April 28, 2025 • 44 mins
Drop me a text and let me know what you think of this episode!
The automotive world continues to evolve with groundbreaking solutions to age-old problems – theft, affordability, and safety. This week, we dive deep into Ford's innovative approach to vehicle security with their new mobile app engine immobilizer for its F-150 trucks. Imagine being able to prevent your truck from starting even if thieves have your keys, all controlled remotely from anywhere in the world. Ford's comprehensive security package not only offers peace of mind but also includes a substantial $2,500 insurance deductible reimbursement if theft occurs despite these precautions.
Behind the wheel of the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, I discovered a sports sedan that honors its 40-year heritage while embracing modern performance technology. With 228 horsepower from its turbocharged engine and sophisticated handling aids, the GLI delivers driving enjoyment at a price point significantly below comparable crossovers. The elegant, coupe-like profile complemented by distinctive lighting elements makes this Puebla, Mexico-built sedan stand out in an increasingly homogenous automotive landscape.
The conversation takes a sobering turn as we examine the current state of automotive financing, where seven-year loans have become increasingly common – not just for new vehicles but alarmingly for used cars as well. This extension of loan terms represents what many industry experts consider an affordability crisis, with one in ten used car buyers now committing to 84-month financing terms. These extended commitments raise serious questions about financial flexibility and the true cost of vehicle ownership when factoring in insurance requirements and maintenance over such lengthy periods.
Finally, we explore how technology is making work zones safer for both workers and motorists. Queue Warning Systems have demonstrated remarkable effectiveness, reducing injury crashes by 63% according to Wisconsin DOT studies. As these smart work zones continue to evolve, the integration of vehicle-to-infrastructure communication promises even greater safety improvements in the years ahead.
Have thoughts about these automotive developments? Call or text the Tech Mobility hotline at 872-222-9793 or email talk@techmobilityshow.com. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and podcasts to stay updated on the latest in mobility technology!
Be sure to tell your friends to tune in to The TechMobility Podcast!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Tech Mobility Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I'm Ken Chester On the docket my impressions and
review of the 2025 VolkswagenJetta GLI sports sedan, new car
loans get longer and trafficsafety technology.
To add your voice to theconversation, to ask a question,
share an opinion or even make asuggestion for a future topic
(00:33):
of discussion on the show, callor text the Tech Mobility
hotline, that number,872-222-9793.
Or you can email the showdirectly if that is your
preference.
Talk at techmobilityshow Also,if you'd be so kind to consider
(00:56):
to subscribe, like and follow uson social media, our YouTube
channel and our two podcasts theTech Mobility Podcast and Tech
Mobility Topics.
And before we go to the TechMobility News Desk, let me add
this there is original contentthat I put out to social media
(01:17):
that is not part of the weeklyshow.
Some of the things that youwill see actually is our
one-minute updates for the TechMobility Minute, but you'll
actually see me as I talk aboutthat, unlike just hear me.
And then, something that I dojust for digital that I do not
do on the show is I do my videowalk-around.
(01:39):
I test drive a lot of cars andtrucks and SUVs and crossovers
and EVs in the course of a year.
I try to pick the best ones,and I do take pictures and do
video on every single one, andwhat I like to do for those of
(02:01):
you that follow me digitally isoffer what we call a video walk
around.
I don't talk about it.
I set it to music, I puttogether the stills and the
videos so you can experience thevehicle for yourself.
And I've driven some prettycool vehicles and I'm coming up
with one that I'm reallyimpressed with.
They kind of blew me out of thewater because I wasn't
(02:21):
expecting to be impressed withit.
I'm not going to tell you thename of it, but I do want you to
look out for it in social mediain the next couple of weeks.
When you see it, you'llunderstand why I was so excited
about it.
But I wanted to add that for youin case you were wondering.
There's a lot more going outinto our social media and
digital world than just what youhear on the show.
(02:41):
So check it out, drop us a lineand, like I said earlier,
please be sure to subscribe,like and follow us on our
various platforms.
We're trying to get to 1,000 onYouTube.
It would be wonderful if youwould just go out there and
subscribe.
That would help us a great deal.
Thank you so much.
From the Tech Mobility NewsDesk.
(03:04):
The number one vehicle for thelast 40-some-odd years from the
Tech Mobility News Desk.
The number one vehicle for thelast 40-some-odd years is also
one of the ones most stolen, andI'm talking about the Ford
F-150.
Ford Motor Company decided toadd a little something-something
to help motorists keep theirvehicles and, believe it or not,
(03:26):
there's an app for that.
Ford app adds remote killswitch to keep thieves from
stealing f-150s.
And this is straight from ford.
It's part of ford's newsecurity package, which includes
, on top of that, a 2500insurance deductible
reimbursement for theft.
(03:47):
If they steal your truck andyou've got this insurance, you
will get reimbursed up to $2,500for your out of pocket from
your insurance company.
They quote a statistic and youknow me, I love statistics and I
love putting things in context.
Cars get stolen often.
(04:09):
In the United States of Americahow often you ask?
Thank you for asking?
One gets stolen every 31seconds.
So in the time it's taken me toread this, approximately four
vehicles have gotten stolensomewhere in the country.
(04:29):
Ford is offering all newF-Series trucks this mobile app
engine motorizer as part of itsnew Ford security package, so
customers can remotely preventtheir truck from starting, no
matter where it is.
Get it in the world.
You're off on a world cruisefor a month.
(04:50):
Your F-150 is parked in yourdriveway in the upper Midwest.
Somebody sees it hasn't movedin a while and they think they
can steal it.
Guess what?
They activate the app, turn onthe mobile engine immobilizer.
That vehicle ain't goingnowhere.
Ford started this package lastyear on the F-150, but they're
(05:13):
going to make it up to the 2025Super Duty and eventually other
future Ford models.
So basically they're offeringan app that will let you control
and help deter people fromstealing your vehicle.
Ford says it's not just aremote engine immobilizer, it's
(05:37):
a comprehensive theft preventionpackage that they say in a Ford
Pass mobile app, owners ofproperly equipped F-150s can
remotely use the start inhibitfunction, previously available
to fleets, but now retailcustomers can get it.
It prevents the truck from beingstarted by even somebody with
an authorized key.
(05:58):
Because you left your keys athome.
They broke into your house.
They found the keys because youleft them in the tray, where
you always do by the door, andthey think they got your truck.
Guess what, they don't, becauseyou turn this on even with the
key, they wonder why your truckwon't start.
Ain't going to happen.
It doesn't matter where you arein relation to the vehicle or
(06:23):
who's trying to get in, it'slocked down.
Hmm, you'll love this.
And for y'all that got teenagers, you can even prevent people in
your own house from snaggingyour keys and going for a
joyride until you digitally tellthe truck it's okay to start,
it ain't starting.
(06:43):
Just make sure your kids don'tget a hold of your phone and
know that you got the app Ifthey know that you're still
messed up and teenagers arepretty industrious when they
want to be Even if somebodytries to steal your truck,
you'll get notifications fromthe app.
The app will tell yousomebody's trying to lift your
truck.
Ford offers a dedicated 800number to call, to be staffed by
(07:06):
real humans who will contactlocal authorities to help you if
you're not near your truck.
I like that part.
What's more, ford knows thatthese are clever.
Say, maybe someone figures outa way to get around the digital
locks and takes the truck anyway.
That's where the $2,500 comesin.
The security package comes withall of these services for one
(07:30):
year for free, and after thatit's only $799 a month.
Now, the only catch.
She had to buy a fairly newtruck, either 2024, 2025 F-150,
or 2025 Super Duty with the SYNC4 version, and I'm not going to
get into the version of thesecurity system.
They said that these servicesmay eventually roll out of the
(07:52):
nameplates before it isnaturally chosen to start with
its most popular product.
I said in a previous show aboutstuff they want to sell you at
the dealership.
If I just spent almost $80,000for a Ford F-150 Platinum, yeah,
$799 a month, sign me up forthat that.
(08:14):
Yeah, I'm in for that.
I'm not against certain digitalproducts if they add value for
me or add security that I can'treplicate somewhere else.
This is one of those and honestto goodness, what people are
paying and what insurance.
The only question I've got isdo I get an insurance break from
(08:36):
my insurance company for havingit?
That would be a conversationI'd have both with Ford, and the
insurance company said OK, I'vegot this app, it's on my phone,
I actively use it, so where'smy discount?
I want a discount because theydiscount just about everything
and it would be the insurancecompany's best interest for you
(08:57):
to go that way.
So if they knocked off 10%, 20%, 30% off your premium, you've
more than paid for the $799 amonth big time in multiples,
particularly what it would costto get to insure a $60,000 to
$80,000 pickup truck.
Yeah, I think that would be anexcellent investment.
(09:20):
Let me talk about batterycharging for a minute.
In the time we've got leftreally quick.
We're talking BYD and they'vegot a super e-platform first in
China and I will say thisbecause I don't have time to get
into it.
They're saying they canrecharge their vehicles in five
minutes.
In the time it takes to gas upa vehicle with gasoline, you
(09:43):
could recharge one of these andI told you that was coming, told
you it was coming, and we'lltalk about this probably more
another time because I reallywant to get into it and I don't
really have the time to get intoit.
But they're talking about 249miles, five minutes of charging,
250 miles, which is mostvehicles range now.
(10:04):
So if you figure 10, 15 minutes, you've got everything you need
in 10 to 15 minutes and you'regood to go.
Imagine Up next my impressionsand review of the 2025
Volkswagen Jetta GLI SportsSedan.
You are listening to the TechMobility Show.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
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Speaker 2 (10:54):
Social media is the main place to be these days, and
we are no exception.
I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
Facebook videos, from my latestvehicle reviews to timely
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(11:16):
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
Be sure to subscribe to ourFacebook page.
Social media is the place to bethese days.
And're no exception.
I'm ken chester of the techmobility show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
instagram videos, from thelatest vehicle reviews to timely
(11:38):
commentary on a variety ofmobility and technology related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight.
You be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Instagram.
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
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For those of you that listen topodcasts, we have just the one
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Hi, I'm Ken Chester.
(11:59):
Tech Mobility Topics is apodcast where I upload
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Shorter than a full show.
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Just enter Tech Mobility Topicsin the search bar, wherever you
(12:21):
listen to podcasts 40 years ago, volkswagen came to America and
we were different.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Today, nobody else builds German-engineered,
incredibly fun-to-drive carsthat are so affordable and so
well-protected.
So we're still different.
Right now, volkswagen'scelebrating our 40th anniversary
with great values on all ourmodels.
To the 10 million Americanswho've owned Volkswagens we say
come on home.
To the rest of you, comeexperience the difference.
Lisa, jetta GL for only $199 amonth and zero down at your
(12:54):
Volkswagen dealer today.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
That was 1995.
Volkswagen had been in Americafor 40 years by 1995, which
means they came to America rightafter World War II the number
one vehicle, the VolkswagenBeetle.
They made millions of them andfor most people that is all they
(13:18):
know.
They know Volkswagen Beetle andthe Volkswagen bus are the two
vehicles that basically in theUnited States largely defined
who Volkswagen was for many,many years, until about 1980.
Now I need to back up a littlebit.
Volkswagen did build othervehicles.
One such vehicle I won't getinto it, but it was called, and
(13:41):
this was the marketable name forthis thing, they called it the
Thing.
If you saw it you'd understandwhy they called it the thing,
and they sold about two or threethousand of them in the United
States.
They built Scirocco's, theybuilt some other specialty
vehicles, but nothing reallycaught the fire at the volume
(14:02):
like the original Beetle andtheir bus, the Volkswagen bus,
till about 1979.
That is when Volkswagen globallyintroduced what was called the
Jetta in the United States butwas under various different
names around the world.
The Jetta was launched back in1980 to fill a sedan niche
(14:27):
slightly above the firm's golf,then known in America as the
Rabbit hatchback, sold globallyand known by a variety of model
names.
The Jetta has grown in size andpower with each generation,
with millions sold over itsmodel run.
The Volkswagen Jetta continuesto be popular with motorists.
(14:48):
The performance-oriented JettaGLI was first introduced into
the American marketplace for the1984 model year.
After the successful launch ofthe Golf GTI or, as they
probably called it here, theRabbit GTI, volkswagen decided
to create a near and similarsporty version of the Jetta, but
(15:09):
unlike the Golf GTI, thetop-of-the-line Jetta had a
four-door option seating forfive, a spacious trunk which
better fit the needs of theaverage American family.
As the Jetta evolved throughthe 1980s and 90s, the GLI
underwent several moreenhancements to improve its
performance and visual appeal,underwent several more
enhancements to improve hisperformance and visual appeal.
(15:30):
In 2020, the seventh andcurrent generation of Jetta GLI
debuted at the Chicago Auto Show.
Building from the automaker'ssuccessful MQB platform, the
Mark VII GLI models feature aVAQ, electronically controlled
torque sensing, limited slipdifferential which hydraulically
varies torque to each frontwheel, working in tandem with
(15:52):
this with the car's xdselectronic differential lock to
reduce understeer and limitwheel spin, which is a lot of
car ease.
To say the car is designed tobe that you can handle almost
any weather it throws, that getsthrown at it with a minimum of
loss of control.
(16:12):
That's all you need to knowabout all of that for 2025.
The jet is elegant, coupe likeprofile, is complemented by a
revised front fascia, whichfeatures a new upper and lower
grill designs that emphasize theJetta's athleticism.
New LCD headlights as well asan available light bar provide a
(16:36):
distinctive and modernappearance, while a new trunk
lid with a standard light barconnecting the taillights adds a
touch of elegance to the rear.
For the GLI, the illuminatedlight bar in the grille is
standard, with black upper andlower grille.
In the grille is standard, withblack upper and lower grille
featuring honeycomb detailingand a red accent strip which
draws a visual connection to itssport-tuned stablemate, the GTI
.
And, as on the GTI, the GLIlettering sits above and to the
(16:58):
left.
At the rear, the new light barelegantly connects taillights,
while sharply lined LEDtaillight clusters emphasize the
sedan's impressive width, plusblack honeycomb diffuser with a
wider dual exhaust.
And if you haven't figured thatout yet, this review is limited
to the Jetta GLI models.
(17:19):
There's a variety of Jettamodels.
We're just going to talk aboutthe GLI.
Power for the GLI is producedby a 2-liter gasoline
turbocharged 4-cylinder enginethat makes 228 horsepower and
produces 258 foot-pounds oftorque.
Power is communicated to thefront drive wheels via a 6-speed
manual or a DSG 7-speeddual-clutch automatic with
(17:41):
Tiptronic All-wheel drive is notoffered.
Epa fuel economy numbers are 26city 30 highway for the manual
gearbox, 25 city 35 highway forthe DSG dual clutch automatic.
Cargo capacity is 14.1 cubicfeet and, just so you know, the
EPA classifies the Jetta GLI asa compact car.
(18:02):
So here's what I liked about it.
Like many crossover SUVs on theroad today, the Jetta GLI offers
the motorist performanceoptions in the way of a drive
mode select knob.
The driver can choose the modethat best fits the desired
driving profile Eco comfort,normal sport and custom Underway
.
The Jetta GLI was fun to drive,delivering a nuanced
(18:24):
interpretation of handling andcontrol Displays, control and
switchgear were easy to read andoperate.
The Jetta and I put this incaps does not have Volkswagen's
latest iteration ofmultifunction steering wheel
controls.
I find those things awful andconfusing.
I was introduced to them on theID.4.
I did not like them.
(18:45):
The Jetta does not have them.
Hooray.
Seating in the front pastseating in the passenger cabin
was comfortable for four adults.
Front seats were both heatedand cooled.
Accommodations also includeddual usb ports for front seat
passengers.
A large panoramic sunroof isstandard.
I got three words for you.
(19:07):
Retained accessory power meansthat the power runs in accessory
mode once you turn the vehicleoff before you leave the car for
up to 10 minutes, and it'sreally nice.
As I have come to expect fromVolkswagen, the rear cargo area
is large, square and verybeautiful.
The split fold-down rear seatsadd to Jetta's GLI's ability to
accommodate both passengers andcargo.
(19:28):
The spare tire is accessiblefrom a storage well under the
trunk floor.
Here's what I didn't like aboutthe car no wireless phone
charger I thought the fueleconomy was average at best
nowadays.
And my question hybrid.
There were no rear USB ports.
No automatic replay for theradio and let me tell you, once
you've experienced it, you willnever go back to just a radio.
(19:51):
No rear heated seating and thisis ironic for Volkswagen,
because I've never seen thishappen.
The split folding rear seatsdon't fold flat with the cargo
floor.
They always do on a Volkswagen,I mean the smaller Golf does
that easily.
Now, not that you will ever needto look into the engine
compartment, but if you do, Iwarn you, beware.
(20:12):
The engine hood is solid steeland it's heavy.
I've got a couple oflike-to-haves, because this is a
performance car.
I'd like a head-up display anda windshield and I'd like fog
lights.
So here's the bottom line.
Built by the automaker in asprawling facility in Pueblo,
mexico, the Jetta GLI is one ofthe last traditional four-door
(20:32):
passenger cars in themarketplace.
With a sticker price of some$10,000 to $13,000 below
comparable size crossover SUVs,it does offer a compelling
argument.
If you decide you don't need orwant the performance edge, you
perfectly fine.
Jetta sedan can be had for muchless.
The performance edge perfectlyfine.
Jetta sedan can be had for muchless.
The manufacturer suggestedretail price for the 2025
(20:53):
volkswagen jetta gli sportssedan starts from 32,715.
Destination charges add 1,225dollars and this is kind of the
low 30s is kind of where themidsize passenger sedans are now
, and it's right in the middle.
Once upon a time, the 36-monthcar loan ruled supreme.
(21:15):
Now it's approaching 84 months.
Are we at the edge ofaffordability?
This is the Tech Mobility Show.
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(21:36):
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(21:58):
to be.
We're no exception.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
Several times a week I post toTikTok several of the topics
that I cover on my weekly radioshow.
It's another way to keep up onmobility technology news and
information.
I've built quite a library ofshort videos for your viewing
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That's the Tech Mobility Showon TikTok.
(22:20):
Check it out.
I know I'm going to date myselfterribly, but here it goes.
I remember a time when youcould purchase a decently
equipped new car and this is the1970s definition for right
(22:41):
around $4,000.
Don't laugh, honest to God,$4,000.
With a monthly paymentspreading out over 36 months of
about $140 a month.
Now, to be fair, a decentlyequipped mid-1970s car was a
three-speed automatictransmission, usually with a six
or eight-cylinder engine.
Automatic transmission, powersteering, power brakes, a
(23:02):
single-speaker AM-FM radio thefact you had FM wow.
And electric Wernher, window tofogger, which was a big deal.
Also worthy of note, buildquality was spotty for everybody
and I'm being nice it was awfulfor pretty much everybody, and
even the Japanese too.
(23:23):
And a vehicle.
If you brought a vehicle into adealership in 1977 with almost
100,000 miles on it on theodometer, let's put it to you
this way it was overdue at thejunkyard.
It was awful, it was bad.
It was rusted, barely ran.
Man, it was bad, they were bad.
They usually got crushed afterthat or they went straight to
(23:46):
the junkyard.
Obviously, today is verydifferent all the way around.
The average transaction priceis hovering around $50,000, with
monthly payments and paymentplans extending well into the
future.
And, honestly, the averagevehicle engineered today off the
assembly line is engineered tolast 250,000 miles on average
(24:07):
average if you take care of it.
So here's the question Is thiswhat the edge of affordability
looks like?
This is topic B.
What the industry is seeingright now is an increasing
percentage of consumers takingseven years, seven years, a
(24:34):
payment to pay for the newvehicle.
Seven years For the longesttime.
The five year loan was thesupreme, was the gold standard,
and even that in some areas waslooked at kind of long, but it
was five years.
We're two years past that.
Now here's the part that scaredme in looking at these numbers
(24:57):
in this recent article fromAutomotive News.
Now we talked about the averageprice of a new car.
We said it's around 50 grandand they financed just over 40.
Average loan, homogenizedtogether, is just shy of 70
months between 68 and 69 monthsfor a new car and that's average
(25:22):
.
When I looked at used vehicleloans, I had to pick myself up
off the floor.
Now this is automotive news.
This is a trade publicationpulling numbers from their
automotive news research anddata center.
Used vehicle loans, would youbelieve?
People average are financingused vehicles fractionally
(25:46):
longer than a new car.
That blew me out of the water.
That's not all.
Little over one out of every 10people who finance a used car
are paying for it for almostseven years Seven years One out
(26:09):
of ten.
This is used by the way peopleUsed cars.
What's worse, 77% of the usedvehicle loans written are five
to six a little over six years.
Three months.
They're 60 to 75 month loans ona used car A used car.
(26:36):
The industry says that this iswhat affordability crisis looks
like People taking longer andlonger to pay off their vehicles
, to get that monthly paymentdown.
And I've always said to anybodywho would listen you never,
ever, ever, ever Buy a vehiclebased on a monthly payment.
You look at the total amount ofmoney because you got insurance
(26:59):
, maintenance, registration, allof this other stuff that goes
into operating a vehicle.
Life changes, shoot.
Life changes.
In two to three years, do youknow what you're going to be
doing in seven years?
Do you know if your used car isgoing to last that long and you
want to finance a used car?
I'm surprised there are anybanks even writing those things.
(27:19):
But one out of 10 loans arewritten for over for seven years
and that's used cars.
Two out of 10 new car loans arewritten at that level and that
number has been growing.
In 2019, first quarter of 19,.
(27:41):
It was 13% Last year.
Beginning of 2024, it was 16%this year.
It's 20%.
That's on new cars.
At some point, consumers aregoing to run out of their bag of
tricks for financing.
Right now they're playing thegame.
(28:03):
They said if I can push it outthere, push it out there, push
it out there, but you're addinga fixed overhead on top of
insurance, on top of maintenanceon top of basically
commandeering a part of yourincome for the next seven years.
So it makes you very unable todo things, to make changes,
change jobs, buy or sell a newhome.
(28:23):
All of that stuff gets impactedwhen you are making these kind
of payments this long.
And this is assuming you takecare of the vehicle and
maintenance is on top of that,insurance and registration is on
top of that Insurance andregistration is on top of that
payment.
And oh, by the way, because youborrowed money, the bank's going
(28:44):
to make you carry fullinsurance on that vehicle as
part of the loan requirement.
So even if you had gotten six,seven years out, or even five,
six years out, and you said youknow what, I'm comfortable,
because we live rural orwhatever, we don't drive it much
or much traffic, we can backdown the insurance a little bit,
(29:05):
save a little bit of money.
No, you can't.
If you borrowed the money, yourcredit union, bank or whatever
is going to require you carryfull insurance, full insurance.
And if you're spending all ofthat money on a seven-year loan,
chances are you're probably notcarrying gap insurance, which,
(29:26):
by the way, in that loan youdefinitely need to be doing that
Because instead of three yearsyou're going to be closer to
five years before you break even, and how much interest is
wrapped up in that over thatperiod of time.
You would cringe if you see theloan agreement actually see,
because they're required by lawto show you how much interest
(29:47):
you will pay over the life ofthat loan.
And even if you were fortunateenough, lock in a decent rate,
say below 7% rate on a newvehicle, that's a lot of money
because chances are you'relooking at if the numbers be
true, you're financing $40,000for seven years on top of every
(30:09):
other expense.
You've got Any unknowns?
Will you be healthy?
Will your family be healthy?
Is your job that secure?
Will you be able to make thesepayments?
Your family be healthy?
Is your job that secure?
Will you be able to make thesepayments?
What happens if you're five anda half years in and you lose
your job or you get hurt or youcan't work?
(30:30):
Now what, yeah, the most, themost shocking part of this to me
.
While 84 months for new cars along time, one out of every 10
used car loans written was forthat length of time and the
average loan term first quarterof this year for a used vehicle
(30:51):
was longer by two months thanthe new cars.
That blew me away.
It's the thing going on forused cars, and this is even
before all the other stuff goingon in the market right now,
which means this could even beworse, because used cars will go
up like they did just duringthe pandemic, depending on how
this goes.
(31:12):
Highway safety isn't just formotorists and pedestrians, it's
also for those who work in workzones.
A look at traffic safetytechnology.
We are the Tech Mobility Show.
To learn more about the TechMobility Show, start by visiting
our website.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
The website is a treasure troveof information about me and the
(31:35):
show, as well as where to findit on the radio across the
country.
Keep up with the happenings atthe Tech Mobility Show by
visiting techmobilityshow.
That's techmobilityshow.
You can also drop us a line attalk at techmobilityshow.
(31:56):
Did you know that Tech Mobilityhas a YouTube channel?
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe TechMobility Show.
Each week I upload a few shortvideos of some of the hot topics
that I cover during my weeklyradio program.
I've designed these videos tobe informative and entertaining.
It's another way to keep up oncurrent mobility and technology
(32:16):
news and information.
Be sure to watch, like andsubscribe to my channel.
That's the TechM Mobility Showon YouTube.
Check it out.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
Are you tired of juggling multiple apps and
platforms for meetings, webinarsand staying connected?
Look no further thanAONmeetingscom, the all-in-one
browser-based platform that doesit all.
With AON Meetings, you caneffortlessly communicate with
clients, host virtual meetingsand webinars and stay in touch
with family and friends all inone place and for one price.
Here's the best part you canendure a 30-day free trial.
(32:44):
It's time to simplify your lifeand boost your productivity.
Aonmeetingscom, whereinnovation meets connection.
Get started today andrevolutionize the way you
communicate.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Social media is the place to be these days, and
we're no exception.
I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
Instagram videos From the latestvehicle reviews to timely
commentary on a variety ofmobility and technology-related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight
you.
Be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Instagram.
(33:18):
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
According to the National SafetyCouncil, 891 people were killed
and 37,701 were injured in workzone crashes, and that was in
(33:39):
2022.
Would you believe?
Most of those deaths in workzones were motorists.
Technology is being deployed toreduce both the severity and
frequency of these collisions.
This is topic C.
We talk about safety.
We talk about safety.
(33:59):
We talk about technology.
A lot of this happens to bewhat rear-end collisions people
not paying attention, beingdistracted, misjudging speed,
going into a work zone andcrashing into the vehicle in
front of them.
By comparison, of all thosenumbers, 54 of those people
(34:22):
killed were people that workedin work zones, and this is work
zone deaths in the United Statesas reported into the National
Highway Transit Safety FederalAccident Reporting System.
This is the data.
It's not perfect data, but itgives you a snapshot.
(34:46):
Let me give an example.
I'll talk about my state.
I've got it here.
In 2022, in the state of Iowa,for example, there were six work
zone deaths, five of which weremotorists.
One was a person that worked inthe zone People.
There is a reason when you seesigns, that number one speeding
(35:08):
in a work zone costs you so muchmore.
If you're in Illinois, theytell you what happens if you hit
or kill a work zone worker andit's dire for the motorist.
They want you to slow down andthey want you to pay attention.
But, like everything else in oursociety, this technology that
(35:30):
they're working to develop tohelp that and what they call it
let me make sure I've got itit's called a queue warning
system and it's designed toalert drivers of upcoming
traffic conditions, and it'stypically made up of a series of
(35:55):
portable changeable messagesigns used to display messages
to motorists upstream of thework zone beyond the maximum
queue cue.
Traffic sensors detectreal-time traffic speeds and an
automated traffic system whichstores the data turns the
warning message on or off, basedon a set of algorithms,
typically what they're lookingat if the upstream speed is 40
miles an hour or less, it willtrigger these signs.
What they're doing is they'reusing progressive information to
(36:19):
motorists to mitigate speed, toget them to pay more attention
and to mitigate their behaviorscoming into and out of work
zones.
To reduce traffic situations,to reduce injuries, to reduce
death.
Wisconsin Johnson did a studyon these Q warning systems
(36:39):
they're called QWSs and this iswhat they found out.
They did the study in 2017, andthey compared Q-rated crashes
compared to ones that with andwithout a Q warning system
installed.
When a QWS was installed, thenumber of crashes decreased by
(37:01):
15% and the number of injurycrashes decreased by a whopping
63%.
A cost-benefit analysis foundthat the QWS reduced Q-related
work zone crash costs by 13% andreduced driver anxiety was
another benefit of utilizing aQWS.
The good news is thatWisconsin's experience was
(37:26):
consistent with other studiesand experiences in other states.
We live in a technology-heavyenvironment.
We live in a technology-heavyenvironment.
Work zones are tedious, can betricky, requires a lot of
attention and usually and we areall guilty of it at one time or
another probably rollingthrough there way too fast.
(37:51):
They decided that scaring youwith fines wasn't enough.
They decided that scaring youwith the consequences of
injuring or killing a workerwasn't enough.
Those were the sticks.
Now they're trying some carrots, saying, gee, what if we
communicated with the drivers inreal time before they got there
through signage Another benefitof technology I can imagine, as
(38:20):
vehicle-to-vehiclecommunication takes hold, it
starts to get a grip in the next10 years that you wouldn't even
need the signage.
The systems would inform you incar itself, and there's a
variety of ways it could do it.
It could do it audio, it coulddo it visual, it could let you
(38:40):
know whatever you need to knowabout that situation and, if
it's a semi-autonomous vehicle,might even program the vehicle
to react in certain ways, cominginto a work zone to where
driver interaction is not evennecessary anymore.
But speed is an issue always isand one of the things that I
(39:09):
have a problem with that theywant to do is intelligent speed
mitigation, where the car isvery basically has a system to
automatically, without yourinteraction, reduce speed in
certain cases Down the speedlimit.
Road construction situations,things like that, I don't know.
I think that's the nanny stategoing a little too far.
I'd like to think that I am adecent driver that pays
(39:32):
attention.
Apparently, not enough of us dothat and that's unfortunate,
but here's something to thinkabout.
They call them smart work zones.
These smart work zones continueto improve communication, to
reduce delays, and the big thingis what they're going to is
(39:52):
travel time.
Information can be reported tothe time it takes to get through
the end of the work zone orprovide travel time along an
alternate route.
Not only will they communicatewith the driver, and maybe even
with the vehicle eventually, butthey can give you alternative
routes if the time in the queuewas more time than you wanted,
(40:15):
which means they would have toeducate you in enough time so
you could take that off-ramp ortake the alternative route as an
option.
You wouldn't have to wait untilyou started backing up in
traffic or got into the workzone to find out oh, if I had
gotten off five miles ago, Icould have went around.
Communication, education arethe big deals they feel would
(40:38):
make both working folks in theseareas safer and protect drivers
from themselves and each otherfrom rear-ending folks and
causing all sorts of trouble.
Technology marches on and Ifully see the fact and see the
opportunity where this will allbe automated.
Your vehicle won't even need tointeract with you and it will
(41:01):
react accordingly.
All the piece parts are there,particularly with these cars.
Now that got whatever you wantto call it autopilot, co-pilot,
various supercruise the basicsto put this stuff in there are
already in the cars it's coming.
(41:22):
The question is how, when and,more importantly, how much?
And are they any good?
All the piece parts are thereand they're building on these
piece parts to go to the nextlevel.
That's how they get it done ina way that makes some sense with
proven technologies.
Not all of it's ready, though.
We've come to the end of ourvisit.
(41:45):
Be sure to join me again nexttime, right here.
This has been a Tech MobilityShow.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
The Tech Mobility Show is a copywritten production
of Tech Mobility ProductionsInc.
Any rebroadcast, retransmissionor any other use is prohibited
without the written consent ofTech Mobility Productions
Incorporated.
Speaker 2 (42:16):
For those of you that listen to podcasts, we have
just the one for you.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester.
Tech Mobility Topics is apodcast where I upload
topic-specific videos each week,Shorter than a full show.
These bite-sized programs arejust the thing, particularly if
you're interested in aparticular topic covered on the
weekly radio show.
From Apple Podcasts toiHeartRadio and many podcast
(42:37):
platforms in between, we got youcovered.
Just enter Tech Mobility Topicsin the search bar.
Wherever you listen to podcasts, Social media, it's the place
to be.
We're no exception.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
Several times a week, I post toTikTok several of the topics
that I cover on my weekly radioshow.
(42:58):
It's another way to keep up onmobility technology news and
information.
I've built quite a library ofshort videos for your viewing
pleasure, so be sure to watch,like and subscribe.
That's the Tech Mobility Showon TikTok.
Check it out.
To learn more about the TechMobility Show, start by visiting
our website.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
(43:21):
The website is a treasure troveof information about me and the
show, as well as where to findit on the radio across the
country.
Keep up with the happenings ofthe Tech Mobility Show by
visiting techmobilityshow.
That's techmobilityshow.
You can also drop us a line attalk at techmobilityshow you can
(43:42):
also drop us a line at talk attechmobilityshow.
Do you listen to podcasts?
Seems that most people do.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
If you missed any of our weeklyepisodes on the radio, our
podcast is a great way to listen.
You can find the Tech Mobilitypodcast just about anywhere you
can enjoy podcasts.
Be sure to follow us from ApplePodcasts, iHeart Radio and many
(44:04):
platforms in between.
We are there.
Just enter the Tech Mobilitypodcast in the search bar,
wherever you listen to podcasts.
Welcome to the Tech Mobility Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I'm Ken Chester On the docket my impressions and
review of the 2025 VolkswagenJetta GLI sports sedan, new car
loans get longer and trafficsafety technology.
To add your voice to theconversation, to ask a question,
share an opinion or even make asuggestion for a future topic
(00:33):
of discussion on the show, callor text the Tech Mobility
hotline, that number,872-222-9793.
Or you can email the showdirectly if that is your
preference.
Talk at techmobilityshow Also,if you'd be so kind to consider
(00:56):
to subscribe, like and follow uson social media, our YouTube
channel and our two podcasts theTech Mobility Podcast and Tech
Mobility Topics.
And before we go to the TechMobility News Desk, let me add
this there is original contentthat I put out to social media
(01:17):
that is not part of the weeklyshow.
Some of the things that youwill see actually is our
one-minute updates for the TechMobility Minute, but you'll
actually see me as I talk aboutthat, unlike just hear me.
And then, something that I dojust for digital that I do not
do on the show is I do my videowalk-around.
(01:39):
I test drive a lot of cars andtrucks and SUVs and crossovers
and EVs in the course of a year.
I try to pick the best ones,and I do take pictures and do
video on every single one, andwhat I like to do for those of
(02:01):
you that follow me digitally isoffer what we call a video walk
around.
I don't talk about it.
I set it to music, I puttogether the stills and the
videos so you can experience thevehicle for yourself.
And I've driven some prettycool vehicles and I'm coming up
with one that I'm reallyimpressed with.
They kind of blew me out of thewater because I wasn't
(02:21):
expecting to be impressed withit.
I'm not going to tell you thename of it, but I do want you to
look out for it in social mediain the next couple of weeks.
When you see it, you'llunderstand why I was so excited
about it.
But I wanted to add that for youin case you were wondering.
There's a lot more going outinto our social media and
digital world than just what youhear on the show.
(02:41):
So check it out, drop us a lineand, like I said earlier,
please be sure to subscribe,like and follow us on our
various platforms.
We're trying to get to 1,000 onYouTube.
It would be wonderful if youwould just go out there and
subscribe.
That would help us a great deal.
Thank you so much.
From the Tech Mobility NewsDesk.
(03:04):
The number one vehicle for thelast 40-some-odd years from the
Tech Mobility News Desk.
The number one vehicle for thelast 40-some-odd years is also
one of the ones most stolen, andI'm talking about the Ford
F-150.
Ford Motor Company decided toadd a little something-something
to help motorists keep theirvehicles and, believe it or not,
(03:26):
there's an app for that.
Ford app adds remote killswitch to keep thieves from
stealing f-150s.
And this is straight from ford.
It's part of ford's newsecurity package, which includes
, on top of that, a 2500insurance deductible
reimbursement for theft.
(03:47):
If they steal your truck andyou've got this insurance, you
will get reimbursed up to $2,500for your out of pocket from
your insurance company.
They quote a statistic and youknow me, I love statistics and I
love putting things in context.
Cars get stolen often.
(04:09):
In the United States of Americahow often you ask?
Thank you for asking?
One gets stolen every 31seconds.
So in the time it's taken me toread this, approximately four
vehicles have gotten stolensomewhere in the country.
(04:29):
Ford is offering all newF-Series trucks this mobile app
engine motorizer as part of itsnew Ford security package, so
customers can remotely preventtheir truck from starting, no
matter where it is.
Get it in the world.
You're off on a world cruisefor a month.
(04:50):
Your F-150 is parked in yourdriveway in the upper Midwest.
Somebody sees it hasn't movedin a while and they think they
can steal it.
Guess what?
They activate the app, turn onthe mobile engine immobilizer.
That vehicle ain't goingnowhere.
Ford started this package lastyear on the F-150, but they're
(05:13):
going to make it up to the 2025Super Duty and eventually other
future Ford models.
So basically they're offeringan app that will let you control
and help deter people fromstealing your vehicle.
Ford says it's not just aremote engine immobilizer, it's
(05:37):
a comprehensive theft preventionpackage that they say in a Ford
Pass mobile app, owners ofproperly equipped F-150s can
remotely use the start inhibitfunction, previously available
to fleets, but now retailcustomers can get it.
It prevents the truck from beingstarted by even somebody with
an authorized key.
(05:58):
Because you left your keys athome.
They broke into your house.
They found the keys because youleft them in the tray, where
you always do by the door, andthey think they got your truck.
Guess what, they don't, becauseyou turn this on even with the
key, they wonder why your truckwon't start.
Ain't going to happen.
It doesn't matter where you arein relation to the vehicle or
(06:23):
who's trying to get in, it'slocked down.
Hmm, you'll love this.
And for y'all that got teenagers, you can even prevent people in
your own house from snaggingyour keys and going for a
joyride until you digitally tellthe truck it's okay to start,
it ain't starting.
(06:43):
Just make sure your kids don'tget a hold of your phone and
know that you got the app Ifthey know that you're still
messed up and teenagers arepretty industrious when they
want to be Even if somebodytries to steal your truck,
you'll get notifications fromthe app.
The app will tell yousomebody's trying to lift your
truck.
Ford offers a dedicated 800number to call, to be staffed by
(07:06):
real humans who will contactlocal authorities to help you if
you're not near your truck.
I like that part.
What's more, ford knows thatthese are clever.
Say, maybe someone figures outa way to get around the digital
locks and takes the truck anyway.
That's where the $2,500 comesin.
The security package comes withall of these services for one
(07:30):
year for free, and after thatit's only $799 a month.
Now, the only catch.
She had to buy a fairly newtruck, either 2024, 2025 F-150,
or 2025 Super Duty with the SYNC4 version, and I'm not going to
get into the version of thesecurity system.
They said that these servicesmay eventually roll out of the
(07:52):
nameplates before it isnaturally chosen to start with
its most popular product.
I said in a previous show aboutstuff they want to sell you at
the dealership.
If I just spent almost $80,000for a Ford F-150 Platinum, yeah,
$799 a month, sign me up forthat that.
(08:14):
Yeah, I'm in for that.
I'm not against certain digitalproducts if they add value for
me or add security that I can'treplicate somewhere else.
This is one of those and honestto goodness, what people are
paying and what insurance.
The only question I've got isdo I get an insurance break from
(08:36):
my insurance company for havingit?
That would be a conversationI'd have both with Ford, and the
insurance company said OK, I'vegot this app, it's on my phone,
I actively use it, so where'smy discount?
I want a discount because theydiscount just about everything
and it would be the insurancecompany's best interest for you
(08:57):
to go that way.
So if they knocked off 10%, 20%, 30% off your premium, you've
more than paid for the $799 amonth big time in multiples,
particularly what it would costto get to insure a $60,000 to
$80,000 pickup truck.
Yeah, I think that would be anexcellent investment.
(09:20):
Let me talk about batterycharging for a minute.
In the time we've got leftreally quick.
We're talking BYD and they'vegot a super e-platform first in
China and I will say thisbecause I don't have time to get
into it.
They're saying they canrecharge their vehicles in five
minutes.
In the time it takes to gas upa vehicle with gasoline, you
(09:43):
could recharge one of these andI told you that was coming, told
you it was coming, and we'lltalk about this probably more
another time because I reallywant to get into it and I don't
really have the time to get intoit.
But they're talking about 249miles, five minutes of charging,
250 miles, which is mostvehicles range now.
(10:04):
So if you figure 10, 15 minutes, you've got everything you need
in 10 to 15 minutes and you'regood to go.
Imagine Up next my impressionsand review of the 2025
Volkswagen Jetta GLI SportsSedan.
You are listening to the TechMobility Show.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Are you tired of juggling multiple apps and
platforms for meetings, webinarsand staying connected?
Look no further thanAONMeetingscom, the all-in-one
browser-based platform that doesit all.
With AONMeetings, you caneffortlessly communicate with
clients, host virtual meetingsand webinars and stay in touch
with family and friends all inone place and for one price.
Here's the best part you canenjoy a 30-day free trial.
(10:44):
It's time to simplify your lifeand boost your productivity.
Aonmeetingscom, whereinnovation meets connection.
Get started today andrevolutionize the way you
communicate.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Social media is the main place to be these days, and
we are no exception.
I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
Facebook videos, from my latestvehicle reviews to timely
commentary of a variety ofmobility and technology-related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight.
You Be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Facebook.
(11:16):
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
Be sure to subscribe to ourFacebook page.
Social media is the place to bethese days.
And're no exception.
I'm ken chester of the techmobility show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
instagram videos, from thelatest vehicle reviews to timely
(11:38):
commentary on a variety ofmobility and technology related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight.
You be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Instagram.
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
For those of you that listen topodcasts, we have just the one
for you.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester.
(11:59):
Tech Mobility Topics is apodcast where I upload
topic-specific videos each week.
Shorter than a full show.
These bite-sized programs arejust the thing, particularly if
you're interested in aparticular topic covered on the
weekly radio show, from ApplePodcasts to iHeartRadio and many
podcast platforms in between,we got you covered.
Just enter Tech Mobility Topicsin the search bar, wherever you
(12:21):
listen to podcasts 40 years ago, volkswagen came to America and
we were different.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Today, nobody else builds German-engineered,
incredibly fun-to-drive carsthat are so affordable and so
well-protected.
So we're still different.
Right now, volkswagen'scelebrating our 40th anniversary
with great values on all ourmodels.
To the 10 million Americanswho've owned Volkswagens we say
come on home.
To the rest of you, comeexperience the difference.
Lisa, jetta GL for only $199 amonth and zero down at your
(12:54):
Volkswagen dealer today.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
That was 1995.
Volkswagen had been in Americafor 40 years by 1995, which
means they came to America rightafter World War II the number
one vehicle, the VolkswagenBeetle.
They made millions of them andfor most people that is all they
(13:18):
know.
They know Volkswagen Beetle andthe Volkswagen bus are the two
vehicles that basically in theUnited States largely defined
who Volkswagen was for many,many years, until about 1980.
Now I need to back up a littlebit.
Volkswagen did build othervehicles.
One such vehicle I won't getinto it, but it was called, and
(13:41):
this was the marketable name forthis thing, they called it the
Thing.
If you saw it you'd understandwhy they called it the thing,
and they sold about two or threethousand of them in the United
States.
They built Scirocco's, theybuilt some other specialty
vehicles, but nothing reallycaught the fire at the volume
(14:02):
like the original Beetle andtheir bus, the Volkswagen bus,
till about 1979.
That is when Volkswagen globallyintroduced what was called the
Jetta in the United States butwas under various different
names around the world.
The Jetta was launched back in1980 to fill a sedan niche
(14:27):
slightly above the firm's golf,then known in America as the
Rabbit hatchback, sold globallyand known by a variety of model
names.
The Jetta has grown in size andpower with each generation,
with millions sold over itsmodel run.
The Volkswagen Jetta continuesto be popular with motorists.
(14:48):
The performance-oriented JettaGLI was first introduced into
the American marketplace for the1984 model year.
After the successful launch ofthe Golf GTI or, as they
probably called it here, theRabbit GTI, volkswagen decided
to create a near and similarsporty version of the Jetta, but
(15:09):
unlike the Golf GTI, thetop-of-the-line Jetta had a
four-door option seating forfive, a spacious trunk which
better fit the needs of theaverage American family.
As the Jetta evolved throughthe 1980s and 90s, the GLI
underwent several moreenhancements to improve its
performance and visual appeal,underwent several more
enhancements to improve hisperformance and visual appeal.
(15:30):
In 2020, the seventh andcurrent generation of Jetta GLI
debuted at the Chicago Auto Show.
Building from the automaker'ssuccessful MQB platform, the
Mark VII GLI models feature aVAQ, electronically controlled
torque sensing, limited slipdifferential which hydraulically
varies torque to each frontwheel, working in tandem with
(15:52):
this with the car's xdselectronic differential lock to
reduce understeer and limitwheel spin, which is a lot of
car ease.
To say the car is designed tobe that you can handle almost
any weather it throws, that getsthrown at it with a minimum of
loss of control.
(16:12):
That's all you need to knowabout all of that for 2025.
The jet is elegant, coupe likeprofile, is complemented by a
revised front fascia, whichfeatures a new upper and lower
grill designs that emphasize theJetta's athleticism.
New LCD headlights as well asan available light bar provide a
(16:36):
distinctive and modernappearance, while a new trunk
lid with a standard light barconnecting the taillights adds a
touch of elegance to the rear.
For the GLI, the illuminatedlight bar in the grille is
standard, with black upper andlower grille.
In the grille is standard, withblack upper and lower grille
featuring honeycomb detailingand a red accent strip which
draws a visual connection to itssport-tuned stablemate, the GTI
.
And, as on the GTI, the GLIlettering sits above and to the
(16:58):
left.
At the rear, the new light barelegantly connects taillights,
while sharply lined LEDtaillight clusters emphasize the
sedan's impressive width, plusblack honeycomb diffuser with a
wider dual exhaust.
And if you haven't figured thatout yet, this review is limited
to the Jetta GLI models.
(17:19):
There's a variety of Jettamodels.
We're just going to talk aboutthe GLI.
Power for the GLI is producedby a 2-liter gasoline
turbocharged 4-cylinder enginethat makes 228 horsepower and
produces 258 foot-pounds oftorque.
Power is communicated to thefront drive wheels via a 6-speed
manual or a DSG 7-speeddual-clutch automatic with
(17:41):
Tiptronic All-wheel drive is notoffered.
Epa fuel economy numbers are 26city 30 highway for the manual
gearbox, 25 city 35 highway forthe DSG dual clutch automatic.
Cargo capacity is 14.1 cubicfeet and, just so you know, the
EPA classifies the Jetta GLI asa compact car.
(18:02):
So here's what I liked about it.
Like many crossover SUVs on theroad today, the Jetta GLI offers
the motorist performanceoptions in the way of a drive
mode select knob.
The driver can choose the modethat best fits the desired
driving profile Eco comfort,normal sport and custom Underway
.
The Jetta GLI was fun to drive,delivering a nuanced
(18:24):
interpretation of handling andcontrol Displays, control and
switchgear were easy to read andoperate.
The Jetta and I put this incaps does not have Volkswagen's
latest iteration ofmultifunction steering wheel
controls.
I find those things awful andconfusing.
I was introduced to them on theID.4.
I did not like them.
(18:45):
The Jetta does not have them.
Hooray.
Seating in the front pastseating in the passenger cabin
was comfortable for four adults.
Front seats were both heatedand cooled.
Accommodations also includeddual usb ports for front seat
passengers.
A large panoramic sunroof isstandard.
I got three words for you.
(19:07):
Retained accessory power meansthat the power runs in accessory
mode once you turn the vehicleoff before you leave the car for
up to 10 minutes, and it'sreally nice.
As I have come to expect fromVolkswagen, the rear cargo area
is large, square and verybeautiful.
The split fold-down rear seatsadd to Jetta's GLI's ability to
accommodate both passengers andcargo.
(19:28):
The spare tire is accessiblefrom a storage well under the
trunk floor.
Here's what I didn't like aboutthe car no wireless phone
charger I thought the fueleconomy was average at best
nowadays.
And my question hybrid.
There were no rear USB ports.
No automatic replay for theradio and let me tell you, once
you've experienced it, you willnever go back to just a radio.
(19:51):
No rear heated seating and thisis ironic for Volkswagen,
because I've never seen thishappen.
The split folding rear seatsdon't fold flat with the cargo
floor.
They always do on a Volkswagen,I mean the smaller Golf does
that easily.
Now, not that you will ever needto look into the engine
compartment, but if you do, Iwarn you, beware.
(20:12):
The engine hood is solid steeland it's heavy.
I've got a couple oflike-to-haves, because this is a
performance car.
I'd like a head-up display anda windshield and I'd like fog
lights.
So here's the bottom line.
Built by the automaker in asprawling facility in Pueblo,
mexico, the Jetta GLI is one ofthe last traditional four-door
(20:32):
passenger cars in themarketplace.
With a sticker price of some$10,000 to $13,000 below
comparable size crossover SUVs,it does offer a compelling
argument.
If you decide you don't need orwant the performance edge, you
perfectly fine.
Jetta sedan can be had for muchless.
The performance edge perfectlyfine.
Jetta sedan can be had for muchless.
The manufacturer suggestedretail price for the 2025
(20:53):
volkswagen jetta gli sportssedan starts from 32,715.
Destination charges add 1,225dollars and this is kind of the
low 30s is kind of where themidsize passenger sedans are now
, and it's right in the middle.
Once upon a time, the 36-monthcar loan ruled supreme.
(21:15):
Now it's approaching 84 months.
Are we at the edge ofaffordability?
This is the Tech Mobility Show.
Do you listen to podcasts?
Seems that most people do.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
If you've missed any of ourweekly episodes on the radio,
our podcast is a great way tolisten.
(21:36):
You can find the Tech MobilityPodcast just about anywhere.
You can enjoy podcasts.
Be sure to follow us From ApplePodcasts, iheart Radio and many
platforms in between.
We are there.
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Wherever you listen to podcasts, social media, it's the place
(21:58):
to be.
We're no exception.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
Several times a week I post toTikTok several of the topics
that I cover on my weekly radioshow.
It's another way to keep up onmobility technology news and
information.
I've built quite a library ofshort videos for your viewing
pleasure, so be sure to watch,like and subscribe.
That's the Tech Mobility Showon TikTok.
(22:20):
Check it out.
I know I'm going to date myselfterribly, but here it goes.
I remember a time when youcould purchase a decently
equipped new car and this is the1970s definition for right
(22:41):
around $4,000.
Don't laugh, honest to God,$4,000.
With a monthly paymentspreading out over 36 months of
about $140 a month.
Now, to be fair, a decentlyequipped mid-1970s car was a
three-speed automatictransmission, usually with a six
or eight-cylinder engine.
Automatic transmission, powersteering, power brakes, a
(23:02):
single-speaker AM-FM radio thefact you had FM wow.
And electric Wernher, window tofogger, which was a big deal.
Also worthy of note, buildquality was spotty for everybody
and I'm being nice it was awfulfor pretty much everybody, and
even the Japanese too.
(23:23):
And a vehicle.
If you brought a vehicle into adealership in 1977 with almost
100,000 miles on it on theodometer, let's put it to you
this way it was overdue at thejunkyard.
It was awful, it was bad.
It was rusted, barely ran.
Man, it was bad, they were bad.
They usually got crushed afterthat or they went straight to
(23:46):
the junkyard.
Obviously, today is verydifferent all the way around.
The average transaction priceis hovering around $50,000, with
monthly payments and paymentplans extending well into the
future.
And, honestly, the averagevehicle engineered today off the
assembly line is engineered tolast 250,000 miles on average
(24:07):
average if you take care of it.
So here's the question Is thiswhat the edge of affordability
looks like?
This is topic B.
What the industry is seeingright now is an increasing
percentage of consumers takingseven years, seven years, a
(24:34):
payment to pay for the newvehicle.
Seven years For the longesttime.
The five year loan was thesupreme, was the gold standard,
and even that in some areas waslooked at kind of long, but it
was five years.
We're two years past that.
Now here's the part that scaredme in looking at these numbers
(24:57):
in this recent article fromAutomotive News.
Now we talked about the averageprice of a new car.
We said it's around 50 grandand they financed just over 40.
Average loan, homogenizedtogether, is just shy of 70
months between 68 and 69 monthsfor a new car and that's average
(25:22):
.
When I looked at used vehicleloans, I had to pick myself up
off the floor.
Now this is automotive news.
This is a trade publicationpulling numbers from their
automotive news research anddata center.
Used vehicle loans, would youbelieve?
People average are financingused vehicles fractionally
(25:46):
longer than a new car.
That blew me out of the water.
That's not all.
Little over one out of every 10people who finance a used car
are paying for it for almostseven years Seven years One out
(26:09):
of ten.
This is used by the way peopleUsed cars.
What's worse, 77% of the usedvehicle loans written are five
to six a little over six years.
Three months.
They're 60 to 75 month loans ona used car A used car.
(26:36):
The industry says that this iswhat affordability crisis looks
like People taking longer andlonger to pay off their vehicles
, to get that monthly paymentdown.
And I've always said to anybodywho would listen you never,
ever, ever, ever Buy a vehiclebased on a monthly payment.
You look at the total amount ofmoney because you got insurance
(26:59):
, maintenance, registration, allof this other stuff that goes
into operating a vehicle.
Life changes, shoot.
Life changes.
In two to three years, do youknow what you're going to be
doing in seven years?
Do you know if your used car isgoing to last that long and you
want to finance a used car?
I'm surprised there are anybanks even writing those things.
(27:19):
But one out of 10 loans arewritten for over for seven years
and that's used cars.
Two out of 10 new car loans arewritten at that level and that
number has been growing.
In 2019, first quarter of 19,.
(27:41):
It was 13% Last year.
Beginning of 2024, it was 16%this year.
It's 20%.
That's on new cars.
At some point, consumers aregoing to run out of their bag of
tricks for financing.
Right now they're playing thegame.
(28:03):
They said if I can push it outthere, push it out there, push
it out there, but you're addinga fixed overhead on top of
insurance, on top of maintenanceon top of basically
commandeering a part of yourincome for the next seven years.
So it makes you very unable todo things, to make changes,
change jobs, buy or sell a newhome.
(28:23):
All of that stuff gets impactedwhen you are making these kind
of payments this long.
And this is assuming you takecare of the vehicle and
maintenance is on top of that,insurance and registration is on
top of that Insurance andregistration is on top of that
payment.
And oh, by the way, because youborrowed money, the bank's going
(28:44):
to make you carry fullinsurance on that vehicle as
part of the loan requirement.
So even if you had gotten six,seven years out, or even five,
six years out, and you said youknow what, I'm comfortable,
because we live rural orwhatever, we don't drive it much
or much traffic, we can backdown the insurance a little bit,
(29:05):
save a little bit of money.
No, you can't.
If you borrowed the money, yourcredit union, bank or whatever
is going to require you carryfull insurance, full insurance.
And if you're spending all ofthat money on a seven-year loan,
chances are you're probably notcarrying gap insurance, which,
(29:26):
by the way, in that loan youdefinitely need to be doing that
Because instead of three yearsyou're going to be closer to
five years before you break even, and how much interest is
wrapped up in that over thatperiod of time.
You would cringe if you see theloan agreement actually see,
because they're required by lawto show you how much interest
(29:47):
you will pay over the life ofthat loan.
And even if you were fortunateenough, lock in a decent rate,
say below 7% rate on a newvehicle, that's a lot of money
because chances are you'relooking at if the numbers be
true, you're financing $40,000for seven years on top of every
(30:09):
other expense.
You've got Any unknowns?
Will you be healthy?
Will your family be healthy?
Is your job that secure?
Will you be able to make thesepayments?
Your family be healthy?
Is your job that secure?
Will you be able to make thesepayments?
What happens if you're five anda half years in and you lose
your job or you get hurt or youcan't work?
(30:30):
Now what, yeah, the most, themost shocking part of this to me
.
While 84 months for new cars along time, one out of every 10
used car loans written was forthat length of time and the
average loan term first quarterof this year for a used vehicle
(30:51):
was longer by two months thanthe new cars.
That blew me away.
It's the thing going on forused cars, and this is even
before all the other stuff goingon in the market right now,
which means this could even beworse, because used cars will go
up like they did just duringthe pandemic, depending on how
this goes.
(31:12):
Highway safety isn't just formotorists and pedestrians, it's
also for those who work in workzones.
A look at traffic safetytechnology.
We are the Tech Mobility Show.
To learn more about the TechMobility Show, start by visiting
our website.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
The website is a treasure troveof information about me and the
(31:35):
show, as well as where to findit on the radio across the
country.
Keep up with the happenings atthe Tech Mobility Show by
visiting techmobilityshow.
That's techmobilityshow.
You can also drop us a line attalk at techmobilityshow.
(31:56):
Did you know that Tech Mobilityhas a YouTube channel?
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe TechMobility Show.
Each week I upload a few shortvideos of some of the hot topics
that I cover during my weeklyradio program.
I've designed these videos tobe informative and entertaining.
It's another way to keep up oncurrent mobility and technology
(32:16):
news and information.
Be sure to watch, like andsubscribe to my channel.
That's the TechM Mobility Showon YouTube.
Check it out.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
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Social media is the place to be these days, and
we're no exception.
I'm Ken Chester of the TechMobility Show.
If you enjoy my program, thenyou will also enjoy my weekly
Instagram videos From the latestvehicle reviews to timely
commentary on a variety ofmobility and technology-related
topics.
These short features aredesigned to inform and delight
you.
Be sure to watch, like andfollow us on Instagram.
(33:18):
You can find us by typing theTech Mobility Show in the search
bar.
According to the National SafetyCouncil, 891 people were killed
and 37,701 were injured in workzone crashes, and that was in
(33:39):
2022.
Would you believe?
Most of those deaths in workzones were motorists.
Technology is being deployed toreduce both the severity and
frequency of these collisions.
This is topic C.
We talk about safety.
We talk about safety.
(33:59):
We talk about technology.
A lot of this happens to bewhat rear-end collisions people
not paying attention, beingdistracted, misjudging speed,
going into a work zone andcrashing into the vehicle in
front of them.
By comparison, of all thosenumbers, 54 of those people
(34:22):
killed were people that workedin work zones, and this is work
zone deaths in the United Statesas reported into the National
Highway Transit Safety FederalAccident Reporting System.
This is the data.
It's not perfect data, but itgives you a snapshot.
(34:46):
Let me give an example.
I'll talk about my state.
I've got it here.
In 2022, in the state of Iowa,for example, there were six work
zone deaths, five of which weremotorists.
One was a person that worked inthe zone People.
There is a reason when you seesigns, that number one speeding
(35:08):
in a work zone costs you so muchmore.
If you're in Illinois, theytell you what happens if you hit
or kill a work zone worker andit's dire for the motorist.
They want you to slow down andthey want you to pay attention.
But, like everything else in oursociety, this technology that
(35:30):
they're working to develop tohelp that and what they call it
let me make sure I've got itit's called a queue warning
system and it's designed toalert drivers of upcoming
traffic conditions, and it'stypically made up of a series of
(35:55):
portable changeable messagesigns used to display messages
to motorists upstream of thework zone beyond the maximum
queue cue.
Traffic sensors detectreal-time traffic speeds and an
automated traffic system whichstores the data turns the
warning message on or off, basedon a set of algorithms,
typically what they're lookingat if the upstream speed is 40
miles an hour or less, it willtrigger these signs.
What they're doing is they'reusing progressive information to
(36:19):
motorists to mitigate speed, toget them to pay more attention
and to mitigate their behaviorscoming into and out of work
zones.
To reduce traffic situations,to reduce injuries, to reduce
death.
Wisconsin Johnson did a studyon these Q warning systems
(36:39):
they're called QWSs and this iswhat they found out.
They did the study in 2017, andthey compared Q-rated crashes
compared to ones that with andwithout a Q warning system
installed.
When a QWS was installed, thenumber of crashes decreased by
(37:01):
15% and the number of injurycrashes decreased by a whopping
63%.
A cost-benefit analysis foundthat the QWS reduced Q-related
work zone crash costs by 13% andreduced driver anxiety was
another benefit of utilizing aQWS.
The good news is thatWisconsin's experience was
(37:26):
consistent with other studiesand experiences in other states.
We live in a technology-heavyenvironment.
We live in a technology-heavyenvironment.
Work zones are tedious, can betricky, requires a lot of
attention and usually and we areall guilty of it at one time or
another probably rollingthrough there way too fast.
(37:51):
They decided that scaring youwith fines wasn't enough.
They decided that scaring youwith the consequences of
injuring or killing a workerwasn't enough.
Those were the sticks.
Now they're trying some carrots, saying, gee, what if we
communicated with the drivers inreal time before they got there
through signage Another benefitof technology I can imagine, as
(38:20):
vehicle-to-vehiclecommunication takes hold, it
starts to get a grip in the next10 years that you wouldn't even
need the signage.
The systems would inform you incar itself, and there's a
variety of ways it could do it.
It could do it audio, it coulddo it visual, it could let you
(38:40):
know whatever you need to knowabout that situation and, if
it's a semi-autonomous vehicle,might even program the vehicle
to react in certain ways, cominginto a work zone to where
driver interaction is not evennecessary anymore.
But speed is an issue always isand one of the things that I
(39:09):
have a problem with that theywant to do is intelligent speed
mitigation, where the car isvery basically has a system to
automatically, without yourinteraction, reduce speed in
certain cases Down the speedlimit.
Road construction situations,things like that, I don't know.
I think that's the nanny stategoing a little too far.
I'd like to think that I am adecent driver that pays
(39:32):
attention.
Apparently, not enough of us dothat and that's unfortunate,
but here's something to thinkabout.
They call them smart work zones.
These smart work zones continueto improve communication, to
reduce delays, and the big thingis what they're going to is
(39:52):
travel time.
Information can be reported tothe time it takes to get through
the end of the work zone orprovide travel time along an
alternate route.
Not only will they communicatewith the driver, and maybe even
with the vehicle eventually, butthey can give you alternative
routes if the time in the queuewas more time than you wanted,
(40:15):
which means they would have toeducate you in enough time so
you could take that off-ramp ortake the alternative route as an
option.
You wouldn't have to wait untilyou started backing up in
traffic or got into the workzone to find out oh, if I had
gotten off five miles ago, Icould have went around.
Communication, education arethe big deals they feel would
(40:38):
make both working folks in theseareas safer and protect drivers
from themselves and each otherfrom rear-ending folks and
causing all sorts of trouble.
Technology marches on and Ifully see the fact and see the
opportunity where this will allbe automated.
Your vehicle won't even need tointeract with you and it will
(41:01):
react accordingly.
All the piece parts are there,particularly with these cars.
Now that got whatever you wantto call it autopilot, co-pilot,
various supercruise the basicsto put this stuff in there are
already in the cars it's coming.
(41:22):
The question is how, when and,more importantly, how much?
And are they any good?
All the piece parts are thereand they're building on these
piece parts to go to the nextlevel.
That's how they get it done ina way that makes some sense with
proven technologies.
Not all of it's ready, though.
We've come to the end of ourvisit.
(41:45):
Be sure to join me again nexttime, right here.
This has been a Tech MobilityShow.
Speaker 1 (41:50):
The Tech Mobility Show is a copywritten production
of Tech Mobility ProductionsInc.
Any rebroadcast, retransmissionor any other use is prohibited
without the written consent ofTech Mobility Productions
Incorporated.
Speaker 2 (42:16):
For those of you that listen to podcasts, we have
just the one for you.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester.
Tech Mobility Topics is apodcast where I upload
topic-specific videos each week,Shorter than a full show.
These bite-sized programs arejust the thing, particularly if
you're interested in aparticular topic covered on the
weekly radio show.
From Apple Podcasts toiHeartRadio and many podcast
(42:37):
platforms in between, we got youcovered.
Just enter Tech Mobility Topicsin the search bar.
Wherever you listen to podcasts, Social media, it's the place
to be.
We're no exception.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
Several times a week, I post toTikTok several of the topics
that I cover on my weekly radioshow.
(42:58):
It's another way to keep up onmobility technology news and
information.
I've built quite a library ofshort videos for your viewing
pleasure, so be sure to watch,like and subscribe.
That's the Tech Mobility Showon TikTok.
Check it out.
To learn more about the TechMobility Show, start by visiting
our website.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
(43:21):
The website is a treasure troveof information about me and the
show, as well as where to findit on the radio across the
country.
Keep up with the happenings ofthe Tech Mobility Show by
visiting techmobilityshow.
That's techmobilityshow.
You can also drop us a line attalk at techmobilityshow you can
(43:42):
also drop us a line at talk attechmobilityshow.
Do you listen to podcasts?
Seems that most people do.
Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host ofthe Tech Mobility Show.
If you missed any of our weeklyepisodes on the radio, our
podcast is a great way to listen.
You can find the Tech Mobilitypodcast just about anywhere you
can enjoy podcasts.
Be sure to follow us from ApplePodcasts, iHeart Radio and many
(44:04):
platforms in between.
We are there.
Just enter the Tech Mobilitypodcast in the search bar,
wherever you listen to podcasts.
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