Auto Sector Stocks (Page 80)

3D rapid prototyping has been fast tracking General Motors (NYSE: GM) design development for years. Now the process is being extended to produce parts vital to the global base of GM designers, aerodynamicists and engineers.

Despite the high tech electric propulsion and the lightweight of the aluminum body of the Tesla S Model, Tesla Motors stock is under plenty of pressure by short sellers. Question is, what does this mean for investors?

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) already reported 35 year supply of shale gas alone, based on the 2010-consumption rate. But that isn't the only reason why a company like Chesapeake Energy (Nasdaq: CHK) isn’t waiting for Congress to pass the Natural Gas Act (H.R. 1835 and S. 1408).

Automobiles waste more than two-thirds of the energy of the gasoline they burn; and most of that goes out the tail pipe as hot gas. The Department of Energy (DOE) sees the potential to recapture waste heat energy using thermoelectric semiconductors.

Despite the hype and the growth surrounding electric vehicles and energy storage devices like batteries and ultra-capacitors, the sheer number of competitors in this already crowded market may force companies to consolidate or create new partnerships in order to compete and make a profit.

The CAR Management Briefing Seminars have been flagship events for more than 45 years, and one of the critical connection points for North American automotive participants and, by extension, the global industry. Leaders this year will share their vision of the industry’s future and its connection to success in Traverse City from August 1 - 4.

This is a significant milestone for AeroVironment (Nasdaq: AVAV) and the EV industry as it is the first within the industry to receive certification and listing from the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for six groundbreaking EV charging systems.

Considering over 50 percent of electric power plants in America are run with coal, electric vehicles are heavily dependent on them to complete their green equation far more than admitted by green car advocates. Enter the solution to aid the equation: Clean Coal Technology.

Talk about testing a price gap. It was just a few days ago that Toyota Motor (ADR: TM) showed signs of a breakout past overhead resistance on the weekly chart, which some believe was based on the 2012 Camry news. Then it filled the early May price gap 84.76 to 84.28 on the weekly chart with a Friday high of 84.90, but fell back.

Hold the presses and the auto web blogs. The media has been reacting to coal as a cause for global warming when sulfur particles reflect solar energy into space? At least someone finally found one reason why the earth has not warmed up in the last ten years.

This new study, conducted by Hardin Business Communications for SAE International, is the first forward-looking study of its kind for the industry.

It wasn’t that long ago that Toyota Motor Company (ADR: TM) stock was trading on the lower end of a 16-week channel. Now the stock has broken the early May high of 84 by closing just above it at 84.16. Could it be the breakout to higher highs? And is it the result of all the 2012 Camry news on the web?

The price of rare earth materials used in electronics for various products including automobiles got some relief from the Chinese attempt to corner and control the rare earth market, as Japanese explorers found large deposits of the minerals on the floor of the Pacific Ocean.

This British team and their innovations have the potential to make carbon emission-free, fuel-cell autos affordable by buyers in both developed and emerging markets.

General Motors Company (NYSE: GM) stock, which is nine months into trading since its IPO, has made lower lows and lower highs since its nosedive earlier in the year, including a new IPO low in June. The price chart now indicates the stock is attempting a rebound. Question is, how much?

In a letter supposedly dated June 1, 2011 from the desk of Mary Barra, Senior Vice President of Global Product Development, the global product development team of General Motors (NYSE: GM) received news of a deep rearrangement of personnel. Question is, is it real or another shapeshifting event ala GM's past?

The message here is this: In light of the BP Statistical Review 2011, Americans should not be suffering with high prices for energy.

Lest you think telematics in America is the only thing on the mind of General Motors (NYSE:GM), think again. Shanghai OnStar Telematics recently launched its mobile application for subscribers across China.

Iconosys, a developer of safety, security, and privacy-oriented technologies for modern-age personal technology devices and platforms, officially released My Max Speed™ last month, an app where users log their rates of speed every 5 seconds as they travel. What we are witnessing is a new battle between physical, plug-in devices like Car Checkup and CarMed vs. smart phone apps that use your smart phone's GPS capability.

It’s a fair question in light of the CNBC article which quoted Nautilus Invest for its decision to have zero exposure to stocks. Point is, auto sector stocks are especially sensitive to economic conditions, including sovereign debts and default potentials like Greece.

CNBC has ranked all 50 states for business in ten categories, based on criteria used by the states to self promote. Michigan, for example, the home of the automotive Big 3 as well as technical centers for Toyota, Hyundai and many auto suppliers, ranked 34.

The U.S. White House proposal on Monday to update the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to 56.2 mpg may be ambitious, but not out of the range of feasibility. Nor does have to cost an arm and a leg as some in the auto industry are crying.

Contrary to popular belief, President Obama wasn’t the only diplomat to announce a theatrical release of oil from strategic reserves. Fact is, the International Energy Agency (IEA) decided last Thursday night to release 60 million barrels of oil from the strategic reserves of several member nations, and America was one of those nations. [UPDATE June 27, 2011: IEA now states per Reuters it will release 41.9 million barrels of crude and 19 million barrels of refined products, changing the mix ]

June 30, 2011 may be another date which will live in infamy for the auto industry as the Federal Reserve will end all buying and propping of mortgage back securities and bonds.

The past three years have transformed the global auto industry in ways that insiders know have redefined the “rules” for auto industry success. Today’s inaugural Autobeat Insider Conference, Detroit 2.011 at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, Michigan, focused on emerging best practices.

If you want to know what will affect the auto industry next, look no further than the response of the bond market to the Fed Chairman, Ben Bernanke's post meeting news conference.

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is rapidly expanding its use of SYNC® technology in a commitment toward intelligent vehicles that can wirelessly talk to each other.

If the industry truly believes the Ford and Maritz Research studies that fuel economy is truly key to vehicle purchase decisions, then why does the auto industry still dole out its engine technologies in measure, especially with the 2016 government mandates hanging over their heads?

The award-winning Ford SYNC® AppLink™ software program, the free software program that gives SYNC users voice control of apps stored on their smartphone, is migrating to a new group of 2012 Ford vehicles.

Voice recognition is now being made easier and more intuitive for drivers to successfully use Ford Synch®, as the voice system now understands more than 10,000 first-level commands, up from 100 with first generation SYNC system; all thanks to the collaborative efforts with Nuance Communications (Nasdaq: NUAN).