Slashdot Mirror
Feds Bust Chinese Firm's Hybrid Car Data Heist
coondoggie writes "An FBI investigation has led a Michigan couple to be charged with stealing hybrid car information from GM to use in a Chinese auto outfit. A federal indictment charged Yu Qin, aka Yu Chin, 49, and his wife, Shanshan Du, aka Shannon Du, 51, of Troy, Michigan with conspiracy to possess trade secrets without authorization, unauthorized possession of trade secrets, and wire fraud. One of the individuals was also charged with obstruction of justice, said Barbara McQuade, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan in a statement. GM estimates that the value of the stolen documents is over $40 million."
"They could have just gone to Japan and stole from Toyota, much closer to home...."
The Japanese aren't so eager to hire cheaper Chinese engineers to save a few bucks.
Meanwhile GM was probably lobbying to expand the H1-B program to get more cheap Chinese Labor...
Asians have a different mindset when it comes to things like this. Anything the other guy makes is okay to copy. Been that way in every industry forever; doesn't matter if it's cars, pharmaceuticals, software, nuclear power plants, or whatever.
Don't worry Mr. Bush, you'll get it one day!
Bit of a joke? What exactly would that be?
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/environment/2008-05-11-hybrids-gas-prices_N.htm
I've owned a 2006 Civic Hybrid for the past four years and calculate the savings based on my driving habits and the cost of gas every year. It recouped its cost over a year ago and has currently saved me well over $1000. It also pollutes less. So...why is this a joke?
It's a joke because according to your website they require 2-5 years to pay back
ASSUMING
#1) 15,000 miles driven per year (above average)
#2) gas at $3.67/gallon (WAY above average, I just saw $2.15 in Jersey last week)
#3) Federal Tax incentive*
SO if you drive around a lot, fudge the numbers a bit, and toss in a some taxpayer money (#3), you may have made up the difference in initial cost before it's time to replace those batteries.
Meanwhile, due to the production scales involved at present day, you have come nowhere near offsetting the actual environmental impact (carbon, and heavy metal) producing your stupid little hybrid had.
The only reason to buy a hybrid today is if :
#1) You are a smug asshole
#2) You are terrible at basic math
#3) You drive a ludicrous amount of miles per year
#4) You believe battery-powered hybrid technology is the future of *clean* transport, and want to support further development
FYI : #4 is a retarded position to take given the piss-poor energy density of heavy metal batteries, and the disasterous consequences full-scale heavy-metal battery production would actually have on the environment... nuclear powerplant-fed hydrogen production... maybe... but definitely not battery powered hybrids!