There is strong evidence Indonesia will eventually replace Thailand as the main automotive production hub in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), according to Markus Scherer, global automotive sector leader at Ipsos Business Consulting. This could have major implications for automotive manufacturers and suppliers as well as policy planners in both countries, Scherer said.
A report from Bloomberg predicts that hybrid and electric cars will be cheaper than standard cars within six years, with sales of electric cars reaching 41m by 2040, or a third of the market.
The association representing Canada’s tyre and rubber sector has released a document addressing many aspects of the winter tyre business. Amongst the issues covered in the 2015 TRAC (Tire and Rubber Association of Canada) Winter Tire Report are statistics on winter tyre use within the country and 2015 winter tyre shipments.
The Castrol Professional Car Servicing & Repair Trend Tracker report predicts that the number of franchised dealers is set to fall by 10 per cent over the next five years. This decline will come as the number of independent MoT testing stations grows by 5 per cent, the report adds.
Bridgestone Corporation has published the English-language version of its Environmental Report 2015. Titled “Looking Ahead to the World in 2050,” the 16-page document presents an overview of the company’s environmental activities, and provides details of Bridgestone’s efforts last year as well as its future plans. The report can be downloaded here.
British cars are being made with more British-sourced components as the UK automotive industry’s renaissance continues apace, new research reveals. Figures from a new Automotive Council report show that domestic component makers sold 19 per cent more products to UK vehicle producers last year than in 2013.
Automechanika Shanghai’s organisers (Messe Frankfurt) report that the auto parts show is concentrating its efforts on providing an “outstanding” and “insightful” event this year. Scheduled to take place from 9 – 12 December at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in China, the fair is described as the world’s second largest Automechanika
In its new report on the British tyre market, TechSci Research calculates the total value of the UK tyre market this year to be around US$5 billion, or approximately £3.2 billion. The report, titled ‘United Kingdom Tyre Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2019’, opines that tyre demand in the UK will be boosted in the coming five years by anticipated growth in the country’s automotive industry and expansion of the overall vehicle parc.
The Japanese word ‘dan-totsu’ can be translated as ‘unrivalled or ‘unassailable’, and this is what Bridgestone aims to be; in its Mid-Term Management Plan 2014, released today, the tyre maker outlines the steps it intends to take on the path to reaching a dan-totsu position.
In late February, Germany’s largest retreader – the Günzburg, Bavaria-based Ihle Group – filed for insolvency. At the beginning of May, the local regional court (Neu-Ulm) commenced insolvency proceedings against the company after determining an inability to pay and over-indebtedness. The court has appointed lawyer Prof. Dr. Martin Hörmann liquidator for Reifen-Ihle GmbH while lawyer Alexander Reus is responsible for Reifen Ihle Service GmbH. The court has also appointed a creditors’ committee. Creditors will meet together on 25 June and, based on the liquidators’ report, decide how to go forward with the process.
The RAC report it is launching its first mobile electric charging system at GreenFleet Scotland to cater for the UK’s expanding electric vehicle (EV) market which now consists of more than 9,000 vehicles. A standard RAC diesel VW Transporter van has been fully equipped with an Evrescue, totally portable fast charging unit which can deliver around 15 miles of range to a stricken electric vehicle in less than half an hour. Equivalent to a ‘gallon of electricity’, the RAC believes this should be sufficient to get the driver safely on their way home or to the nearest charging point.
While much attention has been placed on road rage and its causes, one factor has been overlooked – until now. A newly-released report has found a remarkable correlation between road rage incidents and choice of tyre. Aggressive tread patterns do, it seems, make for aggressive drivers.
Kuwait’s high rate of urbanisation and purchasing power will lead to continued opportunities for imported passenger car tyres, a new report on the country’s automotive segment has revealed. With about 95 per cent of the country’s population residing in urban areas, and private car demand rising, imported PCR tyres have led tyre demand, though the TechSci Research report also suggests that commercial vehicle demand could follow increased mining and oil drilling investments.
Half of all road markings on England’s highways are so worn that they need replacing immediately or need to be scheduled for replacement now, according to a survey of nearly 4,000km of the country’s roads. LifeLines England, a report based on the survey carried out by the Road Safety Markings Association, and published today (13 March), found that 52 per cent of markings on motorways, 42 per cent on dual carriageways, and 48 per cent on single carriageways all need replacing immediately or need to be scheduled for replacement now. The survey, the most comprehensive published of its kind, also shows that just 16 per cent of markings on England’s motorways and 13 per cent on single carriageways make the “excellent” grade.
The latest generation of low rolling resistance tyres can pat themselves on the back – they have played a role in enabling the UK car parc to reach, and pass, the 2015 EU-wide average emission target of 130g/km CO2. According to the ‘New Car CO2 Report 2014’ published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) today, the average new car in the UK now emits 128.3g/km CO2 – a 3.6 per cent decrease over last year.
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