Toyota’s First US Made EV, Scout’s New Designer, Using Your Face To Start Your Car

Unknown: 0:00Oh

‍Paul Daly: 0:27

yo you know what today is? First day is well not first day summer first day June though Hey, first day June.Today we're talking about Toyota's first US made Eevee.Scouts do designer and using your face to start your car.

Kyle Mountsier: 0:41

Oh, really fun day. Every once in a while the news is just too much, too much good in today's

Paul Daly: 0:48

there was a story that I wanted to include so bad,but the last story seemed like better. But I'm gonna give you a summary this first time we've ever done this. Basically there's a URL at the bottom of the Maryland State license plate. Yeah, it talks about Francis Scott Key and it gives you a little history lessons about that. And they forgot to renew it and now it goes to a Philippine gambling site.

Kyle Mountsier: 1:11

Yes, it's amazing. I've seen it's been all over like every Reddit Yeah, a lot Nick. Yeah. Jalopnik granite. It's everywhere.

Paul Daly: 1:22

Good morning, Tony. I love it. Everybody stops him and says good morning. First day of June. It's like for me this is like the official start of summer I just want to put like play Will Smith summertime on repeat from this point forward.That's how I feel. Yeah,

Kyle Mountsier: 1:35

cuz you wouldn't Syracuse you like we've been in summer for a solid month, right?

Paul Daly: 1:39

No, it's where we're the best part right now. Which is it's probably unseasonally warm up here. But it's been in the 80s and sunny and no humidity and gorgeous. Man. I took a run this

Kyle Mountsier: 1:50

morning. And it's just, you know,

Paul Daly: 1:52

like it took a swim.

Kyle Mountsier: 1:54

That's true.Actually took me half an hour to stop sweating. But, but like,you know, simple things that we talked about on the show. It's like the beauty of a sunrise.Getting to see that sunrise in the morning. You know, so many auto people, they get up they start their day early, they get to the door, you know, they open the store, the service departments are there early, the mist on the ground, you know,the little cool calm in the morning. And like auto gets to see that right? We're not like retail starting at 10 3011o'clock in the day, you know,the lunchtime special Abercrombie are yet to see we get to see the early crowd. So true. Kudos to those who wake up that is

Paul Daly: 2:31

man, that's a good memory. I have a lot of good memories doing that a lot of early mornings on lots. Right?We're going to try. Maybe we'll try to feature that on our next episode of more than Carson.Todd Caputo suggested that you gotta get the person that opens the building, right? Because that's kind of a magic moment.Maybe we'll try to do that we are going to be shooting episode two. If you haven't seen it go to more than cars.tv. We're producing a network style Docu series about auto dealers. The reception of the pilot episode,which you can watch now has been amazing. We have a little crowdfund going wants you to be a part of it however you can.And really just rewrite the narrative around retail auto humanize it and you know,promote all the best parts of it that we know are true. I also have a couple of podcasts launching. I mean, we have so much going on right now. Several podcasts. We're going to be in Atlanta next week or two weeks.On the 14th live at the Buckhead theatre. There's I don't know,sometimes I feel like we have so many things to do that people are going to shut the podcast,because like this show, because we have all this other stuff to talk about. But But yes, just so much pay attention. There's something for you. That's for you, regardless of what part of the industry you're in, or what your preferences and content we're trying to make an on ramp for you to get into this community because it is an amazing community. Yep. Plug.Alright, we're gonna talk about news right into the speaker plugs.Seemingly late to the full Evie game. Toyota has chosen its largest US production plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, to be the assembly plant that will produce its first US built electric vehicle by 2025. The batteries for these, there's gonna be a three roll electric crossover.They haven't released a lot of details around it. But the batteries are going to be sourced from North Carolina Toyota new complex, they're in liberty. So it's really close.You know in proximity, so there's going to be like, again,we'll use the B word billions of dollars investment in the battery plant. Almost a billion invested in this new Evie manufacturing line. Susan Elkton, Elkington, president of Toyota manufacturing Kentucky said we are able to be very close to our production and to be very close to our production engineering location. Plus, we have an unbelievable workforce at this at this site, which can actually really take on this vehicle in a very short period of time. So basically, she was like the people here are so amazing. We can keep our existing production quota. in place, which is over half a million vehicles a year and retool and produce our first US built Evie. So I love that she's like, the piece like,

Kyle Mountsier: 5:11

look, bring it on. Let's go. We're gonna do all the things we're doing now and do the EVS over here in Georgetown, Kentucky, which like when I think at Georgetown,Kentucky, I've been to Georgetown, Kentucky multiple,eight weeks in a summer they're doing doing a summer camp. And yeah, like I know all about Georgetown been all around the little places and the food and all that type of stuff. But in Georgetown, it's like kind of laid back. It's kind of chill.But they've been doing they've been built on basically a college and manufacturing for a long time. And so those people know how to know how to work and get after it. And I'm excited to see out of out of kind of a legacy city in the US. That's a small town in the heart of Kentucky leaned in to EV infrastructure and for Susan to just be like, Bring it on. Let us have it. That's That's what these

Paul Daly: 6:02

are people she's up people. We got to look her up on LinkedIn. She only didn't get gotten pregnant. Maybe.

Kyle Mountsier: 6:08

Just go Go search Susan Elkington on LinkedIn and just connect with her and say kudos for for calling the industry

Paul Daly: 6:16

let's and then and then tell her she should be part of a soda. That'd be awesome to get her out to a soda Con this year. We don't have any, like a manufacturing plant. Like person. Yeah. Right. It's ground. It's like the middle ground. Yeah, the middle ground.Maybe that's the new show. We have enough shows right now.Speaking

Kyle Mountsier: 6:38

of the middle ground, or both.

Paul Daly: 6:42

The middle ground is probably better. You don't really know how to handle this one yet. Scout is definitely one of those brands were like it's VW back but it's got killed

Kyle Mountsier: 6:50

but Scott Keogh.

Paul Daly: 6:54

Such an enigma,Volkswagen back Scout Motors announced a former lead designer from Jeep Chris Benjamin as its new design chief. He's worked with Mercedes Benz, BMW Volvo ants, the llantas his recent work, you probably have seen on the Jeep Wagoneer that earn like broad industry accolades, like they just knocked out part of the vehicle. So his role will with Scout will transcend just the design chief. He's also going to be overseeing concept element user experience, and how design and tech come together in the vehicles. Scott Keogh CEO and president Scott moto said Chris's work is prolific for nearly 25 years, he brought to light vehicles that stand out on the road, his thumb prints are all over many of the most beloved off road vehicles in the market today, I'm confident he will build on that experience,as he defines the next chapter of design for scout and electric utility vehicles. I love the idea that they're bringing all of this user experience and design all of these things under one umbrella, because that's how it used to be.

Kyle Mountsier: 7:55

Yeah, you know,and, and I think those Scout has said, like, we're not going to have a dealer network, the kind of moves that they're making from a brand side or from the brand side of things from you know, leaning into antique plus new and technology meets, you know, history is just a really cool look. And it's gonna be a niche brand anyway. And so, you know, I don't think like major brands or major dealers have have, but I know that every dealer wants to get their hands on one of those to be able to sell it put it in them.Absolutely. Especially

Paul Daly: 8:30

VW dealers, right,absolutely been begging for a truck for years. Like I guess if there's anyone's feeling a little burned, it's gonna be the VW dealers. Yeah, they definitely are. Yeah, that we'll see. We'll see. But the brand is strong. The product is cool. It seems like the thinking behind the consumer experience is on point. And that's that's one of my favorite parts about what's going on right now. We see so many new entrants, so many different approaches, that there's just a lot to learn from right now.

Kyle Mountsier: 8:56

Right and especially like if an establishment with and try and fail out and move and pivot. I mean, we see a lot of vans just making like new calls that they wouldn't have made 10 years ago,and product development and design. So it's really

Paul Daly: 9:11

thinking of new technology and development in vehicles. They are the three

Kyle Mountsier: 9:19

and this this is the first automaker to use facial recognition technology on its new G v 60. Which is going to allow owners access to starting their vehicles using only their face. The technology has a biometric tech that will allow them to start vehicles by just using their face, no key fob, no smartphone. It uses a near infrared camera and advanced deep learning processing to make all of that happen. You know the feature they're dubbing face Kinect but it's in my opinion, this is a logical move. Because what do you do with everything else?Like unlock your computer,unlock your phone unlock everything with facial recognition technology Why wouldn't a car that you're unlocking on a regular basis start to do that too?

Paul Daly: 10:05

I have a question.Yeah. You know how like when you can't unlock your phone with your face? Because something like restarted or something's not working, you got to put in the passcode. What's the backup?Right? You get your? Because it's like, you don't need a phone. You don't need a key.Okay, great. I'm in my car, I go to down the street to the store,I get back in my car, and it doesn't work. Is there a passcode? There's got to be something. Because it's like,you have to have your key as a backup that kind of, I mean,even if my keys in my partner,

Kyle Mountsier: 10:34

I mean, I'm like, okay, so touch IDs, the backup, right? Like, boom,there's your finger.

Paul Daly: 10:39

Where is that? In the beginning? Why is it touch ID already there? I know. Skipping the technology. Questions,everybody. We have questions. We have questions. It can't be the key can't be the backup, because if the key is the backup, then you don't need it anyway,because you have to have the key with you. Right, if the phone is kind of the backup, I don't know. But I'm excited. Oh, the phone

Kyle Mountsier: 10:57

is becoming the backup. They're adopting the technology to you know, to like digital key using the NFC engagement like like an apple wallet or Google Wallet allows you to do so. I could see like multiple backup points. Like you forgot your key you got your phone, you forgot your phone,you got your key, you forgot your face your your keys in your phone, you got a passcode Right.

Paul Daly: 11:23

Like you're just had I searched out your face, you just know what's going on.Right? Put on those lashes,right all of a sudden doesn't know who you are anymore. I get those big lashes. Other new features include something they're calling digital key 2.0which enables drivers to share access to other users. So you just via the app, I can be like,Oh, Kyle can use my car today.Great. He can just go up to the car and that's I guess that's fine. I mean, how often Yes,share your car.

Kyle Mountsier: 11:49

Actually, that's been done like BMW has verse wants to do it. So it's just that's going to be a widely adopted technology,

Paul Daly: 11:55

kids all that stuff,kids. Yeah, but if I have a GV eight, my kids gV 60 My kids aren't driving it.

Kyle Mountsier: 12:02

If you haven't seen me 60 are in a different kind of class. Anyway,

Paul Daly: 12:05

I you know, I'm just gonna say like, uh, you know,I'm a Kia fan. And I love the print and the Genesis, just like they just do such a good job.Just like cool tech, great design. It'll be interesting to see what this new one looks like and comes out. They also have a couple of little practical features that are built in as well. Fully reclining seats.We're seeing that a lot more. A lot of the Chinese manufacturers have these crazy reclining seats where all of a sudden you're like, Oh, why wouldn't that be in a car and also

Kyle Mountsier: 12:32

for when you're for when you're stuck 30 minutes getting that thing charged up?Right? It's got a buzzer to in the seat for when the charge cards

Paul Daly: 12:41

were used when you're stuck in charge, taking a little nap. Also, actually on the nap thread and active air purification system. So think of this. You're charged but it's a moment for you. Right? Reclining the seat air purifiers kicking right? I

Kyle Mountsier: 12:57

feel like somewhere there's a marketing campaign around a moment for you are some like reach out.

Paul Daly: 13:01

We're full of ideas Genesis, we're full of ideas.Well, we hope you are full of ideas today, June 1 start of a new month. Everyone's always excited this the last month of the first half of the year. So get out there. Enjoy some sun,sell some cars, serve some people

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