In corona virus COVID-19 News are Hyundai, Toyota, Kia, Nissan, Asperia and Autobell.
Hyundai Healing Through Music
Musicians On Call (MOC), a nonprofit that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities, and Hyundai Hope On Wheels, a nonprofit committed to finding a cure for childhood cancer, are bringing smiles and welcome relief to patients and caregivers in children’s hospitals across the country with Healing Through Music. Through the series, called Musicians On Call & Hyundai Hope On Wheels present Healing Through Music, national recording artists are delivering the healing power of music to patients and caregivers with surprise, once-in-a-lifetime virtual performances. Some of music’s biggest artists volunteered with Musicians On Call and will be featured in the series, including Sia, Jason Derulo, Darius Rucker, JoJo, Lauren Alaina, Rachel Platten, Ally Brooke, Ingrid Michaelson, Fonseca, Lauren Daigle and more.
Over the next four weeks the series will surprise these brave individuals and teams with performances ranging from intimate one-on-one visits with their favorite artists to hundreds of individuals tuning in throughout the hospital. Videos from these performances will premiere on Musicians On Call’s and Hyundai Hope On Wheels’ social media accounts every day at 7 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday, in conjunction with hospital shift changes and the hour that citizens nationwide show their gratitude to caregivers.
Toyota/Lexus MODA Helps Fill Pantries
Toyota/Lexus Minority Owners Dealership Association (TLMODA) is working with The Salvation Army to fill the pantries of families in need during the coronavirus pandemic. On May 22, 2020, TLMODA Dealers and The Salvation Army will distribute more than 4,800 packages in 24 communities throughout the country.
“The coronavirus pandemic has left many families vulnerable and in a state of economic instability,” says TLMODA Board President Ed Fitzpatrick. “The COVID-19 Day of Service represents the TLMODA member’s collective compassion and responsibility to give back to the community.”
During TLMODA’s National COVID-19 Day of Service, Toyota and Lexus dealership staff will distribute grocery boxes of non-perishable items like boxes of cereal and canned goods to help feed a family of four, for a week. Items for the grocery boxes will be packed and assembled by local Salvation Army teams in accordance with safety guidelines from local, state and federal health officials.
The Salvation Army is helping identify families in need of food and instructing them to visit one of the participating Toyota or Lexus dealerships to pick up their grocery box. In order to maintain proper social distance protocols, boxes will be placed in the trunk of each family’s vehicle on a first-come, first-served basis until supplies are exhausted. All families must contact their local Salvation Army to qualify for a grocery box.
“Across the country, the economic impact of this pandemic continues to impact families, both those who were already experiencing the challenges of poverty, and some who are experiencing them for the first time,” said David Hudson, National Commander of The Salvation Army. “We are extremely grateful for the support of organizations like TLMODA so we can continue to meet the evolving needs of the most vulnerable.”
Kia Telluriders Deliver PPE
Nissan Extends Free Connected Services
Nissan is extending all eligible, previously expired NissanConnect® Services Premium Plus trials by three complimentary months. Customers eligible for this offer have been contacted via email and informed that the extension can be activated through June 30. It is Nissan’s latest effort to support customers in new ways during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The free trial – originally offered for a six-month period – includes safety and security services that help provide peace of mind during this uncertain time, including Automatic Crash Notification, Emergency Call, Connection to Roadside Assistance, and a number of remote services that can be used on the NissanConnect Services mobile app.
“As people deal with uncertainty and change in the world, we want to give owners support and peace of mind,” said Dan Teeter, director, Vehicle Connected Services, Nissan North America, Inc. “Our hope is to bring some much-needed comfort to our customers with this NissanConnect Services trial extension.”
Nissan Concierge is also included in NissanConnect Services for 2019 Altima Edition ONE and 2020 TITAN owners. Nissan Concierge provides live, 24-hour access to a professionally trained concierge team available to assist owners with a variety of everyday tasks. Since the onset of the pandemic, Nissan Concierge has helped customers find nearby COVID-19 testing stations, modified grocery store hours, new home workout routines and creative activities for children, among other tasks.
The service can be accessed in equipped Nissan vehicles, or while owners are at home by using the NissanConnect Services app for smartphone, smartwatch or voice assistant. Nissan Concierge will be offered on several additional Nissan models for the 2021 model year.
Nissan continues to lend support in a variety of other ways. Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation (NMAC) is currently offering three months of delayed payments and will cover payments for up to two additional months for well-qualified buyers financing through NMAC on select new Nissan models. To date, NMAC has assisted more than 280,000 existing Nissan owners with payment deferrals due to the impact of the crisis.
Nissan’s manufacturing facilities in Tennessee and Mississippi, research and design center in Michigan, and the Alliance Innovation Lab in Silicon Valley, California, are using 3D printers to print headbands and assemble protective face shields for front-line healthcare facility workers.
Free Disinfection in SC from Autobell
The new Autobell® store, located at 3661 Savannah Hwy, Johns Island, SC, will hold their grand opening unlike any other store in the company’s 51-year history – during a global pandemic. The company’s leadership feels it’s a vital move given their response to COVID-19, shifting focus from primarily car washing, to providing a hospital-grade, EPA-registered vehicle Interior Disinfectant service to help flatten the coronavirus curve.
The Interior Disinfectant service will eventually become an optional a la carte service, but is currently provided free with the purchase of an interior cleaning to all customers, as well as a free service without purchase for first responders and government workers with a government-issued ID.
In keeping with the company’s commitment to the environment, the Johns Island store was built using an AquaBio system, with the ability to reclaim and purify up to 100% of wash water, with an output quality better than most utilities. Autobell offers a variety of interior and exterior services as part of their business model.
Axalta Partners with Marathon Industries to Coat CA Trucks
Axalta a leading global supplier of liquid and powder coatings is partnering with Marathon Industries to coat truck bodies for the State of California’s COVID-19 response team using its Tufcote™ industrial products.
Truck bodies are highly valuable in times of crisis due to their versatility and ability to haul both large and small amounts of critical supplies, as well as load from either side. Marathon Industries’ Reno, Nevada facility and Axalta worked together to select Tufcote Low-VOC Primer and High Solids Black and White Topcoats for this job.
Aperia Pro+ Program
Aperia Technologies Inc., a leading supplier of tire management technologies that improve the safety and efficiency of commercial vehicle tractors and trailers, introduced the Pro+ program to make it easier for fleets to secure technology to support their businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
With roadside breakdowns occurring every 10,000 miles, according to a recent American Trucking Association benchmarking report, optimally inflated tires are key in keeping trucks on the road and delivering vital goods and services.
Considered North America’s leading tire inflation solution for tractors and trailers, Halo is an automatic tire inflation system that keeps truck tires from falling below the optimal tire pressure range. Introduced in 2019, Halo Connect is a connectivity platform that enables fleets to virtually eliminate unplanned downtime through predictive analytics.
Pro+ represents another solution developed by Aperia Technologies to assist fleets during these unprecedented times. In April, the company introduced a virtual training and support platform to meet the needs of professional trucking fleets and independent operators when in-person training and support is not possible.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that in the face of “fake news”, consumers are gravitating toward trusted, credible sources of information. Economic uncertainty is amplifying this need across brands with an even greater impact on high priced items like automobiles. More models are competing for the same consumers across a multitude of platforms and media. There are overwhelming numbers of confusing, convoluted and unsubstantiated product claims. It is no wonder auto buyers are confused and distrustful. To have further control, they have migrated to doing most of their shopping online which has only added to the confusion.
If automotive brands want to differentiate themselves, they need to stand out, but they also need credibility to build trust. OEMs are discovering this, leading to 45% growth in the AMCI Testing business over the last 2 months. Today’s environment has clearly shown the market needs AMCI Testing Certified 3rd party evaluations more than ever.
Digital Air Strike Helps Bring in the Social Media
Digital Air Strike, the leading consumer engagement technology company, is helping businesses leverage increased traffic on social media during COVID-19. The company’s social media marketing and advertising technology on Facebook during shelter-in-place mandates are delivering new customers, increased website traffic, and more sales to businesses across the country.
Digital Air Strike was chosen by Facebook for a limited beta test to determine whether dynamic ad clicks to Facebook Marketplace, instead of to a dealer’s website, increased leads. The pilot business, Brown’s Toyota of Glen Burnie in Maryland, saw four times more impressions, 1.5 times more views and a 33% reduction in cost per view. The results are so compelling Facebook turned them into a case study for the Click to Marketplace ads.