Technology
Commercial freight transportation businesses rely on data, intelligence, and novel solutions for operational efficiency. Transport Topics technology coverage investigates available technologies, real-world applications of business solutions, and the strategies necessary for advancement. News topics focus on the latest applied science, and issues range from autonomous vehicle and robotics innovations to management software, tracking and transparency, data analytics, blockchain, and the internet of things.
GM to Build $2.3 Billion Battery Plant in Lordstown, Ohio
General Motors Co. and its battery partner, South Korea’s LG Chem Ltd., will jointly invest $2.3 billion in a new electric vehicle battery plant to be built in Lordstown, Ohio, the same city where the automaker controversially idled and then sold a 53-year-old compact-car factory.
Hair Drug-Testing Rule Could Become Public in Early 2020, Official Says
ROCKVILLE, Md. — A proposed federal rule that would allow motor carriers to drug test their drivers and prospective employees using hair samples continues to wind its way slowly through the bureaucracy, but could be made public as soon as early next year.
California Cuts Electric Car Rebates, Drops Luxury Models
California’s rebate program to coax more drivers to buy electric vehicles just got less generous, especially for those looking to spend on a luxury model.
Hankook Tire Looks to AI to Improve Production
Hankook Tire, whose commercial products are on U.S. fleets, announced the predictive model it is developing using artificial intelligence could slash in half the time it takes to develop tire compounds.
1.4 Million Air Bags to be Recalled
Takata Corp., the auto parts supplier that went bankrupt after its air bags spurred the largest-ever recall, told U.S. safety regulators that another 1.4 million U.S. vehicles need to be repaired over a potentially deadly defect.
Carmakers Shed 80,000 Jobs as Electric Shift Upends Industry
It’s turning out to be one of the worst years ever for auto workers across the globe amid shrinking demand and a tectonic shift in vehicle technology.
December 4, 2019Trump Asks Court to Toss California Auto Emissions Lawsuit
President Donald Trump’s administration asked a federal judge to throw out California’s lawsuit seeking to preserve its power to regulate tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions, saying Washington has the last word in setting fuel economy standards.
Tunnel Planned for California Bullet Train Under Burbank Airport
The complexity of building a bullet train through Southern California’s urban maze is leading state officials to consider two major additions: a tunnel under the Burbank airport and a project that would help a freight railroad expand its switching yards in the Inland Empire.
Perspective: Augmented Reality as a Training Tool
The emerging technology of augmented reality is becoming more viable for fleets that want to recruit and retain technicians.
Billionaires Investing in China’s Electric Cars Face Shakeout
Some of China’s wealthiest tycoons steered billions of dollars into electric car companies to fuel the country’s dreams of becoming a leader in the field. Now a reckoning may be looming as car sales slow and the government reduces subsidies for the nascent industry.
December 3, 2019