Parts Suppliers Pinched, Public Distrust of Autonomy, Tesla Semi’s New Record

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We’re flying into this Thursday as we review the challenging effects the UAW strike is having on parts suppliers. We also review a new study about public trust in autonomy, as well as a new record set by a Tesla Semi Truck.

• Due to the ongoing UAW strike against Detroit 3, nearly 30% of suppliers have initiated layoffs, with this number expected to surpass 60% by mid-October, reveals a MEMA (Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association) survey. The strike that started on September 15, has significantly impacted the auto supply chain, amplifying financial pressures from the pandemic and material shortages.
  • More than 50% of idled suppliers anticipate needing at least a week to return to pre-strike production levels.
  • MEMA has requested the White House to speed up commercial vehicle crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border due to added security checks slowing down transport from suppliers that are outside the US
  • To this point, the UAW and OEM’s haven’t  been feeling much financial pain. 
  • During the 2019 strike, GM lost an estimated $1 billion over the first two weeks, whereas the losses in the first two weeks of the current strike amounted to about $200 million.
    
    
• Public trust in self-driving cars is waning, as shown by a study from J.D. Power and MIT, with distrust growing due to perceived deceptive marketing practices and frequent robotaxi crashes.
  • The 2023 Mobility Confidence Index Study indicates a declining trust in AVs over the past years, currently at 37 out of 100.
  • First-time robotaxi riders tend to have positive views on AVs, but negative media coverage of deployment issues counters this sentiment.
  • Autonomous vehicle crashes, some fatal, are prompting greater attention from legislators and regulatory agencies.
  • Misleading naming conventions, such as Tesla's "Autopilot" and "Full Self-Driving," cause confusion, with 22% of study participants erroneously believing Tesla cars can operate fully autonomously.
    
    
• Tesla’ EV Semi truck clocked over 1,000 miles in a single day,  24-hour real-world test, challenging skeptics and outdoing competitors in the NACFE's Run on Less program.
  • Tesla's achievement challenges Bill Gates' previous statements, doubting the viability of electric semi-trucks for long-haul distances, saying they would “probably never” work because of battery weight
  • Just last month, Michael Lohscheller, Nikola Motor’s new CEO, challenged skeptics by stating, "I defy anyone to find another zero-emission vehicle truck anywhere that can run up to 900 miles in a day." after one of Nikola's hydrogen fuel cell trucks traveled 900 miles in a single day.
  • NACFE, which has been monitoring several electric trucks under real-world conditions, will soon release comprehensive insights from its 18-day study.

Hosts: Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier

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