5/29/16

Are you willing to pay more for connected vehicle technologies?

We all know all sorts of technologies, everything from autopilot systems and remote diagnostics to stolen vehicle tracking, offer some potentially big benefits to the trucking industry.

But are truckers willing to pay extra for them? And if so, how much extra?

Global consulting firm Accenture recently conducted a survey posing those very questions to consumers in China, Germany and the U.S. regarding a range of automobile technologies and found – on average – drivers would opt to pay up to an additional 10% of a new car’s sticker price to obtain various in-car systems offering a variety of entertainment, information, remote and driver support services.

In the U.S., where average sticker prices for new light vehicles hit $34,428 in December last year, according to Kelly Blue Book, that “up to 10%” figure translates into some $3,400 or so for technology.

As a point of reference, Axel Schmidt, managing director in Accenture’s automotive practice, noted that the firm polled 5,111 drivers over the age of 18 who operate a vehicle on a regular basis in China, Germany and the U.S. and who also own a smartphone or plan to buy one in the next 6-12 months.

“Consumers are becoming more inclined to make separate purchases of the in-car functions they want most,” he added. “We believe that the demand for a range of features, from safety systems and remote services to parking assist technology, will increase in the coming years.”

Indeed, Accenture believes that by 2025, all new cars sold will be connectivity-enabled. But the question remains exactly what kinds of “connectivity” will appeal most to drivers. Some indications from the firm’s survey include:
  •     The functionalities consumers would be most willing to spend more on include remote services such as when a vehicle automatically sends a distress message (63%) to the nearest emergency center when a life-threatening situation occurs or alerts when vehicle breaks down (41%).
  •     There is also high interest in remote diagnostics (75%) and vehicle lifecycle management reports (71%), with nearly half of the respondents (43%) willing to spend extra on these features.
  •     Over half (55%) want location functionalities like stolen vehicle tracking and recovery, navigation, and remote parked car locator systems, with a third (29%) willing pay more for those in-car services.
  •     All told, seven in ten of all respondents (71%) would pay up to 10% of a car’s price to add such functionality to their light vehicles.

Accenture also emphasized that consumer interest in key in-car technologies is likely to grow, with 75% and 71% respectively expecting to use vehicle health and vehicle lifecycle management services in the future.

Appeal for location-based services is also anticipated to gain popularity, with 78% of respondents to Accenture’s poll saying they are interested in having a stolen vehicle recovery and tracking system in the future, with 71% desiring features like the remote parked car locator and just under two-thirds, or 59%, welcoming the use of in-car navigation systems down the road.

In addition, 35% of drivers surveyed by the firm desiring “concierge services” such as voice-activated responses to location-based questions, with 19% willing to pay an additional fee to get it.

A further 32% want “smart home” integration for their vehicles, which provides the ability to control automated devices within the home from a connected vehicle, and 20% would pay more for it.

Yet how much are folks willing to spend for such offerings? Here’s what Accenture’s poll found:
  •     Drivers surveyed in China would be willing to spend an average of 16% of the new car’s price on “infotainment” features, while U.S. drivers stop at 15% and Germans at 11% of a new car’s sticker price.
  •     For “convenience” services, drivers in the U.S. are willing to spend on average up to 16% of a car’s price, followed by China at 15% and Germany at 11%.
  •     With regard to payments for in-car services, nearly half of respondents (47%) are willing to make an upfront payment when buying a new car, or pay for connected services over the lifetime of the services.
  •     More than one-third of those polled (34%) want free basic services subject to in-car advertising with the option to upgrade to premium versions of services.
  •     And 32% would consider paying a monthly fee for connected vehicle services using a credit card or PayPal.
Some things to think about as we continue diving deeper into the connected vehicle future, in both the car market and commercial trucking space.

Source: http://fleetowner.com/blog/are-you-willing-pay-more-connected-vehicle-technologies


5/27/16

GMC Enlists Josh Duhamel to Support Building for America’s Bravest During Military Appreciation Month

To donate visit ourbravest.org/enlistme 
or call 844-BRAVEST



DETROIT - In honor of Military Appreciation Month, and as part of the ongoing relationship between GMC and veteran support program Building for America’s Bravest, the brand is calling on its staff, fans and fellow Americans to support the foundation’s work to build life-changing smart homes for severely injured service members. GMC has committed to contribute up to $2 million by the end of 2016 and is asking people across the country to “enlist to unlist” the more than 200 severely injured service men and women currently waiting for smart homes.

As part of the campaign, a continuation of the #enlistme activity started in 2015, GMC has enlisted the support of actor Josh Duhamel as campaign ambassador, in an effort to increase awareness and raise funds to make significant differences in the lives of these courageous service members.

Speaking on why he chose to support, Duhamel referenced his strong ties to both the military and the GMC brand. “I grew up near a military base in North Dakota. My aunt was in the military and completed a number of tours overseas and my grandfather was a proud veteran. I feel it’s my duty as an American, and as a supporter of our veterans, to do as much as I can to bring awareness to the work of Building for America’s Bravest. I have owned a GMC truck since 2004, so when GMC asked me to step up and work with them, it was a no-brainer. I hope you will join me in enlisting to support this incredible cause.”

GMC and its parent company have supported the U.S. military for more than 100 years, working with the mantra of “Helping, Hiring & Driving,” through a mixture of employment programs, veteran support programs and offering the best possible automotive military discount during Military Appreciation Month, which is offered to all 21 million veterans and their families through May 31, 2016.

Speaking on the importance of the #enlistme campaign, U.S. Vice President GMC, Duncan Aldred added, “GMC supports the military all year round, but we are especially excited to work with Josh Duhamel during Military Appreciation Month to raise awareness for Building for America’s Bravest. The GMC brand is about precision and attention to detail across our vehicles, and as such, it makes sense for us to support the building of precise smart homes to give these heroes a sense of independence and comfort.”

The #enlistme campaign features two pieces of unique content, hosted by Duhamel, that introduce viewers to some of the veterans who have benefitted from the work of the program:

GMC #enlistme 360 Skydive - The first film sees two severely injured veterans, Marine Cpl. Todd Love and Army Staff Sgt. Stephen Valyou, complete a skydive to celebrate the feeling of independence that smart homes give to veterans. The unique 360-degree video will be available to view and post beginning May 21.

Discussing his passion for skydiving, Love, a triple amputee, said, “When I’m in the sky flying with my friends we’re all equals. Gravity treats us all the same.”

GMC Presents #enlistme with Josh Duhamel - In a documentary-style film, Duhamel meets Marine Sgt. Ben Tomlinson at his smart home in Jacksonville, Alabama to speak with Tomlinson and his family about their journey and the positive impact this home has had on his life. The mini documentary will be available to view and post beginning May 26.

Describing his experience with Building for America’s Bravest, which is a program of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Tomlinson said, “Living in this house has made my outlook on life more positive, and I know the impact on my family has been as big, if not bigger, than it has been for me. I am told all the time that I’m a hero, but to me, the people from Building for America’s Bravest are the real heroes because they’re helping to improve people’s lives. I’m grateful to GMC for supporting their work.”

Speaking on the longstanding relationship with GMC, Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation CEO Frank Siller stated, “GMC’s support of the military is second to none. We’re incredibly thankful for our partnership with them.” Siller continued, “The respect and appreciation that Josh Duhamel has for our veterans truly serves as an example for us all. We’re grateful for his selfless effort to help raise funds and awareness for our Foundation. With the help of Josh and GMC, we’ll be able to build more smart homes for catastrophically injured service members through our Building for America’s Bravest program.”

5/25/16

Venturo Van Cranes for HVAC, Plumbing, Parcel Delivery, Utility Services, Etc!


Van manufacturers have been boosting production as demand increases for Euro style, high roof, cargo vans.  This includes many industries which could require lifting solutions such as HVAC, plumbing, parcel delivery, health services, construction fleets, utility services and government fleets.  With this in mind, Venturo has developed specialized crane applications that are the first of its kind in the industry.  The all-new VC1000 van crane from Venturo features a horizontally articulated jib boom to reach deep within the van with a capacity of 1,000 lbs. at maximum reach.  The VC1000 allows safe and productive material handling without the need for a forklift or a heavy, expensive lift gate.  Venturo also offers a side-door option with a 500 lb maximum capacity and a 2.6′ reach with a 12V DC winch.


 Model  VC500FB

The VC500FB van crane includes a 2 ft, 6 in boom length with a maximum capacity of 500 lbs. for the Ford Transit 250 Mid-Roof work van side door. This crane fits the new Euro-style vans.

Note: 500LB maximum capacity is based on typical van floor structure limitations, not winch capacity. It is the sole responsibility of the installer to determine if additional floor reinforcement is necessary.



VC1000 Commercial Van Crane – Coming Soon!    

All-New Van Crane Coming 2016!

The Venturo VC1000 Van Crane utilizes a unique dual floor and ceiling mounted telescopic mast that integrates with the van structure itself to ensure maximum structural integrity. The horizontally articulated boom uses roller bearings that allow the operator to guide the load easily in and out of the van. A unique rotation control feature utilizes a hand lever that operates a cable controlled multi-position rotation lock. This rotation lock enables the operator to lock the crane in various positions. This key feature adds an additional safeguard for the operator as the load is being loaded and unloaded.


12110 Best Place Cincinnati, OH 45241   PHONE: 800-226-2238  EMAIL: info@venturo.com 
Copyright

5/23/16

ErgoRack-For fast, safe, easy loading and unloading of a ladder


Van manufacturers have been boosting production as demand increases for Euro style, high roof, cargo vans.  This includes many industries which could require lifting solutions such as HVAC, plumbing, parcel delivery, health services, construction fleets, utility services and government fleets.  With this in mind, Venturo has developed specialized crane applications that are the first of its kind in the industry.  The all-new VC1000 van crane from Venturo features a horizontally articulated jib boom to reach deep within the van with a capacity of 1,000 lbs. at maximum reach.  The VC1000 allows safe and productive material handling without the need for a forklift or a heavy, expensive lift gate.  Venturo also offers a side-door option with a 500 lb maximum capacity and a 2.6′ reach with a 12V DC winch.


 Model  VC500FB

The VC500FB van crane includes a 2 ft, 6 in boom length with a maximum capacity of 500 lbs. for the Ford Transit 250 Mid-Roof work van side door. This crane fits the new Euro-style vans.

Note: 500LB maximum capacity is based on typical van floor structure limitations, not winch capacity. It is the sole responsibility of the installer to determine if additional floor reinforcement is necessary.



VC1000 Commercial Van Crane – Coming Soon!    

All-New Van Crane Coming 2016!

The Venturo VC1000 Van Crane utilizes a unique dual floor and ceiling mounted telescopic mast that integrates with the van structure itself to ensure maximum structural integrity. The horizontally articulated boom uses roller bearings that allow the operator to guide the load easily in and out of the van. A unique rotation control feature utilizes a hand lever that operates a cable controlled multi-position rotation lock. This rotation lock enables the operator to lock the crane in various positions. This key feature adds an additional safeguard for the operator as the load is being loaded and unloaded.


12110 Best Place Cincinnati, OH 45241   PHONE: 800-226-2238  EMAIL: info@venturo.com 
Copyright

5/21/16

Sacramento Auto Museum Spotlights Pickup Trucks


Anyone living in or traveling to the Central Valley of California in the next few months should plan to visit the California Automobile Museum in Sacramento. You'll want to see the dozen historically significant pickup trucks on display there.



Dressed up to do the things they're built to do, the pickups are part of a temporary exhibit called "The Pickup Truck: Where Utility Meets Everyday." The exhibit showcases some of the most important pickups built during the last century. It even includes an aluminum-body Ford F-150 to represent today's workhorse (some will argue whether this pickup will ever become a classic, but you never know).

"Where Utility Meets Everyday" includes period-correct displays of the activities for which these trucks may have been purchased, along with several interactive displays designed to get kids and adults contributing to the exhibit. Our favorites were the miniature toy truck display and the post-the-oddest-thing-you've-seen-in-a-pickup-bed board, where people can briefly tell their own stories about how creative pickup owners can be when it comes to cargo.

See more at: http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2016/05/sacramento-auto-museum-spotlights-pickup-trucks.html

5/19/16

Reading Truck Body - 2016 - Craig Bonham, The Classic II



READING TRUCK BODY discusses their Flagship 9 foot all-Aluminum Classic II service body with 40 inch cabinet network, which matches Ford's flowing bumperline with the skirtline of the body. Craig demonstrates stainless steel paddle latches, a brand-new pull-out mechanic's drawer system, as a part of the partnership with ProTech, a quick install modular design. Craig also demonstrating Readygate, announced this year, giving the owner/operator 1.1 cubic feet of additional storage space.