Industry
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Rivian inched closer to prime time on Friday with the announcement it had received $700 million in the latest round of equity investment. Online shopping and technology giant Amazon was the lead investor. Amazon's total investment was not disclosed in Rivian's announcement, but the company clarified with Green Car Reports that the online retailer and technology company "is a significant majority of this round." The electric car startup plans for two models in the next few years: the R1T pickup truck and the R1S SUV. The former is expected to arrive in late 2020 with the SUV coming one year...
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FCA paid $77M fine to sell profitable trucks and SUVs in 2016
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles cut a check for $77 million for failing to meet federal fuel economy requirements in 2016. Consumer appetite for trucks and SUVs has done wonders for the Ram and Jeep brands, but that popularity has a price. Reuters reported last Thursday the multi-million fine is a civil...
Sean Szymkowski -
Founder of the Haynes Manual, John Haynes, dead at 80
John Haynes may not be a familiar name to many people, but his contributions to the automotive world are larger than life. The man responsible for the Haynes Manual has passed away at the age of 80. Haynes Publishing announced its founder's passing on Monday and said Haynes passed away after a...
Sean Szymkowski -
Roots of Recaro: Car seat company traces to original Porsches
Just when you think you know something about automotive history, something comes in over the transom that makes you realize you don’t know as much as you think. Today’s example: A news release from Recaro Automotive Seating celebrating its 70-year history as a supplier to Porsche. OK...
ClassicCars.com -
Amazon invests in self-driving car company Aurora Innovation
What started with books has reached the budding self-driving car sector. Amazon has invested in self-driving car company Aurora Innovation, the self-driving technology firm announced last Thursday. The actual figure it had received from Amazon wasn't disclosed in Aurora's announcement, but in...
Sean Szymkowski -
GM cuts 4,000 jobs in North America in latest round of layoffs
General Motors on Monday began the process of cutting 4,000 jobs currently held at its operations in the United States and Canada. It follows the automaker's announcement last November that it would idle three vehicle plants (plus two component plants) in North America due to slowing sales of sedan...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The world was supposed to welcome a reborn TVR Griffith early this year. Now, it's been put on hold until 2020. A report from Dutch website AutoRAI, first spotted by Motor1, detailed the new delay that TVR blames on construction processes at its new Welsh factory. In December TVR said it would likely start production of the new Griffith in March of this year and aimed for the first deliveries to occur at some point in 2019. The holdup comes from European Union regulations. The Welsh government purchased a tiny 3-percent share of TVR last January for about $700,000. Unfortunately, the purchase...
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Second Apple engineer accused of stealing self-driving car tech secrets for China
Following an accusation last July against an ex-Apple engineer, the FBI has arrested a second Apple employee after he allegedly tried to steal self-driving car technology secrets and leave the country. The employee is Jizhong Chen, and according to a CNBC report on Wednesday, the FBI arrested him...
Sean Szymkowski -
Pencils down: Ford trials 3D virtual reality design program to reduce development time
Ford designers could one day trade in their pens and paper for a totally three-dimensional and virtual reality experience. The automaker shared Tuesday that it is testing a 3D and VR design experience from a company called Gravity Sketch. The collaboration is the first of its kind, according to...
Sean Szymkowski -
Saab's Chinese owner partners with Koenigsegg, purchases 20-percent stake in supercar maker
China's NEVS purchased the remnants of Saab years ago, and now the company has taken a stake in another Swedish automaker. NEVS announced it has purchased a 20-percent stake in Koenigsegg and partnered to create a new joint venture between the two companies. In the Tuesday announcement, the Chinese...
Sean Szymkowski -
Mercedes-Benz wants to sell optional features after a new vehicle purchase
The buying process won't be over for Mercedes-Benz owners after they take their new car home. The luxury brand has introduced a new feature via its Mercedes Me application that allows owners to purchase optional features after the car has left the dealer. The brand announced last Tuesday that...
Sean Szymkowski -
Easing range anxiety: Porsche Taycan to come with 3 years of Electrify America charging
Porsche won't leave Taycan owners to their own devices when it comes time to charge their electric sedans on the road. The German luxury and sports car maker announced Monday that every Taycan will come with three years of free charging at Electrify America stations. The goal is to provide Taycan...
Sean Szymkowski -
One day after Carlos Ghosn stepped down as CEO and chairman of French automaker Renault, its alliance partner Nissan will see a similar shakeup. Ghosn's protege and current Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa announced he will step down from his role in the coming months, Bloomberg reported Friday. Saikawa has only been at the top position at Nissan since Feb. 2017 after Ghosn stepped down as CEO from the automaker. Ghosn remained Nissan's chairman and CEO and chairman of Renault. The executive's career and legacy quickly came crashing down in November 2018 when he was charged with financial misconduct...
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FCA to launch car-sharing and subscription pilot via Jeep brand
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will kick the tires on three car-sharing and car-subscription services with its Jeep brand beginning at the end of January. The Detroit News reported on two of them on Jan. 16, and Motor Authority discovered the third by reaching out to FCA for further information...
Sean Szymkowski -
Apple drops 200 staff from Project Titan self-driving car skunkworks
Apple has let more than 200 employees go from its secretive Project Titan self-driving car operation. CNBC first reported on the move Thursday and an Apple spokesperson acknowledged the cuts in a statement to the news organization. The spokesperson said Apple will refocus on other projects and...
Sean Szymkowski -
Gone Ghosn: Embattled Renault boss steps down from French automaker
Embattled businessman Carlos Ghosn has chosen to resign from the chairman and CEO roles at French auto giant Renault. The news was first announced by French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire in an interview with Bloomberg held on Thursday at the The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Former Infiniti boss tapped to lead Dyson EV project
Dyson has tapped former Infiniti boss Roland Krueger to lead its new electric car project. The British firm, famous for its line of bagless vacuum cleaners, announced in 2017 plans to build an electric car. The company has committed $2.7 billion to the project, some of which will be used to...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW and Daimler reportedly in talks over subcompact, self-driving car partnership
Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler is already partnered with BMW Group in the area of mobility, with the two German auto giants last month having received regulatory approval to merge their various mobility divisions into a single joint-venture company. Now the two are reportedly in talks over...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
It appears precipitation is enough to require the human back-up driver to take control in a Waymo self-driving car. According to a report from The Verge, rain was one of a few factors that prevented Waymo's self-driving car from carrying out its autonomous duties. The insight came from one of just a few people who Waymo has cleared to be a part of the Waymo One ride-hailing service. The company launched the service late last year in Arizona with a fleet of Chrysler Pacifica minivans. However, according to the report, the service sometimes falls short of promises the company made. The rider...
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Toyota and Panasonic to form battery joint venture
Toyota and Panasonic on Tuesday confirmed plans for a joint-venture company responsible for production of vehicle batteries, not only to supply Toyota but also rivals. Pending approval by regulatory authorities, which is expected to take until late 2020, the joint-venture company will be...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Climate action could put an end to unlimited speeds on Germany's famed Autobahns
A new set of proposals could drastically alter laws on Germany's famed Autobahns and make no speed limits a thing of the past. Reuters reported Friday that the government is set to pore over a series of draft proposals from the National Platform on the Future of Mobility to tackle climate change...
Sean Szymkowski -
Karma and Pininfarina to collaborate on EVs
Karma, the electric car startup born out of the remains of the original Fisker, has teamed up with Italian design house and fellow EV startup Pininfarina to collaborate on future electric cars. The two firms announced Thursday that they will work together and that the first results of their...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Jaguar sedans safe despite SUV boom
Despite a market that continues to crave crossover SUVs, Jaguar's underperforming sedans are safe. Automotive News (subscription required) reported on January 11 that the XE and XF sedans will continue after Jaguar CEO Ralf Speth safeguarded their future. He said sedans will play an integral part...
Sean Szymkowski -
Tesla cuts 7 percent of workforce
Tesla on Friday announced in a company email that it has cut 7 percent of its full-time workforce. The move is aimed at getting overheads down so the company can start churning out more affordable Model 3 sedans, namely the promised $35,000 Standard model which will have a 220-mile range. Tesla...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran