Diess confirmed discussions with Ford, which has been an occasional partner in past decades, and spoke glowingly of strategies on which the automakers could collaborate, but he dismissed any notion of VW growing bigger through consolidations or mergers. The VW board of supervisors will consider its strategic relationship with Ford on Nov. 16, Reuters reported.… Continue reading Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess says in interview that German automaker is actively looking to add US manufacturing capacity and that talks with Ford Motor Company could expand – Automotive News
Tag: Strategy
Ford Details Commitment to Global Redesign — Reshaping Overseas Operations and Strengthening North America
Ford reshaping company to lead the future of transportation and mobility Company strategy centers on high-growth product segments, electrified propulsion, autonomous vehicles, mobility services, operational fitness and high-performance culture Global wave of new products in fastest growing and most profitable segments, with more than 20 new Ford and Lincoln products in North America over the… Continue reading Ford Details Commitment to Global Redesign — Reshaping Overseas Operations and Strengthening North America
DoorDash poaches Uber Eats engineering boss
One way to gain ground on a competitor is to poach their best executives. We’ve seen it time and time again, from high-level Tesla employees fleeing for Lyft or Apple stealing Google’s AI talent. DoorDash, a well-funded food delivery unicorn, is familiar with this method of staffing. The company announced this morning that it has poached… Continue reading DoorDash poaches Uber Eats engineering boss
Porsche invests in US start-up “Urgent.ly”
The financing round amounted to 21 million US dollars (18.5 million euros). Alongside “Porsche Ventures”, other companies obtained shares in Urgent.ly, including “BMW i Ventures” and “InMotion Ventures”, the venture capital division of Jaguar Land Rover. The US start-up’s platform supports roadside assistance services in North America, Europe and Asia. Using artificial intelligence and geo-location,… Continue reading Porsche invests in US start-up “Urgent.ly”
Audi e-tron hits Munich Airport with full force
Audi is preparing a very special showcase for the e-tron prior to its official launch on the German market: The all-electric Audi has landed at Munich Airport in a multi-storey meteorite that covers a 630-square-meter (6,781.3 sq ft) footprint. Until mid-March, visitors and passengers can experience the new model for themselves along with its technology,… Continue reading Audi e-tron hits Munich Airport with full force
Mobike to rebrand as Meituan Bike, fully integrate into Meituan’s app
Jan 23, 2019 1 min read Chinese bike-rental company Mobike will rebrand as Meituan Bike as it abandons its standalone app to be included in internet giant Meituan’s platform as an in-app feature. The Chinese bike-rental firm will also become a distinct business group within the lifestyle services company. Wang Huiwen, Meituan’s senior vice president and co-founder,… Continue reading Mobike to rebrand as Meituan Bike, fully integrate into Meituan’s app
Volkswagen invests in US start-up Forge Nano
The Volkswagen Group is investing US$10 million in the startup “Forge Nano Inc.” with a view to reinforcing its specialist knowledge in the field of battery research. Forge Nano is investigating a material coating technology that could further improve the performance of battery materials. As a partner, Volkswagen will provide support for industrial trials of… Continue reading Volkswagen invests in US start-up Forge Nano
Volkswagen celebrates five millionth Tiguan
Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace: five million vehicles from this SUV model range have left the assembly line in just eleven years The Tiguan product line is an important part of Volkswagen’s global SUV offensive With almost 800,000 vehicles delivered in 2018, the Tiguan is one of the most successful vehicles worldwide Volkswagen can already celebrate… Continue reading Volkswagen celebrates five millionth Tiguan
EXCLUSIVE: Carlos Ghosn ready to resign from Renault
That should allow everyone to save face. For several weeks, Renault had spoken with the entourage of Carlos Ghosn to discuss his resignation. According to our information, it is now acquired. “Carlos Ghosn has been informed, both through the representatives of the State and by the group’s lawyers, of Renault’s desire to put in place… Continue reading EXCLUSIVE: Carlos Ghosn ready to resign from Renault
Bridgestone to Acquire TomTom´s Digital Fleet Solutions Business
News – 2019
Bridgestone to Acquire TomTom´s Digital Fleet Solutions Business
2019/01/22
Tokyo, January 22, 2019 – Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) announced that its subsidiary Bridgestone Europe NV/SA, has entered into an agreement with TomTom to acquire TomTom Telematics, its digital fleet solutions business, for a cash consideration of €910 million (JP¥114 billion). The transaction is anticipated to be completed latest in the 2nd quarter of 2019, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions such as regulatory approvals.
TomTom is the number one provider of digital fleet solutions in Europe, a marketplace with very diverse in legal, commercial and cultural requirements. Its digital fleet solutions business has successfully demonstrated its ability to operate in complex and demanding market environments and has continued to strengthen its potential to expand globally.
TomTom's digital fleet solution offers an industry leading data platform for connected vehicles enabling safer driving, improving productivity and optimizing uptime for personal and commercial mobility. Combining this digital fleet solution with Bridgestone's tire expertise and global service network creates an opportunity that accelerates the company's effort to become a key partner in the Mobility as a Service (MaaS) landscape with leading tire products, services and solutions offerings.
In addition to reinforcing Bridgestone's broad and leading portfolio, this strategic investment will also strengthen its position as an innovative leader in the field of tire design, and tire predictive maintenance service. Bridgestone will gain unprecedented insights into vehicle and tire operating conditions and be able to leverage a growing installed user base of 860,000 vehicles communicating 200 million data points per day.
With this acquisition, Bridgestone adds core components to its Tire and Diversified Products as a Solution (Bridgestone T&DPaaS) strategy defining the company's evolving business domain and continuous commitment towards value creation for its customers and the society.
About Bridgestone Corporation:
Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. In addition to tires for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.
About TomTom:
TomTom is the leading independent location technology specialist, shaping mobility with highly accurate maps, navigation software, real-time traffic information and services. To achieve its vision of a safer world, free of congestion and emissions, it creates innovative technologies that keep the world moving. By combining its extensive experience with leading business and technology partners, it powers connected vehicles, smart mobility and, ultimately, autonomous driving. Headquartered in Amsterdam with offices in 37 countries, TomTom’s technologies are trusted by hundreds of millions of people worldwide.