Volkswagen faces potential strikes in Germany over plant closures and pay raises amid its EV transition. Canada considers banning Chinese vehicle software, following US national security concerns. Rivian launches a pre-owned program to boost accessibility and residual values. Hyundai and Kia partner with Samsung to enhance vehicle-smartphone integration with new software by 2026. Honda unveils its most capable Passport Trail Sport SUV, while Uber expands EV and autonomous vehicle partnerships globally. Innovative designs from Chinese automakers and a new modular commercial vehicle architecture from Israeli company Oree highlight industry creativity and evolving manufacturing approaches.
Topics:volkswagen strikeschina software banrivian pre owned programhyundai kia samsung partnershiphonda passport trail sportuber ev and av partnershipsgullwing door designchinese automotive innovationoree modular commercial vehicles
- Volkswagen Threatened with Strikes in Germany - Canada “Absolutely” Considering China Software Ban - Rivian Launches Pre-Owned Program - Hyundai/Kia Partner with Samsung - Honda Teases New Passport’s Off-Road Capability - Uber and WeRide To Offer Robotaxi Rides in the UAE - SGMW Unveils Gull-Wing Concept Car - Luxeed’s Knock-Knock, Who’s There? - REE Auto Signs Production Deal with Roush
"...e're starting to see its progression with the new Passport Trail Sport, which will go on sale in the US earl..."
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Speaker 1: This is Outderline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry. Volkswagen's negotiations with German union ig
Mattal are not off to a good start. The union
threatened to strike the automaker over its plans to potentially close plants in Germany, which would be a first in VW's history. Ig Mattal says the strikes could start at
the beginning of December and that it wants a seven percent pay raise for workers. VW says it needs to
lay off workers because sales haven't recovered from the COVID pandemic, and that it needs to cut costs to remain competitive in its push to evs. Yesterday, VW CEO Oliver Bloomer
said he expects significant concessions from unions, but with ig Mattal digging in its heels and not wanting to compromise, we think strikes are on the way. Earlier this week,
the US government proposed rules to prohibit the import of hardware or software from China for connected and autonomous vehicles, and now Canada could follow suit. The country's finance minister
said Canada is quote absolutely considering banning Chinese made software for vehicles. The US claims the hardware and software pose
a national security threat because it could allow China to access and collect sensitive data and quote remotely manipulate cars on American roads. The US proposal would ban software from
China in twenty twenty seven and hardware in twenty thirty to give automakers time to find other suppliers, and the rule would apply to all vehicles used on public roads, with an exception for farming and mining vehicles. Rivian is
launching a pre owned program for its R one truck and suv. The company says this will expand ownership and
quote make owning a Rivian accessible to more people. It
began listing used vehicles on its website earlier this month.
For example, an R one t with quad motors, a large battery pack, and with around sixteen five hundred miles is listed for just over sixty two thousand dollars, not including shipping. A new one starts at eighty seven thousand.
Rivian will also offer financing for its used vehicles, and this is an important step for Rivian. It will give
current customers a place to sell their vehicles while also helping to improve residual values. Hyundai and Kia plan to
unveil their first software to find Vehicles or sdvs in twenty twenty six, which will include their next gen infotainment system as well. In an effort to enhance the integration
between sdvs and smartphones and also increase the connectivity of their infotainment system, Hyundai and Kia are forming a new partnership with Samsung. Customers will be able to do things
like global vehicle location and track, get services related to health and pet care, vehicle interiors, and more third party apps.
Better and more seamless integration between vehicles and smartphones is a growing consideration for car buyers, especially in China.
Speaker 2: So when we did our research for the talent that we need for this program, Michigan was really the top of the list. In order to be successful in this space,
you really have to have the right people, the right mindsets, the right environment.
Speaker 1: About three years ago, Honda debuted a new off road focused trim line called Trail Sport, which mostly started off as cosmetic upgrades, but it said that capability would grow over time, and I think we're starting to see its progression with the new Passport Trail Sport, which will go on sale in the US early next year. It features
a three and a half liter V six that's made into a ten speed automatic transmission and Honda's second gen all wheel drive system with torque vectory and we bet there's even more upgrades based on what it's able to do in this teaser video. In fact, the company says
the new Passport Trail Sport is the most capable Honda Suv ever. Uber partnered with BYD to bring evs to
its fleets in the Middle East, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
It's working with GM's Autonomous Unit Crews to launch av's in the US, and now Uber is joining forces with China's we Ride to offer robotaxis in the United Arab Emirates or the UAE. They say they'll use we Rides
autonomous vehicles, and we Ride already operates in the UAE with GAC SUVs, Nissan Sedan's and shuttles from a Chinese company called Utong. It sounds like they plan to expand
outside of the area, but Uber and we Ride say they will not go to the US or China. Gullwing
doors at a sense of drama to any car design, which is why so many concepts use them. But gullwing
doors rarely make it into production because they bring a lot of baggage. They require more structure in the roof
because that's where the hinges are, which adds mass and raises the center of gravity. They're also more prone to
wind noise in water leaks, but they sure do look good and provide great access, which is why they're featured on a concept car from SEICGM Wooling called the Light of Agon, which refers to the group of countries in Southeast Asia. The car, classified as a new energy vehicle,
features dramatic angular and aerodynamic styling on the outside, while inside, the curved rear seat looks like a small sofa. SEICGM
Wooling want to increase its presence in the Agon markets, and dramatic concept cars are always a good way to generate attention. Automakers in China are experimenting with a lot
of new ideas to entice customers to buy their cars.
They have center screens that rotate from landscape to portrait mode, screens that slide from the center of the dashboard all the way over to the passenger sides, or avatars on top of the dashboard that talk to drivers using Jenai.
But here's a much simpler feature that caught our attention. Luxeed,
which is a joint venture between Cherry and Huawei, came out with an electric crossover called the R seven. It
has a fifty two liters front which is about one point eight cubic feet, and the way you open that fronk is by knocking on the hood twice, just like you'd knock on someone's house door. Our Ee Auto is
the name of an Israeli company that's come up with an intriguing design for a commercial vehicle. It uses a
skateboard architecture with corner modules bolted on that incorporate the steering suspension breaks an electric motors. It's a really revolutionary
way of building vehicles that gives designers a lot more freedom and flexibility for packaging. Oree builds the corner modules
at a facility in Coventry, England. And now we're going
to get a chance to see if this design catches on because Oree just signed a deal with Rausch Industries to start building trucks at one of Rausch's plants in the Detroit area. If the demand is there, that facility
could build five thousand of Orees trucks a year and production will start sometime in the fourth quarter of this year.
That brings us to the end of today's show.
Speaker 3: Thanks for tuning in.
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