TOKYO — Toyota Motor’s announcement that it will slash production next month has sparked concerns over vulnerabilities in Southeast Asia’s auto supply chain as the region grapples with new variants of the coronavirus. Shares in the world’s largest automaker fell 5% in Tokyo at one point on Friday, a day after it said it will… Continue reading Toyota production cut highlights ASEAN supply chain vulnerability
Author: Nikki News Feed
‘An iPhone with four wheels’: Inside Foxconn’s bid to build EVs
TAIPEI/TOKYO — Foxconn, the world’s largest contract consumer electronics manufacturer and the biggest supplier to Apple, has long dreamed of building cars. “If we can make iPhones, why can’t we make EVs? It is an iPhone with four wheels,” founder and former chairman Terry Gou told internal meetings more than once, according to people at… Continue reading ‘An iPhone with four wheels’: Inside Foxconn’s bid to build EVs
Toyota to cut global output 40% in September on ASEAN outbreaks
NAGOYA, Japan — Toyota Motor said Thursday it will reduce global production for September by 40% from its previous plan, as the spread of the coronavirus in Southeast Asia adds to supply troubles for Japan’s top automaker. The maker of the Prius hybrid and the RAV4 SUV planned to build nearly 900,000 automobiles for the… Continue reading Toyota to cut global output 40% in September on ASEAN outbreaks
Indian car service company raises $50m from Italy’s Exor
NEW DELHI — myTVS, an online aggregator for auto repair and maintenance in India, has raised about 375 million rupees ($50 million) from a fund managed by Italian holding company Exor. The company will use the funds to expand its online-to-offline business model, establish a pan-India platform, and build cloud-based digital infrastructure as it aims… Continue reading Indian car service company raises $50m from Italy’s Exor
AI-packed ‘robocar’ puts Baidu in the self-driving fast lane
BEIJING — The vehicle has no steering wheel nor a gas or brake pedal, but the AI-loaded concept dubbed “robocar” unveiled Wednesday by Baidu, the Chinese company best known for its search engine, showcases its advances in an eight-year effort to develop autonomous-driving technology. The debut of the futuristic car coincides with Baidu’s renewed push to produce electric vehicles through… Continue reading AI-packed ‘robocar’ puts Baidu in the self-driving fast lane
Mazda halts two Japan factories due to torrential rain
TOKYO — Mazda Motor on Tuesday halted operations at two of its Japan factories, the latest victims of torrential rain now hovering over the southwestern part of the country. The company’s headquarters factory in Hiroshima Prefecture and its Hofu factory in Yamaguchi Prefecture might reopen on Wednesday, depending on weather conditions. The decision to halt… Continue reading Mazda halts two Japan factories due to torrential rain
Tesla faces US safety investigation over Autopilot crashes
PALO ALTO, U.S. — A U.S. regulator is launching a formal investigation into 11 incidents where Tesla crashed into emergency vehicles when using Autopilot or other driver-assistance features. The probe adds to the pressure on Tesla after a series of safety investigations in China this year and as regulators around the world grow increasingly concerned about nascent… Continue reading Tesla faces US safety investigation over Autopilot crashes
Toyota, Nissan, others tie up to protect cars from cyberattack
TOKYO — Ninety companies, including Toyota Motor and Nissan Motor, will form a consortium to protect connected cars from cyberattacks, Nikkei has learned. The companies will check their automotive software for security flaws and share information such as cyberattack trends to prevent hijacking and data theft. Companies are stepping up such efforts as self-driving cars come closer to reality. Information… Continue reading Toyota, Nissan, others tie up to protect cars from cyberattack
Jack Ma-linked startup scours Greenland for EV battery materials
A mineral exploration startup linked to Alibaba founder Jack Ma will partner with a mining company to hunt for EV-battery raw materials in Greenland, as automakers barrel toward an all-electric future amid mounting climate concerns. Kobold Metals has signed a joint venture agreement with BlueJay Mining, in which Kobold will hold a 51% stake and… Continue reading Jack Ma-linked startup scours Greenland for EV battery materials
EV makers confront risk of runaway prices for battery metals
TOKYO — Makers of electric vehicles and EV batteries have staked claim to both supplies and alternatives to lithium, cobalt and nickel as fast-rising prices of these crucial metals threaten to soar higher in the coming years. The International Energy Agency estimates global demand for lithium will be 42 times greater in 2040 than in 2020, assuming a target… Continue reading EV makers confront risk of runaway prices for battery metals