Ewan Baldry

How to tell which OEMS will be DESTROYED by the Chinese. It's a pretty easy tell. There's been a lot of discussion recently on EVs as many incumbent OEMs have applied the brakes to EV R&D and switched some over to combustion. In a business where powertrain R&D can take 5 years or more, this will make several incumbent OEMs extremely vulnerable, especially if the politics winds change. Its very obvious Chinese OEMS still have the electric accelerator pinned, and their rapid rate of development will create a MASSIVE gap between Chinese and incumbent OEMs in 2030. Global sales of electric vehicles are now past 25%, and are continuing to climb rapidly. Of course, the current political climate in the US has halted growth there, but equally, we could see big change in 2028/29 if the Democrats win. Here's a select range of quotes from global incumbent OEM CEOs that will not wear well beyond 2030: “Nine million electric vehicles have the same environmental impact as 27 million hybrids.” Akio Toyoda, Chairman, Toyota JC comment: He's clearly cherry picking information here as it has been repeatedly shown by 3rd party university researchers that EVs have MUCH lower full life emissions, even on a coal grid. “The hope that everyone will only drive electric will not come true… If you are not selling combustion engines anymore, someone else will.” Oliver Zipse — BMW CEO / Chairman JC comment: A very clear example that shows OEMs must be FORCED to do the right thing, and have many decades of similar rhetoric. “We need a balanced electrified/ICE portfolio — EVs must reach cost parity with ICE to scale.” Makoto Uchida — Nissan CEO, until early-2025 JC comment: Someone completely FORGOT that the Chinese EVs passed the ICE parity point 3 years ago. “We are switching course — we will reduce some EV investments and accelerate hybrids; the market is uncertain.” Toshihiro Mibe — Honda Global CEO JC comment: Yes, the market and pace of transition is uncertain, though the end result is a sure bet. Investing in any 30 year old, previous generation technology while competitors spend resources to develop new technology at lightning speed is GUARANTEED to put you WAY behind when development eventually finishes. An important point I should make: Some may question why I could possibly know things that they don't. But, trust me, THEY KNOW!! When CEOs make comments like this they're creating positions so that investors and governments lean towards where they think they can make the most profit. Most understand that they've already been thoroughly beaten on EVs, and the longer they can push an EV transition down the road, the longer they can keep making ICE vehicle profits. However, its also a strategy to speed up annihilation. Somehow, the Chinese will eventually step into every global market, and North America especially better LOOK OUT! What do you think of these CEO quotes? Let me know below. #automotive #batteries #electricvehicles

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Details of the driver monitoring systems strategy for Stellantis are now starting to emerge. Shown is the DS Automobiles #DS8 and #DS7, both with DMS on the steering column, and evidently using two different algorithm vendors. Based on the illumination strategies seen, the DS 8 is assumed to be Seeing Machines, and the DS 7 assumed to be Smart Eye. What is new is that two different models within the same brand (DS) have adopted different suppliers. This could be indicative of the Stellantis group #strategy as a whole, in that DMS adoption for each brand is not ALL Smart Eye or ALL Seeing Machines, but that the final decision is made by the OEM on a model-by-model basis based on a series of criteria. This again reinforces the role of quarterly delivery numbers to validate the relative success of the two suppliers in actually getting vehicles on the road, rather than relying on PR announcements of "design wins." The Stellantis brands collectively sold almost two million cars in Europe in 2024, and will have a major impact on the Seeing Machines and Smart Eye totals in 2026 as the #distraction warning mandate for #GSR takes effect. Read the full analysis at Understanding DMS (details in the slide below). Want to know more about the DMS market and suppliers ? 📊 Market Insights: Purchase the May 2025 edition of Semicast's market report on #automotive vision-based #driver #monitoring #systems. Significant segmentation of the #DMS and #OMS market is provided: - by movement detection into "Owl-only" and "Owl & Lizard" detection - by feature set - by processor type - by CMOS image sensor location - by CMOS image sensor resolution - by driver and occupant monitoring - by front-seat and whole-cabin monitoring DM for the study brochure. Payments are securely processed via Stripe, accepting various card types, or by traditional purchase order. 👨‍💻 Ask the Expert (ATE): A Zoom-based non-NDA Q&A enabling companies and suppliers to ask questions directly about trends in automotive vision-based DMS and OMS. Subject areas could include regulations, technical developments, understanding DMS/OMS software suppliers, trends for CMOS image sensor locations, or feature sets. DM for prices and other details. 🔎 Consultancy: For institutional investors, family offices, and other investment professionals seeking comparisons between Cipia, Seeing Machines, Smart Eye, and Tobii #AutoSense, book a telephone consultation through GLG, Guidepoint, or Third Bridge Group Limited. Just ask for me by name. YouTube video links: DS 8 https://lnkd.in/eW6JYymg DS 7 https://lnkd.in/e6H5a_tH

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Audi has put the brakes on its earlier plan to stop producing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2033. In a significant shift, CEO Gernot Döllner confirmed that the company will continue making both combustion and plug-in hybrid models well into the next decade, according to a report by Autocar UK. The move reflects a more flexible approach to the brand’s transition toward electrification. © Cars Advisor #audi #electricvehicle #autos #audisport #audirs6 #audirs7 #audiperformance #vehicle

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General Motors has put vehicles enabled with technology used in its failed robotaxi venture Cruise back onto the road. The Detroit automaker confirmed with the Detroit Free Press that it would accelerate development of GM's hands-free, eyes-off advanced driver assist system by “testing a limited number of Cruise Bolt vehicles on select highways in Michigan, Texas, and the San Francisco Bay Area,” according to a statement. The platform underpinning the vehicles, however, is new ― built by GM and former engineers that integrates technology of its advanced driver assist system, Super Cruise. https://lnkd.in/enkUZA9P

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Oldsmobile’s DOHC 455 V8 is one of the most intriguing “what could have been” stories in American automotive history. Developed in the late 1960s as an experimental performance engine, this dual overhead cam (DOHC) version of Oldsmobile’s standard 455 cubic inch V8 was intended to push the brand’s engineering boundaries and compete with the rising tide of high-revving, high-tech engines both domestically and abroad. It featured an aluminum intake, hemispherical combustion chambers, and twin overhead cams per bank—technology that was far ahead of its time for a pushrod-dominated American market. The engine was rumored to produce well over 500 horsepower in naturally aspirated form and even more in turbocharged or fuel-injected configurations tested in secret. It was also said to rev significantly higher than the traditional 455, thanks to the DOHC design, which allowed better breathing at high RPM. Despite its promise, the project was ultimately scrapped—largely due to cost, emissions regulations looming in the 1970s, and General Motors’ reluctance to deviate too far from its mainstream production strategies. Only a few prototypes of the DOHC 455 were ever built, and they remain mythical among muscle car enthusiasts and collectors. The engine stands as a symbol of the bold experimentation that briefly flourished in Detroit during the golden muscle car era—a tantalizing glimpse at what might have been if performance and innovation hadn’t been curtailed by external pressures.

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