- Saab’s owner seeks partner to secure brand’s future – Automotive News: Saab’s owner, National Electric Vehicle Sweden, says it is in discussions with potential partners as it seeks to restart car production and develop future models.
- China sets first fines in car sector probe – FT: Two Japanese parts makers ordered to pay Rmb294m for alleged antitrust infractions as China hands down first penalties in probe of car market
- Cars could soon ‘talk’ to each other – Via Google News: A side mirror warning signal in a Ford Taurus is seen at an automobile testing area in Oxon Hill, Md. The NHTSA said Monday it will begin drafting …
- How is a 17-year-old allowed in F1? – Via Google News: He wouldn’t even be able to drive a car on his own, never mind one with over 700 horsepower under the throttle. But the Dutch teen will exactly that …
- A hard rock ballad for Nissan commercial vans? – Automotive News: Nissan employs Bret Michaels, of ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’ fame, to sing his take on ‘Endless Love’ to Nissan’s commercial vans.
- Top stolen cars? Honda Accord, Civics take honors and thieves like the Ford F150 as well – Via Google News: Hard times have befallen car thieves. Thefts of automobiles fell 3.2 percent last year, dropping to under 700,000 cars stolen. That is the lowest since …
- Russia may ban car imports if new sanctions apply over Ukraine – Via Google News: Cars produced by foreign automobile-makers at a dealership in Moscow. Russia may tighten sanctions against western nations to include a ban on …
- China Accuses Daimler of Price Manipulation – WSJ: A Chinese regulator uncovered evidence of monopolistic behavior by Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz, according to a government official quoted in state-owned media, amid new scrutiny of foreign luxury car makers.
- GM’s Barra sends letters to 1.9M car owners in ignition switch recall – DetN: General Motors Co. CEO Mary Barra this month sent letters to about 1.9 million owners affected by GM’s high-profile ignition switch recall of 2.59 million cars, urging them to complete repairs.
- Ferrari sells for $38.1 million at classic car auction – Via Google News: A $38.1 million Ferrari 250 GTO Berlinetta led the annual parade of classic car auctions in California to a record tally of more than $350 …
- Obama Administration Wants New Vehicles Equipped With Car-To-Car Technology – Via Google News: New wireless technology could eliminate human error when it comes to car collisions, and the Obama administration wants it included in all new …
- GM Drops to Number Four – thedetroitbureau.com: It was the manufacturer to beat for 75 years, but General Motors has been steadily losing ground in recent years. Whether one measures from a vehicle sales standpoint or in terms of revenues, GM’s mojo is fading these days. It fell to third place in sales in the first half of this year and fourth in gross revenue.
- Ford begins testing first right-hand-drive Mustang – Automotive News: Ford has begun testing the first prototype of the right-hand-drive Mustang pony car. Ford said its engineers recently finished building the handmade prototype, which will be used in various developmental tests in coming months.
- U.S. details plans for car-to-car safety communications – Automotive News: After more than a decade of research into car-to-car communications, federal auto safety regulators took a step forward today by unveiling their plan for requiring cars to have wireless gear that will enable them to warn drivers of danger.
- China finds Mercedes-Benz guilty of price fixing: Xinhua – Reuters: Germany’s Mercedes-Benz has been found guilty of manipulating prices for after-sales services in China, the official Xinhua news agency reported, adding to pressure on foreign carmakers in the world’s largest auto market.
- N.H.T.S.A. Deepens Investigation of Honda Accord Air Bags – NY Times: Regulators are taking a closer look at the inadvertent deployment of side air bags in 2008 Accords. Some owners said the air bags deployed when they slammed the door.
- Whom Should A Self-Driving Car Kill? – Via Google News: As we’ve encountered thousands of different situations, we’ve built software models of what to expect, from the likely (a car stopping at a red light) to …
- Will Electric Cars Ever Be Practical? – Via Google News: The typical gasoline automobile has a range of 300 to 400 miles before a refill is needed. A typical electric vehicle has a range of less than 100 miles.
- Toyota makes stronger showing in J.D. Power seat quality study – Automotive News: Toyota made sizable gains in a JD Power seat quality study, with six of the 21 vehicles recognized for superior seating, two more than last year.
- Feds Say Requiring Car-to-Car Technology Could Prevent Accidents – Via Google News: New vehicle-to-vehicle technologies, which allow cars to automatically detect each other in order to avoid collisions, could prevent up to 592,000 …
- Obama administration to require anti-collision tech on cars and trucks – Via Google News: A car would see when another car or truck equipped with the same technology was about to run a red light, even if that vehicle were hidden around a …
- Continental Ups the Autonomous Car Ante – thedetroitbureau.com: The race is on to be first to market with an autonomous vehicle, and automakers like Nissan, GM and Mercedes are being challenged by Google, which plans to launch a fleet of prototypes later this year. Now suppliers are looking to get involved. Continental poached a Google exec for its new ITS company.
- NHTSA Makes Move on Vehicle-to-Vehicle Technology Rule – Wards: NHTSA says in the expected report it is eying the addition of two technologies: left-turn assist and intersection-movement assist.
- China says Mercedes-Benz fixed prices – FT: German group is latest multinational carmaker to face Chinese scrutiny and threat of fines over pricing of spare parts, repair and maintenance
- Government wants to require cars to talk to each other – DetN: The Obama administration said Monday it is taking a first step toward requiring that future cars and light trucks be equipped with technology that enables them to warn each other of potential danger in time to avoid collisions.