Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?

[Count Steer]

Tesla just announced a recall of 2M cars to fix the auto-crasher software

Software (autopilot ) to be updated remotely so you won't need to worry about avoiding the queues at the dealers.

[ZRX61]

Tesla just announced a recall of 2M cars to fix the auto-crasher software

Software (autopilot ) to be updated remotely so you won't need to worry about avoiding the queues at the dealers.

The local dealer (in Van Nuys) is just a warehouse next to the airport.

[ZRX61]

Actually saw a Tesla truck yesterday. Parked off the side of the road in the Playground area of Mulholland. Not brushed stainless, this one was a very dark, almost black, flat gray. They're even worse looking in person.

[Bwana]

Tesla just announced a recall of 2M cars to fix the auto-crasher software

Software (autopilot ) to be updated remotely so you won't need to worry about avoiding the queues at the dealers.

Is that a temporary fix waiting to become the next flaw?

[Count Steer]

Tesla just announced a recall of 2M cars to fix the auto-crasher software

Software (autopilot ) to be updated remotely so you won't need to worry about avoiding the queues at the dealers.

Is that a temporary fix waiting to become the next flaw?

I wouldn't be at all surprised. Given the complexity of driving on iffy roads, surrounded by iffy drivers and assorted random events - deer, drunks, the occasional light aircraft making emergency landings, weather etc etc etc the idea of handing over decision control to a software package developed by a Musk company doesn't fill me with confidence.

Having bought a relatively modern vehicle with the best of Japanese technology in, I'd like a big red button marked 'Old Skool' that turns it off. Example, the tyre pressure monitoring system....cold day...beeeeeeep! Oh me, oh my....one tyre is down 1psi How do I reset it to accept that....4 screens later....press and hold OK. Now drive for 30 minutes. For heaven's sake it's a little hybrid shopper!

*Goes off to find a 50s step-sided Chevvy*

[Bwana]

Software (autopilot ) to be updated remotely so you won't need to worry about avoiding the queues at the dealers.

Is that a temporary fix waiting to become the next flaw?

I wouldn't be at all surprised. Given the complexity of driving on iffy roads, surrounded by iffy drivers and assorted random events - deer, drunks, the occasional light aircraft making emergency landings, weather etc etc etc the idea of handing over decision control to a software package developed by a Musk company doesn't fill me with confidence.

Having bought a relatively modern vehicle with the best of Japanese technology in, I'd like a big red button marked 'Old Skool' that turns it off. Example, the tyre pressure monitoring system....cold day...beeeeeeep! Oh me, oh my....one tyre is down 1psi How do I reset it to accept that....4 screens later....press and hold OK. Now drive for 30 minutes. For heaven's sake it's a little hybrid shopper!

*Goes off to find a 50s step-sided Chevvy*

I haven't been keeping up...
Is problem the one that followed their solution to the problem that involved the cars "thinking" shit like an overpass or a big sign or some such was another vehicle and braking occurred as a result? IIRC there were two systems involved so Testes just did away with the one that initiated the erroneous braking, but that opened the door for some other problem rather immediately. I don't recall the details, and at the moment, can't be arsed to look for them.

While you're looking for the Chevy stepside, see you can't locate a decent rust free 1955 Chevy Nomad.

[Count Steer]

Chevy Nomad? Oh yeah. To you, in a nice flame orange, concours condition...$75-100k.

[Bwana]

Chevy Nomad? Oh yeah. To you, in a nice flame orange, concours condition...$75-100k.

It's absolutely nuts the price on these cars, isn't it?

Many moons ago I had the opportunity to purchase a fairly decent 1956 Chevy BelAire 2 door. The only thing wrong with it as far as a good inspection yielded was a broken motor mount and the front end had a lift kit in it. All the rage for drag racing a few decades ago. The price? Somewhere south of $400 USD in the late 1970s. I would probably still have the damn thing too. Although vet school and an absence of appropriate storage facilities would have had a negative impact.

[Taipan]

[Rockburner]

Cheesy poufs don't weigh much...... Probably the lightest possible load there is.

[Taipan]

Cheesy poufs don't weigh much...... Probably the lightest possible load there is.

I must admit, I wondered if there was some sort of irony or piss-taking involved in that choice of load!

[Pirahna]

Tesla installing defective parts and charge customers for repairs.

https://insideevs.com/news/701813/tesla ... ed-owners/

[Horse]

Tesla installing defective parts and charge customers for repairs.

https://insideevs.com/news/701813/tesla ... ed-owners/

The full, lengthy, Reuters article is amazing

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/sp ... uspension/

[Horse]

Quite a lot has been posted about how EV manufacturers are subsidised.

It's also worth noting how IC engine manufacturers are paying more to the US government.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/money/compani ... r-AA1lV0Vl

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Truck engine maker Cummins Inc has agreed in principle to pay a $1.675 billion fine for installing devices on hundreds of thousands of engines to allow them to emit excess pollution, the largest-ever civil penalty for a Clean Air Act violation, the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday.

[ZRX61]

General Motors said nearly half its Buick dealers took buyouts this year rather than invest in selling and servicing electric vehicles as the automaker's brands transition to all electric by 2030.

That means GM will end 2023 with about 1,000 Buick stores nationwide, down 47% from where it started the year.

Late last year, Buick said it would be asking dealers to commit a minimum investment of $300,000 to $400,000 to prepare their stores to sell and service EVs.
"Buick is transforming, launching the best vehicles the brand has ever had and is the fastest growing mainstream brand in 2023," said GM spokesman Sean Poppitt in an email this week to the Detroit Free Press. "This all needs to be supported by the best customer experience in the transition to EVs. As stated before, this year we’ve given dealers who are not aligned with Buick’s future to exit voluntarily in a respectful and structured way; with the full support of our National Dealer Council."
"We’re not breaking it down state by state, but Michigan is a critical market for Buick and we are well covered to support our local customers," Poppitt said. "Nearly 90% of the U.S. population remains within approximately 25 miles of a Buick dealership."
Poppitt said with nearly half the dealerships gone, Buick sales are still up almost 60% this year through November over the year-ago period, which means "the average dealer throughput tripled — while reducing 47% of our dealer points. These are compelling numbers; we have a leaner, stronger and more effective network."
The buyout program remains open and is voluntary. The brand plans to show its first EV next year and it will be an SUV. All future new electric nameplates will use the Electra name followed by a number.

In 2020, Cadillac offered a similar buyout program for its dealers. Nationally, 170-180 of Cadillac's 870 dealers, or about 20%, took the buyouts that ranged from $300,000 to $700,000 and gave up their franchise rather than make the investment for tools, training, equipment and charging stations to sell and service EVs, a person who's familiar with Cadillac's plan told the Free Press in December 2020.

[Mussels]

Who wants to invest in uncertain tech that they don't know very well?
Apart from that manufacturers would rather have direct sales with service centres so they are fine with dealers disappearing, they won't be offering many incentives to change.

[Horse]

... manufacturers would rather have direct sales with service centres so they are fine with dealers disappearing, they won't be offering many incentives to change.

And using Tesla as an example, 230 dealers in the USA (2023) selling 0.5M vehicles in 2022.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Probably a convenient exit point for many franchise owners that they will be greatful for.

[KungFooBob]

I've just seen an advert on primetime ITV (I'm watching Corrie, init) for the BYD Seal...

https://www.byd.com/uk/car/seal

I know nothing about them, but the advert showed the central touch screen rotating between portrait and landscape, so now I want one.

[Mr. Dazzle]

The data are still coming in (there's a lag of a few weeks) but it's looking like here in the UK maybe more grid power was generated via wind, solar + hydro power than via fossil fuels in 2023. Even if the renewables don't quite overtake fossil fuels, it looks damned close.

https://eciu.net/winter-power-tracker

https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/n ... l-uk-homes