National Manager, Toyota's Advanced Technology Group
National Manager for Toyota's Advanced Technology Group
PROFILE
Bill Reinert
Guest
FROM Bill Reinert
Which Way, L.A.?
The Auto Industry: In Survival Mode President Obama's automobile task force is in Michigan this week to assess the so-called “viability plans” of Chrysler and General Motors. Meantime, auto sales have taken a nosedive. GM is down by 53 percent since last year, Ford by 48% and Chrysler by 44%. Toyota sales are off 40% and Honda has dropped by 38%. How important is the price of gas? How difficult is getting a loan? Are car sales tied to housing? We talk with the world's biggest Ford dealer and others about the present and future of the automobile. What would “an intelligent transportation system” look like?
To the Point
Car Sales Drive off the Proverbial Cliff President Obama’s automobile task force is in Michigan this week to assess the so-called “viability plans” of Chrysler and General Motors. The task force already has determined not to recall the $17 billion in government loans approved by the Bush Administration, and have emphasized that bankruptcy is not their preferred option. But their final decisions won’t be made until end of this month. Meanwhile, auto sales are in free fall, especially among the gasoline-saving hybrids beloved by politicians who want the industry to turn “green.” How important is the price of gas? How difficult is getting a loan? Are car sales tied to housing? We talk with the world’s biggest Ford dealer and others about the present and future of the automobile. What would “an intelligent transportation system” look like?
Which Way, L.A.?
Energy Security versus Environmental Stability Just over 15 months ago, OPEC was worried that the price of oil would drop below $50 a barrel. Now, it’s $110. With record-high oil prices overseas supplies increasingly uncertain, Vice President Cheney is expected to ask Saudi Arabia next week to help push the price down by producing more from its massive reserves. In the interests of energy security, the United States is looking to tar sands in Canada and development of domestic coal. But both alternatives are devastating to the environment, creating some agonizing questions. Can the US have energy security at the same time it tries to cope with global warming? Can wind, solar and other renewables be developed in time, or will there be a trade-off between economic growth and environmental destruction? We look at some of the contradictions that result as the US gropes toward a coherent energy policy. (An extended version of this discussion aired earlier today on To the Point.)
To the Point
Energy Security versus Environmental Stability Just over 15 months ago, OPEC was worried that the price of oil would drop below $50 a barrel. Now, it's $110. With record-high oil prices overseas supplies increasingly uncertain, Vice President Cheney is expected to ask Saudi Arabia next week to help push the price down by producing more from its massive reserves. In the interests of energy security, the United States is looking to tar sands in Canada and development of domestic coal. But both alternatives are devastating to the environment, creating some agonizing questions. Can the US have energy security at the same time it tries to cope with global warming? Can wind, solar and other renewables be developed in time, or will there be a trade-off between economic growth and environmental destruction? We look at some of the contradictions that result as the US gropes toward a coherent energy policy. Download the PowerPoint presentation on tar sands
To the Point
Cars, Cars and More Cars The Detroit Auto Show used to be all about size, speed, style and America's domination of the world market. This year even China's in on the action, marketing strategies you might call unorthodox, while more familiar players push plug-in hybrids, clean diesel and cars that run on industrial waste. Toyota is competing with GM to go green, but has to admit that the auto industry will always be bad for the environment. What's next for American drivers? Can the world sustain the expanding automobile economy?
Recommended
To the Point
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?