Source : PTI | State-owned NHAI has decided to discontinue the mandatory has decided to discontinue the mandatory for all new car, jeep, and van FASTag issuances with effect from February 1, 2026, to enhance public convenience and eliminate post-activation harassment faced by highway users.

This reform will bring significant relief to lakhs of common road users who were facing inconvenience and delays after FASTag activation due to post-issuance KYV requirements, despite having valid vehicle documents, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said in a statement. Continue reading “NHAI to discontinue KYV process for all new car, jeep, van FASTag issuances from Feb 1”

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INDIA

Škoda Auto India Registers Highest-Ever Sales in 2025; Marks 25 Years with 107% Growth WAF

JSW MG Motor India Achieves Record 19% Sales Growth in 2025 WAF

Govt extends safeguard duties on imports of steel products for 3 yrs to curb dumping WAF

Shriram Automall Bikaner: A Strategic Relocation for Better Access, Scale, and Opportunity WAF

Maruti Suzuki conducts its first Design Challenge, engages young talent from India’s leading design institutes to co-create future mobility solutions WAF

Tamil Nadu extends 100% EV road tax exemption till 2027: What it means for buyers CNBC

Tractor wholesale volume may grow 15-17% this fiscal: ICRA WAF

28 buses impounded as Delhi transport department steps up anti-pollution drive WAF

Petrol, CNG vehicles may get costlier in Delhi as govt weighs wider green cess HTAuto

PLI Auto scheme going strong | ₹35,657 crore invested, ₹2,321.94 crore incentives disbursed so far CNBC

December Auto Sales: Maruti Suzuki hits 42-year wholesales high; Ashok Leyland up 3% CNBC

January 2026 auto launches: Over 10 SUVs, EVs and bikes — Seltos, XUV 7XO, Duster, Bullet 650 CNBC

Half of cars sold in South Africa have India connection: Report CNBC

USA 

Porsche to recall over 173,000 US vehicles over rearview camera image issue WAF

Waymo’s San Francisco outage raises doubts over robotaxi readiness during crises WAF

Tesla files patent to add Starlink antennas in its EVs HTAuto

ASIA

China’s Leapmotor targets annual sales of more than 4 million units in a decade WAF

Exclusive: VinFast-linked GSM eyes international IPO; floats $20 billion valuation WAF

BYD marks historic milestone as 15 millionth new energy vehicle rolls out HTAuto

Exclusive: Hyundai not in a position to buy back Russian auto factory, source says WAF

China eases IPO rules for firms developing reusable rockets WAF

WAF Keynote on Sustainability Sutras by Dr. Kumar Iyer, AkzoNobel

WAF Industry Best Practice Recognition | Global Assure

EUROPE

Here’s why the European vehicle emission norms are affecting Platinum costs HTAuto

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Škoda Auto India on Thursday announced its strongest annual performance ever, closing the calendar year 2025 with total sales of 72,665 units — a remarkable 107 % year-on-year increase over the 35,166 vehicles sold in 2024

The 107 % growth makes 2025 the brand’s best year in India to date, a milestone that coincides with Skoda’s 25th anniversary in the Indian market. Continue reading “Škoda Auto India Registers Highest-Ever Sales in 2025; Marks 25 Years with 107% Growth”

Source : PTI | The government has extended safeguard duties on imports of certain steel products for three years, aiming to curb dumping from countries like China and protect domestic manufacturers from a supply glut.

The duties, first imposed as a temporary 12 per cent levy for 200 days in April, will now remain in force until April 2028, according to an official notification. Continue reading “Govt extends safeguard duties on imports of steel products for 3 yrs to curb dumping”

(Reuters) – Porsche is recalling 173,538 vehicles in the U.S. as the rearview camera image may not display when the vehicle is placed in reverse, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday.

This is one of the largest single safety recalls issued by Porsche Cars North America in recent years, following a 2022 recall pertaining to missing headlight adjustment screw covers that affected 222,858 vehicles. Continue reading “Porsche to recall over 173,000 US vehicles over rearview camera image issue”

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Shriram Automall Bikaner inaugurated at its new location on 27 December 2025
• Relocation aimed at enhancing infrastructure, accessibility, and operational efficiency
• Strengthens SAMIL’s footprint across Rajasthan and North India
• Strong enthusiasm among local traders, buyers, and transporters
• Inaugural auction witnessed bidder footfall of 300+ participants
• 100+ used assets listed across multiple categories
• Reinforces access to organised, transparent vehicle auctions in Tier 2 & Tier 3 markets

Bikaner, Rajasthan | December 27, 2025:

Shriram Automall India Limited (SAMIL), India’s largest phygital marketplace for pre-owned vehicles, equipment, and other assets, today inaugurated its Bikaner Automall at a new location—marking a strategic relocation aimed at enhancing accessibility and better serving the region’s growing market demand. Continue reading “Shriram Automall Bikaner: A Strategic Relocation for Better Access, Scale, and Opportunity”

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – Boeing was given an $8.6 billion contract for the F-15 Israel Program, the Pentagon said on Monday, after U.S. President Donald Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida.

“This contract provides for the design, integration, instrumentation, test, production, and delivery of 25 new F-15IA aircraft for the Israeli Air Force with an option for an additional 25 F-15IA aircraft,” the Pentagon said. Continue reading “Pentagon announces $8.6 billion Boeing contract for F-15 jets for Israel”

HANGZHOU, (Reuters) – Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Leapmotor expects to sell more than 4 million vehicles a year within the next decade, CEO Zhu Jiangming said on Monday.

Leapmotor aims to sell 1 million cars in 2026, supported by a global expansion strategy in partnership with Stellantis, Zhu said in Hangzhou, where the company is based. He also said the company would launch a premium vehicle lineup priced above 250,000 yuan ($34,300). Continue reading “China’s Leapmotor targets annual sales of more than 4 million units in a decade”

Summary

• Vingroup says advisors see GSM’s valuation at $20 billion
• GSM plans Hong Kong IPO by 2027, sources say
• Would be first Vietnamese firm to list in Hong Kong
• IPO to fund regional EV taxi expansion
• GSM uses VinFast vehicles exclusively

SINGAPORE/HANOI, (Reuters) – Vietnamese electric-vehicle taxi operator Green and Smart Mobility JSC, an affiliate of the Vingroup conglomerate, plans to pursue an international listing with its advisors suggesting a valuation of around $20 billion, Vingroup said late on Monday.

The announcement followed a report by Reuters citing two sources familiar with the matter who said GSM is targeting a debut in Hong Kong by 2027, potentially marking the first initial public offering in the city by a Vietnamese company. Continue reading “Exclusive: VinFast-linked GSM eyes international IPO; floats $20 billion valuation”

Summary

• Hyundai sold Russian plant following Ukraine invasion
• Western sanctions crippled carmakers’ operations in Russia
• Hyundai deal’s two-year buyback option expires in January

SEOUL/MOSCOW, (Reuters) – South Korean automaker Hyundai is not in a position to repurchase its former manufacturing plant in Russia due to the continuing war in Ukraine, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, as a buyback option appears set to expire next month.

Along with its affiliate Kia, Hyundai was once the biggest foreign carmaker in Russia. But it sold its plant in St. Petersburg in 2024. Operations at the facility had been suspended since March 2022, a month after Moscow’s invasion of its smaller neighbour, which provoked a backlash of Western sanctions that disrupted supply chains and payments. Continue reading “Exclusive: Hyundai not in a position to buy back Russian auto factory, source says”

Summary

• Experts urge regulation of remote operations for robotaxis
• Waymo says implementing fleet-wide updates to refine process
• California regulators say they are looking into incident

SAN FRANCISCO, (Reuters) – A widespread power outage in San Francisco that led to Waymo robotaxis stalling and snarling traffic earlier this month has raised concerns about the readiness of autonomous vehicle operators to tackle major emergencies like earthquakes and floods.

Driverless taxis from Alphabet (GOOGL.O) unit Waymo, a ubiquitous feature on the city’s streets, were stuck at intersections with their hazard lights turned on as traffic lights stopped working following a fire at a PG&E substation that knocked out power to roughly one-third of the city on December 20, videos posted on social media showed. Waymo halted operations, resuming a day later. Continue reading “Waymo’s San Francisco outage raises doubts over robotaxi readiness during crises”

• Over 400 students from 70 leading Indian and global design institutes showcased their creativity, innovation, and bold thinking to design a compact car.
• Top 3 winning teams from MIT Institute of Design, Association of Designers of India (ADI) at VIT, and Strate School of Design were awarded cash prizes and a 6-month internship opportunity with the Company

New Delhi : Building a connect between young design talent and the automobile industry, Maruti Suzuki India Limited (“Maruti Suzuki”), India’s passenger vehicle market leader, successfully concluded its first-ever Maruti Suzuki Design Challenge. Over 400 students from 70 leading Indian and global design institutes participated in the novel design competition. Maruti Suzuki’s first of its kind design challenge invited young design talent across the country to visualize revolutionary mobility solutions and car design. Continue reading “Maruti Suzuki conducts its first Design Challenge, engages young talent from India’s leading design institutes to co-create future mobility solutions”

Source : PTI | Wholesale volume of tractors is expected to grow 15-17 per cent this fiscal as against an earlier estimate of 8-10 per cent, on the back of supportive factors, including GST reduction, which enhanced affordability for farmers, ICRA said on Friday.

This revision is based on the industry’s robust performance in recent months, including 30.1 per cent year-on-year growth in wholesale volumes for November this year and a cumulative growth of 19.2 per cent for the April-November period, it said. Continue reading “Tractor wholesale volume may grow 15-17% this fiscal: ICRA”

Source : PTI | The Delhi Transport Department on Friday intensified its anti-pollution enforcement drive under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), impounding 28 buses, including interstate vehicles, in a day for violating emission norms, officials said.

Enforcement agencies inspected 4,927 vehicles across the city in the past 24 hours and issued 3,970 challans, they said. Continue reading “28 buses impounded as Delhi transport department steps up anti-pollution drive”

Summary

• New guidelines exempt firms from some financial requirements
• Companies will need to meet reusable rocket tech milestones
• Beijing seeking to close space tech gap with U.S.

BEIJING, (Reuters) – Chinese companies developing reusable commercial rockets will have access to a fast lane for initial public offerings on the tech-heavy STAR market that exempts them from some financial requirements, the Shanghai Stock Exchange said on Friday.

Beijing is seeking to address a gap in its space capabilities compared to the United States, which is currently dominant in the ability to return, recover, and reuse a rocket’s first stage, or booster, after it is launched. Continue reading “China eases IPO rules for firms developing reusable rockets”

Source : PTI | The government will continue to prioritise higher steel production and raw material security in the coming year, as India enters the final five years of its journey towards achieving an installed steelmaking capacity of 300 million tonne (MT) by 2030.

Alongside capacity expansion, the emphasis will remain on the adoption of low-carbon technologies, the development of green steel capacity and the production of special and high-end steel grades to meet the evolving needs of domestic industries and export markets, a steel ministry official said. Continue reading “Govt to sharpen focus on steel output, raw material security as 2030 target nears”

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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”

(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

• Waymo to update software, improve emergency protocols after outage
• Waymo vehicles stalled due to power outage, causing traffic congestion
• California regulators reviewing stalled Waymo vehicles

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”