Category: Newswire

Ford CEO under pressure to execute ambitious global strategy

The spotlight is on Ford CEO Jim Hackett and his ability to balance several significant challenges as the carmaker pursues new partnerships that complicate manufacturing operations while advancing a historic overhaul of its business in an increasingly uncertain global trade environment.Auto manufacturers are aggressively turning to alliances with one-time rivals to reduce the large investment costs needed to produce emissions-free vehicles and develop autonomous driving technology.Ford’s pending passenger vehicle with Volkswagen’s electric platform will only be available in Europe, due to U.S. consumer preference for larger sports utility vehicles and pick-up trucks.

A Ford-Volkswagen alliance with Argo could redraw self-driving sector

An expanded alliance between Ford Motor Co and Volkswagen AG that includes a partnership in Ford self-driving unit Argo AI could redraw the balance of power in autonomous vehicles.Argo has been overlooked as Waymo, Alphabet Inc’s self-driving subsidiary, has deployed its robo-vans, and General Motors Co’s Cruise Automation subsidiary has raked in billions of dollars in investments.VW recently concluded a development agreement with Aurora, the Silicon Valley self-driving start-up that includes Hyundai Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles among its customers. More sourcesA Ford-VW alliance with Argo could redraw self-driving sector (Reuters: Jul 12, 2019 at 12:39 AM)

China iconic brand Hongqi’s luxury SUV hits the market

CHANGCHUN, July 12 (Xinhua) — China's automaker FAW Group on Friday began selling the first C-Class sport utility vehicle (SUV) of its iconic Hongqi brand in a bid to capture a slice of the luxury car market.
The Hongqi HS7 model, launched in the northeastern Chinese city of Changchun, is priced at a range of 349,800 yuan (50,900 U.S. dollars) to 459,800 yuan, the Changchun-based carmaker said.
The model is equipped with a 3.0L V6 engine with mechanical supercharging and higher-end interiors.
With the new SUV model, Hongqi currently has two models in both the sedan and SUV categories.
Hongqi, meaning “red flag,” is China's iconic sedan brand. The brand was established in 1958 and has been used as the vehicle for parades at national celebrations.
To help expand its market reach, FAW, the first automaker in China having been established in 1953 in Changchun, is undertaking market reforms for the Hongqi brand and rolling out diversified models.
The brand saw strong sales growth..

Hyundai aims to sell 8,000 Venue SUVs in S. Korea this year

Hyundai Motor Co. said Thursday it is aiming to sell 8,000 units of its all-new entry-level Venue sport utility vehicle in South Korea this year.The Venue, which comes with a 1.6-liter gasoline engine, is priced at 15 million won to 21 million won (US$13,000-$18,000).Hyundai has also strengthened its SUV lineup by adding competitive new models, as represented by the Palisade. More sourcesHyundai Motor launches entry SUV Venue in S. Korea (Yonhap News Agency: Jul 11, 2019 at 1:56 AM)

Hyundai Mobis, Yandex unveil self-driving robotaxi

By Kwak Yeon-soo Hyundai Mobis and Russia’s Yandex will be testing a public robotaxi service with a newly developed self-driving car, the auto parts maker said Thursday.An auto parts affiliate of Hyundai Motor and global IT company Yandex will test ride 100 driverless cars on public roads in Moscow by the end of this year.Together, they will expand the testing of jointly developed control systems for driverless vehicles to other regions.

Yandex, Hyundai Mobis prepare first joint autonomous vehicle for test in Moscow

MOSCOW, July 11. /TASS/. Yandex and Hyundai Mobis, one of the top 10 car component manufacturers in the world (part of South Korean car concern Hyundai), presented the first joint prototype of an autonomous vehicle based on Hyundai Sonata 2020. Now Yandex is completing test of a prototype and preparing to release the vehicle for a test on the roads of Moscow, the company said on Thursday.
Yandex noted that Sonata 2020 model taken as the basis for the autonomous vehicle was built on a platform developed with the active participation of Mobis engineers, it allows to embed an autonomous control system into the car. The press service of Yandex told TASS that the company plans to bring the unmanned vehicle to public roads in the summer, when the certification is passed.
It was reported earlier that Yandex and Hyundai Mobis have signed a memorandum of understanding on development of control systems for Level 4 and Level 5 autonomous vehicles, “combining Yandex’s established self-driving tech..

German automotive supplier ZF to deliver powertrain for Daimler’s new electric SUV

BERLIN, July 10 (Xinhua) — The powertrain components of Daimler's new electric SUV, the EQC, will come from German automotive supplier ZF Friedrichshafen AG, announced Wolf-Henning Scheider, chief executive officer (CEO) of ZF, in an interview with the newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung on Wednesday.
Germany's third largest automotive supplier will provide the “complete driveline module” for Daimler's EQC family, from electric motors to single-gear transmissions with differentials, as well as the control software, Scheider explained.
The order placed by Daimler was “an important milestone,” Scheider said, but did not specify the volume of the powertrain order. It is up to Daimler to reveal any “details” of the deal, he said.
Last week, ZF already announced its “second largest single order” by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) for eight-speed automatic transmissions, which “feature an integrated electric drive for hybrid variants.”
ZF's cooperation with FCA “confirms our s..