All Feature articles – Page 22
-
Feature
FVL North America Trucking Service Provider (small) of the Year
Awarded to the (small – fleet of up to 100 units) finished vehicle logistics road-based provider who has consistently delivered integrated road-based logistics and value-added services across OEM and customer networks in North America. In choosing finalists, judges will consider the overall value, quality and ...
-
Feature
FVL North America Trucking Service Provider (large) of the Year
Awarded to the (large – fleet of +100 units) finished vehicle logistics road-based provider who has consistently delivered integrated road-based logistics and value-added services across OEM and customer networks in North America. In choosing finalists, judges will consider the overall value, quality and service proposition ...
-
Feature
US rail: tracking in the right direction
Rail transportation offers an efficient, reliable option for the distribution of finished vehicles, and in an age of increased concern over sustainability, it is also relatively environmentally friendly. This helps to explain why it remains a popular mode for moving vehicles, despite drawbacks such as limited flexibility.
-
Feature
Mexico’s Undersecretary for North America: USMCA is a good deal
Jesus Seade Kuri, Mexico’s Undersecretary for North America The new free trade agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada (USMCA) will be ratified this month and represents a good deal for Mexico and its automotive industry, delegates at the Automotive Logistics Mexico conference were told last ...
-
Feature
Intelligent insights:
Featuring forecasts and market research from our Global Business Intelligence and Automotive Logistics expert network, get business-critical data and discuss supply chain implications during sessions and at our new Intel Bar Managing powertrain fragmentation: The next decade will see powertrain shifts away from diesel and petrol and towards varying ...
-
Feature
Water woes: how European river transport projects have ground to a halt
In Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Poland the authorities are embarking on big projects aimed at boosting cargo flows along key rivers. Potentially, this could provide more opportunities for the European finished vehicle logistics industry, but for a number of reasons it is not clear that river transport in the region will become more popular.
-
Feature
Automotive suppliers buying and spinning their way into high tech segments
As BorgWarner’s acquisition of Delphi Technologies shows, tier one automotive suppliers are turning to acquisitions and restructuring their business to focus on advanced technology, helping to protect margins, avoid commodification and transition to electrified powertrains
-
Feature
Comment: Slow-growth China holds more challenges for OEMs than coronavirus
Coronovirus and its sudden impact on the Chinese economy might be occupying the news headlines, but there are broader changes afoot over the longer term. After many years of enjoying high-speed growth, the automotive industry is facing its third consecutive year of shrinking vehicle sales in China. For foreign vehicle-makers operating in the country, this is a challenging situation, and while most will be planning to tough it out, some could be forced to exit the market – requiring a shift in patterns of production and logistics.
-
Feature
Al-air: a better battery for EVs?
A long-range, lightweight, cost-efficient, recyclable and ethically sourced battery is, arguably, the Holy Grail of the EV market. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are currently the main focus of multibillion-dollar investments by OEMs and tier suppliers, but there are other contenders that could offer a breakthrough with alternative technology. One of them is the aluminium-air (Al-air) battery.
-
Feature
Fighting back against fake parts
Counterfeit parts in the automotive industry will soon be worth more than the annual gross domestic product of Canada, Brazil or Italy. According to World Trademark Review, the estimated global economic cost of counterfeiting in the automotive industry could reach $2.3 trillion by 2022. In Europe, it is estimated that €2.2 billion ($2.4 billion) is lost annually to counterfeit tyre sales alone, while counterfeit battery sales effectively steal €180m ($198m) from OEMs. Furthermore, the rise of e-commerce is making it ever easier for consumers to knowingly or unknowingly access counterfeit, possibly dangerous vehicle parts.
-
Feature
Russia to tie vehicle utilisation fee to local production
The Russian government is changing the rules of its utilisation scheme, through which it allocates state aid for the reimbursement of fees paid by carmakers that are intended to cover eventual vehicle recycling charges. Carmakers in the country are divided over whether linking the utilisation scheme to the localisation programme is fair.
-
Feature
Part and parcel of the problem: why tier 1 supplier logistics will face a squeeze
As OEMs and automotive parts suppliers see their margins decline, cost pressures are going to increase on logistics operations and service providers further down the supply chain
-
Feature
DRS and STVA UK to support Ford finished vehicle shipments
Ford has awarded a contract to Direct Rail Services (DRS) for the transport of finished vehicles from its UK factory in Dagenham to DRS’ rail terminal at Garston, near Liverpool. Services are to begin mid-2020. DRS will work with transport provider STVA UK, now owned by France’s ...
-
Feature
Explaining EU vehicle emissions targets: can OEMs avoid heavy fines?
The new average fleet targets that came into force in Europe on January 1st 2020 are having big impacts on the supply chain, pushing OEMs to produce and sell more hybrids and EVs. But the rules are complex and varied by brands, volume and sales. Here we provide a summary of the key rules and terminology.
-
Feature
BMW’s balance of power
BMW already has a 6% share of the market for new registered battery electric and photovoltaic electric vehicles but to meet the increase in demand in the coming years it has plans to have 1m fully electric and hybrid vehicles on the road by the end of 2021. In preparation it is moving battery production closer to its main areas of global assembly
-
Feature
Taking the assault out of the battery
The traceability of raw materials used in the production of lithium-ion batteries, such as lithium and cobalt, is one of the main sustainability challenges faced by carmakers who are investing to meet the consumer demand and regulatory pressures behind the electric vehicle revolution
-
Feature
Weighing the cost of the EV revolution
The rise in the number of electric vehicles being transported in Europe is bringing with it some significant challenges for those carriers tasked with volume shipments. They are having to deal with heavier and higher voltage vehicles that need charging on routes that cross countries with differing regulations on load dimensions
-
Feature
The rules of the battery game
Logistics providers charged with the transport of lithium-ion batteries to the assembly lines and services centres have some very complex regulatory standards to which they have to adhere – it is a legislative jungle out there
-
Feature
Is Sony’s Vision S a scary sight, or a revelation for carmakers and suppliers?
Should automotive manufacturers and the supply chain fear or embrace this surprise announcement from the consumer technology giant?
-
Feature
Pairing up for progress: The advance of digital twins
A computer-based tool for process planning, quality checking, monitoring systems and a wide range of other uses, digital twinning is increasingly making its presence felt across the automotive industry. In essence, this is a version of something in real life, such as a piece of machinery, a production line or a supply chain operation, which is recreated on a desktop computer or a tablet. Digital twins are now used across manufacturing and warehouse operations to manage material flow, complete the order-to-delivery process and make efficiency and quality improvements in vehicle production.