Empty trains, clogged roads: Americans get behind the wheel to avoid transit
Several opinion polls show Americans plan to avoid trains and buses as stay-at-home orders ease, with some city dwellers buying a car for the first time. A potential boon to coronavirus-battered automakers, the shift poses a challenge to city planners end environmental goals.
Continue reading “Empty trains, clogged roads: Americans get behind the wheel to avoid transit”
Ford shuts two U.S. assembly plants due to COVID-19 infections
1 Min Read
DETROIT (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co on Wednesday closed two U.S. assembly plants as the coronavirus pandemic wreaked early havoc with the No. 2 U.S. automaker’s plan to restart North American production and begin making its most profitable vehicles again.
Ford closed its Dearborn, Michigan, plant due to a positive COVID-19 test by one worker, while its Chicago assembly plant was closed due to a parts shortage, Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said.
Ford declined to say which supplier had the issue, but a person familiar with the matter told Reuters that Lear Corp had closed a plant in Hammond, Indiana. Lear later confirmed in an email that it had closed the plant due to a positive test.
Continue reading “Ford shuts two U.S. assembly plants due to COVID-19 infections”
WAF Gurus Live 8 : Changing Consumer Behaviour in the Covid Era
Top 10 Questions around Changing Consumer Behaviour
1. Social Distancing, Masks & Sanitiser Always “On” , 60+ days of Lockdown, Low or No Income : How can Consumers be the Same Again ?
2. Would Personal Transport be preferred over Public Transport?
3. How would the Pie chart pan out between : First Timers Vs Re-Purchasers Vs Replacement
4. Is getting a new set of wheels a priority ? Whats the Consumer Mode : Spending Mode / Savings Mode / Panic Mode / Back to Normal Soon
5. The Shift in Buying Process : Is it a Delta or a Sea Change that we expect ?
6. We see Mass Adoption of Digital. Would Showrooms be redundant ? Who shall Digitise Most & First : PV , CV, 2W, Luxury PV & 2W ?
7. SOPs of Workshops, Showroom being re-written with Health & Hygiene at the centre. Impact on Consumer Behaviour?
8. New Vehicle Features Post Covid : How are the R&D and Engineering Folks processing it ?
9. The Shifts and Deltas in Demographics?
10. And Finally what does this Shift mean for the Industry in terms of :
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Product / Features
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Marketing Campaigns – Media Vehicles & Messaging
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Go to Market Strategy
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Pre -Sales, Sales & After Sales Experiences
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Speakers at WAF Gurus Live! 8 :
Rajiv Gupta – VP – Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India
S S Gill – Sr VP – IB , Brand & Corp Comm, Volvo Eicher CV
Santosh Iyer – Head Sales & Marketing – Mercedes-Benz India
Abbey Thomas -Head – Marketing , Volkswagen India
Tanuj Pugalia -CMD, Gallops Group
Jitender Dabas – COO & CSO, McCann Worldgroup India
Atul Arora – Partner, Wiserfeed Consulting
Anuj Guglani – CEO, World Auto Forum
The Auto World This Week | Positive & Impactful Stories from Motown 🚀
U.S. auto industry workers return to jobs amid concerns of second virus wave
DETROIT (Reuters) – Factory workers began returning to assembly lines in Michigan on Monday, paving the way to reopen the U.S. auto sector but stoking fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections as strict lockdowns are eased across the country.
With millions of Americans out of work and much of the economy at a virtual standstill, a growing number of states are relaxing tough restrictions on commerce and social life put in place to slow the outbreak.
Some auto suppliers in Michigan, a Midwest industrial powerhouse hard hit by the pandemic and its economic fallout, reopened plants on Monday with skeleton crews to get ready for a resumption of vehicle production next week.
Skilled-trades workers and salaried employees also began returning to auto assembly plants to prepare for the wider restart.
Continue reading “U.S. auto industry workers return to jobs amid concerns of second virus wave”
The Auto World This Week | Things are Looking Up! 😃 👍
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The Auto World This Week…Covid’s Silver Linings And More
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The Auto World This Week…Auto & Mobility Cos Fight Corona, China Gets Normal, EV JVs
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Top Auto News From India, China, US, EU | The Auto World This Week
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Know-how to Restart Aligned Global Supply Chains
Lets Restart Aligned Global Supply Chains
As we prepare to restart our company operations, we need to be mindful of aligning our suppliers, our own operations, our distribution network around the consumers.
Lets identify and adopt the Redefined Procurement Sutras during the “New Normal”
Speakers at WAF Gurus Live! 7 :
Continue reading “Know-how to Restart Aligned Global Supply Chains”
UK to place all incoming travellers under 14-day quarantine: The Times
(Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce on Sunday that all travellers coming to the United Kingdom will be quarantined for a fortnight, The Times reported
“Passengers arriving at airports and ports including Britons returning from abroad, will have to self-isolate for 14 days,” the newspaper said, adding that travellers will have to provide the address sat which they will self-isolate on arrival.
Travellers from Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man will be exempt, as will lorry drivers bringing crucial supplies, the report added.
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The authorities will carry out spot checks and those found to be breaking the rules are to face fines of up to 1,000 pounds or even deportation, the report added.
According to The Times, travellers will have to fill in a digital form with details of where they plan to self-isolate themselves for the duration of the quarantine.
The measures will help reduce the “transmission of the virus as we move into the next phase of our response,” the report said, citing a government source
The measures are expected to come into force in early June.
Johnson will announce a very limited easing of Britain’s coronavirus lockdown next week, adopting a cautious approach to try to ensure there is no second peak of infections.
Reporting by Aishwarya Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber
How Deere, Caterpillar kept plants running during the coronavirus outbreak
CHICAGO (Reuters) – While Detroit automakers’ unionized auto factories have been idled by the coronavirus pandemic, farm and construction equipment makers Deere (DE.N) and Caterpillar (CAT.N) have won the support of the United Auto Workers and other unions to run their facilities during the pandemic.
As U.S. states begin to lift lockdown orders and companies gear up to restart production, the policies put in place by the two heavy equipment makers offer a template for returning workers to idled factories in other sectors.
Giving employees sick time without penalty, temperature screenings, staggered shifts and hiring a hygiene-auditing firm are some of the measures the two companies have taken to reassure employees to stay on production lines when many union and non-union workers balk at reporting for jobs that could expose them to the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Continue reading “How Deere, Caterpillar kept plants running during the coronavirus outbreak”
Japan tightens rules on foreign stakes in 518 firms, citing national security
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan announced on Friday a list of its firms subject to tighter foreign ownership rules, including majors such as Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Sony Corp (6758.T), as the United States and Europe step up scrutiny of industries key to national security.
Japan identified 518 of its roughly 3,800 listed firms as having operations core to national security, making them targets for stringent regulations, a list released by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) showed.
The tighter rules covering foreign investment in a dozen sectors crucial to national security, such as oil, railways, utilities, arms, space, nuclear power, aviation, telecoms and cyber security, take effect from Friday.
Foreign investors buying a stake of 1% or more in Japanese firms in the 12 areas now face pre-screening in principle, compared with the previous threshold of 10%.
Continue reading “Japan tightens rules on foreign stakes in 518 firms, citing national security”
Nissan to extend production halt for most U.S. plants
(Reuters) – Nissan Motor Co said Thursday it is extending a production halt for most U.S. manufacturing plants in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
Nissan, which began gradually resuming production operations at its Infiniti powertrain plant in Decherd, Tennessee last week, said it would assess current market demand and supplier readiness before setting a restart date for the remaining plants. Many automakers hope to resume U.S. production starting May 18 after halting operations in late March.
Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Franklin Paul
Abbey Thomas, the Seasoned CMO!
WAF Editorial Team
• Abbey Thomas gets ready for the Next Dream Run as Marketing Head at Volkswagen India
• He successfully established Audi Brand in India
• Boasts of one of the most varied & long standing cross cultural global work experience
Abbey is a seasoned Global Marketing Professional with 26 Years + of Experience under his belt.
Mental Health Special : “Minding our Mind During the COVID Era “
Lets Reduce Psychological distress during COVID by better understanding of Mental Health
Learn How to Mind the Mind!
Unable to Move Out and Meet People. Social Distancing and wearing mask are the New hygiene. Locked up at Home. Low or No Income. Job & Work Insecurity. Children unable to attend School. Family & Work relationships at a Test. Feeling Generally Low ?
Continue reading “Mental Health Special : “Minding our Mind During the COVID Era “”
Be a WAF Certified M&A Professional at the WAF Masterclass on M&A
11 AM to 3.30 PM, Sat 13 June 2020
5 Top Reasons Why You Should Register NOW ?
1. E-Meet & E Train with Top CXOs, Deal Makers, M&A Pros, Lawyers and Understand Finer & Practical Nuances of the Subject.
2. Downloadable Certificate : WAF Certified M&A Professional after Successful Completion
3. Get Special 15% discount code over all Prevalent Discounts for All WAF Programs in 2020 through the Year
4. Get 20% Discount on Corporate Membership at WAF Community App
5. Attendee Investment – Price Increases Each Week
Continue reading “Be a WAF Certified M&A Professional at the WAF Masterclass on M&A”
World Auto Forum Creates History!
World Auto Forum creates history. Organizes World’s first Day Long Connected Vehicles Certification Online Program & VIRTUAL EXHIBITION
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Virtual exhibition at 4th WAFit! 2020 amazes one and all and Yes, It’s Still “ON”!
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Life like 5D Exhibition Hall, Booth Spaces, interactivity and Life like experience with visitors chatter add great depth and dimension to the virtual event
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WAFit 2020, the day long online program creates new benchmarks in way online programs are perceived and executed
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New Delhi | 28th April 2020 | https://worldautoforum.com | Virtual Exhibition : https://bit.ly/WAFVirtualExhibiton
Annual Partners @ World Auto Forum
Gold Partners
Gallops Motors Motor Uncle
OEM Partner
Volkswagen
Partners
Amplus Solar K2B Learning Shell
Media Partners
Auto Tech Review The Patriot
How to successfully Run your Factories and Offices on Solar
Amplus Solar is Annual Partner at World Auto Forum and a leader in Solar Projects
Amplus Solar is Asia’s leading distributed energy company providing low carbon energy solutions to industrial and commercial customers. Amplus provides clean energy to its clients by setting up both on-site solar projects (rooftop and ground-mounted) and off-site solar farms. Today, Amplus owns and manages a portfolio of 650+ MWp of operational and under construction distributed solar assets across India with its projects spread over more than 275 locations.
Amplus is a member of PETRONAS (Petroliam Nasional Berhad) Group, Malaysia and is headquartered in Gurugram, India with regional offices in Bangalore, Bangkok, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai and Pune.
Continue reading “How to successfully Run your Factories and Offices on Solar”
WAF Gurus Live 5 : How to resume EV Revolution Post Lockdown
Cues for Discussion :
1. We have never ever faced anything like this ever before. Straight from a Hollywood Movie! How do we all come together to fix and rebuild ?
2. When the Challenge is a global one , EV is a Global phenomenon , the process to kickstart EV Revolution can also be a “Global One” ?
Continue reading “WAF Gurus Live 5 : How to resume EV Revolution Post Lockdown”
WAF Gurus Live! Episode 4 : Legal Compliances and Protection During & After Lockdown
Watch Live here : https://worldautoforum.com/waf-tv/
Suggested Points of Discussion
1. How should the Companies manage their Contractual Obligations
2. Statutory & Govt Protections , Rebates SMEs , MSMEs can avail
WAF Gurus Live! Episode 3 : Important Sutras on Readiness of Workshops POST LOCKDOWN
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WAF Gurus Live -2 – How to Manage Teams, Clients, Suppliers during and after Lockdown? 📺
Please join us for this Interesting Video Discussion of the Top Gurus of Automotive and Mobility
5 PM – 6 PM, Thurs, April 2 , 2020
A Few Pointers :
1. It seems straight from a Hollywood Movie! But its true! Something beyond our wildest Imaginations
2. Our Teams : DURING LOCKDOWN : Our Communication , How to engage , Benefits , Getting the work done
After Lockdown : How to re engage ,
WAF Gurus Live : How to Manage During & After the Lockdown at the Automotive Industry.
When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Together to March Forward!
Join us for this Interesting Video Webinar
Speakers :
Nikunj Sanghi – Past President and Current Director – F A D A , Chairman – ASDC, MD – J.S. Fourwheel Motors
Hardeep S Brar – Director – Mktg & Sales, Great Wall Motors
Ashish Gupta – Head of Sales – Volkswagen India
Tanuj Pugalia – CMD – Gallops Motors – A Pugalia Group Venture
Vinkesh Gulati – VP – F A D A, Director – United Automobiles
Harsh Vashist – MD- Satyam Group of Cos & Sparsh Autotech
Vikrantt Mohan – President – All India Automobile Workshops Association
Anuj Guglani – CEO, WAF
A Few Pointers :
1. The SC Order on BS4 Extension and the confusion around it ( We can discuss it without getting sued for contempt :). )
2. When was the last time we were in a lockdown like this ? Any Learnings though the world would have been very different then..
3. Consumer Sentiment & Industry Sentiment : How to rebuild ?
4. How to Rebuild with Govt & Industry Partnerships ?
5. How to Kickstart Economy / Industry Revival when things get Normal. How would we define and Qualify ‘The New Normal’ ?
IIT Delhi researchers develop test affordable test kits for COVID-19
PTI
New Delhi: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology here have developed a method to detect COVID-19 which can significantly reduce the test cost making it affordable for large sections. The National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune is in the process of validating this test on clinical samples. The “probe-free detection assay” developed by the researchers at the prestigious institute’s Kusuma School of Biological Sciences has been optimised and tested for sensitivity at the research laboratories of the Institute.
According to the team, considering the scale of the ongoing pandemic, development of indigenous kits is the need of the hour. The central government on Saturday recommended that the maximum charge for each COVID-19 test by private laboratories should not exceed Rs 4,500. All private laboratories which have NABL accreditation for real-time PCR SA for RNA virus will be allowed to conduct COVID-19 tests, according to the guidelines issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for COVID-19 testing in private laboratories, which were notified by the Health Ministry on Saturday night.
Continue reading “IIT Delhi researchers develop test affordable test kits for COVID-19”
WAF Certified Connected Vehicle Professional Online Program
11 AM to 5 PM, Sat 25 April, 2020
5 Top Reasons Why You Should Register ?
1. E-Meet with The Gods of Connected Vehicles & Understand Finer Nuances of the Subject.
2. Downloadable Certificate : WAF Certified Connected Vehicle Professional after successful Completion
3. Get Special 15% discount code over all Prevalent Discounts for All WAF Summits in 2020 through the Year
4. All Day Running Innovations Contest & Virtual Exhibition
5. Attendee Investment Under Rs 1K – Price Increases Each Week
Continue reading “WAF Certified Connected Vehicle Professional Online Program”
Why it’s Grossly Unfair Not to Move BS6 Deadline to 31 May 2020
by Anuj Guglani, CEO WAF
Stop Selling BS4 Vehicles on 31 March 2020 even if its Janta Curfew ?
2 Months Extension can save from an ‘Economical Collapse’
There won’t be any extra BS4 vehicles sold, just the vehicles which didn’t move in Feb and March due to Covid19
Indian Automotive Industry has seen one of the biggest slowdowns in last 20 years which has been “On” for last 2 years. As most industry pundits comment, it is a ‘Secular Slowdown’. No Vehicle type or Industry fragment has been spared. It is across Dealers, Makers and Suppliers.
Continue reading “Why it’s Grossly Unfair Not to Move BS6 Deadline to 31 May 2020”
Much Awaited Fully Loaded Volkswagen T-Roc launched at Rs 19.99 lakh
by World Auto Forum Editorial Team
The Much Awaited Volkswagen T-Roc has been launched Online in India. The SUV Enthusiasts and Car Aficionados had been waiting for this product for a while now!
Indian Theatre Actress Radhika Apte had joined Steffen Knapp Director VW Passenger Cars for the Innovative Online launch today at 11.30 AM
T-Roc was showcased by the company at the recent Auto Expo 2020. It had won great reviews by visitors and people on social media last month.
T-Roc is the second SUV launched by the Company this year. It is a CBU and is being imported under the 2500 Units Relaxation Rule of the new Central Motor Vehicles (Eleventh Amendment) Rules, 2018, just like its sibling the Tiguan Allspace.
Continue reading “Much Awaited Fully Loaded Volkswagen T-Roc launched at Rs 19.99 lakh”
Top Auto News From India, China, US, EU | The Auto World This Week
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Top Auto News From India & the World | The Auto World This Week
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Simple Home Remedies to keep Covid19 Away
by Dr Neelu Guglani
Ok…So The Virus is here…we are getting to know it better everyday…still lot to be learnt about it…
Right now everyone agrees we have to protect ourselves….
Everyone knows about basic hand hygiene/respiratory etiquettes/social distancing….
Though I m no expert in Yoga/ Ayurveda/Homeo still I like to read about herbs and Nutrition..And India has a treasure of herbs and spices available in our kitchen
So have made few points for Prevention
(No evidence in favour of protection against COVID 19 but i personally feel these will help)
1. Saline Gargles in the morning/ when u come home and at Bed time….generally protects u against many viruses…is simple to do
2.Neti..with lukewarm salt water….salt kills……will keep ur nose…upper Respiratory Tract and sinuses clean….
3.Kunjal….once a week….will keep ur GI system clean and also strengthens ur Respiratory system…avoid if u have High BP/ Cardiac problem/Stomach Ulcers/Piles/History of stroke or any issue related to ur Brain
4.Drink Water….better if lukewarm…helps u loose weight too😄
5.Honey lemon water first thing in morning
6.Ginger….Have lukewarm Ginger water atleast twice a day
7.Turmeric….increase in ur diet…Raw turmeric in ur salad..in ur Vegetable Juice…Turmeric Tea
Continue reading “Simple Home Remedies to keep Covid19 Away”
Orix India Turns 25 Years Young. Throws a Big Bang Silver Jubilee Bash
By WAF Editorial Team
Orix is the Global leader in Vehicle Leasing and Infrastructure related services. They complete 25 glorious years at India. Orix operates at India through two companies, both being 100% subsidiaries of Orix Corporation Japan.
Silver Jubilee Celebrations at Orix India
Continue reading “Orix India Turns 25 Years Young. Throws a Big Bang Silver Jubilee Bash”
WAF CHRO roundtable brings together Top CHROs and HR Experts to set the HR Action Plan 2020
WAF CHRO roundtable organized by World Auto Forum on Friday, 28 th February 2020 brought together top CHROs, HR experts and CXOs. It brought into focus, the core issues related to HR, people management, compliances and lots more.
During the two roundtables planned for the day, insights were shared on the expectations of the millennials, the new dynamics of corporate HR, the need to focus on compliances and
labour reforms.
Anuj Guglani, CEO, World Auto Forum, speaking on the aims of the program explained, “the whole of last year was a real challenge for the Auto sector. With shrinking bottom-lines, massive retrenchments became a sad reality. With that came a host of HR related challenges and union problems. People management came into sharp focus.
We at World Auto Forum felt the need for a dialogue on HR best practices, especially during such
turbulent times. We plan to use the insights gathered here to create Automotive HR Action plan 2020.”
Two roundtables were organized during the day.
Roundtable 1 : Managing Our Most Important Asset – “Our People” during challenging times
WAF at Auto Expo 2020
Harsh Vardhan, Director, EeVe India shares how one visit to Spain made him swing to EVs #autoexpo2020
Jeetender Sharma, Founder & MD, Okinawa Scooters talks about his Patents, BMS, Better Batteries, No Compromise on Safety #autoexpo2020
Why cant all Automotive factories and warehouses be powered by Solar? Meet Anil Bhat SVP Amplus Solar talk about it ! #autoexpo2020
Meet the Cartist Man of India Himanshu Jangid, Founder & MD, Cartist as talks about Sustainability with Art at Automotive #autoexpo2020
Hardeep S Brar Director Mktg & Sales, Great Wall Motors shares the Co’s Great Plans for India #autoexpo2020
