TTAC News Round-up: Ford's Ominous 'Cult of Disruption' Has Produced Some E-Abominations

Are you an absolutely shameless individual who is sick to death of walking and loves gimmicks? Ford has you covered with an entry from what it has dubbed a “Cult of Disruption Innovation.”

That, there’s a certain popular Japanese vehicle built in Canada that won’t be going to Europe (thanks to the United States), Tesla is now inexplicably in the glass making business, and minivans are in danger of going seatless in the event of a supplier strike… after the break!

Ford employees introduce goofy e-vehicles and one good idea

Ford’s Last Mile Mobility Challenge resulted in 633 mostly terrible ideas being submitted by company employees. The best of the bunch was the “eChair,” an automated wheelchair that would stow itself once the driver was behind the wheel. And the absolute worst of the bunch was the Carr-E, a small Segway-like disc with a tiny face and taillights that Ford seems strangely proud of.

The competition is intended to help develop electric personal assistant devices to improve transit in places where vehicles are not permitted or practical. Carr-E’s inventor, Kilian Vas, is a Ford systems engineer based in Germany. “We really need to reinvent the wheel, to find new approaches to mobility,” said Vas. “When developing Carr-E, I was inspired by Ford’s expansion into both an auto and a mobility company, but I’m also aware of how rapidly cities are growing and how getting around urban areas will become more complicated. I really wanted to create a device that makes commuting easier and more fun.”

How much easier it is to cruise around a crowded sidewalk atop a white puck is up for debate. But, if you can get over the prodigious embarrassment, Carr-E could be a lot of fun. You can see it in action, not doing too much, in a YouTube video where Ford has disabled comments and feedback.

A more useful device may be the previously mentioned eChair. Developed by Gunther Cuypers, Robin Celis and David Longin from Ford’s Lommel proving grounds in Belgium, the eChair is a lightweight electric wheelchair with a self-loading solution designed to enable independence for people with limited physical mobility.

If Ford decides to run with anything from the Mobility Challenge — they likely won’t — let’s hope it’s that wheelchair and not another e-shtick designed for brazenly bored people.

Japanese vehicle built in Canada won’t go to Europe. Thanks, U.S.

Honda has decided against taking advantage of the newly signed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union to boost the number of vehicles it exports from Alliston, Ontario. Automotive News Canada reports that the company will instead focus on supplying the North American market through its Canadian operations.

“Due to greater-than-anticipated demand for the current generation CR-V and the 2016 Honda Civic within the North American region, Honda of Canada Mfg. is no longer planning to produce and export next generation European-spec CR-V units to that [European] market,” Honda Canada spokeswoman Laura Heasman said in statement.

The Ontario plant will also increase daily production to 850 units to fulfill the rising domestic demand.

The CR-V set a U.S. sales record in 2015 of 345,647 units and kept its crown as the best-selling SUV in the United States that year. Honda looks to surpass that this year, already selling 263,493 units through the end of September.

The Model 3 is going to feature “new” glass

Tesla has created its own glass technology group for preparation for its new solar roof, introduced to the public just few days ago. Electrek reports that the roof is slated to make its initial appearance on the much anticipated Model 3.

In a clarification call to analysts about what the company meant by new, CEO Elon Musk stated, “It is using a lot of techniques used in automotive glass business. In case it wasn’t obvious with the announcement, Tesla has created a glass technology group — with some really phenomenal people.”

One of those people will be Mike Pilliod, the new director of the Tesla Glass group. Pilliod was one of Apple’s top materials engineers and has been highly involved with the innovations surrounding devices that use glass screens — including the iPhone.

Minivans in danger if FCA supplier goes on strike

Unionized employees at Magna’s Windsor Integram Seating facility could go on strike Friday. Automotive News reports the strike deadline for workers, represented by Unifor Local 444, comes at 11:59 p.m. tonight.

Magna is the key supplier for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Windsor Assembly Plant, and a strike could halt production of the Chrysler Pacifica and Dodge Caravan. Also going seatless in the event of a strike would be General Motors’ CAMI assembly plant in Ingersol, Ontario. The CAMI plant produces the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain.

James Stewart, Local 444’s first vice president, told Automotive News that FCA’s minivan plant could grind to a halt “within a couple hours” if seats stopped coming. “It could be relatively quick,” Stewart said. “Potentially, they could get through a shift. But these aren’t small parts. They’re seats and they’re sequenced.”

Of the Unifor members who voted two weeks ago, 99.2 percent were in favor of the strike action. Stewart says their concerns are primarily monetary. Integram Seating employees start at $17.33 an hour and use a 10-year salary grid that tops out at $24.76.

[Images: Ford, Honda, Tesla, FCA]