AD #2296 – Ford Fires Head of North America, PSA & Qualcomm to Test C-V2X, Hyundai Introduces the All-New Santa Fe

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.