Welcome to today's edition of the Daily 5.
Sean Duffy's nomination to lead the U.S. Department of Transportation, announced last night by President-elect Donald Trump, is getting the predictable partisan reactions from the left and right as the vetting begins. Pete Bigelow's story today outlines the long list of priorities and challenges faced by a government official who arguably wields more power over automakers than anyone else in the president's Cabinet.
Electric vehicles, emissions regulations and autonomous vehicle technology will all be at the top of Duffy's agenda, assuming his nomination is approved. But don't forget another key part of this job: motor vehicle safety, which falls under NHTSA.
While the industry absorbed the news about Duffy's nomination today, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board raised a new round of concerns about traffic fatalities plaguing the nation's roads. She called it a public health crisis.
"Unlike most developed nations, U.S. roadways have grown more deadly over the last several decades," NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said at a hearing in Washington, according to a Reuters report. "By raw numbers, the U.S. has more motor-vehicle deaths than any other developed country. We also have the highest death rate."
The Transportation Department estimated that 18,720 people died in vehicle crashes during the first half of 2024, down 3.2 percent from the same period of 2023, according to Reuters. But those numbers were still above the 17,000 deaths recorded before the pandemic in the first half of 2019.
Numerous automotive safety technologies have emerged in recent years and are becoming standard in many new vehicles. And more technologies are coming. As head of DOT, Duffy would have an opportunity to help ensure these technologies get implemented. It seems possible that a regulatory agency can stimulate automotive innovation while also saving lives. Let's see how it plays out.
In other news today, Volkswagen Group of America named its new CEO to take over for Pablo Di Si. He is Kjell Gruner, a former Porsche and Rivian executive. According to our story by Jack Walsworth, Gruner will take over as CEO on Dec. 12. Gerrit Spengler, chief human resources officer at Volkswagen Group of America, will serve as interim CEO until then, the company said. VW said Di Si, CEO since September 2022, stepped down "on his own request."
Meanwhile, Vietnamese automaker VinFast said it delivered the first VF 9 crossovers to U.S. customers after a yearlong delay importing the three-row EV, which has a starting price of $72,000 with shipping, according to our story today by Laurence Iliff. This EV startup is still bleeding cash, but its ownership just pledged a $2 billion injection and other commitments that ensure it stays afloat through 2026.
Looking ahead to Wednesday, we'll have plenty of live coverage from the 2024 Los Angeles Auto Show. Don't miss it.
That's it for now. Have a great rest of your day.
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— Philip Nussel, online editor
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