Auto Industry News: Right To Repair Gains Traction, 2019 Shanghai Auto Show Dazzles Audiences, Apple’s Love Affair With a Self-Branded Car is On Again, and 2019 Moab Easter Jeep Safari Wraps Up
The Right To Repair bill gains traction across America and could very well become a talking point in next year’s election. The 2019 Shanghai Auto Show gives audiences a glimpse of a possible future of vehicle technology. Apple decides it still wants a piece of that future—at least for now—as it appears the tech giant’s relationship with a self-branded car is back on. And the enthusiast scene heats up with the New York Auto Show, Ultra4 fun, and a heavy aftermarket showing at the 2019 Moab Easter Jeep Safari.
Right To Repair Now A National Issue Ahead of 2020 Election
Traction continues to grow for the Right To Repair movement this year, with more than 20 bills now active at the state level. These much-needed bills would allow consumers—most notably farmers and auto enthusiasts—to break the stranglehold that big companies are placing on diagnostic and repair data.
Essentially, as consumer goods get more technically complex, manufacturers claim the software and engineering making up these products is proprietary. And that means if something quits working, these companies only want licensed contractors to fix it for you—at a sky-high premium.
In fact, John Deere was so insistent on this charge, that the company actually challenged a copyright appeal by a Nebraska farmer who couldn’t afford to repair his own broken equipment, that he legally purchased, in order to harvest his crops on time.
And while struggling farmers are likely to be hit hardest, Right to Repair has a profound effect on many industries. From aftermarket parts and built-in vehicle software, to game consoles and computer software—even giants like Apple are disabling functionality in third-party phone screens.
“Monopolies on repair hurt all Americans,” Nathan Proctor, the director of the Right To Repair campaign at consumer rights group US PIRG, told Motherboard. “Right to Repair is a no-brainer, and with 20 states working on active legislation so far this year, it’s no surprise that it’s getting talked about on the national stage. We should be able to fix our stuff.”
Just this past week, Democratic presidential-hopeful and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren became the first 2020 candidate to publicly support Right To Repair, providing a major boost to bill-proponents.
So, What Can Auto Enthusiasts Do?
While Warren’s focus is placed on helping farmers specifically, the bill would still be a major win for auto enthusiasts. And as she speaks up ahead of an election, it’s likely other politicians (on both sides of the aisle) will jump on board as well. That’s an encouraging sign for an automotive industry hoping for more than a temporary solution to Right to Repair issues and enthusiasts seeking the ability to legally tinker, repair, and modify any and all equipment they buy—without breaking the bank.
2019 Shanghai Auto Show Dazzles With Vehicles of the Future
The world’s largest motor show, the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show, is in full swing this week, with millions of visitors flooding the National Exhibit and Conference Center of the country’s biggest city. Running April 18-25, enthusiasts from around the world get a peak at some of the latest and greatest designs, from concept to production.
Key highlights this year were, perhaps unsurprisingly, an increasing push towards electric cars and self-driving technology in the Chinese market. The push toward greener energy solutions is particularly emergent in China, as the number of registered vehicles continues to rapidly grow. Especially in the nation’s mega-cities, which already suffer poor air quality and pollution control issues.
In response, the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show brought an impressive selection of fully-electric models—including sedans, like the Aston Martin Rapide E and Geely Preface and NIO ET Preview concepts. Audi, Infiniti, and VW all took the stage as well, showcasing their own version of an electric-powered, self-driving future.
Bloomberg reports that China’s overall car market is experiencing its worst slump in years. Many automakers hope that big government tax breaks and a flashy display at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show will reinvigorate consumer confidence and inspire more spending.
Apple’s Self-Driving Car Back On (Again)?
Reuters reported last week that Apple is in talks with several companies over acquiring next-gen lidar sensors for its self-branded car program. According to the news outlet, “The moves provide fresh evidence of Apple’s renewed ambitions to enter the autonomous vehicle derby.”
This comes after a long on-again-off-again love affair with a potential self-driving car, called Project Titan. Apple started flirting with the idea in 2014, beginning as an EV program that quickly expanded to include self-driving tech. The plan was to build “the ultimate mobile device.”
The next few years saw an ebb and flow of publicly acknowledging the program and then laying off hundreds of workers from the department. This latest news implies that the tech giant hasn’t given up hope that a long-term relationship in the auto industry is still possible.
“The iPhone maker is setting a high bar with demands for a revolutionary design,” says Reuters. “The sensor effort means Apple wants to develop the entire chain of hardware to guide autonomous vehicles and has joined automakers and investors in the race to find winning technologies.”
Whether or not you get down with self-driving cars, I think we can all agree that if Apple is staying in the game, its adoption of better lidar is a good thing. Especially after those atrocious results it posted in California’s disengagement reports, which showed Apple’s road-testing efforts needed a human to overtake the software nearly once every 1.15 miles. Yikes. (For comparison, GM’s disengagement is closer to once every 5,000 miles and Waymo’s once every 11,000.)
Around the Circuit
New York Auto Show Opened to the Public on Friday, April 19
As North America’s very first automotive exhibition, the New York International Auto Show has been delighting audiences since 1900 in the city that never sleeps. This year’s event runs from April 19 – 28, and promises nearly 1,000 vehicles from the world’s automakers throughout more than four floors of displays.
Hosted in the heart of Manhattan, in the historic neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen, there is literally no shortage of activities to keep you entertained when not eyeing up the auto industry’s latest and greatest. Click here to learn more.
2019 Ultra4 Eastern Series
The Ultra4 4WP Eastern Series kicked off its season in Pittsburg, Tennessee last week, with the US Gear Tear Down. The event was held at the Adventure Offroad Park, a coarse known for its plentiful 4×4 trails and short, tree-lined tracks.
Drivers like Derek West, Casey Gilbert, Duane Garretson, Ken Carter and Matt Zeiler established themselves as pole sitters for the upcoming races in their respective classes. But all eyes were focused on the 4400 class that afternoon, as the winner would also become a qualifier for the upcoming 2020 King of the Hammers.
West led through most of the 4400 class, holding his first place spot out of the gate before finishing third behind talented up-and-coming racers Josh Blyer and Levi Shirley. Blyer finished the race in just 1 hour, 25 minutes and 28 seconds, followed by Shirley at 1 hour, 25 minutes and 52 seconds and West at 1 hour, 32 minutes and 11 seconds.
Next on the list is the 2019 Ultra4 North Series in Billings, Montana on May 11 (a new series this year), followed by the 2019 King of Baja in Mexico.
2019 Moab Easter Jeep Safari Wraps Up Another Great Year
Finishing up another banger year yesterday, the 2019 Moab Easter Jeep Safari saw some dirt-flinging excitement—both traditional and new—for visiting 4×4 enthusiasts.
Drawing our enthusiasm, though? The incredible presence of aftermarket manufacturers, displaying insane custom vehicles, flashy new products, and just an all-around love for off-road adventure.
Check out the pictures below to see what you missed. (And start planning for next year!)
