The Latest SAA Newsletter
Electrification’s Turbulent But Certain Path
Join the SAA for a free event on March 21 at MVP Collaborative in Troy, MI. “Electrification’s Turbulent But Certain Path” will feature Bob Lee, president of LG Energy Solution North America, who will briefly cover the market outlook for EVs in North America while addressing challenges to achieve higher growth and how they can be overcome from the perspective of one of the world’s top advanced automotive battery manufacturers. The event is free, but registration is required.
Click here for more information and to register.
Real World Application of Technologies Unlocking Safe Autonomy at Scale
Test your navigation skills by driving a vehicle through an obstacle course using only a navigation app powered by precision GNSS. No windows, no mirrors—just the groundbreaking power of high-accuracy satellite positioning. You can experience this at SAA’s free event on April 8 at the American Center for Mobility.
The commercial deployment of autonomous systems has been slower and more challenging than anticipated, even in select cities with weather conditions favorable for autonomous driving. Many robotaxi programs have been scaled back, delayed, or canceled, while L2+ passenger vehicles remain largely confined to high-end price points. Yet, industry leaders are successfully building and deploying Level 3 autonomous vehicles that operate safely across diverse environments and at consumer-friendly price points.
Join this session to engage in live discussions and demonstrations of innovative positioning technologies and system architectures that are enabling safe autonomy at scale.
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Coffee Break: Examining the Implications of Mergers and Acquisitions
Did you miss SAA’s Coffee Break reviewing the state of mergers and acquisitions? Industry experts from Plante Moran examined the implications of consolidations and mergers in the automotive industry. Amid the ongoing discussions between Honda and Nissan, Plante Moran offered a perspective on the OEM consolidation landscape and its implications for suppliers.
Click here to watch the 15-minute Coffee Break.
Date for Purchasing Summit Announced
The SAA and MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers, in cooperation with Plante Moran and our host Marelli, is excited to present the 16th Annual Purchasing Summit on May 20, 2025.
This can’t-miss event offers suppliers a unique opportunity to hear directly from Plante Moran and OEM purchasing representatives as they break down the Plante Moran North American Automotive OEM-Supplier Working Relations Index® (WRI®) Study results and discuss how industry purchasing is shaping up for 2025 and beyond.
Click here for more information and to register.
Webinar Replay Available: Advancing Aluminum Recovery –Sortation Technology and Upcycling
In case you missed the Aluminum Association’s Transportation Group’s (ATG) Sortation Technology and Upcycling webinar last month, a replay is now available. Join industry experts as they explore the latest advancements in End-Of-Life (EOL) vehicle recycling, highlighting the role of sortation technology in aluminum recovery. Key topics include an introduction to the market for scrap, the importance of high-quality aluminum alloys, current sortation and segregation techniques, and future innovations that will drive more efficient upcycling. Visit DriveAluminum.org/ExperienceAluminum to gain valuable insights into the evolving landscape of aluminum recycling.
Vehicle Dependability Still Suffers Due to Pandemic Aftershocks
Vehicle problems after three years of ownership have reached the highest level since 2009, according to the new J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). Compared with 2024 results, the industry experienced a 6% increase in problems per 100 vehicles.
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Cost Pressures and Inflation Drive Consumers to Sedans, Not SUVs
Evidence is mounting that “peak truck” is a U.S. economic trend to watch in 2025 as vehicle affordability problems increase. Dave Cantin Group (DCG), a mergers and acquisitions advisory company to retail automotive groups and their owners, identified “peak truck” as one of its key trends to watch in a new report. Rather than reflecting a lack of interest in trucks and SUVs among American consumers. The average purchase price for cars now hovers around $37,400, while for SUVs and CUVs it’s more than $43,600 and for pickups it’s $54,600.
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Trump Delays Auto Tariffs. Pickup Trucks Might Explain Why.
U.S. President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico have sent the U.S. auto industry scrambling to plan for the massive tax on some of America's best-selling vehicles, including full-sized pickup trucks, while pinning their hopes on a potential deal in Washington.
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Tariffs’ Winners and Losers in the Auto Industry
President Trump confirmed his long-threatened intention: to levy 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports and double the Chinese tariff to 20% only weeks after February’s increase of steel and aluminum tariffs from 10% to 25%. These actions, of course, were mostly met with matching tariffs from the aforementioned countries (e.g., China imposed a 15% tariff on American farm exports, Canada retaliated with its own 25% tariff). “Our tariffs will remain in place until the U.S. trade action is withdrawn,” announced the stern Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, “and should U.S. tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures.”
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Trump Wants Benefits for Those Who Purchase Cars 'Made in America.' None Fully Are
During his address to Congress Tuesday, President Donald Trump said he wants to make interest payments on loans for vehicles made in America tax deductible, but experts are unclear which cars that policy would apply to since all automakers rely on parts from outside the U.S.
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2025 Top Supply Chain Issues
Manufacturing and distribution companies of all sizes need to meet supply chain disruptions with solutions scaled to their business to maintain a competitive edge. Plante Moran’s experts discuss the top 5 issues shaping the supply chain landscape in 2025.
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The Auto Industry Changed Forever After COVID
The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic permanently changed the U.S. auto industry, which isn't likely to see car sales bounce back to 2019 levels any time soon.
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Car Stocks Are Struggling With Tariffs. There’s a Much Bigger Problem.
President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum went into effect Wednesday, raising costs for U.S. auto makers. But marginally higher metals prices aren’t the auto industry’s most significant trade problem. If Trump follows through on threats he has made, car makers face a hundred-billion-dollar reckoning.
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Examining U.S. Steel and Aluminum Tariffs
With new tariffs overriding existing exceptions and eliminating duty drawback provisions, understand the importance, impact, and what’s next for your organization. Plante Moran’s global services team breaks down what we’re tracking, why it’s important, how it impacts you, and what you can expect next in their new tariff and trade blog series.
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Total Change in the Automotive Industry – Toyota Abandons EVs and Takes a Step Forward with This New Engine
While many brands are diving headlong into electric cars, Toyota has decided to take a different path. The Japanese company has presented a new combustion engine that does not use gasoline or electricity, but hydrogen, and wants to present it as the future of the automotive industry. This system promises to maintain the excitement of traditional engines without generating polluting emissions.
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U.S. Auto Tariffs: Disruption Hits North American Industry
The stability of the North American automotive ecosystem saw an existential threat turn to action on February 1, 2025. That day, US President Trump signed three Executive Orders regarding trade structures with major new tariffs to be enacted with effect from 12:01 am EST, Tuesday, February 4, on Canada, Mexico and mainland China. These include auto tariffs that will profoundly impact automotive production and sales in North America.
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Tax Policy Perspectives from Plante Moran
February’s tax policy updates are here, and Plante Moran’s tax policy specialists break down the month’s top news and developments from Congress, the IRS and Treasury, and the courts.
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