Elm Analytics - Automotive Supply Chain Risk Digest #47 - December 29, 2017 - January 4, 2018

CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT

Hankook Tire has appointed former senior VP of corporate management Han-Jun Kim as the new CEO of Hankook Europe. He succeeds Ho-Youi Pae who was COO for the past four years.

Kia Motors has appointed Kookhyun Shim as managing director and CEO of Kia Motors India. Shim will be responsible for driving Kia's expansion in India. 

EARNING DIP

After 7 straight years of growth, US auto sales dropped 1.8% in 2017 to 17.2m cars and light trucks. 

INDUSTRY DIRECTIONS

WIRED: After Peak Hype, Self-Driving Cars Enter the Trough of Disillusionment

Nissan will unveil its "brain-to-vehicle" technology at next week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The system requires the driver to wear a skullcap that will then transmit its readings to the car's steering, acceleration, and braking systems, so they can start responding before the driver initiates the action.

MERGERS, VENTURES, ACQUISITIONS

Volkswagen and Hyundai have struck up deals with Aurora Innovations to incorporate the startup's self-driving technology into some of their vehicles. Aurora was started by former Google self-driving car guru Chris Umson.

Baidu has selected ON Semiconductor as the image sensor supplier for its Apollo autonomous driving platform. 

China's Hanon Systems and Fawer Automotive Parts have formed a joint venture as HFAC (Hanon Fawer Automotive Component). HFAC will produce electric compressors, fluid transport components, and exhaust gas recirculation modules from its facility in Changchun, China.

Bosch completed the sale of its subsidiary SEG Automotive Germany GmbH to China's ZMJ. The starter motor division, with 16 locations over 14 countries, will add to ZMJ's engine component capacity.

Continental and Bosch have each bought a 5% stake in HERE. HERE is a digital mapping firm out of Nokia, acquired in 2015 by BMW, VW, Daimler and Audi. The stake should prevent them from becoming depended on Alphabet's Google.

DENSO and Kyoto University's FLOSFIA have partnered to improve inverters used in EVs.

PLANT OPENING

Henniges Automotive opened a plant in Suzhou, China. The plant will produce TPV and EPDM rubber sealing.

Daesol Material Georgia has completed construction of their new Harris County, Georgia manufacturing facility. The Tier 2 supplier will produce fiber padding for its sister company, Daehon Solution, which supplies nearby Kia.

RAW MATERIALS

Research into new materials for lithium-ion batteries could lead to new EV batteries with twice the driving range of current batteries.

REGULATION

China has suspended production of 553 cars that don't meet its current fuel efficiency standards. The affected brands include Beijing Benz, Chery, and FAW-Volkswagen.

A proposed new bill would ban the sale of fossil fuel powered cars in California after 2040. It is part of the state's goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80% from 1990 levels by 2050.

SUPPLY CHAIN

Toyoda Gosei products using Toray Hybrid Cord's hose reinforcing fibers were affected by Toray's falsified test data, announced in November '17.