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BMW, Hyundai score big in JD Power's first Tech Experience Index

While automakers are quick to brag about winning a JD Power Initial Quality Study award, the reality, as we've pointed out before, is that these ratings are somewhat misleading, since IQS doesn't necessarily distinguish genuine quality issues. JD Power's new Tech Experience Index aims to solve that problem. The new metric takes the same 90-day approach as IQS but focuses exclusively on technology – collision protection, comfort and convenience, driving assistance, entertainment and connectivity, navigation, and smartphone mirroring. It splits the industry up into just seven segments, based loosely on size, which is why the Chevrolet Camaro is in the same division (mid-size) as Kia Sorento and the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class is in the same segment as the Hyundai Genesis (mid-size premium). It makes for some screwy bedfellows, to be sure. Still, splitting tech experience away from initial quality should allow customers to make more informed and intelligent decisions when buying new vehicles. In the inaugural study, respondents listed BMW and Hyundai as the big winners, with two segment awards – the 2 Series for small premium and the 4 Series for compact premium, and the Genesis for mid-size premium and Tucson for small segment. The Chevrolet Camaro (midsize), Kia Forte (compact), and Nissan Maxima (large) scored individual wins. Ford also had a surprising hit with the Lincoln MKC, which ranked third in the compact premium segment behind the 4 Series and Lexus IS. This is a coup for the Blue Oval, whose woeful MyFord Touch systems made the brand a victim of the IQS' flaws in the early 2010s. But Ford and other automakers might not want to celebrate just yet. According to JD Power, there's still a lot of room for improvement – navigation systems were the lowest-rated piece of tech in the study. Instead, customers repeatedly saluted collision-avoidance and safety systems, giving the category the best marks of the study and listing blind-spot monitoring and backup cameras as two must-have features – 96 percent of respondents said they wanted those two systems in their next vehicle. But this isn't really a surprise. Implementation of safety systems from brand to brand is similar, and they don't require any input from users, unlike navigation and infotainment systems which are frustratingly deep.

Infiniti moves to trademark Eau Rouge

With Formula One taking to Belgium and the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit this weekend - boasting a reputation as one of the most beautiful courses on the calendar - all eyes will likely be on the tricky Eau Rouge corner, which challenges drivers' high-speed car control over a rolling, tree-lined hill. Infiniti played on the turn's iconic legacy for its ruby red Q50 Eau Rouge concept, and now the brand hopes to trademark the famous racing name so it can keep using it for a potential production version.
In January, the company filed for a trademark on Eau Rouge for "Automobiles and their structural parts; Fuel cell automobiles and their structural parts; Concept cars" with the US Patent and Trademark Office. According to Bloomberg, the application is still under consideration and not yet a guarantee. It's possible that the track could attempt to block the automaker from earning rights to the name. Alternatively, a trademark lawyer tells Bloomberg that the two of them could also strike a deal where Infiniti would pay a small amount for each car sold bearing the title, which could give Spa a bit of extra money in the bank.
Regardless of the name, a vehicle like the Eau Rouge is something enthusiasts have been wanting for years. It combines a modified, 560-horsepower version of the engine from the Nissan GT-R into a four-door sedan covered in aggressive, carbon fiber aerodynamic parts.

Fisker stock trades halted as talks with Nissan collapse

Fisker's talks with a large automaker for a potential deal have collapsed, it said on Monday amid growing uncertainty for the cash-strapped startup that last week paused electric-vehicle production.  Trading in the shares of the company, which did not name the automaker with which it was in talks, has been halted pending an announcement.  Fisker also said it will not be able to meet a closing condition related to its attempt to raise up to $150 million in funding by selling convertible notes after missing an interest payment.  Separately, Fisker said it would ask investors to vote on a proposal for a reverse stock split at a shareholder meeting on April 24, as it looks to maintain compliance with the Nasdaq's listing norms.  Reuters had reported earlier this month that Nissan was in advanced talks to invest in the company, however, earlier in the day, the Japanese automaker held an event in which it announced a long-term business plan, including its EV strategy, and said it was looking for partners in the United States.  Raising funds has been hard for loss-making electric vehicle startups, which have little in way of revenue as they struggle to ramp up production and deliver to customers, as the companies battle stiff competition and a tough economy.  The EV startup's shares have cratered this year, losing more than 90% of their value, after it flagged going concern risk in February and paused investments in future projects until it secured a partnership with an automaker.  Fisker pivoted to a dealer-partner model earlier this year, after it delivered less than half of the vehicles it made in 2023 due to logistics issues.    Earnings/Financials Fisker Nissan