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Nissan leaning on JATCO to remedy CVT problems

Nissan's decision to fit continuously variable transmissions across even more of its new models may be coming back to bite the Japanese automaker, as it's been hampered by customer satisfaction issues relating to its XTronic CVTs, which are provided by a supplier called JATCO.
From what we're understanding, the issue largely relates to customers' unfamiliarity with the non-traditional shift nature of a CVT. Dealers have reported complaints and service visits from owners over the belt-driven automatics (did these people not test drive the cars before they bought them and notice that they don't shift conventionally?).
The company, which Nissan owns 75 percent of, has come under fire from none other than Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, who's spoken about JATCO and its troubles rather openly. "Every time you launch a new CVT you always have some risks," Ghosn said in an interview with Automotive News. "So we now have a process by which, before we launch any new CVT, [JATCO] come before the Nissan executive committee to explain all the measures they have taken to make sure there are no surprises."

Google's new Android Autos OS unveiled, will be in cars this year [w/video]

Connected cars are coming en-masse. We know this much. How, though, remains something of an open question, especially as two of the world's largest tech companies are preparing to battle for control of your car's dashboard. On the one hand, we have Apple and its CarPlay system. And now, we know what Google has been working on with Auto Link.
Its new name is Android Auto, and yes, it's based off the Android architecture that is the primary challenger to Apple's iOS mobile operating system. Announced at Google's I/O conference today, Android Auto functions similarly to CarPlay - owners will need to plug their smartphones into their cars to access the full breadth of capability.
In Android Auto's case, that means a wealth of voice controls to limit distracted driving. Google's marquee apps will be available when the interface arrives in production models later this year, including Google Play Music, Google Maps and voice-activated texting and text playback. Meanwhile, developers will be able to begin designing custom apps for the new system via an upcoming software development kit.

In his own words: Carlos Ghosn on why EVs rule

That's a nice little dig at hydrogen fuel cell technology, Mr. Ghosn. The Nissan chief, long a champion and heavy-duty investor of electric-vehicle technology, wrote an essay on his LinkedIn Influencer page on why EVs are the theoretical wave of the future. It's obviously not an unbiased opinion, but he makes his points clearly. Ghosn points out that "refueling" costs per mile for EVs are about 70 percent less than gasoline and more than 60 percent less than hybrids. He cites the rapidly growing network of plug-in vehicle charging stations that are eliminating "range anxiety" with at least some folks, and notes that the fastest growing US plug-in vehicle market is, of all places, Atlanta. Additionally, Ghosn, near the bottom of the post, says that a plug-in vehicle charging station can be deployed for as little as $2,000, while building a hydrogen station costs about $2.5 million. Pretty clever. Nissan's sales numbers appear to give Ghosn's confidence some clout. Through November, sales of the Leaf in the US surged 35 percent from a year earlier to more than 27,000 units. Globally, Nissan says the Leaf's sales are up 20 percent this year. Check out Ghosn's own words below. Zero-Emission Cars: Both Consumers and the Environment Win Last month, the Renault-Nissan Alliance sold its 200,000th zero-emission car. The Nissan LEAF, which we launched four years ago, is by far the top-selling electric vehicle worldwide. Sales are up 20 percent this year. Together with the Renault ZOE and other zero-emission vehicles in our lineup, Renault-Nissan's EVs have been driven about 4 billion kilometers – enough to circle the earth 100,000 times. They are the world's first and most successful mainstream, mass-marketed EVs. Why are more people switching to EVs? The reasons are clear: EVs are convenient: They can be refueled at home or at the office from multiple energy sources, including the increasing amount of clean energy from solar or wind power. Imagine never stopping at a gasoline service station because you wake up to a "full tank" every day. This is one of the top things EV owners enjoy about their cars. EVs are economical: Even with gasoline prices falling, Consumer Reports recently estimated operating costs of a Nissan LEAF in the United States at 3.5 cents a mile, compared with 11.9 cents for a subcompact gasoline car or 8.6 cents for a hybrid. EV owners typically save on their insurance policies, because insurers view EV drivers as a lower risk.