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[email protected] ® Detroit AutoScene® ®TechCenter News ® VOL. 88 NO. 6 FIRST IN THE HEART OF DETROIT: ESTABLISHED 1933 AND 1976 FEBRUARY 17, 2020 FCA, Detroit Looking for Artists to Create Mural for New Mack Ave. Jeep Complex Who says an industrial manu- global open call to artists to to convert two existing Mack Av- facturing facility has to be ugly? create murals that will comprise enue facilities into a new assem- Not FCA. This Valentine’s Day, one of the largest municipal bly site for a new, three-row, full- company representatives joined art installations in Detroit’s his- size Jeep SUV and the next-gen- a Detroit art program -- the Of- tory. eration Jeep Grand Cherokee. fice of Arts, Culture and Entre- City Walls Detroit has worked FCA is also investing $900 mil- preneurship and City Walls De- with FCA to identify the canvas- lion at Jefferson North to retool troit murals program -- in show- es for the murals near FCA’s new and modernize the plant for ing the city some love, said FCA auto assembly plant, Frazier continued production of Dodge spokesman Kevin Frazier. said. FCA announced recently FCA and the City issued a that it would invest $1.6 billion CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 The 2019 Buick Regal was singled out for its improved dependability. GM Earns Top Dependability Marks in J.D. Power Survey by Jim Stickford built and more dependable than same-age vehicles were in previ- Dependability is a great reason ous years. However, the rapid in- to love a car, which perhaps troduction of technology is put- makes releasing the J.D. Power ting increased pressure on de- 2020 U.S. Vehicle Dependability pendability, so it would not be Study (VDS) the week of Valen- surprising to see problem levels tine’s Day appropriate. plateau, or even increase, over “Love is in the air,” said J.D. the next few years.” Power spokesman Geno Effler. The study, now in its 31st year, “Maybe it’s the proximity to measures the number of prob- Valentine’s Day or maybe it’s that lems per 100 vehicles (PP100) ex- owners see dependability of their perienced during the past 12 three-year-old vehicles improving months by original owners of in 2020. According to the J.D. their three-year-old vehicles, Ef- Power 2020 VDS,overall vehicle fler said. The 2020 study meas- dependability improved 1.5 per- ures problems in model-year 2017 cent from 2019.” vehicles. A lower score reflects Effler said that among Detroit au- higher quality, and the study cov- A rendering of the Sound wall at Southeastern High School showing where artists will create several murals. tomakers, Cadillac showed con- ers 177 specific problems siderable improvement with a re- grouped into eight major vehicle duction of 35 PP100 from 2019. categories. Other above-average brands with Following are key findings of Another UAW Official Enters a Guilty Plea strong improvement included Lin- the 2020 study vehicle. Depend- by ED WHITE Jones, who had Pearson’s job be- “The UAW needs to be led by coln (by 28 PP100), Ford (by 20 ability improves, but at a slower Associated Press fore becoming national president men and women of integrity who PP100) and Buick (by 15 PP100). rate: The industry average in 2020 in 2018. are dedicated to bettering the General Motors Company re- is 134 PP100, which is an improve- DETROIT (AP) – A former sen- Jones hasn’t been charged in a lives of the hard-working mem- ceived five segment awards: for ment of just 2 PP100 from 2019. ior official at the United Auto corruption probe that has netted bers of the union, not dedicated the Buick Encore and Buick Regal, (However, in 2019, there was an Workers pleaded guilty Feb. 7 to nine guilty pleas from union offi- to lining their own pockets,” De- and for the Chevrolet Equinox, improvement of 6 PP100 from a broad corruption scheme, ad- cials and a spouse, and three troit U.S. Attorney Matthew Chevrolet Silverado HD and 2018.) Despite the slowing rate of mitting that he conspired with more from Fiat Chrysler employ- Schneider said. Chevrolet Tahoe. improvement, 2020 marks au- others to conceal the use of ees. But agents searched his De- Pearson pleaded guilty to a “Despite the increased adop- tomakers’ best performance in union cash for vacation villas, troit-area home in August under single charge of conspiring to tion of complex vehicle technolo- the history of the study. golf, cigars and booze. the eye of local TV news cam- embezzle union money and use a gy, dependability continues to im- Effler said dependability gains Vance Pearson was based in eras. tool of interstate commerce to prove,” said Dave Sargent, vice were driven by crossovers and the St. Louis area as director of Jones and Pearson resigned aid racketeering. His involve- president of global automotive at SUVs. Crossovers and SUVs still UAW’s Region 5, which covered their union posts in November. ment in the embezzlement was J.D. Power. have slightly more problems than more than a dozen states. His Pearson is cooperating with fed- limited to an amount between “There’s no question that three- conviction is significant because eral agents, according to his plea year-old vehicles today are better he worked closely with Gary agreement. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 Ford Seeking New Solutions For Detroit Traffic Problems Ford has been working to find The three teams will split transportation solutions in cities $250,000 in funding to test around the country and around the implementation of their the world. But that doesn’t mean proposals in a real-world setting they’ve neglected the company’s as they aim to improve home town. mobility in the communities After working collaboratively surrounding Michigan Central with residents in Detroit to identi- Station. fy transportation challenges and Mercy Education Project is a propose new ways to improve nonprofit charitable organization mobility in their communities, that proposed the creation of the city of Detroit has announced Rock City Mobility Stations, the winning pilot proposals for which would increase access to the City:One Michigan Central information and various types of Station Challenge, said Ford mobility options, Günsberg said. spokesman Martin Günsberg. Each station would feature a Mercy Education Project, kiosk stocked with signage, AbleLink Smart Living Technolo- maps, bus schedules, parking in- gies, as well as a team that in- formation and more. cludes the Downtown Detroit Outside the kiosk would be a Partnership, DTE and local central location for various artists, have been chosen as win- modes of transportation, includ- ners of the City:One Challenge, Ford selected the three groups it will sponsor to help create transporation solutions for Detroit. Günsberg said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 view this week’s edition at DetroitAutoScene.com PAGE 2 DETROITAUTOSCENE-TECHCENTERNEWS FEBRUARY 17, 2020 Warren Library First Mid-Engine 2020 Corvette Rolls Off Line Has Interesting So it’s begun. Regular production of the 2020 March Offerings Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Here are some upcoming pro- coupe began Feb. 3, 2020, at Gen- grams at the Warren Public Li- eral Motors’ Bowling Green As- brary Civic Center Branch, said sembly in Bowling Green, Ky. librarian Paul Konkolesky. Initial vehicle shipments to Forensic Artist – 6 p.m. Thurs- dealers are expected to begin in day, March 5, Civic Center late February or early March, Branch Library. Michigan State said GM spokesman Kevin Kelly. Police Lieutenant Sarah Krebs There has been great anticipa- will explain how evidence-based tion for the 2020 Corvette drawings and three-dimensional Stingray, Kelly said. It won the reconstructions aid in the inves- 2020 MotorTrend Car of the Year tigation of unidentified remains, award, earning the mid-engine the apprehension of suspects, masterpiece, he said, a top spot and the resolution of missing among the best vehicles the person cases. world has to offer for the third Bridging the Gap: High time in Corvette’s history. School to College – 6:30 p.m. The honor, previously awarded Tuesday, March 10, Civic Center to Corvette in 1984 and 1998, was Branch Library. This presenta- presented to Tadge Juechter, tion by MCC is designed to help Corvette executive chief engi- parents and students under- neer and Michael Simcoe, Gener- stand more about the college al Motors vice president of Glob- process and how to prepare for al Design, at an event featuring the next steps while still in high industry executives and celebri- school. It promotes career inves- ty guests at MotorTrend’s head- tigation, college discovery, and quarters in El Segundo, Calif. using resources that are current- “It’s an honor for the Corvette This is the first of many 2020 Corvette Stingrays that are coming off GM’s Bowling Green production line. ly available to high school and team to receive this coveted junior high students and par- award from MotorTrend against of quality, customization, tech- layout, yet it remains a truly liv- charges, excluding tax, title, li- ents. the best the industry has to of- nology and craftsmanship, said able grand touring sports car, all cense, and dealer fees), can Better Made: A Chip Story –6 fer,” said Juechter. Kelly. at an almost unbelievable price reach 60 mph in three seconds p.m. Thursday, March 12, Civic “Our design and engineering Powered by the next-genera- point. flat and cross the quarter-mile Center Branch Library. Author teams spent several years sweat- tion 6.2L Small Block V8 LT2 en- “Our 2020 Car of the Year is the mark in 11.2 seconds at 121 mph, Karen Dybis will visit the library ing the details to deliver the first gine, the 2020 Corvette Stingray one that democratizes the super- Kelly said.