AD #2294 – Toyota’s New Magnet Cuts Rare Earths, Part Values Driving Auto Thefts, VW Shows 1st I.D. Autonomous Vehicle

On today’s show… Toyota develops a magnet that cuts the need for rare earth metals… Volkswagen teases a new electric autonomous vehicle… and the increased value of car parts is leading to more stolen vehicles. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.

This is Autoline Daily the show for enthusiasts of the automotive industry.

TOYOTA DEVELOPS NEW MAGNETS
The magnets used in electric motors must be able to maintain magnetization at high temperatures. Rare earth metals are able to help with heat and that’s why up to 30% of the elements used in magnets are rare earths. However, these elements can be expensive and shortages in the future are a concern because of growing demand for electrified vehicles. That’s why Toyota has developed a new magnet that doesn’t use some of the hardest and most expensive rare earths to get and also significantly reduces the amount neodymium needed. Neodymium helps with magnetization and heat resistance but Toyota’s magnet includes new technologies that perform those tasks, while reducing the amount of neodymium by up to 50%. The magnets will first be used in electric power steering motors in the first half of next decade. And within the next 10 years, the company is aiming to use the magnets in electric vehicles.

AVOIDING DIRTY AIR
We’ve seen major cities consider banning internal combustion engines as a way to curb pollution, but until they are banned or when EVs take over, highly congested areas will continue to have air quality problems. Now supplier Hella is teaming up with BreezeoMeter, a company that provides real-time air quality data, to keep drivers aware of how dirty the air is around them. If an area is particularly bad, the system could send a warning to the driver and even provide an alternate route through a less polluted part of town. Or the cleanest route could be programmed into the navigation system before the car ever takes off. China is a great example of where technology like this could be very useful.

PART VALUES DRIVING AUTO THEFTS
Vehicle thefts shot up again in the U.S. last year by more than 4% and the rise in value of parts is likely driving the surge. The National Insurance Crime Bureau looked at the cost of replacement parts for the top 10 stolen 2016 model year vehicles and the value of just a few handfuls of these parts, like doors, fenders and headlamps is quite staggering. The 2016 Toyota Camry was the most stolen vehicle and 15 commonly replaced parts are valued at over $10,500. 14 standard components on the 2016 Nissan Altima are worth more than $14,000 and 20 parts and pieces on the 2016 GMC Sierra top out at over $21,000. It’s no wonder why we see so many vehicles sitting on cinder blocks with no wheels.

Still to come… Lexus and Volkswagen tease their Geneva auto show reveals.

LEXUS TEASES NEW CROSSOVER
The small luxury CUV segment is growing very quickly and Lexus is just about to introduce an all-new model. The UX crossover will make its debut in Geneva next month. If that name sounds familiar, it should. Lexus showed a wild, sharp-lined concept bearing the same name in 2016. This will be the production version and will be interesting to see how much of the original styling carries over.

VW SHOWS FIRST I.D. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE
And speaking of Geneva reveals, Volkswagen’s family of I.D. vehicles is about to get a little bigger. While the previous models were all-electric, the I.D. VIZZION is the first fully autonomous vehicle. It doesn’t have a steering wheel or any visible controls and rather uses a virtual host that passengers command with their voice and gestures. It’s a two-motor all-wheel drive sedan that has 225 kW of power and who’s 111 kWh battery provides 665-kilometers or just over 410-miles of range.

KIA TO DEBUT NEXT-GEN K900
While not a Geneva reveal, Kia is also teasing the second-generation of the K900. It looks like the flagship sedan will get a mild exterior refresh and Kia adds, “New technologies protect occupants, enhance interior comfort and give the driver greater confidence at the wheel.” The new K900 will make its debut and go on sale later this year.

Coming up next, a discussion about the future of auto shows.

THE FUTURE OF AUTO SHOWS
Last week, Mercedes announced that it won’t be at next year’s Detroit auto show because it wants to unveil new products at special events or tech shows like CES. On the most recent Autoline After Hours, John, Gary and their journalist colleagues discuss the future of auto shows.

(Clip from AAH #409 can only be viewed in the video version of today’s show.)

You can watch that entire discussion right now on Autoline.tv or you can find it on our YouTube channel.

And be sure to join us for a new Autoline After Hours this Thursday. John and Gary will be talking about the new Nissan Leaf, because our special guest is Christopher Reed, the engineer of the electric vehicle. 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.