The battle for the future

Issue #225, November 13, 2023

The future of urban transportation is one that will see electric mobility as a primary mode, well integrated with the rest of the city. To make it easy to fix issues, electric vehicles (EVs) will soon have an industry standard onboard diagnostic system, starting in California state, US. Gigacasting will be a trend to watch out in future, transforming the traditinal assembly line. The best way to extinguish an EV fire may be to let it burn! A few car makers in the US have turned off vehicle connectivity due to legal tussles over right-to-repair and customer empowerment for vehicle maintenance and repair. Many car dealers in the US are not yet ready to sell EVs while in India, EV sale picks up as customers consider sustainability as the key criteria. Below are some interesting updates on how the future of the automotive industry could look like, primarily EVs.

Standard EV diagnostic system

EVs do not have an industry standard onboard diagnostic system. That will change in 2026 when a standard diagnostic system for EVs debuts. California regulations, part of the state's Advanced Clean Cars II program, require automakers to phase in a standard EV diagnostic system similar to the onboard diagnostic system II found in combustion engine vehicles. California could become the industry standard for EV diagnostics. Seven of the 17 states that follow its emissions rules have already adopted Advanced Clean Cars II regulations. Onboard diagnostic regulations for EVs will govern plug-in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles as well. - Auto News

Gigacasting for EV manufacturing

Toyota’s battle to catch up with Tesla in a new era of EVs is playing out in one of the oldest parts of the car making business: the assembly line. Elon Musk argues that legacy assembly processes need to be changed for battery-powered vehicles, simplifying and speeding up car making with fewer suppliers and vehicle models. Tesla’s process “giga casting” is expected to set a new benchmark for building vehicles, replacing the Toyota Production System based on just-in-time manufacturing efficiency. By adopting giga casting and using new assembly lines, Toyota will aim to cut processes and plant investment by half. - Financial Times

Firefighting EVs

Firefighters called to extinguish an EV fire are discovering the surest approach is to stand back and watch it burn. Electric cars combust differently than their gas-powered counterparts. Firefighters and researchers said EV fires last longer, are harder to put out and have a tendency to reignite. Firefighters in Hillsborough Township, N.J., allowed a Tesla to burn itself out after it caught fire in a salvage yard last month. - WSJ

Turning off vehicle connectivity

Subaru has disabled some of its own software in a stalemate over control of data from your car in Massachusetts state. That means no automatic emergency calls if the car crashes, no wireless notifications from the dealer about maintenance problems and no option to remotely start the car and fire up the heater. Subaru crippled its technology over a state law intended to let people share their car’s wireless repair information with any service shop — not only the authorized dealer. Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly approved the law in 2020 but automakers have fought it in court ever since. - Washington Post

EVs and car dealers

Many US buyers say car dealerships, which sell the majority of new vehicles, are not prepared for the electric transition. Amid concern over an EV slowdown, electric cars are sitting longer on dealerships’ lots than gas-powered cars. Dealers may have less economic incentive to sell EVs. If car dealers don’t want to sell EVs, the country’s electric transition could be in jeopardy. Dealers tried to redirect their attention toward gas cars, or gave incorrect or unclear answers to questions about charging and day-to-day EV use. - Washington Post

Growing EV sales in India

EV registrations in India surged from 1.25 lakh (0.125 mil) units in 2020 to 10.25 lakh units so far in 2023. The behaviour of today's consumer plays a pivotal role in shaping the automotive landscape. Sustainability now stands among the top five criteria for a consumer to make the purchase decision, along with factors such as safety, brand reputation and cost. This transformation is fuelled by heightened environmental awareness, spurring interest in EVs, and other sustainable transportation options. - ET Auto