This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.
GM HIRES FORMER NHTSA ADMINISTRATOR
General Motors hired former NHTSA administrator David Strickland as its Vice President of Global Regulatory Affairs. Strickland served as NHTSA administrator from 2010 to 2014 during the Obama Administration. Obviously David Strickland knows a ton about transportation policy. Even so, this will undoubtedly cause critics to protest that it’s just another example of the revolving door of corporations hiring the officials who used to regulate them. But it’s important to note that Strickland last served in that position 7 years ago.
GM INVESTS IN CHINESE AV STARTUP
In other GM news, it’s investing $300 million in a self-driving startup from China called Momenta. Even though GM has its own AV efforts going with GM Cruise, China is very leery about foreign companies mapping roads and is deeply concerned about where they will store customer data. So if you want to do AVs in China, you have to do it with Chinese companies.
VOLVO DROPPING LEATHER FROM EV INTERIORS
Don’t you just love the smell of a leather interior in a car? Well if you don’t, most people do. And automakers use it to give an interior a more premium feel. But Volvo is turning its back to leather. It announced all of its new electric vehicles, starting with the C40 Recharge, will be leather free. Volvo says it’s taking an ethical stand for animal welfare, and because of the negative environmental impacts of cattle farming, like deforestation. It’s developing new luxury materials that are sustainable, like Nordico, which is a material made from recycled plastic bottles, bio-material from sustainable forests, and corks recycled from the wine industry. By 2025, Volvo wants a quarter of the materials in its new vehicles to consist of recycled and bio-based content.
SKODA CREATES NEW SUSTAINABLE MATERIAL
And it’s not just Volvo. Skoda, which is part of the VW Group, created a new sustainable material that’s made from sugar beet pulp and is researching another material, which is made from the fibers of a reed plant. Skoda says both could be used in the interiors of future models. For example, for the door trim or decorative inlays on the dashboard. Sustainability is a real hot topic across the entire global automotive industry. No doubt we’re going to hear a lot more about this from other automakers.
MAHLE DEVELOPS PORTABLE EMISSION TESTER
Here’s a heads up for all you powertrain and calibration engineers. The EU is really tightening its standards for particulate emissions from internal combustion engines. Those are the microscopic bits of unburned hydrocarbons that can embed themselves deep in your lungs and can cause cancer. Starting in 2023, the EU mandates that automakers have to measure particulate emissions at the tailpipe with cars driving on the open road, not running on a chassis dyno in a lab. So the supplier Mahle developed a portable measuring unit that minimizes how much dirt and particulates accumulate on the sensitive measuring parts so it does not need much maintenance.
TIME ANXIETY IS THE NEW RANGE ANXIETY
Automakers believe that the cost of electric cars and range anxiety are the main reasons why the general public is not buying EVs. But the latest consumer research shows that charging speed is the Number One issue for EV intenders. 85% of the general public is more worried about how long it takes to charge an EV at a public charging station. And people are not that interested in getting a cup of coffee or doing their email while their vehicle charges. They just want to charge up and go. “Time anxiety is the new range anxiety,” is what the research says. That’s one of the things we learned at the SAE’s North American International Propulsion Conference. And that conference follows Chatham House rules, where we can freely report on what was said, but we cannot report on who said it or what company they work for. But we know who did the research and we’re going to try and get them on Autoline After Hours to talk about it.
Speaking of Autoline After Hours, we invite you to join us this afternoon, when we’ll have Angus Pacala, the CEO of a lidar startup called Ouster. Other topics we’ll be getting into include a potential battery breakthrough from a company called Lyten, Mike Manley’s Move from Stellantis to AutoNation, the latest investigations into Tesla FSD, and how the capabilities of today’s vehicles are far exceeding what anyone learned in Driver’s Training. Pete Bigelow from Automotive News will also be on the show. So join John and Gary for some of the best insights into what’s going on in the automotive industry.
ELMS GETS ORDER FOR 1,000 EV VANS
Electric Last Mile Solutions or ELMS, the commercial van startup, hit a major milestone. It got a purchase order for 1,000 vans from its distribution partner, Randy Marion Automotive Group. It started producing the electric van at its factory in Mishawaka, Indiana earlier this week and will deliver the first vehicles next week. That will make ELMS the first to market in the U.S. with a Class 1 electric vehicle. The van costs about $25,000 after the federal tax credit and has a range of 125 miles.
FORD HELPS IDENTIFY UNSAFE ROADS
Some places are just more dangerous to drive than others, so Ford developed a new tool to help customers identify them. Its Roadside Safe concept uses data from connected vehicles, roadside sensors and accident reports to pinpoint areas where there’s more likely to be a traffic incident. Customers can then use this information to avoid those areas or make sure they’re paying closer attention. Ford also thinks this would be useful to city authorities who can then address the hotspots or fleet operators to optimise driver routes.
FORD TEAMS UP FOR BATTERY RECYCLING & MATERIALS
In other Ford news, it’s teaming up with Redwood Materials, the battery materials company that was established by Tesla co-founder JB Straubel. The two are working together to build battery recycling and a domestic battery supply chain for electric vehicles. Ford invested $50 million to help Redwood expand its manufacturing footprint. By using locally produced, recycled battery materials, Ford can reduce costs, increase its supply of battery materials and reduce how much raw material needs to be mined and imported.
But that brings us to the end of today’s show. Thanks for joining us and we’ll be right back here again tomorrow.
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Comments (32)
September 23rd, 2021 at 12:03 pm
Volvo’s leatherette in the 60′s was very durable and comfortable also there are many fungi[mushroom] based leather-like materials very high quality, durable and comfortable out there to give vegan and sustainable seating material
September 23rd, 2021 at 12:05 pm
Does Volvo realize that no cattle are raised solely for leather. It is a by-product of the meat and milk industry. So in a way they are repurposing what would otherwise be deemed scrap. I guess they realize people are dumb and will think Volvo is ethical for this.. Okay
If many people start using the Ford roadside safe app and avoid those congested areas. Wont that make them safer and just move congestion to another area? So before a city could address an issue it will have moved.
September 23rd, 2021 at 12:08 pm
Well, Volvo is officially off my shopping list.
But I’m sure they didn’t make this decision to become so environmentally ‘woke’ without first conducting enough due diligence to know that the majority of their customers are on board with eliminating genuine leather. Whatever helps you sleep at night…
September 23rd, 2021 at 12:11 pm
I get it that people like the feel of leather seating. That said, I was part of a testing program for leather to be used on top of a dashboard. Completely terrible in comparison to man made materials. For a “real world” test, have a wander through any junkyard; the leather is always split, torn and faded.
September 23rd, 2021 at 12:14 pm
I’m not sure why anyone would be critical of GM hiring an ex NHTSA administrator. Who is better qualified to run GM’s Global Regulatory Affairs than someone from that department. I wouldn’t assume that GM will get any special treatment but just hired a person who is very familiar with policies. If they do somehow get any special treatment then that’s the ethical breakdown of whomever is holding that office now not Strickland.
September 23rd, 2021 at 12:22 pm
I like leather seats and agree with Lambo. Not keen on pleather. I remember when they were called vinyl seats and you got them so you could clean up after kids. My second choice would be cloth. Unfortunately wool is out because it comes from a breathing creature. We sure love our plants and our garbage. Creatures, not so much.
September 23rd, 2021 at 12:24 pm
Ricardo Montalbán is rolling over in his grave. We really need to keep the rich Corinthian Leather, which was just the same leather as any other Chrysler product in the mid 70s. But a great marketing campaign.
4 I agree it may not be the best material anymore and many plethers/vinyls can outperform it. So making the switch for a better quality product is one thing, but selling it under ruse you’re making some ethical stance is laughable.
September 23rd, 2021 at 12:28 pm
I remember John talking with David Strickland a few years ago on After Hours I believe. He came across very well and will probably be a good addition at GM. I don’t see any conflict of interest here, just a good catch by GM.
September 23rd, 2021 at 12:45 pm
2,3,7 I’ve on-board with those assertions (on leather).
September 23rd, 2021 at 1:11 pm
I’m one of those people who like highly un-cool cloth seats in cars. You don’t slide on it, it “breathes,” and if black, coffee stains, etc. are not an issue, and for years, the cloth used for car seats has lasted about forever.
As far as leather, as long as Americans keep eating beef at the current rate, there will be plenty of cow skins to supply the world for car seats without killing cattle for their skins. One thing I don’t know, is how much energy, chemicals, etc. are involved in processing leather, compared to making pleather/leatherette/vinyl/Naugahyde, or cloth of the type used for car seats.
7 Was the rich Corinthian leather imported from Corinth?
September 23rd, 2021 at 1:20 pm
Leather is being phased out by many, or most car companies. It’s an option in a ~$60K E-Class and 5 series, and has been for a few years, with vinyl standard.
Leather seems to be staying in sports cars, though. My 2019 Cayman has leather, as will the Corvette I ordered a year ago, and may get soon. There is one seat option I know of in a Corvette that is not leather, and it is cloth, Ricardo-like sport seats intended mainly for people who track their cars a lot.
September 23rd, 2021 at 2:12 pm
So what do they do when they get rid of leather , can’t use vinyls ,because of being petro based? Are they going to use burlap? At what point does someone stand up and say what the hell is wrong with everybody?
September 23rd, 2021 at 2:17 pm
12 There will be a lot of petro for a lot of years, including for motor fuels. Woven hemp might be good, if it would be as durable as other materials.
September 23rd, 2021 at 2:46 pm
10 Cloth seats ARE cool, to sit on when your cars been in the sun for a while. I also like cloth seats for the same reasons you mentioned. I usually keep our cars for 12 years and we haven’t worn out a seat in 40 years.
September 23rd, 2021 at 4:38 pm
Perhaps Volvo should consider making the ultimate environmental impact statement. . .and quit making cars. Think of the energy, materials, and labor savings. . . .
September 23rd, 2021 at 4:54 pm
Volvo isn’t the only company doing “greenwashing” with their marketing. How about “Ecoboost”? There isn’t much eco about them. In most applications they work well, but get little, or no better mpg than competitors’ n/a engines. It is a great marketing buzzword, though.
September 23rd, 2021 at 6:04 pm
I just learned that my Chevy with leather seats is scheduled to be built thr week of 10/11/2021.
September 23rd, 2021 at 7:22 pm
While many of the new upmarket BEVs are leaning toward using materials that are said to be more sustainable (and I’m not trying to through shade), IMHO, there is nothing that says luxury like real wood and leather in a luxury vehicle! For years these are/were the standard bearer for what was a LUXURY vehicle. As ‘interesting’ as some of those exotic materials that automakers are considering, I am simply just not impressed! I’m supposed to pay more for an interior made from wine corks and plastic bottles?!?! Really?! Aren’t these the same materials, the hard plastics in the late model Ford Escort were made from? And now a one percenter is supposed to get excited to have that line the interior of their new S-Class or EQS?! Give. Me. A. Break! I’m sorry, but I just can’t rap my mind around that. Is brambleberry the new look of a luxury interior? What about used socks and undershirt material? What about the rubber from old used tires? So you mean to tell me that the fake wood that Ford and GM used in their Lincoln and Cadillac’s of old, are now back in style? Are they now trending as a replacement for the real wood trim? Crazy! Smh
Regarding the interior appointments being made from plant/food based materials, consider this fact: rodents (rats, squirrels, possums, racoons, etc.) nest in vehicles for two reasons: their engines are warmer on cold nights and they eat the vehicles wiring and wiring harness, because they are made from a soy-based plant product! If more of the vehicles interior parts are made from food (used coffee grinds for example), we are giving these pests more reason to see our expensive hardware as food. With BEVs having more wiring and sensitive areas that may be vulnerable to these creatures, who like to squeeze into tight places, would it really be wise to head in such a direction with such an unintended consequence? Just food for thought.
September 23rd, 2021 at 7:22 pm
While many of the new upmarket BEVs are leaning toward using materials that are said to be more sustainable (and I’m not trying to through shade), IMHO, there is nothing that says luxury like real wood and leather in a luxury vehicle! For years these are/were the standard bearer for what was a LUXURY vehicle. As ‘interesting’ as some of those exotic materials that automakers are considering, I am simply just not impressed! I’m supposed to pay more for an interior made from wine corks and plastic bottles?!?! Really?! Aren’t these the same materials, the hard plastics in the late model Ford Escort were made from? And now a one percenter is supposed to get excited to have that line the interior of their new S-Class or EQS?! Give. Me. A. Break! I’m sorry, but I just can’t rap my mind around that. Is brambleberry the new look of a luxury interior? What about used socks and undershirt material? What about the rubber from old used tires? So you mean to tell me that the fake wood that Ford and GM used in their Lincoln and Cadillac’s of old, are now back in style? Are they now trending as a replacement for the real wood trim? Crazy! Smh
Regarding the interior appointments being made from plant/food based materials, consider this fact: rodents (rats, squirrels, possums, racoons, etc.) nest in vehicles for two reasons: their engines are warmer on cold nights and they eat the vehicles wiring and wiring harness, because they are made from a soy-based plant product! If more of the vehicles interior parts are made from food (used coffee grinds for example), we are giving these pests more reason to see our expensive hardware as food. With BEVs having more wiring and sensitive areas that may be vulnerable to these creatures, who like to squeeze into tight places, would it really be wise to head in such a direction with such an unintended consequence? Just food for thought.
September 23rd, 2021 at 8:50 pm
18,19 Don’t true luxury cars, like Rolls-Royce, have wool carpet? Modern stuff, like polyester, would be more durable, but nothing says luxury like the fur from real live sheep.
September 24th, 2021 at 6:05 am
@20.) I understand that EVs are about light weighting and if the reasoning was that wood and weather added too much weight and these other materials don’t, ok at I can see that. I could even see if the understanding was to give these waste materials, a new use to keep them from farther harming the environment. But don’t tell me that they are the new eco-chic, and the Desired replacement for wood and leather! What and who says that this used waste material is the new standard for luxury vehicles? Using wine corks and plastic bottle as seat cushion foam, or HVAC material behind the dash, or floor mate material makes since. But as luxury appointments and seat covers in uxury vehicle? It makes more since in mainstream vehicles, but not as a replacement to wood and leather in luxury vehicles.
September 24th, 2021 at 7:03 am
Salesman: Would you like the carbon fiber interior trim for your luxury vehicle?
Buyer: No we would want something that is eco-chic, please.
Salesman: We have Corinthian Cork! It’s made from aged, open pore wine corks and plastic bottles. It’s harvested by a father and son from a land fill, just outside of the location of the ancient city of Corinth!
Buyer: Ooooo, aaaaah!
Salesman: The rest of the interior is covered in Jena`Blu! It’s blue jean material that is reclaimed from a Goodwill store in the south of France.
Buyer: Wow, we’ll take it! Where do we sign?
Salesman: Right here and there and after your deposit of $20,000, your remaining balance will be $125,000. Please, allow 6 months to take delivery!
September 24th, 2021 at 7:16 am
17, Kit: two thumbs up !!
September 24th, 2021 at 7:59 am
23 Tnx
September 24th, 2021 at 8:03 am
I’d be concerned that these eco chic materials might not be as good as, say, the cheap cloth that they used on the seats of a Chevy Cavalier that would last 250K miles. Will Volvo’s pleather made from plastic bottles last that long? I have my doubts, and would expect pleather made the regular way to do better.
September 24th, 2021 at 8:44 am
I’m all for recycling and utilizing more eco friendly materials. I’ve read that Hemp is an amazing plant and what most people don’t know (my self included) is Hemp is the sober cousin of cannabis. Hemp has less than 0.3% THC while anything over that is considered Cannabis.
It was really given a bad reputation in order to make the cotton industry more profitable.
Has a very interesting history and lots of valuable uses (according to Wikipedia) like paper, rope, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, paint, insulation, biofuel, food, and animal feed.
Plus along with bamboo its one of the fastest growing plants.
However wmb makes a good point and we have already experienced what small critters like about these types of materials. They can become a food source so they may need to include some type of repellent. Then that brings up the question of how safe is it against your skin if used in something like seats and armrests?
September 24th, 2021 at 10:05 am
26 Leather is probably the least safe commonly used material to have against your skin, given the various chemicals used in tanning the hides, including whatever makes leather smell like leather. I don’t worry about it too much, since I buy cars with leather seats.
Hemp is supposedly very strong, much stronger than cotton, but I’m having a hard time finding how its durability compares with the best of synthetic materials used for cloth, as in car seats.
September 24th, 2021 at 11:34 am
While I do like the looks of leather I find it cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I would be fine with nice cloth any day. My wife says the same thing. The only thing we liked about it was it repelled dog hair but last few dogs have been non shedding so that doesn’t even matter
September 24th, 2021 at 11:39 am
27 Yeah I watched an episode of Dirty Jobs where Mike Rowe was in a factory where they were separating the hides for leather use..
That looked like a horrible job. The smell alone is bad enough as I worked near one of those plants when I was in Cali. A northly wind was always a good day.
September 24th, 2021 at 1:15 pm
#16 – I call it Eco or Boost – You get your choice – Drive it nice & it’s fairly economical or put your foot in it for Boost to watch the instant MPG reside at a very low number. Applies to both our 2004 V70R and the 2018 Fusion Sport.
In addition Kit, good news on your car order.
September 24th, 2021 at 1:18 pm
Leather – While I prefer leather seats, a friend of mine who worked in auto seating for a period of time at an OEM commented on the fact that we never touched leather – it was all the chemicals used in processing.
I’ve always like the optional Atacama leather in the Volvo – Looks & feels like a baseball glove. Appears to have much less coatings on the leather.
September 25th, 2021 at 9:30 am
30 Yeah, true with the eco and boost, especially when tall gearing is used. My Cayman doesn’t get great highway mileage for a 2 liter turbo, probably because the gearing is fairly short in top gear. I should soon learn how the latest un-boost 6.2 does compared with the previous version.