Vukotich named as new head of autonomous driving development of BMW
Germany automaker BMW stated on Saturday Alejandro Vukotich is going to be the new head of its driver assistance and autonomous driving development department from January next year. Vukotich will replace Elmar Frickenstein, who has been in charge of the department since it was created in May 2016 and who will retire following a three-month handover
- Published in BMW, Press Releases
Volkswagen can build up to 15 million cars using electric car platform
Volkswagen on Friday stated it can build up to 15 million electric cars utilizing its new MEB vehicle platform, revealing the scope of the automaker’s push to mass produce zero-emission vehicles. Volkswagen is spending over 11 billion euros ($12.52 billion) into electric connected and autonomous vehicles by 2023, about 9 billion euros of this amount
- Published in Volkswagen
Nissan blamed Ghosn investigation for CEO no-show in Amsterdam
Nissan informed Renault its CEO Hiroto Saikawa was not able to attend an Amsterdam meeting as he was helping Tokyo prosecutors investigating alleged misconduct led by Carlos Ghosn, chairman of the automakers’ alliance, sources with knowledge of the issue informed Reuters. Renault was told by a Nissan representative this week that “Saikawa was unable to
- Published in Nissan
Nissan to recall 150,000 additional vehicles in Japan
Nissan Motor stated on Friday it will recall 150,000 additional vehicles in Japan because of improper final inspections prior they were delivered from two Japanese manufacturing plants. “Nissan has newly found several non-conformities that may have caused inaccurate pass/fail judgments,” the automaker stated in a press release. The recent “non-conformities” involved inspections of brakes, steer wheels,
- Published in Nissan
Carlos Ghosn and Nissan Motor to be indicted on Monday
Tokyo prosecutors prepare to indict former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn on Monday for financial misconduct, the Nikkei business daily noted, ratcheting up their case against the auto tycoon. Prosecutors also prepare to indict on the same day former representative director Greg Kelly together with the automaker itself, the Nikkei reported on Friday, citing unidentified
- Published in Nissan
Fiat Chrysler to build second Jeep assembly plant in Detroit
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) plans to construct Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs in a mothballed Detroit plant in 2020, four people knowledgeable about the plans informed Reuters on Thursday. News of the Fiat Chrysler’s new plant leaked on the same day General Motors CEO Mary Barra was finishing a two-day visit in Washington with lawmakers critical over
GM CEO Mary Barra faces harsh criticism over Mexico investments
General Motors CEO Mary Barra came under criticism from members of Congress from Michigan for building a new vehicle in Mexico yet ending production at five North American assembly plants and removing almost 15,000 jobs. On the second day of meetings on Capitol Hill, Barra dealt with a tough session with normally supportive lawmakers from
- Published in General Motors
Daimler confirms 2018 group EBIT outlook
Daimler stated a proposed deal to combine its mobility services company with that of competitor BMW will not close in 2018, forcing the automaker to reduce the outlook for its financial services division. Daimler stated the delay means it will not be able to book valuation and revenue gains this year, causing the financial services
- Published in Daimler
Auto supplier Bosch anticipates car market stagnating in next year
German auto supplier Bosch expects worldwide car production in 2019 to stagnate at this year’s level, the head of its core auto parts unit stated on Thursday, mentioning a cool-down in China and reduced demand for diesel cars in Europe. “Next year will be subdued. But we do not expect a downturn,” stated Rolf Bulander,
- Published in Press Releases
General Motors CEO will keep “open mind” on future of plants
General Motors CEO Mary Barra on Wednesday vowed to keep an “open mind” regarding the future of an Ohio plant that will lose vehicle production, but cautioned the automaker has excess capacity and did not mention the company was reconsidering the plan. Barra came under pressure from Ohio’s two U.S. senators and other lawmakers who
- Published in General Motors
Volkswagen seeks 6-billion-euro cost and efficiency gains by 2023
Volkswagen’s core brand will seek cost and efficiency gains of nearly 6 billion euros ($6.8 bln) in order to raise the core brand’s operating margin to 6 percent by 2023, German daily Handelsblatt noted, mentioning company sources. Volkswagen has stated it seeks to achieve an operating return on sales of no less than 6 percent
- Published in Volkswagen
Volkswagen may use Ford’s plants in U.S. for building cars
Volkswagen’s chief executive stated on Tuesday following a meeting at the White House that the German automaker was making an alliance with Ford Motor and might use the U.S. automaker’s capacity to build cars. VW CEO Herbert Diess stated the company was further “considering building a second car plant” in the United States, adding, “We
- Published in Ford, Volkswagen
Nissan panel puts off selection of successor to Carlos Ghosn
A Nissan Motor panel on Tuesday failed to nominate a successor to Carlos Ghosn as chairman following his arrest and dismissal for alleged financial misconduct in November, a source knowledgeable with the situation informed Reuters. Ghosn could remain in detention until the end of this year as Tokyo prosecutors prepare to rearrest him on a
- Published in Nissan
White House presses German automakers to boost U.S. investments
President Donald Trump pressed senior executives of top German automakers to boost their investments in the United States as the White House thinks about imposing new tariffs on European-made vehicles. German automakers stated after the meeting they informed Trump they planned to increase U.S. investments, but cautioned they would not be able to do so
- Published in BMW, Daimler, Volkswagen
Waymo brings self-driving taxi service in Arizona for paying consumers
Alphabet’s Waymo on Wednesday unveiled a major development in its expensive, decade-long quest for autonomous transportation: self-driving taxis that generate fares. With little fanfare, the company has started charging passengers to use its driverless vehicles in a approximately 100-mile (160 km) zone in four Phoenix suburbs – Chandler, Tempe, Mesa and Gilbert – where tested
- Published in Google