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November 30, 2007

E85 Questions Back Again

By Mary Beth Stanek
Director, Environment Energy and Safety Policy

Just back from Brazil where the price difference between a liter of alcohol and a liter of gasoline (containing 20% ethanol) was approximately 44% less for alcohol in Sao Paulo. For those of you interested in energy diversity in the U.S. I believe we can look to Brazil to see what the future may hold for us here and in other regions of the world. It will take a coordinated effort between business, government and consumers to increase E85 availability throughout the U.S. and we can make it happen but continuing to pursue a broad range of alternative fuels and policies that support energy diversity.

Know that GM produces more than 1 million FlexFuel products annually around the globe and have been doing so since 2000. GM has more than 3 million FlexFuel products in operation and our product lineup is expanding.

In the last series of blog comments there were a few questions about consumer purchasing decisions based on different fuel types. As you know, fuels contain different BTUs (British thermal Units) so the energy at a per-gallon basis is very different depending on type. Diesel, biodiesel, gasoline, gasoline with 10 percent ethanol and E85 (85% ethanol) all have different energy content and that effects range. Owning a FlexFuel vehicle allows owners to choose the type of fuel that makes the most sense to them based on fuel availability and economics. GM does not charge for FlexFuel capability and be sure to inquire about whether your vehicle has the feature before purchasing to ensure that you will have fuel choice. More stations are on the way with competitive priced E85. Also know our diesel vehicles can run with 5% biodiesel.

Consumers purchase vehicles using a broad consideration set that includes fuel economy, performance, safety, functionality, styling, etc. GM is a full line vehicle manufacturer and we offer more vehicles over 30 mpg than any other OEM and that includes a wide variety of product offerings. It is important to have choice.

One writer wanted to know more about the total ownership experience so that they could compare hybrids, FlexFuel vehicles and other offerings. The University of Texas Austin is developing a model in support of such comparisons. If you would like more information be sure to reach out to their engineering department.

Another writer suggested that ethanol facilities were running on coal. Most ethanol facilities are running on natural gas and are beginning to use biomass waste for energy at the facilities and/or fuel production. Coal is not the desired energy source for ethanol facilities.

That’s all for now. I hope that many of you were able to participate in the E85 Fall Kick Off Tour. We just wrapped up another seven-city tour and opened a number of new stations including new retailers in Atlanta and Tucson.

Posted by Editor at 2:12 PM
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November 28, 2007

Looking for Your Input

By Adam Denison
Coordinator, GM Social Media Communications

Hi everyone! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I enjoyed the time I got to spend with my new daughter (2 weeks old today!) and my family. I also enjoyed picking up a few good deals during Black Friday!

Anyway, we're working hard on more episodes in the OnStar On Your Side series, but we need some input from our listeners. The topic of an upcoming show deals with auto maintenance. Being new to the car industry, there’s still quite a bit I need to learn about how cars work, so when I go in for an oil change or other minor repairs, it seems the mechanics always try to sell me on something that I “must” have to make my car run better. How much of this is legit and how much of it can be dismissed? Do I really need to have my radiator flushed? What about my engine? How often? Do I really need to change my canooter valve every 3,000 miles?

We’re going to have some experts on the show to talk about what maintenance is necessary and how often you need to do it. They'll also address what maintenance is completely unnecessary. We’d love for everyone to submit some questions that they’d like us to ask the experts in an upcoming podcast episode. We'll do our best to have these questions answered during the show. Just submit your questions via the comments on this post.

I’m looking forward to hearing your questions!

Posted by Editor at 2:19 PM
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Photo of the Day: GM World

This is the GM World automobile showcase in the base of the Renaissance Center in downtown Detroit. It shows a few new GM models interspersed with significant GM cars of the past. When I visited in August, there were a lot of Chevy Camaros and Corvettes and Pontiac Firebirds.

Today's photo comes from Steve Brandon.

Be sure to look at all of Steve Brandon's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 11:59 AM
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November 27, 2007

VIDEO: GMME Style in Dubai

Recently, GM took the style event on the road to Dubai, U.A.E., where Middle Eastern superstars such as Yousra, Milad Yousef, and Tamer Hagras strutted their stuff down the cat walk with cars like the Saab Aero X, Camaro and the Holen EFIJY. GM's Group Vice President, and the Latin America, Africa and Middle East President, Maureen Kempston Darkes, talks to us about the event and the launch of the first hybrid vehicle in the oil-rich Middle East. -Natalie Johnson, Manager, GM Social Media Communications

Posted by Editor at 1:58 PM
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From the Archive: 1998

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

Keeping up with Phil Racicot's requests, this week's find from the GM Media Archive is a photo of a 1998 Buick Wildcat Concept Car.

And remember, keep those requests coming!

Posted by Editor at 11:21 AM
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November 26, 2007

Our Ultimate Factory

By Tom Wickham
GM Communications

Andy Warhol once said “In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes." His comment was directed at the fleeting attention people and the media pay to an object, person or event.

As a former reporter and current public relations professional, I’ve done my share of writing and pitching stories, hoping they will have an impact that outlasts Warhol’s skeptical view. And frankly, in the world of manufacturing, where I ply my trade, most people just aren’t interested in how a car is built.

So, when I received a call in March from a producer in California, wanting to visit our Bowling Green, Ky., plant to see the Corvette being built, I chalked it up to another request for an interview and visuals that would serve as the backdrop for a show about the Corvette.

I was wrong. The producer, Julie Nelson of Michael Hoff Productions, insisted this would be a story about how we build the Corvette, namely the Z06. Finally, Warhol’s vision would come true for the men and women of GM and the UAW, but instead of 15 minutes, it would be an hour. (Watch the premiere of “Ultimate Factories: Corvette” at 10 p.m. EST, Thursday on the National Geographic Channel.)

"Thrilled" was one way to describe how I felt about the opportunity for GM Manufacturing to be showcased on a network that epitomizes how to cover nature, society and, it seems, manufacturing. Ultimate Factories premiered a year ago, featuring other American icons like Harley-Davidson. The series was successful so National Geographic ordered a second season to be shot and insisted on the Corvette anchoring the season premiere.

Our task, for much of April, was helping Julie and the production team get what they needed for the show. Typical shots of cars being made would not cut it, they told me. They wanted a behind-the-scenes take on the people who build the car. Together, with my colleagues at Chevrolet, GM’s Performance Build Center in Wixom, Mich., the GM Proving Grounds in Milford, Mich., and, of course, Bowling Green Assembly, we helped develop a shoot schedule that would give people a never-before-seen look at the making of America’s sports car.

This was no small feat, as 50,000 people tour Bowling Green each year to watch Corvettes being made. When they leave, the visitors have an excellent understanding of how the car is built. But no visitors get to install wheels on a Z06, anchor seats or fix a blemish in the paint shop. Heck, the same holds true for hand-assembling the LS7 engine that powers the Z06 or taking the finished product for a spin on the tracks at the Proving Grounds.

All this was possible, though, because the production team approached the job, knowing that safety and quality were our mandates. Having that understanding as a starting point allowed them to work closely with the men and women who live and breathe Corvette. In fact, the show’s host, Kevin Moore, so assimilated himself into the workforce, I wondered if he planned to give up his job at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to work for us. He was having that much fun.

Our employees picked up on that, as well, training Kevin in different aspects of the vehicle assembly process, educating him about safety protocols and quality standards.

Oh, there was fun, as well, especially when we had to don the blue paint shop suits and hats, prompting plenty of Smurf jokes from the crew. And then there was a day at the Proving Grounds when Kevin got behind the wheel of a Z06. The production team’s legal advisor wanted Kevin going a reasonable speed. 100 mph is a reasonable speed for a Z06, isn’t it?

In the end, the experience was incredible for all involved. No one takes the Corvette’s fame for granted; that’s why each generation of car is faster and better than the one before. Now, people will get to see how the car is built. And if anyone is deserving of some of that fame Warhol talked about decades ago, it’s our employees who build the engines, transmissions and cars. Ultimate Factories is their moment to shine.

To learn more about the show, check out National Geographic.

Posted by Editor at 3:57 PM
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November 20, 2007

VIDEO: Get to Know the 2009 Pontiac Vibes

The 2009 Pontiac Vibes were recently revealed in Detroit. Take a look at each model and let us know what you think. -Alicia Dorset, blog editor

The Vibe GT

The Base Vibe

Vibe AWD

Posted by Editor at 12:01 PM
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From the Archive: 1978

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

Phil Racicot asked to see a 1978 Buick LeSabre Sport Coupe Turbo. Well, Phil, here it is! Enjoy the photo, and make sure to check out the GM Media Archive.

Posted by Editor at 11:51 AM
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November 19, 2007

PODCAST: Vehicle Emergencies

Winter road conditions often propose hazardous situations. Chief Jim Harmes of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and Cathy McCormick, director of emergency services for OnStar, discuss several tips for safe driving in winter weather. Make sure to let us know what you think of this week's episode, too.-Alicia Dorset, blog editor

Listen to the podcast or download the OnStar podcast feed.

Posted by Editor at 2:05 PM
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Photo of the Day: GMC Truck

Today's photo comes from Stickflickr.

Be sure to look at all of Stickflickr's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 1:58 PM
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November 15, 2007

Manic Mommies Escape Weekend

By Christopher Barger,
Director, GM Global Communications Technology

Had someone told me, when I was in high school or college, that my job would someday involve being the only guy at a weekend gathering of more than 75 women, I would not have guessed back then that I would be working for a car company. And yet that’s where I found myself last weekend, representing GM at the 2007 Manic Mommies Escape Weekend. (I also think that if someone had told me back then that this would be my job, my 17-year-old self would have wanted to high-five the 39-year-old version of me.)

Erin and Kristin are the Manic Mommies, hosts of the very successful podcast about the many challenges of being a working mom and “trying to do it all,” as they put it. They have a great show, and they had a fantastic idea a couple of months back: invite their listeners to join them for a weekend in Newport, R.I., for an “Escape” weekend, one that would include both fun and learning opportunities, and a chance for moms to have a day or two to focus on themselves for a little while.

When we at General Motors heard about this idea, we were very intrigued. Kristin and Erin didn’t know just how it would work out either, but we thought the idea of an online community of real, everyday women gathering in real life with only a podcast as their common link was something we wanted to get involved with. Obviously, if we’re going to be involved in online communities and social media, we need to learn everything we can about how they interact and bond and work. It felt like a great opportunity, so we decided to sponsor the weekend and provide vehicles to serve as shuttles and to make available for ride-and-drives for the moms. We had 11 GM vehicles available: four Chevy Malibus (including a hybrid), two Saturn VUEs, two Saab 9-3s (one sedan and one combi-sport), and one each of the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Saturn Outlook.

And sure, there was also a more self-interested element to our involvement: it was an opportunity for us to have 75 potential consumers drive our vehicles and let them make up their own minds about them. We believe that anyone who thinks they would never buy a domestic car would rethink that position if they actually got into one of today’s GM vehicles and drove them. We thought that providing such an opportunity in a relaxed, casual, fun setting – one on the moms’ turf and terms, not ours – was a good thing to try.

The weekend was unbelievable. When I walked in to the opening night reception, I felt like I’d stumbled into someone’s high school reunion. The camaraderie and kinship this community obviously has developed – without ever having met in person or knowing who the others even were – was and is remarkable. It says something to me about the power and depth of online communities – a lesson I know we’re recognizing at GM, and one I think the corporate world would do well to heed. And while being the only man in the room for the entire gathering made me the natural target of much good natured ribbing and banter, I can say unequivocally that I was made a welcome member of the group.

And so was GM! I lost track of how many times some of the moms came up to me and talked about how thrilled they were that GM was there, recognizing moms as both a market force deserving of attention and as a group worthy of our support. And I have to tell you, the cars made quite an impression. I heard at least a dozen people say something to the effect that they never would have considered a (fill in the blank for what they were driving), but after having been in one they were definitely going to put that vehicle at the top of their list.

And that’s what the whole thing was all about: supporting a great podcast, supporting moms who absolutely deserved a weekend away, and helping to change perceptions of our vehicles. I’d rate the whole thing a fantastic success; Erin and Kristin should be very proud of their community. I know we were proud to be there with them. It was great for us to begin building relationships with the Manic Mommies community, and to learn from the questions we were asked by the moms in attendance.

So Erin and Kristin… where’s the 2008 Manic Mommies Escape Weekend?

Posted by Editor at 4:48 PM
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Surviving Crashes

By Ray Chess
VLE, GM Commercial Trucks and Vans

After hearing yet another news report about a fatal 15-passenger van rollover crash, I felt compelled to write this post. GM has always been committed to safety. In my role as Vehicle Line Executive for GM’s Commercial Trucks and Vans, I feel personally responsible for helping us live up to that commitment.

A majority of fatalities in 15-passenger rollover crashes are the result of individuals failing to be properly buckled up. Proper belt use has been identified by just about everyone as a primary way to reduce injuries in a crash. GM’s 12- and 15-passenger vans, the 2008 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana, provide a three-point safety belt in every seating position. The LATCH system eases the installation of child safety seats at different positions throughout the van.

GM has added a number of safety enhancements to the 2008 Chevrolet Express and the GMC Savana, to give them the most comprehensive standard safety package ever in a GM full-size passenger van:

• An electronic stability control system, called StabiliTrak, is standard. This proven safety technology helps a driver maintain vehicle control during certain difficult driving conditions, such as ice, snow, gravel, wet pavement and uneven road surfaces, as well as in emergency lane changes or avoidance maneuvers.
  
• A Tire Pressure Monitoring System is standard. It helps address over- or under-inflation of tires — a leading cause of rollover crashes.
  
• Standard rollover-enabled head curtain side impact airbags. Combined with properly worn safety belts, outboard occupants are better protected in side impacts and slower-developing rollover crashes, which are relatively rare but account for about a third of highway deaths. Dual front air bags are also standard.
  
• Another standard feature is a new technology called Enhanced Technology Glass. It is located in the rearmost windows of our 12- and 15-passenger vans. This three-layer special glass is designed to help reduce the risk of occupant ejection during a crash. This type of technology is often used to make windows in large building hurricane-proof, and is the first application in a motor vehicle.

A lot of work went into developing and engineering the 2008 Express and Savana. Some of these safety features are not required, but we felt they were features that our customers deserved to have.

Finally, if you take away only one message from reading this post, remember this: buckle up. Every time and on every trip. Failing to do so is costing the highest price of all — the loss of precious lives.

Posted by Editor at 10:43 AM
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Photo of the Day: Dream Cruise Buick

Today's photo comes from Steve Brandon.

Be sure to look at all of Steve Brandon's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 10:07 AM
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Photo of the Day: Corvette #4

Shot by "The Daredevil" at the 2007 SEMA show

Today's photo comes from The Freewheeling Daredevil.

Be sure to look at all of The Freewheeling Daredevil's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 10:02 AM
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November 14, 2007

Photo of the Day: Impala Uncovered

Today's photo comes from low n slow.

Be sure to look at all of low n slow's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 9:55 AM
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November 12, 2007

Detroit Urban Legends

By Christopher Barger
Director, GM Global Communications Technology

One of the more interesting things to observe in popular culture is how some urban legends and conspiracy theories refuse to die — and how stubbornly some people choose to cling to those legends even after they’ve been disproved.

There’s the one about the “ghost” visible in a scene in Three Men and a Baby. There’s the one about the Great Wall of China being the only man-made object visible to the naked eye from space. There are still a few people who believe that Neil Armstrong’s giant leap took place on a soundstage, not the moon. And unfortunately, there’s the one about how the technology for cleaner and more environmentally friendly automotive engines exists and is simple, but “Detroit” keeps suppressing it.

Conspiracy theories are good fodder for selling books, magazines and TV shows, and to draw readers to your blog. Maybe that’s why some bloggers are choosing to interpret this month’s cover story in Fast Company in such a way as to indulge the urban myth about “Detroit” keeping new technology down.

The article in Fast Company’s an interesting one, and Jonathan Goodwin’s work and theories do deserve more attention. No one — at least not here at GM — is saying that all options and all efforts to develop more efficient and cleaner engines don’t warrant closer looks.

But unfortunately, some people — both bloggers and traditional pundits — have taken this article about an entrepreneur who’s working on something, and extrapolated the incorrect conclusions that a) this single entrepreneur’s work discounts and disproves everything “Detroit” has said regarding fuel efficiency; and b) makes that single entrepreneur smarter than the collective leadership of an entire industry. That’s not just an ill-informed and wrong premise, it’s irresponsible. And it might reveal something about the biases of and willful blinders on those who are making those claims.

First of all, let’s be blunt. The idea that “Detroit,” acting as a lumbering monolith in conjunction with one another, is suppressing technology that would be to both the marketplace’s benefit AND manufacturers’ benefit, is misguided at best and willfully ignorant at worst. If the technology were so easy and so simple… do you really think that “Detroit” would suppress it and choose not to compete more strongly with companies like Toyota? Riiiiight… Because we want to keep losing market share, don’t we?

And — giving credit where it’s due: Toyota has made a number of smart moves in the past 20 years, and has earned its place in the marketplace right now. Does anyone really believe that if this technology was so simple and so easily available, that Toyota would not have adopted it and made it available in mass production? They’ve done a lot of other things right over the last couple of decades — don’t you think that they’d take every opportunity to once and for all drive a stake through the heart of their competition with such technology?

The fact that no automaker — not Japanese, not European, not American — has come out with mass production of the technologies that the conspiracy theorists insist is available and simple… well, that should tell you something. But I guess it’s easier for some to take the lazy way out, continuing to believe in and spread tired old conspiracy theories and urban legends than to do their homework and take anything beyond a sound bite approach to this issue.

Wherever this myth and bias comes from, it’s just not true. I won’t presume to speak for Ford or Chrysler, but at GM, we have been making great strides in developing multiple environmentally friendlier technologies — from increased gasoline efficiency in internal combustion engines, to various types of hybrids, through our work on vehicles like the Volt and with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles such as those in Project Driveway. It’s not just us saying so either: Time Magazine just did an article about the progress we’re making in green technology. We’re not going to rest on recent laurels, either; we’re spending billions of dollars to continue to make our products have less of an impact on the environment, and we’ll continue to invest in research to make these vehicles reality.

And despite what some folks out there seem to want to believe about us, we’re not stupid. We recognize market drivers and market reality. We also live on this planet just like everyone else does, and we want to do the right things by the planet too. The image of Detroit as Nero fiddling while the world warms may be an easy one to invoke, but that doesn’t make it accurate. Rather than looking at the holistic picture, and considering Jonathan Goodwin’s work in context as well as seeing some of the strides made by automakers lately to respond to the need for greener solutions, as well as continuing their focus on what we could do better, some choose the easy and lazy way out. But then I guess it’s easier to throw stones than to pick up phones, or do actual research before issuing their knee-jerk, reflexive condemnations of “Detroit.”

To be fair, maybe some of these folks want to tell a more accurate story (and by accurate, we don’t necessarily mean pro-GM; we just mean making sure people’s facts are right if or when they criticize); maybe we just haven’t done as good a job as we could have in talking directly to them (as opposed to talking at them or dismissing critics altogether). We’re going to work to rectify that in 2008.

In the meantime, we’re all interested in finding ways to make more efficient gas engines and practical engines that use little to no gasoline. Jonathan Goodwin’s work, along with work being done every day by GM’s engineers, shows promise. And despite the biases and apparent fond hopes of some, we’re going to keep pursuing these solutions, keep taking leadership, and we’re going to thrive in the coming decade. It’s the right thing to do, it’s a business imperative, and we intend to do it.

I am going to be at the L.A. Auto Show this week and am going to be quite a bit busier than normal, so I may not get to any comments right away. But I promise, I will be reading them and will respond as time permits.

Posted by Editor at 2:33 PM
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Photo of the Day: '58 Cadillac Eldorado Seville

My 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Seville during the Indian summer

Today's photo comes from geraldloidl.

Be sure to look at all of geraldloidl's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 10:56 AM
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How to Keep Children Safer

By Adam Denison
Coordinator, GM Social Media Communications

During today’s podcast we talk to Nancy McBride, National Safety Director at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Nancy tells us about some steps we can all take to help keep children safe from abduction and sexual exploitation. She also talks about Team Adam as well as OnStar’s partnership with the AMBER Alert System.

Additional Information:

• National Sex Offender Public Registry
• 1-800-THE-LOST

Listen to the podcast here or download the feed. We welcome your feedback on this and other shows. Stay tuned for next week’s show on winter driving tips.

Posted by Editor at 9:56 AM
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November 9, 2007

GM Cowboys Up At Texas Truck Rodeo

By Donna McLallen
Assistant Regional Manager, Communications/Public Relations

GM wrangled top honors at the recent 2007 Texas Truck Rodeo in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.

The Texas Truck Rodeo began as an opportunity for members of the Texas Auto Writers Association to experience competing trucks and SUVs side-by-side in both on-road and off-road conditions. Over three days each October, some 50 journalists judge vehicles in various categories and vote for winners.

This was my second Truck Rodeo. When I first heard of it, I pictured dueling vehicles competing in Monster Truck fashion, chained together in a tug-of-war or slugging through deep ponds of mud in contests to see which truck is the toughest in the land. Alas, the competition is much cleaner and tamer, but fun nonetheless as journalists hop from truck to truck to register their highest approval amongst the field of competition.

You still get the cowboy rodeo vibe, though, with the competition staged each year at a rural dirt track and cowboy cuisine served at mealtimes. And it’s interesting to see not only the Texas Auto Writers in cowboy hats, jeans and boots, but also out-of-state manufacturing representatives — many of whom wouldn't know a cow patty from a hamburger — all decked out in western wear, right down to large, shiny, buckles on their new leather belts.

A highlight of the weekend was a special appearance by GM’s own Bob Lutz, who introduced the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid. TAWA President Harold Gunn invited Bob to the event, and he spent the day visiting with the Texas journalists, riding the course with them and answering questions about the company and products.

There were more than 60 trucks and SUVs from major auto manufacturers competing in 12 categories. GM placed entries in nine vehicle categories, received top honors in five and placed in the top three of eight. In addition, GM won two of the three highest Rodeo honors – Truck Manufacturer of Texas and SUV of Texas.

GM results were:

• Full Size SUV: Chevy Tahoe Hybrid
  
• Mid Size SUV: HUMMER H3 Alpha
  
• Full Size Luxury SUV: Cadillac Escalade
  
• Mid Size Crossover SUV: GMC Acadia
  
• Full Size Pickup: GMC Sierra Denali
  
• Truck of Texas (pickup): Chevy Silverado 1500 (2nd), GMC Sierra Denali (3rd)
  
• Compact Crossover SUV: Saturn VUE (2nd)
  
• Luxury Pickup: Cadillac Escalade EXT (2nd)
  
• Heavy Duty Pickup: Silverado 2500 (2nd), Sierra 3500 (3rd)

The entire GM Texas Team is proud as punch over the results from this year's Texas Truck Rodeo and wanted to share the good news with all our customers, co-workers and supporters.

Posted by Editor at 5:02 PM
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November 8, 2007

Find-A-Fuel, Find-A-Site

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

It’s not every day that one of GM’s own web sites is an official site of the day.

Adobe selected GM.com/education today as an official “Adobe Site of the Day,” featuring the Find-A-Fuel game.

If you haven’t seen the game before, it’s pretty fun. Find-A-Fuel is an education game that teaches students about alternative propulsion systems such as hydrogen-powered fuel cells, E85 and hybrid technology, as well as the environmental impact of a variety of GM vehicles, including the Chevy FlexFuel Avalanche, Chevy Corvette, Chevy Fuel Cell Sequel and Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid.

How was GM’s education site picked?

Adobe recognizes web sites based on their use of strong visual designs, superior functionalities, and innovative uses of Adobe products.

Make sure to try your fuel knowledge over at Adobe's showcase or on GM’s education site and let us know what you think!

Posted by Editor at 4:33 PM
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Photo of the Day: Chevy HHR Panel

Today's photo comes from Auto Exposure Canada.

Be sure to look at all of Auto Exposure Canada's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 10:04 AM
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November 6, 2007

From the Archive: 1986

By Alicia Dorset
Blog editor

Last month I asked our FYI readers if there were any certain photos you'd like to see from the GM Media Archive. Well, we've spent the past few weeks researching them, and we'll be posting them from this week out.

JG, here's a photo of a 1986 Buick Skyhawk Limited. Enjoy!

Posted by Editor at 12:58 PM
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VIDEO: Chevy Cobalt SS

John Heinricy recently took a spin in the 2008 Turbocharged Chevrolet Cobalt SS. Listen in as he talks about how the car handled in the rain at Nürburgring. -Adam Denison, Coordinator, GM Social Media Communications

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Posted by Editor at 12:37 PM
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November 5, 2007

Podcasts On Your Side

By Adam Denison
Coordinator, GM Social Media Communications

Blogging – check
Involvement on social networking sites – check
RSS feeds – check
Online video – check
Podcasts – not so much

GM is heavily involved in nearly everything to do with social media, but not so much when it comes to podcasts. The last time we did a podcast with the blogs was over on FastLane in October of last year, so we’re long overdue. I’m pleased to announce the launch of a brand new podcast series: OnStar On Your Side.

So, why podcasting?

In the book How to Do Everything with Podcasting, Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson, hosts of the popular podcast “For Immediate Release,” write that podcasting has grown from just “one podcast in August 2004 to more than 20,000 podcasts in early 2006.” What’s more, Holtz and Hobson remark that estimates show there are approximately 10 million people listening to podcasts.

Since we’re always looking for ways to tell the GM story and to get your feedback, we thought it was time to post another podcast episode, even if it is a year overdue. And, after all, podcasts are convenient, too – You can listen to them at work, at the gym, in the car, etc.

So that’s podcasting. Why OnStar and podcasting?

OnStar has a lot of exciting things going on right now. My team here at GM and I figured that they‘re a natural fit for our return to podcasting. However, we’re not trying to make these OnStar episodes into a sales pitch. Instead, we’re trying to offer a variety of safety and vehicle-related tips that will be of benefit to all drivers, not just those who drive GM cars or trucks. I hope these episodes will help GM and OnStar build good relationships with our readers.

Each episode will highlight some type of safety- or vehicle-related issue with experts weighing in. We’ve got six episodes in the mix right now, but if you want more, who knows, there could be more in the future. Things coming up include:

• Protecting your car against vehicle theft
  
• Knowing what maintenance really needs to be done on your cars and how often to do it
  
• Protecting your child from kidnapping

To make this podcast effective, it needs to be interactive. I'd love to hear your feedback on the series. What do you like about it? What topics do you want to hear about? How can we make it better?

The first episode is up today. I look forward to hearing from you!

To subscribe to the FYI podcast feed, check out Feedburner.

Posted by Editor at 10:56 AM
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Photo of the Day: 1977 Firebird

Today's photo comes from ekunnen.

Be sure to look at all of ekunnen's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 10:29 AM
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November 2, 2007

DARPA: The Qualifying Event is Over

By Dr. Hong Bae
Senior Researcher for GM R&D

The qualifying event is over, and out of 35 semi-finalists, only 11 teams remain. There have been crashes, malfunctions and slow starts, and while everyone has put in a phenomenal effort, we’re proud to have been the first team to qualify among the fortunate few.

While we avoided any major collisions or incidents, our qualifying tests were not without their challenges. On Oct. 29, “Boss” – our Robotic Chevy Tahoe – breezed through the four-way stop with flying colors. But at about 13 minutes into the run, when navigating obstacles placed on the course, Boss got hung up after performing a nicely executed 3-point-turn that allowed it to reverse direction to avoid the roadblock. Upon finding that the way was also blocked in the opposite direction, Boss performed another 3-point-turn and found itself suddenly at an impasse. Having backed up onto a curb, Boss turned its wheels back and forth, alternating between left and right as it tried to determine what to do. Just as the DARPA officials were set to intervene and ask us what we wanted to do, Boss apparently made up its mind, pulled away, and went on to successfully finish the course.

What we discovered later was interesting: in the process of executing the turns, Boss had kicked up a cloud of dust that was detected by its laser sensors and was identified by its computer “brain” as an obstacle. The cloud of dust had, however, drifted into Boss’s blind spot, and programmed for safety, Boss had to assume that the obstacle it had detected was still there, immobilizing the vehicle pending a change in status. Fortunately, Boss had continued moving its wheels back and forth long enough that the vehicle shifted – just enough – to register that the dust cloud had dissipated, allowing Boss to complete its maneuvers. We made sure to adjust the sensitivity of the sensors to help compensate and to ensure we’re not hampered by any future dust-ups.

On Oct. 30, Boss was asked to do merging and yielding tests again by DARPA. Boss was sailing through beautifully when DARPA suddenly paused Boss 10 minutes into the qualification test. Every team member was worried since the course usually takes 30 minutes to complete, and DARPA pauses robots when it sees something it does not like. However, it was nothing to worry about. Apparently, DARPA officials liked Boss’ performance so much they decided to stop the test only after 10 minutes. Subsequent tests were canceled, implying that Boss has demonstrated sufficient intelligence and safe driving skills, and would be in the final race.

With the qualifying event out of the way, we’re the first official finalist. On Nov. 1, DARPA announced 10 other teams have qualified – Stanford; Cornell; Ben Franklin (Penn); Victor Tango (Virginia Tech); CarOLO (Caroline, NY), MIT, Honeywell/Intelligent Vehicle Solutions (Troy, Mich.), AnnieWay (Palo Alto, Calif.); Oshkosh Truck (Oshkosh, Wisc.); University of Central Florida. Twenty-four teams have been eliminated.

We’re ready to go and looking forward to the Urban Challenge Final Event, which will take place Nov. 3.

To see some of the action for yourself, check out this YouTube video.

Posted by Editor at 5:20 PM
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Photo of the Day: 1969 Camaro

Today's photo comes from Elise and Jeff.

Be sure to look at all of Elise and Jeff's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 2:18 PM
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November 1, 2007

VIDEO: Hot Wheels Designers Challenge

By Amaury Diaz-serrano
Industrial Designer, Rear-Wheel Studio Exterior Group

I've been at SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) this week in Las Vegas, NV, but not for the reason you might expect. I am one of the winners of the Mattel Hot Wheels Designers Challenge. Mattel invited car designers from all the major automakers to design a Hot Wheels vehicle to represent his or her brand in honor of Mattel's 40 th anniversary. For me, it was a thrill of a lifetime.

You see, I'm a HUGE Hot Wheels fan. I've collected more than 3,000 of them. They influenced my decision when I was a child in Puerto Rico to become a car designer in the first place. So to have the chance to design a car that represents GM in an all-new Hot Wheels collection coming out in 2008 was a chance I couldn't pass up.

Mattel just unveiled the winning models here at SEMA and my model, "The Chevroletor," was all I hoped it would be. A lot of people have asked me what's the difference between working on a real car design, like the upcoming Camaro, and a Hot Wheels vehicle. For me, it's the same -— making the car look "cool" is the key to every design.

Take a look at this video to see my design for yourself. And to see more designs, head over to Flickr.

Posted by Editor at 2:11 PM
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Photo of the Day: Chevy Truck

On the streets of Tokyo...

Today's photo comes from low n slow.

Be sure to look at all of low n slow's photos and our other albums. And if you would like to recommend your favorite photo with a GM car or truck in it, put it up on Flickr and tag it with "gmfyi."

Posted by Editor at 1:17 PM
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VIDEO: Outside the Pontiac G8

Here's the final video from our Pontiac G8 series. -Adam Denison, Coordinator, Social Media Communications

Posted by Editor at 1:13 PM
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