General Articles

You may have noticed that scheduling your vehicle for service has become harder. Auto Repair Shops are often booked two to three weeks out now. That’s quite a shift from pre-pandemic days when you could get your vehicle scheduled for service within a week. So, what’s changed? Actually, quite a lot and it isn’t just due to a labor shortage. Here are some of the reasons for the back log at BA Auto Care and other auto service centers:

1. Labor shortage is an issue, but it has been an issue for more than 20 years. It is getting worse in the auto repair industry, especially for qualified technicians. In the United States, we are short 50,000 auto technicians and that number is climbing. With that said, BA Auto Care has not changed the number of technicians we had on staff before or during the pandemic. However, we are currently … Read more

Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing Quick Facts

• Car sharing apps provide a method for vehicle owners to make money through short-term rentals.
• Renters can seek specific models to use for extended test drives before making a purchase online or at a dealership.
• Hosts can offset their ownership expenses by car sharing; renters can enjoy desirable vehicles not otherwise available at traditional car rental companies.

Car sharing has become popular in recent years as a short-term rental solution. A car share service may be ideal for those who only need a vehicle for a few days or specific occasions. While you may consider a traditional rental company when you travel or need temporary wheels, it’s worth weighing all your options.

Vehicle owners should also consider the favorable benefits of car sharing. If you own a newer vehicle, understand that it’s an asset that costs you money every day. Loan payments, insurance, and depreciation … Read more

BYD’s promised premium sub-brand has launched its first vehicle, the Yangwang U8, a rugged-looking SUV in the mould of the Land Rover Defender – but with four electric motors.

Reports from the launch in China today show an upright design with a blingy grille, headlights rather like a Nissan Patrol, squared-off wheel arches with sheet metal blistering, aerodynamic flush door handles, and a chunky D-pillar ahead of the tailgate-mounted spare wheel.

But rather than being mechanically like a Defender it’s more akin to the upcoming all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQG, though at a reported 5300mm it’s longer even than a GLS.

The new Yangwang U8 will reportedly use an in-house four-motor EV system, using four (IP68 sealed) electric motors to drive each wheel directly and a central control unit.

Such a system theoretically gives you much quicker and more precise torque allocation, and even the ability to pull off a 360-degree … Read more

The LiDAR market is rapidly maturing as developers improve functionality and cut costs. The remote sensing technology is a key enabler of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles (AVs), and several suppliers are competing for a slice of the market. It’s a growing field; a projected CAGR of 19.27% puts its potential value at US$6.93bn by 2030. That’s a big prize for those developers that manage to secure a solid foothold. Israeli start-up Innoviz believes that by the end of 2023, almost all vehicle manufacturers will have made their decision on which LiDAR to use in future highly automated vehicles.

“Because the automotive industry operates on notoriously long timelines, the decisions made in 2023 will impact the way cars are designed and built for the next decade,” says Innoviz Chief Executive Omer Keilaf. As a result, the market for automotive LiDAR will thin out substantially. Innoviz works directly … Read more

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) have been a force to help bridge a gap as we approach a future full of full-on electric vehicles (EVs). Such vehicles have proven to be quite efficient and the perfect commuter vehicle for those who take full advantage of its plug-in charging capabilities. In the scheme of having an affordable PHEV SUV, Mitsubishi has stepped into the game to bring us an all-new Outlander PHEV. After spending a week with the Outlander PHEV, I was enamored to welcome such a vehicle into my lifestyle with wide open arms from a brand that hasn’t been on my radar screen in a long time.

For my generation, born in the late 70s, Mitsubishi was a fun brand in the 90s and even in the early 2000s. I can remember good friends of mine having some of the wildest sport compact vehicles around that touted the Mitsubishi … Read more