Ford Australia's recent announcement: the fallout.
The announcement on Thursday, 23rd May, by Ford Australia CEO Bob Graziano, that the two Victorian based manufacturing plants would cease making the Falcon, Territory and the 4.0L engines was not unexpected, if somewhat cynically timed to coincide with Holden’s official VF Commodore media launch.
What does it really mean for Australia’s auto industry? Note I said auto industry, not car manufacturing industry. First up, of course, is the human cost. Around 1200 workers are directly affected, with the knock on effect through to suppliers sure to hurt a little, with an estimated (possible) 2500 others in various component suppliers. There’s areas such as brake components, electrical, tyres that will lose orders…..although Graziano’s announcement suggested an increase on the overall model lineup (which, to be honest, gives me mixed feelings) those cars will have been supplied and built overseas.
Safety First
Who’s the leading car manufacturer when it comes to safety? Volvo has to be the obvious answer, as they are amazing at coming up with ingenious ideas for not only keeping passengers safe but pedestrians as well. But here’s another world first from Volvo. Doug Speck, Senior Vice President Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at Volvo Car Group, introduced another trailblazing safety feature that is able to distinguish and detect a cyclist and then automatically brake for any cyclists that swerve out in front of the car. Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with full auto brake consists of a radar unit that sits unified with the car’s grille, a camera that is fitted in front of the interior rear-view mirror and a central control unit. The camera defines the type of object in front of the car, and its high-resolution makes it possible to spot the moving pattern of pedestrians and cyclists. The radar has been designed to detect objects in front of the car while calculating the distance that remains between the car and the object. All information from the radar and camera are sent to the central control unit which continuously monitors and evaluates the current traffic state.
Private Fleet 2013 Driving Survey
2013 Private Fleet Driving Survey
Following on from the success of our previous driving surveys, Private Fleet has once again quizzed Australian drivers from across the country to get a real sense of the current issues motorists are experiencing.
Holden's Not Lion Down: Malibu to Debut With VF Commodore
Holden’s all-new mid-size car, the Malibu has been awarded a maximum 5 star ANCAP safety rating ahead of its showroom debut next month.
Holden Malibu’s standard safety features include six airbags, a rear view camera and rear parking sensors and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) incorporating Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), brake assist, electronic brake distribution and traction control.
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