Automotive News articles from April 2009

Automotive News archives from April 2009

Soaking up bumps in the road.(NEWS)(Tenneco Inc.)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Tenneco Inc. Lake Forest, Ill. Category: Product For: Very high damping body mount Vertical vibration is a chronic problem for body-on-frame pickups. Tenneco developed a hydraulic mounting that absorbs a variety of bumps,...

Subaru's new option: A garden to go.(NEWS)(Subaru of America Inc.)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Amid the doom and gloom of last week's auto sales reports, we got this April Fool's Day press release from Subaru of America. "The Subaru Green Roof is a dealer-fitted option and is installed by depositing a 3-inch layer of soil onto the...

Honda offers buyouts, cuts output.(NEWS)(American Honda Motor Company Inc.)
April 6, 2009... Byline: David Barkholz Honda Motor Co. is offering retirement incentives and buyouts to most of its 35,600 salaried and hourly production workers in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The automaker also said last week that it will...

Henderson's GM speeds up dealer cuts.(NEWS)(dialogue with Fritz Henderson)(General Motors Corp.)(Interview)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Dave Guilford General Motors will lean much harder on its strongest brands Cadillac and Chevrolet as it accelerates the reduction of dealerships. New CEO Fritz Henderson says the President's Auto Task Force's rejection of GM's...

Mercedes cuts dealer paperwork.(NEWS)(Mercedes-Benz USA Inc.)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Diana T. Kurylko To improve customer service and cut costs, Mercedes-Benz USA has been working to reduce warranty-related paperwork for dealerships for about 18 months. For example, the company used to require extensive...

Honda's U.S. factory plan: Take it 2 wheels at a time.(NEWS)(American Honda Motor Company Inc.)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Lindsay Chappell On June 8, Automotive News will chronicle Honda's U.S. history in a special section, Honda's American Journey: 25 Pivotal Moments in 50 Eventful Years. For information about the special section, go to...

GMAC boosts loans, cuts dealer fees.(NEWS)(General Motors Acceptance Corporation)(dialogue with Bill Muir)(Interview)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Donna Harris GMAC will pour $5 billion into consumer auto loans over the next 60 days and tiptoe back into the subprime market part of its campaign to reclaim its role as the prime lender for General Motors dealerships. In an...

Incentives rise to move old Fusions, Mustangs.(NEWS)(Ford Motor Co.)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Amy Wilson Ford Motor Co. is cranking up incentives on two cars, the Ford Fusion and Mustang, to make room for restyled models this spring. In February, Fusion incentives of $3,569 were the highest since the nameplate was...

GM: Job-loss payment deal boosts store traffic.(NEWS)(General Motors Corp.)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Jesse Snyder General Motors says its job-loss payment guarantee came too late to affect March sales but immediately boosted showroom traffic last week. "It's generated a tremendous amount of interest in one day, GM sales boss...

Testing factory floors virtually.(NEWS)(Dassault Systemes of America)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Dassault Systemes Delmia Corp. Auburn Hills, Mich. Category: Information technology For: Delmia Automation A risky part of getting a production line running is testing it, because a programming error can make a machine damage...

Light castings expand aluminum's role.(NEWS)(Alcoa Inc.)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Alcoa Transportation Products Soest, Germany Category: Manufacturing process and capital equipment For: Vacuum die-casting system for lightweight door assemblies Alcoa is expanding the automotive use of aluminum castings to...

eBay tests selling vehicles on Daily Deal page.(Jim Ellis Auto Dealerships )
April 6, 2009... Byline: Arlena Sawyers On March 26, Jim Ellis Auto Dealerships of suburban Altanta offered a new 2008 Saab 9-3 for sale online. The price had been slashed almost 40 percent below sticker to $18,725. It sold in four hours. The Saab...

Schmidt takes hits.(dealer Daniel Schmidt )(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Lender KeyBank says Ohio dealer Daniel Schmidt is behind on his loan payments. The bank has foreclosed on 6 of his properties. TENNESSEE Infiniti of Nashville Mazda of Cool Springs Nissan of Cool Springs Subaru of...

Manufacturing executives will offer insight.(Automotive News Manufacturing Conference)(Conference news)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Two executives who are helping transform the U.S. auto industry will speak at the Automotive News Manufacturing Conference in June. Don Jackson, president of Volkswagen AG's planned factory in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Steve St. Angelo,...

Key facts.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... When: June 8-10 Where: Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort, Birmingham, Ala. Cost: $795, including the full conference, Honda plant tour, Suppliers Choice Survey breakfast briefing and the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association...

Hyundai gives hp ratings for 2 fuel grades.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Rick Kranz What's my horsepower? Well, it depends on the gasoline premium or regular. Last fall Hyundai decided to provide the horsepower ratings of its new 4.6-liter V-8 with premium and regular fuel. John Krafcik, acting CEO...

Chevy Volt is exception to "pay the rent' rule.(General Motors Corp.)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Jamie LaReau Although General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson has said that every GM model must "pay the rent, there will be at least one prominent exception: the Chevrolet Volt. Last week GM disclosed that it had requested $2.6...

Japan tax cuts prompt Nissan to boost fuel economy.(Nissan Motor Company Ltd)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Hans Greimel Nissan Motor Co. soon will be putting more fuel-efficient cars on U.S. roads, thanks to a Japanese tax break that took effect last week. The Japanese government is slashing taxes on automobiles that have very low...

Microsoft infotainment package.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Microsoft Corp. Redmond, Wash. Category: Information technology For: Microsoft Auto 3.0 software Developing in-vehicle infotainment devices is simple, but getting all of them to communicate easily is not. Software giant...

USED-CAR SITES: CLICK; Retailers tap the brakes on online pilot projects until economy turns around.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Donna Harris Several large dealership groups that are testing multistore used-vehicle Web sites have put those pilot projects on hold until the economy turns around. Of those top retailers, only Hendrick Automotive Group, of...

A tangled Web.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Big dealership groups are finding that companywide used-car Web sites can cause headaches. The Web sites require a large ad budget. Individual stores are reluctant to share inventories. Independent used-car Web sites are tough...

GM plan's 5 flaws.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... The government's task force criticized GM's assumptions in 5 areas. 1. Market share 2. Price 3. Brands and dealers 4. Product mix 5. Legacy liabilities

Rescue operation.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... More coverage of the industry drama Kresa: "We're on a path to change. Page 6 Ford's new competitor: Uncle Sam Page 6 Henderson: UAW, bondholders will take bigger hits Page 8 Keith Crain: GM means Government Motors Page 12...

Above all, Wagoner is a team player.(chief executive officer Rick Wagoner )(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Edward Lapham Rick Wagoner's coming-out party as General Motors CEO was a three-day seminar in late June 2000 at the Palazzo Arzaga Spa & Golf Resort in Brescia, Italy. It was a telling time. In a casual setting, some...

Beginnings.(Houston Automobile Dealers Association)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Wyatt Wainwright has joined the Houston Automobile Dealers Association as president-elect. He plans to succeed his father, Walter Wainwright, at the end of the year as president of the association.

Ford's OK with new rival, Uncle Sam.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Amy Wilson Ford Motor Co. has an imposing new competitor: Uncle Sam. The U.S. government has provided billions of dollars to crosstown rivals General Motors and Chrysler LLC, allowing them to provide generous incentives. Now GM...

GM is now Government Motors.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Keith Crain I'm not going to try for one minute to defend Rick Wagoner. I will spend even less time talking about the attributes of General Motors' board of directors. But I am troubled by the heavy-handed manner in which the...

Getting the zinc out of undercoating.(Zircobond pretreatment)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... PPG Industries Inc. Troy, Mich. Category: Manufacturing process and capital equipment For: Zircobond pretreatment Zinc phosphate has been the industry standard for undercoating since soon after World War II. Now PPG offers an...

GMC's 2nd crossover combines 30-mpg rating, refinement.(GMC Terrain intoduced by General Motors Corp.)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Rick Kranz GMC will tout 30 mpg and vehicle refinement when its second crossover hits the streets this fall. The GMC Terrain is a five-passenger, front-drive crossover that shares a platform with the Chevrolet Equinox....

Two-tone plastic panels on a budget.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Visteon Corp. Van Buren Township, Mich. Category: Manufacturing process and capital equipment For: Two Color, Two Shot injection-molding process Making two-tone plastic in a single molding process isn't uncommon for small...

Ford eyes 305-hp U.S. Focus.(Focus RS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Rick Kranz Ford may add a 300-plus-hp Focus to its U.S. lineup. The Focus RS, a three-door hatchback sold in Europe, is powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder Volvo engine with 305 hp. Hermann Salenbauch, Ford...

Horbury back at Volvo; Callum replaces him at Ford.(NEWS)(AB Volvo)(Peter Horbury)(Moray Callum)(Ford Motor Co.)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Richard Truett and John Revill Peter Horbury, the British designer who retired boxy styling at Volvo and moved the once-staid Swedish brand toward a cool and sport image, is leaving Ford Motor Co.'s North American operations to...

Mazda names new design boss.(Ikuo Maeda appointed by Mazda Motor Corp as head)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: John Revill Ikuo Maeda is the new head of design at Mazda Motor Corp. The man credited with styling Mazda's flagship sports car takes over for Laurens van den Acker, 43, who has decided to leave the company "to pursue other...

Picture this.(NEWS)(Photograph)
April 6, 2009... Placing bet, winning Vettes When C. David Rutherford Jr. of Monticello, Ga., plunked down $10 for five sweepstakes tickets, he figured he would be helping the Kids Wish Network. But Rutherford ended up having his own wish come true. He...

CarMax profits plunge 67.5%.(NEWS)(revenue report)(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... CarMax Inc. stayed in the black for the fiscal year ended Feb. 28, but the publicly traded retailer's profits fell 67.5 percent compared with the previous year. Net income dropped to $59.2 million, compared with $182.0 million a year...

Briefs.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Fukui: No cheaper Insight TOKYO Honda Motor Co. President Takeo Fukui says he won't trim the price of the Insight hybrid hatchback despite Toyota Motor Corp.'s undercutting the car with a discounted Prius in Japan. Dealers in Japan say...

Calendar.(NEWS)(Calendar)
April 6, 2009... April 2-11 Amsterdam International Motor Show, Europaplein, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 31 20 504 4949, autorai.nl April 3-12 Seoul Motor Show, Korea International Exhibition Center, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, 82-2-3660-1853, kama.or.kr ...

Ford goal: Cut $300 in cost per sale.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Amy Wilson Ford Motor Co. has set a May 31 deadline to find ways to cut dealer-related sales and marketing costs. The target: Take out $300 per vehicle over the next five years. Many dealers fear they will lose some...

Bankruptcy buzz: Bad for business; Automakers, and even President Obama, offer incentives to counter buyers' fears.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Dave Guilford Dodge-Jeep dealer Jim Giddings in Woodbridge, Va., knows firsthand how the cloud of bankruptcy over Chrysler LLC is hurting sales. Some customers have been offering him half the price of vehicles. When he refuses,...

Foreclosed: Nissan stores near HQ; Bank sues owner, says he defaulted on $50 million in loans.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Real estate setbacks, a downturn in car sales and two squabbling former business partners have proved too much for Columbus, Ohio, dealer Daniel Schmidt. His lender, KeyBank, has foreclosed on six of his auto...

Amid gloom, new products bloom; GM and Chrysler push ahead with major introductions.(NEWS)(General Motors)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Rick Kranz Their futures are shaky, but General Motors and Chrysler LLC are pushing ahead with important debuts at the New York auto show. About a dozen world debuts are planned. The unveilings range from a micro concept car...

Task force: GM viability plan has 5 key flaws.(NEWS)(General Motors Corp.)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Jamie LaReau President Barack Obama's auto task force says General Motors will be hard-pressed to meet its projections in five key areas without a dramatic restructuring. In response to the viability plan GM submitted Feb. 17,...

AUTO NEWS digest.(NEWS)(briefs)(Financial report)
April 6, 2009... Honda joins Edmunds in ad campaign LOS ANGELES Honda is linking with Edmunds.com in an ad campaign urging shoppers to compare Honda models with rivals. Ads, which begin today, promote an Edmunds.com page that calculates total costs of...

CORRECTION.(NEWS)(Correction notice)
April 6, 2009... A story on Page 8 of the March 30 issue misspelled the last name of Mazda Motor Corp. executive Yuji Harada.

Delphi's Brown protects r&d amid Chap. 11.(NEWS)(Andrew Brown Jr.)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Chrissie Thompson "Safe, green and connected. Those three words describe the areas where Delphi Corp. is devoting its innovation efforts. Chief Technologist Andrew Brown Jr.'s job is to make sure no one at Delphi forgets them....

Shaping the future.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Andrew Brown Jr. has to keep Delphi innovating during bankruptcy. To accomplish this, he Involves top management in r&d discussions Coordinates projects across divisions Accepts innovative ideas from all departments and from...

As auto ads shrink, cable still plugging away; Marketers like how networks weave brands into shows.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Laura Clark Geist As automakers slash national advertising budgets, cable networks are doing something that most other media have failed to do: maintain their automotive ad revenue. "Cable has been the only one holding onto...

As bankruptcy looms, UAW and creditors face bigger hits.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Peter Brown The Obama administration has demanded that General Motors get financially healthy in 60 days or else. That demand is likely to force the UAW and the company's unsecured bondholders to take much bigger hits than...

Dealers go online, line up service profits; E-mail, Internet tools help survive during sales slump.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Chrissie Thompson As dealers endure plunging sales of new vehicles, many are boosting revenues by marrying two moneymakers: the service department and the Internet. Keeler Motor Car Co., which sells seven import brands in an...

The book on Fritz: Good arm, unflappable.(NEWS)(dialogue with Fritz Henderson)(Interview)
April 6, 2009... Two years ago, we sat Fritz Henderson down to talk about his life outside the auto business. That was the deal although, like everyone, we were curious whether Fritz thought he might become General Motors' CEO someday. He certainly didn't...

Obama wasn't first president to torpedo an auto company CEO.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... When President Barack Obama steered General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner toward the door last week, it wasn't the first time a U.S. president has determined who should be at the helm of a Detroit automaker. In the summer of 1943, Franklin D....

Fair to Ford?(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... What: The government is helping rivals General Motors and Chrysler. Ford's response: Ford says being free of bailout cash helps more than it hurts although privately, some execs have complaints.

Scrappage plan needs fine tuning to curb abuses.(NEWS)(Brief article)(Column)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Richard Truett Before President Barack Obama's speech last week, I might have been able to sell my winter car, a 1990 Rover hatchback, for around $1,500. Now it might be worth as much as $5,000. The president said he will work...

Double whammy for secretive Feinberg: Red ink, publicity.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Stephen Feinberg slipped quietly into Washington last week to try to save what he could from his ill-starred acquisition of Chrysler. But in D.C., he wound up in the place he hates most the news. The publicity-averse chairman of Cerberus...

Henderson pitches straight talk from the hot seat.(NEWS)(Fritz Henderson)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Dave Guilford It was a classic Fritz Henderson performance crisp, logical, fast-paced, with an air of relishing the pressure, even amid General Motors' turmoil. In Henderson's first press conference as GM CEO on Tuesday,...

World debuts.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Production vehicles 2010 Acura ZDX sedan 2010 BMW M X6 2010 GMC Terrain crossover 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2010 Kia Forte 2- or 3-door 2010 Mazda CX-9 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG 2010 Nissan 370Z,...

Waiting for Fiats: Chrysler's narrow path to survival.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Luca Ciferri and Bradford Wernle To survive the 27 months until Fiat cars are rolling off its assembly lines, Chrysler needs two things to happen and they're both dicey. Chrysler has to prove its viability to the federal...

Using the Web.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Dealers are using the Internet to boost service revenues by E-mailing promotions to customers Scheduling appointments online Training technicians through automakers' online instruction

Oversight maybe, but feds don't know car business.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... General Motors and Chrysler LLC invited federal oversight when they went to Washington looking for a bailout. But it was unprecedented when the Obama administration asked GM CEO Rick Wagoner to step aside as part of the GM bailout. The...

Obituaries.(NEWS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Dennis McNamara ORLANDO, Fla. Dennis McNamara, who for 45 years owned the highest volume Pontiac dealership here, died March 31 at age 88. McNamara opened his Pontiac store in 1961 and kept it in his family until the store closed in...

Kent Kresa.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Job: Chairman, General Motors Age: 71 GM background: Joined board of directors in 2003 Previous job: CEO of Northrop, Northrop Grumman, 1990-2003 History: Built Northrop Grumman from a struggling aircraft manufacturer into a...

GM's mixed message; The news: Brands are dying The ads: Keep on buying.(NEWS)(General Motors Corp.)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Dave Guilford The contrast on TV is jarring. News of GM's troubles, including the planned demise of Saturn and downsizing of Pontiac, dominates the news shows. But on college basketball broadcasts and other programs, GM is...

Integrating stability control sensor.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Robert Bosch LLC Abstatt, Germany Category: Product Europe For: Bosch ESP with integrated inertial sensor As electronic stability control systems become more common, manufacturers want lower costs and less complexity....

Oldies but goodies.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Besides using the Internet to boost revenues, dealers are emphasizing service practices that they already know work. Keeping parts inventories lean. Extending service hours to evenings and weekends. Sending customers coupons for...

GM chairman isn't afraid of change.(NEWS)(General Motors Corp.)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Jamie LaReau Kent Kresa knows all about brushes with bankruptcy. He is widely credited with keeping airplane builder Northrop Corp. out of Bankruptcy Court. Now Kresa is interim chairman of General Motors, which may enter...

Korean unit set to spark GM's products.(NEWS)(General Motors)(GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co.)(Interview)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Kathy Jackson General Motors is in turmoil, but at least one of its global units is on solid footing and preparing to play an expanded role. GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co., of which GM owns 51 percent, is moving aggressively...

March misery? Look here for glimmers of hope in the debris.(NEWS)(Statistical data)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Jesse Snyder U.S. light-vehicle sales crashed again in March, but there were encouraging signs amid the debris. The numbers are grim. Only 857,982 units were sold last month, nearly a half million fewer than a year earlier....

Infiniti G loses a roof - but nothing else.(NEWS)(Nissan North America Inc. Infiniti Div.)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Lindsay Chappell Cut the top off a car, and chances are you're going to lose something: structural rigidity, handling, design or, if nothing else, the ability to hear the radio. This is why Infiniti devoted so much engineering...

How we chose these 25 innovations.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: James B. Treece This list of 25 innovations is drawn from 15 years of PACE Award finalists and honorable mentions. All the finalists and honorable mentions over the years were superb innovations. Working from that list, we set...

15.Ignoring the experts for a better hem.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Ralph Kisiel Sometimes you have to ignore the experts. About 10 years ago, James Toeniskoetter, president of Hirotec America Inc., started to conceive a sheet metal hemming press that would be quieter, less costly and greener...

25 innovations.(NEWS)(Premier Automotive Suppliers Awards)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Innovation drives the automotive industry. Automakers' new cars and trucks get the attention, but much of the innovation comes from suppliers.For 15 years, Automotive News and other sponsors have honored suppliers' innovations with the PACE...

E-STEER.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Company: Delphi Corp. What it does: Uses electronic controls, not copper brushes, to change the direction of the current that runs the motor in the electric steering system How it changed the industry: Set a new standard for...

20. ZF six-speed led shift to higher fuel economy.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Rick Kranz ZF Friedrichshafen AG was looking for technology to help automakers reduce fuel consumption. A dose of inspiration from Pierre Lepelletier, a French inventor, led to the world's first six-speed automatic transmission....

Family of 6-speed automatic transmissions.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Company: ZF Friedrichshafen What it does: Gearbox that changes ratios automatically How it changed the industry: Fuel-saving 6-speed transmissions have gone mainstream.

14. Sync turned technology marketing on its head.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Leslie J. Allen Two years after Ford's Sync infotainment system debuted at the International Consumer Electronics Show, Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally appeared at the 2009 show sans his usual business attire. Instead, he hit the...

E3 Hemming Press.(NEWS)(Hirotec America)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Company: Hirotec America What it does: Hems exterior body panels, such as doors and hoods, to interior panels without hydraulics How it changed the industry: Eliminates disposal of hydraulic fluids, slashes energy use

Microsoft Auto.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Company: Microsoft Corp. What it does: Software platform allows hands-free operation of cell phones and portable music players; connects the vehicle to outside data through cellular networks. How it changed the industry: When Ford...

AeroTwin wiper.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Company: Robert Bosch What it does: The arm-and-spring system lets the wiper blade conform to the shape of the windshield. How it changed the industry: The low-profile blades improve styling by reducing the space needed for wiper arms....

4. Innovative wiper cleaned up.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Richard Truett It's just a windshield wiper blade, right? But in online automotive chat rooms, drivers from Boston to Berlin rave about how well Bosch AeroTwin wiper blades scrape away water, ice or whatever quietly, and at...

18. Common rail redefined diesels.(NEWS)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Richard Truett Few innovations in recent years had the impact of Robert Bosch GmbH's common-rail diesel fuel injection system. Combined with the turbocharger, it changed the face of driving in Europe. And it has the potential to do...

Commin-rail injection.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Company: Robert Bosch What it does: Fast-acting fuel injectors enable diesel engines to run smoother, cleaner and quieter while using less fuel to deliver stronger acceleration. How it changed the industry: Common-rail diesel...

3 key players.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... William Sharfman, director of Automotive News PACE Awards judging, says innovation typically involves a chain of 3 people. 1.The idea person Ideas can come from any level of a company. 2.The helper The first person will seek out someone...

Keyless Go.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Company: Siemens VDO Automotive, now Continental What it does: Radio signal from inside pocket or purse opens doors and starts engine without metal key or key fob. How it changed the industry: Opened the door to a new line of must-have...

1. MagneRide changes suspension stiffness fluidly.(NEWS)(Brief article)
April 6, 2009... Byline: Chrissie Thompson A smooth ride needs a soft suspension, but crisp handling requires a stiff suspension. Balancing the two needs is a perennial challenge for suspension engineers. Delphi Corp.'s MagneRide can change suspension...