The Rivian R1T electric pickup aced its recent crash tests, earning the top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. Get all the latest automotive news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ At least four major parts suppliers to Hyundai and Kia illegally employed child workers in their Alabama factories, a Reuters probe found, while six more plants are under government investigation. More at Reuters.
+ The 2024 Volvo EX90 three-row SUV will spawn multiple variants, says Anders Gustafsson, head of Volvo USA, as the carmaker aims to be all-EV by the end of the decade. More at Motor Trend.
+ Shares of Faraday Future Intelligent Electric tumbled 21 percent after the company unveiled production plans for its luxury EV that hinge on securing additional financing. More at U.S. News and World Report.
+ IMSA officials confirmed a capacity 60-car field for the season-opening round of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in January. More at Racer.
+ A Dynata study found that 56 percent of motorists have felt unsafe driving near commercial trucks in the past year, while 64 percent have witnessed unsafe driving behaviors. More at Commercial Carrier Journal.
+ According to a new report from Carfax, almost two million vehicles on the road today have odometers that have been rolled back in some way, a 7 percent increase from last year. More at Car and Driver.
+ The Delorean Motor Company is suing NBCUniversal, alleging that the film company has not paid all the royalty fees it agreed to for the Back to the Future movie franchise. More at The Drive.
+ The Rivian R1T electric pickup turned in an impressive performance in recent crash tests, earning the top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). More at Autoblog.
+ After two seasons with David Gilliland Racing, in 2023 Hallie Deegan will drive in the Craftsman Truck Series for ThorSports Racing, which will switch from Toyota to Ford. More at NBC Sports.
+ U.S. safety regulators are investigating reports that autonomous robotaxis run by General Motors’ Cruise LLC can stop too quickly or behave erratically, triggering accidents. More at The Detroit News.
Still image courtesy of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from December 16 here.
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I too have noticed the decline in truck driving, no doubt due to a shortage of qualified drivers.
There’s no driver shortage, there’s a shortage of drivers who will work for the low wages and long hours away from home. I just retired from a 38 year career in trucking, 26 of those years as an owner operator. It’s true the quality of driver is lower now than when I started, but wages haven’t kept up with inflation over the years, so you get what you pay for. The same big box trailer companies that are complaining the loudest have the greatest driver turnover in a year, in some cases way over 125 % . They are also some of the lowest paying companies, keeping drivers away from home for weeks or months at a time.