Tracy Samilton
Tracy Samilton covers the auto beat for Michigan Radio. She has worked for the station for 12 years, and started out as an intern before becoming a part-time and, later, a full-time reporter. Tracy's reports on the auto industry can frequently be heard on Morning Edition and All Things Considered, as well as on Michigan Radio. She considers her coverage of the landmark lawsuit against the University of Michigan for its use of affirmative action a highlight of her reporting career.
Tracy graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in English Literature. Before beginning her journalism career, she spent time working as a legal assistant at various firms in the Ann Arbor area.
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The length of the average car loan isn't just creeping up, it's leaping up. Nearly 40 percent of people secure car loans that take more than five years to pay off. The trend has some analysts alarmed.
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U.S. manufacturing jobs have rebounded since the recession, but many of those positions pay less than they used to. Some states are now questioning whether competing for those jobs is worth it.
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A 250-year-old oak tree once stood in the way of the University of Michigan's new business school — until it was moved this weekend. It wasn't easy, though, and definitely not cheap.
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General Motors has recalled 29 million autos in North America this year. Dealers replacing the faulty parts aren't just fixing cars. They're repairing customers' relationships with the automaker.
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Detroit's big three automakers announced they'll pitch in to help the "Grand Bargain" — an effort to protect city workers' pensions. But the deal could unravel if the city's retirees reject the deal.
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Critics have blamed General Motors' delayed recall of a defective ignition switch on its dysfunctional culture. But there is already a shift underway to prioritize customers and communication.
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General Motors is signaling its plans to ask a bankruptcy judge for protection from lawsuits related to a defective switch recall. This could further complicate its current public relations crisis.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could soon issue a final ruling that aims to force oil companies to replace E10, gasoline mixed with 10 percent ethanol, with E15. This move could come just as widespread support for ethanol, which is made from corn, appears to be eroding.
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Some day, your car might be able to "talk" to other cars and traffic signals. In this brave new world, wireless devices will alert drivers to traffic jams, dangers ahead and even take control of the vehicle from the driver to avert a collision. In Ann Arbor today, the largest real-world test of connected vehicles was launched.
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Some car companies have adopted "three crew" work schedules, forgoing regular graveyard shifts and the traditional three shifts a day. It's a highly efficient way to get more out of workers, machines and factories, but it can also wreak havoc with employees' sleep needs and home lives.