Month: April 2022

Stellantis said it will build a new battery-electric car at its plant in Kragujevac, Serbia. The EV will replace production of the Fiat 500L, Stellantis said in a statement. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares and Serbia President Aleksandar Vucic signed a 190-million-euro ($200 million) deal on Thursday to invest in EV production at the factory. The
0 Comments
The inhospitable terrain of the Mojave Desert provided a formidable challenge for embryonic autonomous-vehicle technology during the DARPA challenges of the mid-2000s. Now the federal agency behind those formative competitions has plans for further testing AV tech in similar off-road environments, with the latest developments coming in simulation. The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, better
0 Comments
BEIJING/SHANGHAI – Baidu and Pony.ai said on Thursday they had received permits to deploy robotaxis without humans in the driver seat on open Chinese roads for the first time, in another instance of Beijing’s support for the autonomous-driving sector. The permits are the latest set of approvals the municipal government has handed out over the
0 Comments
Consumers notice spiking gasoline prices every time they drive to the pump. But energy industry analysts say the current spike in diesel prices is historic — and is pushing up the cost of all kinds of goods. Diesel prices are hovering around all-time highs, forced upward by the same circumstances that have fueled gasoline’s rise.
0 Comments
4:10 AM ET Formula One race directors Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich have both tested positive for COVID-19, raising questions about who will take charge of next week’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix, British media reported on Wednesday. A well-placed source confirmed to Reuters that the news, first reported by the Daily Telegraph and Sky Sports
0 Comments
Getty Images Car production in the UK has continued to fall as manufacturers struggle with global supply chain problems. Almost 100,000 fewer cars were built in the first three months of 2022 compared to last year. Manufacturing has dropped by nearly a third, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The SMMT
0 Comments
WASHINGTON — A group of 12 U.S. Senate Democrats on Wednesday urged Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to develop a comprehensive federal framework for autonomous vehicles, according to a letter seen by Reuters. “We lag behind in shaping a regulatory framework that will foster this innovation while simultaneously protecting and encouraging all of the important benefits
0 Comments
3:10 PM ET Formula One’s 46-year wait for a woman driver is likely to continue for some years but next week’s Miami Grand Prix could be a significant springboard for the all-female W Series, according to founder Catherine Bond Muir. The single-seater championship, which uses F3 cars and partnered with Formula One in 2021, has
0 Comments
Mattel and Warner Bros. Pictures on Monday announced plans for a Hot Wheels movie that’s set to bring the tiny toy cars to the big screen. The movie will be produced by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot production company, which was responsible for the most recent incarnations of the “Star Trek,” “Star Wars,” and “Mission: Impossible”
0 Comments
Fugitive former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn has said he wants to stand trial on charges of financial wrongdoing in order to clear his name. He spoke to the BBC after France issued an international warrant for his arrest, citing allegedly suspect payments. Mr Ghosn said he was “expecting” the move though he was “surprised at
0 Comments
TOKYO — The Nissan Z car, a 400-hp, twin-turbo symbol of the struggling Japanese automaker’s revival, is the latest product launch to be derailed by global supply chain woes. The Z was expected to land in the home market in June, but Nissan Motor confirmed April 27 that the Japan-market launch “will be changed to
0 Comments
LONDON — McLaren Automotive has hired Ferrari executive Michael Leiters as its CEO. Leiters, 50, replaces Mike Flewitt, who resigned from the British sports-car maker in October. Leiters stepped down as Ferrari’s chief technology officer in December as part of a leadership reorganization at the Italian luxury brand. At Ferrari, Leiters oversaw the development of
0 Comments
6:10 PM ET Associated Press Roger Penske has tweaked qualifying for next month’s Indianapolis 500 to add a shootout that will determine the first four starting rows for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Penske told The Associated Press the tweaks will create a high-pressure atmosphere on the second day of qualifying. “We’re going to have
0 Comments