City simulator wins Venture capital backing as investors seek driverless car exposure

Immense makes simulations of cities which aim to show where and how people and vehicles might be moving on any given day. LONDON: Venture capital investors backed Immense Simulations, a British software company which creates interactive replicas of cities, on Tuesday in the latest sign of money pouring into firms that stand to gain from… Continue reading City simulator wins Venture capital backing as investors seek driverless car exposure

Cash-strapped Chinese automaker Haima sells properties to raise funds

Haima reported a 72% plunge in sales in the first four months of this year, following a 48% dive in 2018 revenue. BEIJING: China’s Haima Automotive Group Co Ltd said the company planned to sell over 400 units of real estate to revitalise its corporate assets and boost liquidity, stock exchange filings showed. The unusual… Continue reading Cash-strapped Chinese automaker Haima sells properties to raise funds

Nissan full-year net profit more than halves to near-decade low

Ghosn denies that charge and insists he is innocent of all allegations against him. TOKYO: Crisis-hit Nissan on Tuesday revealed full-year net profits at a near-decade low and forecast a further decline as it battles to recover after the shock arrest of its talismanic former boss Carlos Ghosn. The Japanese firm’s bottom-line profit for the… Continue reading Nissan full-year net profit more than halves to near-decade low

Daimler’s CEO designate will push alliances to cut costs

Kaellenius said Daimler had moved from using an equal amount of nickel, cobalt and manganese in its electric car batteries, towards a new ratio of 8:1:1. Germany: Daimler will cut development costs of new Mercedes-Benz cars by a significant amount by 2025 and will intensify alliances with rivals as a way to improve margins, Ola… Continue reading Daimler’s CEO designate will push alliances to cut costs

Ford concerned about potential China retaliation

Tariffs could affect imported auto parts and it would raise production costs and lead to higher vehicle prices for U.S. consumers. WASHINGTON: Ford spokeswoman Rachel McCleery says the company is most concerned about any retaliatory tariffs China might impose. The Dearborn, Michigan-based company says 80% of the vehicles it assembles in the U.S. are sold… Continue reading Ford concerned about potential China retaliation

Suzuki Motor says India uncertainty to limit profit growth

Growing use of app-based cab services such as from Ola and Uber Technologies Inc, tighter credit and market uncertainty ahead of India’s general election have all weighed on the auto industry, hurting sales of private cars. TOKYO: Suzuki Motor Corp on Friday forecast a 1.7% rise in profit this year, anticipating limited growth due to… Continue reading Suzuki Motor says India uncertainty to limit profit growth

Nissan Spain to cut 600 jobs from Barcelona plant

As part of the deal, any further changes to the workforce are to be negotiated separately with unions. MADRID: The Spanish arm of Japanese carmaker Nissan has reached an agreement with unions to cut 600 jobs at its plant in Barcelona, or almost 20 percent of the plant’s workforce. The layoffs, a mixture of voluntary… Continue reading Nissan Spain to cut 600 jobs from Barcelona plant

Daimler CEO says successor will have tough job

Zetsche took over as CEO of DaimlerChrysler in 2006 and took the decision to sell Chrysler. OSLO: Daimler’s next chief executive will have a tough job to restore margins at Mercedes-Benz, current boss Dieter Zetsche told Reuters on Wednesday, as Mercedes-Benz launched a new luxury electric car to rival Tesla. Zetsche, who bows out as… Continue reading Daimler CEO says successor will have tough job

Automotive Holdings backs AP Eagers’ sweetened $586 mln offer

New vehicle sales in Australia fell by about 8.9 percent in April from a year earlier, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. Australian listed car dealer Automotive Holdings Ltd recommended a takeover proposal from larger rival AP Eagers on Wednesday after the suitor raised its indicative offer to A$836 million ($586.2 million). AP… Continue reading Automotive Holdings backs AP Eagers’ sweetened $586 mln offer

Fiat Chrysler shares soar after CEO hints at tie-ups

Sales by the company which makes Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Dodge and Ram vehicles, slid 4.8 percent to 24.5 billion euros. Milan: Fiat Chrysler (FCA) reported falling profits on Friday, but its share price soared after its CEO indicated that the Italian-US group would have an “active and constructive role” in consolidating the… Continue reading Fiat Chrysler shares soar after CEO hints at tie-ups