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Navistar Completes Order to Supply Quality Cos. With 9,000 Trucks Transport Topics / July 27, 2015 Navistar has finalized an agreement to supply Quality Cos. with 9,000 Class 8 tractors during the next three years. Quality Cos., a provider of truck- and trailer-leasing services, is a subsidiary of truckload carrier Celadon Inc. Navistar said the order consists primarily of International ProStar and LoneStar Class 8 tractors powered by the Cummins ISX15 engine. The manufacturer announced last week that it had received an order for the first 1,050 of the 9,000 trucks requested by the leasing company. “We look forward to serving the business needs of Quality Cos. and appreciate the confidence they have placed in our products, our people and our business,” said Bill Kozek, president of Navistar’s truck and parts business. “This order demonstrates our commitment to growth and positions us to support our customers for the next several years,” said Danny Williams, chief operating officer at Quality Cos. Indianapolis-based Celadon ranks No. 42 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in the United States and Canada.

Navistar Press Release / July 27, 2015 Navistar today announced that it will be first-to-market with the Eaton Procision line of dual-clutch automated manual transmissions (AMT) for its International DuraStar medium-duty trucks and IC Bus CE series school buses, available in late 2015. Based on Eaton's testing, the new 7-speed transmissions deliver a significant fuel economy advantage compared to a similarly equipped vehicle with a torque converter automatic transmission. The Eaton Procision transmission features a dual-clutch design and electronic shifting that uses grade, vehicle weight and throttle input to provide optimal fuel efficiency and smooth, continuous delivery of torque. "Through our partnership with Eaton, we're offering our customers advanced technologies that provide safe and easy operation for any driver," said Jeff Sass, Navistar senior vice president, North America Truck Sales and Marketing. "Coupled with the reliability of our medium-duty platform, the Eaton Procision transmission delivers the uptime and efficiency our customers require in many driving environments." The Eaton Procision dual-clutch technology allows for more efficient acceleration from a stopped position and optimizes shift points that will efficiently get to the highest gear. Gear changes are made by swapping the engine torque between clutches with the next gear preselected. The dual-clutch module is fully contained within the transmission, hydraulically controlled and oil cooled for extended life. The Eaton Procision includes features such as Eaton Dynamic Shifting, which allows the transmission to automatically switch between economy and performance shift schedules based on mass, grade and driver demand. Available torque, engine acceleration and grade drive dynamically modified base shift results. Economy and performance shift tables can be adjusted to tune an overall calibration to meet any customer's specific needs. Eaton Procision transmissions utilize a new synthetic transmission fluid that provides component protection while reducing maintenance costs, as part of 150,000 mile or 4-year lube and filter change intervals. The internal sump filter and electrical system do not require maintenance. Procision gives drivers more control in all situations and best-in-class low speed maneuverability thanks to features such as Hill Helper, Creep Mode and Tap Down Shifting. "Customers told us that they wanted features that made their trucks easier to drive," said Jeff Carpenter, Eaton Medium-Duty Procision engineering manager. "So, we engineered a host of features that instill confidence and maximize efficiency for operators with routes on hilly, difficult terrain, or those who navigate tight turns and traffic as part of an urban route." Eaton is a recognized leader in commercial vehicle transmissions. To prove the reliability of Procision, over 100 truck years of testing in a variety of geographies, vocations and duty cycles were performed. This confidence is expressed by a 3-year/unlimited mile warranty which covers the complete system—including the dual-clutch module—in commercial vehicle applications, and a 5-year/unlimited mile warranty in school bus applications.

Powered by a 563 horsepower (571 PS) 15.93-liter Mercedes-Benz OM502LA V-8, the 6x6 Buffalo offers unlimited off-road capability. PDF - http://www.rosenbauer.com/fileadmin/sharepoint/products/specialvehicles/INTERN%20Interschutz%202015/Datenblatter%20Sonderfahrzeuge_von%20DRoi_per%20Stick%20am%2020150527/12_BUFFALO%20extreme_GTLF%2033000_en.pdf

Transport Engineer / July 27, 2015 Flour miller and supplier Whitworth Bros has taken delivery of two Mercedes-Benz Actros and has already ordered two more for delivery later this year, thanks to fleet-topping fuel returns from its first Actros delivered in October last year. Supplied by dealer Intercounty Truck & Van, the Wellingborough-based operator's latest additions are 2545 models with StreamSpace cabs and 450bhp straight-six engines, driving through Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated transmissions. The vehicles are making nationwide bulk deliveries of bagged, palletised flour on curtainside trailers. The two Actros scheduled for delivery later this year will be 2445 StreamSpace variants. They will deliver flour in tipping powder tank trailers, so will have small-wheeled mid-lift axles which, as well as saving weight, will free up extra space on the chassis to accommodate Gardner Denver blowing equipment. Whitworth has 70 trucks, most of which are tractors, and its first Mercedes vehicle – an Axor tractor – was in service until 2013. Regional distribution manager Colin Spurrier says it was "the most reliable vehicle on the fleet". Last year's Actros, too, performed well on fuel, he adds: "At around 9 mpg, the fuel returns are as good as, if not better, than anything else on the fleet." Whitworth latest trucks are the subject of CharterWay contract hire agreements from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, with inspections and servicing undertaken by the dealer. "All of our trucks are contract-hired because as well as offering the predictable costs that allow us to budget with confidence, this acquisition method means we get new vehicles every five years," adds Spurrier. .

Transport Engineer / July 28, 2015 Aberdeen-based haulier Dyce Carriers has extended its 68-strong fleet with two 44-tonne Renault Range T460 6x2 mid-lift tractors, the first Renault vehicles to join the operator’s heavy goods fleet. Supplied by dealer Alex Aiken and Son, the tractors are on a two-year contract hire through BRS, which includes tyres and road tax. The tractors are pulling oil and gas trailers to the operator's depot in Cowdenbeath. The haulier's owner Jason Moir says fuel efficiency was a major factor in his decision and the trucks are already living up to the promise. "Fuel economy is always a key factor for Dyce Carriers and we knew that the new Range T had been specifically designed to deliver fuel savings. It's early days, but initial figures are very promising," he says. The trucks have also been supplied with Renault's Fuel Eco package, which includes the Optifleet telematics system. In keeping with Dyce's policy to name its trucks, the Range Ts are called 'Blackwatch', after the Royal Highland regiment, and 'Slains Castle' after the Aberdeenshire location said to have inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula. .

The Business Journal / July 24, 2015 A group representing California truckers, farmers and business owners is claiming the state attorney general’s office is ignoring a rash of recent truck fires it claims were sparked by faulty diesel particulate filters. The Alliance for California Business, a Chico-based nonprofit with more than 400 members, is blasting both the attorney general and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for “refusing to investigate” the truck fires — and attempting “to block others from doing so.” “These diesel particulate filters [DPFs] are the most dangerous pieces of equipment ever put on a truck,” said Alliance President Bud Caldwell, 65, a former “kingpin” for the California Truckers Association and owner of Northgate Petroleum in Chico. In the trucking business for nearly 50 years, Caldwell said he formed the Alliance in 2013 “to lead the charge” against mandatory DPF laws in California, the only state in the country that currently requires them. “I’m getting calls on a daily basis from truckers having trouble with these things,” he said. “I don’t have the staff to handle it.” Perhaps most worrisome of all, Caldwell added, is that the filters are also standard equipment on all diesel-powered buses in the state, including school buses. A spokesperson from the office of Attorney General Kamala Harris declined to comment on Caldwell’s allegations, directing questions to CARB. But earlier this year, a judge in Northern California denied the Alliance’s request for a preliminary injunction related to use of the filters, which, when a truck engine is running, can reach temperatures exceeding 600 degrees Celsius. In December 2008, CARB established the ‘California Statewide Truck and Bus Rule,’ which requires all on-road diesel heavy trucks and buses operating in California be “retrofitted, repowered or replaced to reduce particulate matter emissions by at least 85 percent.” In order to decrease sooty emissions, DPFs are standard equipment on new trucks and installed — retrofitted — onto older diesel engines. CARB mandates the use of specific filter types based on a truck engine’s age and manufacturer. When one major filter manufacturer, Cleaire, went out of business in January 2013, hundreds of trucking companies using their filters were suddenly scrambling for replacements, forced to deal with third party vendors while wondering if their fleets remained in compliance with state law. At a hearing held earlier this year, the Alliance argued DPFs were mechanically unreliable — and posed a serious fire risk when exposed to fuel or other flammable liquids. One trucker, Hank de Carbonel, testified the devices “increase the likelihood of fires and explosions” once they become clogged. Other truckers described being stuck on the side of the highway or having to take their trucks out of use because of trouble with DPFs. Caldwell claims at least 31 truck fires — “all related to DPFs” — have occurred in the last 18 months. On July 7, four separate fires along Highway 156 in San Juan Bautista were attributed to a faulty diesel particulate filter. According to the Hollister fire chief, pieces of it were found on the road next to each blaze. Jim Ganduglia, owner of Ganduglia Trucking in Fresno, said his drivers have yet to experience any fires related to the devices but that “three or four times,” he’s had to have trucks towed because the filters shut down the engines. “The towing bills are starting to add up,” he said. Ganduglia said the problem is aggravated when trucks are idling at job sites or rest stops for long periods of time. “If you idle a truck for eight or 10 hours, it’s creating soot in the filter without enough heat being generated to burn off the ash.” Ganduglia said Volvo and Freightliner “are changing their protocols on servicing” their engines to try to deal with the issue. Earlier this year, Glenn County Superior Court Judge Peter Twede declined to issue an injunction against CARB, ruling the Alliance had not made “a significant showing of irreparable injury” caused by DPFs. “However,” the judge added, “the possibility of these safety issues is very concerning.” CARB, headed since 2007 by former EPA administrator Mary D. Nichols, is one of six boards, departments and offices operating under the umbrella of the California Environmental Protection Agency. Karen Caesar, an information officer for CARB, declined to answer questions about the controversial filters, saying, “We do not comment on pending litigation.” But Caesar did forward a CARB report claiming DPFs are “effective and reliable” in removing 98 percent of toxic diesel emissions. The filters, the 56-page study concluded, “do not increase the likelihood of truck fires and are manufactured in accordance with federal and state safety requirements.” The Alliance continues to dispute those conclusions and is now taking depositions of key CARB executive staff responsible for approving the DPFs. Caldwell is incensed CARB continues to blame the fires on operators who do not properly maintain their filters. The Alliance plans to conduct its own investigation, he said, and “bring forth the experts required to prove that the DPF device should not be allowed on California highways.” “For every fire suspected of being linked to the DPF device, the Alliance has requested police, fire and California Highway Patrol reports,” he added. “For every subpoena issued by the Alliance for this information, CARB has filed objections to the disclosure — with no explanation to date for why it would not want that information disclosed to the Alliance and members of the public.” Caldwell said the Alliance plans to renew its motion for an injunction, this time asking for a permanent one. “If the California Air Resources Board was genuinely concerned with the health and safety of citizens and not just with defending their mandate, why would they prevent anyone from looking into truck fires?” Caldwell said. Ganduglia, a former chairman of the California Truckers Association’s Environmental Policy Committee, supports the Alliance’s effort to call attention to the issues with DPFs. But he said he doesn’t “think they have a leg to stand on” with regard to changing CARB policy. “There’s no way in hell [the Air Board] is going to back off of this,” Ganduglia said. “I think we’re stuck with it, at least until they come up with a new form of fuel.” .

FYI: In South Africa, the engine of choice in the Freightliner Argosy COE and Columbia conventional is the Detroit Diesel Series 60 (440hp and 530hp ratings).

Prime Mover Magazine / July 27, 2015 Penske Power Systems has announced it will re-introduce the 14-litre Detroit Series 60 Legacy into its current engine offering. According to Penske, a limited number of engines will be produced at DTNA’s Utah reman facility in the US exclusively for Australian and New Zealand aftermarket and overhaul customers. “For local Detroit customers, this means that the Series 60 575hp engine is now available for purchase as a loose engine at Penske Power Systems branches and authorised dealers,” the company said – saying it was backed by a two year, unlimited kilometre warranty. “More than ever we deliver an extensive range of technologies to our customers, from the DD15 engine on the one hand, to the legendary Series 60 on the other. So when our customers asked for the Series 60 Legacy to be re-introduced as part of our product mix we worked hard to make it happen,” said Kevin Dennis, Director On-Highway – Penske Power Systems. Dennis added that the Series 60 was still “incredibly relevant” for today’s on-highway market and proof that durable design leads to long-life reliability for customers. “The classic engine works across an extensive range of truck makes and models, and sets the standard for fuel economy and reliability for legacy engines in the industry,” he said. http://www.mtudda.com.au/detroit-series-60-legacy-engine-gets-new-lease-on-life/

One of the car industry's best kept secrets, the high performance V-8 / 6-speed manual Holden Commodore SS will cheer you up on those challenging days. http://m.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-chevrolet-ss-manual-instrumented-test-review http://www.autoblog.com/2015/07/27/2015-chevrolet-ss-review-video/

July 26, 2015

The Detroit News / July 26, 2015 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV will face at least three years of oversight by an independent monitor into its auto safety efforts as part of a sweeping, record-setting $105 million settlement in the government’s investigation of nearly two dozen recalls covering 11 million vehicles. The Italian-American automaker admitted it broke the law in failing to quickly repair vehicles in three separate recall campaigns and agreed to buy back as many as 578,000 older Ram pickups for steering issues after some owners said they have waited 18 months or longer for repairs because of parts shortages. “Today’s action holds Fiat Chrysler accountable for its past failures, pushes them to get unsafe vehicles repaired or off the roads and takes concrete steps to keep Americans safer going forward,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Sunday. “This civil penalty puts manufacturers on notice that the department will act when they do not take their obligations to repair safety defects seriously.” The penalty includes a $70 million payment by Fiat Chrysler, plus $20 million that the automaker will spend on safety efforts and $15 million in additional penalties if the automaker fails to perform properly. The automaker can include rebates and recall incentives as part of the $20 million it must spend on safety over three years. The settlement is significant for Fiat Chrysler. It is equal to about as much as the company’s reported net income of $101 million in the first three months of the year. But it is a fraction of the $700 million or more in fines Fiat Chrysler could have faced. The National Highway Traffic Administration could have fined Fiat Chrysler $35 million in each of 23 recalls under investigation if the agency had determined it failed to meet legal requirements in each of the campaigns. NHTSA said in the 23 recall campaigns Fiat Chrysler failed in a timely fashion to fix vehicles, notify owners of defects or notify NHTSA of recalls or safety related communications in a timely fashion. The agency earlier this year accused the automaker of misleading it. Vehicles in the buyback program include 265,000 2008-12 Ram trucks for a tie-rod assembly steering problem; 35,942 2008-12 Ram 4500 and 5,500 trucks recalled for similar steering problems; and 278,000 2009-12 Ram pickups, 2009-11 Dodge Dakotas, 2009 Dodge Durangos and Chrysler Aspens for a rear axle pinion nut problem that can cause the axle to lock up. FCA must pay the purchase price minus “a reasonable allowance for depreciation,” and will give a 10 percent bonus to owners who haven’t gotten the recalls completed. The automaker will be able to fix the vehicles and resell them. Further, owners of more than 1.5 million Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokees at heightened risk for lethal fires are eligible to trade in their vehicles at above market value or, alternately, get a gift certificate if they prefer to have repairs made. Owners of Jeep Grand Cherokees in the 1993 to 1998 model years and 2002 to 2007 Jeep Liberties can either trade in their vehicle and receive $1,000 over the fair market value of the car – the combined total of which can be applied toward the purchase of another Chrysler car, parts or service, or, alternately, car owners can have the cars repaired and receive a $100 unrestricted gift card. Federal officials added that step as a means to encourage drivers to get their cars either fixed or off the road. NHTSA has a report of one death and 32 reported crashes related to the steering defects since the recalls were announced. Fiat Chrysler admitted it violated the law in all three recall campaigns by failing to fix those vehicles in a timely fashion. NHTSA said it received complaints that some owners have waited two years for replacement parts In addition, Fiat Chrysler will give owners $100 gift cards for getting recalls completed on more than 1 million Jeeps recalled for gas tank fire risks when hit from behind. It will offer a $1,000 bonuses on trade-ins for new vehicles for owners of 1993-98 Jeep Grand Cherokees. They also can use the $1,000 toward service on another Fiat Chrysler vehicle. Sweeping agreement The sweeping agreement requires FCA to revise training and recall procedures that include dealers, hire an independent monitor to reform and oversee safety efforts, lead industrywide safety and research efforts and hold regular meetings with NHTSA on safety issue. The monitor will write regular reports, be able to interview any employees and have office space at the company’s Auburn Hills’ facilities. The settlement will last at least three years and could be extended for a fourth year at NHTSA’s request. Fiat Chrysler said in a statement it accepts “the resulting consequences with renewed resolve to improve our handling of recalls and re-establish the trust our customers place in us. We are intent on rebuilding our relationship with NHTSA and we embrace the role of public safety advocate.” That comes just months after Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne publicly sparred with the agency. The settlement suggests that NHTSA, under new leadership since December, is taking a far tougher line with automakers. Administrator Mark Rosekind has repeatedly vowed to use every tool available to prod automakers into behaving better. He has directly called automakers and demanded they recall vehicles. At the same time, the Obama administration has asked for sweeping new authority from Congress to order recalls and to hike maximum fines for delayed recalls to $300 million per campaign, up from $35 million. “Fiat Chrysler’s pattern of poor performance put millions of its customers, and the driving public, at risk,” Rosekind said. “This action will provide relief to owners of defective vehicles, will help improve recall performance throughout the auto industry, and gives Fiat Chrysler the opportunity to embrace a proactive safety culture.” Fiat Chrysler has been recalling vehicles rapidly in recent weeks. On Friday, it agreed to recall 1.4 million cars and trucks because of concern that their onboard computers can be hacked and allow functions such as braking and steering to be controlled remotely. That callback that came under government pressure. NHTSA is investigating whether the fix works and ensuring all vehicles are covered. On Saturday, the automaker agreed to recall 2.2 million trucks in two separate recalls for inadvertent air-bag deployments. NHTSA and Fiat Chrysler began to clash more than two years ago, when the agency demanded the recall of 2.7 million Jeeps linked to more than 60 deaths because of gas tank fires that have occurred when the SUVs are hit from behind. Under government pressure, the automaker recalled an estimated 1.56 million 2002-07 Jeep Libertys and 1993-98 Jeep Grand Cherokees for the problem in June 2013. As a fix, it agreed to install trailer hitch assemblies to protect the gas tanks, which are vulnerable because of their location between the rear axle and the bumper. Over the last year, the agency has questioned a growing number of Fiat Chrysler actions, including its handling of vehicles with potentially defective Takata air bags. Latest in a series The Fiat Chrysler settlement is the latest in a series of consent orders NHTSA has filed against big and small manufacturers since 2014 including General Motors Co., Honda Motor Co., child seat manufacturer Graco Children’s Products and heavy-duty truck manufacturers Forest River Inc. and Spartan Motors Inc. The previous record penalty was set in January when Honda paid $70 million after it admitted it failed to follow early warning reporting requirements. The settlement is similar to the three-year consent order reached with GM last year over its ignition switch defect that is now tied to nearly 125 deaths and more than 265 injuries. NHTSA initially sought a $70 million fine by GM and an independent monitor, but agreed to settle for just $35 million — then a record fine — and no independent monitor, a person involved in the talks told The Detroit News. Earlier this year, NHTSA exercised its right to extend the agreement through at least May 2016. The agency is still reviewing Fiat Chrysler on other fronts. In June, it opened an investigation into 630,000 Jeep Wranglers for an electrical problem that may cause air bags to not work properly. It launched a probe into 121,000 2013 Dodge Darts after it received 18 complaints that the brake pedal can suddenly become hard to depress and lengthen braking, It opened a separate investigation into 20,000 model-year 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokees for problems with automatic braking systems. And it’s reviewing whether Fiat Chrysler’s recall fix of nearly 900,000 SUVs worldwide for sun visor fires were enough after reports of eight incidents in repaired vehicles. The penalty is the largest ever imposed by NHTSA against an automaker but a fraction of the $1.2 billion fine won by the Justice Department against Toyota Motor Corp. after the automaker was charged with wire fraud stemming from the government’s four-year investigation into the company’s concealment of sudden-acceleration problems.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3176630/Video-shows-Hillary-Clinton-boarding-private-jet-just-hours-launching-global-warming-push-s-using-FRENCH-aircraft-burns-347-gallons-fuel-hour.html

Not to rub salt in your wound, but with frequent opportunities to drive the global Ford Ranger in Thailand and South Africa, I can tell you that it's the finest bakkie in the world today........better than the new-for-2015 Toyota Hilux and outdated U.S. market Tacoma.

The Local DE / July 27, 2015 Farmers set up checkpoints on six roads between Germany and France late on Sunday night and said they would continue their action until later Monday. "We've already held back between 200 and 300 lorries transporting products that are distorting competition for us," said Franck Sander, local head of the FNSEA farming union. "For example, we made a lorry carrying Babybel (cheese) turn back. Consumers think this is French but the cheese comes from Slovakia," he said. Sander said there were around 1,000 farmers taking part in the protest and had also turned back several lorries laden with fruit and vegetables on their way from Germany. Farmers' representatives will be holding talks with officials at 2:00 pm (1200 GMT), after which they will decide whether to extend their blockade. Other farmers have carried out similar actions stopping produce getting into France from Spain. Around 100 farmers ransacked dozens of trucks from Spain on a highway in the southwestern Haute-Garonne region, threatening to unload any meat or fruit bound for the French market. They used some 10 tractors to block the motorway not far from the Spanish border, causing traffic jams that stretched up to four kilometres (2.5 miles), Guillaume Darrouy, secretary general of the Young Farmers of Haute-Garonne, told AFP. The action comes after a week that has seen farmers block cities, roads and tourist sites across France in protest at falling food prices, which they blame on foreign competition, as well as supermarkets and distributors. Farmers have dumped manure in cities, blocked access roads and motorways and hindered tourists from reaching Mont St-Michel in northern France, one of the country's most visited sites. Fearful of France's powerful agricultural lobby, the government on Wednesday unveiled an emergency package worth €600 million in tax relief and loan guarantees, but the aid has done little to stop the unrest. "The measures announced by the government ... none of them deal with the distortion of competition" with farmers from other countries, said Sander, saying French farmers face higher labour costs and quality standards. A combination of factors, including changing dietary habits, slowing Chinese demand and a Russian embargo on Western products over Ukraine, has pushed down prices for staples like beef, pork and milk. Paris has estimated that around 10 percent of farms in France – approximately 22,000 operations -- are on the brink of bankruptcy with a combined debt of 1.0 billion euros. Speaking early Monday morning, President Francois Hollande threw his weight behind the farmers, saying: "they should know that, protests or no protests, we are by their side." .

Bloomberg / July 28, 2015 Daimler, BMW and Audi said they separate different vehicle domains -- walling off the radio from the brakes, so to speak -- with firewalls and additional features such as public-key-cryptography and virus scanners. “Absolute, 100 percent safety isn’t possible,” said Benjamin Oberkersch, a spokesman for Mercedes’s Stuttgart, Germany-based parent Daimler AG. “But we develop our systems, tested by internal and external experts, so they’re up to date.” While hacks of German cars have fallen short of the stunt to which the Jeep was exposed, BMW, the maker of the carbon-bodied, electric-engined i8 sports car, had to fix a security flaw in one of its digital-services systems this year. A study by German auto club ADAC found hackers could wirelessly open BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles in minutes. About 2.2 million vehicles equipped with BMW’s ConnectedDrive service were vulnerable. The Munich-based company closed the security gap with an automatic system upgrade that took place when vehicles connected to BMW’s server.

Hack attack vs. FCA shows flaws with rush to connectivity Automotive News / July 27, 2015 As a Jeep Cherokee rolled down a highway near St. Louis, a pair of professional computer hackers sat on a couch 10 miles away, slowly taking over some of the SUV's basic functions from a suddenly panicked driver. They set the air conditioning to cold, and the fan to high. They obscured the windshield with a torrent of washer fluid. They set the radio to play ear-splitting hip-hop. Then, in a move that petrified the driver -- a Wired magazine reporter who had agreed to play guinea pig for the demonstration, captured on video -- they abruptly cut power to the engine, letting the vehicle coast to a crawl in traffic on a narrow portion of interstate. The hackers' demonstration did one other thing: It flipped the high beams on an industry still unprepared for its headlong rush toward Internet connectivity. By the time the hackers' exploits were publicized last week, Fiat Chrysler had posted an urgent security patch on its website and was scrambling to further lock down the system. On Friday, July 24, the company issued a formal recall for 1.4 million 2013-15 vehicles to install the protective software. Consumers seeking to protect their vehicles can download the patch on a computer and install it themselves or have a dealer do it. The recall and software patch addressed the security hole, but they didnot allay fears about the prospect of malicious hackers exploiting connectivity technology to gain access to sensitive components and systems. Those fears have been percolating for some time. In Washington, lawmakers have been pressing automakers to spell out their strategies for counteracting cyberattacks, and two senators introduced a bill on the issue last week. But the industry's response is only now ramping up, as automakers come to terms with the implications of building devices that increasingly function as networked computers on wheels. Since last year, the auto industry's two main trade associations have been working to establish an information sharing and analysis center for the industry, a clearinghouse for information about digital threats and vulnerabilities. Such centers are in place in other sensitive industries, such as oil and gas and financial services. Robert Strassburger, vice president of vehicle safety at the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, said July 14 that the automotive information sharing and analysis center was on track to begin operations by year end. IHS Automotive forecasts that more than 82.5 million vehicles worldwide will be connected to the Internet by 2022, more than triple the current number. Automakers have heavily marketed these connections as a consumer benefit that allows for more entertaining or productive rides, as well as remote improvements. But as last week's report makes clear, there's more to connectivity than streaming movies. "As cars get more connected than ever, they become more exploitable to technology vulnerabilities," said Akshay Anand, an analyst with Kelley Blue Book. Automakers have traditionally sought to keep tight control over the way their vehicles interface with technology, such as cell phones and related applications -- and with good reason, given the safety concerns involved. In practice, that has meant long delays to test products and search for vulnerabilities internally before new technology is released to the public. In that model, hackers are largely viewed as outside nuisances or ne'er-do-wells. Technology companies, by contrast, keep their enemies closer. For example, Google now advertises bounties ranging from $100 to $20,000 for hackers who identify vulnerabilities in the company's many websites and businesses. The auto industry may have to learn to work that way. "We see the value of software and software content in the average car rising to around 60 percent over the next 15 years from less than 10 percent today," said Morgan Stanley auto analyst Adam Jonas. "Who has greater expertise and experience in protecting connected assets and systems from the perils of hacking? Detroit or Silicon Valley?" Fortunately for FCA, the recent attack came from Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek, a pair of so-called benign hackers who use such demonstrations to try to help companies understand their vulnerabilities rather than to make mischief. They're known for a similar hack into a Toyota Prius, but that time, they were in the back seat. The open doorway they used on the Jeep was Uconnect, the infotainment system that's used widely across FCA brands and includes an optional Internet connection through Sprint's cellular data network called Uconnect Access. Uconnect, in turn, offered the hackers a gateway into the vehicle's network that coordinates various electronic functions. Yet, unlike some other automakers, FCA cannot use that connection to "push" important software updates to its vehicles automatically. A source within the company indicated that may soon change. Security experts say that ability to push patches "over the air" is a crucial complement to any system with an open Internet gateway, because it allows automakers to better keep pace with potential hackers. According to a Twitter message from Miller, the patch FCA posted on July 16 blocks the vulnerability he and Valasek exploited. But FCA and Sprint were still scrambling to block the broader network door through which the hackers had gained access to the vehicle. A spokesman for FCA wrote in an email to Automotive News that the companies were working to block remote access to hundreds of thousands of potentially vulnerable 2013-15 Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and Jeep vehicles equipped with the newer 8.4-inch Uconnect system. Fiat and Alfa Romeo vehicles are unaffected. A source within FCA said the automaker tried to work with the hackers to close the vulnerabilities before they went public, but was rebuffed.

MAN Press Release / July 24, 2015 MAN is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the opening of its Munich plant by holding a big family open day for its employees and their families on Saturday 25 July 2015. Approximately 30,000 guests are expected to attend. The anniversary is also being marked with a parade of historic trucks for truckers and vintage vehicle enthusiasts. From 8:00 on Saturday, the sound of vintage engines will fill the air as the parade of ten trucks makes its way from the MAN plant in Dachauer Straße, along Gabelsbergerstraße and the Altstadtring to the Isartorplatz, where the parade is due to arrive around 9:00. The vintage vehicles are testament to the years of the economic miracle in Germany and the early days of long-haul transportation. The oldest truck, a MAN 620 L1 tipper, dates back to 1957 and boasts an 120 hp, 8.3 litre engine – impressive for the time. It will be joined by the 115 hp MAN 415 F, known as the 'Pausbacke' [chubby cheeks], from 1968, which is a nostalgic reminder of long-haul transportation from days gone by. Another impressive sight will be the cement silo semitrailer combination from 1960, featuring a MAN 750 towing vehicle and boasting 145 hp. And finally, the MAN 19.361 cab over engine with 360 hp and 12 litre engine will showcase the latest in low fuel consumption standards from 1985. Opening of the MAN plant in Munich Production of MAN trucks and buses dates back 100 years, but for the first few decades the vehicles were only produced in Nuremberg. In the first half of the 1950s, production and sales of the Nuremberg trucks continually increased until the plant reached capacity. The company management began looking for an alternative production site and ultimately decided on the site of the former BMW aircraft engine plant in Allach, Munich. (The BMW twin-row 801 radial engine was produced at Allach for the legendary Focke-Wulf Fw-190 A, B, C, and F model fighters.........the Fw190D and Ta152 used the in-line Junkers Jumo 213 although they resembled radial engine aircraft.). MAN's senior management, including Otto Meyer, saw the new plant in Munich as a fantastic opportunity to expand the company's commercial vehicle production and set up improved and more independent development facilities for this area. In the space of a few months, the production facilities for trucks, buses and agricultural tractors were relocated from Nuremberg to Munich. The first MAN tractor from Munich, a B18 A, was completed on 6 September 1955, followed by the first truck, a 515 L, which rolled off the production line on 15 November 1955. Just one year later, 3000 vehicles had been produced at the new plant. For the last sixty years, the plant, which today covers around 1 million square metres, has been the headquarters of MAN Truck & Bus. The site employs around 8500 staff, who develop and produce heavy trucks as well as axles and cabs for other MAN plants. From 1955 to today, the Munich plant has produced more than a million trucks, 2.3 million axles and 1.5 million cabs. You can view some past photographs of the Munich plant by clicking the link below: Image Database "60 Years MAN Munich Plant". A special picture of the vintage truck parade will also be available here from 13:00 on Saturday 25. #MAN100Years – Share your own MAN story with us! To immerse yourself in the 100-year history of MAN trucks and buses, go to www.100years.man.eu .

That's an Australia problem that troubles me. Prices are FAR to high there. The Sony flat screen TV that Americans can buy all day long for US$600-$700 costs more than double down under. The high price of......everything......is unfair to Australians. And this is of course is the main reason that Australia's car industry is shutting down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3B4z179rqU

Transport Topics / July 24, 2015 Navistar said it invited each of its Class 8 competitors to participate in a performance test comparing fuel economy of their best performing truck against its International. The showdown would take place at the company’s new proving grounds in New Carlisle, Indiana during the week of Aug. 31. “We have worked hard to ensure our heavy-duty products lead the way in fuel economy, driver appeal and uptime performance, and we want to prove it,” Navistar Senior Vice President Jeff Sass said in a statement. “The heavy-duty products we are building today are the highest quality, most fuel-efficient trucks we have built in decades,” he added. The company said the testing will follow Society of Automotive Engineers protocols with vehicles driven at typical highway speeds with a gross combination weight of about 65,000 pounds. The test will be for Class 8, on-highway sleeper model-year 2016 trucks. Only factory installed options will be allowed, including hardware, software and fluids. Also, the truck must meet compliance and be capable of delivery. “We’re all proud of our trucks, and I believe that running our vehicles in an open and transparent forum, side by side, will not only raise the watermark but will also benefit each of our customers in this industry,” Sass said. Tires will be standardized and provided by Navistar with sets randomly assigned for each vehicle as well as trailers. To maintain consistent break-in levels, all the trucks will have mileage of 2,500 to 15,000 miles, Navistar said.

Transport Engineer / July 27, 2015 Shetland Transport has taken delivery of two more Gray & Adams curtainsider semi-trailers, with another four on order, after its first two units delivered last year performed “flawlessly”. The 13.6m units are equipped with low-emission Thermo King SLX-e 400 refrigeration units. Heavy-duty insulated curtains ensure temperature integrity, as well as providing side access loading capability that Shetland Transport founder and managing director Hamish Balfour values so highly. "The first two have performed flawlessly in terms of their strength and component reliability, while we've had no issues with regards to temperature control either," confirms Balfour. "Most of our outbound loads are of salmon, and other fish, but we also carry a certain amount of what I call 'ugly' freight, by which I mean products which are particularly long or big and bulky," adds Balfour. "Easy access side-loading capability makes the curtainsider particularly well suited to this type of work." Shetland's trailers have specially strengthened chassis to prevent buckling and bending in rough seas during 12-hour ferry crossings. .

Navistar Trail Magazine