Hundreds of Porsche owners across Russia report their vehicles have suddenly “bricked,” with one dealer group suggesting the problem may be due to a deliberate hack of their satellite-based security systems. Headlight.News has more.
Earnings and Financials
EU May Delay, Even Drop, Ban on Gas, Diesel-Powered Vehicles
There’s growing pressure on the European Commission to drop, or at least push back, a mandate that would see sales of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines banned by 2035. Among those calling for such a move are the leaders of Germany, Italy and Poland. Headlight.News has more.
Is There a Kei Car in Your Future? Pres. Trump Thinks So – But Would Buyers Bite?
They’re some of the smallest cars in the world and make up 40% of the Japanese domestic market. But could “Kei cars” find a niche here in the United States? That’s something Pres. Don Trump suggested this week as he announced a rollback of federal fuel economy standards. More from Headlight.News.
Trump Moves to Gut Biden-Era Mileage Standards – But Challenges Likely
The Trump administration moved ahead with plans to gut fuel economy standards set by former Pres. Joe Biden – effectively eliminating any significant role for EVs. But the proposal is expected to face stiff challenges and may have little impact on the price of new vehicles, as Headlight.News reports.
Race Cars, Rockets and the New Acura RSX: Honda R&D Marks 50 Years in LA
Like its Japanese rivals, Honda Motor Co. struggled to understand how to grow in the U.S. market, a challenge that led it to set up a small research and development center in Los Angeles in 1975. A half-century later the automaker operates 21 separate R&D facilities across the U.S. where its designers and engineers are working on everything from race cars to rockets, along with some significant new vehicle programs. Headlight.News dropped into the main facility in the LA suburb of Torrance to check out what’s in the works.
Trump Administration Set to Roll Back Fuel Economy Standards
The Trump administration has invited executives from the three Detroit automakers to be on hand at the White House today as details on the rollback of current corporate average fuel economy standards are announced. It’s the latest move by the president to back off of automotive emissions and safety standards set during the prior Biden administration. More from Headlight.News.
November Vehicle Sales Hit by Rising Prices, Growing Consumer Pushback
Sales of new vehicles turned downright sluggish in November amidst consumer resistance to increased prices and worsening fears about the economy. The end of EV incentives worsened the slide – though demand for hybrids continued to grow, as Headlight.News reports.
Jaguar Land Rover Reportedly Fires Design Chief Gerry McGovern
Design chief Gerry McGovern reportedly has been fired by Jaguar Land Rover as part of a broader corporate shake-up at the troubled automaker, according to a report from India, where JLR’s parent company is headquartered. More from Headlight.News.
GM Permanently Laying Off Over 1,100 at Detroit EV Plant
General Motors will lay off 1,140 workers at Factory Zero, its Detroit battery-electric assembly plant due to weak demand for products like the GMC Hummer EV and Chevrolet Silverado EV. The automaker also is facing pressure from Canadian authorities to come up with an alternative plan for an Ontario plant where it is ending production of all-electric Bright Drop vans. More from Headlight.News.
U.S. Market Will Be Core to Mitsubishi Turnaround
Despite being hammered by auto import tariffs, Mitsubishi is betting big on the U.S. market, the company told dealers on Friday. It plans to launch a variety of new products to flesh out its currently meager product line-up. But there is one problem: a lack of U.S. production. More from Headlight.News.
Waymo Launches Next Big Step for Robotaxis with First Intercity Service; Tesla Falls Further Behind
Waymo says it knows the way to San Jose as it puts driverless taxis on the freeway in Silicon Valley. The initiative beat out arch-rival Tesla, which just promised to pay Elon Musk billions to expand its robotaxi business. Headlight.News has more.
GM Tells Suppliers to Stop Sourcing Parts from China
As trade friction grows, General Motors wants its suppliers to stop sourcing parts and raw materials from China by 2027, according to a new report, though meeting that deadline could be challenging considering the way the global network has been set up over the last few decades. More from Headlight.News.