(Reuters) – Hino Motors a subsidiary of Japanese automaker Toyota pleaded guilty on Wednesday over a multi-year emissions fraud scheme in the United States and must pay $1.6 billion in penalties, the U.S. Justice Department said.

U.S. District Court Judge Mark Goldsmith in Detroit accepted the Japanese truck and engine manufacturer’s guilty plea and sentenced the company to pay a fine of $521.76 million and serve five years of probation during which it will be prohibited from importing diesel engines it manufactured into the United States. Continue reading “Toyota’s Hino Motors pleads guilty to US emissions fraud, fined $1.6 billion”

Source : PTI | Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said the government will soon announce a new policy for toll charges on national highways, offering a reasonable concession to consumers. Replying to queries in Rajya Sabha, the minister asserted that the government is spending a lot on building road infrastructure and therefore toll charges are necessary.

“It is the policy of the department that when you want good road, you have to pay for it,” Gadkari said. Continue reading “Govt to announce new toll policy soon, will give reasonable concession to consumers, says Nitin Gadkari”

Source : PTI | Tyre maker CEAT Ltd is seeking to strengthen its play in the premium ultra-high performance and luxury four-wheeler segment that is expected to significantly grow in the next three to five years, company MD and CEO Arnab Banerjee said on Wednesday. The company, which launched three new products ZR-rated, CALM Technology and Run-Flat tyres, is preparing itself to address an emerging trend in the premium 17-inch plus tyre segment, he told PTI.

“The saliency of this segment is about 8-10 per cent today in the aftermarket and it is going to grow much faster than the rest of the market. It could be as high as 25-30 per cent in three to five years time,” Banerjee said. Continue reading “CEAT looks to strengthen play in premium car tyre segment”

Source : PTI | A bill to amend the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Act 1958 was tabled in the assembly on Wednesday with the aim of increasing vehicle tax and potentially generating additional revenue. The Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Tax (Amendment) Act 2025 bill proposes to increase the maximum limit of one-time tax for motorcycles, tricycles, motorcars and omni bus.

The tax on compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquified petrol gas (LPG) vehicles will be increased by one per cent. Continue reading “Bill to hike motor vehicles tax tabled in Maharashtra assembly”

SEOUL, (Reuters) – South Korean battery maker SK On said on Wednesday that it had won a deal to supply batteries for electric vehicles for Nissan Motor in the United States.

SK On plans to provide batteries for Nissan’s next generation electric vehicles that will be built in the Japanese carmaker’s factory in Mississippi in the United States, the South Korean firm said in a statement. Continue reading “South Korea’s SK On wins EV battery deal with Nissan”

LONDON, (Reuters) – Bentley on Wednesday posted its lowest annual revenue since the COVID pandemic struck in 2020 as the British luxury automaker faced a tough global market in 2024, but said it was pursuing “value over volume” with revenue per car up 10% versus 2023.

The Volkswagen unit reported an operating profit for 2024 of 373 million euros ($407 million), down 37% from 589 million euros the previous year. Continue reading “In tough global market, Bentley posts lowest revenue since 2020”

FRANKFURT, (Reuters) – Volkswagen said on Wednesday it sold a 2.2% stake in Traton for 360 million euros ($393 million) or 32.75 euros per share for better trading in shares of the commercial-vehicles subsidiary.

Volkswagen late on Tuesday said the transaction would enhance the free float and trading liquidity of Traton shares and that Volkswagen would remain a “committed and responsible shareholder”. Continue reading “Volkswagen sells 360-million-euro Traton stake for 32.75 euros per share”

SAN FRANCISCO, (Reuters) – Tesla on Tuesday received the first in a series of approvals from California required for the electric car maker to eventually launch a promised robotaxi service in the state, according to a state regulator.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) said it approved Tesla’s application for a transportation charter-party carrier permit (TCP), a license typically associated with chauffeur-operated services, allowing the company to own and control a fleet of vehicles and transport employees on pre-arranged trips. Continue reading “Tesla gets first in a series of permits it needs to run robotaxis in California”

(Reuters) – General Motors will use artificial intelligence chips and software from Nvidia to develop autonomous vehicle technology for its vehicles and improve workflow at its factories, the companies said on Tuesday.

Traditional automakers have struggled to commercialize autonomous technology that has been more challenging and expensive than expected but has emerged as a way to boost sales and rake in subscription revenue from motorists. Continue reading “GM to use Nvidia AI chips, software to automate vehicles, factories”

(Reuters) – U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday condemned recent violent attacks on Tesla property, adding the Department of Justice has already charged several perpetrators.

“The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism,” Bondi said in a statement. Continue reading “US attorney general calls attacks against Tesla property ‘domestic terrorism’”

Source : PTI | New Delhi: Bengaluru-based EV startup Pravaig’s all-terrain stealth vehicle, Veer — the world’s first operational EV designed for tactical defense use — has undergone military trials and won the prestigious iDEX award from the Ministry of Defence. “In a major step towards strategic autonomy, Pravaig has won the prestigious iDEX Award for its VEER Electric Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (E-TATV) — a cutting-edge, highly stealthy vehicle designed for forward patrolling, reconnaissance, and ISR operations,” Pravaig Dynamics said in a post on X.

Atima Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pravaig, won the iDEX Award by the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), under the aegis of the Department of Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence, “for deepening India’s sovereignty by building cutting-edge defence technologies and reinforcing the country’s strategic autonomy.” Continue reading “Pravaig’s all-terrain stealth vehicle undergoes military trials, gets iDEX recognition”

Source : PTI | The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Monday approved the proposed acquisition of 100 per cent stake each in O2 Power Midco Holdings and O2 Energy SG by JSW Neo Energy. JSW Neo Energy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Energy, which belongs to the JSW Group. JSW Energy (through its subsidiaries) engaged in power generation and transmission through conventional and non-conventional sources.

‘The proposed combination involves the acquisition by JSW Neo Energy Ltd of 100 per cent shareholding of O2 Power Midco Holdings Pte Ltd (O2 Midco) and O2 Energy SG Pte Ltd (O2 Energy),’ the CCI said in a release. Continue reading “CCI approves JSW Neo Energy’s acquisition of O2 Power’s renewable assets”

Source : PTI | India has the potential to be among the top five markets globally for the Maybach range with demand for high-end luxury vehicles likely to grow steadily in the country, Mercedes-Maybach Head Daniel Lescow said on Tuesday. Mercedes-Benz saw sales of Maybach portfolio increase over 140 per cent year-on-year last year in India at over 500 units.

The luxury carmaker has further enhanced the range in the country by introducing the Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series, priced at Rs 4.2 crore (ex-showroom).

Continue reading “India can be among top five Maybach markets globally: Mercedes”

Source : PTI | Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said the government will soon announce a new policy for toll charges on national highways, offering a reasonable concession to consumers. Replying to queries in Rajya Sabha, the minister asserted that the government is spending a lot on building road infrastructure and therefore toll charges are necessary.

“It is the policy of the department that when you want good road, you have to pay for it,” Gadkari said. Continue reading “Govt to announce new toll policy soon, will give reasonable concession to consumers, says Nitin Gadkari”

Source : PTI | New Delhi: Ride-sharing company Uber on Wednesday announced new safety measures for riders and drivers on its two-wheeler offering “Moto” including initiatives aimed at improving helmet adoption and a feature that would allow female drivers to filter for female riders. The new safety feature for “Uber Moto” includes AI-powered helmet selfies for drivers as well as in-app helmet “nudges” for riders.

Uber said it is ramping up safety for two-wheeler riders and drivers with new tech-led features and distribution of 3,000 safety kits across the country. Over half of the rides on Uber today happen over auto and moto services in India. Continue reading “Uber unveils new safety measures for 2-wheeler riders, drivers”

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) has achieved a significant milestone by producing 500,000 locally manufactured engines at its state-of-the-art facility in Chakan, Pune. The plant’s emphasis on technological advancements and sustainability has enabled it to meet global quality standards while ensuring cost efficiency. This milestone reflects the Group’s long-term strategy of integrating India into its global supply chain for high-quality automotive components. Continue reading “Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Surpasses 500,000 Locally Manufactured Engines”

TOKYO, (Reuters) – Japanese automaker Honda Motor will procure batteries for its hybrid vehicles from Toyota Motor’s plant in the United States in an effort to reduce tariff risks under the Trump administration, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Monday.

From fiscal 2025, Japan’s second-biggest automaker will take in Toyota’s U.S.-made batteries for about 400,000 vehicles, which will be enough for all of its hybrid cars it sells in the country, the newspaper said. Continue reading “Honda to procure Toyota’s US-made batteries in tariff response, Nikkei reports”

(Reuters) – Honda and Suzuki will pool carbon emissions with U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla in 2025 to comply with European Union rules, an EU filing showed on Monday.

The pool also includes Stellantis , Toyota, Ford, Mazda and Subaru, the filing shows. Continue reading “Honda, Suzuki to join Tesla’s CO2 emissions pool for 2025”

TORONTO, (Reuters) – Toronto is no longer providing financial incentives for Tesla vehicles purchased as taxis or ride shares due to trade tensions with the United States, the city’s mayor, Olivia Chow, said on Monday.

The city is promoting the adoption of electric vehicles purchased as vehicles for hire by giving drivers and owners a reduction in licensing fees and renewal fees until the end of 2029, to help it lower emissions. Continue reading “Toronto excludes Tesla from EV incentive due to US trade war”

Summary

• U.S., Mexican and Canadian growth will all suffer under tariffs, OECD says
• Trump says next tariffs will go ahead on April 2
• Consumers and businesses increasingly worried tariffs will hurt the economy and stoke inflation

(Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s tariff hikes will drag down growth in Canada, Mexico and the United States while driving up inflation, the OECD forecast on Monday, just as Trump promised to press ahead with a new wave of levies in early April. Continue reading “OECD warns of tariff drag on growth as Trump vows to press on with levies”

Summary

• Audi, works council agree cost-saving package
• Measures to reduce costs by 1 bln eur a year in medium-term
• Total planned layoffs across VW Group just under 48,000
• “We had to make compromises”, works council chief says

BERLIN, (Reuters) – Volkswagen’s Audi will cut up to 7,500 jobs in Germany by 2029 in areas like administration and development, the premium carmaker said on Monday, the latest German auto industry player to reduce costs. Continue reading “Volkswagen’s Audi to cut 7,500 jobs in administration, development by 2029”

Summary | Elon Musk’s EV company is struggling as he plunges into politics. Robyn Denholm, the Australian chair of Tesla, is thriving after cashing in half a billion dollars of the stock. Investors are clamoring for her to rein in the world’s richest man – but some question whether she has the independence to do so.

SYDNEY – Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is drawing political flak as he champions right-wing causes in Europe and leads President Donald Trump’s slashing of the U.S. federal workforce. The controversy is pummeling sales at Tesla, the electric-vehicle giant Musk runs. Its stock has plunged – down 15% on March 10 alone – and investors are yelping in pain. Continue reading “As Tesla tanks, Musk’s hand-picked board chair is doing just fine”

Source : PTI | Traffic violations surged by more than 100 per cent during Holi celebrations this year, an official said on Saturday. A total of 7,230 challans were issued on Holi this year, marking a sharp increase from 3,589 violations recorded in 2024, he said.

According to a police statement, the number of people caught for drunken driving surged to 1,213 in 2025 compared to 824 in 2024. Similarly, helmet-related violations increased by 56 per cent to 2,376 this year from 1,524 challans in 2024. Continue reading “Traffic violations surge over 100% during Holi in 2025”

LONDON, (Reuters) – Tech companies must start putting in place measures to protect users from child sexual abuse images and other illegal content in Britain from Monday as enforcement of its online safety regime ramps up.

Media regulator Ofcom said Meta’s Facebook, ByteDance’s TikTok, Alphabet’s YouTube and other companies must now implement measures such as better moderation, easier reporting and built-in safety tests to tackle criminal activity and make their platforms safer by design. Continue reading “Tech firms must start protecting UK users from illegal content”

BEIJING, (Reuters) – BYD on Monday unveiled a new platform for electric vehicles (EVs) that it said could charge EVs as quickly as it takes to pump gas and announced for the first time that it would build a charging network across China.

The so-called “super e-platform” will be capable of peak charging speeds of 1,000 kilowatts (kW), enabling cars that use it to travel 400 km (249 miles) on a 5-minute charge, founder Wang Chuanfu said at an event livestreamed from the company’s Shenzhen headquarters. Continue reading “BYD unveils new super-charging EV tech, to build charging network in China”

MILAN, (Reuters) – Automaker Stellantis is investing 38 million euros ($41 million) in its Verrone plant in Northern Italy to manufacture parts for electric engines for its upcoming small-size models, it said on Monday.

The plant will manufacture steel components for electric drive modules Stellantis currently makes in other European facilities, the company said in a statement, adding production is expected to start at the end of 2027. Continue reading “Stellantis invests $41 million in Italy to make EV engine parts”

BEIJING, (Reuters) – The joint venture of Volkswagen and FAW Group (SASACJ.UL) said on Monday it will launch 11 new Volkswagen and Jetta branded models tailored for the China market from 2026.

The new models, as part of a deal signed in Wolfsburg between FAW and VW, include six electric vehicles, two plug-in hybrids, two extended-rangers and one gasoline, the joint venture said in a statement. Continue reading “Volkswagen, FAW venture to launch 11 new models tailored for China from 2026”

(Reuters) – Automakers Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki India said on Monday that they will increase the prices of vehicles to offset raw material and operational costs.

Tata Motors will hike prices of its commercial vehicles, including trucks and buses, by up to 2% from April, while Maruti Suzuki said it will increase car prices by as much as 4% next month. Continue reading “India’s Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki to hike vehicle prices”

BEIJING, (Reuters) – BMW Group will integrate Huawei (HWT.UL) HiCar, the Chinese tech conglomerate’s car mobile app connecting devices with vehicles, into its locally produced new models in 2026, the German automaker said on Monday.

BMW is teaming up with Huawei to develop smart applications based on the Harmony operating system for drivers of its vehicles using the tech conglomerate’s devices in China, according to a company statement. Continue reading “BMW to integrate Huawei smart-connect system into its China-made cars in 2026”

Summary

• Chinese car-makers seek to boost sales in Europe as Chinese market slows
• No decision taken yet as BYD weighs labour costs, productivity
• Germany’s new government expected to encourage auto sector investment

MILAN, (Reuters) – Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD is considering Germany for a possible third assembly plant in Europe, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, after the region’s biggest economy and car market opposed EU tariffs on China-made EVs last year. Continue reading “Exclusive: BYD considers Germany for third plant in Europe”

BEIJING, (Reuters) – Chinese tech company Xiaomi new electric crossover SUV, the YU7, will have a driving range of up to 770 kilometres (478 miles), a government document showed on Thursday.

The car will be Xiaomi’s first SUV and is expected to hit the market this summer, to take on Tesla Model Y. Continue reading “Xiaomi’s electric crossover car YU7 to have range of up to 770 km, govt document shows”

SEOUL, (Reuters) – Samsung SDI said it would issue new shares worth 2 trillion won ($1.38 billion) in a regulatory filing on Friday and use the proceeds to invest in a U.S. joint venture with General Motors and expand its factory capacity in Hungary among others.

($1 = 1,452.6800 won) Continue reading “Samsung SDI to issue new shares and invest in U.S. joint venture with GM”

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – President Donald Trump met General Motors CEO Mary Barra on Wednesday to discuss the automaker’s investment plans amid his tariff war, a White House official told Reuters.

In meetings with automakers, Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick have said they want the industry to move more assembly and production of parts to the United States. Continue reading “GM CEO met Trump amid tariff fight, White House says”

Summary

• BMW expects 1 billion euro hit from tariffs
• Central bankers call Trump policies a tragedy for U.S. economy
• European stocks outperforming U.S. peers
• EU trade chief says has ‘better understanding’ of US counterparts

FRANKFURT/WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – German carmaker BMW said on Friday it expected tariffs to cost it 1 billion euros ($1.09 billion) this year, while European officials warned the U.S. economy would be the biggest loser if President Donald Trump pursues an “idiotic” trade war. Continue reading “BMW sees earnings hit from US tariffs as EU warns against escalation”

Source : PTI | The Tamil Nadu government on Friday announced Rs 20,000 subsidy for buying new e-scooter to 2,000 internet-based service workers who are registered with the Gig Workers Welfare Board. In his 2025-26 Budget speech, Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu, referring to a large number of young people being engaged in internet-based services and the state setting up the Tamil Nadu Platform-Based Gig Workers Welfare Board to promote their welfare said: “A new scheme will be launched to support the livelihood of workers registered with the welfare board by providing a subsidy of Rs 20,000 each to 2,000 internet-based service workers for purchasing a new electric vehicle (e-scooter).” Continue reading “Tamil Nadu to subsidise Rs 20,000 for buying e-scooters for some gig workers”

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Electric passenger vehicle retail sales rise 19% in February WAF Continue reading “WAF Auto News | The Auto World This Week (14th March 2025)”

Exotel, a leader in customer engagement solutions, has announced its collaboration with JSW MG Motor India to enhance communication systems and drive superior customer experiences across the automotive giant’s network.

The solution provided by Exotel ensures:Seamless customer experience with a single national number; Brand consistency through virtual dealership numbers; Real-time feedback collection and efficient issue resolution. Continue reading “Exotel Joins JSW MG Motor India To Augment Customer Engagement”