Honda may move overseas to avoid the effect of the yen

Tokyo-the Honda Engine What is studying possible overseas production base to replace the export-bound production car in Japan, which had been battered by a strong yen, a top manager said Tuesday.

The leadership of the Japanese car repeatedly warn only strengthened beyond what could face domestic exporters, Honda Chief Financial Officer Fumihiko Ike's comment was the first indication so far that no concrete steps are being considered to reduce production in Japan.

"Currently we have a three-year plan, under which we assumed equal to 80 Yen to the dollar," said Ike a small group of reporters at the headquarters of Honda in Tokyo.

"And this provided the discussion look for alternative production base is inevitable."

IKE moderate stressed that jobs in Japan, the need to protect your comments, and that the discussion has continued right up to the moment when the Council of a formal decision, taking into account exchange rates at the time.

But he said he was not necessarily optimistic, that would weaken the yen, and that Honda had hurt itself to further appreciation towards 70 yen per dollar after the Japanese solo hit last week, the dollar's fall cause little. The u.s. currency was around 77.00 yen on Tuesday.

"The protection of Japanese manufacturing and building a car that is becoming increasingly more difficult," he said. "We can keep the technology, but if we are to build cars in Japan, the products can be good (quality), but it would be too costly. And expensive product is not necessarily a good product. "

Among the best automakers is the order of a third Honda at least exposed to excessive domestic production, export, only 30 percent of its cars, Japan last year. Toyota Motor Corp., exported, 53 percent, while Nissan Motor supplied by 59 percent.

All three big automakers have a basic strategy to create a natural hedge against currency fluctuations by so many cars, may, where they are sold. But for the smaller markets, where demand is sufficient for the construction of the factory, the production of concentrated in Japan.

"On the exchange rates we have lost competitiveness in these exports, and this leads to a decrease in sales, which led to a vicious circle," he said. "And when this occurs, it is for this production (in Japan) will disappear."

IKE claimed that Honda had his way with motorcycles, expansion of production in India, Vietnam and Indonesia. Honda motorcycles, many of the imports from Thailand to Japan and China.

If Honda similar pace with cars, it would put pressure on rivals Toyota and Nissan and lead to a purge of Japanese manufacturing, one of the main causes of the country's economy.

Toyota and Nissan was louder than the Honda on the protection of domestic production, while Toyota had promised three million vehicles a year production in Japan and Nissan, as 1 million.

Nissan this week said it plans to increase its sales in the Japanese market to maintain the annual production target of 1 million moves more export-bound output overseas.

"We are trying to reduce the cost of Bertrand of the currency, but there are limitations on the speed and scope of what can be achieved," said an analyst at Credit Suisse car Issei Takahashi.

"Even if they make a lot in Japan, if you lose money, it will not be able to protect jobs."I think it is inevitable, is shifting some production overseas. "

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click constraints.

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GM autonomous under the car, waiting for the future

GM network-electric vehicles (EN-) was a hit when it was first discovered last year; electric, autonomous (no wheel!) as the car is nothing if not futuristic and innocent-looking. It's like GM offered us the Jetsons future, that we've all been waiting for.GM denies recent rumors, which is set to the date of manufacture for the EN-V, but rest assured, it will be. We talked to Sam Abuelsamid GM technology communications team to get the details on when we will all be under the control of people.

The prototype of the vehicle which has travelled, car shows, and conventions that are not necessarily what the output will look like EN-V. The concept is based on two-wheeled Segway balancing platform has the low light, cannot drive in the rain or snow, and does not have the juice to ramp the driveway. Abuelsamid explains that the production version preserves the essential features – small size, modern communications and communications technologies, the vehicle to the vehicle (vehicle, and infrastructure) and, of course, electric traction — but it will be "to be more practical for real use."

GM hopes to begin tests in the next two to three years, but probably not in the production of the vehicle about 10 to 15 years, largely due to lack of our current accurate GPS capabilities. "A large part of the autonomous ability comes from the GPS. Our current accuracy is up to three meters, which is not sufficient for reliable autonomous operation, "says Abuelsamid. "In the course of the next ten years or so, [that] will pick up the new GPS satellites to improve the accuracy and reliability. We hope that it will be better, but until then, we have a lot to learn. "

As soon as it is ready for the production of EN-V, could be deployed to any number of places-gated communities, college campuses and megacities, where pollution and overpopulation could reduce emissions under the car. Abuelsamid also speculates that the EN-in could make an ideal complement to car-sharing service, because the users how to summon the vehicle using a smartphone and tell EN-in the park itself, when it no longer used.

It is rumored that GM is in talks with cities in China, South Africa and the UNITED STATES on the creation of infrastructure for the vehicle, which will cost about $ 10,000, if it is for sale.

Copyright © 2011 Mansueto Ventures LLC. All rights reserved.

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GM uncertain that the sale of cars in the US hit Forecast

DETROIT-a top executive at General Motors co. has doubts as to whether the domestic sales of cars in the United States will recover this year as expected, even if the stock market rebounded slightly Tuesday from its huge losses.

He spoke of the GM industry analysts long-term financial plans Tuesday, GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson said the company is held with the US forecast of about 13 million cars and trucks per year, but it is not certain, sales will be high.

"There are many business and turmoil means chaos and uncertainty," Akerson said. GM's finances, he said, are strong enough to "power through these dips" in the sale.

The Declaration shall be in the middle of the optimistic forecasts in the future, the company, which has made a billion just two years ago for protection from creditors. Analysts said that GM will become more efficient in the future, so it's even greater profits, and that it plans to increase production capacity by 45 percent in Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2014 to take advantage of expected growth in revenue.

The second annual declaration GM managers a global trade Conference. Snapshot of us stock market and debt problems, international Government barely were mentioned during the presentation, which lasted for more than four hours.

GM shares lost more than 20 percent of their value since his November initial public shares, even if a little better with the rest of the market on Tuesday. GM closed up 97 cents, or nearly 4% to $ 25.54.

During the presentation of the leadership of the GM provided cost savings measures, which include halving the number of frames based on their vehicles around the world. In 2010, GM had a 30 frame, known in the industry as a platform. By 2018 it intends to reduce this number to 14. Also from cars and trucks, built on these platforms around the world, saving the cost of production, technology and design will be sold. The company also plans to reduce the number of engines, which develops, as well as reduce the number of parts, which is used throughout the world.

"There's a lot of complex."We need to simplify it, "Akerson said. "It will be more to our part of the common and of our vehicles will be on global architecture."

GM said only 6 percent of its cars and trucks are built on a global platform. This will increase to 90 percent by the year 2018, as the company tries to catch up with demand.

Ford Motor Co., for example, began a similar effort four years ago and is on track to reduce its global platform 12 by 2013, according to a research note from the Bank of America, issued Tuesday. Ford had 27 platform in 2007. Ford aims to build a 83 percent of its passenger and freight cars from the global platform in 2013.

GM executives also said the company intends to maintain its annual capital investment consistent, even if the sale of cars. It will end the practice of the stop and start projects. GM product development Chief Mary Barr estimated that slowing down, cancellation and additional excitement was costing the company $ 1 billion per year.

Barr said that the popular GMC terrain, Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Equinox crossovers stayed for almost two years due to financial problems, the GM in the middle of this decade. Now it is among the strongest of the retailer.

"It underscores what we can do, if we do not have this challenge," she said.

Barr did not say how much the company will save from cutting platforms and other changes.

GM earned $ 5.7 billion in the first half of 2011, but the company said last week that it expects that the results of the "slightly lower" in the second half because of seasonal drops in sales and an increase in incentive spending. Last week, GM announced its sixth straight profitable quarter from April to June, net income of $ 2.5 billion. The company ran marks, plants and the debt during its 2009 bankruptcy restructuring.

Akerson said GM is set to break even at the lowest point in the sales cycle of the vehicle and may be even more profitable when the car, and car sales recover throughout the world.

"As soon as the market, we could really use beyond what you have seen so far," Akerson said.

GM remains in the ownership of part of the Government, which had a stake in the automaker as part of the financial assistance of $ 50 billion. The Government sold some of his interest in November as part of GM'S initial public offer, but still hold the GM 500 million shares. The Government needs to pay the entire 26.4 billion dollars investment in GM, GM shares should be sold for around $ 53 a share.

Chief Financial Officer Dan Amman, said the company will not be back to talk about the purchase of common shares or dividends until the beginning of next year, after her better knows what happens to the economy. How could help to increase the price of the shares of the company.

___

AP Auto writer, Dee-Ann Durbin has contributed to this report.

Copyright 2011, the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Slide show: slide show: the return of the hatchback

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Ford RECALLING over 1.1 million trucks tanks

Ford Motor Co said on Monday that it is RECALLING 1,22 million older trucks in the United States and Canada to replace the straps holding the fuel tank on the spot and corrode and break.

Appeal affects the Ford F-150 full size sensor from model years 1997 to 2004, F-250 pickup less than 8,500 pounds from model years 1997 to 1999 and Lincoln Blackwood trucks from model years 2002 and 2003, said a spokesman for Ford.

The truck was 1.1 million, the United States and the others are in Canada.

Trucks with disabilities in the appeal were sold or are registered in the 21 Eastern and Midwestern United States, Washington D.C., and the Canadian provinces, where you may encounter the possibility of serious corrosion of the straps holding the fuel tank due to prolonged exposure to road de-icing chemicals, Ford said.

As a result of corrosion may fail one or both of the straps, causing the fuel line separated from the tank or in some cases the tank falls on the ground, said Ford. Either scenario could lead fuel leak or fire.

Ford said there were reports of three fires and one injuries related to the issue.

Ford will notify owners of affected vehicles to the dealer to replace the straps, offering enhanced corrosion protection, according to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Web site.

Vendors may install support cable under the strap as interim repair or steel reinforcement of existing straps as a permanent repair, Web pages, NHTSA said.

Ford said it will notify the owners in mid-September.

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click constraints.

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Life Inc.: no new car this year, I'm broke

GM/Wieck

There is potentially a moment for the automakers and dealers: in the current weak economy, more than half of Americans surveyed recently said he would put off buying a new car because of the financial burden.

The American Automobile Association, the respondents unless, in the last 12 months, they decided to keep the older the car, because they didn't want the financial burden later. Fifty-four percent of respondents said that they had.

News comes as some automakers worry whether the economic fears openly face a blow to consumer confidence, which potential buyers to avoid visiting a car salesman.

Despite the fact that US automakers saw sales growth in July, the executives said they fear the high unemployment and other economic woes.

In addition, automakers are still recovering from the effects of the tsunami in Japan in March, the damaged car manufacturers and suppliers, and left some traders with several vehicles on their lots. It continues to hurt some Japanese car manufacturers.

The sale of used cars on the other hand, were much better.

We all know, does not adhere to older vehicles: divided.  The telephone survey of 1,000 people also found the AAA that almost 4 in 10 respondents said they would pay for the $ 2,000 repair with cash. The rest either rely on credit cards or loans from other sources.

At the same time, however, about one quarter of the respondents said that it was for repairs and maintenance due to the weak economy.

{"contentId": "7242614", "totalVotes 9805": ""} You put a new car purchase, due to the weak economy?View comments: AllYesNoI don't buy new cars, periodJump a brief comment to the page: 1 2 3

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The connection of the car: Knight Rider meets George Jetson

DOT

The idea of intelligent cars is in the stream.

By Rob Lovitt, msnbc.com Contributor

Are we there yet?

In the near future, the answer may come from a surprising source: your car.

Earlier in the province of cheesy TV — Ah, the "Knight Rider," we know – and a handful of luxury cars, the idea of intelligent cars is in the stream.

"It's a lot of interest from all aspects of the community," said Wes Sherwood, a spokeswoman for Ford Motor Co. "businessmen, politicians, the general public--people are starting to head around it."

"It" is everything from Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) – in the car, a technology that automatically adjusts its cruise control or provides a warning when they disappeared from their lane-so-called "connected cars" that will be able to "speak" and the surrounding infrastructure.

"ADAS is no longer available in the high-end luxury cars," said David Alexander, Chief Analyst, automotive technology, ABI Research. "Suddenly this year, it happens on a wider range of cars."

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz S-Class technology offers, including blindness detection and collision prevention assistance this year, the class b vehicles.

Examples include the 2012 Ford Focus, which features the active, parking assistance, and 2012 vehicles Mercedes B-class, which can boast with functionality, including the detection and prevention of collisions with blindness.

As such systems much more widespread, it will also play a role in the development of intelligent transport systems (its), in which the car actually communicate with other vehicles, traffic lights, crossings, etc.

Although practical systems are still a few years, this technology is already being tested. This month, the Ministry of transport (dot) is the management of the clinic in six cities to see drivers in specially equipped cars to respond to the warning in a car collision, if any, relating to "pass through" notices and other hazards. The Agency is also holds public meeting/webinar on the topic in Chicago in August 2-3.

Long-term benefits can be significant. "Technology has the potential to connect vehicles at 81 per cent of all the driver may not related crashes," said Peter Appel, administrator of the research and innovative technology administration, a period in the statement.

On the other hand, the notion of people, even less attention on the road than it is today has its own risk. As well as off road wagons and other technologies give the driver an unjustified confidence in uncertain conditions, smart cars may also support other silly behavior.

"These are systems of assistance for the driver," he said. "They are looking for, talk to other cars, but there are, for the text driver to your friends or check his Facebook page. It is always a danger. "

It is, of course, the next question is, and which may require more information than some of the drivers will be able to at all. Meanwhile, somewhere between the self-driving car currently in development, and the famous Jetsonesque of the future, there is no doubt the road ahead will be connected one.

"Smart car is connected to smart and smart infrastructure," said Sherwood, "then you can start to seem almost endless possibilities how you can make more efficient and more pleasant."

For more stories, which:

Rob Lovitt is a travel writer, who still believe that the journey is as important as the destination. Follow him on Twitter.

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