AD #2296 – Ford Fires Head of North America, PSA & Qualcomm to Test C-V2X, Hyundai Introduces the All-New Santa Fe
February 22nd, 2018 at 11:35am
Runtime: 7:50
0:30 Ford Fires Raj Nair for “Inappropriate Behavior”
1:14 PSA & Qualcomm Team to Test C-V2X
2:55 All-New Hyundai Santa Fe
4:13 Volvo Reveals New V60 Wagon
5:32 Ram Says Truck Buyers Will Like Giant Screen
Visit our sponsors to thank them for their support of Autoline Daily: Bridgestone , Dow Automotive Systems and Lear Corporation.
On today’s show… Ford fired its President of North America, Raj Nair over inappropriate behavior… PSA and Qualcomm team up to test vehicle-to-vehicle technology… and Hyundai unveiled the all-new Santa Fe. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.
This is Autoline Daily the voice of the global automotive industry.
FORD FIRES PRES. OF NORTH AMERICA
In a shocking development Ford fired the president of its North American operations, Raj Nair, for inappropriate behavior. When he was the head of product development, Nair played a critical role in converting the F-150 pickup to aluminum, and in the development of the GT sports car. He appeared on Autoline several times and we are stunned, saddened and angry at the news. In an unusual move Ford included a statement from Nair in its press release. “I sincerely regret that there have been instances where I have not exhibited leadership behaviors consistent with the principles that the Company and I have always espoused.”
PSA & QUALCOMM TEST C-V2X
When it comes to V2V, or vehicle to vehicle communication, there’s a debate on which technology to use: DSRC or 5G LTE? DSRC stands for Dedicated Short Range Communication and uses part of the 5.9 GHz band. 5G LTE is the upcoming standard that will be used for mobile phones. The United States prefers DSRC because it’s pretty much ready to go right now. But some in the tech world, and China in particular, argue that 5G LTE is a better way to develop V2V but it’s not yet ready. Last year, the tech company Qualcomm developed a chip set called Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything or C-V2X for short, that can accommodate either technology. And now the company, along with PSA, the parent company of Peugeot, Citroen and Opel, is getting set to demonstrate C-V2X at an event next month in France. They will show how vehicles can seamlessly communicate with one another to alert each other of potential roadside hazards, such as slow moving or disabled cars. The companies are aiming to have the technology ready for commercial deployment by 2020.
Still to come… Hyundai takes the wraps off the new Santa Fe and Volvo reveals the new V60 wagon.
HYUNDAI REVEALS NEW SANTA FE
The Santa Fe is the best-selling SUV in the U.S. for Hyundai and it’s introducing an all-new model. It’s styling is a nice evolution from the previous model with the automaker’s new signature grille. But you’ll also notice a slightly more aggressive look with the thin LED Daytime Running Lights positioned high on the front fascia and a wider, more planted look at the rear. A 7-inch infotainment screen, which now sits free floating high on the dash, comes standard and is also separated from the HVAC controls. Three engine options are available; a 2.4L 4-cylinder, a 230-horsepower 2.0L turbo 4 or a 2.2L diesel that makes 200-horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque. All engines are mated to an all-new 8-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai has also changed the naming structure around a little bit. The five-passenger Santa Fe Sport will now be called Santa Fe. The current long wheelbase three-row, seven-passenger model will be renamed Santa Fe XL. And an all-new three-row, eight-passenger SUV is currently under development with an all-new name. The new Santa Fe goes on sale in the U.S. this summer.
VOLVO INTRODUCES NEW V60 WAGON
There’s few that can style a station wagon as well as Volvo and the automaker is introducing the all-new V60. You’ll notice a lot of styling cues that tie it to the rest of the lineup, including a strong resemblance to its larger sibling, the V90. But it also has a bit more of a sporty look up front and a slightly higher kick up by the side rear window. Interior styling is practically the same as the recently released XC60, with which is shares a platform. Depending on the region, customers will have a choice of a range on diesel and gasoline engines as well as two all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid options; a T6 model that produces a combined 340-horsepower or the T8 that makes a total of 390-horsepower. No word yet on when the wagon will launch.
Coming up next, why Ram believes truck buyers will embrace the truck’s new giant 12-inch touchscreen.
RAM SAYS BIGGER IS BETTER
Besides its front-end, one of the most noticeable features on the new Ram 1500, is its giant Tesla-like, 12-inch display screen. But is that something truck buyers are really interested in? On Autoline This Week, Ryan Nagode, the Chief of Interior Design at Ram, explained why the screen will appeal to truck buyers.
(Clip from ATW #2207 can only be viewed in the video version of today’s show.)
For a deeper dive into the all-new Ram 1500, you can watch that entire discussion right now on Autoline.tv or you can find it on our YouTube channel.
And you won’t want to miss Autoline After Hours this afternoon. John and Gary will be talking about the new Nissan Leaf, because our special guest is Christopher Reed, the engineer of the EV. So if you have any questions about the Leaf, send them our way to viewermail@autoline.tv.
But that’s it for today, thanks for watching and please join us again tomorrow.
Thanks to our partner for embedding Autoline Daily on its website: WardsAuto.com
Share
Permalink
Comments (22)
February 22nd, 2018 at 12:16 pm
I like the new Hyundai front end but I’m skeptical of those headlights.
Sean- have you heard if any of the V2V tech will work on motorcycles?
February 22nd, 2018 at 12:27 pm
Greetings!
I enjoyed your show.
Good to see Ford is holding their employees to a high standard.
In your segment in re: to the Hyundai Santa Fe, the right rear side view showed a pretty significant color match disparity from the right rear door to the r quarter.
Have you found this to be a problem? I thought they would’ve provided “perfect” paint work or was it “the light” and the angle? In my experience, this and other quality of manufacture problems are more or less moot, but I guess that’s why they have a 100,000 mile all inclusive guarantee.
Keep up the good work!
February 22nd, 2018 at 12:29 pm
You could probably put a half dozen different badges on the Hyundai and you wouldn’t know the difference; they all are similar (and some almost indistinguishable from each other). This is not a barb against the Sante Fe, it is more an indictment of a lot of the current models out there.
February 22nd, 2018 at 12:34 pm
Speaking as a ‘truck guy’,a 12″ display IS NOT what I want,or need. The ‘old’ 8.4″ display is plenty big enough,imho.
February 22nd, 2018 at 12:39 pm
bigger isn’t always better
February 22nd, 2018 at 1:08 pm
The new Santa Fe, no V6? Who needs it. Forcing 4 cyl engines only pushes a section of the market to other brands. I’m sure the other brands love this strategy. It is good to see Ford taking action with even the upper, top management when bad behavior happens.
February 22nd, 2018 at 1:12 pm
#3 could not agree more. Mix of Mazda, Toyota, Lexus, Infiniti. One thing it and many new vehicles don’t bring is an authentic design. And many that do, are just plain ugly.
February 22nd, 2018 at 1:46 pm
So will V2V be free to use the band width to have cars talking of will there be a fee owners have to cough up. If you live or travel in bigger cities, I can see this being somewhat useful, but if you’re in a sparsely populated area, would it be any use to you?
I wonder what the real story is with Raj Nair? He’s launched some really great products for Ford. Must have been pretty major to cut him loose.
The touchscreens that are merely hung on and not integrated into the IP design make the interior look cheap. I would think the long term durability of these big touch screens would suffer over time. An auto is not a normal enviornment. Nearly every component is subject to temperature ranges between -20 deg f to well over 125 deg f, conditions electronics don’t like.
February 22nd, 2018 at 2:03 pm
The design of the Santa Fe is both bold and sculpted, but not in a trendy way that will date immediately. The pod mounted infotainment screen isn’t a favorite, when I see these in mass market cars, I can’t help but seeing it as “me too” in an attempt to replicate design queues from M-B and BMW. The problem is those luxury brands only put these systems mounted on the dash in such a way on their cheapest cars. They always look like and afterthought, and suffer from glare issues in actual use, so it’s a fail on function AND form.
February 22nd, 2018 at 2:05 pm
@buzzerd – Continental has demonstrated rider assist features for motorcycles: https://www.continental-corporation.com/en/press/press-releases/continental-advanced-rider-assistance-systems-102330
And BMW, Honda and Yamaha formed the Connected Motorcycle Consortium to make intelligent systems for motorcycles. BMW also showed a prototype with V2V capability: https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/global/article/detail/T0274952EN/bmw-motorrad-presents-the-r-1200-rs-connectedride
February 22nd, 2018 at 2:59 pm
Autoline Team: just read on Bloomberg that “Genesis bumps Audi and beats BMW as top-rated auto brand for 2018″. Does any of you understand what that means?
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-22/korean-cars-pull-ahead-of-german-brands-consumer-reports-says
February 22nd, 2018 at 3:35 pm
11 I’m not surprised.
I was surprised, though, at how much I liked a friend’s “base” G80. It’s quiet, comfortable, has all of the latest “safety” gadgets, has simple, intuitive controls, and cost about $44K. You’d spend another $15-20K to get an E Class similarly equipped, and even then, you wouldn’t be able to get a non-turbo engine, which some people still want.
February 22nd, 2018 at 3:55 pm
12 I see. The Genesis seem like great products, although I have never seen one up close. The article seems to suggest that the broader public rates them higher than brands which have been working on their brands for decades. Thought it is remarkable, so I thought I ask.
February 22nd, 2018 at 4:18 pm
#11
Even though Bloomberg wrote the article, it took the data from “Consumer’s Reports”, and while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, there are many who say that CR sampling is not substantial enough to reflect an absolute result. Read it as another opinion.
February 22nd, 2018 at 4:31 pm
CR requires bigger samples than they once did, before they publish data for a car model. I think it’s 100 cars. I agree, though, that it’s “another opinion,” but probably the best available, for “overall goodness.” People looking for reviews from an enthusiast perspective should probably look elsewhere.
February 22nd, 2018 at 5:56 pm
If you’re looking for an appliance, or cut rate luxury, then buy a K900 (what a clueless, cut-rate name for a luxury car) or Genesis/Equus. The long-tem results are also importance for a luxury vehicle and the jury is still out for the Korean brands. In addition, the dealership/buying experience lags far behind M-B, BMW, Cadillac, Lexus, and Acura. I have seen many Buick dealers which outclass Hyundai/Kia.
February 22nd, 2018 at 6:17 pm
#16 My last trip into a Hyundai/Genesis dealer reminded me of a visit to Dodge dealer from the 90′s. And yes long term information on their quality and value is not available.
February 22nd, 2018 at 6:59 pm
16, 17 Yep, for now, many Genesis dealers are combined with Hyundai, but that is changing. We shall see, but I suspect that, within two or three years, Genesis dealers will rival Lexus in customer service. As far as reliabity, I’d expect fewer problems with a Hyundai/Genesis, than with an M-B.
February 22nd, 2018 at 8:21 pm
The large touch screen may not look so good in the Ram if the owner is a cement finisher, carpenter , painter, mechanic or many other trades.
February 22nd, 2018 at 8:27 pm
Most pickup drivers buy them to drive to work and go grocery shopping. Those people may like the big screen.
February 23rd, 2018 at 8:19 am
I do like that the XL screen flows and looks integrated in the RAM, unlike those smaller screens discussed above. Does anyone know if it has a normal monitor screen or something more resilient like gorilla glass that can take a little dirt and be wiped clean?
Hyundai’s downfall has always been the abysmal customer service and very few locations. The vehicles are great if you can put up with the poor dealership experience. I doubt that would fly though as a stand-alone luxury Genesis dealership.
February 23rd, 2018 at 9:43 am
The firing of Raj Nair is surprising and yet in some ways not. During my time at Ford MoCo I did see a very aggressive effort to make sure that its employees behave and operate in an appropriate and ethical manner at all times so for that reason I’m not surprised. What was surprising is as most people just assume the top guys are typically held to a different standard. Hopefully this is a sign that those days are gone. I wonder if his replacement will be a female.