WAF THINK TANK
Road Safety Recognised as a Fundamental Right by Supreme Court of India WAF
India’s EV Reality Check: Hype vs Adoption in 2026 CarPhD Continue reading “WAF Auto News | The Auto World This Week (24th April 2026)”
New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki India Limited (“Maruti Suzuki”) has achieved its highest-ever annual production volume of 23.4 lakh units in FY 2025-26. This makes Maruti Suzuki the only OEM in India* to achieve such record production volume of passenger vehicles. In addition, Maruti Suzuki became the only Company among Suzuki Motor Corporation’s global automobile manufacturing facilities, to achieve this landmark volume. Dzire, Fronx, Swift, Ertiga and Baleno were the most produced models# during the year, with each crossing the 2 lakh unit mark. Continue reading “Maruti Suzuki records an all-time high production of over 23.4 lakh units in FY 2025-26”
(Reuters) – Union Pacific said on Thursday it expects a surge in fuel prices, triggered by the conflict in the Middle East, to pressure the railroad operator’s margins, especially in the current quarter.
Fuel prices skyrocketed after the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, squeezing margins for companies across sectors ranging from trucking firms to airlines, making it one of the biggest disruptions since the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading “Union Pacific warns higher fuel prices to pressure margins”
(Reuters) – Mobileye Global raised its annual revenue forecast on Thursday, buoyed by robust demand for its advanced driver-assistance systems as automakers placed more orders after working through an inventory glut last year.
Shares of the self-driving tech company jumped nearly 14% in early trading, after it also topped Wall Street estimates for first-quarter results and said it expects upbeat demand in the current quarter as well. Continue reading “Mobileye lifts annual revenue forecast as auto industry demand recovers”
Source : PTI | The Maharashtra government will design a training curriculum to teach Marathi to auto and taxi drivers in the state as part of its decision to make the language compulsory for them from May 1, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Wednesday.
The move has prompted the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to begin putting stickers on autorickshaws in Mumbai stating that the driver knows Marathi. Continue reading “Govt to design training module to teach Marathi to auto, taxi drivers: Minister Sarnaik”
Source : PTI | Pune-based HackersEra has announced the launch of its Vehicle Security Operations Centre (VSOC), which will provide continuous monitoring of vehicle security across entire fleets, among others, to help automobile manufacturers meet upcoming cybersecurity regulations.
With India expected to have over 10 million connected vehicles on the road by 2028, the need for strong cybersecurity systems is increasing, Vikash Chaudhary, CEO of HackersEra, said.
Continue reading “HackersEra opens Vehicle Security Operations Centre”
Summary
PARIS, (Reuters) – French automaker Renault on Thursday said first-quarter sales rose 7.3% from a year earlier, well above expectations, as a jump in sales to partners including Nissan and China’s Geely more than offset a disruption in production for its low-cost Dacia brand.
Sales of 12.53 billion euros ($14.66 billion) came in much higher than an expected 0.1% increase to 11.69 billion euros in a company-provided consensus. Continue reading “Renault Q1 sales beat forecasts on strong demand from partners”
(Reuters) – Jaguar Land Rover is recalling 170,169 vehicles in the U.S. due to loss of drive power, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Thursday.
The recall affects multiple models including Range Rover, Discovery, Range Rover Sport, Defender, etc., NHTSA said.
A failure of the DC-DC converter will stop the vehicle’s 12-Volt system from charging and can lead to complete loss of drive power and exterior lighting, the auto regulator said. Continue reading “Jaguar Land Rover to recall over 170,000 US vehicles over loss of drive power”
(Reuters) – Strong sales of electric vehicles more than offset diminishing sales of petrol and diesel cars in March, pushing up new car sales in Europe as Tesla extended a comeback, official data showed on Thursday.
Overall car registrations, a proxy for sales, in the European Union, Britain and the European Free Trade Association were up 11.1% to 1,581,169 vehicles sold in the month, according to the European auto lobby ACEA. Continue reading “European car sales grow in March as EV rise offsets combustion engine decline”
Summary
(Reuters) – Tesla CEO Elon Musk is asking investors to take a leap of faith on his costly bets in self-driving technology and humanoid robots that have yet to generate meaningful revenue.
It raises a key question for investors: whether Tesla’s rising spending can be justified without the kind of established, high-margin cash engines that allow Big Tech peers to fund bigger investments. Continue reading “Tesla’s $25 billion spending plan tests investor faith in unproven AI bets”
Summary
BEIJING, (Reuters) – From robotaxis to flying cars, China is on the road to bringing more of its cutting-edge vehicle technology overseas – a strategy that reflects both its global ambition and hard economic realities.
The world’s second-largest economy is also home to the world’s biggest and most advanced car market. But a brutal, multi-year price war has left the country filled to the brim with vehicles, including electric ones pumped out by scores of companies that are unknown in the West. Continue reading “China’s global EV push reflects its ambition – and harsh economics at home”
BEIJING, (Reuters) – Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng expects to start large-scale production of its “flying” cars next year and of its humanoid robots in the fourth quarter of 2026, President Brian Gu told Reuters on Thursday.
Gu also said there is “tremendous potential” to increase cooperation with German automaker Volkswagen which last month began mass production of its first EV model, developed jointly with Xpeng. Continue reading “China’s Xpeng expects to start delivering ‘flying’ cars in 2027”
Summary
(Reuters) – Early signs of a shift toward electric vehicles have emerged for U.S. car rental companies as customers become wary of paying more at the pump due to the conflict in the Middle East.
At Hertz which rents cars to Uber and Lyft drivers on a longer-term basis than traditional rentals, requests for EV reservations increased nearly 25% in March compared with February. The strongest uptick in demand for EV rentals has occurred on the West Coast, where gas prices tend to run highest, according to Doria Holbrook, executive vice president of Hertz’s mobility division. Continue reading “US drivers turn to EV rentals as gasoline prices surge”
BEIJING, (Reuters) – Tesla has registered its voice assistant feature, which is powered by a generative artificial intelligence (AI) model, with China’s cyberspace administrator in Shanghai, the city’s local authority said on Tuesday.
Tesla’s voice assist is among a total of 158 AI-powered functionalities and applications that have completed the filing in Shanghai, a process which is part of the Chinese government’s efforts to regulate the rapidly developing technology. Continue reading “Tesla registers its AI-driven voice assistant in Shanghai”
DETROIT, (Reuters) – General Motors is indefinitely delaying its next-generation full-size electric truck program, including the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado, which was set to start in 2028, Crain’s Detroit Business reported on Tuesday, citing sources.
GM was planning for lower-cost new electric versions of the Sierra, Silverado, Escalade IQ and Hummer SUV and pickup, but suppliers were recently told the program has been halted and no new timetable has been issued, according to the business publication. Continue reading “GM delays next-gen EV truck program, Crain’s Detroit reports”
Ford is recalling 140,201 Ranger vehicles in the U.S. as damaged wires can create an electrical short and cause a fire in the A-pillar area, increasing the risk of injury or a crash, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday.
The sun visor or headliner wiring harnesses may be improperly positioned or have excessive tape thickness, which can result in damaged wires, the regulator said. Continue reading “Ford to recall over 140,000 US vehicles over damaged wires”
Summary
BEIJING, (Reuters) – China’s automakers have a message for premium German brands Porsche, Mercedes and BMW: We’re coming for your customers.
After years of churning out the world’s most technologically advanced, low-cost electric vehicles, Chinese companies like Geely and Nio are now unleashing a number of premium models that are packed with features and priced significantly lower than those offered by German rivals. Continue reading “At Beijing car show, Chinese automakers take aim at Europe’s premium brands”
Summary
MUMBAI, (Reuters) – U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla has launched a six-seater version of its best-selling Model Y in India as it tries to attract buyers in the world’s third-largest car market where it has struggled to grow sales.
Tesla has sold just 350 Model Ys in India since starting deliveries in September, government data showed, with rivals including BYD, Mercedes-Benz and BMW far outselling the U.S. company over the same period. Continue reading “Tesla launches new six-seater Model Y in India in attempt to boost tepid sales”
Summary
AMSTERDAM, (Reuters) – When Tesla released its annual report for U.S. regulators in January, the Texas-based automaker, led by the world’s richest man, reported a federal tax bill of zero dollars for 2025.
That was nothing new. For all but one of the past 20 years, a period in which Tesla reported U.S. revenues totaling $264 billion, the electric-vehicle manufacturer has declared owing no taxes to the American government. The most obvious reason for the low bill is a history of tax deductions related to losses Tesla incurred during more than a decade without profits. Green energy tax breaks offered by the federal government also cut Tesla some slack. Continue reading “Musk scorned “shady” loopholes, yet offshore tax tricks likely saved Tesla hundreds of millions”
Summary
(Reuters) – Tesla vehicle registrations in California dropped 24.3% in the first quarter, marking the steepest decline in the state, according to a report released on Tuesday by the California New Car Dealers Association.
The drop comes as California’s broader electric vehicle market shrinks, highlighting a loss of momentum for the sector in its most critical U.S. region. Continue reading “Tesla California registrations slide as incentives fade, industry body says”
Summary
GOTHENBURG, Sweden, (Reuters) – Volvo Cars expects to build up to 40,000 of its new flagship electric model this year, with demand exceeding initial expectations, its CEO told Reuters as the automaker started production of the EX60 SUV in Sweden on Wednesday.
Volvo, which unveiled the model in January, said it is considering adding an extra week of production during the summer to meet demand. Continue reading “Volvo Cars says demand for new EX60 electric SUV exceeds expectations”
Source : PTI | Telangana Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Department Director General Vikram Singh Mann on Wednesday conducted an extensive field inspection of EV charging infrastructure here.
The visit covered the rapidly developing Kokapet corridor, including the ChargeZone EV public charging station, as well as a nearby residential enclave, a press release said. Continue reading “Telangana conducts safety audit of EV charging hubs”
Yes! Finally road safety is now recognised as a fundamental right in India under Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty). In a landmark ruling in April 2026, a Supreme Court bench of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar held that the “safety of a commuter” is an integral part of the right to live with dignity.
The Court declared that safe travel is not just a policy matter but a positive mandate for the State to ensure environments where life is preserved. High-speed expressways were specifically warned against becoming “corridors of peril” due to administrative or infrastructural failures.
Continue reading “Road Safety Recognised as a Fundamental Right by Supreme Court of India”
Source : PTI | French auto major Renault is adopting a two-platform strategy in India to address the segment below ₹10 lakh while pursuing a full multi-energy flexibility for vehicles longer than 4 metres, as it looks to expand its product portfolio to seven by 2030.
The company, which offered models, such as Kwid, Kiger and Triber on its CMFA platform in the past, is evolving into a new RGEP — Renault Group Entry Platform — as it aims to address customer expectations like native factory-fitted CNG, newer powertrains, and next-generation digital and electronic architecture, according to Renault Group in India CEO Stephane Deblaise.
Source : PTI | The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has said it would immediately implement the revised environment compensation charges (ECC) for commercial vehicles entering the city, in line with a recent order of the Supreme Court.
The revised rates, aimed at discouraging polluting vehicles, have significantly increased across categories, according to officials. Continue reading “MCD to roll out revised green charges for commercial vehicles entering Delhi”
Source : PTI | Commuters across the Kashmir Valley faced a harrowing time on Monday as private buses and inter-district cabs stayed off roads in protest against the government’s proposal to expand Smart City bus services in other districts.
The All Jammu and Kashmir Transporters’ Welfare Association on Saturday called for a Valley-wide ‘chakka jam’ (road blockade) over fears that the move may threaten their livelihoods. Continue reading “Kashmir commuters suffer as transporters protest Smart City bus expansion”
JAKARTA, (Reuters) – Indonesia is in talks with Japan’s Toyota Motor Asia on a potential joint investment in bioethanol production in the Southeast Asian country, a government official and executives from Toyota told reporters on Monday.
Here are some details: Continue reading “Indonesia, Toyota in talks on potential bioethanol project”
Summary
(Reuters) – Tesla’s solar and energy business is likely to outshine the EV maker’s challenged core business when it reports quarterly results this week, a sign of resilience as Tesla progresses slowly in its turn to robots and self-driving technology.
CEO Elon Musk’s plans to build new assembly lines and produce robots are expected to cost $20 billion this year and drive Tesla to its first quarter of negative cash flow in two years. Continue reading “Tesla’s energy storage division to pick up slack as car margins drop and credits fade”
(Reuters) – Sales of fully electric cars in Europe’s main auto markets jumped by almost a third in the first quarter of 2026, as drivers looked for alternatives to combustion engines after the war in Iran caused the highest spike in petrol prices in years.
New battery-electric vehicle (BEV) registrations, a proxy for sales, rose 29.4% from a year ago to almost 560,000 in the quarter and were up 51.3% at over 240,000 in March alone in 15 European markets, data collected by trade association E-Mobility Europe and research firm New Automotive showed on Monday. Continue reading “EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol”
MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – Mexico’s economy minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Monday that formal negotiations to review the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade pact, known as the USMCA, are due to begin the week of May 25.
“Tomorrow and this afternoon we will hear the U.S. side’s views. Once that is done, we will move on to the next phase, which is formal negotiations. We expect formal negotiations to begin the week of May 25,” Ebrard said following a meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Continue reading “Mexico expects formal USMCA talks to start week of May 25”
MILAN, (Reuters) – Hyundai will not manage to fully make up for lost sales in the Middle East due to the crisis in the region, as manufacturing constraints will not allow the automaker to quickly reallocate sales to other areas, its CEO said on Monday.
Unveiling Hyundai’s new Ioniq 3 EV model at the Milan Design Week in Italy, CEO Jose Munoz said the Middle East was the highest-margin market for the South Korean automaker, although not bringing “mass” profits. Continue reading “Hyundai faces challenge replacing lost Middle East sales, CEO says”
Summary
AMSTERDAM, (Reuters) – As Kees Roelandschap navigates down the narrow canal-side streets of Amsterdam, flanked by the city’s many bicycle riders, it takes a second to realise what’s different: he doesn’t have his hands on the wheel of his dark grey Tesla.
The U.S. electric carmaker gained surprise approval this month in the Netherlands for its supervised full self-driving (FSD) system, in a European first for city streets that could open the door for more near-autonomous vehicles in Europe. Continue reading “Inside one of Amsterdam’s first supervised self-driving Teslas”
Summary
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk’s Tesla has settled a wrongful death lawsuit in Florida stemming from a 2018 high-speed crash that killed a teenager riding in one of the electric vehicle maker’s sedans, court records show.
A trial in the lawsuit was set to begin today in Florida state court in Fort Lauderdale against the estate of the driver of the Tesla sedan that crashed. Continue reading “Tesla settles wrongful death lawsuit over crash that killed Florida teenager”
(Reuters) – General Motors recruited new product chief Sterling Anderson last year with a pay package totaling as much as $40 million, a regulatory filing on Monday showed.
GM hired Anderson last year from autonomous-trucking company Aurora, where he was a co-founder and chief product officer. The former Tesla executive has been put in charge of large swaths of GM’s business, including development of new electric and gasoline-powered vehicles, as well as software. Continue reading “GM lured new product chief with pay package totaling $40 million”
Summary
(Reuters) – A federal jury in North Carolina on Monday said Uber should pay $5,000 to a woman who claimed she was sexually assaulted by a driver she booked through the app, as the company faces thousands of similar claims.
The Raleigh, North Carolina, jury verdict followed a trial that began April 14. It comes after a separate jury in Arizona earlier this year awarded $8.5 million to a woman who claimed an Uber driver had raped her when she was 19. Continue reading “Uber loses another US driver sex assault trial, ordered to pay $5,000”
Summary
AMSTERDAM, (Reuters) – When Tesla released its annual report for U.S. regulators in January, the Texas-based automaker, led by the world’s richest man, reported a federal tax bill of zero dollars for 2025.
That was nothing new. Continue reading “Musk scorned “shady” loopholes, yet offshore tax tricks likely saved Tesla hundreds of millions”
SEOUL, (Reuters) – South Korean battery maker Samsung SDI said on Monday it has signed a multi-year agreement with Mercedes-Benz to supply batteries for electric vehicles, marking its first EV battery supply deal with the automaker.
The batteries will feature high-nickel NCM (nickel, cobalt, and manganese) chemistry, powering Mercedes-Benz’s next generation EVs, Samsung SDI said in a statement. Continue reading “Samsung SDI signs first EV battery supply deal with Mercedes-Benz”
Source : PTI | French auto major Renault is adopting a two-platform strategy in India to address the segment below ₹10 lakh while pursuing a full multi-energy flexibility for vehicles longer than 4 metres, as it looks to expand its product portfolio to seven by 2030.
The company, which offered models, such as Kwid, Kiger and Triber on its CMFA platform in the past, is evolving into a new RGEP — Renault Group Entry Platform — as it aims to address customer expectations like native factory-fitted CNG, newer powertrains, and next-generation digital and electronic architecture, according to Renault Group in India CEO Stephane Deblaise.
Source : PTI | The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) has launched a QR code-based passenger feedback rating performance system to improve their convenience and enhance service efficiency, officials said on Wednesday.
The transport corporation recorded an overall passenger satisfaction rating of 4.5 out of 5 for March 2026, based on 1,702 feedback responses, an official release said. Continue reading “Gujarat road transport body launches QR code-based passenger feedback system”
Summary
MILAN, (Reuters) – Stellantis and Microsoft said on Thursday they agreed to a five‑year strategic partnership to co-develop artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and engineering capabilities, as the automaker races to keep pace with technology-focused rivals.
Software and data-driven services have become central in the automotive companies’ long-term strategies, especially as Chinese automakers accelerate their development of features to entice customers domestically and abroad. Continue reading “Stellantis, Microsoft sign five-year partnership for AI push”
