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The mood at this year’s Paris Motor Show: Quiet

The Paris Motor Show, held every other year in the early fall, typically kicks off the annual cavalcade of automotive conclaves, one that traverses the globe between autumn and spring, introducing projective, conceptual and production-ready vehicle models to the international automotive press, automotive aficionados and a public hungry for news of our increasingly futuristic mobility enterprise. But this year, at the press preview days for the show, the grounds of the Porte de Versailles convention center felt a bit more sparsely populated than usual. This was not simply a subjective sensation, or one influenced by the center's atypically dispersed assemblage of seven discrete buildings, which tends to spread out the cars and the crowds. There were not only fewer new vehicles being premiered in Paris this year, there were fewer manufacturers there to display them. Major mainstream European OEM stalwarts such as Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Nissan and Volkswagen chose to sit out Paris this year, as did boutique manufacturers like Bentley, Aston Martin and Lamborghini. This is not simply based in some antipathy on the part of the German, British and Italian manufacturers toward the French market — though for a variety of historical and societal reasons that market may be more dominated by vehicles produced domestically than others. Rather, it is part of a larger trend in the industry. Last year, Mercedes-Benz announced that it would not be participating in the flagship North American International Auto Show in 2019 — and that it might not return. Other brands including Jaguar/Land Rover, Audi, Porsche, Mazda and nearly every exotic carmaker have also departed the Detroit show. Some of these brands will still appear in the city in which the show is taking place, and host an event offsite, to capitalize on the presence of a large number of reporters in attendance. And even brands that do have a presence at the show have shifted their vehicle introductions to the days before the official press opening in an attempt to stand out from the crowd. In many ways, this makes sense. With an expanding number of automakers, with diversification and niche-ification of models and with wholesale shifts that necessitate the introduction of EV or autonomous sub-brands, there is a growing sense that, with everyone shouting at the same time, no one can be heard.

Carmakers ask Trump to revisit fuel efficiency rules

Car companies operating in the US are required to meet stringent fuel efficiency standards (a fleet average of 54.5MPG) through 2025, but they're hoping to loosen things now that President Trump is in town. Leaders from Fiat Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota and VW have sent a letter to Trump asking him to rethink the Obama administration's choice to lock in efficiency guidelines for the next several years. The car makers want to revisit the midterm review for the 2025 commitment in hopes of loosening the demands. They claim that the tougher requirements raise costs, don't match public buying habits and will supposedly put "as many a million" jobs up in the air. The Trump administration hasn't specifically responded to the letter, although Environmental Protection Agency nominee Scott Pruitt had said he would return to the Obama-era decision. The automakers' argument doesn't entirely hold up. While the EPA did estimate that the US would fall short of efficiency goals due to a shift toward SUVs and trucks, the job claims are questionable. Why would making more fuel efficient vehicles necessarily cost jobs instead of pushing companies to do better? As it is, even a successful attempt to loosen guidelines may only have a limited effect. All of the brands mentioned here are pushing for greater mainstream adoption of electric vehicles within the next few years -- they may meet the Obama administration's expectations just by shifting more drivers away from gas power. This article by Jon Fingas originally appeared on Engadget, your guide to this connected life. Related Video: News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images Government/Legal Green Chrysler Fiat GM Honda Hyundai Nissan Toyota Volkswagen Fuel Efficiency CAFE standards Trump

Nissan built a Skyline that you can almost live in

The Infiniti Q50 is pretty long in the tooth, but parent company Nissan is still trying to keep things interesting. In Japan it's sold as the Nissan Skyline, and a new concept based on the luxury sedan converts it into a space you could actually live in.  The cumbersomely named Nissan Skyline Contemporary Lifestyle Vehicle Concept adds a slew of convenience features that you should never use while driving. When parked, however, they turn your car into a little living room. For example, there's a little smartphone holder that folds out from the steering wheel so you can prop your screen up and watch a movie. If that's too small a viewing surface for you, the center infotainment touchscreen can be removed from its dashboard perch and used as a tablet. And if that's still too small for you, there's a screen mounted in the headliner above the rear seats. How do you watch a screen in that location? Glad you asked. The front seats, headrests, rear bench and passthrough to the trunk all lay flat in one uniform surface sleeping area. When lying down, the screen will be right above your head. And should you get cold, the driver's door panel pops open to reveal a blanket while the cupholder has a heating element to keep a beverage warm. On the flip side, should you get hot, a button on the inside B-pillar activates the air conditioning so you don't even have to sit up to access the climate control. While awake, you can avail yourself of multiple table surfaces located around the cabin. One folds out from the center console like on a business class airplane seat. A detachable sun visor also turns into a table. Then get a little work done by plugging in to either the 100-volt outlet in the passenger side mirror or an on-board portable battery. Obviously you wouldn't want to get your nice jacket wrinkled as you lounge in the car, so the grab handle above the door expands into a hanger wide enough to keep your coat uncreased. Other clever storage options include an umbrella compartment in the door sill, a bin located in the headrest, and a hands-free kick-activated locker below the rear bumper where a diffuser would reside. Perhaps most superfluous of all is a trash receptacle located in the driver's side mirror. You'd still have to empty it when full, but at least smelly garbage would be outside the car. Oh yeah, there's one final viewing surface, the largest of them all.