Paul Stecher

Mississippi is on a mission to close the digital gap, identifying homes and businesses without high-speed internet to provide financial aid through grants. This initiative is part of the broader Internet for All effort, aiming to ensure every American has access to reliable and affordable Internet service. As we strive for digital inclusivity, let’s discuss innovative ways to support this endeavor and share success stories. How can we further drive connectivity in our communities? https://lnkd.in/daWinyWK #InternetForAll #DigitalInclusivity

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CAWA in Coalition Opposes SB 903 - A New Regulatory Program Update: The Senate Appropriations Committee today held SB 903, meaning the measure will not be advancing this session. A major win for CAWA and the coalition. This Legislation Stifles Innovation, Negatively Impacts Virtually Every Sector of the Economy Aerospace, Semiconductors, Clean Energy, Electronics, Medical, Industrial Processes, Agriculture ...Millions in New State Costs to Implement. A coalition of California’s leading job creators, innovators, manufacturers, grocers, clean energy producers, agriculture and others is opposed to SB 903 (Skinner), legislation that would create an expensive and complex new regulatory program at the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to regulate all commercial and consumer products that may contain, as well as any industrial manufacturing processes that may use, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances. See the Coalition letter enclosed. Should you have any questions regarding this matter, contact CAWA's Legislative Advocate Ryan Pierini at rpierini@mwcllc.com or 916.995.5323.

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A VinFast-adjacent story that exemplifies how many people are depending on the EV Vietnamese manufacturer to get its $4 billion plant up-and-running in Chatham County (time is ticking on that promise to be operational by the end of 2025...) Renago Inc, which has a website that says it is "The Next Step in Lithium Battery Recycling," has applied to rezone 37 acres on Christian Chapel Church Road from residential use to heavy industrial use to "allow a local industrial business to locate in Chatham County in an area designated for future industrial development that will have minimal impact on adjacent properties." The land sits right across from the proposed VINFAST site. Not much is known about Renago, other than the fact that its co-founder and president is tied to BlueSky Solutions LLC. Of course, without VinFast completing its factory, any sort of surrounding development that is contingent on said factory may be hurting. Read more in Triangle Business Journal

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Electric vehicle fee for registration: Texas: $200 North Carolina: $180 Should DMV’s charge extra for electric vehicles? Before you answer, consider this. EV’s are now 8% of new cars. DMV uses gas tax as the way to fund the highway fund to fix roads. EV’s use the roads but do not pay for maintenance. Revenue across the United States for fixing roads is flat or lower over the past 10 years. Although usage is up. This trend will accelerate, leaving less and less money to fix roads. Is the tax the right size? In Nevada I spend $0.23 a gallon for state only tax. I use about a tank or 20 gallons a week. So around 1000 gallons a year. That would equal $223 in state tax. Pretty close to what they are asking. Let me know your opinion. Maybe there’s a better way? This is coming to your state. Nevada DMV Texas Department of Motor Vehicles North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles Mission Critical Partners https://lnkd.in/ged_x9DS

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Insights on the future of the automotive industry and the EV market development by David Sargent, J.D. Power. ✴ Among the top five reasons that consumers reject EVs: Lack of charging station availability Purchase price Limited driving distance per charge Time required to charge Inability to charge at home or work ✳ Among the positives in favor of EVs: Availability will grow, especially among affordable EV models EVs are at parity on cost, or better Owners are mostly satisfied and likely to stay with EVs ✴ Among the negatives: Interest remains limited and regional Infrastructure is lagging Concern about durability and depreciation #EV #evcharging #battery #automotive #tesla

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Will customers be willing to pay a premium for the adoption of electric trucks? This is a complex issue that requires some consideration. Some customers may be willing to pay more for the environmental benefits and the potential long-term cost savings associated with EVs. However, others may prioritize immediate cost-effectiveness over sustainability, especially in a highly competitive market. The industry needs time to adapt, and there will likely be a period of coexistence between traditional diesel trucks and their electric counterparts. #EVTrucks #ElectricTrucks #SustainableTrucking

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Ford names ex-Lucid Motors exec as next CFO, promotes current chief #Ford #LucidMotors #CFO #ChiefFinancialOfficer #Executive #Promotion #Leadership #Automotive #Industry #Business #Brand #BrandManagement #Corporate #Management #CareerMove #Finance #ExecutiveAppointmen

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Why is @vw workers winning their union this week so important for America? In 1980 the auto industry was the most important source of jobs in America. Every auto plant in the US had a union contract paying middle class wages, health care & a pension. Including Southern auto plants. Then Japanese auto makers backed by the Reagan administration & anti-union Southern governors set up plants in Southern states paying low wages, inferior health care & no real pensions. German & Korean companies followed. By 2008 only half of US auto workers had a union contract. When workers in the Southern plants tried to organize-- as they did many times--they were met with racist divide and conquer tactics, threats to move offshore, threats from their local public officials & illegal firings. And workers lost election after election. The giant foreign auto companies had plants all around the world. Everywhere else they operated their workers were organized. The German workers even sat on their companies' boards. But Southern workers were silenced, treated as if they were somehow less. The Southern plants set off a downward wage spiral. Real wages in the auto industry fell from 1980 to 2008, even as productivity skyrocketed. And then in the financial crisis, Southern politicians made GM and Chrysler lower their wages to level of the Southern plants. The rise of the non union auto sector in the South was key to the US becoming a low wage economy, and to the dominance of hard right politics in the South after 1980. Both these things are key causes for the current crisis of democracy in the US. This week for the first time since before the 1980's workers in a Southern auto plant have succeeded in organizing a union for themselves despite politicians' threats and race baiting. And if one Southern auto plant's workers can organize a union for themselves it suggests others can too. An inspiring addendum-after years of building solidarity between Southern auto workers & German auto workers-when right wing politicians tried to get into the @VW plant, German VW workers & their Works Council stopped them from getting in.@IGMetall @dgb_news @UAW @IndustriALL_GU

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Throwback to late 2023, when a DISQO study showed that brand messaging was under the consumer microscope at the onset of the United Autoworkers strike. 🔊 83% of consumers felt they had a role, big or small, in supporting or opposing strikes. 🔊 85% of consumers considered supporting strikers through boycotts or other actions. 🔊 Three-quarters of consumers admit that strikes could influence where they spend their money. We advised brands to buckle in. High awareness called for pre-tested, thoughtful, constructive strategies - with empathy and transparency engrained. Authentic and sustainable. If the last eight months taught us anything, it's that the same rules apply in 2024. #ConsumerResearch #MessageTesting #CX #Strikes

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I had to repost this. Who doesn't love a father/son story, especially in the automotive industry (talking from a very biased point of view). But this story is actually quite an important one, especially with so much noise and fear that AI is coming to take over the world and leave humans jobless. The story of Walter and Lou LaPlante at Ford Motor Company shows the incredible impact of human creativity in innovation. AI is designed to extend human abilities. In automotive manufacturing, AI systems improve efficiency and quality control, allowing for real-time defect identification and optimising production. However, these innovations still rely heavily on human expertise to interpret and implement AI solutions effectively. In automotive manufacturing in particular, the importance of human creativity, problem-solving, and the ability to make nuanced decisions should never be underestimated. Identifying areas of inefficiencies, and designing systems to enhance/speed up the learning curve/process is invaluable in innovation and adapting to new challenges. AI is a tool that works on information given. If we give it bad information, it will give us bad results. The human side is critical. As we continue to integrate AI into automotive manufacturing, it is important that we acknowledge and leverage the unique value of the human workforce. It is the same as a partnership, each side brings it's own expertise; creating a strategic partnership helps to improve, efficiency, quality, and innovation - and it is exactly the same with AI! This tech shift is the same as the transition from legacy automotive design to software-defined vehicle architecture. Just as roles have evolved in this transition, humans are not replaced, they just need to adapt. Adopting new opportunities in software and innovation requires us to shift our mindset, up-skill, and re-skill. If we do this, we can enjoy the full potential of technological advancements and stay ahead of the curve and not get left behind! #ElectricVehicles #AutonomousDriving #Automotive #SoftwareDefinedVehicles #Manufacturing #AI

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This is a wake-up call for every carmaker out there. Stellantis is demonstrating the power of using BlackBerry QNX and Amazon Web Services (AWS)/BlackBerry QNX IVY in their latest Autodrive Level 3 autonomous driving system. It's time for all carmakers to consider standardizing on this technology and building their operating systems on top. Check out the details here: [Link to the article] #Stellantis #BlackBerryQNX #AmazonWebServices #AutonomousDriving #AutomotiveGradeLinux

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Government meddling in markets never ends well. Since the green agendas of “Build Back Better” and the “Green New Deal” were dubious on their own lack of merit, the policies were dressed up in sheep’s clothing and called the Inflation Reduction Act. Now we see the wisdom of central planning over letting markets work. Just 9% of consumers want an electric car, and that figure is falling, down from 12%, per the article. You cannot wave a major wand and make a market. So, Ford is losing the equivalent of $65k per electric vehicle sold, because they chased a tiny market with overpriced vehicles in hopes of achieving an unrealistic government-mandated fuel efficiency standard built upon assumptions about the EV market that were not accurate. Imagine what Ford might have achieved by innovating around something consumers actually want or consumer insights that suggest what consumers might want (old school marketing). How could this end worse? Well, taxpayers have bailed out American auto makers before, against our will, and it’s only a matter of time before we are told that the only way to save the American auto makers is to bail them out. So, the arsonists will soon be spending our money to put out the fires they started. Sometimes, it’s best to let the fire burn itself out. When the forest is blackened, new life emerges, amazingly, without any government intervention. #ev #ice #autoindustry #inflationreductionact

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ZERO #automanufacturers and #dealerships are making required #FCC #consumer #disclosures. So Privacy4Cars stepped in: 346 #connectedcar plans mapped, including prices, speed, terms, etc: now available on https://lnkd.in/gscWAk7M #vehicleprivacyreport. Check your VIN and click on the #WiFi icon (if compatible with your #vehicle)

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Interesting ITO strategy "General Motors Corp. (GM) has radically changed how it deals with its former supplier, EDS, which once handled most of GM's IT needs. To reduce its reliance on EDS and foster greater competition, GM has handed off about a third of its outsourcing to other contractors, such as Accenture. GM's new providers cannot work with another auto company on a similar project, but they may use the same IT management processes as any other company. GM issues standardized contracts with standardized terms and conditions for all suppliers and evaluates its suppliers and how they work collaboratively on a regular basis. To streamline outsourcing processes, GM ensures that its 13 top tech-services providers adopt the same processes for running computers, software, and networks. IT is tied to GM's daily business operations using a matrix management structure. Each IT leader reports to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), as well as to the president of a business unit or the business leader for processes such as manufacturing or product development. The CIO leads 2,000 techies who craft the overall strategy, select technologies, and manage its suppliers' managers. IT performance objectives go far beyond just IT: all IT investments are linked to business end goals, such as innovative products, quality, productivity and profitability." (Accenture 2004)

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🧰 New Episode 🧰   Can Trade Schools & Technical Programs truly be the gateway to success in the automotive aftermarket?👨‍🎓 If you had any doubts, I think after this episode you will agree… the answer is YES!🙌 This week, I’ll share the journey of my guest Colby McLaughlin​, from a student in a middle-college Autobody Repair Program to a leading figure in the automotive aftermarket. Buckle up as we ride shotgun through Colby's fast-paced career, navigating the twists and turns from hands-on custom car building to the helm of Trim Illusion Inc.® and the SEMA Professional Restylers Organization (PRO) Board. ⛽This high-octane episode isn't just about cool rides and chrome—it's a celebration of craftsmanship, dedication, and the drive to succeed. Check out the transformation of raw talent into industry leadership, and how mentorship can turbocharge a career from the garage floor to the executive suite. Colby's story serves up not just inspiration, but also practical wisdom for anyone looking to accelerate their own career trajectory in the automotive world.🚀 Finally, we pop the hood on SEMA's vital role in advocating for the automotive aftermarket industry, diving into the nitty-gritty of legislation and the Right to Repair Act. 🛠It's a candid look at the challenges and victories in protecting our liberty to tinker and tailor our vehicles. Whether you're a trade school student with grease under your nails or a seasoned pro looking to reconnect with your roots, this conversation will fuel your passion and maybe even spark your support for your local tech school programs.⚡ #AutomotiveExcellence #CareerAcceleration #autoaftermarket #IndustryLeadership #righttorepair #SEMA #collisionrepair #autobodyrepair #mindwrench @RefinishMedia WILLIAM GARY SOBBRY​ Tim VanSchoick​ Randy Hovey Washtenaw Community College Brandon Eckenrode Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)

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Californian drivers appear to be losing some enthusiasm for Tesla. A California Auto Outlook report shows year-over-year Tesla registrations are down again in the state. The report, published on Monday by the California New Car Dealers Association, summarizes first-quarter vehicle registration figures statewide. The report said Tesla saw a 7.8% dip in sales in California in the first quarter, down from 54,265 in the last quarter of 2023 to 50,025 in Q1. The drop follows last quarter's 9.8% decline. Read more in Business Insider https://lnkd.in/exaHWtm5

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There are many aspects to EVs that don't align with traditional auto transport. They weigh on average 20% more than standard vehicles. If they discharge or fall below operating charge, how do you get them off the trailer? Even if you have a charger at destination, you are still delaying the carrier from other deliveries. Some auto haul insurers are charging for an "EV' rider due to runaway fires. Shippers should absolutely expect to pay more to transport these.

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