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Top Learnings from 11th IVASS by WAF on Best Practices of Vehicle After Sales Service WAF
Top Car Brands and Dealers as per Customer Ratings WAF Continue reading “WAF Auto News | The Auto World This Week (26th December 2025)”
AkzoNobel is pleased to announce that Maarten de Vries, who had planned to retire at the end of his second four-year term as CFO and member of the Board of Management in April, has agreed to extend his tenure as CFO for one year to support the planned merger with Axalta. The extension of his term as a member of the Board of Management will be proposed for shareholder approval at the April 2026 AGM.
Fredrik Westin, who had been announced as the company’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective January 1, 2026, will no longer join AkzoNobel. The company is grateful to Fredrik for his understanding of the change of circumstances as it works towards closing the proposed merger in late 2026 to early 2027. Continue reading “AkzoNobel prioritizes continuity for Chief Financial Officer in runup to proposed Axalta merger”
India’s proposed CAFE III (Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency) norms—expected to apply from FY 2027 onward—have triggered a rare and public divergence within the auto industry. Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest carmaker, has written to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) seeking a review of the draft framework, while several other manufacturers appear broadly aligned with the regulator’s direction.
CAFE norms mandate that a manufacturer’s fleet-wide average CO₂ emissions remain below a specified threshold. Each new phase tightens limits, pushing companies toward lighter vehicles, cleaner powertrains, hybrids, and EVs. CAFE III is expected to be significantly more stringent than CAFE II.
Continue reading “CAFE III Norms: Maruti Suzuki vs Other Carmakers — Why They Wrote to the PMO”
The promise of driverless robotaxis has long been tied to a vision of safer roads, reduced congestion, lower emissions, and round-the-clock urban mobility. Cities like San Francisco have been at the forefront of this transformation, serving as real-world laboratories for autonomous vehicle (AV) deployment. However, the recent power outage in San Francisco — which disrupted traffic signals, communication networks, and parts of digital infrastructure — has once again raised a critical question: Should the expansion of driverless robotaxis continue at the current pace, or is a strategic pause needed to reassess risks and readiness?
Autonomous vehicles depend heavily on a complex ecosystem — high-definition maps, sensors, cloud connectivity, GPS signals, traffic infrastructure, and uninterrupted power supply. While robotaxis are designed with redundancies, large-scale power outages expose systemic vulnerabilities beyond the vehicle itself.
(Reuters) – The U.S. auto safety regulator said on Wednesday it has opened a defect investigation into Tesla Model 3 compact sedans over concerns that emergency door release controls may not be easily accessible or clearly identifiable in an emergency.
The Office of Defects Investigation said the probe covers an estimated 179,071 model year 2022 vehicles.
The investigation was opened on December 23 after the agency received a defect petition alleging that the vehicles’ mechanical door release is hidden, unlabeled and not intuitive to locate during emergencies. Continue reading “US auto safety agency probes Tesla Model 3 emergency door release”
Source : PTI | State-owned Convergence Energy Services Ltd (CESL) on Wednesday said it has concluded the tendering process for 10,900 electric buses.
The mega tender, under the PM E-Drive Scheme, witnessed a robust response from the industry, with 16 bidders participating in the process, reflecting strong interest from electric bus manufacturers and operators, the company said in a statement. Continue reading “CESL concludes largest mega tenders for 10,900 e-buses under PM E-Drive Scheme”
Summary
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Alphabet unit Waymo said on Tuesday it will update software used to operate its self-driving vehicles and improve its emergency response protocols after its robotaxis stalled in parts of San Francisco on Saturday due to a widespread power outage that snarled traffic and gridlocked parts of the city.
Waymo paused service Saturday evening following a fire at a PG&E substation that knocked out power to roughly one-third of the city, affecting about 130,000 residents and forcing some businesses to close temporarily. Continue reading “Waymo to update software after San Francisco power outage snarls self-driving vehicles”
(Reuters) – Hyundai Motor is recalling 51,587 vehicles in the U.S. because a short circuit in non-functioning trailer lights, caused by incorrect installation of the wiring harness, could increase the risk of fire, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday.
As a remedy, owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the trailer wiring harness, free of charge, NHTSA added. Continue reading “Hyundai to recall over 51,000 vehicles in US over risk of fire, NHTSA says”
(Reuters) – Toyota (7203.T), is recalling 55,405 vehicles in the U.S. as bolt inside the inverter may not have been tightened properly, causing incomplete contact at the inverter terminal, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Tuesday.
The remedy is currently under development, NHTSA said. Continue reading “Toyota to recall over 55,000 US vehicles over loose inverter connection, NHTSA says”
(Reuters) – New car sales in Europe rose year-on-year in November for a fifth consecutive month, helped by an increase in EV registrations in markets including Germany, Italy and Spain, data from the European auto lobby ACEA showed on Tuesday.
Battery electric registrations, a proxy for sales, reached a market share of 21% in the European Union, 26% in the United Kingdom and 98% in Norway. Continue reading “New car sales in Europe rise for fifth month helped by EVs”
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Amazon’s (AMZN.O), self-driving unit Zoox said on Tuesday it is recalling 332 self-driving robotaxis because vehicles may cross the yellow center line and drive into or stop in front of oncoming traffic near intersections, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.
Zoox said it has addressed the issue through a software update and said the issue did not result in any collisions. Continue reading “Amazon’s Zoox to recall 332 US vehicles over software error”
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Monday it is barring imports of all new models of foreign-made drones and critical components including from China’s DJI and Autel, saying they pose unacceptable risks to U.S. national security.
The addition to the FCC’s “Covered List” means that DJI, Autel and other foreign drone companies will not be able to obtain the necessary FCC approval to sell new models of drones or critical components in the U.S. Continue reading “US bars imports of new models of DJI, all other foreign drones”
(Reuters) – AI-powered fleet management company Motive Technologies on Tuesday disclosed a rise in nine-month revenue in its U.S. initial public offering filing, as firms eye listings early next year.
The San Francisco, California-based company reported a net loss of $138.5 million on $327.3 million revenue for the nine-month period ended September 30, compared with a loss of $113.9 million on $268.9 million revenue in the same period a year earlier. Continue reading “Fleet management firm Motive Technologies reveals revenue growth in US IPO paperwork”
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Alphabet (GOOGL.O), unit Waymo said on Tuesday it will update software used to operate its self-driving vehicles and improve its emergency response protocols after its robotaxis stalled in parts of San Francisco on Saturday due to a widespread power outage that snarled traffic and gridlocked parts of the city.
Waymo paused service Saturday evening following a fire at a PG&E substation that knocked out power to roughly one-third of the city, affecting about 130,000 residents and forcing some businesses to close temporarily. Continue reading “Waymo to update software after San Francisco power outage snarls self-driving vehicles”
(Reuters) – Uber (UBER.N), and Lyft (LYFT.O), said on Monday they were teaming up with Chinese tech giant Baidu (9888.HK), to launch driverless taxi trials in the UK next year, reinforcing the country’s role as Europe’s leading testbed for commercializing robotaxis.
As part of the partnerships, Baidu’s Apollo Go RT6 vehicles will join the London networks of the ride-hailing platforms in 2026, marking the first direct competition between U.S. and Chinese autonomous giants in a European capital, following Alphabet-owned (GOOGL.O), Waymo’s recent start of supervised tests in the city. Continue reading “Uber, Lyft partner with Baidu for UK robotaxi trials next year”
(Reuters) – U.S. companies borrowed 4.4% less to finance equipment investments in November compared with the same period a year earlier, the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) said on Monday.
New loans, leases and lines of credit signed up by companies in November were $10.3 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis, down slightly from the prior month. Continue reading “US business equipment borrowings down more than 4% y/y in November, ELFA says”
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE), has reached a $149.6 million settlement with U.S. states to resolve a long-running investigation into allegations of diesel emissions cheating by the German automaker, New York Attorney General Letitia James said Monday.
The automaker said the deal effectively ends its legal issues in the United States over dieselgate – the emissions scandal first uncovered at Volkswagen in September 2015. Continue reading “Mercedes reaches $150 million settlement with US states over diesel scandal”
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The Federal Communications Commission said on Monday it was adding China’s DJI, Autel and all foreign-made drones and components to a list of companies determined to pose unacceptable risks to U.S. national security and would bar approvals of new types of drones for import or sale in the United States.
The addition to the FCC’s “Covered List” means that DJI, Autel and other foreign drone companies will not be able to obtain FCC approval to sell new models of drones or critical components in the United States, which is required. Continue reading “US bars approvals of new models of DJI, all other foreign drones”
(Reuters) – A top California regulator said it was looking into incidents in which robotaxis from Alphabet (GOOGL.O), unit Waymo stalled in parts of San Francisco on Saturday due to a widespread power outage that snarled traffic and gridlocked parts of the city.
Waymo paused service Saturday evening following a fire at a PG&E substation that knocked out power to roughly one-third of the city, affecting about 130,000 residents and forcing some businesses to close temporarily. Continue reading “California examines incidents of stalled Waymo robotaxis after San Francisco power outage”
(Reuters) – Uber (UBER.N), and Lyft (LYFT.O), are teaming up with Chinese tech company Baidu (9888.HK), to test self-driving taxis in the UK in 2026, making them the latest ride-hailing platforms to partner with self-driving vehicle firms.
Robotaxis are expected to be a safer mode of transport that can reduce operational costs by minimizing reliance on drivers and optimizing routes through real-time data. Continue reading “Driverless future gains momentum with global robotaxi deployments”
Source : PTI | Lucknow, To curb rising road accidents and fatalities in the state, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday directed that a statewide “Road Safety Month” with a focus on the 4E model “Education, Enforcement, Engineering and Emergency Care” will be observed next year from January 1 to 31.
According to a press statement, chairing a high-level review meeting with senior officials, the chief minister said the campaign should not remain a formality but evolve into a people-centric movement. Continue reading “January to be observed as statewide ‘Road Safety Month’: UP CM Adityanath”
Source : PTI | Asserting that 90 percent of the Aravalli region will remain “protected”, the Centre on Sunday rejected claims that the new definition of the Aravalli range will allow large-scale mining and cited a Supreme Court-ordered freeze on new mining leases in the region.
It said a Supreme Court-approved framework provides for stronger protection of the mountain system and places a freeze on new mining leases until a comprehensive management plan is finalised. Continue reading “‘90% of Aravallis protected’, govt clarifies amid mining criticism”
Source : PTI | A day after the enforcement of BS-VI compliance and mandatory pollution-under-control certificates at Delhi’s border points and petrol pumps, awareness among commuters appeared to have increased on Friday, with many people voluntarily producing documents before refuelling.
Nischal Singhania, president of the Delhi Petrol Dealers’ Association, told PTI that queues at pollution-under-control (PUC) certification centres remained unchanged, while fuel sales had taken a hit in some border areas. Continue reading “‘No PUC, No fuel’ rule: Awareness improves; checks across Delhi pumps uneven”
Source : PTI | New Delhi: After years of forecasts predicting an imminent peak in oil demand amid a swift shift to renewables, oil and gas made a quiet but unmistakable comeback, with India emerging as a central driver of global consumption.
Major energy outlooks – from BP and McKinsey to the IEA – pushed peak oil into the 2030s and revised 2050 demand upward. And every forecaster said India will emerge as the epicentre of global demand growth, with its rise in appetite for energy outpacing that of China and Southeast Asia combined. Continue reading “Oil makes a comeback in 2025 amid transition hype, with India at the centre of action”
Source : PTI | After a record-breaking year, India’s automobile industry is entering 2026 on a relatively strong footing, with sales growth expected in the 6-8 per cent range. The outlook is underpinned by policy support, including GST rationalisation, easing monetary conditions, and income tax relief, which together are likely to improve affordability and sustain consumer demand across vehicle segments.
The momentum reflects more than cyclical recovery. Passenger vehicle volumes in 2025 rebounded sharply after a slow start, aided by stronger urban demand, stable rural incomes and improved financing availability. Continue reading “India auto growth seen holding in 2026 as policy support meets rising costs”
Source : PTI | Lucknow, To curb rising road accidents and fatalities in the state, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday directed that a statewide “Road Safety Month” with a focus on the 4E model “Education, Enforcement, Engineering and Emergency Care” will be observed next year from January 1 to 31.
According to a press statement, chairing a high-level review meeting with senior officials, the chief minister said the campaign should not remain a formality but evolve into a people-centric movement. Continue reading “January to be observed as statewide ‘Road Safety Month’: UP CM Adityanath”
WILMINGTON, Delaware, (Reuters) – Elon Musk’s 2018 pay package from Tesla (TSLA.O), once worth $56 billion, was restored by the Delaware Supreme Court on Friday, nearly two years after a lower court struck down the compensation deal as “unfathomable.”
The ruling overturns a decision that had prompted a furious backlash from Musk and damaged Delaware’s business-friendly reputation. It assures Musk greater control over the company, which he has said is his main concern, even after shareholders recently approved a new pay package that could be worth $878 billion if Tesla meets certain targets. Continue reading “Musk wins appeal that restores 2018 Tesla pay deal now worth about $139 billion”
(Reuters) – Tesla (TSLA.O), CEO Elon Musk’s net worth surged to $749 billion late Friday after the Delaware Supreme Court reinstated Tesla stock options worth $139 billion that were voided last year, according to Forbes’ billionaires index.
Musk’s 2018 pay package, once worth $56 billion, was restored by the Delaware Supreme Court on Friday, two years after a lower court struck down the compensation deal as “unfathomable.” Continue reading “Elon Musk becomes first person worth $700 billion following pay package ruling”
BEIJING, (Reuters) – A revamp of China’s electricity market is boosting the economics of storing power just as international demand surges, sparking a boom for the Chinese energy storage manufacturers that already dominate globally.
Chinese firms are on track for a 75% jump this year in global shipments of lithium-ion battery cells for energy storage, according to one estimate. Continue reading “China’s power reforms, global data centre buildout usher in battery boom”
Source : PTI | The government will implement barrier-free toll collection at all 1,050 toll plazas across the country by 2026 and about 40 lakh annual FASTag passes have been issued in four months since August, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday.
Answering queries during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Gadkari said annual FASTag passes will allow private cars to cross 200 toll plazas at ₹3,000 a year, or an average of ₹15 per toll. Continue reading “40 lakh annual FASTag passes issued since August, barrier-free toll collection by 2026: Gadkari”
Source : PTI | Days after a US-led ‘Pax Silica initiative’ excluded India from the rare earths alliance, JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal on Friday called for increased focus on domestic exploration of minerals.
Jindal, who leads the $23 billion conglomerate having interests in steel and also electric vehicles, said India has sufficient reserves of rare earths. Continue reading “JSW’s Sajjan Jindal calls for push on domestic rare earth exploration”
DETROIT, (Reuters) – A key United Auto Workers strategist and architect of the union’s 2023 auto-factory strike is leaving the labor group, after a report by the federal monitor overseeing the UAW concluded that he was part of a campaign to improperly remove duties from another union leader.
Chris Brooks, chief of staff to UAW President Shawn Fain, will no longer be employed by the union as of December 31, according to a report released on Thursday by the monitor’s office. Continue reading “UAW president’s chief of staff to leave the union following federal monitor report”
BERLIN, (Reuters) – Volkswagen’s (VOWG.DE), Chief Executive Oliver Blume pledged continued cost cutting at Europe’s largest carmaker on Thursday, as the company seeks to remain competitive amid industry-wide challenges.
Speaking at the group’s two-day management meeting in Berlin, Blume identified leadership, focus and finances as three central priorities for the new year, a company spokesman said. Continue reading “VW management to continue cost cutting”
TOKYO, (Reuters) – Toyota Motor (7203.T), said on Friday that it aims to begin selling its U.S.-made Camry sedan, Highlander SUV and Tundra pickup truck in Japan starting next year as it hopes to help improve Japan―U.S. trade relations.
The world’s largest automaker was studying the possibility of reverse imports, it said in October, as Tokyo tries to placate President Donald Trump over its vast trade surplus with the United States. Continue reading “Toyota aims to begin selling 3 US-made models in Japan from 2026”
(Reuters) – Ford (F.N), is recalling 272,645 vehicles in the U.S. due to a loss of park function, causing the vehicle to roll away and increasing the risk of a crash, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Friday.
The Dearborn, Michigan-based company is recalling certain 2022-2026 F-150 Lightning BEV, 2024-2026 Mustang Mach-E, and 2025-2026 Maverick vehicles, as the integrated park module may fail to lock into the park position when the driver shifts into park, according to the NHTSA. Continue reading “Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals World Business Markets Sustainability Legal Commentary More My News”
(Reuters) – BMW (BMWG.DE), will recall 36,922 vehicles in the United States as over unintended steering wheel movement while the vehicle is stationary, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Friday.
Reporting by Lewis Jackson, Nora Eckert and Christoph Steitz. Editing by Mike Colias, David Goodman and Nick Zieminski
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2nd Car PhD Awards Ceremony – Gaadi & Dealer ka Asli Report Card | An Innovation by World Auto Forum WAF
World Auto Forum Gets Top Industry Leaders Together to be Future Ready! WAF
Global Auto & Mobility Industry’s Preferred M&A Partner WAF Continue reading “WAF Auto News | The Auto World This Week (19th December 2025)”
Delhi’s air pollution crisis demands urgent, decisive and practical interventions. Based on data, global best practices, and on-ground realities, we would like to submit the following low-hanging yet high-impact measures that can significantly reduce pollution levels in a short timeframe:
Continue reading “Simple and Urgent Plan to Fix Delhi Poor AQI by World Auto Forum”
New Delhi, India: The 11th India Vehicle After Sales Summit (IVASS) 2025, organised by World Auto Forum (WAF), successfully brought together India’s most influential leaders from OEMs, the aftermarket, workshop associations, skilling bodies, technology providers, and service innovators to collaboratively prepare the automotive after-sales ecosystem for the future.
Anchored around the central theme, “Let’s Come Together & Be Future Ready!”, IVASS 2025 emerged as a powerful platform for co-creation, collaboration, and actionable dialogue, addressing the rapidly evolving challenges and opportunities in vehicle after-sales, workshops, and customer experience. Continue reading “World Auto Forum Gets Top Industry Leaders Together to be Future Ready! Organises 11th IVASS – India Vehicle After Sales Summit for Sharing of Best Practices and Future Vehicle Repair Tech”
BERLIN, (Reuters) – Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE), said on Thursday it is on target to reduce costs by 5 billion euros ($5.9 billion) by the end of 2027, denying a media report that the goal for its efficiency programme had been brought forward by a year.
“The programme is going according to plan,” a spokesperson told Reuters. Continue reading “Mercedes savings drive proceeding as planned by end 2027, spokesperson says”
