Analyst: Apple's HomePod speaker has an 'identity crisis'

Apple's HomePod speaker finally hits the market, but Amazon enjoys a wide lead, and Google next—and an analyst says Apple's offering has a marketing disconnect.

Cleveland Indians dropping Chief Wahoo logo from uniforms

The Cleveland Indians announced Monday they are dropping the Chief Wahoo logo from their uniforms next year, bowing to decades of complaints that the grinning, red-faced caricature used since 1947 is racist. ...

4th Quarter Freight Spending Surges as Shipments Ease

A measure of the nation's freight market showed gains in both spending and shipments during the fourth quarter of 2017, but the strength of the advances differed widely.

Spending for trucking services advanced by the highest rates so far this decade, reflecting solid demand coupled with tighter capacity due to driver shortages and new regulations, according to U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index.

Shipments, on the other hand, increased by the smallest amount of any quarter in 2017, fitting with the slightly lower overall economic output during the final quarter of the year.

“The growth in shipments for the fourth quarter was solid, just not quite the torrid pace of the previous two quarters,” said American Trucking Associations Chief Economist Bob Costello, who provides analysis on the index results. “The concurrent strength in spending can be traced in part to solid demand, but also to a driver shortage accentuated by the new federal requirement that trucks be equipped with electronic logging devices to track driver hours-of-service, which took effect in December.”

The results mirror the broader economic picture during the period as figures released Friday by the Commerce Department showed the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in the final three months of 2017 expanded at a 2.6% annual rate, down from a slightly better 3% rate in the second and third quarters of the year.

The National Spending Index jumped 12.5% from the third quarter and 24.8% over the same quarter a year earlier. The two gains were both records for the index dating back to 2010.

The National Shipments Index increased just 1.6% during the quarter, significantly below the 5.8% and 3.3% gains of the second and third quarters, respectively. Still, it was the best for fourth quarter of any year since 2014, and notably better than fourth quarter of 2016, when the index ...Read the rest of this story

Elon Musk just sold $3.5 million worth of flamethrowers

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Study: Autonomous Vehicle Sales Could Reach 188,000 Units in 5 Years

A study by global marketing research firm Tractia has found that the growth potential for automous trucks and buses over the next five years is huge. Photo: Local Motors

These days, no one seems to question the inevitability of autonomous technology moving into the mainstream in the next few years. At this point, the main question seems to be which transportation sector will it affect first – passenger cars or commercial vehicles.

A little boost to those who predict commercial vehicles will take the lead in adopting autonomous technology appeared last week via a report by Tractia, a global market research firm that focuses on human interactions with technology, which found that worldwide revenue from sales of autonomous trucks and buses reached $84 million in 2017.

Looking ahead, Tractia's researchers found that the market will continue to develop at a strong pace over the next few years with more competition within the industry, providing significant opportunities to various industry participants, and reaching global revenue of $35 billion by the end of 2022. During that period, Tractia forecasts that annual unit sales will increase from approximately 343 vehicles in 2017 to 188,000 units in 2022.

“The potential for autonomous trucks and buses is huge and market growth is accelerating, with news of successful pilot projects coming at an increasing pace,” noted Tractia research analyst Manoj Sahi. “Considering the next 2 to 3 years as a make or break time, several prominent companies are prioritizing investment for large-scale development.”

According to Tractia, the report also looks at key drivers and issues affecting the adoption rate of autonomous technology today, including:

What is the current state of technology and market development for autonomous trucks and buses? How will the market evolve over the next 6 years? What are the key drivers of market growth, and the key challenges faced ...Read the rest of this story

FBI deputy director leaving post ahead of planned retirement

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, a frequent target of President Donald Trump's criticism who led the bureau for months last year following the firing of James Comey, is leaving his position ahead of ...

International Increases Warranty Protection for Vocational Trucks

Image of HX Series construction truck courtesy of International trucks. 

International Truck announced three compelling plans to deliver on its Uptime pledge to vocational truck customers: the extension of the International A26 Customer Uptime Assurance Program for vocational models, a new, Vocational Confidence Warranty Package, and the International A26 Barrel Protection Plan for the International HX Series and International HV Series trucks powered by the International A26 12.4L big bore engine.

The International A26 Customer Uptime Assurance Program for Vocational Models is straightforward, according to the manufacturer. If a customer experiences a warrantable failure on an International A26 engine within its two-year standard warranty period, and experiences downtime greater than 48 hours from the time of diagnosis, International Truck will provide the customer with a $250 International Advantage Card, good for future parts and service purchases at an International dealership, subject to standard conditions. Customers may be eligible for a maximum of 8 cards per vehicle over the two-year period, a value of as much as $2,000 per vehicle.

The Vocational Confidence Warranty Package offers comprehensive powertrain coverage for HX Series and International HV Series trucks with an International A26 engine. The four-year, 100,000 miles warranty offers complete powertrain and drivetrain coverage, including engine, transmission and axle coverage for vocational applications. Coverage includes select components from suppliers including Dana, Eaton, and Meritor to provide customers with even more peace of mind. The program is available now and applies to new customer orders for International HX Series and HV Series trucks equipped with the International A26 engine placed before June 30, 2018.

The International four-year Barrel Protection Plan is also simple, according to the manufacturer. If a customer experiences an International A26 warrantable failure resulting in barrel damage, International will cover the barrel damage for the truck's first four years in service. This coverage is ...Read the rest of this story