DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Going "car-lite" and cutting nonessential car travel can be an affordable, impactful choice. That may sound expensive, but even a used car in the US now costs about $32,000. Even a brand-new, high-end bike costs about 90% less than the average used car. Public transit costs vary, but one household can save $10,000 a year by using public transportation instead of a car. Smart's research shows that families with a car experience an average income growth of 1% every two years.

Persons: Sonja Langford, Charlotte , North Carolina —, Langford, she's, Peter Krull, Krull, Michael Smart, Smart, Langford isn't Organizations: Service, University of North, Transportation, Earth Equity Advisors, Tesla, Rutgers University, Subaru, Charlotte, Bloomberg, Research Locations: Wall, Silicon, Charlotte , North Carolina, University of North Carolina, Asheville , North Carolina, Los Angeles

☆ Panasonic Q1 profit jumps, maintains FY forecast
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Panasonic, whose energy unit makes batteries for Tesla Inc (TSLA.O), said operating profit came to 90.37 billion yen ($637 million) in the three months to end-June, versus the 91.18 billion yen average forecast in a poll of 11 analysts by Refinitiv. Its battery unit, Panasonic Energy, and Subaru (7270.T) said they have started talks to establish a battery supply partnership for electric vehicles that would supply the Japanese automaker with cylindrical lithium-ion batteries. Panasonic, whose products span consumer electronics and delivery robots to sensing cameras and self-checkout systems, maintained its full-year forecast at 430 billion yen. That compared to a 413.96 billion yen average profit forecast in a poll of 20 analysts by Refinitiv. ($1 = 141.9500 yen)Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by David DolanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Daniel Leussink, David Dolan Organizations: Japan's Panasonic Holdings, Panasonic, Tesla Inc, Refinitiv, Panasonic Energy, Subaru, Reuters, Thomson Locations: TOKYO

☆ Panasonic considering providing EV batteries to Subaru -Nikkei
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, July 28 (Reuters) - Panasonic Holdings (6752.T) has started considering providing electric vehicle batteries to Subaru (7270.T), the Nikkei reported on Friday. The two companies are soon expected to announce the plan to ink a basic supply agreement of EV batteries, the report said. The energy unit of Panasonic Holdings and Mazda Motor 7261.T announced in June they also would start talks to set up a battery supply partnership for electric vehicles (EVs). Panasonic, which supplies almost all of its EV batteries to Tesla (TSLA.O), is seeking to increase global market as Chinese and South Korean competitors grow their presence, the Nikkei said. Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Edit by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kaori Kaneko, Tom Hogue Organizations: Panasonic Holdings, Subaru, Nikkei, EV, Mazda, Panasonic, Thomson Locations: TOKYO

☆ US opens special probe into fatal Tesla crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Tesla Model 3 vehicles are shown for sale at a Tesla facility in Long Beach, California, U.S., May 22, 2023. Since 2016, the U.S. auto safety regulator has opened more than three dozen Tesla special crash investigations in cases where systems such as Autopilot were suspected of being used, with 22 crash deaths reported through Tuesday. The Tesla driver suffered serious injuries and two other Tesla passengers suffered moderate injuries. A local California fire department said a Tesla struck one of its fire trucks and that the Tesla driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The other investigation in March involves a 2022 Tesla Model Y that struck and seriously injured a 17-year-old student who got off a school bus in North Carolina.

Persons: Mike Blake WASHINGTON, Tesla, David Shepardson, Doina Chiacu, Chizu Nomiyama, Deepa Babington Organizations: Tesla, REUTERS, Traffic Safety Administration, Subaru Impreza, Patrol, Subaru, California Highway Patrol, NHTSA, Thomson Locations: Long Beach , California, U.S, California, South Lake, Contra Costa County , California, North Carolina

☆ China's Huawei says it earned patent revenues of $560 million last year
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SHENZHEN, China, July 13 (Reuters) - Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies(HWT.UL) received $560 million in royalty revenues in 2022, Alan Fan, its head of intellectual property (IP), said on Thursday in a speech at company headquarters in the city of Shenzhen. Huawei earned more than it paid out in royalties over the last two years as the decline in handset sales meant it needed to pay less to other IP holders, Fan said. The company has entered into patent licenses with phone makers Samsung and Oppo and automakers including Audi, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Porsche, Subaru, Lamborghini and Bentley, Huawei said. Last year, Huawei spent $23 billion on research and development, with 114,000 staff, 55% of its total, working on research, the company said. From 2019, rounds of U.S restrictions after authorities there called the company a security risk reduced its access to chipmaking tools.

Persons: Alan Fan, Fan, Mercedes Benz, David Kirton Organizations: Huawei Technologies, Huawei, Samsung, Oppo, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Subaru, Lamborghini, Bentley, Thomson Locations: SHENZHEN, China, Shenzhen

lydia polgreenI’m Lydia Polgreen, and this is “Matter of Opinion.” Today, we’re going to do something a little bit different. And the great sort of brilliant twist of the show is at the end, the winner is chosen by the people that the contestants have voted off. Like, that just seems really, really American. I don’t think we need to go that far, but she is the best version of America, like America as it fancies itself to be. And if they happen to come out while I’m outside, I’m like, you!

Persons: michelle cottle, I’m Michelle Cottle, ross douthat I’m Ross Douthat, carlos lozada I’m Carlos Lozada, lydia polgreen, Lydia Polgreen, ross, departmentwide, carlos lozada, ross douthat, polgreen, ross douthat I’ll, Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, it’s, We’d, carlos lozada I didn’t, Lozada, Michelle, there’ll, you’ve, I’ll, ”, I’ve, lydia polgreen It’s, Lydia, — ross, Sue Hawk, winder, — carlos lozada Wow, Richard Hatch, he’s, Rudy, carlos lozada “, carlos lozada “ Survivor ”, Mark Burnett, — carlos lozada There’s, ” lydia polgreen There’s, ” ross douthat, “, — ross douthat That’s, Ross, you’re, Carlos, carlos lozada You, JD Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald, Tom, TD Fitzgerald, Standish, who’s, ” ross, — carlos lozada, ross douthat —, Donald Trump, JD, ” Michelle, I’m, Dolly Parton, lydia polgreen Legend, She’s, scrappy, she’s, “ Jolene, michelle cottle Don’t, Dolly, Dolly Parton’s, michelle cottle I’m, polgreen It’s, It’s, — carlos lozada Oh, lydia polgreen — Henry Grabar, Mother Teresa, Henry Grabar, carlos lozada Ross, we’re, Sienna, Sienna’s, we’re Honda Organizations: New York, ”, Harvard, “, Blacks, Navy, carlos lozada “ Survivor, Trump, Housewives, HBO, America, Survivor, City Hall, DC Locations: United States of America, America, United States, Trump, Utah, Northern California, Adenville, Lydia, Park City , Utah, West

☆ Technology is giving cars more nagging problems than ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Alexa St. John | Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Auto research firm JD Power assessed dozens of vehicle brands for its latest quality study. The overall quality of new vehicles is deteriorating and nagging problems are on the rise, according to a new study from JD Power. "The basic touch point of door handles is now a percolating problem area as manufacturers attempt to redesign them," JD Power said. JD Power assigned a score to each auto brand based on problems per 100 vehicles, and calculated an industry average of 192 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), up from 180 in 2022. In terms of vehicles themselves, the Nissan Maxima had the highest initial quality overall, with 106 problems per 100 vehicles, according to teh survey.

Persons: Tesla, Dodge, Frank Hanley, Power, JD Power, Ram, Alfa Romeo, Polestar Organizations: Auto, JD Power, Fiat Chrysler, French PSA Group, Buick, Chevrolet, Volvo, Chrysler, Volkswagen, Nissan, JD, Dodge, Romeo, GMC, Porsche, Kia, Lexus, Maserati, Hyundai, Honda, BMW, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Ford, Benz, Rover, Mazda, Acura, Lincoln

☆ The $24,000 Hyundai Santa Cruz is a truck that feels like an SUV. It's also the perfect adventure vehicle.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz. The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz.

Persons: Santa Cruz, Tim Levin, Ford, that's, Ford's, I'd, It's, Apple, it's, I'm Organizations: Santa Cruz, Hyundai, Sporting, Toyota, Ford, Santa Cruz's, Subaru Locations: Santa, Santa Cruz, clothe, Toyota Tacoma

☆ These tiny Japanese pick-up trucks that cost about $5,000 are winning fans in America
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tiny Japanese trucks that cost as little as $5,000 are winning over some Americans. It's not just tiny homes taking America by storm – now tiny trucks made in Japan are becoming increasingly popular too. The tiny trucks are a common sight on Japanese roads, but they've also won over some Americans wanting a versatile, compact – and cheap – vehicle. The cheapest Kei truck sold by Japan Car Direct is about $5,000, with shipping costs accounting for much of that sum. Japan Car Direct and its competitors will walk customers through the import process, which requires several forms to be completed.

Persons: they've, It's, Kei, Subaru Sambar, Suzuki, Matt Matusiak, we've, Matusiak, there's Organizations: Japan, Morning, Daihatsu, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Honda, Nissan, of Transportation, Environmental Protection, Vehicles, Twitter Locations: America, Japan, Pennsylvania

☆ The best car brands of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Consumer Reports released a list of top car brands Thursday. Consumer Reports released its list of the top car brands for 2023 on Thursday. Taking the bottom five spots are Mitsubishi, Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, Jeep, and Land Rover, with Land Rover at the very bottom. Consumer Reports ranked brands first by determining a road-test score using braking, handling, comfort, convenience, and fuel economy evaluations. The other domestic brands fell in the bottom-third of the rankings.

Persons: Alfa Romeo, Dodge, Genesis, Tesla Organizations: BMW, Land Rover, Consumer, Subaru, Lexus, Honda, Rover, Consumer Reports, Ford, GM, Fiat Chrysler, French PSA Group, Lincoln, Chrysler, Pacifica, Toyota, Kia, Mazda, Audi, Acura, Buick, Hyundai, Porsche, Dodge, Tesla, Infiniti, Volkswagen, Volvo, Nissan, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Benz, GMC, Mitsubishi, Alfa, Jeep

☆ How inflation and higher interest rates have reshaped car buying for many Americans
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Federal Reserve's battle to taper inflation by ratcheting up interest rates is limiting who can afford to purchase a new or used vehicle. The rate hikes have many Americans lowering their buying expectations, opting for used vehicles over new, or fixing their current car or truck instead of purchasing a replacement. "We continue to see subprime buyers squeezed out of the auto market by the Fed repeatedly moving rates higher. At various points in 2018, subprime buyers made up more than 14% of new vehicle sales, while deep subprime buyers made up close to 10% of the market, according to Cox. This year, subprime buyers account for roughly 6% of new vehicle sales and deep subprime account for less than 2%, Cox reports.

Persons: Cox, Jonathan Smoke Organizations: Subaru, Cox Automotive, Fed Locations: Colma , California

☆ Japan's Nikkei hits 1990 high on weak yen, US optimism; SoftBank surges
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, May 29 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average rose on Monday to its highest level since July 1990, buoyed by optimism over a U.S. debt ceiling deal and a weaker yen. SoftBank Group jumped more than 8% as shares of Japanese chip-related companies continued to outperform amid the AI euphoria that also propelled Wall Street peers. "The trigger for everything was Nvidia," said Masahiro Ichikawa, chief market strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management. The broader Topix (.TOPX) rose as much as 1.36% to 2,175.13 in early trading but failed to get close to last week's 33-year high at 2,188.66. Reporting by Kevin Buckland; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Sohini GoswamiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan's Nikkei hits highest since July 1990 on weak yen, US optimism
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Kevin Buckland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, May 29 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average rose on Monday to its highest level since July 1990, buoyed by optimism over a U.S. debt ceiling deal and a weaker yen. "The Nikkei crossed the psychological 31,500 mark on Monday, but in the end that level proved a bit too heavy," she said. "This week, I expect the Nikkei to steadily advance, but with short-term retracements to check its speed." The broader Topix (.TOPX) rose as high as 2,175.13, but failed to get close to last week's 33-year high at 2,188.66. Reporting by Kevin Buckland; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Sohini GoswamiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Driving Lamborghini's new off-road supercar
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

I was driving a $380,000 Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato, and I couldn’t help laughing out loud. Lamborghini worked with Bridgestone to create tires using rubber similar to that on Lamborghini’s other performance tires, but with an off-road tread. The idea for it emerged while Lamborghini engineers and designers were having beers after a day driving off-road in a prototype of the Urus SUV. That was a lot of fun, they thought, but wouldn’t driving one of our all-wheel-drive supercars off-road be even better? Even those of us who can’t afford one should perhaps be glad the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato exists.

☆ I made $200,000 in revenue from affiliate marketing websites. Here's how I got started after years of struggling with my SEO business.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Bruce Paulson is a freelance SEO specialist who creates affiliate marketing websites. Paulson said his business started to grow once he put himself in the customer's shoes. In 2022, I made almost $203,000 in revenue from affiliate marketing alone. Affiliate marketing is the strategy that helped to move the needle for my income. When building affiliate websites I need some interest in the topic like water sports, finance, or digital marketing.

☆ This Uber Eats driver only accepts high-value orders in the hope of getting big tips. He says it's 'like gambling,' but 'very exciting.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An Uber Eats driver told The New York Times that only accepting high-value orders is like "gambling." He told the newspaper he felt delivery drivers were now considered "the bottom of the barrel." After delivering the orders, he waited an hour to learn from the Uber Eats app how much his tips were worth. "It's like gambling," Bush told The Times about his "very exciting" big tips. Uber told The Times it had improved its app to reduce "verification confusion" for high-value tips and added measures to encourage better tipping.

☆ Can’t Afford to Scuba in Aruba? Try This Snorkeling Adventure Closer to Home
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Caleb Johnson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

STREAMING NOW Snorkel in a freshwater river for a brief encounter with an eel, a lamprey and other colorful fish. MY SNORKELING ADVENTURE began in a parking lot at Mile-0 of the French Broad River, which flows across more than 200 craggy miles in western North Carolina and into eastern Tennessee. It was a sunny day, and Kevin Merrill, who would serve as my guide, asked me to meet him there so he could gauge the conditions and figure out where to start. Over the weekend, heavy rain had fallen across Transylvania County, so the river was running higher than normal. I followed his white Subaru through the town of Rosman, N.C., where Mr. Merrill grew up and later worked at the public high school before starting Oxbow River Snorkeling along with his wife, Christie.

☆ Kia and Hyundai Thefts Are Soaring — and It's TikTok's Fault
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Britta Lokting | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Lebeau-Chorn and Jenkins are just two victims of an unprecedented surge in car thefts that has swept across US cities in the past two years. The situation has become so critical that two major auto-insurance companies, State Farm and Progressive, have stopped insuring vulnerable Kia and Hyundai models. Safety shortcutsThe TikTok video that sparked the challenge — a how-to reportedly created by user @robbierayyy — exposed a security flaw in Kia models from 2011 to 2021 and Hyundai models from 2015 to 2021. All Kia vehicles are subject to and comply fully with rigorous testing rules and regulations outlined in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards." In Illinois last month, three 13-year-olds were arrested after being seen in a stolen Kia that hit and killed a 71-year-old man.

"Until now, the ministry has taken the defence companies for granted," said Masahisa Sato, an influential ruling party lawmaker and former deputy defence minister. Three of them, Mitsubishi Heavy, Mitsubishi Electric and IHI Corp (7013.T), which makes jet engines, bridges and heavy machinery, confirmed they had also taken part in other lower-level discussions. Reuters asked 10 of Japan's military suppliers, including Toshiba, Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin and Subaru, for interviews with their defence unit managers. Despite diplomatic tensions, China is Japan's top trade partner and a major manufacturing base for many Japanese companies. Even so, Japanese companies often refer to their military products as "special equipment," the government official said.

☆ These are the 10 best cars for every budget from Toyota, Ford, and Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The best cars you can buy include the Toyota Corolla, Ford Maverick, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Tesla Model 3. Under $25,000:Toyota Corolla HybridThe 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. Toyota Corolla CrossThe 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross. $35,000-$45,000:Hyundai Santa Fe HybridThe Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. Doug Berger/NWAPAThe Kia Telluride has earned its place among Consumer Reports' Top Picks since its debut in 2020.

☆ These are the best car brands of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

☆ Confessions of 20-somethings who live at home and splash out on cars, designer handbags, and nightclubs instead
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Dan Latu | Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

They're also spending the money they would have spent on rent on pricey goods and travel. Courtesy of Julia MachajProfession: EngineerIf she weren't living with her parents she'd live in: Stamford, Connecticut, where the rent starts at $1,875, according to Rent.com. Courtesy of Jonathan BranchProfession: AccountantIf he wasn't living with his parents he'd live in: Arlington, Virginia, where rent starts at $1,999, according to Rent.com. He's spent money on: $700 Sony camera and $800 lensesJonathan Branch recently turned 30, but spent his twenties living at home in Fairfax, Virginia. Courtesy of Gabby BeckfordProfession: Travel influencerIf she weren't living with her parents she'd live in: Seattle, Washington, where rent starts at $1,560, according to Rent.com.

☆ I drove the new Nissan Z. It's a beautiful, $50,000 retro-modern sports car with a few pesky flaws.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Alanis King | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The 2023 Nissan Z is the start of a new era for Nissan's famous "Z" sports car. The 2023 Nissan Z. Alanis KingThe Z has always been special. The 2023 Nissan Z. NissanBut the Z isn't just pretty — it's usable, especially for a two-door sports car. The 2023 Nissan Z. Alanis KingAll of this would have been fine at a lower cost. The 2023 Nissan Z. Alanis KingI think the Z is the right car for a lot of people.

☆ Car buyers frustrated with inventory shortages should head to a Ford or GM dealer
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In January, dealers were sitting on 37 days' supply, with about 21 days for cars and 41 days for trucks, according to a Deutsche Bank note Thursday. The domestic automakers had higher days' supply than others, with Ford at 60 days, GM at 52 days, and Stellantis (the merger of Fiat Chrysler and the French PSA Group) at 68 days, per Deutsche Bank. Even with inventory improvements, car-buyers need to look out for high interest rates and loan payments. Kekyalyaynen / Shutterstock.comBeware high interest rates and loan paymentsJust because there are available vehicles, that doesn't mean demand for cars is waning. Some automakers' loan payments are much higher than others, pricing buyers out of the market.

☆ Ghostly flying 'whirlpool' that appeared above Hawaii could be leftover SpaceX rocket fuel
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Chris Panella | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Japanese telescope captured footage of the anomaly after a SpaceX navigation satellite launch. "The Subaru-Asahi Star Camera captured a mysterious flying spiral over Maunakea, Hawai`i," the Subaru Telescope said on Twitter on January 19. SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a pair of television broadcasting satellites at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Michael Weekes Jr./ReutersThis isn't the first time a spiral has been spotted in the sky after a SpaceX launch. The SpaceX rocket is also known for the "space jellyfish" it often paints across the sky as it climbs through the atmosphere.

Search resuls for: "Subaru"

25 mentions found