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The Weekly Driver Podcast took a brief hiatus during the continuing coronavirus crisis. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia both live in Sacramento, Calif., and are adhering to the social distancing regulations. But we’re back to discuss how the pandemic is affecting the automotive industry.
Our usual headquarters is the Aldrich kitchen. Bruce lives with his wife Alene, a physician’s assistant, and their Doberman, Indy, a few miles from where I live with my wife, Gretchen, a ceramic artist and retired teacher, and our two cats, Willow and Mia.
With an indoor podcast broadcast not wise, we set up remotely in Bruce’s backyard. And we kept our distance for episode #127.
Coronavirus affects auto sales
Like every facet of business and personal lives, coronavirus has drastically impacted every component of the automotive world. New car sales have plummeted. Brick and motor car dealerships are closed. The gig economy for Uber and Lyft drivers is awful.
Car and truck manufacturers have stopped production, although it took some carmakers longer than others. Notably, Tesla delayed the closure of its San Francisco Bay Area production facility until company founder Elon Musk finally acquiesced under pressure.
In China, the world’s largest car market, Geely is now finalizing vehicle purchases by dropping new keys to customers via drones.
Bruce and I discuss all of the areas in our new episode. Please join us.
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Article Last Updated: April 5, 2020.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
