Summary

• Uber faces over 3,000 similar lawsuits, but trial is first in US federal court
• Outcome could impact resolution of remaining lawsuits
• Uber argues drivers are independent contractors, says it is not liable for their actions

(Reuters) – Uber is set to face trial this week in Phoenix, Arizona, in a lawsuit brought by a woman who says she was sexually assaulted by a driver she booked through the app.

The trial will be the first test of Uber’s efforts to shield itself from liability for alleged assaults committed by its drivers, with thousands of cases pending in U.S. federal court. Continue reading “Uber faces sexual assault trial in Arizona that puts its safety record under scrutiny”

Source : PTI | Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw arrived in Washington DC on Sunday to participate in a critical minerals meeting hosted by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Bessent will host a meeting of the Group of Seven finance ministers in Washington to discuss critical minerals. The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the European Union. Continue reading “Ashwini Vaishnaw arrives in Washington to participate in critical minerals meeting”

Source : PTI | Swedish luxury carmaker Volvo is committed to an all-electric future, clocking one EV out of every four cars sold in India, although GST 2.0 has made its mild-hybrid SUVs even more compelling for customers, according to a senior company official.

The implementation of GST 2.0 has been a significant catalyst, and it has streamlined the luxury segment by rationalising the tax structure, Volvo Car India Managing Director Jyoti Malhotra told PTI in an emailed interview. Continue reading “Committed to all-electric future, GST 2.0 made mild-hybrid SUVs more compelling: Volvo Car India MD”

Source : PTI | Kerala witnessed a 12.8 per cent increase in the number of vehicles registered in the state in 2025, with registrations of electric vehicles seeing a major surge, officials said on Thursday.

In a statement, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) said a total of 8,78,863 vehicles were registered in the state in 2025, compared to over 7.79 lakh in 2024, recording a rise of 12.8 per cent.

Continue reading “Kerala vehicle registrations up 12.8% in 2025, EV numbers surge”

Source : PTI | Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said the inauguration of Ashok Leyland’s electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant here reflects growing investor confidence in the state under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Heavy Industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy were also present at the event. Continue reading “Adityanath hails Ashok Leyland EV plant as symbol of UP’s industrial turnaround”

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – California Governor Gavin Newsom is proposing $200 million in new state electric-vehicle tax rebates after Congress earlier this year ended a federal $7,500 state tax deduction on new EVs, the state said on Friday.

In late 2024, Newsom said if President Donald Trump eliminated a federal EV tax credit, he would propose creating a new version of the state’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Program that ended in 2023 and spent $1.49 billion to subsidize 586,000 vehicles over a decade. EV sales fell sharply in the final three months of 2024 after the federal tax credit expired on September 30. Continue reading “California governor proposes $200 million in new state EV tax rebates”

GUANGZHOU, China, (Reuters) – Chinese automaker Xpeng said it wanted to become better known as a “physical AI” company rather than just a carmaker, as it gears up to launch street trials of robotaxis and start mass producing humanoid robots later this year.

Robots and autos are the core of physical artificial intelligence and share a wide range of existing sensor tech and other hardware. Automakers, for example, are creating robots to automate warehouse and factory tasks. Continue reading “Chinese automaker Xpeng touts AI pivot in face of fierce competition”

Summary

• China’s 2025 car sales +3.9% y/y vs 0% growth forecast for 2026
• Domestic demand faded while exports beat estimates
• Strong EV growth unlikely to continue, association chief says
• Revised subsidy to weigh on budget carmakers

BEIJING, (Reuters) – China’s car sales are expected to be flat this year, extending a downtrend, while robust electric vehicle exports in 2025 are unlikely to be sustained, a Chinese industry association said on Friday.

Car sales in the world’s largest auto market were up 3.9% in 2025, slowing from growth of 5.3% in 2024 and the slowest in three years, data from the China Passenger Car Association showed. Continue reading “China car sales may stagnate in 2026, strong EV export growth unlikely to last”

(Reuters) – German carmaker BMW on Friday reported declining sales in the final quarter of 2025, dragged by weaker demand in the United States and China.

BMW group achieved quarterly sales of 667,981 vehicles, down 4.1% compared with the same quarter a year ago.

While sales in Europe grew by 4%, they dropped in the United States and China by 4.6% and 15.9%, said the carmaker. Continue reading “BMW reports Q4 sales decline on weaker demand in US and China”

Summary

• Polestar’s sales rise 27% in Q4; 60,119 cars sold in 2025
• Focus squarely on Europe, Polestar CEO says
• Carmaker got $900 million financing lifeline in December

STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) – EV maker Polestar reported a sharp rise in fourth-quarter vehicle sales on Friday, helped by its recent strategy of focusing on Europe.

The company’s sales rose 27% to 15,608 vehicles sold in the fourth quarter. It sold 60,119 cars throughout the year. Continue reading “Polestar’s EV sales jump as ‘All about Europe’ strategy pays off”

Summary

• AI and partnerships aim to reduce costs and speed deployment
• Western automakers pressured by China’s autonomous driving advancements
• Nvidia’s open-source platform seen as Tesla rival

LAS VEGAS, (Reuters) – The short history of the self-driving car industry has been littered with expensive failures and endless delays, but tech suppliers, chipmakers including Nvidia and some automakers are betting on AI and a web of partnerships to spark new progress.

Many interested automakers, however, still have major questions. Apart from concerns about high costs and scalability, they want to know if there is enough customer demand to make money out of an expensive wager. Continue reading “Focus: Nvidia and auto suppliers roll out partnerships to rekindle self-driving push”

Summary

• GM’s $6 billion charge linked to EV investment reduction
• Most of the writedown tied to supplier payouts for canceled work
• GM is latest automaker to walk back EV plans after federal policy changes

DETROIT, (Reuters) – General Motors said on Thursday it would take a $6 billion charge to unwind some electric-vehicle investments, the latest car company to pull back from EVs in response to the Trump administration’s policies and fading demand.

The charge stems from reducing its planned EV production and the fallout on the supply chain, GM said in a regulatory filing, and comes weeks after rival Ford Motor announced a similar but much bigger charge. Continue reading “GM to take $6 billion writedown on EV pullback”

Summary

• SGX to offer fast-track Nasdaq dual-listing from mid-2026
• Initiative to cut procedural costs, complexity of dual listing
• Market value threshold, thin liquidity seen as limiting take-up

SINGAPORE, (Reuters) – A Singaporean initiative to boost the IPO market with a fast-track route to a Nasdaq dual listing has garnered a warm response from potential issuers, though bankers caution thin liquidity and a high valuation requirement could limit take-up.

The initiative, announced on November 19, will let companies list simultaneously on the Singapore Exchange and Nasdaq using a single prospectus in their application, cutting the cost and complexity of a second listing that firms pursue primarily to access capital from a broader investor base. Continue reading “Singapore’s Nasdaq link draws interest, but threshold and liquidity may limit take-up”

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• Milestone highlights the strength of India’s automotive manufacturing ecosystem

New Delhi : Maruti Suzuki India Limited (“Maruti Suzuki”) has produced over 22.55 lakh units in CY 2025, its highest-ever production in a calendar year. This is the second consecutive year that the Company has exceeded 20 lakh units in annual production. The production includes vehicles for domestic sales, exports and OEM supplies. The top five models by production volume during the year were Fronx, Baleno, Swift, Dzire and Ertiga. This milestone reflects the Company’s strong focus on delivering products in line with customer demand across domestic and international markets. Continue reading “Maruti Suzuki produces a record over 22.55 lakh vehicles in CY 2025”

• Volkswagen India confirms the all-new Tayron R-Line as its new flagship 7-seater SUV, with launch scheduled for Q1, 2026
• Tayron R-Line blends a global premium appeal with exclusive R-Line enhancements, elevating aspirations through world-class design, comfort, and technology

Mumbai: Volkswagen India officially confirmed the arrival of its latest flagship SUV, the all-new Tayron R-Line, scheduled for launch in quarter one of 2026. With the introduction of Tayron R-Line, the brand will cater to the premium 7-seater SUV customers, who are seeking the luxury of space, premiumness and comfort.

Mr. Nitin Kohli, Brand Director, Volkswagen India, commented, “As we build a premium portfolio of products, we continue catering to the evolving aspirations of Indian car buyers. The all-new Tayron R-Line is the authentic flag-bearer that will drive this vision for Indian consumers. Ensuring competitiveness, we will be locally assembling this SUV at our plant in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.” Continue reading “Volkswagen India announces the introduction of its latest flagship SUV – the all-new Tayron R-Line”

(Reuters) – Rivian Automotive is recalling 19,641 previously serviced R1S and R1T electric vehicles in the U.S., citing incorrectly assembled rear toe link, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Thursday.

The automaker will replace the rear toe‑link bolts free of charge, NHTSA said. Continue reading “Rivian recalls nearly 20,000 US vehicles over improperly reassembled toe link”

(Reuters) – Swedish automaker Volvo Cars is recalling 413,151 vehicles in the United States over an issue with the rearview camera, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Thursday.

The software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge, NHTSA said. Continue reading “Volvo Cars recalls over 413,000 US vehicles due to rearview camera issue”

Summary

• New mid-size SUV touts range of 810 km (503 miles)
• EX60 can add 340 km of range in 10 minutes
• Volvo to launch the car on January 21
• Certain EX30s face recall due to overheating risk

STOCKHOLM, (Reuters) – Volvo Cars’ new electric mid-sized SUV, which launches later this month, will offer a driving range of up to 810 km (503 miles) on a single charge, the Swedish automaker said on Thursday, as it seeks to win over buyers sceptical of EVs.

Carmakers globally have struggled to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption as consumers remain wary of limited charging infrastructure and the risk of running out of power on long journeys lead many to opt for plug-in hybrids instead. Continue reading “Volvo Cars aims to tackle range anxiety with new mid-size electric SUV”

ISTANBUL, (Reuters) – China’s Dongfeng Motor is in talks with an investor about producing passenger cars in Turkey, the company’s Turkish distributor said.

Turkey, with annual sales of 1.4 million vehicles, is a relatively large market and has custom free trade with the EU. Car imports to Turkey from China are subject to extra taxes and Chinese car manufacturers including Chery have been seeking to set up production with local partners. Continue reading “China’s Dongfeng in talks to produce passenger cars in Turkey, local distributor says”

Summary

• Arm reorganizes into three main business lines, including Physical AI
• Physical AI unit to focus on robotics and automotive sectors
• Arm sees robotics as a significant growth opportunity, plans to expand staff

(Reuters) – Chip technology company Arm Holdings has reorganized the company to create a Physical AI unit to expand its presence in the robotics market, company executives told Reuters at CES, where robots are a theme of the year.

The decision to create a unit that specializes in robotics arrives amid a flurry of announcements and activity at CES around humanoid robots. At the sprawling Las Vegas trade show, large and small companies demonstrated robots that could help build cars, clean toilets and deal games of poker – at a glacial pace. Continue reading “Exclusive: Arm launches ‘Physical AI’ unit, joining rush to robotics by tech and automakers”

Summary

• First Brands has just $190 million left from $1.1 billion bankruptcy loan
• Company exploring options for further financing and asset sales
• First Brands is investigating fraud and trying to stabilize its business

Bankrupt auto-parts maker First Brands could run out of cash by the end of the month, and it is seeking additional funding from its lenders and pursuing near-term asset sales in order to buy more time to restructure a business that has been plagued by fraud allegations, its attorneys said Wednesday.

First Brands has $190 million in remaining cash after borrowing $1.1 billion to start its bankruptcy, the company’s attorney Sunny Singh said at a court hearing in Houston, Texas. That cash will only sustain business operations through the end of January, which could undermine the company’s efforts to investigate fraud in its pre-bankruptcy financing agreements, Singh told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez, who is overseeing the company’s Chapter 11. Continue reading “First Brands runs low on cash as fraud investigations mount”

(Reuters) – Auto parts supplier First Brands said on Wednesday it has launched a marketing and sale process for its business as a whole or in parts, as it works to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The company, which makes filters, brakes and lighting systems, had filed for bankruptcy protection in September last year. Continue reading “First Brands launches sale process amid plans to exit Chapter 11”

Summary

• Ford’s Level 3 system to debut on new electric vehicle platform in 2028
• System will be available for additional, undetermined fee
• Company looks to reduce cost, improve speed and quality by building in-house

LAS VEGAS, (Reuters) – Ford Motor said on Wednesday it would bring Level 3 driver-assistance systems to market in 2028, allowing drivers to take their hands and eyes off the road while operating on certain highways.

The technology will first be available on Ford’s new electric vehicle platform being developed by a specialized team in California, the company said, with plans to expand to other vehicles in the future. The first model on the platform is a midsize EV truck slated to launch in 2027 at a targeted $30,000 price-point that will feature advanced software systems not currently available on other Ford models. Continue reading “Ford to offer its first eyes-off driver-assistance system in 2028”

Summary

• New longer range SU7 to hit market in April
• Facelift EV will be more expensive than previous version, cheaper than Tesla
• Safety highlighted amid public criticism
• SU7 was first launched in March 2024

BEIJING, (Reuters) – China’s Xiaomi began taking pre-orders on Wednesday for an upgraded version of its SU7 model, aiming to boost the popularity of the company’s best-selling electric sedan in the highly competitive Chinese market.

Xiaomi’s announcement comes as it faces increased public criticism over safety standards following a number of accidents. Other EV makers including Xiaomi’s rivals Tesla and BYD have also come under scrutiny after accidents and recalls. Continue reading “Xiaomi begins pre-orders for spruced up version of SU7 sedan, stresses safety features”

Jan 7 (Reuters) – More than 30 companies across the automotive supply chain have agreed to collaborate on open-source software to develop next-generation cars and cut costs, the German industry lobby behind the initiative said on Wednesday.

Germany’s VDA announced the expansion of the initiative at the CES trade show in Las Vegas, where carmakers and suppliers are betting on AI and software to revive an industry struggling with slow progress and high costs. Continue reading “Auto industry expands open-source pact to boost development, cut costs”

BERLIN, (Reuters) – German carmaker BMW reported a 3.4% decline in sales in the United States in the fourth quarter of 2025 as demand for electric vehicles weakened further.

BMW sold 113,512 vehicles in the U.S. in the final three months of the year, down from 117,506 a year earlier, the company said in a statement. Continue reading “BMW reports sliding sales in US in final quarter of 2025”

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Problems with the rearview mirror have forced Porsche and now parent company Volkswagen to recall over half a million vehicles collectively in the United States, where the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the latest round of measures on Tuesday.

Volkswagen Group of America, including its Audi subsidiary, is recalling 356,649 vehicles in the U.S. due to a software error that can lead to problems displaying the rearview camera image, the NHTSA said. Continue reading “Volkswagen and Porsche recall over 500,000 US vehicles with rearview camera glitch”

Summary

• BYD UK registrations surge nearly 5-fold last month -New AutoMotive
• Overall UK new car sales hit 2 million mark in 2025 -SMMT
• Chinese brands MG, BYD among UK’s top 10 best-selling car brands in December -SMMT

(Reuters) – Tesla’s UK car registrations dropped by more than 29% year-on-year in December, industry data showed on Tuesday, underscoring the intense competition from Chinese rivals faced by the U.S. electric vehicle maker in its largest European market.

The Elon Musk-led company’s UK registrations – a proxy for sales – fell to 6,323 units last month, according to New AutoMotive data. For 2025, Tesla’s UK sales fell 8.9% year-on-year. Continue reading “Tesla UK car sales slump 29% in December as Chinese brands gain ground”

ISTANBUL, (Reuters) – Turkey’s car and light commercial vehicle market climbed to an all-time high in 2025, with nearly one in six cars sold being fully electric, industry data showed on Wednesday.

Despite high taxes and tight financing conditions, sales rose 10.5% to 1.37 million units last year, according to the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD). December alone saw a 12.6% increase to 191,620 units, according to the data. Continue reading “Turkey auto market hits record in 2025 as EV sales surge”

SEOUL, (Reuters) – Shares of Hyundai Motor rallied on Wednesday by as much as 14.9% to hit a record high in morning trade, outperforming the benchmark KOSPI’s 1.2% gain amid market speculation about a potential deeper tie-up with Nvidia.

Shin Yoon-chul, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities, said Hyundai’s announcement about the planned deployment in its factories of Atlas humanoid robots, made at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, was insufficient to fully explain the rally. He noted that robot production is planned at around 30,000 units by 2028 and that the Atlas product was showcased only as a static mock-up display. Continue reading “Hyundai Motor shares rise 15% to hit record high amid Nvidia tie-up speculation”

(Reuters) – Ford on Tuesday reported higher auto sales in the U.S. in 2025, as strong consumer appetite for its hybrid models and affordable pickup truck helped it offset slowing electric vehicle sales.

The Detroit automaker’s annual sales rose 6% in 2025 to 2,204,124 units, from 2,078,832 a year ago. Continue reading “Ford’s annual US auto sales rise 6% on demand for hybrids, affordable pickup truck”

Source : PTI | Mahindra & Mahindra expects sales momentum to continue this year on the back of new product actions and a differentiated SUV portfolio created over the past four years, a top company executive said on Tuesday.

Last year, the Mumbai-based auto major leapfrogged to second position in passenger vehicle sales, ahead of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Hyundai Motor India Ltd. Continue reading “Mahindra expects sales momentum to sustain in 2026 as SUVs continue upward march”

Source : PTI | The nation will see nearly 10-fold jump to battery energy storage capacity addition to 5GWh this year from 507 MWh in 2025 mainly due to huge backlog of project under execution, according to a study of India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) released on Tuesday.

According to the report, while 2025 was defined by unprecedented tendering activity — 69 tenders totalling 102 GWh, nearly equal to all tenders issued between 2018 and 2024 combined — 2026 will be the year the industry proves itself operationally, as the wave of tenders awarded since mid-2023 finally materialise into commissioned assets with typical project timelines of 18-24 months. Continue reading “India’s energy storage projects installation to surge 10-fold to 5GWh in 2026: IESA”

Source : PTI | India’s automobile industry is looking for policy continuity and long-term clarity in the upcoming Union Budget after the successful implementation of GST 2.0, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India MD and CEO Piyush Arora said on Tuesday.

Sustained support for domestic manufacturing and increased allocation for road and transport infrastructure will be key priorities, Arora said in a statement. Continue reading “Looking for policy continuity, long-term clarity in Budget: Skoda Auto Volkswagen India CEO”

Summary

• Affordability remains a barrier, with executives called to testify in Senate hearing
• Gasoline-powered trucks and SUVs drive demand despite EV market turbulence
• Analysts split on 2026 auto market outlook amid economic uncertainty

DETROIT, (Reuters) – Sales of new cars in the United States rose about 2% in 2025, defying extraordinary disruptions all year in an industry where “black swan” events have become routine.

Automakers sold 16.2 million vehicles in the U.S. last year, a 2.4% increase from 2024, according to research firm Omdia. Continue reading “US auto sales defy regulatory uncertainty to rise 2% in 2025”

(Reuters) – Tesla’s UK car registrations dropped by more than 29% year-on-year in December, industry data showed on Tuesday, underscoring the intense competition faced by the U.S. electric vehicle maker in its largest European market.

The Elon Musk-led company’s UK registrations – a proxy for sales – fell to 6,323 units last month, according to data from New AutoMotive. For 2025, Tesla’s UK sales fell 8.9% year-on-year. Continue reading “Tesla UK car sales slump 29% in December as competition heats up, data shows”

Summary

• Lucid’s annual deliveries rise 55%
• Production more than doubles sequentially, outpacing deliveries
• EV demand weakens post U.S. federal tax credit expiration

(Reuters) – Electric vehicle maker Lucid Group on Monday reported fourth-quarter and 2025 deliveries that were slightly above expectations, as a good reception for the cheaper Gravity SUV helped it offset weaker demand due to the expiry of U.S. tax credits.

Lucid has been seeking to broaden its customer base as demand for high-priced EVs softens. In November, it launched the Gravity Touring SUV with a starting price of $79,900, significantly below the six-figure price tags that have defined much of its lineup. Continue reading “Lucid beats delivery estimates even as EV sales lag production growth”