Source : PTI | New Delhi: In a bid to ensure road discipline on highways and roads, the S. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih directed Delhi, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala to apprise the court of the steps taken to comply with Section 136A read with Rule 167A of the Motor Vehicles Act.

It said after the state government and Union territories decide about the use of electronic enforcement devices for issuance of challans, they shall ensure that fines for violation of provisions of the MV Act are made based on footage from electronic devices.

Continue reading “SC directs states to implement provision for electronically monitoring speeding vehicles”

Source : PTI | Sixty-six % of road traffic deaths in Southeast Asia are of pedestrians, motorised two-wheeler riders and cyclists while the highest traffic fatalities in India are among two- and three-wheeler riders, according to the latest WHO report. The “WHO South-East Asia Regional Status Report on Road Safety” was launched during “Safety 2024”, the 15th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, 2024.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, 30 % of reported road traffic deaths involved users of powered two- and three-wheelers. Continue reading “Pedestrians, cyclists, two-wheeler riders constitute 66 % of road fatalities in Southeast Asia: WHO”

Summary

• China plans anti-dumping probe into Canola imports from Canada
• Beijing will also look at some Canadian chemical imports
• Investigation follows Canadian tariffs on Chinese EV imports
• China is world’s biggest oilseed importer
• Canada accounts for majority of China’s canola imports

BEIJING, (Reuters) – China said on Tuesday it plans to start an anti-dumping investigation into canola imports from Canada, after Ottawa moved to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, lifting prices of domestic rapeseed oil futures to a one-month peak. Continue reading “China hits Canada with anti-dumping probe on canola imports in response to EV tariffs”

(Reuters) – Electric vehicle maker Polestar said on Tuesday it has appointed former Stellantis finance executive Jean-Francois Mady as its CFO, days after replacing long-time CEO Thomas Ingenlath.

This marks the fourth executive change at the Geely-backed EV maker in the past few months as it looks to battle fresh tariffs in the European Union and rising competition from U.S.-based Tesla and legacy automakers. Continue reading “EV firm Polestar taps former Stellantis finance executive as CFO”

SHANGHAI, (Reuters) – Tesla plans to produce a six-seat variant of its Model Y car in China from late 2025, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said, as the U.S. automaker strives to increase the appeal of its best-selling yet aging electric vehicle (EV).

Tesla has asked suppliers to prepare accordingly for a double-digit increase of Model Y output at its Shanghai factory, said one of the people, who declined to be named as the plan is not public. Continue reading “Exclusive: Tesla plans six-seat Model Y, production slated for 2025 in China, sources say”

Summary

• Company will look at possible plant closures in Germany
• Automaker battling failing competitiveness and investment needs
• Labour controls 50% of supervisory board, can block changes

BERLIN/FRANKFURT, (Reuters) – Volkswagen boss Oliver Blume, already battling slowing demand for electric cars and Chinese rivals, must now put aside his mantle as team player to tackle yet another tough opponent, Germany’s powerful labour unions. Continue reading “From peace-maker to taboo-breaker, VW boss Blume takes on the unions”

BERLIN, (Reuters) – An electric vehicle made in China by Volkswagen’s CUPRA brand would be “wiped out” if the European Commission followed through with planned import tariffs of 21.3% on the vehicle, the brand’s CEO told Reuters.

Raising the price of the Tavascan, an all-electric SUV selling for around 52,000 euros ($57,500), to cover the costs was not an option in the current European economic environment, said Wayne Griffiths, who heads up the SEAT and CUPRA brands under Volkswagen’s SEAT S.A. subsidiary. Continue reading “Exclusive: Volkswagen’s CUPRA ‘at risk’ from planned EU tariffs, says brand CEO”

PARIS,(Reuters) – France’s new car registrations entered a decline last month, as concerns over the economy weigh on consumer appetite.

BY THE NUMBERS

New car registrations in August plunged 24.3% compared with the same month a year ago, data from French car lobby Plateforme de la filière automobile (PFA) showed on Sunday, while registrations for the first eight months of the year shrank by 0.5%. Continue reading “France’s car sales shrink as political turmoil weighs”

QUITO, (Reuters) – General Motors’ factory in Ecuador will shutter production on Friday amid pressure from local competitors, but will still sell vehicles in the Andean country.

The Cadillac and Chevrolet maker said in April it would close its production operations in Ecuador and neighboring Colombia. Continue reading “General Motors Ecuador factory closes doors for good”

BERLIN,(Reuters) – German automaker BMW is recalling electric Mini Cooper SE vehicles due to problems in their batteries, which could potentially affect more than 140,000 autos worldwide, a company spokesperson told Reuters on Monday.

Around 39,000 vehicles could be affected in Germany, the company said in a statement on Monday, adding that there are no known accidents or injuries in this context. Continue reading “BMW worldwide recalling Mini Cooper SE electric models, company says”

Summary

• VW considers one car plant, one component plant in Germany obsolete -works council
• Cost-cutting drive at namesake brand must be extended -VW
• Management ‘compelled’ to end job security programme
• Works council promises ‘fierce resistance’ to plans
• Shares +1.2%

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Volkswagen is considering closing factories in Germany for the first time, in a move that shows the mounting price pressure Europe’s top carmaker faces from Asian rivals. Continue reading “Volkswagen considers historic German plant closures in cost drive”

Source : PTI | The Maharashtra government has hiked fees for “choice numbers,” commonly known as VIP numbers, for new vehicles, which will translate into revised INR 6 lakh charge for the most sought-after ‘0001’ number for four-wheelers in high-demand areas like Mumbai, Pune, and other cities. Interestingly, the new fees mean that an out-of-series VIP number will cost up to INR 18 lakh in major cities including Mumbai and Pune, which incidentally is the cost of new cars in the mid-segment.

As per the transport department’s notification dated August 30, the cost for the coveted number ‘0001’ will rise to INR 5 lakh for four-wheelers, up from the current INR 3 lakh. For two and three-wheelers, the fee will increase to INR 1 lakh, doubling from the existing INR 50,000.

Continue reading “Maharashtra govt hikes VIP number fees; pay INR 6 lakh for ‘0001’ in Mumbai and high-demand areas”

Source : PTI |New Delhi: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday said state finance ministers should consider reducing Goods and Services Tax (GST) on flex-fuel vehicles to 12 % in the GST Council meeting. Addressing IFGE’s India Bio-Energy & Tech Expo, Gadkari also said there is a need to reduce imports of fossil fuels and encourage the use of biofuel.

“We need support from finance ministers of different states. The (Union) finance minister assured me that we will try to convince all the finance ministers. Continue reading “Gadkari asks state FM’s to consider reducing GST on flex-fuel vehicles to 12 %”

(Reuters) – Mazda on Friday named Tatsuro Omura as the chief financial officer of its North American operations.

Omura previously served as the automaker’s general manager for business structure strategy department in Japan. Continue reading “Mazda North America names Tatsuro Omura as CFO”

(Reuters) – The California Department of Motor Vehicles on Friday issued draft regulations on the operation of autonomous vehicles on highways, paving the way for self-driving trucks to commence long-haul deliveries.

The state agency is planning a framework which would initially require safety drivers for both light- and heavy-duty operations. Continue reading “California issues draft regulations for operating autonomous trucks”

(Reuters) – Ford will recall 90,736 vehicles as engine intake valves in the vehicles may break while driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Saturday.

The recall impacts certain 2021-2022 Bronco, F-150, Edge, Explorer, Lincoln Nautilus, and Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with either a 2.7L or 3.0L Nano EcoBoost engine, the NHTSA said. Continue reading “Ford to recall 90,736 vehicles over engine valve issue, US regulators say”