Stock is OK, Toyota is Overhauling, and BMW is Fortniting

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Friday is upon us and the week has been full of post ASOTU CON energy. Thanks for all the feedback we have gotten from the community. Today we are talking about new car inventory levels, Toyota changing up its game, and BWM gaming.

• New data reveals that the ongoing UAW strike against Detroit 3 (General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis) has yet to significantly impact U.S. inventory levels of the automakers.
  • General Motors recently reported having 442,586 vehicles either in stock or in transit as of September 30, marking a 3.4% increase from midyear and a 23% rise year-on-year.
  • Ford announced its inventory for September 30 as 424,000 vehicles, equivalent to a 67 days' supply.
  • "Inventory levels remain relatively stable, and, with the exception of some GM models, Detroit automakers have ample inventory for now to keep them operating through the coming month," - Charlie Chesbrough.
  • Cox Automotive's data shows that the total U.S. supply of unsold new vehicles is at 2.21 million, the highest since spring 2021, yet 35% less than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
• Toyota is radically overhauling its production system to launch a new fleet of EVs by 2026. This ambitious shift includes breakthrough digital tools, giga-casting techniques, and advanced battery tech, aiming to outpace rivals like Tesla.
  • The new approach includes: Cars autonomously navigating through plants, hyper automated factories with giga-casting techniques, reduced workforce due to advanced automation.
  • Toyota offered a rare tour of its sites over two days in September. 
  • Akihisa Shirao from Toyota's BEV Factory expressed hopes of outpacing Tesla in the EV race. "We have been late in starting the progress, but we hope to leapfrog ahead of Tesla this way,"
  • Some of the most impressive technology includes a self propelled assembly line in which battery-powered cars drive themselves from station to station. 
    
    
• BMW’s new electric crossover, the iX2, is coming in just over a week, but you start configuring the car right now in Fortnite, specifically BMW’s homebrew Fortnite island, Hypnopolis.
  • Fortnite has branched out from its Battle Royale mode, adding a Creative mode where users can create their own Fortnite experiences. Hypnopolis is one of those experiences, seemingly created by BMW without any partnership or endorsement from Fornite and its owner Epic Games.
  • Through a gamified experience, the iX2 is unlocked and able to be recolored, fitted with new wheels and have the contents of its trunk changed out.
  • BMW also has a science fiction drama podcast called Hypnopolis in its second season that it is using to promote the brand saying that, “Although much of the podcast’s six episodes sounds like science fiction, some of the visionary themes and futuristic transportation options depicted in Hypnopolis 2 draw their inspiration from what BMW is already putting in place or using in today’s vehicles.”

Hosts: Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier

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