Clouds Gathering on the Horizon?

Phil Biggs covers the automotive industry for NewsTalk 1340 WJRW DETROIT, Michigan – The U.S. automotive industry has been on an impressive five-year run since the 2009 Great Recession, posting substantial profits and break-through technology achievements, all leading to record unit volumes in 2015. Even recurring business issues such as workforce readiness, challenging global market… Read more »

The Winds of Change

Phil Biggs covers the automotive industry for NewsTalk 1340 WJRW DETROIT, MI – Cultural changes. Market changes. Ideological changes. As we move through this decade, the one constant we can expect is rapid change. In our current political climate, it has become a given. For the automotive industry, perhaps more than others, change is a… Read more »

Detroit Auto Show 2016

Phil Biggs covers the automotive industry for NewsTalk 1340 WJRW January 22, 2016 OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FLOOR OF THE SHOW Industry hits record sales volume in U. S. – Cars plus light duty and medium duty trucks topped 17.6 million in sales volume in 2015, which is an all-time volume record. With the arrival of technology… Read more »

Innovating to Make Things Better

DETROIT, Michigan – During this decade, the automotive industry has been a bellwether in its development of leading-edge technology – offering the world commercial solutions that promote vehicle safety, new mobility platforms, environmental achievements, and measurable energy efficiency. Despite the weight of product recalls and intense global socio-economic uncertainties, the industry has contributed mightily to… Read more »

Let’s Return to Purposeful Teaching

NASHVILLE, Tennessee. – The stunning economic rise of China and India over the past decade has changed the financial prospects of many American industries. Coupling this with the United States’ inability to counter its loss of manufacturing jobs, we are staking our future on advanced technology in that sector, and it has brought us to… Read more »

All Roads Lead to Silicon Valley

DETROIT, Michigan – Each day the auto industry readies itself for more culture shock as it embraces technological change by an order of magnitude. What are the innovation factors driving the technology curve in global automotive development? Connectivity, safety, personal mobility, comfort, convenience, and more. With the arrival of technology giants Google, Apple, Microsoft and… Read more »

Saving the Planet One Car at a Time

DETROIT, Michigan. – For the past seven years the U.S. auto industry has introduced new technologies and product development changes at a blistering rate. The pace of technology adoption has pushed product cadences from 6-year cycles to 2½-year cycles with modifications and vehicle enhancements virtually every year. As technology has proliferated, so today has industry… Read more »

Is Your Car Safe From Hackers?

DETROIT, Michigan. – Is your car safe from hackers? In a word…no. Greater awareness of the seriousness of car-hacking was raised over the past two weeks since two professional hackers – one of whom is a former National Security Agency employee – proved they could wirelessly hack into literally thousands of Fiat-Chrysler vehicles wirelessly and… Read more »

  • Automotive

    Accelerating Technology

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    Phil Biggs covers the automotive industry for NewsTalk 1340 WJRW February 24, 2012  9:30 A.M. ET GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Down the road in what is already becoming a very fast-paced decade, Fulton Innovation looks to play a major role in the development and deployment of a critical technology: wireless power. Wireless power is an example… Read more »

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    Photos from the Chicago Auto Show

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    Phil Biggs covers the automotive industry for NewsTalk 1340 WJRW February 9, 2012  2:30 P.M. CHICAGO, Ill. – There is a lot to see at the Chicago Auto Show. Here are some photos I’ve taken. Two Corvettes Head-to-Head: 1953 Meets 2013 A BMW Motorcycle The Cadillac Ciel Convertible Here is General George Patton’s 1938 Cadillac… Read more »

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    Photos and Sound from the North American International Auto Show

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    Phil Biggs covers the automotive industry for NewsTalk 1340 WJRW January 13, 2012 DETROIT, Mich. – There’s a lot to see at the North American International Auto Show. Here are some photos I’ve taken. A visitor checks out Kia’s interactive display Acura’s new NSX Coupe Lincoln MKZ Lincoln’s two-level display Find my WJRW podcasts from… Read more »

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    After the Glitz of the Show…What Comes Next?

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    Phil Biggs covers the automotive industry for NewsTalk 1340 WJRW January 31, 2012  4:30 P.M. ET DETROIT, Mich. Now that the show is over, the hard work begins…but the auto industry is up to the task. This year sales are expected to push higher, and you will see significant innovation breakthroughs in manufacturing and throughout… Read more »

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    Resolving to Buy American

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    Phil Biggs covers the automotive industry for NewsTalk 1340 WJRW January 10, 2011  5:30 P.M. ET GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – At this time of year, as we make New Year’s resolutions, we typically are thinking about how to lose weight, or quit smoking, or exercise more. Give up or do more of…something. So – as… Read more »

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    Innovation and the Tesla Effect

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    Phil Biggs covers the automotive industry for NewsTalk 1340 WJRW July 23, 2013 – 8:30 am ET DETROIT, Mich. – These days most companies have plenty of creativity and plenty of new technology at their disposal. What they lack in part are the savvy managers who are able to take necessary risks and who have… Read more »

  • Automotive

    Profits Are Back

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    Phil Biggs covers the automotive industry for NewsTalk 1340 WJRW July 11, 2013 – 8:30 am ET DETROIT, Mich. – Strong sales performance in 2012 and good year-over-year results so far in 2013 have restored profitability to most sectors in the auto space. Since the economic crash in 2009, it was difficult to imagine sales… Read more »

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    Finding the Right Balance

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    Phil Biggs covers the automotive industry for NewsTalk 1340 WJRW July 3, 2013 – 3:30 pm EDT DETROIT, Mich. – This year the traditional two-week summer shutdown will be reduced to one week, as Ford joins GM and Chrysler to bolster production in what has turned into an excellent first six months in the auto… Read more »

  • Office Furniture

    The Beat Goes On

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    Phil Biggs is the industry/technology analyst for NewsTalk 1340 WJRW June 12, 2013 – 10:30 am  CHICAGO, IL. – Opening day Monday at NeoCon in Chicago’s legendary Merchandise Mart was a stirring sight. Having lived in Chicago for nearly nine years I’ve known about this annual pilgrimage the furniture industry makes to downtown Chicago every… Read more »