Episode 108 – Plows, Bots and Bolts

https://traffic.libsyn.com/thebeerreport/TW_108.mp3 Episode 108 Welcome to the automotive podcast that saw its shadow and will have more shows for 2026! On this episode of Throwin’ Wrenches…   • I need a special bmw wrench??? Daryl, can you help me out?  1. Robots… Not made by elon 2. A snowplow by any other name…  Thanks for listening.  To join in on the fun of the show, just email us at info@throwinwrenches.com (mailto:info@throwinwrenches.com) or post a review on itunes to be heard worldwide! SPOTIFY COMMENTS and polls – No comments… And thats fair… we have left you hanging Check us out on YouTube, before we are banned for copyright!   Sponsors • Fort’s Toyota of Pekin PATREON – Thanks to our Patreon supporters.  Welcome new members!  I need to do the rundown with the magic mirror-like romper room! Itunes Premium –  people love it!  Full integration into your Apple Podcast app.  Projects Eric: What should I do?  Taco 4runner LC Daryl: I put a deposit on a motor for the Fury.  I also keep buying parts for small projects in the hopes that I keep myself busy this year doing stuff instead of sitting on my ass. Things like heat control valve rebuilds, exhaust system for the Volvo.  Brother got his injectors cleaned & fixed for his ‘85 Cavalier. Wayyy cheaper than new injectors.   NEWS: World: BMW’s Screw That No One Else Can Turn While Mercedes aims to make cars easier to repair, BMW has patented roundel-shaped screw heads that push owners to dealer-only servicing and repairs. Daniel Donabedian @autoblog BMW (https://www.autoblog.com/bmw/) has never been shy about doing things its own way. Sometimes that results in clever solutions, like gaining access to Tesla’s Supercharger network (https://www.autoblog.com/electric/bmw-ev-owners-can-now-officially-use-tesla-superchargers) . Other times, it produces ideas that sound brilliant on paper but prove far less friendly in the real world, like the glorious but famously temperamental S85 V10 (https://www.autoblog.com/news/bmw-v10-e63-m6-engine-teardown) . BMW’s latest screw patent (https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=DE469242297) leans firmly toward the latter. While the new screw head design is undeniably clever and unmistakably BMW, it appears purpose-built to keep ordinary owners well away from working on their own cars. What makes this more frustrating is that the competition is moving in another direction. Mercedes-Benz (https://www.autoblog.com/mercedes-benz/) , for example, has recently spoken about redesigning future vehicles to be easier to repair (https://www.autoblog.com/news/mercedes-benz-is-redesigning-cars-to-be-easier-to-repair) , not harder. US Congress introduces ‘SAFE Exit Act’ targeting Tesla door handles after claiming 15 deaths Elektek A new bill has been introduced in the US House of Representatives today that specifically targets the design of electric vehicle door handles, with the sponsor explicitly calling out Tesla and Elon Musk. The bill, dubbed the “Securing Accessible Functional Emergency (SAFE) Exit Act,” aims to force automakers to install easy-to-find manual releases in case of power failure. We have seen a trend in the auto industry, mostly led by Tesla, to move toward electronic door latches. Instead of a mechanical linkage that physically unlatches the door when you pull a handle, a button or sensor sends a signal to an actuator that pops the door open. While this allows for frameless windows and smoother aerodynamics, it creates a safety concern: if the vehicle loses power, like in a severe crash, the doors can stay locked unless there is a mechanical override.   Sony Honda Mobility’s Highlight at CES® 2026 On January 5th (local time), ahead of the show’s public opening, Sony Honda Mobility held its first standalone press conference at CES® Media Day. The company shared updates on AFEELA 1, which is scheduled to begin customer deliveries later this year, and introduced a new prototype, AFEELA Prototype 2026, making its public world debut. At this conference, in addition to presentations by three of our company’s executives, three guest speakers from our partner companies and other organizations took the stage to discuss how the future of mobility will expand through collaboration with AFEELA, as well as their expectations for our brand. Beginning January 6th, the SHM booth opened to the public, offering an immersive look into AFEELA’s core principles: Autonomy (evolving autonomy), Augmentation (expansion of the body and space-time), and Affinity (collaboration with people and symbiosis with society). The exhibit features the AFEELA 1 pre-production model in all three exterior colors (Tidal Gray, Calm White, Core Black), alongside the newly revealed AFEELA Prototype 2026. Together with exhibitions...

Added 17 Apr 2026