As always I could be wrong - I see how the contract gives them incentive to skimp/cut costs but I’m not sure I see an incentive to drag things out and delay them since they won’t be paid more for that. Earnestly asking - do you see a blind spot to my thinking?

It’s a fixed-price contract though so Boeing eats the overruns. https://www.defenseone.com/business/2023/10/boeing-reports-another-huge-loss-air-force-one-program/391512/

Heck make it a pay per view and get Trump, Obama, Clinton, and George W in a ring, winner takes all. (Fun fact: Trump is the oldest of the 4)

Most looking forward to Project 2025 gutting $60 Billion from TRICARE and $15 Billion from the basic allowance for military housing. https://www.heritage.org/budget/pages/recommendations/1.050.93.html

It seems like the pressure is working the other way and is working in a positive way. A fatal AV crash into a pedestrian led to Uber abandoning robotaxis and a non-fatal AV crash into a pedestrian (with a subsequent coverup)seems to have led to GM Cruise abandoning robotaxis.

I think GM bought Cruise thinking that autonomy would be easier and bloodless. At the time they bought Cruise, there were projections that there would be >10 Million self-driving cars and robotaxis on the streets by 2020. But since then it’s been complicated and messy as a fatal pedestrian strike shook Uber out of the…

On one hand this could keep GM near or at the top of autonomous technology, on the other hand that’s not why GM bought Cruise.

Cruise was an acquisition by GM, not a spinoff.

Those who live in British electronics shouldn’t throw Japanese CVTs

With profuse apologies I nominate the Murano CrossCabrio.

EVs should have been weaned off of government assistance by now.

For more than a decade, the Detroit automaker’s vehicle sales in China eclipsed its U.S. totals, before that trend reversed last year...Another thing hurting GM is the fact that Chinese consumers have been incredibly quick to adopt electric vehicles

Right now, you need an app and a map to find charging infrastructure

Shame about the Escape Hybrid. The 1st generations which served as NYC taxis for 300,000 miles seemed durable and reliable.

Nissan is almost certainly the make with the most missing bumpers per million miles.

It can also be day shifter alcoholics.

Given that even the old Fisker Karmas sell in the mid 20k range I expect these will settle in around $20k. They could definitely sell it for more than $13k with minimal effort.

See it’s actually hard to compete with actual MBAs who had enough foresight to deliver us $35,000 Renegades and $40,000 Cherokees even before covid.

Got curious so looked on Turo and Urus can be rented for $500/day in Miami and over $1,000/day in LA. Wonder if these could stay running long enough to break even.