global crowdsourcing

campaign announced in Novem-ber 2018.“The crowdsourcing campaign

allowed us to bring consumersinto the development of ourbrand,” said Hannah Parish,ARĪV director. “Combine thatwith our products and our blendof bike and automotive talent,and the result is a unique brandDNA.”ARĪV eBikes are launching first

in Germany, Belgium and theNetherlands, due to the populari-ty of lithium-ion battery-poweredeBikes in those markets, Parishsaid.

GM Picks eBike’s New Name

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HELLA is working with students to educate them in STEM fields.

Technology being developed by Ford will allow vehicles to communicate with each other and infrastructure.

For the third consecutive year,HELLA is offering prospective en-gineers looking for hands-onexperience, career guidance andtuition aid the chance to apply tobe a part of the HELLA Scholarsprogram.The program awards students

$10,000 renewable scholarships,along with paid work experience,and, ultimately, career place-ments at HELLA, said companyspokesman Markus Richter.Once students are selected,

they’ll be paired with a mentor tooversee their work and offerguidance. Applications for thelighting and electronics compa-ny’s coveted program are dueMarch 1.HELLA is a global, family-

owned company, listed on thestock exchange, with more than40,000 employees at over 125 lo-cations in some 35 countries. ItsNorth American headquarters isbased in Plymouth. The HELLAGroup develops and manufac-

tures products for lighting tech-nology and electronics for theautomotive industry and alsohas one of the largest retail or-ganizations for automotive parts,accessories, diagnostics, andservices within Europe, Richtersaid.The program is open to high

school seniors from selectschools as well as university stu-dents within commuting dis-tance to HELLA. At the highschool level, HELLA previouslyhas only offered the opportunityto its neighboring Plymouth-Can-ton Community Schools district,Richter said.This year, HELLA is expanding

the program to includeNorthville Public Schools, sinceits new U.S. headquarters andtechnical center – which employ-ees are set to move into at theend of February – is located inNorthville.

HELLA Creating ScholarshipFund for Michigan Students

The technology may havechanged, but the goal of makingroad traffic flow faster and saferremains the same.Back in 1868, English engineer

John Peake Knight invented theworld’s first traffic light to helppeople move through a congest-ed London intersection that hadbecome dangerous for pedestri-ans due to the popularity ofhorse-drawn carriagest.“At Ford, 150 years later,” said

Don Butler, executive director,Ford Connected Vehicle Platformand Product, “we are excited tocontinue advancing this type ofthinking by committing to deploycellular vehicle-to-everythingtechnology – or C-V2X – in all of

our new vehicle models in theUnited States beginning in 2022,”Butler said.C-V2X is a wireless communi-

cation technology that can “talk”to and “listen” for similarlyequipped vehicles, people andtraffic management infrastruc-ture such as traffic lights to relayimportant information and helpmake city mobility safer and lesscongested.Planned alongside the rapidly

building 5G cellular network, C-V2X enables direct communica-tion between the connected de-vices, meaning a signal doesn’tneed to first travel to a cellulartower, allowing vehicles to quick-ly send and receive information.

Ultimately, it lets drivers knowwhat’s ahead of them even be-fore they have to encounter it.Navigating four-way stops be-

comes much easier with C-V2X,for example, since vehicles willbe able to communicate witheach other to negotiate whichone has the right of way, Butlersaid.In the same way, a car that’s in-

volved in an accident can relayits status to approaching vehi-cles, giving them advance noticeof a potentially dangerous situa-tion.Even pedestrians equipped

with a mobile phone could con-

Ford Developing ‘Talking’ Car Technology

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

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Car fans have something tolook forward to during these coldwinter days.The 67th Annual Meguiar’s De-

troit Autorama, presented byO’Reilly Auto Parts, is coming toCobo Center March 1-3.Called America’s greatest hot

rod show, Detroit Autorama willfeature “800 of the most amazingchopped, channeled, dumpedand decked hot rods and customcars in the world,” said Autora-ma spokeswoman Linda Ashley.This year’s show kicks off with

the live outdoor Smokey and theBandit Stunt Jump – in tribute toBurt Reynolds – outside of CoboCenter, at 11:45 a.m., FridayMarch 1, just before the doorsopen to the 2019 Detroit Autora-ma, Ashley said.After the jump, the Smokey

and the Bandit Roadshow movesinside and includes an up-closelook at the Smokey and the Ban-dit black-and-gold 1977 PontiacFirebird Trans Am, the police carand memorabilia from the movie.This year’s Autorama will also

feature a live appearance byNASCAR Racing Legend TonyStewart, The Hanson Brothersfrom the movie “Slap Shot,” andWWE Superstar Seth Rollins.Also at the show will be hot

rod builder Carl Casper, alongwith a showing of Casper’sworld- famous cars, including theBatmobile from the “BatmanReturns” movie and his Empressthat won best of show at the firstCobo Hall Detroit Autorama in1961, and the Young AmericanTop Fuel Dragster.Casper will be on hand

throughout Autorama to meetand greet fans and sign auto-graphs all three days.

“We are always striving tobring new excitement and topourselves every year at DetroitAutorama,” said Peter A.

Toundas, president and owner ofChampionship Auto Shows Inc.,producers of Autorama. “So, weare thrilled to create this specialtribute to the beloved Smokeyand the Bandit movie and thegreat Burt Reynolds.“The amazing live jump by the

‘Bandit’ is sure to thrill everyonewaiting for Autorama to openand brings special excitement toall of downtown Detroit. Thisamazing opening, along with themost spectacular showing of per-formance cars anywhere in thecountry, make the Detroit Auto-rama 2019 a show that no onewill want to miss.”An additional big draw to this

year’s Autorama is the Low RiderMagazine Invitational, a specialexhibit of 17 of the most amazinglow-rider vehicles in the area,Ashley said. This addition toAutorama is a salute to one ofthe fastest-growing segments ofthe car enthusiast world.

Autorama is one of the largestand oldest hot rod-custom carshows in North America. It at-tracts visitors from across theU.S. and the globe, Ashley said.The calling card of this renownedshow is the presentation of theRidler Award, the most covetedaward in hot rodding.For 56 years, the award has

been presented to the most out-standing new custom car, shownfor the first time anywhere. Be-cause of this distinction, saidAshley, the show attracts thefinest custom car builders inNorth America to unveil theiramazing vehicles for the firsttime at the famous show.“It’s extremely gratifying that

Detroit Autorama is the home ofAmerica’s most important hotrod award,” said Toundas."This is the motor city and

Detroit is where hot rod, customcar shows started so we makeevery effort to let everyone

know about this important her-itage.”Detroit Autorama is the annual

winter ritual that brings the mostdevout gearheads and just plaincurious folks, up close and per-sonal, with the autos that appearin hot rod and custom car maga-zines.The cars, brought by backyard

car jockeys as well as the topcustomizers in the country, com-pete for top awards in numerousclasses.These auto gems vie for

awards and prizes in the SummitRacing Equipment Show CarSeries. In addition, Autoramaparticipants vie for the presti-gious Ridler Award, sponsoredby Meguiar’s for the best vehiclefirst time shown.It all culminates with the an-

nouncement of the Ridler AwardWinner when Meguiar’s presents$10,000 cash plus a custom trophyand jacket to the grand winner.

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Deadline: Thursday 5:00 p.m.for the next edition of Monday

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

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PAGE 2 FEBRUARY 18, 2019DETROIT AUTO SCENE

Warm Up Your Hot Rods – Autorama Returning

powered vehicles equipped withV6 engines.These are in addition to its

ownership of the all-time mini-van-efficiency mark, achieved inChrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Reidsaid.Pentastars currently account

for half the combined total of en-gines that power Chrysler,Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Ram Com-mercial vehicles.And with this year’s launch of

the 2020 Jeep Gladiator pickup,they will be available in 16models across 10 vehicle seg-ments.“The Pentastar family has all

the hallmarks of an enduringicon,” said Bob Lee, head of En-gine, Powertrain and ElectrifiedPropulsion, and Systems Engi-neering, FCA – North America.“We upped the ante among high-volume, mainstream-market, V6engines. And our customers wonbig.”Pentastar design distinguishes

itself with innovative featuresranging from a completely inte-grated exhaust manifold, to envi-ronmentally friendlier oil-filtercartridges made from paper, Leesaid. And with little or no modifi-cation, Pentastar engines can ac-commodate longitudinal ortransverse mounting; front-, rear,and all-wheel-drive architectures;and automatic and manual trans-missions.Within four years of launch,

this flexibility helped FCA re-place seven six-cylinder enginefamilies with a single V6 designthat lends responsiveness andfuel efficiency to every vehicle inwhich it is offered, Reid said.

These two attributes were keytargets for the 2015 introductionof an upgraded 3.6-liter Penta-star, which boasts cooled ex-haust-gas recirculation (EGR) forgreater efficiency, particularlyunder high load situations.“Further, the second-genera-

tion 3.6-liter Pentastar delivers atorque boost of up to 14.9 per-cent at engine speeds below3,000 rpm – where torque reallycounts,” Reid said. “FCA US alsoenhanced fuel economy and re-finement with the addition oftwo-step variable valve lift(VVL).”All this power was one of the

driving forces behind the Penta-star’s development.“Pentastar engines do exactly

what they were engineered todo,” Lee said. “They deliver satis-fying experiences in a wide rangeof driving conditions.”And the Pentastar is more than

an engine for muscle cars, Reidsaid. For the 2019 Ram 1500 full-size pickup, the second-genera-tion 3.6-liter Pentastar wasadapted to accommodate theeTorque mild-hybrid system. Itnot only adds fuel-saving stop-start functionality that is seam-less, it increases availabletorque, in short bursts, by up to90 lb.-ft.The eTorque-equipped Penta-

star is also the latest member ofthe celebrated V6 family to benamed one of Wards 10 Best En-gines.

FCA Celebrates 10M Pentastar EnginesCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) – Hon-da says it is recalling 437,000 ve-hicles in the U.S. to fix a fuel-pump issue.The recall covers model-year

2016-2018 Acura MDXs, 2015-2019 Acura TLX V6s and 2015-2017 Honda Accord V6s.The automaker says the vehi-

cles’ software needs to be updat-ed, and in some cases, have theirfuel pumps replaced.That’s because sodium partic-

ulates found in some U.S. gaso-line can stick to internal compo-nents in the fuel pumps, reduc-ing the pumps’ performance abil-ity.In hot weather, this could limit

the vehicle’s acceleration orcause its engine to stall, increas-ing the risk of a crash.Honda says it has received no

reports of crashes or injuries be-cause of the issue.Owners of the affected vehi-

cles will be notified by letter inlate March, after which they areadvised to take the vehicles toauthorized dealers.

Honda Recalls437,000 VehiclesTo Fix Fuel Pump

The Autorama car show is coming to Cobo Center in March and will feature a host of hot rod cars.

Richard E. “Dick” Dauch, co-founder of the Detroit-based autosupplier AAM, will be inductedinto the Automotive Hall of Famein July 2019.Dauch is being honored for his

manufacturing expertise, strate-gic vision, bold leadership andbusiness success, said AAMspokesman Christopher Son.“After retiring from Chrysler

Corporation as executive vicepresident of Worldwide Manufac-turing, Dauch formed a small in-vestment team to create AAM,”said a statement from the Auto-motive Hall of Fame.“Under his bold and steady

leadership, AAM has become amulti-billion-dollar global compa-ny that is one of the largest andmost respected Tier One auto-motive suppliers in the world.”In 1986, Dauch was named the

Industry Leader of the Year 1985

by the Automotive Hall of Famefor his manufacturing leadershipat Chrysler Corp and Volkswagenof American.The Automotive Hall of Fame

honors individuals who have sig-nificantly impacted the automo-tive industry and the world ofmobility.Considered the single greatest

honor in the automotive indus-try, induction into the Automo-tive Hall of Fame is reserved fornoteworthy individuals whohave made significant contribu-tions to the industry, Son said.Also being inducted in July:

Janet Gutherie, the first womanto qualify for the Indianapolis500; Sergio Marchionne, formerCEO of Fiat Chrysler Automo-biles; and Patrick Ryan, creatorof the first auto dealershipfinance and insurance depart-ment.

AAM Co-Founder Now Hall of Famer

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®Detroit AutoScene®

FEBRUARY 18, 2019 PAGE 3“FIRST IN THE HEART OF DETROIT SINCE 1933”

U.S. Black Engineer & Informa-tion Technology magazine award-ed its 2019 Black Engineer of theYear (BEYA) Gerald JohnsonLegacy Award to Tanya Foutch,Quality Engineering Supervisor,FCA US.Foutch joins a growing list of

diverse FCA US leaders recog-nized over the years for theirtechnical achievements, man-agement skills, leadership andcommunity service, said FCAspokesman Mike Palese.Foutch was named Resident

Engineering Supervisor at FCA UStransmission plants in Kokomoand Tipton, Ind., in 2016, Palesesaid. In this role, she leads ateam focused on identifying quali-ty issues for FCA’s current and fu-ture portfolio of products.Foutch received her award at

the Historically Black Collegesand Universities (HBCU) Engi-neering Deans Power Breakfaston Feb. 9 in Washington, D.C.,Palese said.This annual awards event is

attended by distinguished HBCUengineers, deans and otherprominent leaders from indus-try, academia and the military.The breakfast was part of

BEYA’s 33rd Global Competitive-ness Conference that took placeFeb. 7-9.“I am very pleased Tanya re-

ceived this prestigious awardearned through her ongoingcommitment to FCA US as an en-gineering leader and her passionfor engaging youth about thepromise and career opportuni-ties of the STEM fields,” saidMark Champine, head of Quality- North America, FCA – NorthAmerica.“Tanya’s commitment to the

company and to her communityare an inspiration to her col-leagues and to me per-sonally.”Foutch graduated from the

Illinois Institute of Technologyin 1995 with a bachelor’s degreein mechanical engineering.

She earned a master’s degreein business administration in2000 from Anderson Universityin Indiana.Foutch is an enthusiastic ad-

vocate of STEM education foryouth in her community and ac-tively engages and mentorsyoung women interested in pur-suing careers in science, tech-nology, engineering and math,Palese said.Since 2017, Foutch has been

behind a successful annualSTEM summer camp for youth inthe Kokomo area.“It is a tremendous honor to

receive recognition for my ac-complishments,” Foutch said. “Ithank God for blessing me withthe gifts, abilities and life les-sons that have allowed me to bea help and an encouragement toothers.My family, friends and peers

have been a vital part of mygrowth and success. It is myhonor and responsibility toshare my life lessons with thecommunity and the next genera-tion of women leaders.”

U.S. Black Engineer & Informa-tion Technology magazine alsohonored Modern Day Technolo-gy Leaders at the conference,Palese said.These recipients are defined

as “bright, high-performing,women and men shaping the fu-ture of engineering, science,and technology who demon-strate superior technical skillsand leadership capability.”The following FCA US employ-

ees earned recognition fromBEYA as Modern Day Technolo-gy Leaders for 2019:• Mesgana Asmelash – ADASVerification & Validation En-gineer, Product Develop-ment (Electrical Engineer-ing)

• BranDee Tatum – Mainte-nance Area Supervisor,Manufacturing (TrentonSouth Engine Plant)

• Jasmine Tompkins – Value

Optimization Lead, ProductDevelopment (Interior)

FCA US has a longstandingcommitment to recruiting di-verse talent and supportingSTEM education initiatives forminorities, including support-ing organizations such asBEYA, National Society of BlackEngineers. the Society of Profes-sional Hispanic Engineers, andothers, Palese said.

The company also supportsvarious organizations that ad-vance the careers of women inSTEM professions.

U.S. Black Engineer and Infor-mation Technology magazineprovides news and informationabout black engineers, technolo-gists and entrepreneurs as wellas on programs such as theBlack Engineer of the YearAwards.

FCA Employee Takes Home ‘Black Engineer of Year’ Award

FCA’s Foutch was awarded the Gerald Johnson Legacy Award.

“Through this program, we areable to see firsthand the impactwe are having on the next gener-ation of engineers,” said JörgWeisgerber, CEO of HELLA Elec-tronics for North and SouthAmerica.HELLA is planning to add ap-

proximately eight more studentsto the program, with hopes of re-taining the 15 students currentlyenrolled in the program. The2019-2020 program will kick off inJune. To be considered, appli-cants must:• Show proof of their accept-ance to an accredited, localuniversity.

• Attend college with the intent of obtaining a degree ina related science, technolo-gy, engineering and math(STEM) field.

• Achieve a minimum GPA of3.0.

Scholarship recipients are re-quired to work at HELLA full-timeduring the summer months andpart-time during the school year.Scholars receive an hourly wagewith pay increases each yearthey continue the program.Derek Goderis, a freshman at

Michigan State University andformer Plymouth-Canton Com-munity Schools student, iswrapping up his first year as aScholar.“Participating in the HELLA

Scholars program has been apretty amazing, growing experi-ence for me; overall, it’s makingme a better student and employ-ee,” said Goderis.“This program offers immense

value for both the company andmyself because I’m working onreal projects and, by the time I’mdone with college, I’m going toknow the ‘HELLA way.’”Through working on real proj-

ects, students like Goderis aregaining hands-on experience,learning concepts in the class-room and applying in the realworld and vice-versa, while gain-ing experience from a cohort ofother mentors and scholars, saidRichter.Matt McAmmond, manager of

the Advanced Engineering Groupat HELLA, and a Scholars mentor,noted from experience thatlearning theory in school andpracticing at work is the bestway to prepare for a career. Like-wise, he concurred it’s a mutual-ly beneficial program.“The Scholars add tremendous

value,” said McAmmond. “Evi-dence of the Scholars’ contribu-tions become apparent whenthey reduce their hours of workto attend their university in thefall. It’s at this point that theteams the Scholars work withfeel the impact of their reducedpresence, so we know they aremaking a significant, positive dif-ference.”

HELLA Scholars ‘Add Value’CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Sung Kwon Go, a student atthe College of Creative Studies,was named champion of the De-troit Middlecott Sketchbattle Ex-periment presented by BASF.Nicknamed “The Fight Club of

Design,” the artistic competitionto showcase automotive designtalent was conducted at Detroit’sSt. Andrew’s Hall on Jan. 15, co-inciding with NAIAS. Sixteen con-testants, including designersand art students from across theglobe, participated in the three-round competition, said BASFspokesman John Schmidt.In round one, contestants

were tasked with sketching a fu-ture-concept vehicle that show-cased Falken tires. Nine contest-ants moved into round two, inwhich the focus was on the Tai-wan-based TA YIH lighting com-pany.The third and final round

showcased a BASF custom color,Aurora Gold, designed forSketchbattle Detroit 2019 byBASF’s Head of Color Design,Paul Czornij.

CCS StudentWins BASF

Design Contest

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The J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Vehi-cle Dependability Study (VDS)numbers are in and the news wasgood for GM, FCA and Ford.J.D. Power uses its problems

experienced per 100 vehicles, orPP100, judging system to rate ve-hicles. Overall dependability forthree-year-old vehicles improved4 percent from last year, accord-ing to the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Ve-hicle Dependability Study (VDS),said J.D. Power spokesman GenoEffler.“Vehicle dependability contin-

ues to improve, but I wouldn’tsay that everything is rosy,” saidDave Sargent, vice president ofGlobal Automotive at J.D. Power.“Vehicles are more reliable thanever, but automakers arewrestling with problems such asvoice recognition, transmissionshifts and battery failures.“Flawless dependability is a de-

termining factor in whether cus-tomers remain loyal to a brand,so manufacturers need to helpcustomers who are currently ex-periencing vehicle problems andaddress these trouble spots onfuture models.”The study, now in its 30th year,

measures the number of prob-lems experienced per 100 vehi-cles (PP100) during the past 12months by original owners ofthree-year-old model-year vehi-cles.The 2019 study measures prob-

lems in model year 2016 vehicles.A lower score reflects higherquality, and the study covers 177specific problems grouped intoeight major vehicle categories.FCA spokesman Berj Alexanian

said that the aim of any automo-tive brand is to improve quality,and that’s just what FCA’sChrysler brand has done, withnumbers backed up by the J.D.Power 2019 VDS.The Chrysler Brand led all FCA

US brands and the entire indus-try in the J.D. Power three-yeardependability improvement witha 30 percent growth in thebrand’s score from last year’sstudy, said Alexanian.In addition to the Chysler

Town & Country minivan finish-ing tops in its category, the 2016Dodge Challenger was the onlyvehicle that earned a ranking inthe Large Sporty Car category,Alexanian said. Chrysler said itsPP100 went from 211 down to 146in the latest study.“This is quite an accomplish-

ment for the brand,” Alexaniansaid. “FCA, of course, would liketo see improved scores for all itsbrands. We do a lot of pre-saletesting, but we really don’t knowhow well we’ve done until thesevehicles get into the hands of theconsumers. That’s when we startseeing real-life data.”J.D. Power offers two different

quality studies, Alexanian said.One is the VDS score, whichmeasures quality going backthree years, so the recentChrysler scores are based on2016 model years.The second study is the Initial

Quality Survey (IQS), Alexaniansaid. This measures quality of ve-hicles 90 days after purchase.“What we’ve found is that the

IQS scores are a good predictor

of what the VDS numbers will bedown the pike,” Alexanian said.“And our IQS, from what we’vebeen seeing, is good news forfuture VDS numbers.”Alexanian said that the current

Chrysler brand VDS numbers in-clude the 2016 Chrysler 200, aswell as the 300 and the brand’sminivans.“We are always looking to im-

prove our scores,” Alexaniansaid. “We’ve been able to im-prove our scores because we lis-ten to our customer. That’s whatevery smart automotive branddoes.”And while it’s very difficult for

a brand to see its scores im-prove, when compared to otherbrands, it’s relatively easy to seethose scores decline. So FCAcan’t rest on its laurels.“The future looks good for us,”

Alexanian said. “At least, accord-ing to our internal data and infor-mation we’re getting from J.D.Power, which shows that ourquality numbers are going tocontinue to go up.”FCA wasn’t the only Detroit

automaker to see good VDSscores. GM and Ford also didwell. Both companies had vehi-cles that were tops in certainmodel segments, while GM had atotal of 16 vehicles named in theJ.D. Power study.

The Ford expedition was thetop-rated vehicle in the LargeSUV category, and the Ford SuperDuty was one of only two vehi-cles named in the Large HeavyDuty Pickup category. TheChevrolet Silverado HD was thetop vehicle.The Buick Regal was named in

the Midsize Car category, whilethe Buick LaCrosse was numberone in the Large Car category, fin-ishing just ahead of the Chevro-let Impala.

Buick did well in the SmallSUV category, with the Encore ty-ing for second.The Chevrolet Equinox was

tops in the Compact SUV catego-ry, finishing just ahead of theGMC Terrain.Both the Chevrolet Colorado

and the GMC Canyon made thetop three in the Midsize Pickupcategory, while the ChevroletTraverse finished second in theMidsize SUV category.The Chevrolet Tahoe and the

Chevrolet Suburban made thetop three list for the Large SUVcategory, while the Chevrolet Sil-verado was only one of twotrucks named in the Large LightDuty Pickup category.The Chevrolet Sonic took top

marks in the Small Car category,while the Buick Verano was topsin the Compact Car category.

“GM led the industry with itssegment-winning vehicle awardsand all the models that werenamed in the Top Three of theirsegments,” said GM spokesmanDavid Darovitz. “These modelsrepresent 63 percent of our salesvolume during this VDS window.“Chevrolet set the pace for GM

with its best-ever performance,improving by nine PPH and ad-vancing two positions to fourthin the industry. These resultsconfirm that our focus on launch-ing with excellence is working,and will continue to improve ourperformance. We take all third-party feedback seriously to vali-date successes and addressopportunities for improvement.”Ford spokesman Mike Levine

said that the J.D. Power studyconfirms what Ford’s internalnumbers have shown.“Ford and Lincoln are commit-

ted to delivering the best qualityfor our customers by respondingto their feedback and rapidly im-plementing solutions to enhancetheir experiences in our vehi-cles,” Levine said. “Ford’s inter-nal quality data, as well as third-party results – such as No. 2among all automakers in the 2018J.D. Power Initial Quality Study –validate our continuous and con-siderable progress as we work toensure best-in-class quality.”

Detroit OEMs Do Well in Latest J.D. Power Quality Study

2016 Chevrolet Equinox 2016 Chrysler 300 2016 Ford Expedition

vey their location to other vehi-cles, ensuring that everyone onthe road is aware of people whomay be out of their direct line ofsight.Communicating with infra-

structure such as stoplights androad signs, meanwhile, meanscities have even easier ways ofmaking sure drivers get the infor-mation they need to move morefreely and safely, Butler said.With C-V2X, a traffic light can

send signals alerting driversabout when it will turn green orred, or whether a driver is at riskof running a red light.Road signs could provide ad-

vance warning of recent acci-dents or provide more contextregarding road construction, giv-ing drivers the opportunity toreroute or more safely movethrough work zones.Further out, cities could even

use this technology to enablesmart vehicles to “talk” to smarttraffic management systems.“Our move to deploy this tech-

nology builds on our prior com-mitment to equip every modelwe release in the United Stateswith conventional cellular con-nectivity by the end of 2019,”Butler said. “C-V2X will workwith Ford Co-Pilot360, our ad-vanced suite of driver-assist andsafety features standard acrossNorth America on new passengercars, SUVs and trucks, includingF-150, going forward.”Driver-assist technologies to-

day and autonomous vehicles ofthe future utilize on-board sen-sors much in the way people usetheir eyes to navigate complexenvironments. C-V2X could com-plement these systems in wayssimilar to how our sense of hear-

ing complements Ford’s vision toimprove our ability to operate ina complex world, Butler said.C-V2X will enable vehicles to

receive updates about potentialtraffic developments and risksthat are beyond the range ofwhat sensors can pick up, pro-vide warnings or could even betuned to activate Ford Co-Pilot360’s automatic emergencybraking system to brake for driv-ers if they do not respond.With plans to roll out 5G cellu-

lar networks under way, C-V2Xcan complement the sensors ofself-driving cars. While these ve-hicles will be fully capable of op-erating without C-V2X, the tech-nology could add to its compre-hensive view from the LiDAR,radar and camera sensors.For instance, if emergency ve-

hicles were equipped with C-V2Xtransmitters, they could notifyself-driving vehicles that may beon their route so the vehiclespull over or reroute in plenty oftime, Butler said. Self-driving ve-hicles could even get real-timeupdates on road conditions thataffect their routes.“A conducive regulatory envi-

ronment must be in place for C-V2X to be deployed,” Butler said,“which is why we are workingjust as much with industry andgovernment organizations to cre-ate such a technology-neutral en-vironment.“This technology will only

live up to its full potential ifmany vehicles on the road aswell as roadside infrastructuretake advantage of it.“That’s why we are inviting

other automakers, infrastructureand road operators, as well asgovernment agencies to workwith us to accelerate momentumfor C-V2X.”

Ford Developing Tech HelpsVehicles’ Communication

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

FEBRUARY 18, 2019 PAGE 5DETROIT AUTO SCENE

Mopar-powered Dodge Charg-er SRT Hellcat Funny Car driver“Fast Jack” Beckman stormed tohis 57th career finals appearanceat the rain-delayed 59th annualNHRA Winternationals at AutoClub Raceway at Pomona, saidFCA spokesman Darren Jacobs.The rest of the DSR Dodge

Mopar contingent had mixed re-sults on Feb. 11. Tommy JohnsonJr. continued his Pomona magicaboard the DSR Make-A-WishDodge Charger SRT Hellcat, turn-ing on a pair of win lights afterreaching the final to close out2018 at the Fairplex.Ron Capps, a three-time Win-

ternationals champion, racedthe NAPA Auto Parts DodgeCharger SRT Hellcat into the sec-ond round while two-time reign-ing Winternationals championMatt Hagan was upset in the firstround. Leah Pritchett scored anupset win in her HEMI-poweredSparkling Ice/Mopar Top FuelDragster before coming up shortin the second round.Beckman was set up for suc-

cess in eliminations thanks to astout qualifying run of 3.900 Feb.9. After a workman-like triumphover Phil Burkart in the firstround with a run of 4.102 ET, theNorco, Calif., native posted hisbest lap of the weekend (3.875ET) to defeat Cruz Pedregon inhis Dodge Charger SRT Hellcatand set up an all-DSR semifinalversus Johnson.The Make-A-Wish Dodge

Charger SRT Hellcat left first, buta clean run by Beckman put himin position to finally secure aPomona victory. It was the 41stmeeting between Beckman andRobert Hight, 11th in the finals.Hight left first, but Beckman wasright there through the run ulti-mately losing by .0073 seconds.Johnson carried momentum

from last November’s run to thefinal, qualifying third and takingdown formidable foes Tim Wilk-erson in round one and ShawnLangdon in the second round toset up an all-DSR semifinal.Johnson took the starting line

advantage, but couldn’t maintaintraction and was finished for theweekend.Ron Capps completed the top-

five in qualifying, driving theNAPA Auto Parts Dodge ChargerSRT Hellcat and looking strong inracing past Gary Densham inround one of eliminations. Hebattled John Force to the wire inround two, but his pass of 4.092ET wasn’t enough to take downForce.Matt Hagan, who qualified the

Mopar Express Lane DodgeCharger SRT Hellcat No. 4, hadan early advantage on Force inthe opening round, but slowedto a lap of 4.140 and couldn’t ad-vance when Force put up a ses-sion-best run of 3.890 ET.

Mopar ChargerDriver Makes

Final Race

A pair of models from theJeep brand have earned 2019Canadian Black Book Best Re-tained Value Awards.For the ninth year in a row, the

iconic Jeep Wrangler won in theCompact Crossover/SUV catego-ry, while the rugged Jeep Rene-gade took the top spot in the in-augural year of the Sub-compactCrossover category, said FCACanada spokeswoman LouAnnGosselin.Handed out annually, the

Canadian Black Book (CBB) BestRetained Value Awards recognizevehicles that have retained thegreatest percentage of their orig-inal MSRP over the past fouryears (since 2015). The designa-tions are meant to guide con-sumer choice when buying a car.

Two Jeep ModelsNamed as ‘BestValue’ in Canada


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Preorders are available start-ing today via www.BikeEx-change.com.In Belgium and the Nether-

lands, the ARĪV Meld is 2.800 €(currently $3.16 U.S.) and theARĪV Merge is 3.400 €1. In Ger-many, the ARĪV Meld is 2.750 €1and the ARĪV Merge is 3.350 €1.ARĪV eBikes are scheduled to be-gin shipping to customers in thesecond quarter of this year.ARĪV used GM’s automotive-

grade capabilities to set highstandards in eBike engineering,spokeswoman Katie Downeysaid. GM’s extensive experiencewith electric vehicle motor soft-ware and controls greatly influ-enced the proprietary GM motorthat was built from the groundup specifically for ARĪV eBikes,he said.The motor delivers top-of-

segment power and torque for itssize, Downey said. It also enablesspeeds up to 25 kph with fourlevels of pedal-assisted power.The battery was designed and

validated to rigorous testingstandards similar to GM’s elec-tric vehicles, Parish said. Riderscan charge their ARĪV eBike’sbattery in approximately 3.5hours and receive up to 64 kilo-meters of ride time on a singlecharge.The ARĪV Merge and Meld

come standard with safety com-ponents such as integrated,rechargeable front and rear LEDsafety lights for increased visibil-ity and oversized brake rotors toincrease stopping power.The ARĪV eBikes were engi-

neered and designed in GM facili-ties in Michigan and Oshawa, On-tario. The ARĪV design team com-bined its automotive and cyclingexpertise to create an innovativeeBike design that addresses theunique needs of urban com-

muters, with features such as in-ternal cable routing to yield amodern, uninterrupted design.The compact design of both

models allows for easier transitand more convenient storage,Downey said. The ARĪV Mergefolds easily, allowing customersto conveniently roll the bike onits two wheels while folded. Walkmode can also be engaged on theARĪV Merge and Meld, allowingcustomers to engage the motorcapability to walk the eBikes upsteep terrain more easily.Both ARĪV eBikes connect with

the ARĪV eBike app via Blue-tooth. The app provides ridingmetrics such as speed, distance,remaining battery level, motorassist level, distance traveledand more, Parish said. Additional

features are planned for the app,including a mode that will use aproprietary algorithm to helpriders arrive at their destinationsweat-free.Each ARĪV Merge and Meld

comes equipped with a QuadLock mount, a market-leadingsystem to securely attach asmartphone to the eBike. An inte-grated USB port allows riders tomaintain their phone’s chargewhile on the go.“ARĪV eBikes are backed by

the power of General Motors andare focused on helping peoplemove more freely in cities by cre-ating solutions that reduce emis-sions and congestion,” Parishsaid. “We believe ARĪV eBikes area fast, fun and healthy way toreach a destination.”

GM’s Launching eBike Service in Europe

Ford Motor Company is issu-ing several recalls in NorthAmerica, said Ford spokes-woman Monique Brentley.Ford is issuing a safety recall

on select 2011-13 Ford F-150 vehi-cles with 6-speed automatictransmissions that may experi-ence an intermittent loss of thetransmission output speed sen-sor signal to the powertrain con-trol module, potentially resultingin a temporary, unintendeddownshift into first gear.

Depending on vehicle speed, adownshift to first gear withoutwarning could result in a loss ofvehicle control, increasing therisk of a crash.Ford is aware of five reports of

accidents, including one reportof “whiplash” potentially relatedto this condition, Brentley said.This action affects approxi-

mately 1.48 million vehicles inNorth America, including ap-proximately 1.26 million in theUnited States and federalized ter-

ritories and approximately221,000 in Canada.Affected 2011-13 F-150 vehicles

were built at Dearborn AssemblyPlant April 28, 2010, to Oct. 28,2013, and Kansas City AssemblyPlant, May 18, 2010, to Nov. 18,2013.Dealers will update the power-

train control module software inthe affected vehicles. The Fordreference number for this recallis 19S07.Ford is also issuing a safety re-

call for select 2017-19 LincolnContinental vehicles for a doorlatch concern. Certain vehiclesmay have an intermittently func-tioning door latch motor due tothe buildup of silicon contamina-tion; as a result, the door latchmay not fully engage. This condi-tion could increase the potentialfor the door to open while driv-ing, increasing the risk of injury.Ford is not aware of any re-

ports of accidents or injuries re-sulting from this condition.

Ford Recalling F-150 Trucks

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

FEBRUARY 18, 2019 PAGE 7DETROIT AUTO SCENE

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vol.87no.6 e n c n o t n · ebikes in those markets, parish said. gmpicksebike’snewname continued...

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