WAF THINK TANK
Planning to Buy a Car during festive period? Here’s a checklist CarPhD
How to keep your Auto BodyShop Free of Sanding Dust? WAF Continue reading “WAF Auto News | The Auto World This Week (9th October 2026)”
Sanding dust is more than a cleanliness issue. When left uncontrolled, it settles on primed panels, contaminates paint areas, clogs abrasives and affects the air technicians breathe. The result is higher rework, increased abrasive consumption, additional cleaning time and unnecessary operating costs.
The Kovax 125C is a mobile, automatic dry dust extraction unit designed for sanding and power-tool applications. With a 48 L collection drum, 1,100 W motor and two-stage filtration, it captures dust directly at the source, helping maintain a cleaner and more efficient repair environment and connects seamlessly with both electric and pneumatic sanders, making it suitable for modern Bodyshop operations. Continue reading “Greener Bays, Bigger Margins- How the Kovax Dust Extraction Unit Cuts Costs and Carbon in Bodyshop”
Hai Phong, October 8, 2026 – VinFast officially signs Letters of Intent (LOIs) with its first 50+ e-motorcycle dealer partners across 15 states and territories in India. The milestone marks an important step in VinFast’s strategy to expand its distribution network, strengthen its position and reinforce the appeal of the Vietnamese brand in one of the world’s largest two-wheeler markets.
The signing ceremony took place at VinFast’s Manufacturing Complex in Hai Phong, as part of the Indian dealer partners’ visit and working program in Vietnam. Continue reading “Vinfast India signs letters of intent with First 50+ E-motorcycle dealers, expanding network to 15 States and 34 Cities”
Prices for the new Slavia start at INR 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India)
BRUSSELS, (Reuters) – European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic heads to Beijing on Wednesday for key talks designed to reduce the European Union’s growing trade deficit with China, which threatens to destroy EU industry and many thousands of jobs
.
Sefcovic will meet Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on Thursday and Friday after three months of discussions over the EU’s goods trade deficit of more than €1 billion ($1.12 billion) a day and Chinese curbs on exports of rare earths and other critical minerals. Continue reading “EU seeks to cut trade deficit with China in talks with Beijing”
BERLIN, (Reuters) – Porsche wants to restore its profit margins with the help of deep-pocketed sports car fans, while shrinking the company in line with lower sales volumes.
Here are the main aspects of the Stuttgart-based carmaker’s turnaround strategy, presented to investors at a capital markets day on Wednesday. Continue reading “The key elements of Porsche’s turnaround plan”
WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Tuesday that it will rewrite its vehicle lighting standards to address concerns about headlight glare and allow for the latest safety-improving lighting technologies.
NHTSA said it plans to improve rules for LEDs, dusk sensors, automatic high beams and replaceable light sources. The agency will also evaluate headlamp height and aim and how they impact driver visibility and address headlight glare and make appropriate changes. Continue reading “US agency to rewrite rules to address vehicle headlight glare”
Summary
BERLIN, (Reuters) – Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday welcomed Germany’s backing for the US automaker’s driver-assistance software system, as he seeks Europe-wide approval for the technology that traffic-safety researchers have warned carries inflated safety claims. Continue reading “Musk welcomes German backing for Tesla driver assistance tech as group chases EU approval”
(Reuters) – German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz said on Wednesday sales in its core car business continued to fall in the third quarter, declining 8% year-on-year due to challenging market conditions in China. Continue reading “Mercedes-Benz Q3 car sales fall 8% as China demand weakness persists, EV sales rise 52%”
(Reuters) – Jaguar Land Rover has unveiled its new Jaguar Type 01 electric car, with an ultra-long bonnet, no rear window and a wealth of technology, in New York as it targets the potential for growth in the US market.
The UK-based luxury carmaker, which is owned by India’s Tata Motors said the Type 01, an electric four-door GT car, in subtle, muted shades, with a starting price of $130,500, marks the “beginning of a new generation of Jaguar vehicles and a transformative new era”. Continue reading “Jaguar unveils electric car in gamble on US tech millionaires”
Paris, France — From October 12 to 18, 2026, Valeo will be at the Paris Motor Show (Hall 5.3, Booth 53A51) to present its latest innovations designed to accelerate the automotive industry’s transformation. As vehicles are increasingly defined by technology and embedded intelligence, Valeo stands out as the key partner capable of scaling cutting-edge technologies for automakers while addressing major challenges for more safety, sustainability, electrification and software integration. Continue reading “Valeo at Paris Motor Show 2026: At the Core of Automotive Transformation”
Source : PTI | New Delhi: To ensure the safety of women using app-based transport services, the country’s apex women’s rights watchdog NCW has recommended detailed verification of drivers’ background, a mandatory SOS button in all cabs, additional safety night-time measures and real-time alerts for route deviations or suspicious stoppages.
This comes against the backdrop of several cases of women passengers being harassed or assaulted while using app-based transport services, besides concerns over driver or vehicle identity mismatch, route deviation, inappropriate conduct, stalking, unsafe drop-offs and delays in emergency response.
Source : PTI | APSRTC’s ‘Stree Shakti’scheme, which provides free bus travel for women on select services, has reached a major milestone of facilitating over 100 crore trips and saving women an estimated ₹3,500 in travel costs.
Launched by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on August 15, 2025, ‘Stree Shakti’ (women’s power) is witnessing a daily average ridership of 24 lakh, said an official press release from APSRTC on Tuesday. Continue reading “APSRTC’s Stree Shakti scheme crosses 100 crore free trips”
Source : PTI | The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked why can’t the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have an electronic surveillance mechanism to immediately track stationary or parked vehicles on highways.
The observation came from a bench of justices Vikram Nath, Augustine George Masih and Sandeep Mehta which was hearing a suo motu case related to a November 2025 road accident in Rajasthan’s Phalodi area that claimed 15 lives. Continue reading “Why can’t NHAI have electronic surveillance mechanism to track parked vehicles on highways: SC”
MILAN, (Reuters) – Stellantis is expected to produce around 450,000 vehicles in Italy this year, up from 2025 levels but below initial expectations, the FIM Cisl union said on Tuesday in its quarterly report on the automaker’s output in the country. Continue reading “Stellantis Italy output seen rebounding in 2026 after two years of decline, union says”
Summary
BERLIN, (Reuters) – German industry — long the foundation of Europe’s biggest economy — may be in free fall, but its once anaemic startup sector is experiencing an unprecedented AI-led boom that has the potential to offset the malaise and even benefit from it. Continue reading “AI hopes, industrial malaise drive boom in German startups”
Recognition acknowledges the Company’s sustained commitment to community development, social welfare and creating meaningful impact across communities
Delhi, 06 October 2026: JK Tyre & Industries Ltd., one of India’s leading tyre manufacturers and pioneers of technological innovation, has been conferred with the prestigious ‘Mahatma Award for Community Initiatives 2026’, recognising the Company’s sustained efforts towards community development and social welfare. This marks the fourth consecutive year that JK Tyre has been honoured with a Mahatma Award, reaffirming its continued commitment to creating meaningful and sustainable impact across communities. Continue reading “JK Tyre Honoured with ‘Mahatma Award 2026’ for Outstanding Community Initiatives”
(Reuters) – Lucid Group’s third-quarter deliveries fell short of Wall Street estimates on Monday, with the luxury EV maker reducing production from the prior quarter and selling vehicles from its existing inventory as part of a cost-cutting overhaul.
Here are some details: Continue reading “Lucid’s third-quarter deliveries miss estimates as it cuts output to run down inventory”
Source : PTI | Mercedes-Benz India will increase prices across its portfolio in January amid weakening rupee, higher shipping cost and inflation, Mercedes-Benz India Chief Executive Officer Santosh Iyer said on Monday.
The company has already raised prices three times in 2026. Continue reading “Mercedes-Benz India to increase prices in January: CEO Santosh Iyer”
Summary
SINGAPORE, (Reuters) – Gulf oil exporters topped pre-war levels for about half of September, shipping data showed on Monday, though attacks on tankers and logistical constraints cloud the outlook for sustained higher flows. Continue reading “Middle East oil exports top pre-war levels for part of September but tanker attacks increase”
(Reuters) – Britain is considering imposing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports amid concerns that Beijing is flooding the market with state-subsidised cars, the Times newspaper reported on Sunday.
Business minister Jonathan Reynolds is drawing up a package of potential tariffs on Chinese vehicle imports, the report said, citing concerns that Chinese manufacturers are “dumping” subsidised vehicles into Britain. Continue reading “Britain set to levy tariffs on Chinese electric cars, The Times reports”
Summary
WENZHOU, China/TOKYO, (Reuters) – Four years ago, the United States warned that China was poised to unleash a trade superweapon: a state-backed digital dragnet that would rapidly expand across the globe and give Beijing unprecedented insight into the flow of international cargo. Continue reading “The US said China was priming a trade superweapon. Then it vanished.”
PARIS, (Reuters) – Renault Group will invest more than €10 billion ($11 billion) in France over the next five years in electric vehicles and more affordable cars, Chief Executive François Provost said on Saturday.
“Over the last five years, we invested €13 billion in France to transform entirely our industrial footprint to bet on electric, and over the five coming years, if the social and political context allows it, we will re-invest more than €10 billion to continue pushing on electric and on making cars more affordable”, Provost said in an interview on France Inter radio. Continue reading “Renault to invest over €10 billion in France in EVs, affordable cars, CEO says”
Summary
MUMBAI/TOKYO, (Reuters) – Honda Motor aims to cut costs by as much as a fifth and halve development times under its new partnership in India with Tata Technologies, according to two people familiar with the matter, as pressure from rivals forces the Japanese automaker to rethink its go-it-alone approach. Continue reading “Cost pressures and deadlock force Honda to rework India strategy, sources say”
BERLIN, (Reuters) – Europe’s uptake of electric vehicles is gaining momentum, with record sales so far this year driven by a slew of affordable models coming onto the market to bring carmakers in line with EU targets, according to a study. Continue reading “European EV sales hit record in ‘pivotal’ year for affordable cars, study shows”
Source : PTI | Leading automakers are ramping up production and building dealer inventory to meet strong customer demand as India enters the peak festive buying season, with manufacturers seeking to ensure adequate vehicle availability and convert healthy bookings into retail sales.
Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India has 2.2 lakh pending bookings ahead of the festive season, while Hyundai Motor India has built four-five weeks of inventory across its dealer network. Mahindra & Mahindra, meanwhile, has scaled up its utility vehicle and electric vehicle manufacturing capacity to 68,000 units a month to improve supply and bring down waiting periods.
Continue reading “Automakers ramp up production, dealer stocks to meet festive demand”
Source : PTI | Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Friday launched the common pass that can be used both in Metro train services and RTC buses in the city.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Chief Minister emphasised that the common pass will make daily and monthly travel across Metro Rail and Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) buses more accessible and convenient for citizens within the core urban areas.
Continue reading “Hyderabad launches common pass for Metro, RTC buses at ₹400 daily, ₹8,500 monthly”
Source : PTI | To promote green mobility and accelerate the transition towards sustainable transportation, the state government has extended the validity period of the Odisha Electric Vehicle Policy, 2021 till December 31, 2026, an official notification said.
A notification in this regard has been issued by the Commerce and Transport Department on Saturday. Continue reading “Odisha extends EV policy validity till December 31, 2026, to boost green mobility”
Source : PTI | The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) has approved 382 sites for setting up electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the national capital, Delhi Power Minister Ashish Sood said on Sunday.
The Delhi government’s Revenue Department and the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) had identified 456 sites for EV charging infrastructure, of which 382 were approved by the MHI, Sood said in a statement. Continue reading “Ministry of Heavy Industries clears 382 sites for Delhi’s EV charging network”
Source : PTI | Ola Electric Chairman and Managing Director Bhavish Aggarwal has pledged a 4.32 per cent stake in the company to participate in its rights issue, which was approved by the company’s Board on September 28.
In a statement to the stock exchanges on Sunday, the company said, “Ola Electric promoter Bhavish Aggarwal has pledged a 4.32 per cent stake in the company to participate in the rights issue approved by the Board, as disclosed in the Draft Letter of Offer filed on September 28 2026. Continue reading “Bhavish Aggarwal pledges 4.32% stake for Ola Electric rights issue”
Source : PTI | Electric vehicles are not the only solution to reduce pollution, and the auto industry should remain technology-agnostic in its efforts to cut emissions while giving consumers greater choice, TVS Motor Chairman Emeritus Venu Srinivasan said on Monday.
“I always believe we have to be agnostic (in technology) and look at the net effect on the country in terms of pollution, quality and environment. So, EV is not the only solution,” Srinivasan said on the sidelines of the IFQM Symposium 2026. Continue reading “TVS Motor’s Venu Srinivasan says EVs not sole answer to cutting emissions”
(Reuters) – Rivian Automotive reported record third-quarter deliveries on Friday, beating analysts’ estimates after rolling out its cheaper R2 SUV targeted at a broader section of the mass EV market.
The R2, for which deliveries began in June, is seen by analysts as critical to Rivian’s growth strategy, as the electric vehicle sector navigates a challenging US policy environment marked by the end of federal EV tax credits, tariffs and weaker industry-wide demand. Continue reading “Rivian deliveries hit record high as R2 rollout gains momentum”
STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) – Swedish-based Volvo Cars will not achieve its previous full-year sales volume and cash flow guidance owing to an increasingly challenging market and deteriorating near-term outlook, it said on Friday.
Volvo Cars, which is majority owned by China’s Geely Holding (GEELY.UL), has struggled to meet previous profitability targets because of tariffs, weaker electric vehicle demand and high development costs. Continue reading “Volvo Cars pulls sales guidance on Chinese outlook and slow US rebound”
(Reuters) – Ford said on Friday its third-quarter sales fell 6.6%, as the Detroit automaker phased out its Escape and Lincoln Corsair crossover models.
Sky-high gasoline prices after the U.S.-Iran war and higher costs for everything from groceries to insurance have nudged some buyers away from thirsty engines to hybrid vehicles. Continue reading “Ford’s quarterly US sales dip after phasing out some models”
Summary
BUENOS AIRES, (Reuters) – Buenos Aires is hosting its first Chinese auto show on Friday as Argentina’s car market under President Javier Milei has shifted from heavy protectionism to a more open and competitive environment. Continue reading “Chinese auto show debuts in Argentina as sales surge”
Source : PTI | The government will ask private fuel retailers not to restrict sales of petrol or diesel, Oil Secretry Neeraj Mittal said Thursday, after Jio-bp and Nayara Energy imposed purchase limits at some of their outlets as a widening price gap drove industrial users to petrol pumps to stock up on cheaper diesel.
“Nobody is allowed to cap fuel sales. It is not acceptable; it is not done,” he told reporters here, adding that the government’s position had not changed. Continue reading “No fuel sale caps allowed, govt to tell private retailers”
Source : PTI | Rajkot-based diesel engine manufacturer Fieldmarshal PM Diesels, which launched new single-cylinder engines in the 15 hp and 18 hp categories, looks to corner around 10-15 per cent market share in the below-20 HP tractor segment over the next three years, a top official said on Friday.
New engines are compliant with the latest Tractor Emission Stage V (TREM V) norms – equivalent to BS VI emission standards for vehicles – and are approved by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Rishi Patel, Director, Fieldmarshal PM Diesels, said. Continue reading “Fieldmarshal targets 10-15% market share in below-20 HP tractor segment in 3 years”
Source : PTI | Lubes maker GP Petroleums Ltd on Friday said its board has approved the company’s plan to raise up to ₹130 crore via NCDs and OCDs to accelerate growth.
The company plans to utilise the proceeds to fund its ongoing business expansion and fulfil its working capital requirements, GP Petroleums, the maker of IPOL brand of lubes, said. Continue reading “GP Petroleums board approves plan to raise ₹130 cr via NCD, OCDs”
WAF THINK TANK
CAFE 3 Norms – The Road Ahead for India’s Car Industry WAF
Planning to Buy a Car during festive period? Here’s a checklist CarPhD Continue reading “WAF Auto News | The Auto World This Week (2nd October 2026)”
(Reuters) – General Motors remained the top US auto seller during the third quarter despite a dip in sales, but Toyota Motor continued chipping away at its lead as high gasoline prices pushed buyers toward hybrids.
GM, Ford Motor and Stellantis — also called the Detroit Three — could see their combined market share dip to around 36% in the quarter, according to industry research firm Cox Automotive, while hybrid-heavy Asian brands including Toyota and Honda are expected to account for more than half of new vehicle sales in the period. Continue reading “GM hangs on to US sales crown, but Toyota closes in”
