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®Detroit AutoScene®

VOL. 87 NO. 7 FEBRUARY 25, 2019ESTABLISHED 1933 AS NEW CENTER NEWS AND 1983 AS OAKLAND TECH NEWS

“F IRST IN THE HEAR T OF DETROIT”

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General Motors is makingmoves to improve its relation-ship with the state of Michigan,as well as the automaker’s em-ployees.The company is investing $36

million at its Lansing Delta Town-ship (LDT) assembly plant forfuture crossover production, aswell as $20 million in GM’s Romu-lus Powertrain facility.GM currently builds the Chev-

rolet Traverse and Buick Enclavecrossovers at LDT and its new V6engine and new 10-speed auto-matic transmission at RomulusPowertrain. The announcementwas made Feb. 19.

GM spokesman Dan Flores saidthe new investment in Romuluswill be used to purchase addi-tional machining equipment thatwill enable the transmission ca-pacity expansion.

For competitive reasons, GMis not disclosing specifics ortiming related to either theLansing or Romulus plants’

Romulus, Lansing GM Facilities Getting $56M in Upgrades

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

The 2019 Ram 1500 has beenpresented the Edmunds Editors’Choice Award for trucks.“One of the best vehicles we’ve

driven in a long time, the newRam 1500 is a clever mix of old-school brawn, cutting-edge tech-nology and thoughtful engineer-ing,” said Alistair Weaver, Editor-in-chief at Edmunds.“It drives well, tows well, and

inside it feels more upmarketthan even some luxury cars. It’s astandout vehicle in all aspectsand easily grabbed top honorsfor trucks in 2019.”Edmunds editors test more

than 300 vehicles a year and rateeach vehicle on more than 30 cri-teria across five categories, saidFCA spokesman Nick Cappa.Vehicles are subjected to that

gauntlet to ensure winners repre-sent the gold standard of auto-motive excellence and worthy ofthe Editors’ Choice designation,he said.

The editors wrote: “The new2019 Ram 1500 is a no-compro-mise truck, leading in luxury, effi-ciency, capability and innova-tion. Ram leads the full-size trucksegment with significant gains in

fuel efficiency through a neweTorque mild hybrid system inboth V6 and V8 configurations.”They noted that overall weight

Ram 1500 Top of Edmunds List

The 2019 Ram 1500 proved to be a winner with Edmunds editors.

Testing tools were created to design noise suppression for Explorer.

Call it one for the books.The new Ford Explorer, said

Ford SUV Marketing ManagerCraig Patterson, is designed toprovide its quietest interior ever,thanks to a first-for-Ford break-through that helps keep noiseout and delivers a more comfort-able ride for passengers -- “and isso quiet a librarian could love it.”“We’ve spent a lot of time

learning about what our Explorercustomers want and love in theirSUV, and near the top of the listis a comfortable vehicle they canenjoy with their loved ones,”said Patterson. “Whether it’s tak-ing the family up north for theweekend or taking a date to themovies on Saturday night, a qui-

eter interior allows them to bet-ter connect with those who arealong for the journey.”Explorer passengers, Patter-

son said, will enjoy that sense ofpeace and relaxation courtesy ofthree sound-reduction features –a first-for-Ford dual-wall dash-board, acoustic glass and ActiveNoise Control, available only onLimited Hybrid – designed tocombat engine, road and windnoise in the cabin.Explorer’s new dual-wall dash-

board is designed to ensure pas-sengers enjoy a cabin free fromengine noise caused by vibra-tions that can manifest in a hum-

Ford Goes All Out to GiveNew Explorer Quiet Ride

This EV pontoon boat was on display at the recent Detroit Boat Show.

by Jim Stickford

It’s an idea that just might float– an all-electric pontoon boat.Dan Nicholson, GM vice

president, Global Electrification,showed off a prototype at therecent Miami Boat Show. Thesame boat was displayed atthe Detroit Boat Show, whichended on Feb. 24.Nicholson gave a speech in

Miami talking about the EV pon-

toon boat in which he said thatGM’s vision of zero crashes, zeroemissions and zero congestion inthe future extends to beyondroads.“We brought with us some ex-

amples of the most tried and truemarine engines in the busines,”Nicholson said. “For more than60 years, GM Marine has beensupplying some of the most re-

GM Creates Boat PrototypeThat Uses EV Technology

You’ve bought a car for yourteenager, so now what?Ford Driving Skills for Life is

celebrating 16 years of its award-winning driver safety program.As Ford Driving Skills for Lifeturns “Sweet 16” – the traditionaldriving age across most of NorthAmerica – its 2019 national tourwill kick off at NRG Stadium inHouston, said Ford spokes-woman Marci Frick.The stop will be the first of

more than 60 free, hands-on driv-er training sessions for teens andparents in 14 cities across theUnited States. More than 6,000people in the U.S. will get behindthe wheel this year with profes-sional drivers on a specially de-

signed course to learn advancedmaneuvers that can help keepthem safe, Frick said. Class dateswill be announced later this year.As Ford Driving Skills for Life

continues to move forward andadapt to changing driver behav-iors and new road safety con-cerns, the program will again in-troduce innovative tools and addspecialized programming to en-hance the learning experiencefor new drivers.Highlights of this year’s Ford

Driving Skills for Life program in-clude:• Innovative new sleep suittechnology to demonstratethe dangers of drowsy driv-ing.

• New training module to ex-plain how to use ever-im-proving vehicle safety tech-nology.

• Expanded program for theunique circumstances ofdriving in rural and emerg-ing markets.

• Addition of a parent moduleto assist in teen trainingaway from Driving Skills forLife events.

• U.S. communities that arenew participants in the pro-gram’s hands-on training.

“Everything we do is designedto reduce crashes and fatalitiesby helping new drivers develop

Ford Promoting Safe Driving for Youths

The Ford Driving Skills for Life program is making a return visit to sites – including Michigan – across the U.S.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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Deadline: Thursday 5:00 p.m.for the next edition of Monday

William Springer II, publisherLisa A. Torretta, operationsJim Stickford, editorDetroit Auto Scene is a registeredtrademark of Springer Publishing Co.

www.DetroitAutoScene.com

PAGE 2 FEBRUARY 25, 2019DETROIT AUTO SCENE

future products at this time,Flores said.“Romulus has a long-standing

reputation of quality, productivi-ty and performance and we areproud of the hard work and com-mitment displayed by the entireRomulus team,” said GM Chair-man and CEO Mary Barra duringa visit to the plant to meet withemployees and community lead-ers.“GM’s investment in Romulus

will enable the plant to con-tinue playing an important role inour core business going for-ward.”Since 2009, GM has invested

more than $880 million in the Ro-mulus plant.The plant currently employs

about 1,350 people.“We are also proud of the hard

work and commitment of the en-tire Lansing team. The ChevroletTraverse and Buick Enclave areimportant products in our grow-ing crossover portfolio,” Barrasaid as she also visited the Lans-ing plant and met with employ-ees and Lansing community lead-ers.“This investment will allow us

to prepare the plant for futurecrossover production.”Also at the Feb. 18 announce-

ment in Lansing was GeneralMotors Executive Vice Presidentof Global Manufacturing AliciaBoler Davis.Since 2009, GM has invested

more than $600 million in theLansing Delta Township plant.Lansing Delta Township as-

sembly, GM’s newest assemblyplant in the United States, hasbuilt more than 2 millioncrossovers since the facilityopened in 2006.“With over 110 years of auto-

motive history in the Lansing

area, LDT is proud to be the firstU.S. manufacturing facility to bea Gold Certified Leader in Energyand Environmental Design(LEED),” Barra said.“Today, the plant operates

two shifts of production andemploys approximately 2,600 em-ployees.”GM has strong presence in

Michigan with more than 51,000employees working at 33 loca-tions, Flores said.He said that Michigan is

home to more than 3,100 GMsuppliers and that GM spendsmore than $10 billion with thosesuppliers annually.

Lansing Delta Township/Lans-ing Regional Stamping statis-tics:• Facility size – 3.6 millionsquare feet.

• Employees – approximately2,421 hourly at the assemblyfacility, 212 at the stampingfacility.

• Salaried – 214 at the assem-bly facility, 18 at the stamp-ing facility.

• Facilities – stamping plant,body shop, paint shopand general assembly facili-ty.

• Highlights – advanced tech-nologies, including 3D print-

ing onsite and collaborativerobots.

Since its opening, more thantwo million crossovers havebeen built at the site, Floressaid.The Romulus plant originally

opened in 1976 as part of GM De-troit Diesel Allison Division, mak-ing diesel engines and compo-nents, said Flores.Romulus began to produce

engines in the 1980s, and, forthe last 30 years or so, hasproduced more than 10.8 mil-lion V8 engines and morethan 6.6 million V6 engines, hesaid.

Romulus, Lansing GM Sites Getting Upgrades

Barra, right, talks with GM employees Angela Jarrett, left, and Kayla Owens in Romulus.

ming sensation, said Patterson.Separating the engine compart-ment from the passenger cabin,he said, are two walls – one ofwhich is made of sheet-moldedcomposite material – with an airgap in between.The dual-wall dashboard,

which significantly reduces thetraveling sound that comes witha running engine, mimics a semi-anechoic chamber similar tothose used in noise, vibrationand harshness testing at Ford’sdriving dynamics lab.Parker Lewis, Ford NVH engi-

neering manager, said keepingnoise out of the cabin with thedual-wall dashboard is similar tothe technology used to keepdrinks hot or cold.“This innovation is very simi-

lar in theory to an insulatedthermos or mug,” said Lewis.“The multiple layers of a mugkeep unwanted ambient temper-atures out, while the multiplelayers of this dashboard keepunwanted noise out of the vehi-cle cabin.”Keeping wind and road noise

out is key to creating a quietercabin that passengers canenjoy, said Lewis, but identify-

ing how that noise gets in in thefirst place is just as important.Just like the multiple layers of

the new dual-wall dashboard, Ex-plorer’s windshield and frontside windows have not just onelayer of glass, but two, saidLewis, adding that the layers areseparated by a sheet of clearplastic, creating layers that serveas a buffer between the interiorand the outside world.As new powertrain technology

finds its way into today’s vehi-cles, it can make for uniquesound experiences for passen-gers, said Lewis, so the rootcause of noise is not limited tothat created by propulsion, windor the road. He noted that low-and mid-frequency noise cancontribute to driver fatigue,while higher frequencies can in-hibit the ability to hold a conver-sation in a moving vehicle.Ford’s solution is Active Noise

Control, said Lewis, available on-ly on Explorer Limited Hybrid,which uses strategically placedmicrophones throughout the cab-in to listen for and pick up on un-wanted frequencies that con-tribute to noise conditions. Onceunwanted frequencies are discov-ered, he said, the system cancelsthem out by producing opposing

sound waves that come throughthe audio system speakers.“Think of it as thunder on a

stormy night,” said Lewis. “Thesesound waves bounce around usin a contained area, then the ve-hicle’s audio system speakersnegate the thunder, essentially si-lencing the environment.”Together, the dual-wall dash-

board and acoustic glass work toinsulate passengers from un-wanted sounds, while ActiveNoise Control cancels them out.He added that by establishing

test parameters through decadesof SUV customer feedback, an en-gineer can not only determinethe level of quiet a buyer wants,but identify areas where the all-new Explorer can be made evenquieter.“How all those pieces and ele-

ments coming together fit, andwhat they are made from are crit-ical questions for us to ensureproper assembly to reduce gapsthat can allow wind noise in inthe first place,” said Lewis.A new driving dynamics lab is

the latest addition to Ford’s suiteof noise, vibration and harshnesstesting facilities. The lab allowsengineers to test vehicle soundin different settings, including asemi-anechoic chamber withpowered rollers to simulate roadnoise, and in temperatures rang-ing from minus 40 degrees to 140degrees Fahrenheit to shrink andexpand materials that may causesqueaks and rattles.Different parts of the vehicle

are tested in the lab’s anechoicchamber and reverberationsuite. The first provides an areafree of echo and reverberationcreates a pure working environ-ment for sound, while the secondis used to determine how noisepermeates full components ormaterials, such as sheet metal.The new 2020 Explorer is the

first product to emerge fromFord’s new driving dynamics lab.It’s manufactured at ChicagoAssembly Plant and arrives indealer showrooms this summer.

Ford’s Going All Quiet With New Explorer

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Oakland County Executive L.Brooks Patterson has declaredthe week of March 24-30 as Se-vere Weather Awareness Week,during which the county willconduct a special test of its out-door warning system at 1p.m. onWednesday, March 27.“Emergency preparedness

saves lives,” Patterson said.“Whether it’s learning to spottornadoes or having an emer-gency plan, we encourage resi-dents, businesses and organiza-tions to heighten their aware-ness of severe weather.”To help, Oakland County of-

fers free Skywarn weather spot-ter training in March and April.Those interested should go to

OakGov.com/HomelandSecurityand click on the Skywarn logo toregister.Individuals who attend Sky-

warn training sessions will learnhow to accurately observeweather such as cloud featuresthat do and those that do notlead to tornadoes. To learnmore, call 248-858-5300.

Look to the SkiesAnd Be Prepared,Says Patterson

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Who says students have towait until college before gainingthe skills to be a first-class auto-motive designer? Not the peopleat FCA and the College for Cre-ative Studies.These two institutions have

teamed up again to encourageand reward high school studentsto look at automotive designingas a potential career.The is important because with-

out a nudge from an art teacher,a visit to an art school or justplain luck, some of the world’stop automotive designers maynever have made their mark onhistory, said FCA spokeswomanDianna Gutierrez.Mark Trostle, head of Perform-

ance, Passenger Car and UtilityVehicle Design for FCA – NorthAmerica, wants to change that.Seven years ago, he revived acontest he won as a high schoolstudent that helped drive him towhere he is today, leading the de-sign efforts for some of the mostdesired vehicles on the road.Gutierrez said.The 2019 Drive for Design con-

test challenges U.S. high schoolstudents in grades 10-12 to de-sign the ultimate status vehicleusing any FCA brand. Just like inthe professional world, there is alevel of urgency – entries are dueby April 27. Three students willbe named winners from all validentries received, Gutierrez said.“Today’s automotive designers

not only sketch cars, they createsome of the most advanced userexperience systems available,work with 3D technology, re-search color trends and create in-terior spaces that are multifunc-tional and beautiful,” said Trostle.“As the field of automotive de-

sign grows, it’s vital that we in-crease awareness and educatestudents and parents about thegood-paying opportunities avail-able. Many of today’s designershad no idea that automotive de-sign could be a career option andwe want to change that.”This year, the FCA US design

team includes guest judge JoshWelton, writer, artist and ownerof Brown Dog Welding LLC fabri-cation and art studio in Detroit,Gutierrez said.Welton is an accomplished

welder, fabricator, teacher, artist,writer, social media influencer,podcast host, entrepreneur andautomotive enthusiast. He writesfor a variety of outlets, includingDodgeGarage.com, and shareshis artistic creations on socialmedia. Welton will help reviewsubmitted sketches and selectthis year’s winners.To kick off this year’s competi-

tion, Trostle and Head of Jeep Ex-terior Design Mark Allen partici-pated in an “Ask Me Anything”Facebook LIVE broadcast host-ed by Josh Welton on Feb. 20.

Viewers submitted questionsvia the Drive for Design Face-book page (Facebook.com/Drive-ForDesign), the FCA US Facebookpage, the FCA US Twitter (@Fi-atChrysler_NA) and FCA US In-stagram (@FiatChrysler_NA) han-dles using #DriveForDesign,Gutierrez said.Three winners receive an ex-

clusive, behind-the-scenes tourof the FCA US Product Designstudios in Auburn Hills, and theopportunity to spend one-on-onetime with leading automotive de-signers.The winners also receive a

scholarship to attend the Precol-lege Summer Experience Trans-portation Design program atCollege for Creative Studies.The summer program curricu-lum includes the fundamentalsof gestural sketching, perspec-tive for both interior and exteri-or automotive concepts and howto translate designs into 3D mod-els.Drive for Design winners re-

ceive their awards on Friday,June 14, at EyesOn Design’s “Vi-sion Honored” Black Tie andSilent Auction and will serve asjunior judges at the prestigiousEyesOn Design Car Show, heldevery Father’s Day weekend atthe historic Edsel and EleanorFord House in Grosse PointeShores, Gutierrez said.For detailed contest rules and

information on how to submitsketches, visit www.FCAdrive-fordesign.com. Students and par-

ents can also follow the FCANorth America social channelsfor regular posts to educate andinform followers about careers inautomotive design. Weekly up-dates will be posted on the Drivefor Design Facebook page.

2019 FCA Student Design Contest Begins

®Detroit AutoScene®

FEBRUARY 25, 2019 PAGE 3“FIRST IN THE HEART OF DETROIT SINCE 1933”

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for the Ram 1500 has been re-duced by 225 pounds, the frameusing advanced materials and en-gineering to eliminate 100pounds while increasing stiffnessand durability for 12,750 poundsof towing capability and 2,300pounds of payload.“A mild hybrid engine assist

technology called eTorque ap-pears on this new Ram,” theywrote. “Not a hybrid technologyin the traditional sense of a gas-electric car, eTorque stores elec-tricity in a lithium battery andhelps the automatic engine stop-start system work more smooth-ly. It also provides a bit of extrapower in short bursts. For now,the Ram’s previously available3.0-liter diesel V6 isn’t offered,but it could show up in the 2020model.”They also liked that “inside,

the Ram delivers new technolo-gy, highlighted by an optional in-fotainment system with a mas-sive 12-inch touchscreen display,Apple CarPlay and Android Auto,and multiple USB ports. (Ironi-cally, a single CD player is op-tional only on higher trim levels.)“The new Ram’s predecessor

was one of the older designsamong American half-ton pick-ups, but no more. Sharpenednew design, additional technolo-gy, and increased capability vaultthe 2019 Ram 1500 back to its

place as one of the top achieversin its class.”The new Uconnect 4C with a

massive 12-inch touchscreenleads the pickup world with tech-nology, featuring split-screen ca-pability, 360-degree cameraviews and exclusive contentfrom SiriusXM with 360L, Cappasaid, adding that active safetyand security systems join thetechnology onslaught with adap-tive cruise control, automaticemergency braking and blind-spot monitoring.Edmunds guides car shoppers

online from research to purchasewith in-depth reviews of everynew vehicle, shopping tips froman in-house team of experts, plusa wealth of consumer and auto-motive market insights, said Cap-pa. Edmunds, he said, helps mil-lions of shoppers each month se-lect, price and buy a car withconfidence.Regarded as one of America’s

best workplaces by Fortune andGreat Place to Work, Edmunds isbased in Santa Monica, Calif.,and has a satellite office in De-troit.In 2009, the Ram Truck brand

launched as a stand-alone divi-sion, focused on meeting the de-mands of truck buyers and deliv-ering benchmark-quality vehi-cles, Cappa said, noting that thatfocus leads Ram to design the in-dustry’s most innovative, award-winning trucks.

Ram 1500 Top of EdmundsList for Best Pickup Truck

FCA, CCS and EyesOn Design brochure offers info to young designers.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The 2018 Lincoln Navigator isan SUV that best delivers on per-formance and luxury, at least ac-cording to the people at Ed-munds.com.They named the Navigator as

the best luxury SUV in the Website’s 2019 Edmunds Editors’Choice Awards.They wrote that Lincoln’s full-

size luxury SUV delivers in thecategories that matter most toconsumers, said Lincoln spokes-woman Anika Salceda-Wycoco.The awards are based on tests in27 criteria, including driving andperformance, comfort, interiorand technology.Lincoln Navigator sales kept

their momentum all through2018, posting a 43.6 percent gainin December on tight inventory,according to sales statistics,Salceda-Wycoco said. High-seriesLincoln Black Label and ReserveNavigators represented 90 per-cent of the SUV’s sales mix.“Our editorial team tests more

than 300 vehicles a year ― that’smore than a collective 17,000hours behind the wheel,” saidAlistair Weaver, editor-in-chief atEdmunds. “We’re going beyondwhat’s hot and new to showcasethe best of the best from all thecars on sale today. An EdmundsEditors’ Choice winner repre-sents the gold standard of auto-motive excellence.”Edmunds editors also called

the Navigator “one of our fa-vorite luxury SUVs. Last year'sredesign enhanced the Naviga-

tor's already impressive capabili-ty to carry people and tow heavyloads. It also ushered in freshstyling and new features. Thisnew Lincoln is at the head of theclass against its American coun-terparts and likely earns front-row status with valet attendants,too.“We think the 2019 Navigator

wears Lincoln’s new design lan-guage well. It has both presenceand style, even when parked nextto SUVs from well-establishedmarques such as Mercedes-Benzand Range Rover. Under thehood is an impressive tur-bocharged 3.5-liter V6 thatcranks out a stout 450 horsepow-er and 510 pound-feet of torque.All that massive power gets tothe ground via a 10-speed auto-matic transmission. And while 10speeds may seem like overkill,you'll hardly notice the shifting,

and the additional gearing helpsimprove both acceleration andfuel economy.”Editors also praised the Navi-

gator for not ignoring the SUV’sinterior.“Inside, the Navigator uses

top-notch materials on everypanel. There are three rows ofadult-size seating, a massiveamount of cargo space, and mod-ern tech behind the prominentinfotainment screen,” editorswrote.Lincoln sales statistics show

more than 55 percent of Naviga-tor sales are conquest, with buy-ers coming from Mercedes-Benz,Cadillac, Land Rover and otherluxury brands. Navigator clientsalso are skewing younger thantraditional Lincoln buyers, withapproximately 50 percent be-tween the ages of 34 and 54,Weaver said.

spected names in the marine in-dustry with engines for theirstern-drive and inboard water-crafts.”He said GM’s success in the

marine industry comes, in part,from leveraging the company’sengineering expertise and manu-facturing infrastructure. Andthat’s something to build on, hesaid.“We decided that it’s time to

look at blending our proven ma-rine product capability with ourother strengths and taking it allto the next level with somethingthat fits precisely within the Gen-eral Motors vision,” Nicholsonsaid.To that end, GM created and

unveiled its prototype all-electricboat at the Miami show. Nichol-son said its name is Forward Ma-rine FIRST.“Our expertise in automotive

electrification has supported theintroductions in the last fewyears of some of the industry’sbest EVs,” Nicholson said.“We believe the time is right to

begin exploring and leveragingGeneral Motors engineering ex-pertise, our economy of scale,and over half a century of marineindustry expertise to do some-thing other manufacturers can-not.”And that is exactly what GM

has done, Nicholson said, withthe prototype 24-foot all-electricpontoon boat, the Forward Ma-rine FIRST. The all-aluminum pro-totype tri-hull pontoon boat ispowered by a proven automotivegrade propulsion system.The proprietary hull is de-

signed to maximize power andrange and is made of one-eighth-inch aluminum alloy.The propulsion system is

strategically positioned and inte-grated with a mid-ship-mountedbattery pack and drive unit,which provides power to the out-drive through a drive shaft.“At the heart of this boat is a

60kWh battery that can provideover 10 hours of cruising, a topspeed of over 20 mph, and canbe recharged using standard110V outlet or a 220V SAE chargestation,” Nicholson said.“Think about it – minimal

maintenance, no refueling, nomess, no extra fuel costs, and vir-tually silent operation. This isthe boat that will make relax-ation more relaxing.“Imagine having the ability to

enjoy drinks straight from theonboard refrigerator, make somefood on an electric grill, watchthe onboard TV, and keep allyour favorite electronics chargedall day on this beautiful boat.”

GM is currently exploring howthis prototype improves theboating experience.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

PAGE 4 FEBRUARY 25, 2019DETROIT AUTO SCENE

GM’s Using Its Newest EVTech to Build Better Boat

Navigator Finds Itself on Top of Best List

Edmunds rated the 2018 Lincoln Navigator “best luxury SUV.”

essential skills, gain experienceand improve decision-making,”said James Graham, globalmanager, Ford Driving Skills forLife.“We keep a close watch on new

trends that impact driving be-havior and capture the attentionof teens and parents with train-ing that is not only beneficial, butinteresting and fun, as it pro-motes safe, smart driving.”Following its 2019 launch in

Houston, the Ford Driving Skillsfor Life tour will move on to Cali-fornia, Florida, Massachusetts,Michigan, Colorado, North Car-olina, New York, Arizona andPuerto Rico. A summer mountaintour will visit Billings, Mont.;Cheyenne, Wyo.; and Spokane,Wash.“We could not be more thrilled

to continue our long partnershipwith Ford Driving Skills for Life,”said Jonathan Adkins, executivedirector, Governors HighwaySafety Association.“The program clearly and ef-

fectively addresses the chal-lenges faced by newly licenseddrivers and their parents. We’reexcited to see new additions thisyear that will contribute to thesuccess of the Ford Driving Skillsfor Life program.”The Governors Highway Safety

Association reports teen drivershave crash rates three timeshigher per mile driven than driv-ers age 20 and older.The association also notes

that despite progress toward re-ducing teen driving deaths, driv-ers 16-20 years old involved in fa-tal crashes increased by 3.6 per-cent in 2016. Ford’s award-win-ning Driving Skills for Life pro-gram pairs hands-on ride-and-drive clinics with an emphasis onthe dangers of drunk, druggedand distracted driving.“Each year, we have a new

group of inexperienced drivershitting the roads,” said Graham.“Programs such as Ford DrivingSkills for Life are critical to help-

ing keep new drivers safe on theroadways. Programs like ourshelp save lives.”This year, Ford Driving Skills

for Life is exploring new programelements, new road safety part-ners and the use of technology toincrease awareness and engage-ment with drivers around theworld, Frick said.Since 2003, Ford Motor Compa-

ny’s signature safe driving pro-gram has provided real-worlddriver training in vehicles orthrough its online academy tomore than a million newly li-censed drivers.Ford Driving Skills for Life has

provided free, hands-on trainingin 43 countries, adapting lessonsto meet specific road conditionsand environments for each loca-tion, Frick said.For more information and up-

dates on tour locations, visitwww.drivingskillsforlife.com.

Ford Safe Driving ClassesComing Soon to State

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

(AP) – Tesla’s top lawyer isleaving the company after onlytwo months on the job.Tesla said in a prepared state-

ment Feb. 20 that General Coun-sel Dane Butswinkas will returnto a legal practice in Washington,D.C. He’ll continue to work forTesla as outside counsel.No reason for the departure

was given.He’ll be replaced by Jonathan

Chang, an eight-year companyveteran who had been vice presi-dent of legal.Butswinkas says he has

tremendous confidence in Changand the management team.He is the latest in a long line

of top executives to depart thePalo Alto, Calif., electric car andsolar panel company.Last month, Tesla Inc. an-

nounced that Chief Financial Of-ficer Deepak Ahuja would retire,his second attempt at doing so.

Tesla’s CorporateLawyer Quits

After Two Months

FEBRUARY 25, 2019 PAGE 5DETROIT AUTO SCENE

The new 2019 Ram Heavy Dutypickup truck will have a startingManufacturer’s Suggested RetailPrice (MSRP) of $33,395, plus$1,695 destination fee.“In launching the new 2019

Ram Heavy Duty pickups andChassis Cab trucks, we knew itwas important to offer class-leading capability, features andtechnology. But it's also impor-tant to offer our great productsat a competitive price,” said ReidBigland, head of Ram TruckBrand – FCA. “We feel that we'vedelivered the right mix that RamTruck customers – across abroad spectrum – will appreci-ate.”The new 2019 Ram Heavy Duty

is available in a wide range of of-ferings, from the well-equippedRam 2500 Tradesman regularcab 4x2’s $33,395 MSRP to thetechnology-leading Ram 3500Limited Mega Cab 4x4 with 12-inch Uconnect 4C touchscreen at$67,050 plus destination.Pricing of all models reflects

the standard 6.4-liter Hemi V8engine with 8-speed automatictransmission. The optional 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel with6-speed automatic transmissionis $9,100, while the optional1,000 lb.-ft. of torque CumminsHigh Output (3500 only), matedto the Aisin 6-speed transmis-sion, is $11,795.The new Ram Heavy Duty

made its worldwide debut at theNorth American InternationalAuto Show in Detroit in Januarywhere its class-leading capabilitywith the segment’s highesttorque ratings, highest towing at35,100 lbs. and highest payloadat 7,680 lbs. wrote the headlines,said FCA spokesman Nick Cappa.The 2019 Ram Heavy Duty will

deliver new features and tech-nologies that make hitching trail-ers easier and will provide confi-dence while towing, Cappa said.New features include adaptivecruise control and Forward Colli-sion Warning, both with full stopwhile towing, 360-degree sur-round-view camera, trailer re-verse guidance, cargo-view cam-era with dynamic gridlines, auxil-iary cameras and bed-loweringmode.The new 2019 Ram 3500, 4500

and 5500 Chassis Cab commer-cial trucks also recently madetheir debut at the Chicago AutoShow earlier this month. TheChassis Cab lineup will have astarting MSRP of $34,750, plus$1,695 destination fee, Cappasaid.

FCA Unveils2019 Price of

Ram HD Truck

MILAN (AP) – The Europeancarmakers’ association says newpassenger car sales in the regiondropped by 4.6 percent in Janu-ary, weighed down by big de-clines in Spain and Italy.Despite the drop, the associa-

tion said on Feb. 15 that the 1.2million cars sold last month inthe European Union marked thesecond-best January since 2009.It compared with 1.25 million ayear earlier.German manufacturer Volks-

wagen registered a 6.5 percentdecline in sales, but maintainedits dominant 24 percent marketshare.Italian-American carmaker Fiat

Chrysler Automobiles saw salesdecline 15 percent.French carmakers PSA and Re-

nault limited their drops to 2percent and 0.7 percent respec-tively. Luxury carmaker Daimlersaw sales fall 1.3 percent whileBMW slid by 2.7 percent.Demand dropped off by 7.5

percent in Italy and 8 percent inSpain.

European OEMsReport DropIn Car Sales

PAGE 6 FEBRUARY 25, 2019DETROIT AUTO SCENE

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Keeping track of loved onesjust got a little easier for Chevyowners.The myChevrolet mobile app

recently received a new featurethat will help ease loved ones’worries and make the process ofchecking-in more convenient.The feature is called Vehicle

Locate and it allows Chevy own-ers to send automated text alertsto friends and family when theirconnected vehicle enters orleaves a designated boundaryarea, or arrives at or departsfrom an address, said GMspokesman Stefan Cross.Owners can also use the fea-

ture to pinpoint the location oftheir connected vehicle at anygiven time.The new mobile app update

replaces the Family Link ser-vice, which was solely web-based.When setting up Vehicle

Locate, users can create bound-ary areas, as wide as a 20-mile ra-dius or as small as a specific ad-dress.Users can then select who

should receive alerts when theirvehicle either enters or leavesthat designated area. Up to 10people can receive a specificboundary alert, and each partyhas to opt-in.“At Chevrolet, we aim to make

our drivers’ lives easier throughsmart and purposeful technolo-gies,” said Alejandra Gonzalez,Chevrolet’s product manager ofRemote Services.“Vehicle Locate provides both

drivers and their loved oneswith peace of mind in a variety ofdifferent drive-related scenar-ios.”Chevrolet has identified a

handful of different scenarioswhere Vehicle Locate makes iteasier to stay connected:• The Connected Commuter –A working professional who

regularly notifies family orfriends once they have leftwork or are nearing home.Vehicle Locate eliminatesthe need to send a text byautomatically sending out anotification.

• The Concerned Parent –When teenagers start driv-ing, it can be a constantpoint of worry for any par-ent. To help minimize worry,parents can work with theirnew drivers to receive auto-matic alerts when the vehi-cle arrives at school orwhen it leaves a designatedradius.

• The Modern Dater – Blindand online dates can be ex-citing, but the idea of meeting up with a stranger canalso be somewhat concern-ing. Instead of regularly text-ing friends and family mem-bers updates on wherea-bouts, daters can have their

vehicle automatically sendout a text once it has left theplanned restaurant or oncethe vehicle has arrived backat home.

• The Helpful Truck Owner –Truck owners often get re-quests to let friends borrowtheir vehicle to help move ortransport large items. Vehi-cle Locate can help the own-er keep tabs on the truckand anticipate its return.

Vehicle Locate is available toowners of eligible 2012 modelyear or newer Chevrolet vehiclesin the United States, Canada andMexico.The service is part of the Re-

mote Access Plan, which alsoprovides mobile apps featureslike remote key fob servicesto remotely start, stop, lockand unlock properly equippedGeneral Motors vehicles, andon-demand diagnostics totroubleshoot common issues.

Chevy’s New App Helps Keeping in Touch

The BMW Group and DaimlerAG are pooling their mobilityservices to create a new globalplayer providing sustainable ur-ban mobility for customers.The two companies are invest-

ing more than a billion euros intotal to develop and more close-ly intermesh their offerings forcar-sharing, ride-hailing, parking,charging and multimodal trans-port, said Daimler spokesmanHendrik Sackmann.The cooperation comprises

five joint ventures: REACH NOWfor multimodal services,CHARGE NOW for charging, FREENOW for taxi ride-hailing, PARKNOW for parking and SHARENOW for car-sharing.“Our mobility services have

developed a strong customerbase and we are now taking the

next strategic step. We are pool-ing the strength and expertise of14 successful brands and invest-ing more than €1 billion ($1.13B)to establish a new player in thefast-growing market for urbanmobility,” said Dieter Zetsche,chairman of the Board of Man-agement of Daimler AG and headof Mercedes-Benz Cars.“By creating an intelligent net-

work of joint ventures, we will beable to shape current and futureurban mobility and draw maxi-mum benefit from the opportuni-ties opened up by digitalization,shared services and the increas-ing mobility needs of our cus-tomers. Further cooperationswith other providers, includingstakes in startups and estab-lished players, are also a possi-ble option.”

BMW, Daimler Join Forces

FEBRUARY 25, 2019 PAGE 7DETROIT AUTO SCENE

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PAGE 8 FEBRUARY 25, 2019DETROIT AUTO SCENE