Safety experts are urging the UK government to exclude American cars from any post-Brexit trade deal. They say imported vehicles should meet British safety standards for accidents with pedestrians, cyclists and children. UK PM Boris Johnson has indicated he expects cars to be included in any new transatlantic trade agreement. But safety campaigners point to… Continue reading US cars ‘must be left out of UK trade deal’
Author: BBC News
Electric cars: St Athan confirmed as site for planned battery factory
Plans to build a plant for producing electric car batteries in Wales are a step closer, the firm behind the proposals has said. Britishvolt had also been considering a Coventry site but said it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Welsh Government to build the factory in St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan.… Continue reading Electric cars: St Athan confirmed as site for planned battery factory
Tesla’s ‘Autopilot’ misleading, Germany rules
Tesla’s claims about its Autopilot driver-assist feature are misleading, a German court has ruled. The use of the word “autopilot”, along with other marketing material, suggested the vehicle could drive on its own, the court said. But the technology still requires the driver to remain alert at all times. Tesla has been banned from repeating… Continue reading Tesla’s ‘Autopilot’ misleading, Germany rules
Tesla ‘very close’ to full self-driving, Musk says
Tesla will be able to make its vehicles completely autonomous by the end of this year, founder Elon Musk has said. It was already “very close” to achieving the basic requirements of this “level-five” autonomy, which requires no driver input, he said. Tesla’s current, level-two Autopilot requires the driver to remain alert and ready to… Continue reading Tesla ‘very close’ to full self-driving, Musk says
M4 problems ‘influenced’ car plant plan suspension
A Welsh Government “unwillingness” to improve the M4 influenced a decision by Ineos to suspend plans to move jobs to Wales, a UK minister has claimed. The firm said on Tuesday plans to build a new 4×4 vehicle plant in Bridgend had been put on hold. UK government Welsh Secretary Simon Hart told MPs this… Continue reading M4 problems ‘influenced’ car plant plan suspension
Ineos 4×4 vehicle plant ‘suspended’ in Wales
Plans to build a new 4×4 vehicle plant in Wales have been put on hold by the firm Ineos. The company said it follows talks with Mercedes-Benz over the acquiring of their Hambach site in Moselle, France. The Wales plant would have been built next to the current Ford engine plant at Bridgend, which is… Continue reading Ineos 4×4 vehicle plant ‘suspended’ in Wales
Mini factory staff test positive for coronavirus
Nine assembly line workers at the Mini car factory in Oxford have tested positive for coronavirus. BMW, which owns the plant, said it is “monitoring the situation” and the site remains open following “detailed” talks with Public Health England. Production at the factory in Cowley was halted in March because of the pandemic but resumed… Continue reading Mini factory staff test positive for coronavirus
Lookers fraud probe reveals £19m hole in accounts
Car dealership Lookers has agreed to correct its accounts after auditors found it overstated profitability by a total of £19m over several years. Auditors Grant Thornton have been investigating potential fraud at the Altrincham-based firm. Their draft report found some “fraudulent expense claims” and “several areas” where financial controls “require strengthening”. Earlier this month, Lookers… Continue reading Lookers fraud probe reveals £19m hole in accounts
Lawsuit alleges defeat devices in Nissan petrol cars
Up to 1.4 million Renault and Nissan vehicles sold in Britain could be equipped with illegal defeat devices, according to a lawsuit being launched today. They include a petrol-powered version of one of the UK’s best-selling family cars, the Nissan Qashqai. The law firm behind the case, Harcus Parker, claims that some cars produced up… Continue reading Lawsuit alleges defeat devices in Nissan petrol cars
Coronavirus: One in six UK car industry jobs could be lost, warns trade body
The UK car industry’s trade body says one in six jobs are at risk of redundancy without help from the government in restarting production. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said emergency funding, permanent short-time working, business rate holidays, and VAT cuts are needed to stem the flow of job losses. Showrooms are… Continue reading Coronavirus: One in six UK car industry jobs could be lost, warns trade body