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$25 Million Ransom Reportedly Paid to End Hack That Took Down 15,000 U.S. Dealers

$25 Million Ransom Reportedly Paid to End Hack That Took Down 15,000 U.S. Dealers

Things are back to normal at 15,000 U.S. showrooms after a hack that brought operations nearly to a halt last month. Data processing firm CDK apparently paid a $25 million ransom to regain control of software controlling everything from sales prospects to payroll. But the damage has topped $1 billion in lost sales and other issues.

Automated Driving Systems Aren’t Improving Safety, Finds New Study

Automated Driving Systems Aren’t Improving Safety, Finds New Study

More than half of the automotive models now on sale offer some form of partial automation, whether to help steer, brake or accelerate. Manufacturers have promoted these technologies as a way to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities – but, with the exception of front automatic emergency braking, a new study finds “partial automation…doesn’t confirm additional safety benefits.”

Biden Administration Doles Out $1.1B to GM, Stellantis to Convert Plants to EV Production

Biden Administration Doles Out $1.1B to GM, Stellantis to Convert Plants to EV Production

Although EV sales aren’t going at breakneck speed these days, automakers are still churning out new models and planning for future models. To make that easier, the Biden administration awarded $1.1 billion in grants to General Motors and Stellantis to convert existing plants to build electric vehicles and components. Get details at Headlight.News.

Foreign Brands Now Produce More Vehicles in the U.S. than Detroit’s Big Three

Foreign Brands Now Produce More Vehicles in the U.S. than Detroit’s Big Three

It’s been four decades since Honda started building Accords at a new plant in Marysville, Ohio. Today, foreign-owned manufacturers are producing more vehicles in the U.S. than Detroit’s Big Three. And the gap is only expected to widen, in part due to local production mandates covering battery-electric vehicles, reports Headlight.News.

Lucid Gets a Reprieve as Price Cuts Help it Gain Market Traction – But Saudi Cash Remains Key

Lucid Gets a Reprieve as Price Cuts Help it Gain Market Traction – But Saudi Cash Remains Key

It’s been a tough year for EV start-ups, Fisker filing for bankruptcy, and several others expected to follow. But there have been a few glimmers of hope. Price cuts helped Lucid outperform sales expectations during the second quarter, buying it time to bring a second product line to market later this year. But with Wall Street still skeptical, the California manufacturer remains critically dependent on cash from the Saudis, Lucid’s largest investor.

Former Ferrari Racing Chief Helps UN Launch Global Road Safety Campaign

Former Ferrari Racing Chief Helps UN Launch Global Road Safety Campaign

He spent years as a major force behind one of the world’s most dangerous sports – auto racing. Now, Jean Todt has taken a lead role in a new United Nations effort to address the “pandemic” of highway deaths. Its new, ad campaign hopes to halve the number of road fatalities – over 1 million annually – by 2030.

Automakers and the Aircraft Industry Team to Make Cars Fly

Automakers and the Aircraft Industry Team to Make Cars Fly

The future of transportation is looking up – quite literally.   Imagine, instead of an hour to 1 ½ hour drive to the airport, you can hop into a flying taxi somewhere in or around your neighborhood and get to the airport to fly on your scheduled long-haul jet in less than 10 minutes.  That would be a game changer for modern, personal travel.  It’s actually happening sooner than you may think.

Stellantis Invests $55 Million in Air Taxi Start-Up

Stellantis Invests $55 Million in Air Taxi Start-Up

Stellantis has invested an additional $55 million in Archer Aviation, a pioneer in the fast-emerging field of drone-like flying taxis. That follows a previous $110 million investment the Euro-American automaker made in Archer. And it comes at a time when the start-up completed a milestone flight and is preparing to open up a new assembly plant in Georgia.