Now here is something I bet you’d never think of — A Mexican company by the name of Decano Industries has tasked their work force with smart speed bumps that will reportedly increase safety and improve fuel efficiency.

How, you ask? Well, if all goes as planned and they succeed in producing such technology these speed bumps will collapse if oncoming traffic is going the speed limit or below but will stand still if it senses a vehicle going over the speed limit.

The Mexican government seems to have faith in Decano Industries as they have given them grants and the like to get this technology out the door and onto the streets.

Read (USA Today)

Tags: decano industries, Mexico, safety, speed bumps

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A vehicle-supply project between Nissan and Chrysler was shelved due to varied circumstances. Though it was not said directly, it seems that this had something to do with Chrysler’s tie-up with Fiat with regards to the supply of small vehicles for the global market.

The deal between Nissan and Chrysler started as early as the first quarter of 2008 which called for Nissan to supply small vehicle for the global market in 2010 and a compact sedan for the South American market at the beginning of this year to Chrysler. Nothing really materialized and was further compounded when the Chrysler-Fiat deal started in January of this year.

Also, one other factor is the current global situation. Both Nissan and Chrysler had halted production until they could come up with improved returns from operations. And as we know, Chrysler eventually filed for bankruptcy and later on announced a new alliance with Fiat which all but put the previous alliance of Nissan and Chrysler terminated.

Nissan was scheduled to have supplied Chrysler with an all-new, fuel-efficient small car made in Japan in exchange for a full-size pickup truck made by Chrysler in Mexico. Apparently all of these plans are a thing of the past as Chrysler is now tied up with Fiat for small vehicle distribution.

(Source) Reuters India

Tags: Bankruptcy, Chrysler, distribution source, drop project, Fiat, first quarter, global situation, India, Japan, Mexico, new alliance, Nissan, pickup truck, project partnership, Small Car, south american market, vehicle distribution

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I don’t know about you guys, but I was never a big fan of Chrysler’s PT Cruiser, however this news is sure to please someone out there. Before you read on, make note that back in January Chrysler had intentions of killing off the PT Cruiser.

Anyways, Chrysler recently issued a press releasing stating that they will in fact be producing a 2010 version of their PT Crusier. The car is set to be manufactured in Chrysler’s Mexican plant that first built the PT Cruiser when it made its debut in 2001.

Of course, Chrysler had to throw in a list of awards the car has recieved to justify its continued existence:

2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Consumer Reports “Recommended”
• 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Consumer Guide, “Best Buy – Compact Cars Category”
• 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Consumer Reports, “Recommended”
• 2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Edmunds.com, “Most Significant”
• 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser, AutoPacific, “Top Vehicle customer satisfaction”
• 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser, North American International Auto Show, “North American Car of the Year”
• 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser, African Americans on Wheels and Latinos on Wheels, “Car of the Year”
• 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Strategic Vision, “Compact Car Segment”
• 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Industrial Design Excellence, “Gold Award”
• 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser, Automobile Magazine, “Best Small Car”

Tags: Awards, Chrysler, Mexico, PT Cruiser

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It seems that there VW is about to shine a ray of hope for unemployed Mexican citizens — The automaker has recently announced that they manufacture their newest compact sedan at a plant in Puebla, Mexico sometime early next year. This will be the same plant that produces the latest Jetta and Beetle models.

VW hopes to invest close to $1 billion into the project which about half of that going towards producing a new assembly line at the plant.

For those anxiously awaiting more details, check back soon as we’ll keep you posted.

via Autoblog

Tags: Beetle, Jetta, Mexico, new concept sedan, puebla, VW

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Continental Tires North America is set to acquire a larger market share in Latin America with the reported acquisition of Compania Ecuatoriana del Caucho S.A.(ERCO). What makes Continental in a better position with this deal is that ERCO has a strong distribution network in Ecuador and the Andean region.

“Our plan is to have ERCO manage the six countries of the Andean region so that we can expand our business in these critical growth markets which, together, have a larger population size than that of Mexico, but with faster growth.”

Over the last two years, Continental Tire has significantly increased its market share in Latin America by a focused growth strategy. The opening of a Sales office in Argentina in summer 2008 accelerated the growth even further. Continental Tire manages its Latin American operations with the exception of Mexico and the Andean Region out of its significant operations in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

(Source) Press

Tags: acquisition, american operations, andean region, argentina, caucho, continental tire, continental tires, distribution network, ecuador, erco, growth markets, growth strategy, latin america, market share, Mexico, north america, population size, sao paulo brazil

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To help address the growing number of stolen vehicles, a GPS made to help in the recovery of potentially stolen vehicles has been launched in the market that will be disseminated through new car dealerships. This unique partnership leverages MOC’s extensive automotive dealer channel relationships and CalAmp’s proven GPS-based asset tracking technologies to provide consumers with SVR solutions superior to those currently available through new-car dealers.

The products will be marketed by MOC under its Ecotrac brand name and feature highly-sensitive GPS technology in compact and durable designs customized to the unique needs of different vehicle types. In addition to SVR application, users of Ecotrac will have the option to track and monitor vehicle activity from a full-featured website or mobile phone. Ecotrac gives consumers real-time control and remote location information needed to make quick, informed vehicle management decisions.

MOC has developed strong relationships in the new-car dealership industry over the past 50 years and will market Ecotrac products to thousands of its accounts through distribution channels in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. CalAmp plans to leverage its manufacturing and development expertise to provide the Ecotrac bundled hardware, hosted web-based applications and wireless data service plans.

(Source) Press

Tags: application users, calamp, Canada, channel relationships, consumers, development expertise, distribution channels, gps technology, management decisions, Mexico, mobile phone, new car dealers, new car dealership, new car dealerships, partnership, real time control, recovery solution, vehicle management

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Rumors of an impending GM bankruptcy has put the car world in a state of frenzy, circulating fears that purchased cars from GM may no longer provide warranties should such an unfortunate event happen. But thanks to the assurance of the US government, motorists who have or are planning to get a GM car need not worry. General Motors Corp. says the U.S. government is guaranteeing the warranties of its cars and trucks sold in Mexico.

The government announced it would guarantee warranties of vehicles sold in the U.S. starting March 30. The move was designed to stimulate sales by easing fears GM might go into bankruptcy and wouldn’t be able to back its warranties.

GM says it will pay part of the warranty guarantee costs and will borrow the rest from the U.S. government. The guarantees cover GM vehicles sold in the U.S. and Mexico during the company’s restructuring period.

(Source) KESQ

Tags: Bankruptcy, car world, Cars, General Motors, general motors corp, GM, gm car, gm vehicles, Mexico, motorists, restructuring, trucks, us government, warranties, warranty

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The figures don’t lie and if you base it on the news you have been reading as far as the automobile industry is concerned, this report is not at all surprising. In what many seem to be readily acknowledging already, China has risen above the occasion and surpassed the United States in the area of car production. China in 2008 manufactured 9.3 million cars, while the United States built 8.7 million. In 2009, China will build 8.7 million autos, compared to 7.6 million for Japan.

“China’s rise to the No.-2 position in global car manufacturing in 2008 marks a major milestone in China’s economic ascendency and the United States’ industrial decline,” said Egil Juliussen, PhD, director and fellow, automotive research, for iSuppli.

“China during the last five years more than doubled its domestic automobile production, while U.S. manufacturing has declined by nearly 50 percent. China, which produces most of its cars for domestic sale, has benefitted from its booming economy and the soaring disposable incomes of its consumers. Meanwhile, U.S. auto production has been declining steadily due to increasing imports from the NAFTA nations Canada and Mexico, as well as from Europe and Asia.”

(Source) CIOL

Tags: Asia, automobile, Canada, china, Egil, Europe, Industry, iSuppli, Japan, Juliussen, manufacturing, Mexico, NAFTA, united states

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Hella KGaA Hueck & Co has announced that they have produced the 100-millionth electronic pedal processor sensor that is a common part among leading automotive companies today. Hella’s first-generation of electronic pedal modules were made in 1996 in Recklinghausen.

Today, more than 500 Hella employees are involved in the production of electronic pedal modules worldwide. In addition to the Recklinghausen plant, the company now serves its customers from locations in China, India, Mexico, Romania, the U.S. and Korea.

Hella supplies nearly every automotive and several commercial vehicle manufacturers worldwide, with the Asia-Pacific region being a key growth market. The latest generation of pedal modules features more electronic capabilities, while being 50 percent lighter and more compact than the first units produced in 1996.

Hella’s pedal sensors record the position of the pedal and generate the vehicle-specific pedal characteristic, meaning how the pedal “feels” when operated, Menge said. “Our pedal sensors are designed so that the pedal, the pedal-force generation and signal generation are combined in one modular unit.”

Hella is one of the top 50 automotive parts suppliers in the world and one of the 100 largest industrial companies in Germany. Nearly 25,000 people work in 70 manufacturing facilities and production subsidiaries throughout the world, including more than 3,500 research-and-development engineers and technicians. Customers include all of the world’s leading vehicle and systems manufacturers, as well as the automotive parts aftermarket.

(Source) Press

Tags: asia pacific region, automotive parts, china, development engineers, electronic capabilities, force generation, Germany, hella kgaa hueck, India, Korea, manufacturing facilities, Mexico, processor sensor, research and development, romania, sensors, signal generation

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Since we’re used to hearing how people cross the Mexican border in hope of something better, we shouldn’t be surprised if that’s the same border Chinese cars will pass soon. Chinese cars will probably head to the U.S. from Mexico in about 5 years or so. Chinese manufacturers will begin production in Mexico in 2010 while sales in the United States are expected for 2015.

How do you like the prospect of buying a Chinese car made in Mexico from Walmart? We’re not saying they will be bad cars but they might sell for less. Aren’t you curios what cars are we talking about? So are we! Are they FAWs? BYDs?

via Gasgoo

Tags: byd, Cars, china, FAW, Mexico, USA, walmart

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