Tag: VW

Optimus Ride brings self-driving cars to private communities in NY and CA

If you live in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, you could be one of the first consumers to ride in a self-driving car in the state of New York. That’s thanks to autonomous vehicle startup Optimus Ride, which today announced its plans to deploy self-driving vehicles to the 300-acre development in Brooklyn. The development houses 400… Continue reading Optimus Ride brings self-driving cars to private communities in NY and CA

UPDATE 3-BMW plans to cut costs after warning on profits

MUNICH (Reuters) – BMW expects group pretax profit to fall by more than 10 percent this year and plans a sweeping 12 billion euro ($13.6 billion) savings and efficiency plan to help offset higher technology investment and currency costs. The German carmaker last week reported a 7.9 percent fall in 2018 operating profit and said… Continue reading UPDATE 3-BMW plans to cut costs after warning on profits

Ford adds production of electric vehicles at second North American site

DETROIT (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co said on Wednesday it is adding production of a fully electric vehicle at a second North American plant as part of its $11 billion investment plan set last year. FILE PHOTO: The Ford logo is seen at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., January 15,… Continue reading Ford adds production of electric vehicles at second North American site

Ford to build new factory in Michigan for autonomous vehicles

Bill Pugliano | Getty Images
Workers build a truck as it goes through the assembly line at the Ford Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, Kentucky.

Ford is building a new plant in Michigan for autonomous vehicles as the company realigns some factories to focus on its future lineup of self-driving and electric cars.

The new facility, scheduled to open in the next two years, will take new commercial-grade hybrid models and incorporate the self-driving technology needed to turn them into autonomous vehicles. Ford is still considering where to build the AV finishing center and has not said how many people will work there.

“This facility will be about more than just putting the brains into these autonomous vehicles,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford's president of global operations. “We will use the AV production center to upgrade the interiors and add the technology customers will want for a particular self-driving model.”

The new autonomous vehicle, or AV, facility is part of a $900 Million investment Ford announced in 2017 to restructure its manufacturing footprint in Michigan. Ultimately, it's expected to create up to 900 new jobs by 2023. That includes adding a second shift in 2023 at the company's final assembly plant in Flat Rock, Michigan to build an all-electric vehicle the company has yet to announce. That 2023 model is part of Ford's plan increase sales of electric vehicles, including a brand new electric SUV scheduled to roll out next year. It will be built at a Ford plant in Mexico.

Ford's development of autonomous and electric vehicles is at the core of CEO Jim Hackett's plan to remake the automaker. Since taking over as CEO in 2017, Hackett has been criticized by analysts for moving too slow to reposition Ford as the auto industry shifts to new technology and focuses more attention on electric vehicles. Earlier this year, Ford announced a partnership with Volkswagen to share the costs of develop AVs and EVs.

Hinrichs believes Ford's plan to expand production of electric vehicles in Michigan four years from now will be well timed for the changing tastes of car buyers. “We see more consumers interested in electric vehicles. Plus the capabilities of the batteries and the technology is getting better,” he said.

VW’s Skoda Auto: cannot repeat 2018 pay hikes in new round of bargaining

The average production wage grew 14 percent in 2018 and it is up by 25 percent in the last two years, Skoda said. Czech Republic: Volkswagen‘s Czech unit Skoda Auto does not expect to repeat the strong wage growth agreed in 2018 again in the latest round of collective bargaining, a board member said on… Continue reading VW’s Skoda Auto: cannot repeat 2018 pay hikes in new round of bargaining

Customer wishes – today, tomorrow, and thereafter

The Porsche Newsroom is a service provided by the Porsche Communication for journalists, bloggers and the online community. The official website of Porsche AG can be reached at www.porsche.com © 2019 Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG.*The data presented here was recorded using the Euro 5 test procedure (715/2007/EC, 692/2008/EC, 566/2011/EC and ECE-R 101) and the NEDC (New… Continue reading Customer wishes – today, tomorrow, and thereafter

VW & FAW establish joint venture for vehicle networking

The two cooperation partners Volkswagen China and FAW-Volkswagen found a joint venture for digitization. The new joint venture of FAW and Volkswagen Mobile Online Services will be Intelligent or MOSI for short. In this way, networking in China should be strengthened. Volkswagen Automotive Cloud. Source: VW The range of digital services is geared towards models… Continue reading VW & FAW establish joint venture for vehicle networking