| | | | | | | | | | CD players, beloved by baby boomers, head for the exit
 Auto CD players are starting to look like excess baggage. When GM rolls out the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS in the United States this summer, the car will feature an optional MyLink infotainment system with a 7-inch display -- but no CD player. ...
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| | North America car and truck production -- December and YTD
| | | Dec. 2011# | Dec. 2010 | Dec. % change | 12 mos. | 12 mos. 2010 | 12 mos. % change | | AM General/VPG | 234 | 0 | -- | 802 | 0 | 0 | | AutoAlliance | 9,513 | 8,603 | 11% | 116,430 | 122,754 | -5% | | BMW Mfg. Corp. | 21,715 | 15,568 | 40% | 277,074 | 157,703 | 76% | | CAMI | 0 | 17,900 | -100% | 0 | 242,929 | -100% | | Chrysler Group | 161,561 | 106,182 | 52% | 1,993,455 | 1,571,662 | 27% | | Ford Motor Co. | 194,784 | 149,801 | 30% | 2,619,797 | 2,328,278 | 13% | | Ford incl. joint venture* | 199,714 | 153,895 | 30% | 2,697,603 | 2,405,864 | 12% | | General Motors | 210,113 | 195,356 | 8% | 3,089,341 | 2,565,616 | 20% | | GM incl. joint ventures* | 210,113 | 213,256 | -2% | 3,089,341 | 2,808,545 | 10% | | Honda | 107,259 | 88,233 | 22% | 1,106,205 | 1,287,775 | -14% | | Hyundai-Kia Automotive | 49,855 | 39,855 | 25% | 624,478 | 454,165 | 38% | | Mercedes-Benz | 11,944 | 10,564 | 13% | 140,954 | 132,669 | 6% | | Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. | 1,936 | 1,713 | 13% | 37,083 | 29,375 | 26% | | Nissan | 95,235 | 77,461 | 23% | 1,184,522 | 1,017,481 | 16% | | NUMMI | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90,814 | -100% | | Subaru | 22,496 | 18,312 | 23% | 241,175 | 245,751 | -2% | | Think | 0 | 304 | -100% | 432 | 304 | 42% | | Toyota | 113,098 | 93,362 | 21% | 1,181,346 | 1,278,342 | -8% | | Toyota incl. joint ventures* | 120,614 | 99,411 | 21% | 1,260,449 | 1,456,887 | -14% | | Volkswagen | 44,247 | 40,640 | 9% | 547,169 | 435,341 | 26% | | Other truck | 26,466 | 18,003 | 47% | 339,728 | 256,781 | 32% | | Total North America car | 479,144 | 361,326 | 33% | 5,836,606 | 5,371,870 | 9% | | Total North America truck | 591,312 | 520,531 | 14% | 7,663,385 | 6,845,870 | 12% | | Total U.S. | 685,523 | 566,770 | 21% | 8,665,632 | 7,817,380 | 11% | | Total Canada | 180,274 | 138,765 | 30% | 2,156,504 | 2,080,854 | 4% | | Total Mexico | 204,659 | 176,322 | 16% | 2,677,855 | 2,319,506 | 15% | | TOTAL NORTH AMERICA | 1,070,456 | 881,857 | 21% | 13,499,991 | 12,217,740 | 11% |
| | #December and YTD actuals will be published on Jan. 16 | | *Not included in grand totals | | **Automotive News estimate | | Source: Automotive News Data Center | |
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|  | Suppliers to the 2012 Hyundai Elantra
The Hyundai Elantra received a stylish redesign for 2011. In 2012, Hyundai has added Active Eco, in which drivers push a button to modify engine and transmission controls and boost fuel economy by 7 percent. This supplier data is compiled by SupplierBusiness. Click here to download our supplier list in PDF format
| JUST IN TIME |
To limit distraction, Denso studies brain waves, heart rate and blood pressure
Until now, designing infotainment controls has been a hit-or-miss affair for automakers and suppliers.
Denso North America is turning it into a science. Ron Schubert, the company's director of body components and safety, says the Japanese supplier is studying motorists' biological indicators.
Denso, which supplies infotainment systems, wants to help automakers figure out how to make the controls more user-friendly.
Researchers are measuring perspiration, brain waves, eye gaze, heart rate and blood pressure to determine the most reliable indicators of a motorist's mental state.
Once Denso identifies the best indicators of agitation, fatigue or distraction, Schubert says the company will figure out how to measure these biometrics when the subject is behind the wheel.
And that's the tricky part: Denso's researchers don't want to hook the driver up to a jungle of electrodes, Schubert says. The driving experience has to be natural.
Denso is working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Iowa to develop these biometric tools.
Once they figure out how to do this, they can better decide which infotainment features are dangerous distractions.
This project is on the bleeding edge of scientific inquiry. But it may give us some groundbreaking insights into driver distraction.
Published: Jan 10 12:01 am U.S. Eastern time
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Bosch researches engine that ignites fuel with and without sparks
Is it possible to design an engine that uses gasoline but switches between spark ignition and diesel-style compression ignition?
The engine would combine the efficiency of a diesel engine with the power and low emissions of a gasoline unit.
A research consortium led by Robert Bosch GmbH and several partners is ... story
| Q&A
After quake and flood, Honda works on disaster plan for parts
 After last year's earthquake in Japan and flooding in Thailand, Honda Motor Co. is asking some Tier 1 suppliers to develop backup production sources for key parts, says Tom Lake, Honda's North American purchasing chief.
Lake discussed Honda's disaster planning, the high cost of parts made in Japan and volatile raw material prices during an ... story
| Justice Dept. says fines in price-fixing case could be heavy
As a global criminal investigation into price fixing among auto suppliers spreads, the lead investigator says the size and scope of the alleged wrongdoing could far exceed the normal $100 million statutory limits on fines for those found guilty in the United States.
John Terzaken, director of criminal enforcement in the U.S. Justice Department's ... story
| Supplier personnel
STAMFORD, Conn. — Harman International Industries Inc. has named I.P. Park as the company's chief technology officer, effective Feb. 1.
He replaces Sachin Lawande, who was named co-president of Harman's lifestyle and infotainment divisions.
Park previously was a vice president of Samsung ... story
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Supply Line
| 
Top 10 vehicles
produced in North America,
December and YTD | | | Dec. | | 1 | Ford F series/Super Duty | 54,668 | | 2 | Toyota Camry | 35,188 | | 3 | Chevrolet Silverado | 31,325 | | 4 | Honda Civic | 29,293 | | 5 | Ram | 27,438 | | 6 | Nissan Altima | 24,068 | | 7 | Ford Escape | 23,999 | | 8 | Nissan Tiida/Versa | 23,987 | | 9 | Honda Accord | 23,857 | | 10 | VW Jetta (6th gen.) | 21,997 | | | | | | | | 12 mos. | | 1 | Ford F series/Super Duty | 727,749 | | 2 | Chevrolet Silverado | 491,497 | | 3 | Ram | 337,103 | | 4 | Ford Escape | 321,322 | | 5 | Nissan Altima | 318,231 | | 6 | Toyota Camry | 307,838 | | 7 | Ford Fusion (Mex.) | 292,699 | | 8 | VW Jetta (6th gen.) | 290,617 | | 9 | Chevrolet Cruze | 279,674 | | 10 | Nissan Tiida/Versa | 279,399 |
| *Actual December and year-to-date numbers will be publish on Jan. 16
Source: Automotive News Data Center and company sources
| » Click here to download our latest production table by nameplate (Data Center subscription required)
» Click here to download our latest production table by assembly plant (Data Center subscription required)
» Click here to view our library of production data (Data Center subscription required) |
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|  | | North America car and light-truck production by plant -- Top 10 plants for December and YTD | | | Dec. 2011* | | | 12 mos. | | 1 | VW Puebla, Mexico | 37,461 | | VW Puebla, Mexico | 514,910 | | 2 | Nissan Aguascalientes, Mexico | 37,009 | | Ford Kansas City, Mo. | 460,338 | | 3 | Ford Kansas City, Mo. | 34,509 | | Nissan Aguascalientes, Mexico | 410,693 | | 4 | Toyota Georgetown, Ky. | 32,701 | | GM Oshawa (Ontario) | 380,149 | | 5 | GM Oshawa (Ontario) | 28,603 | | Ford Dearborn (Mich.) Truck Assembly | 343,888 | | 6 | Nissan Smyrna, Tenn. | 27,150 | | Hyundai Montgomery, Ala. | 342,162 | | 7 | Honda Marysville, Ohio | 26,742 | | Nissan Smyrna, Tenn. | 333,392 | | 8 | Ford Dearborn (Mich.) Truck Assembly | 25,619 | | Ford Hermosillo, Mexico | 328,599 | | 9 | Toyota Cambridge, Ontario | 25,501 | | Toyota Georgetown, Ky. | 315,889 | | 10 | Hyundai Montgomery, Ala. | 25,135 | | Ford Kentucky Truck (Louisville) | 310,270 |
| *Actual December numbers will be publish on Jan. 16
Source: Automotive News Data Center and company sources |
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