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Building on the comprehensivestrategy it laid out in 2015 tostrengthen its core business,drive significant cost efficienciesand take action in markets thatcannot earn an adequate returnfor its shareholders, General Mo-tors is taking decisive action totransform its international opera-tions, said GM spokesman PatMorrissey.

GM’s plan calls for windingdown sales, design and engineer-ing operations in Australia andNew Zealand and retire the Hold-en brand by 2021. The companywill focus its strategies for themarket on the GM specialty vehi-cle business.

The company also signed abinding term sheet with Great WallMotors to purchase GM’s Rayongvehicle manufacturing facility inThailand, and would withdrawChevrolet from the domestic mar-ket in Thailand by the end of 2020.

“I’ve often said that we will dothe right thing, even when it’shard, and this is one of thosetimes,” said GM Chairman andCEO Mary Barra. “We are restruc-turing our international opera-tions, focusing on markets wherewe have the right strategies todrive robust returns, and priori-tizing global investments thatwill drive growth in the future ofmobility, especially in the areasof EVs and AVs.

“While these actions supportour global strategy, we under-stand that they impact peoplewho have contributed so muchto our company. We will supportour people, our customers andour partners, to ensure an order-ly and respectful transition in theimpacted markets.”

GM President Mark Reuss saidthe company explored a range ofoptions to continue Holden oper-ations, but none could overcomethe challenges of the invest-ments needed for the highly frag-mented right-hand-drive market,the economics to support grow-ing the brand, and delivering anappropriate return on invest-ment.

“At the highest levels of ourcompany we have the deepestrespect for Holden’s heritageand contribution to our companyand to the countries of Australiaand New Zealand,” said Reuss.

“After considering many possi-ble options – and putting asideour personal desires to accom-modate the people and themarket – we came to the con-clusion that we could not priori-tize further investment over allother considerations we have ina rapidly changing global indus-try.

“We do believe we have an op-portunity to profitably grow thespecialty vehicle business and

plan to work with our partner todo that,” he concluded.

GM also undertook a detailedanalysis of the business case forfuture production at the Rayongmanufacturing facility in Thai-land, said Morrissey. Low plantutilization and forecast volumes

have made continued GM pro-duction at the site unsustainable,he said, adding that without do-mestic manufacturing, Chevroletis unable to compete in Thai-land’s new-vehicle market.

GM Senior Vice President andPresident of GM International

Steve Kiefer said these decisionsbuilt on the announcement inJanuary that GM would sell itsTalegaon manufacturing facilityin India; implement significant re-structuring actions in Korea; and

General Motors Shuts Down Holden, Sells Off Thai Factory

As recently as 2018, the Holden Commodore was a popular sedan used by Australian police.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Ford and Lincoln dealers in theUnited States overwhelminglygave back to their communitieslast year, according to a surveytaken of the dealers.

Ford Motor Company’s annualsurvey on dealer giving showedthat 30 percent of respondentssaid they gave more than $50,000per year while 35 percent com-mitted between 10 and 20 hourseach month to charitable giving.

The survey coincides with the20th annual Salute to Dealersawards being held at the 2020 Na-tional Automobile Dealers Asso-ciation Convention and Expo inLas Vegas last week.

The generosity of Ford and Lin-coln dealers is reflected in how

much so many of them give, saidEdsel B. Ford II, who chairs theSalute to Dealers awards pro-gram and is a member of theFord board of directors.

The largest percentage of re-spondents, 30 percent, selectedthe highest giving category of do-nating $50,000 or more for theyear, said Ford. Most said theyare driven to make a difference intheir communities because giv-ing is a part of their dealershiptradition.

“Our dealers are valued part-ners in building trust for and loy-alty to the Ford brand with ourcustomers,” said Ford. “They arethe face of Ford and Lincoln incommunities around the world,

and today we are happy to ap-plaud their commitment anddedication to building stronger,healthier, more connected com-munities.”

It was at this ceremony lastyear that Edsel Ford II intro-duced his son, Henry Ford III, asthe future host of the Salute ToDealers event. With 2019 being atransition year in leadership forthe Salute To Dealers event, Hen-ry Ford III said he looks forwardto continuing the tradition start-ed by his father.

“My father spearheaded thisinitiative 20 years ago and I amgrateful for the opportunity to

Ford Honors Its Dealers for Their Charity

FCA’s efforts to increase thenumber of minority dealers tooka step forward this month whenWinners Circle Chrysler DodgeJeep Ram in Hampton, Va., be-came the latest dealership toopen as part of the Dealer Mar-ket Investment Program.

Jarryd Carver, 33, purchasedthe approximately 20,000-square-foot facility, formerly known asPomoco Chrysler Dodge JeepRam, earlier this month with thehelp of the program,said FCA spokesman Jeff Ben-nett. The Dealer Market Invest-ment Program, launched lastyear, works to increase the par-ticipation of women and minori-ties in the company's network ofabout 2,600 U.S. dealers.

“This is a great opportunity forme to plant my roots,” Carversaid. “I grew up poor in a single-parent household just outside ofsoutheast Washington, D.C. Myfather, who by the way is aDodge fan, encouraged me tojoin the National Association ofMinority Auto Dealers (NAMAD).Thanks to his support and thehelp of NAMAD, I have undertak-en the hard work to reach what Isee as a significant achievementin my life.”

Carver said owning WinnersCircle carries an extra specialmeaning since it sits in an areahome to Langley Air Force Base,Norfolk Naval Station, NASA andthe Virginia Air and Space Center.

“Hampton is a big military areaand both the military and the lo-cal community were there tohelp my family deal with the lossof my aunt, Sharon Carver, whowas killed at the Pentagon duringthe 9/11 terrorist attacks,” Carv-

er said. “This is my opportunityto repay them.”

Phil Langley, head of FCANorth America's Network Devel-opment, said Winners Circle un-derscores what can be accom-plished when strong individualsare given that extra boost.

“Our program is not onlyabout providing the financial re-sources, but also developing theperson so they have the toolsthey need to run a profitablebusiness,” Langley said. “Jarrydbrings the passion and commit-ment to community that will helphim succeed.”

Candidates for the Dealer Mar-ket Investment Program applythrough a process that requiresdemonstrated leadership skills,financial acumen and customersatisfaction, as well as a proventrack record of exceptional salesperformance, Bennett said. Can-didates must also participate inFCA’s dealer assessment and de-velopment program and investtheir own start-up capital.

The program, which alsoworks with the Chrysler MinorityDealers Association and NAMAD,was instrumental in the openingof Northland Chrysler JeepDodge Ram in metro Detroit andRussell Westbrook Alfa Romeoand Maserati in Van Nuys, Calif.

Last month, FCA launched anew Dealer Diversity site de-signed to support and expandthe number of dealershipsowned and operated by minori-ties and women, Bennett said.

The site, minoritydealers.com,provides a clearinghouse of in-formation, including an onlineapplication process for joiningthe FCA dealer network.

FCA Minority DevelopmentEffort Helps Virginia Lot

Henry Ford III (left) and Edsel B.Ford (right) give Jim Koons his award at the recent 2020 Salute To Dealers.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

PAGE 2 FEBRUARY 24, 2020DETROIT AUTO SCENE - TECH CENTER NEWS

by Jim Stickford

The Detroit Institute of Opthal-mology (DIO) unveiled the posterfor the 2020 EyesOn Design CarShow.

The unveiling took place onFeb. 20 at the DIO’s office inGrosse Pointe Park.

The annual event, always heldon Father’s Day in June, is cele-brating its 33rd show, said Dr.Philip C. Hessburg, founder andmedical director of the DIO.

When unveiling the poster thatwill publicize the show, Hessburgsaid that the office where the DIOis used to be was a Chrysler deal-ership located on Jefferson inGrosse Pointe Park.

Hessburg said that the build-ing’s roof fell in about 35 yearsago, so the DIO moved to anoth-er building next door that usedto be AAA Michigan offices.

“So we’ve had a long historywith the auto industry,” Hess-burg said. “When we moved, weneeded to pay for new servicesand the idea for a car show wasborn.”

Given the DIO’s mission, itmade sense for the theme of theshow to be design because visionis the vital component to appre-ciate automotive design, Hess-burg said. He credited Cadillacdesigner Dick Ruzzin for helpingorganize the first shows and tellthe folks at the DIO on just howto put on a car show that wouldattract attention from across thecountry and around the world.

“USA Today has written thatthere are more than 300 majorcar shows in the United States,”Hessburg said. “They’ve listed usas number five in terms of impor-tance. I say we’re number onewhen it comes to posters.”

The history of the EyesOn De-sign show is shown through theposters commissioned every

year to promote the event, Hess-burg said. These posters aremore than informational, theyare collector’s items and theymatter.

Which is why the DIO uses theservices of automotive artistTom Hale to pick the artists whodraw the posters every year.

Hale said that this year hepicked automotive artist MichaelGoettner, who is especiallyknown for his paintings of jetsdone for the Air Force.

“Many people don’t under-stand the work that goes into cre-ating a poster for an event likethe EyesOn Design Car Show,”Hale said. “I’ve done 65 postersmyself so I know the work in-volved. The artist exists becauseof the fruits of his labor and cre-ating a poster for us means hav-ing a lot of responsibility thruston you. The artist has to workwith a committee, and that’s nev-er easy. He must coordinate hispainting with the theme of theshow. This year it’s honoring thedesigns of automotive brandsthat no longer exist.”

Goettner said that he had a lotof fun creating the poster. It’s apainting of the 1956 Packard Pre-dictor.

“This car had a design that wasa couple of year ahead of itstime,” Goettner said. “The mid-1950s was a time when cars wentfrom boxy to sleek and like some-thing from the jet age. Unfortu-nately, Packard had financialproblems and the Predictor wasa ‘one and done’ concept car de-sign. Packard wasn’t able to getthe financing it needed and ex-cept for a couple of cars releasedunder the Studebaker label,Packard was done by 1957.”

Glen Durmisevich, chief judgeand theme director of this year’sEyesOn Design show, said thatthey chose the Packard Predictor

to be the subject of the 2020poster because it was meant tobe a test of what new designswould look like in the future.

Even though Packard nevermade the car, the Predictor was aclassic example of how smaller

car companies were able to do alot with little in resources.

“Even brands that no longerexist have been able to have animpact on automotive design,”Durmisevich said. “Because thePredictor was a concept car

ahead of its time, we really like itand we’re proud to say that it willbe on the grounds of Eleanor andEdsel Ford Estate in GrossePointe Shores on the day of the2020 EyesOn Design Car Show,which is Sunday, June 21.”

2020 EyesOn Design Poster Recognizes Lost Auto Brands

Goetter shows off his new painting, which is the basis of the 2020 EyesOn Design Car Show promotion poster.

DETROIT (AP) – A former Unit-ed Auto Workers union officialwho received bribes and kick-backs from a vendor was sen-tenced to 28 months in prison.

Mike Grimes of Fort Myers, Fla.was accused of receiving morethan $1.5 million in bribes, in-cluding $10,000 worth of cosmet-ic surgery for a relative whileworking at a UAW-GM trainingcenter. Grimes, 66, pleaded guilty

in September to money launder-ing and conspiracy charges.

The sentence imposed Feb. 18by U.S. District Judge BernardFriedman is longer than the twoyears sought by prosecutors.During his sentencing, Grimesapologized to UAW members andhis family, acknowledging he “gotinto something I shouldn’t have.”

Grimes is the first of three con-victed UAW leaders to be sen-

tenced for their roles in a briberyand kickback scheme involvingrigged bids, union vendors andcontracts for watches other pro-motional merchandise.

Awaiting sentencing is formerUAW vice president Joe Ashton,who served on the board of Gen-eral Motors Co. and is the high-est-ranking person convicted of acrime during this investigation ofauto industry corruption.

Former UAW Official Gets Years in Prison for Corruption

Macomb Community Collegehas been recertified as a LeaderCollege by Achieving the Dream(ATD), a nonprofit focused onstudent success that leads a net-work of 277 community collegesin 44 states and the District ofColumbia.The honor recognizes ATD Net-

work colleges that have livedtheir reform work over time andthat have seen real improve-ments in student achievementacross the institution, said SeanPatrick, manager of Media Rela-tions for MCC.Macomb originally achieved

Leader College status in 2013 andwas recertified in 2016, Patricksaid. Its 2019 recertification wasannounced today at the organiza-tion’s annual DREAM conference,which is currently being held inNational Harbor, Maryland.“Macomb Community College

sees student success as theheart of what we do,” said MCCPresident James O. Sawyer IV,Ed.D. “Achieving the Dream is avital connection and resource forus and our colleagues through-out the country in advancing ourknowledge and fostering theachievement of our students.”Leader Colleges, which are cer-

tified for three-year terms, haveshown progress in building insti-tutional capacity to create a stu-

dent-focused culture and strongoutcomes for all students. Theyplay an important role in acceler-ating adoption of effective prac-tices within the ATD Network andacross the higher education sec-tor.Leader Colleges are recognized

for the quality of their work inwhole college reform, resulting inincreased completion rates forall students, Patrick said. LeaderColleges are expected to developinnovative ways to work withother colleges to share knowl-edge and facilitate an exchange

of ideas about evidence-based re-form strategies.“We’re proud to acknowledge

the achievements of colleges inour Achieving the Dream Net-work,” said ATD president andCEO Karen A. Stout, Ed.D. “Thesenew Leader Colleges represent agroup that has worked extremelyhard over the past few years tochange the trajectory of their in-stitutions. Their work impactstheir students, communities, andthe higher education sector.”MCC was one of nine commau-

nity colleges to so honored.

(AP) DETROIT – Owen Bieber,who led the United Auto Workersunion from the auto industry’sdark days of the early 1980s tothe prosperity of the mid-1990s,has died. He was 90.Neither as charismatic as his

predecessor, Douglas Fraser, noras confrontational as his succes-sor, Stephen Yokich, the low-keyBieber had an easygoing mannerthat belied his 6-foot-4, 265-pound frame and the results heproduced at the bargaining table.Taking over as its president in

1983, Bieber shepherded theUAW through a recession, theReagan era, industry downsizingand rapidly expanding globalcompetition. Bieber led the UAWthrough contract talks that wonits members wages, benefits andjob and income security thatwere unmatched in other majorU.S. industries.“Owen Bieber’s death is a loss

for our union and all workingpeople,” UAW President RoryGamble said in a statement. “Hewas not afraid of tough battles ortaking a stand on controversialissues.”Under Bieber, the UAW also ac-

tively supported the Solidaritylabor movement, which chal-lenged Poland’s Communist gov-ernment, and the anti-apartheidmovement in South Africa.Bieber traveled to South Africatwice, raising the alarm aboutthe imprisonment of labor ac-tivists and smuggling images oftorture out of the country. In1986, he was arrested whilemarching at the South Africanembassy in Washington D.C.When former South African

President Nelson Mandela touredthe U.S. after his release fromprison, Bieber stood at his sideduring a rally in Detroit. In 2003,Archbishop Desmond Tutu sin-gled Bieber out during a visit toGrand Rapids.“We came asking for help, and

you gave that help and accom-plished this extraordinarything,” Tutu said, according tothe UAW.Bieber was born Dec. 28, 1929,

in North Dorr, Mich. He joinedthe union in 1948 when he wentto work bending wire for carseats at McInerney Spring andWire Co. in Grand Rapids and be-came a shop steward the follow-ing year. By 1956 he was presi-dent of his local.In 1961, then-UAW president

Walter Reuther made Bieber a

member of the regional staff. Hebecame regional director in 1974and was elected a UAW vice pres-ident in 1980. Three years later,he succeeded Fraser as presi-dent.General Motors Co., Ford Mo-

tor Co. and Chrysler Corp. had toget leaner during Bieber’s tenureto compete with Japanese com-panies that were winning overAmerican buyers with theirsmaller, more fuel-efficient cars.But the UAW was able to negoti-ate agreements that helped work-ers keep their pensions or kepttheir paychecks coming even ifthey were laid off.“We did what unions are sup-

posed to do,” Bieber said shortlybefore Yokich succeeded him aspresident. “If you look at therough road that workers havehad to come over and livethrough since the late 1970s ... aworker who belonged to theUAW, who was a member of theUAW, probably that was the bestthing that could have happenedto them.”Union membership shrunk in

size by about half between 1979and 1995, Bieber’s last year aspresident. Bieber had hoped tounionize Japanese and Germancarmakers when they openedU.S. plants, but he only had onesuccess: a GM-Toyota joint man-ufacturing plant in Fremont,Calif. GM closed that plant in2010; it’s now owned by TeslaInc., which is also not unionized.U.S. union membership has

continued to decline. In 2018, theUAW reported 395,703 members,down from 826,000 in 1995.One of Bieber’s sons, Ron

Bieber, is now president of theMichigan AFL-CIO labor union.“Owen Bieber left behind a

world that is better off becauseof his activism and dedication toservice to others,” Ron Biebersaid in a statement.Owen Bieber is survived by his

wife of 69 years, Shirley Bieber;five children; 19 grandchildren;18 great-grandchildren; and twogreat-great-grandchildren.

FEBRUARY 24, 2020 PAGE 3DETROIT AUTO SCENE - TECH CENTER NEWS

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by Jim Stickford

When GM revealed plans tosell a facility in Thailand and gettotally out of Australia, many ex-pressed disappointment, whileothers called it a “gutsy” move.The Associated Press reported

that “Dave Smith of the Aus-tralian Manufacturing Workers’U-nion also expressed chagrin.“Workers at Holden had

thought they'd ‘been through theworst of it, and that’s not thecase,’ Smith said. ‘For many ofthem their long-term workershave been very loyal to the com-pany ... they've loved being partof the car industry, and now, itwas such an iconic brand comingto an end; it'll mean an end totheir jobs.”John McElroy, host of the TV

show “Autoline,” said it makessense for GM to have made themoves that it did in Asia.“Here’s how I see it,” McElroy

said. “For 30 years prior to thegreat recession in 2008, Detroitautomakers destroyed billions ofdollars of shareholder equity be-cause they invested in regionswhere they were getting no re-turn. Now they are in a timewhen they must invest billions ofdollars to develop new technolo-gy, and these investments couldpay off handsomely for them.”McElroy said that he feels that

there is real justification for whatGM has done and it’s very possi-ble for outside parties to look atthe situation and say that it wasthe right move.“I mean imagine someone in

any other industry going to acompany’s board of directorsand saying that they want to in-vest billions with the potentialfor that investment to providevery little in terms of Return OnInvestment (ROI),” McElroy said.“That’s what the Detroit auto in-dustry has done for a long time.And Those days are gone.“Remember, last year GM sold

more vehicles in the state ofTexas than the company did inAustralia and New Zeeland com-bined. So this move makes senseto me.”GM has 828 employees in Aus-

tralia and New Zealand and an-other 1,500 in Thailand, the com-pany said.McElroy said he has long be-

lieved that Detroit automakers

have done a great job of convinc-ing the investing community thatit is all right to invest in vehiclesand companies that won’t bringa profit. As a result, Detroit au-tomakers have spent fortunespropping up product lines andsubsidiaries that don’t pay forthemselves.“I call this a gutsy, hard-nosed

move on the part of GM,” McEl-roy said. “Granted pulling out ofAustralia and ending Holden is agreat shock to some. GM presi-dent Mark Reuss was even basedin Australia for a while. But Ihave to respect the discipline onthe part of GM to stick to a de-clared business strategy previ-ously announced. In the past, ex-ecutives has been unable to pullthe trigger and it’s cost the com-pany.”McElroy said that making the

decision to sell a plant in Thai-land and get out of Australia nodoubt caused some sleeplessnights for executives, but itmakes financial sense.“The American car market is

unusual,” McElroy said. “Wehave wide open spaces andcheap gas prices, so the cars welike are different from places likeEurope and Asia, where Ameri-can cars don’t work in that envi-ronment.”As a result American car com-

panies have to develop differentvehicles for their primary marketand that makes it difficult to usethat engineering and design inother markets around the world.McElroy said that GM’s moves

in Asia are part of the company’slarger business strategy. Thecompany is no longer trying tomake vehicles, such as smallsedans, that don’t give a goodROI. And as the market share ofsedans continue to drop, itmakes sense for GM to put itsmoney in vehicle niches, such astrucks and SUVs, that are grow-ing in popularity and providemore profits than small sedans.“Even Rolls Royce is develop-

ing an SUV,” McElroy said. “Thatshould tell something. What Iwant to see, is what Ford will bedoing in the future. That compa-ny’s board has to ask itself thesame questions as GM and comeup with a business strategy aswell. Ford has already prettymuch gotten out of the sedanmarket.”

GM’s Moves in Asia MakeSense in New Auto World

Former UAW President Owen Bieber Dies

Owen Bieber

MCC Honored as a Top Community College

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – StateFeb. 20 reported fourth-quarternet income of $32.7 million, afterreporting a loss in the same peri-od a year earlier.The Columbus, Ohio-based

company said it had net incomeof 72 cents per share.Earnings, adjusted for invest-

ment gains, came to 29 cents pershare.

The insurance holding compa-ny posted revenue of $367.8 mil-lion in the period. Its adjustedrevenue was $343 million.For the year, the company re-

ported profit of $87.4 million, or$1.96 per share. Revenue was re-ported as $1.33 billion.State Auto Financial shares

have declined roughly 3 percentsince the beginning of the year.

Auto Insurance Company Losses Cash

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2020 Lincoln Navigator

The Lincoln Motor Companycontinues to gain recognition forits impressive lineup of luxury ve-hicles, said Lincoln spokeswomanAnika Salceda-Wycoco. Both theAviator and Navigator, she said,are being recognized for their ver-satility, features and overall per-formance at this year’s ChicagoAuto Show.

The event was open to the me-dia last week.

Members of the Midwest Auto-motive Media Association votedLincoln Aviator the winner of the2020 MAMA Luxury Family Vehi-cle of the Year award, ahead ofthe BMW X7 and Cadillac XT6,Salceda-Wycoco said.

A nonprofit group of automo-tive journalists and public rela-tions professionals, Midwest Au-tomotive Media Association de-veloped its award to assist car-shopping families in making awise, knowledgeable purchase de-cision.

“Choosing a family vehicle is animportant decision,” said TimHealey, MAMA award coordinator.“Whether it’s a premium brand ormainstream model, it should beversatile, reliable, efficient andreasonably priced. MAMA mem-bers pooled their expertise andexperience to select the best fam-

ily vehicles from an outstandinggroup of new and significantly re-freshed models and … LincolnAviator came out on top.”

To qualify for the award, vehi-cles had to have four doors, ap-pear at one of MAMA’s two annualrallies, and be new or significantlyupdated within a year of the 2019Spring Rally, which took place lastMay, Salceda-Wycoco said. TheMAMA Spring and Fall Rallies fea-ture a broad range of manufactur-er vehicles for journalists to driveand evaluate.

Voting took place at both ral-lies, and the field of contenderswas then narrowed down for alast round of voting. Mainstreamfinalists were the Ford Escape,Ford Explorer, Honda Passport,Hyundai Palisade, Jeep Gladiator,Kia Telluride, Mazda 3, and Sub-aru Outback. The finalists in theluxury category were the BMWX7, Cadillac XT6, Lincoln Aviator,Lincoln Nautilus, and Mercedes-Benz AMG CLS 53 Coupe.

In each round of voting, threepoints were awarded for a first-place vote, two points were givenfor a second-place vote and third-place votes were valued at onepoint each, Salceda-Wycoco said.

MAMA media members thenvoted in one final round, and 99

automotive journalists participat-ed. The 2020 Lincoln Aviator wascrowned Luxury Family Vehicle ofthe Year with 192 points, edgingout the 2019 BMW X7, which net-ted 148 points. The 2020 CadillacXT6 rounded out the top threewith 108 points.

That isn’t the only good newsabout Lincoln, Salceda-Wycocosaid. In addition, Consumer Guide,the leading publisher of authorita-tive, unbiased new and used carreviews for 53 years, named Lin-coln Navigator an AutomotiveBest Buy in its premiumlarge/SUV category.

Consumer Guide editors use ob-jective criteria, such as price, fea-tures, performance, accommoda-tions, fuel economy, reliabilityrecords and resale value, to as-sess each vehicle, Salceda-Wyco-co said.

Key to the awards is the carefulevaluation of every aspect of eachvehicle as it relates to consumers’real-world driving experience.

“The new three-row LincolnAviator defines effortless per-formance among premium SUVs,offering impressive power and ca-pability, while the full-size LincolnNavigator continues to drivebrand momentum as a client fa-vorite,” Salceda-Wycoco said.

New Lincoln Vehicles Proving Successful

continue the very fulfilling workof recognizing our dealers for allthey do to support communitiesacross the globe every day,” saidFord.

Dealers give to causes that ad-dress a broad range of communi-ty needs – from children’s chari-ties to the environment, from ed-ucation and healthcare to parks,municipal services and disasterrelief efforts.

Children’s causes top the list,with 76 percent of respondingdealers donating, followed by 67percent giving to education andscholarships. More than half ofrespondents ranked veterans'causes and municipal servicessuch as police and firefighting ef-forts very high on their list of giv-ing.

To demonstrate Ford’s com-mitment to its thousands of deal-er owners who step beyond theirshowroom doors to make a dif-ference, in 2001 the companylaunched its Salute to Dealersawards. This year, Edsel B. Ford IIsaid he and four other judges se-lected six winners from a globalfield of nearly 65 nominees. Aspart of the program, Ford MotorCompany Fund and CommunityServices is donating $10,000 to acharity of each dealer’s choice.

A painted portrait of each hon-oree features a montage of thephilanthropic and volunteer ac-tivities that led to the award. Du-plicates of the portraits will join

a Salute to Dealers display in thelobby of Ford World Headquar-ters in Dearborn.

Ford’s 2019 awards recognizedthe following dealers for their un-paralleled generosity and com-mitment to their communities,and provided brief testimonialsin their honor.

Gail Miller, Larry H. Miller Deal-erships – Sandy, Utah. Gail Milleris committed to enriching lives inthe many communities whereshe does business. Her dedica-tion and leadership have helpedinstill that commitment in heremployees. An annual Larry H.Miller Day of Service is an initia-tive where employees donatethousands of hours at more than200 locations helping at-riskyouth, families of critically illchildren and domestic abuse vic-tims, many in need of food, shel-ter and other critical services.

Through support from the Lar-ry H. & Gail Miller Family Founda-tion, she established a diabetesprevention program with the Uni-versity of Utah.

The initiative includes a well-ness bus that serves vulnerablepopulations with free and low-cost screenings for diabetes andother chronic illnesses, as well asprevention efforts to identify andeducate those with pre-diabetes.It includes a four-week curricu-lum for homeless families at a do-mestic violence shelter. Two clin-ical programs have been initiat-ed.

Jim Koons, Koons Ford – Falls

Church, Va. Koons is an inspira-tion to those around him. His en-thusiasm is contagious, and hiskindness and support for thecommunity has a profound effecton those touched by his generos-ity. Koons has a long philan-thropic history with CatholicCharities. Each year, he showshis compassion for the homelessby providing gift cards to all whoattend a Thanksgiving andChristmas program for the dis-placed.

He also makes significant fi-nancial contributions to a localCatholic high school, where heand his family attended. The con-tributions have enabled transfor-mational changes and improve-ments to the school, including anew athletic center and a library

Having experienced firsthandthe loving support and guidanceof hospice services while caringfor his mother, Koons and hiswife Cece made a $2 million do-nation to Talbot Hospice in sup-port of its services. The EleanorA. Koons Hospice House wasdesignated in his mother’s honor.

Gregory F. Daunhauer, ByerlyFord – Louisville, Ky. Daun-hauer’s commitment to commu-nity runs deep and wide.

Other honorees includedPham Ngoc Than, Ben ThanhFord – Ho Chi Minh City, Viet-nam, José Abraão Vinhal, FordCaminho – São Paulo, Brazil andAndré Quakernack, FordStoreAutohaus Hagemeier GmbH –Versmold, Germany.

Ford Honors Its Dealers for Their CharityCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

invest in and continue to opti-mize South American operations.

“These are difficult decisions,but they are necessary to sup-port our goal to have the GM In-ternational region on the path-way to growth and profitability,”said Kiefer.

“GM is well-positioned in ourGM International core markets:South America, the Middle Eastand Korea.”

GM International OperationsSenior Vice President Julian Blis-sett said that as well as imple-menting plans in internationalcore markets, GM was continuingto optimize partnerships in mar-kets like Uzbekistan by transfer-ring assets and building strongsupply chains to reduce costs ingrowth markets.

“In markets where we don’thave significant scale, such asJapan, Russia and Europe, we arepursuing a niche presence byselling profitable, high-end im-ported vehicles – supported by alean GM structure,” said Blissett.

“We will continue to imple-

ment these critical businessstrategies, while delivering a dig-nified and respectful transition inimpacted markets.”

In Australia, New Zealand,Thailand and related export mar-kets, customers can be assuredthat GM will honor all warrantiesand continue to provide servic-ing and spare parts, Morrisseysaid. Local operations will alsocontinue to handle all recall andany safety-related issues, work-ing with the appropriate govern-mental agencies.

As a result of these actions inAustralia, New Zealand and Thai-land, the company expects to in-cur net cash charges of approxi-mately $300 million, Morrisseysaid.

The company expects torecord total cash and non-cashcharges of $1.1 billion.

These charges will be incurredprimarily in the first quarter andcontinuing through the fourthquarter of 2020. These chargeswill be considered special forEBIT-adjusted, EPS diluted-ad-justed and adjusted automotivefree cash flow purposes.

GM Pulls Out of Australia,Sells Factory in Thailand

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

DETROIT (AP) – QuickenLoans founder and ChairmanDan Gilbert is slowly returning towork eight months after sufferinga stroke.

Gilbert, 58, returned to his De-troit office early this year. He’sthere one or two days a week, us-ing a wheelchair and accompa-nied by a service dog namedCowboy.

He also spends three or fourhours a day working with physi-cal and occupational therapistsat his home.

“When you have a stroke,here’s the problem with it: Every-thing is hard. Everything,”Gilbert told Crain’s Detroit Busi-ness in his first interview sincethe stroke. “Like you wake up,getting out of bed is hard, goingto the bathroom is hard, sittingdown eating at a table is hard.You name it. You don’t get abreak. You’re like trapped in yourown body.’’

Gilbert was able to give hisfirst public speech since the May25 stroke on VFeb. 14 at theCrain’s Newsmakers of the Yearluncheon in Detroit.

It’s a change of pace for thehard-charging executive, who al-so owns the NBA’s ClevelandCavaliers and several other

sports teams. Right before hisstroke, Gilbert was texting Michi-gan’s governor about a deal toget long-term funding for road re-pairs.

Gilbert was hosting a partyjust before Memorial Day whenhis vision seemed suddenly blur-ry.

His wife and a physician friendconvinced him to go to the hos-pital after he started showingother signs of a stroke, includingfacial asymmetry, arm drift andspeech difficulty.

Gilbert said he had a bloodclot in his carotid artery that wascutting off the blood supply tohis brain. Doctors implanted sev-en stents inside his carotid ar-tery to open the blood vessel.

“If that artery was blockedmore minutes than it was, itwould have been much worse,”Gilbert said.

Gilbert spent eight weeks at arehabilitation center in Chicagolast summer. He is able to walkwith a cane but still struggles tomove his left arm.

Gilbert said his current priori-ty is the construction of a sky-scraper in downtown Detroit. Hisreal estate company, Bedrock De-troit, broke ground on the build-ing in 2017.

Dan Gilbert Returns to Work

®TechCenterNews®

FEBRUARY 24, 2020 PAGE 5DETROIT AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIES

William Springer II, publisherLisa A. Torretta, operationsJim Stickford, editorDetroit Auto Scene and Tech Center Newsare registered trademark and property ofSpringer Publishing Co., a Mich. corporation.

Info@TechCenterNews.comwww.DetroitAutoScene.com

586-939-6800

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

Technicians soon will be trained how to service and maintain the all-electric Mustang Mach-E without need toaccess to a physical model – thanks to a new virtual reality (VR) training tool from Ford and Bosch.

Coming up with new automo-tive technology to keep up withchanging times is vitally impor-tant to Ford, according to DaveJohnson, director of Ford serviceengineering operations.So is finding new ways to train

the technicians that will have tomaintain that tech once it hitsthe marketplace, he said.And Ford has the ways and

means to handle the problem oftraining those technicians by us-ing virtual reality (VR) technolo-gy developed by auto supplerBosch, said Bosch spokesmanTim Wieland.Technicians soon will be

trained how to service and main-tain the all-electric MustangMach-E without need to access aphysical model – thanks to a newvirtual reality (VR) training toolfrom Ford and Bosch.“Technicians will be immersed

in a simulated and gamifiedworld, meaning they won’t needto rely on actual Mustang Mach-Evehicles to learn about its com-ponents, including the electricSUV’s new high-voltage system,”said Johnson. “This new virtualreality training tool allows tech-nicians to understand the com-ponents and steps required toservice these high-voltage sys-tems, then confidently performdiagnostics and maintenance.”

Here’s how it all works, John-son said. A technician wearingthe virtual reality headset willlearn how to diagnose and per-form service related to the vehi-cle’s high-voltage system. Thisincludes tasks such as removaland installation of the main bat-tery as well as service and main-tenance on the battery pack it-self.Bosch also is developing fu-

ture extensions where the tech-nicians utilize VR to enter the ve-hicle and navigate through mod-ules as if they were walkingthrough rooms to learn the sys-tem. Navigating between mod-ules enables the technicians todetermine the issue to repair thevehicle.“The virtual reality training so-

lution is about new technologythat builds efficiency,” said GeoffMee, director of Operations forBosch. “By improving the diag-nostic process, technicians areable to perform maintenanceand make repairs faster andmore easily.”This new virtual reality system

can be used as an ongoing train-ing tool, allowing technicians tolearn niche skills in the Fordtechnical training program. Vir-tual reality training has the po-tential to attract new hires to theautomotive repair world, rightly

framing the profession as a high-tech, forward-thinking industryin which technicians can learnmore efficiently in a state-of-the-art environment, Johnson said.Additionally, technicians can tapinto the system from any loca-tion.Bosch developed a proof of

concept in 2019 for automotiveservice training via virtualreality, then market-tested itwith instructors, techniciansand college students, Wielandsaid. Ford Motor Company is thefirst automaker to pilot theapplication in its service tech-nician powertrain repair course,specifically with the newMustang Mach-E, the company’sfirst all-electric SUV. Ford couldexpand the technology to trainon additional vehicles in thefuture.The virtual reality training so-

lution uses an Oculus Quest vir-tual reality headset from Face-book, Johnson said. Ford andBosch are working with Oculusfor Business to manage theirfleet of headsets deployed to theFord technician training pro-gram, as well as with PIXO VR.The company’s proprietary vir-tual reality content distributionplatform enables scaling and it-erating virtual reality trainingsoftware and applications.

Ford Technicians Use VR to Train on Mach-E

Lighting and electronics com-pany HELLA will be bringing itslatest 77 GHz radar technologyinto series production in spring2020.In this area, the company has

already acquired several majororders, said HELLA spokes-woman Madison Kielty. Initially,an Asian manufacturer of trucksand buses will be supplied. Inthis context, the market launchwill take place within the frame-work of the strategic cooperationwith ZF.Subsequently, HELLA will start

series production for other inter-national car manufacturers, thusfurther expanding its strong mar-ket position in the field of radarsensor technology. The radarsensors will initially be manufac-tured at the electronics plant inHamm, Germany, and then alsoin China and the United States.“Radar sensor technology is a

key technology for the realiza-tion of assisted and automateddriving functions,” says Frank

Petznick, who, as a member ofHELLA’s Electronics ExecutiveBoard, is responsible for theglobal Automated Driving Prod-uct Centre. “Our 77 GHz radarsensors make a significant contri-bution in this context.” On theone hand, HELLA’s latest 77 GHzradar technology is character-ized by its high performance andrange as well as its compact de-sign.”This simplifies its integration

into the vehicle body and en-ables 360 degree perception ofthe vehicle environment. On theother hand, HELLA’s 77 GHzradar sensors are based on amodular, scalable platform con-cept that allows customer-specif-ic requirements to be implement-ed flexibly and efficiently. Thus,NCAP requirements as well asfunctions for automated drivingcan be implemented.“With our platform approach,

our 77 GHz radar family coversall essential market require-ments: from cost-optimized sen-

sors for basic assistance func-tions, for example for high-vol-ume vehicle segments and com-mercial vehicles, to high-perfor-mance variants that are neces-sary for higher developmentstages of autonomous drivingsuch as automated parking orhighway pilots,” said Petznick.At the beginning of the year,

HELLA also entered into a strate-gic partnership with the U.S.start-up Oculii. The aim of the co-operation is to further increasethe performance of the 77 GHzradar platform by integratingsoftware developed by Oculii. Re-sults of the development part-nership are expected to go intoseries production in 2023.HELLA has been active in the

radar business for around 20years and was one of the firstcompanies to start series pro-duction of 24 GHz radar sensorsfor rear applications. Today, HEL-LA is a global market leader inthis field with more than 30 mil-lion sensors manufactured.

HELLA Introduces New Radar Technology

The global LiDAR market sizeis expected to reach $2.9 billionby 2025, expanding at a CAGR of17.9 percent, according to a newreport by Grand View Research,Inc.The surging acceptance in en-

vironmental mapping and auto-mobile safety application arenasis expected to boost marketgrowth. The increasing accept-ance in the construction and ar-chitectural sectors for monitor-ing and 3D-modeling applicationsis further anticipated to bolstermarket growth, said SherryJames, spokeswoman for GrandView Research.Key suggestions from the re-

port indicate that the global mar-ket is estimated to grow signifi-cantly over the forecast perioddue to automation in numerousindustries, leading to reduced

human efforts and increased effi-ciency. The technological superi-ority of LiDAR technology in sev-eral engineering projects of thelarge magnitude are estimated totrigger the demand by 2025Airborne systems are expected

to remain the dominant productsegment over the forecast peri-od. The segment is anticipated togain prominence over the fore-cast period on account of surg-ing adoption of aerial mappingdevices. Mobile terrestrial scan-ning is a preferred surveymethod in monitoringandgeospatial mapping.

North America is expected toemerge as one of the leading re-gional markets owing to the ris-ing R&D spending coupled withhigh adoption in the automotivesector and environmental scan-ning & modeling operations.

Global LiDAR Market OnlyExpected to Keep Growing

PAGE 6 FEBRUARY 24, 2020DETROIT AUTO SCENE - TECH CENTER NEWS

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Construction of FCA’s new as-sembly plant in Detroit has beena journey of discovery, said RyanOswald, Building Project manag-er.For the past several months,

construction crews have foundparts of old house basements,street pavement, and massiveold stamping plant foundationsand steel beams, Oswald said.Since last spring, crews have

removed more than 830,000 cu-bic feet of dirt and built a nearly1.5-mile long, 10-foot-high con-crete sound wall (15 feet in someplaces), in addition to creatingthree water-retention ponds thatwill hold more than 500,000 cubicfeet of water.“The biggest obstacle during

construction, so far, has been theremoval of massive concretefoundations that were once partof the old Michigan StampingPlant, which later became part ofthe old Chrysler Mack AvenueStamping Plant,” Oswald said.“During construction of the

new plant’s paint shop, contrac-tors were continually diggingthrough thick, heavily reinforcedconcrete walls that containedembedded steel beams andplates.“Although we knew about

these obstructions ahead oftime, determining the amount oftime and effort that it would taketo break and remove all of theseobstructions was extremely diffi-cult.”The company was aware that

the massive, old dirt berms alongthe west side of St. Jean Streetwere built over what used to bedozens of old homes, Oswaldnoted.The berms were built there in

the late 1980s as part of the FCAJefferson North Assembly Plantconstruction project.“For this reason, we used his-

torical maps and (ALTA) surveysto identify the likely locations ofthose old basements, and we de-signed our underground stormpiping and underground deten-tion systems to avoid them,” Os-wald said. “In some locations, wedid find old brick/block, but forthe most part we were successfulin avoiding the old residentialbasements.”An ALTA survey is a detailed

survey performed by a registeredlicensed surveyor, prepared inaccordance with the standardsspecified by the American LandTitle Association (ALTA) and theAmerican Congress of Surveyingand Mapping (ACSM), Oswaldsaid.Crews have not encountered

any old streetcar rails in con-

struction as the city apparentlyremoved all of them duringrepaving projects that have tak-en place over the years since thestreetcars stopped rolling in De-troit .However, the company is

reusing part of the existing St.Jean Street pavement as part ofthe employee parking lot and alarge trailer marshalling lot at theconstruction site.In February of last year, FCA

announced that the compoanywas investing more than $1 bil-lion as part of its efforts to tobuild the first new assemblyplant in Detroit in nearly 30years, bringing 3,850 new jobs tothe city.The new plant will produce the

next-generation Jeep GrandCherokee and all-new, three-row,full-size Jeep SUV, along withtheir electrified models, said Os-wald.

FCA Mack Construction Project Digs Up History

Construction of FCA’s new Mack assembly facility has unearthed infrastructure going back 100 years.

TOKYO (AP) – Nissan share-holders vented their outrage atthe Japanese automaker’s topmanagement Feb. 18 for crashingstock prices, zero dividends andquarterly losses after the scan-dal-ridden departure of formerChairman Carlos Ghosn.They got up, one by one, at an

extraordinary shareholders’meeting, demanding that NissanMotor Co. quickly fix diving carsales, work harder to repair itsbattered brand and have execu-tives give up their pay.Ghosn, had led Nissan for two

decades, was arrested in Novem-ber 2018. He was awaiting trialon financial misconduct chargesin Tokyo when he skipped baillast year and fled to Lebanon.New CEO Makoto Uchida apol-

ogized to shareholders for hav-ing “allowed the misconduct’’ ofGhosn and promised better gov-ernance, transparency and finan-cial results, but asked for time.He said a turnaround plan will

be announced in May, which oneshareholder immediately criti-cized as too late.“We are in a disastrous situa-

tion,’’ Uchida said of the Ghosnscandal. “It was shocking, and Idenounce it.’’Uchida is among the four di-

rectors whose election was upfor vote at the meeting held at aconference center in Nissanheadquarters Yokohama.Uchida was tapped in Decem-

ber to replace Hiroto Saikawa,who was Ghosn’s successor.Saikawa resigned last year af-

ter allegations surfaced abouthis own dubious personal in-come. Saikawa’s resignation be-comes final at the end of theshareholders’ meeting.One shareholder asked if

Saikawa was giving up his retire-ment pay. Another asked whyJean-Dominique Senard, chair ofFrench alliance partner Renaultand Nissan board member, wasseen leaving an earlier share-holders’ meeting in a Toyota.Saikawa did not reply. Senard

apologized and said it was a mis-take that had upset him as well.

Global sales of Nissan vehicleshave plunged. Nissan recordedred ink for the quarter throughDecember, the first such quarter-ly loss in 11 years.Nissan’s prized technology,

such as electric vehicles and au-tomated driving, will be featuredin planned models, Uchida said.Also up for approval at the

meeting was the appointment ofNissan COO Ashwanti Gupta,who joined Renault in India in2006, and has since worked forthe alliance, which also includessmaller Japanese automaker Mit-subishi Motors Corp.The appointment of Nissan’s

production expert HideyukiSakamoto and Pierre Fleuriot, arisk management specialist andindependent director at Renault,was also up for vote.Renault owns 44 percent of

Nissan and so the proposalswere certain to pass. The ap-pointments were welcomed byclapping at the end of the two-and-a-half hour meeting, and theexecutives took a bow on stage.But hanging over the entire

meeting was Nissan’s plummet-ing fortunes, its reputation tar-nished over not only the Ghosnscandal but the shaky way it washandled at the company.Shareholders said they saw

confusion in management. Oneargued no one would buy a carfrom a company that looked asdisorganized as Nissan. .Another shareholder proposed

putting a bounty on Ghosn’shead so he could be broughtback from Lebanon to stand trial.Japan and Lebanon do not havean extradition treaty.Ghosn, who has insisted on his

innocence, has said he was tar-geted with trumped up chargesbecause of what he called a con-spiracy at Nissan to block a fullermerger with Renault.Hazim Bahari, equity analyst at

CFRA Research, said Nissan’s lat-est quarterly results were worsethan expected, with further salesdeclines expected because ofoutdated models and its shrink-ing market share.

Shareholders Tell NissanBoard They’re Unhappy

CAPAC, Mich. (AP) – A compa-ny that makes automobile partsplans to shut down a plant inMichigan next year, after promis-ing to invest $22 million into anew facility that would have pro-vided 260 jobs.Keihin North America an-

nounced the decision in a newsrelease. The company said it hasnot been able to expand newbusiness as quickly as hoped,giving no other recourse but toproceed shutter Keihin MichiganManufacturing, the Port HuronTimes Herald reported.Founded in 2007, the Michigan

facility makes automotive airconditioning systems and ad-vanced engine components. Kei-hin Corp., a major supplier toHonda, is based in Tokyo. ItsNorth American headquarters isin Anderson, Ind. Operations atthe Michigan plant will cease inFebruary 2021, giving the 165people there a year’s notice.The company is providing sev-

erance packages that includetransition of medical benefitsand outplacement services.“It’s always unfortunate when

a plant or facility closes,’’ saidDan Casey, Economic Develop-ment Alliance of St. Clair Countydirector. He says his agency hascommitted to helping the em-ployees find jobs with servicesand job fairs. Casey hopes thatKeihin will put the building onthe market or up for lease.“It’s a highly marketable prop-

erty,’’ he said.Capac Village President John

Grzyb said in an email he doesn’tthink the facility will be closedfor long.“It’s a fairly new plant, a great

location, a good work force andgood utilities available,’’ Grzybwrote.

Michigan OutfitClosing Its

Doors in a Year

FEBRUARY 24, 2020 PAGE 7DETROIT AUTO SCENE - TECH CENTER NEWS

While the outside of a car cancatch the attention of the public,Autotrader.com believes it’s im-portant to pay attention towhat’s inside a vehicle.With that thought in mind, the

organization just released its “10Best Car Interiors Under $50,000for 2020” list. And its resultsmight surprise some as the JeepGladiator and the Ram 1500,along with the Lincoln Corsair,were among those honored.Autotrader judges wrote,

“Since you spend most of yourtime on the inside of your vehi-cle, interiors are important. Anotherwise exceptional, high-per-formance sports car can feelcheapened by a lackluster interi-or, while an economy car with anabove-average cabin can feelmuch more expensive than it re-ally is.“Sure, you can shell out big

money and get an interior thatfits the price tag, but what aboutvehicles that cost less and giveyou more when it comes to cabinfit and finish? To highlight someof our favorites, we’ve put to-gether this list of the 10 best carinteriors for under $50,000 for2020.”Judges had nice things to say

about the 2020 Corsair. In theirdescription of why the Corsairmade their list, they wrote “Oneof the newest compact luxury SU-Vs on the scene for 2020 is thenew Lincoln Corsair, which looksto build on the success of thefull-size Navigator and midsizeAviator, and looks to be a hitright out of the gate. This is duein large part to its upscale interi-or that shares many design cueswith its larger brethren.“The 2020 Corsair incorpo-

rates clean horizontal linesacross its dashboard and a pleas-ing mix of glossy and matte sur-faces. There are even five differ-ent interior colors available:black, beige, brown, gray and --believe it or not -- blue. The Cor-sair is available in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel driveand comes powered by yourchoice of two different tur-

bocharged engines, making ei-ther 250 or 295 hp. The all-new2020 Lincoln Corsair starts atabout $36,000 and tops out atjust over $55,000.”Autotrader judges also ac-

knowledged the fact that manypeople might find it unusual thatthe Jeep Gladitor made their list.They wrote that it “may come

as a surprise to find the ruggedGladiator on this list, but allowus to explain. Jeep models of thepast were all about compromise.In exchange for their go-any-where capability, buyers wereforced to settle for interiors withpoor fit and finish, loads of windnoise and sub-par feature con-tent.“This is no longer the case

with the Gladiator and the Wran-gler, which share much of theirbasic design, including their inte-riors. Wrangler and Gladiatorbuyers are now treated to higher-end materials in the form of asoft-touch dashboard, rubber-ized controls and aluminum trimpieces. Additionally, Chrysler’sexcellent 8.4-inch UConnect info-tainment system is availablethroughout much of the modelrange and comes encased in awater-resistant rubberizedframe.“Finally, leather seating sur-

faces, great storage solutions(such as lockable compartmentsunder the Gladiator’s rear seat)and loads of USB and USB-C con-nectivity ports round out the of-fering. Sure, the modern 2020Gladiator and Wrangler won’thave you feeling like you’re be-hind the wheel of a Range Rover,but you certainly won’t mistakethem for the Jeeps of yesteryeareither.”Autotrader judges haven’t

overlooked the increasingly pop-ular pickup truck market. Theyadmired what Ram has done withthe 2020 1500, writing that the1500 “has long been the numberthree player in the U.S. full-sizetruck segment, firmly entrenchedbehind Ford and GM when itcame to overall sales.“In redesigning its line of full-

size trucks for 2019, Ram clearlyprioritized interior design andcomfort, and as a result, Ramtrucks are now known for offer-ing the nicest interiors in the seg-ment. While all full-size truckscan be had with premium leatherseating and high-end audio sys-tems, Ram focused on the littlethings when it comes to its newtruck interior.

“Materials quality, touch-points and ergonomics are alltop-notch in Ram’s recentlineup, including in the 2020Ram 1500. The capstone is theavailable 12-inch infotainmentscreen, which can display botha smartphone interface andthe truck’s native infotainmentsoftware at the same time. It’spretty slick.”

PAGE 8 FEBRUARY 24, 2020DETROIT AUTO SCENE - TECH CENTER NEWS

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Magazine Names Top Automotive Interiors

The interior of the 2020 Lincoln Corsair.

The interior of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator.

PARIS (AP) – France’s Renaultsaw its sales and earnings droplast year and says 2020 will betough due to the need for invest-ment in new technologies just asthe market is shrinking.The company said Feb. 14 that

it sold 3.8 million vehicles lastyear, down 3.4 percent, with rev-enue dropping about the samerate to $60 billion. That almostwiped out its net earnings, whichamounted to just 19 million eu-ros last year compared with 3.4billion euros a year earlier.Interim chief Clotilde Delbos

said “the visibility for 2020 is lim-ited due to an expected volatilityin the market.’’Those uncertainties include

EU limits on car emissions,which will require car compa-nies to sell more battery-pow-ered vehicles, as well as the im-pact of the virus outbreak fromChina, which has disrupted sup-ply chains.Renault, which is in a global al-

liance with Japan’s Nissan andMitsubishi, said it expects theEuropean car market to shrink atleast 3 percent this year.Beyond market turbulence,

Renault has been shaken by thescandal over its former chief,Carlos Ghosn, who was arrestedin Japan in late 2018 on allega-tions of financial wrongdoingand then fled the country abouta year later.Ghosn, who denies wrongdo-

ing, was the head of Nissan, too,in which Renault holds a stake. y.Ghosn had wanted to merge

Renault and Nissan and nowtheir alliance is viewed as weak-ened at a time when key rivalsare merging and gaining in heft.In a sign of its caution, Renault

slashed its dividend, to 1.10 eu-ros from 3.55 euros in 2018.

Renault InformsPublic of BadFinancial News

LORDSTOWN, Ohio (AP) –General Motors Co. will receive atax break to build a new electricbattery cell factory in Ohio nextto the site of a much larger as-sembly plant it shut down lastyear.Village leaders in Lordstown

approved a 75 percent tax abate-ment that will extend over 15years and allow the company tomove forward with the plant.“What we had to get done and

needed to get done for GeneralMotors, we did,” Mayor Arno Hillsaid after the vote Feb. 18.GM and Korea’s LG Chem an-

nounced in December that theyhad formed a joint venture towork together on battery tech-nology and build the new plantnear Youngstown. GM has said itwill be among the largest batteryfactories in the world.GM stopped making cars at its

Lordstown assembly plant lastMarch after more than 50 yearsof production. It later sold thefactory to a newly formed com-pany that wants to make electricpickup trucks.The battery plant was an-

nounced last fall during contracttalks with the United Auto Work-

ers union, but it won’t make upfor the lost jobs at the small-carplant. The joint venture also like-ly will pay less than what GMpays unionized assembly plantworkers.The battery plant will create

about 1,100 jobs, while GM em-ployed 4,500 workers at the as-sembly plant when it was run-ning three shifts until aboutthree years ago.Most of those employees at

the assembly plant either retiredor transferred to other GM facto-ries.The village of Lordstown is

seeking more than its typicalshare of income tax from the newplant by asking for the school’sincome tax, which is about$225,000 annually, the WarrenTribune Chronicle reported.Hill said that the village needs

the money because of the loss ofGM’s car plant and income taxand that the school districtcould receive about $600,000 inproperty taxes once the plant isbuilt.The Lordstown school board

has not decided whether to giveup its income tax from the GMbattery plant.

GM Getting Ohio Tax Break

The 2020 Autorama Show iscoming to Detroit’s TCF Center(formerly known as Cobo Cen-ter) on Friday, Feb. 29; Saturday,Feb. 29; and Sunday, March 1.Tickets are $21 for adults, $8

for children ages six through 12and free for children ages fiveand under.The event, sponsored by

O’Reilly Auto Parts andMeguira’s. It will feature a host ofclassic hot rods as well ascelebrities such as RutledgeWood, a host of the Americanversion of “Top Gear.”To learn more about the event,

go to the Autormama Web site athttps://autorama.com/attend/de-troit.

Autorama Show Coming to Detroit

FEBRUARY 24, 2020 PAGE 9DETROIT AUTO SCENE - TECH CENTER NEWS

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BEIJING (AP) – Automakers arereopening factories in China thatwere idled by anti-virus controlsas they try to reverse a salesslump in their biggest market.Local officials have orders

from the ruling Communist Partyto get businesses functioningagain while still enforcing anti-disease curbs that shut downmuch of the world’s second-largest economy.“Local governments are put-

ting their full weight behind help-ing businesses open,” the presi-dent of the American Chamber ofCommerce in Shanghai, KerGibbs, said in a statement.Toyota Motor Co. said two fac-

tories reopened Feb. 17 with oneof the usual two daily shiftsworking. Volkswagen AG, FordMotor Co., Mercedes Benz andChinese brand Geely resumedsome operations last week. Gen-eral Motors Co. said a “staggeredstart” across its factories beganFeb. 15. Nissan Motor Co. plansto restart this week.Automakers say they are

checking employees for thevirus’s telltale fever, barring visi-tors and telling employees tostay home if they have been inWuhan, the city at the center ofthe outbreak, or other areas thathave imposed travel curbs.The outbreak prompted the

government to extend the Lunar

New Year holiday to keep facto-ries and offices closed and work-ers at home.The government has told em-

ployees who can work fromhome to stay there, but China’svast manufacturing industriesthat supply the world withsmartphones, toys and othergoods need workers in factories.Obstacles include a require-

ment for workers who returnfrom other areas – as millions aredoing after the holiday – to makesure they are virus-free by stay-ing at home for its 14-day incuba-tion period.“Most factories have a severe

shortage of workers, even afterthey are allowed to open,” saidGibbs. “This is going to have a se-vere impact on global supplychains that is only beginning toshow up.”Automakers are under pres-

sure to reverse a 2-year-old salesdecline in a Chinese market theyhope will propel global revenue.Sales of SUVs, minivans and

sedans hit an annual peak of 24.7million in 2017 and have declinedsince then. Last year’s sales tum-bled 9.6 percent to 21.4 million.The virus “adds to the chal-

lenges that the sector is alreadyfacing,” said Fitch Ratings in a re-port.Groupe Renault said one of its

factories in the southern city ofGuangzhou, near Hong Kong, re-opened Feb. 17 but the Frenchautomaker gave no indication of

the status of another factory inWuhan.Sales of vehicles are likely to

be depressed through April,Fitch said. It said productionmight fall by the high single dig-its in the first half of 2020 com-pared with a year earlier.GM, Toyota and others said

the pace of production dependson how fast they can restart theflow of components from thou-sands of Chinese suppliers thatalso shut down.That disruption could have

global repercussions: UBS esti-mates China supplies 8 percentof auto parts exports worldwide.

World Auto Supply Chain is Now RecoveringFrom China Virus Quarantine Shutdowns

WAYLAND, Mass. (AP) – A pairof Lamborghini SUVs worth a to-tal of about $400,000 were stolenearly Feb. 18 from a Boston-areadealership, police said.Officers responded to an

alarm at Herb Chambers Lam-borghini Boston in Wayland atabout 3 a.m. It appears thethieves threw a rock through theglass front of the dealership,found the keys inside some-where and took the vehiclesfrom the front lot, Lt. Sean Gib-bons said. He said one of themissing vehicles was a light col-or and one was a dark color.A patrol officer stopped a vehi-

cle that may have been involvedin the break-in and detained twopeople, who are currently at thepolice station being questioned,Gibbons said. The Lamborghinis,however, have not been found.They were last spotted headingeast on Route 20.

Thieves Drive OffWith Two SUVLamborghinis

With Michigan beginning itsfirst year as a legalized recre-ational marijuana state, AAA israising important traffic safetyconcerns for state motoristsbased on recent research con-cerning fatal crashes from theAAA Foundation for Traffic Safe-ty, said Howard Hughey,spokesman, AAA-The Auto ClubGroup.According to the research, the

share of drivers who, after a fatalcrash, tested positive for activeTHC – the drug’s main psychoac-tive ingredient – has doubledsince the state of Washington le-galized marijuana in December2012. Including Michigan andWashington, recreational mari-juana use is now legal in 11states and Washington, D.C. andanother 22 states have legalizedmarijuana for medical use.The latest AAA Foundation re-

search found that between 2008and 2012 – the five-year periodbefore the drug was legal – an es-timated 8.8 percent of Washing-ton drivers involved in fatalcrashes were positive for THC.That rate rose to 18 percent be-tween 2013 and 2017.The average number of THC-

positive drivers increased, too.In the five years before legaliza-tion, an average of 56 drivers in-volved in fatal crashes each yearwere THC-positive. In the fiveyears after legalization, the aver-age jumped to 130. The new num-bers bolster the findings of a sim-ilar report the AAA Foundationreleased in 2016. The study didnot attempt to determine if mari-juana contributed to the crashesincluded in its latest research. Itfocused only on the prevalenceof drivers who tested positive foractive THC.“This study enabled us to re-

view a full 10-years’ worth of da-ta about the potential impact ofmarijuana on driving safety – andit raises significant concerns,”said Dr. David Yang, executive di-rector of the AAA Foundation forTraffic Safety. “Results from theanalysis suggest that legalizationof recreational use of marijuanamay increase the rate of THC-positive drivers involved in fatalcrashes.”

Marijuana use can inhibit con-centration, slow reaction timesand cloud judgment, Yang said.Its effects vary by individual, buta number of studies have con-cluded that marijuana use im-pairs the ability to drive safely.Previous research suggests thatusers who drive high are up totwice as likely to be involved in acrash.Eleven states and Washington,

D.C. have legalized marijuana forboth recreational and medicaluse. Another 22 states have legal-ized it for medical use only. Statelegislative sessions for 2020 aregetting underway and recreation-al use is expected to be a popu-lar topic, Hughey said. The leg-islative interest combined withlikely November ballot measurescould result in additional statestaking a hard look the issue.In an attempt to curtail drug-

impaired driving, seven stateshave set legal non-zero, or “perse,” limits on the amount of THCdrivers can have in their system,Yng said. While well-intended,AAA believes imposing such lim-its is problematic because no da-ta reliably shows what level ofTHC impairs driving, the chemi-cal’s effects vary by user, andTHC testing often cannot bedone until hours after a crash.AAA believes that states that

have legalized the drug shouldnot rely solely on an arbitrary le-gal limit to determine if a driveris impaired.They should adopt a two-

pronged approach that requiresa positive test for recent mari-juana use; behavioral and physi-ological evidence of driver im-pairment; regardless of thedrug’s legal status – and limits inany state – all motorists need toavoid driving while impaired.“Simply put, if you’ve used

marijuana, don’t drive,” said JakeNelson, AAA’s director of trafficsafety advocacy and research.“And if you plan to drive, don’tuse marijuana.”Last year, a Foundation survey

found that nearly 70 percent ofAmericans think it’s unlikely adriver will get caught by policefor driving shortly after usingmarijuana, Hughey said.

AAA – Pot Impairs Driving

PAGE 10 FEBRUARY 24, 2020DETROIT AUTO SCENE - TECH CENTER NEWS

Oscar-winning actress King was made part Cadillac’s ad campaign that was kicked off at this year’s Oscars.

Cadillac says “Hooray for Hol-lywood.”It was the allure of Hollywood

and its stars that prompted theCadillac brand to use the 2020Academy Awards to help intro-duce the 2021 Escalade to theworld.Oscar-winning actress and ac-

claimed director Regina Kingshowed Cadillac’s new “MakeYour Way” ad campaign duringABC’s presentation of the 92ndOscars on Feb. 9, said Cadillacspokeswoman Katine Minter.King spoke of the “Make YourWay” story of success achievedthrough boundary-pushingstrength and determination in aspecial spot with the all-new2021 Cadillac Escalade, whichhad been introduced Feb. 4 inHollywood.“Cadillac has always represent-

ed success,” said King. “ . . .

there’s a swagger, a sexiness, tothe vehicles. There’s also a real-ness and a sense of ambition thatI identify with.“Through sheer perseverance,

I have found my way throughdoors some never thought possi-ble.“There’s a real connection for

me with Cadillac, and that is whyI wanted to get involved.”Two additional Cadillac spots -

- “No Barriers” and “Finish Line” -- aired during the Oscars broad-cast, said Minter, each highlight-ing Cadillac’s new vehicle lineup,while celebrating the grit ofthose who make their own wayto success.“Cadillac is inspired by those

who have a passion for what’snext,” said Melissa Grady, Cadil-lac chief marketing officer.“They make their way by going

through obstacles, not around

them. Such unwavering self-de-termination pushes them to suc-ceed and inspires others to dothe same. That’s the heart of‘Make Your Way’ and the soul ofCadillac.”Cadillac has been part of the

Academy Awards and its celebra-tion of hard work and creativityfor seven years, using the cere-mony’s broadcast -- which is sec-ond only to the Super Bowl inglobal viewership -- to launchnew products and brand cam-paigns, Minter said.The 2021 Escalade highlighted

in Regina King’s spot is a re-designed edition of the luxurySUV icon, ssid Minter.It offers more passenger and

cargo space, along with the first-of-its-kind curved OLED screentechnology, with more than 38 to-tal inches-diagonal of vibrant dis-plays.

Cadillac Ads Using Some Hollywood Glamor

by YURI KAGEYAMAAP Business Writer

TOKYO (AP) – Nissan, reelingfrom a scandal over its formersuperstar executive CarlosGhosn, sank into red ink in thelatest quarter as its vehicle salesfell around the world, and theJapanese automaker slashed itsprofit forecast for the year.Nissan Motor Co. reported

Feb. 13 a loss of 26 billion yen($237 million) for October-De-cember, a reversal from the 70billion yen profit recorded a yearearlier.Quarterly sales slipped nearly

18 percent to 2.5 trillion yen ($23billion), as Nissan’s vehicle salesfell in Japan, the U.S., Europe andChina.Chief Executive Makoto Uchida

told reporters at Nissan’s Yoko-hama headquarters that a turn-around plan was in place, withdetails to be released in May.“The situation has worsened,

but there is no moment to wasteas we must keep investing in fu-ture products,” he said. “We areheaded in the right direction, butit will take time.”He acknowledged Feb. 13’s re-

sults didn’t take into accountpossible damage from produc-tion halts in China caused by thenew virus outbreak, and furtherdownward revisions may becoming.Nissan’s plants in China have

halted, although preparationsare underway to resume produc-tion later in the month. Butwhether such restarts can hap-pen remains uncertain, not justfor Nissan but also other manu-facturers in China.Some production was being

scaled back at Nissan’s Japanplants, although that was to bemade up when the supply chainrecovers, possibly next month,according to Nissan.Nissan slashed its profit fore-

cast for the fiscal year throughMarch 2020, to 65 billion yen($592 million), falling far short ofits earlier forecast for a 110 bil-lion yen ($1 billion) profit.It now expects to sell 5.05 mil-

lion vehicles globally for the fis-cal year, a decrease of 4 percentfrom the previous forecast.Shareholders will get zero yen

in dividends for the latest quarter.Nissan’s brand has been badly

tarnished by Ghosn’s arrest inlate 2018 on charges of under-re-porting future compensation andof breach of trust in divertingcompany money for personalgain.Ghosn, who has repeatedly

said he is innocent, skipped baillate last year and is now inLebanon. He held a news confer-ence and accused Nissan officialsof a conspiracy against him.He has said Nissan and some

Japanese government officialssought to block his attempts torealize a fuller merger with al-liance partner Renault SA ofFrance.Nissan has sought to distance

itself from the allegations againstGhosn. It filed a civil suit thisweek against him seeking dam-ages. His lawyers have not yetcommented on the suit.In it, Nissan is accusing Ghosn

of improperly using Nissan mon-ey for such things as overseashomes, use of corporate jets andconsulting fees paid to Ghosn’ssister.Nissan as a company must also

stand trial in the criminal case inJapan.Japan does not have an extra-

dition treaty with Lebanon andso Ghosn’s trial likely won’t goforward here.Greg Kelly, an American former

executive at Nissan who was im-plicated in the charges againstGhosn, will stand trial.A date for the trial has not

been set.

Ghosn has said he fled be-cause he could not get a fair trial.The conviction rate in Japan ishigher than 99 percent.Uchida took over the helm of

the manufacturer of the Leafelectric car, Infiniti luxury mod-els and the X-Trail SUV in Decem-ber, replacing Ghosn’s successor,Hiroto Saikawa.Saikawa tendered his resigna-

tion last year after acknowledg-ing dubious income, although hesaid he did not know about thepay until later.

Nissan’s Troubles Continue in Year 2020

BEIJING (AP) – China’s biannu-al auto show, one of the indus-try’s biggest internationalevents, is being postponed in re-sponse to the continuing spreadof a new virus.The organizers of Auto China

2020 said in a statement datedFeb. 17 that the sprawling eventoriginally scheduled for April 21-30 in Beijing would be moved toan undetermined date. The AutoChina show has taken on in-creasingly heft as global manu-facturers seek to grow their salesin China’s massive, but recentlyslowing, market for cars, trucks,vans and luxury vehicles.That makes it the latest major

event in China and other nationsto be canceled or postponedout of virus fears, includingthe Shanghai Forumula 1 GrandPrix, other sports events, amajor art festival in Hong Kongand a key telecoms conferencein Spain.China is also considering

whether to postpone the meet-ing in March of its ceremonialparliament, the most importantpolitical event of the year for theCommunist government.

China’s BiggestAuto ShowPostponed

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP)– A former salesman at a FloridaPorsche dealership has beensentenced to 6 1/2 years inprison for scamming more than30 customers out of about $3 mil-lion by creating fake sales ordersfor rare cars.U.S. District Judge Rodney

Smith sentenced Shiraaz Sookral-li, 45, in Fort Lauderdale federalcourt last week, according torecords. He pleaded guilty inSeptember to conspiracy to com-mit mail fraud and wire fraud. Hehad faced up to 20 years inprison.Sookralli, who had been a

salesman at Champion Porschein Pompano Beach, created ashell corporation with a similarname in 2017, prosecutors said.Sookralli made bogus sales or-ders for non-existent future exot-ic Porsche models and took de-

posits from customers, which heput into the shell company’sbank account.The majority of the vehicles

were rare, highly sought-after,Carrera 911 models, investiga-tors said. Sookralli required de-posits from his victims that helater deposited into his shellcompany’s bank account. Thebuyers relied on Sookralli’s long-time employment at ChampionPorsche and the seemingly legiti-mate bank account that he used.Sookralli spent the money on lux-ury vehicles, jewelry, nightclubsand restaurants.Champion Porsche did not au-

thorize Sookralli to conductthese transactions.When the dealership discov-

ered what Sookralli was doing, itcontacted his victims and begancooperating with law enforce-ment.

Car Seller Going to Prison

FEBRUARY 24, 2020 PAGE 11DETROIT AUTO SCENE - TECH CENTER NEWS

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PAGE 12 FEBRUARY 24, 2020DETROIT AUTO SCENE - TECH CENTER NEWS

Detroit is the Motor City andit’s rich history is being celebrat-ed and honored by the organiza-tion MotorCities.In addition to supporting the

Motor City’s heritage, the groupis offering three great opportu-nities to hear from subjectmatter experts, get practicaladvice and network with othernonprofit professionals as partof its 2020 Lunch & Learn Series,said MotorCities spokesmanBob Sadler.The first session is called

“Nonprofit Social Media Strate-gies” and takes place on Wednes-day, March 11 from 11 a.m. - 2p.m. at GM Factory One, 303 WWater St. in Flint. You can pickup valuable pointers from thegroup’s panel, featuring:• Promoting Events and At-tractions – Colleen Robar,Principal, Robar Public Rela-tions;

• Updating CommunicationsStrategies – Emily Wiegand,Communications Specialist,Gilmore Car Museum;

• Promotional OpportunitiesAvailable Through MotorCi-ties – Bob Sadler, Com-muncations Manager, Mo-torCities National HeritageArea.

The second session is entitled“Financial Basics and Grant Op-portunities for Your Organiza-tion” and takes place Wednes-day, June 10 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.at the Michigan Firehouse Muse-um, 100 W Cross St. in Ypsilanti.Help your organization’s bottomline with assistance from thepanel, including:• Financial Basics for Nonprof-its – Ramona Oliverio, Ac-counting Services;

• Grant Writing Tips & GrantOpportunities from theMichigan Council for Arts &Cultural Affairs – Jeff Gar-rett, Operational SupportProgram Manager, MCACA;

• MotorCities Grant Proce-dures Update – Brian Yopp,Director of Programs & Op-erations, MotorCities Na-tional Heritage Area.

The final session is called “Pre-serving Your Collections andSurviving Disasters” and takesplace Wednesday, Oct. 14 from11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the BensonFord Research Center, part ofThe Henry Ford in Dearborn.Each Lunch & Learn session is

$20, or you can register for allthree in advance at a cost of $50.Lunch is included, so please in-form us of any dietary or mobili-ty restrictions at the time of yourregistration.Reserve your spot by clicking

on motorcities.org/2020-lunch-learn-series.

Detroit GroupHonors Area’sAuto History

MORIARTY, N.M. (AP) – ThreeNew Mexico school districts willbe rolling out the state's firstpropane-fueled buses for the up-coming school year.Districts that serve schools in

Los Lunas, Magdalena and theMoriarty area have purchasedpropane buses as part of a part-nership with the state Public Ed-ucation Department.Officials say the 17 new buses

will help cut costs since propaneprices average 50 percent lessthan diesel and maintenancecosts are expected to be less.Manufactured by Georgia-basedBlue Bird Corp., the buses alsoemit less pollution.Teresa Salazar, the superin-

tendent of the Moriarty-Edge-wood School District, said thedistrict has had to dip into oper-ational funds to supplementtransportation costs over thelast several years.

Schools UsingPropane Buses