• Mon, December 9, 2024

by: ABC

How the pandemic brought out the off-road 'animal spirits' in drivers

"You can go out in the middle of nowhere and run around and go over boulders and enjoy the uncontaminated wilderness," Howard Sig, head of auctions at Bring a Trailer, told ABC News. "COVID brought out these animal spirits. Off-roading turned into a longer-term hobby and interest for some people."

by: Reuters

Stellantis' former head of Ram returns to run the brand

Stellantis' former head of Ram is returning to the company just months after announcing his retirement, as the automaker seeks to strengthen its leadership team following the unexpected resignation of CEO Carlos Tavares.

by: Wall Street Journal

Auto & Transport Roundup: Market Talk

Read about Porsche SE, Rheinmetall, European defense companies and more in the latest Market Talks covering the Auto and Transport sector.

by: Middle East Institute

Renewable Energy and Morocco's New Green Industries Can Expand Women and Youth Employment through Sustainable Development

Morocco is a regional leader in renewable energy development. The country's success stems from its multi-faceted green energy ecosystem that is giving rise to international renewable energy export supply chains based on production of green hydrogen,

by: The Canary

Car manufacturers are NOT committed to tackling the climate crisis - despite the EV bluster

Research shows most global car manufacturers are not financially committed to investing in electrification and low-carbon business models

by: Ars Technica

EV charging infrastructure isn't just for road trippers

The good news is that charging infrastructure really is growing. It doesn't always feel that way—the $7.5 billion allocated under the Inflation Reduction Act for charging infrastructure has to be disbursed via state departments of transportation,

by: D'MARGE

Elon Musk's IQ Rivals Einstein's, But His Brilliant Mind Comes With a Dark Side

Musk's influence on the automotive world is equally immense. Leading Tesla to prominence in the electric vehicle market, it is now the most innovative brand in the world, with models such as the Model S, Model 3, and the futuristic Cybertruck, which have taken the world by storm.
  • Tue, December 10, 2024

by: Gulf News

Automechanika Dubai 2024 kicks off at DWTC with record breaking exhibitors

Automechanika Dubai, the largest automotive aftermarket trade exhibition in the Middle East, starts today at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). Now in its 21st edition, the event boasts record exhibitor numbers and runs until December 12, welcoming 56,000 visitors over three days.

by: Seeking Alpha

Auto 2025: These stocks may outperform despite industry speed bumps

Morgan Stanley's 2025 preview of the automobile sector highlights potential stock picks and market trends amidst EV policies, tariffs, and inflation.

by: MSN

The Best Car Anti-theft Devices of 2024

We've installed steering wheel locks, gps trackers, and remote battery kill switches to find the best ways to protect your car. The post The Best Car Anti-theft Devices of 2024 appeared first on GearJunkie.

by: TechCrunch

San Francisco is the most prepared city for new transportation tech

San Francisco is the most prepared city for new transportation technologies like AI, autonomous vehicles, and air taxis, according to an new urban

by: Forbes

Rare Earth Ban Fuels Doubt About The Viability Of The US Auto Industry

The transition to electric vehicles will happen far faster than is commonly understood. The Chinese bans on rare earth adds headwinds for US EV manufacturers.

by: JD Supra

Road Notes - Takeaways from Used Car Week 2024

Used Car Week recently took place in Scottsdale, Arizona. This multi-track conference highlights trends in the automotive

by: Electronic Design

High-Precision Current Sensors Target Automotive, Industrial Busbars

Molex's packaging design, which minimizes size and weight, make the sensors well-suited for plug-and-play applications.

by: Slate

Giant Cars Are Going Global

A number of factors can explain why car bloat emerged first in the U.S. One is wealth: Bigger cars are more expensive to purchase and fuel, and comparatively affluent Americans could better afford them.

by: The New York Times

G.M. Will Stop Developing Self-Driving Taxis

Cruise suspended a self-driving taxi service in San Francisco last year after one of its cars hit and dragged a pedestrian, causing severe injuries. In July, G.M. said Cruise would restart testing of self-driving cars with humans behind the wheel.

by: Crain's Detroit

Cruise dropping robotaxi effort as GM shifts focus to driver-assist tech

General Motors' Cruise unit is abandoning its effort to develop robotaxis, and the automaker instead will use the self-driving technology unit to work on advanced driver-assistance features that eventually may lead to fully autonomous personal vehicles.

by: USA Today

GM dumps Cruise robotaxi plans; shifts autonomy work to personal cars

GM said it sees a better business case in developing autonomous technology for personal cars rather than to develop robotaxis for Cruise.

by: Yahoo Finance

Super Dispatch Names Matt Bradley as CEO to Lead the Next Phase of Transformation for Auto Transport Platform

Super Dispatch, the industry-leading automotive transportation management platform, today announces the appointment of Matt Bradley as chief executive officer (CEO). Taking the helm from former CEO Bek Abdullayev who founded the company and will now be the executive chairman of the board of directors,

by: Reuters

AutoZone misses first-quarter profit, revenue estimates

Automotive parts retailer AutoZone missed estimates for first-quarter profit and revenue on Tuesday, hurt by higher raw material prices and a stronger dollar.

by: Bloomberg L.P.

A Boom in Earnings for Car-Carrying Ships Is Starting to Fade

Since the pandemic, earnings for ships that move cars across the oceans have soared to record levels, fueled by booming global trade in vehicles. The rally is starting to fade.

by: WPRI 12

Satellite offers potential clues about what went wrong with the Washington Bridge

Data from the European Space Agency shows unusual movement on the westbound bridge in the period before its sudden closure.

by: MSN

3M Company Rises 29.8% in 6 Months: What Should Investors Do?

M Company's MMM investors have been witnessing some short-term gains from the stock of late. The conglomerate giant's shares have gained 29.8% in the past six months, outpacing the S&P 500 composite's growth of 13.

by: Forbes

The Renewable Energy Revolution In The Automotive Industry

The Renewable Energy Revolution In The Automotive Industry. Here is a look at how renewable energy is impacting cars and here's a look at what's coming next.
  • Wed, December 11, 2024

by: CNBC

Best Auto Loans and Financing of December 2024

A car is an expensive purchase, but choosing the right lender can save you thousands of dollars in interest charges and fees. Plus, you want your car shopping experience to be easy and transparent ...

by: USA Today

MichAuto panel talks state of industry with rise of China, electric vehicles, tariffs

Panelists debated the state of the auto industry and MichAuto released a new study on Michigan's mobility industry.

by: Repairer Driven News

FCC adopts final rules for cellular-vehicle-to-everything technology

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously adopted final rules for cellular-vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology in a second report and order late last month. The C-V2X

by: Cars

10 Biggest News Stories of the Week: Mercedes-Benz GLC350e Pulls Plug on Chevrolet Traverse

by: The Independent Singapore

45% employers plan to hire more staff in Q1 2025, but 20% plan to reduce hiring efforts

The survey, which gathered responses from 525 local employers, revealed that 45% of employers plan to increase hiring during Q1, 20% expect to reduce hiring, and 34% anticipate no changes in their staffing levels.

by: Community Impact Newspaper

Northwest ISD CTE program to expand with construction, transportation academies

Northwest ISD will expand its award-winning career and technical education academies in the coming years. The district's Construction Academy will open in August 2025 followed by the Transportation, Automation & Logistics Academy's opening in 2027.

by: TopSpeed

From Fuel Economy To Longevity: Why Compact Cars And SUVs Are Making a Comeback

Rising fuel costs, urban living trends, and technological advancements have made compact cars and SUVs more appealing than ever.

by: The Verge

The end of Cruise is the beginning of a risky new phase for autonomous vehicles

Instead, Cruise never made it to the end of 2024. It all culminated in an incident on October 7th, 2023, when a Cruise vehicle in San Francisco struck and dragged a pedestrian over 20 feet, seriously injuring her. The victim was initially struck by a hit-and-run driver, which launched her into the path of the Cruise car.

by: CalMatters

Polluted communities hold their breath as companies struggle with California's diesel truck ban

California has an aggressive mandate for zero-emission trucks. But companies face big obstacles and people are still breathing dangerous exhaust.

by: Reuters

Wall Street mostly upbeat on GM's decision to pull the plug on Cruise

General Motors needed to exit its Cruise robotaxi business, most Wall Street analysts agreed on Wednesday, but the automaker's decision to do so was still a disappointing end for an operation that GM had touted as a potential $50 billion revenue generator by 2030.

by: Los Angeles Times

Why Newsom's electric vehicle mandate is in trouble

EV sales have stalled, clouding California's ambitious plans for all new cars sold in California to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035.

by: Detroit News

Top auto lobby warns states of 'unachievable' California emissions rules

The trade group is urging states to reconsider their emission commitments, while environmental groups have said the concerns are overblown.

by: Associated Press

EPA awards $135 million to California to phase out big diesel trucks

The Environmental Protection Agency is awarding $135 million in grants to fund 13 projects in California to help the state phase out big rigs that run on diesel.

by: Wall Street Journal

General Motors Scraps Cruise Robotaxi Program

Carmaker cites competition, time and costs needed to scale the business.

by: Forbes

Cybersecurity Confusion In Auto Industry: Disproving A Future Negative

There's a whole bunch of confusion about certifying a company as cybersecure, which is becoming increasing relevant to both revenues and costs for automakers.

by: Beatrice Daily Sun

Only about 2 in 10 Americans approve of Biden's pardon of his son Hunter, poll finds

About 2 in 10 Americans approve of President Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter after promising he would do no such thing, according to a poll.

by: The New Indian Express

Wide berth to protected monuments in Ahmedabad rly station redevelopment plan

We want development in line with the heritage. We have ensured there will be no construction around the prohibited area of the bricks minarets. It will be developed as a pedestrian plaza where people can come and go.

by: The Franklin News Post

FBI Director Wray says he intends to resign at end of Biden's term in January

The announcement comes a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the position.

by: Beatrice Daily Sun

House approves $895B defense bill with military pay raise, ban on transgender care for minors

The bill passed by a vote of 281-140 and next moves to the Senate, where lawmakers sought a bigger boost in defense spending.

by: Associated Press

EPA awards $144 million to California to phase out big diesel trucks

The Environmental Protection Agency is awarding $144 million in grants to fund 13 projects in California to help the state phase out big rigs that run on diesel.

by: Yahoo

US car giant axes $10bn self-driving taxi business amid safety issues

American car giant General Motors (GM) has abandoned plans for its self-driving taxi venture in the wake of a string of safety failures.

by: MSN

Here's what to know about Chick-fil-A's incoming distribution center in Kentucky

The popular chicken chain Chick-fil-A is building a distribution center in Elsmere, Kentucky, to support 150 regional restaurants.

by: MSN

The Best Socket Sets for Tested

The best socket set for your needs depends on the jobs they're intended for. See how these top-quality sets performed in different maintenance tasks.

by: MSN

The major projects Indiana is spending federal infrastructure funding on

Truck Parking Club used White House data to analyze how Indiana is spending federal infrastructure dollars to invest in its communities.

How the pandemic brought out the off-road 'animal spirits' in drivers

"You can go out in the middle of nowhere and run around and go over boulders and enjoy the uncontaminated wilderness," Howard Sig, head of auctions at Bring a Trailer, told ABC News. "COVID brought out these animal spirits. Off-roading turned into a longer-term hobby and interest for some people."

The article from ABC News discusses the surge in off-road vehicle usage during the global health crisis, highlighting how the lockdown and social distancing measures led to an increased interest in outdoor activities. This trend, dubbed the "off-road animal spirits," has seen a significant rise in sales of ATVs, UTVs, and other off-road vehicles as people sought ways to enjoy nature while adhering to safety protocols. The piece notes that companies like Polaris and Yamaha have reported record sales, with consumers not only buying these vehicles for recreation but also for utility purposes on farms and rural properties. Additionally, the article touches on the environmental and safety concerns associated with this boom, including trail overcrowding and the need for more responsible riding practices. The phenomenon reflects a broader shift towards outdoor lifestyles, with off-road vehicles becoming a symbol of freedom and escape during times of confinement.

Read the Full ABC Article at:
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/pandemic-brought-off-road-animal-spirits-drivers/story?id=116525831


Similar Automotive and Transportation Publications
Riemer discusses electrification, connectivity and autonomous driving among the topics in his trend analysis for 2025.