Automotive industry

Sport/utility vehicles, pickups, and minivans are exempt from the stringent fuel efficiency standards that apply to passenger cars  ? and they’re more popular than ever. A Presidential advisory panel is expected to urge that CAFE standards should apply to both, but Congress isn’t expected to embrace the idea. Julie Edelson Halper of the Great Lakes […]

U.S. automakers want $25 billion from the government to meet new fuel economy standards- but will that money mean clean cars in the future?

Congress could soon push automakers to make their cars and trucks get more miles to the gallon. But the industry is pushing back with an ad blitz and help from some powerful Michigan lawmakers.

At the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, instructors Tisha Johnson and Blair Taylor explain why car design has changed so little in the last 20 years. Kurt talks with students Ben Messmer and Lili Melikian about the prototypes they’re working on. And Jim Heimann weighs in on the future of car design.

Paul Eisenstein, publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com, joins us with his predictions for the auto industry in 2011. “Barring a huge and fast runup in fuel prices, most people are predicting that this is going to be a pretty darn good year,” says Eisenstein. The year also looks to be particularly good for Detroit and the Big […]