Elon Musk said Tesla cars will likely drive without human assistance by the end of 2019 (TSLA)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Wednesday that he expects Tesla vehicles to be able to safely drive themselves without human assistance by the end of 2019. “When will we think it’s safe for full self-driving? It’s probably towards the end of this year, and then it’s up to regulators to decide when they want… Continue reading Elon Musk said Tesla cars will likely drive without human assistance by the end of 2019 (TSLA)

VW buggy, Porsche 911 Hybrid, Shell chargers, Tesla profits: Today’s Car News

2018 Tesla Model S and 2018 Tesla Model X
Tesla reported profits, and revealed new model lineups for its Model S and Model X—and another price cut. Volkswagen announced it will build a concept electric dune buggy for the Geneva auto show. Details of the upcoming Porsche 911 Hybrid have emerged. And Shell has bought its first charging network in North America. All this and more on Green Car Reports.

Profit reports are key, especially for a company like Tesla that has built a following of evangelists hoping to change the world, but whose ability to survive hinges on shoring up its shaky finances. In its most recent quarterly earnings call, Tesla revealed that it turned a profit and built up its cash reserves in the last quarter of 2018, while producing more cars than ever before.

The company also cut prices and introduced new base versions of the Model S sedan and Model X SUV with shorter range batteries limited by software, not cells.

VW will add to its portfolio of throwback electric models, at least in concept, with a new concept version of the classic Meyers Manx dune buggy based on the company's new “affordable electric” MEB architecture. It will reveal the concept at the Geneva auto show in March, and is considering putting it into production.

U.S. charging network operator Greenlots announced it has been bought by oil giant Shell. Shell has been gradually expanding into the electric-car charging business, but Greenlots chargers will be its first in the U.S.

Details have leaked out about two new hybrid systems that Porsche plans to put in its new 911. Unlike Porsche's other models, however, neither will plug in.

The Chinese company that builds electric Saabs, NEVS, bought a large stake in Swedish exotic carmaker Koenigsegg, which leads to speculation about more upcoming electric supercars.

Finally, there could be some consolation this weekend for fans whose team loses the Superbowl. Ride sharing service Uber is offering free rides in Los Angeles or Boston if their team loses the big game.

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Uber’s transit offering just went live in Denver

Uber, after announcing its intentions to get into public transit last April, is ready to launch in Denver. In partnership with the Regional Transportation District and transit data provider Moovit, residents of Denver will now be able to navigate public transportation within the Uber app. For transit, Uber is serving two sets of customers: agencies… Continue reading Uber’s transit offering just went live in Denver

Top Employer’s recognition for SEAT comes as a beacon for attracting external talent

Top Employer’s recognition for SEAT comes as a beacon for attracting external talent

MARTORELL, 31-Jan-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — SEAT’s recognition as a Top Employer in Spain consolidates the company’s commitment to the professional development of its more than 15,000 employees.

Top Employer has given the car maker its seal of approval for the fifth year in a row making SEAT one of the best companies to work for in Spain.

SEAT is the largest employer in the automotive sector in Spain. Some 97% of the workers have an open-ended contract with SEAT. Balancing work and private life, talent recruitment policies, specialised training in Industry 4.0 or the health and well-being service provided to all the professionals are examples of the company’s commitment to quality employment and attracting talent.

SEAT has worked over the past years to improve its human resources policy whereby working conditions, flexibility, career growth and employee well-being are at the core of every initiative.

Top Employer’s certificate evaluates businesses all over the world that offer the best working conditions and are the most attractive for employees.

In the Spain’s automotive sector, SEAT was the first company to receive this distinction.

SEAT Vice-president for Human Resources Xavier Ros:

“in a context where the sector’s professional profiles are going to change, the acknowledgement as Top Employer strengthens us on two fronts – firstly, it is a recognition to the entire workforce, so they can be even prouder to be working for SEAT and feel that their future lies with the company; and secondly, it is a beacon to attract external talent with different profiles, who might otherwise not consider they could have a prosperous career at a carmaker whose business model is undergoing a deep transformation.”

SEAT’s labour relations framework has been established by its collective bargaining agreement, signed back in 2016 and is notable for its flexibility and modernity.

Enhancements are made to the variable remuneration system and new measures have been put in place to boost competitiveness and make the company ready for the production increases that have taken place in recent years. The agreement consolidated the variable remuneration system, added an increase in several salary concepts and extended the social benefits provided to the workforce, such as the possibility of having more paid leave.

In addition SEAT has also implemented a new Employer Branding strategy with several initiatives to attract and retain talent. One of the most prominent was SEAT DisrUP. The event aims at connecting with the most promising talent by inviting young people to reflect on and come up with mobility solutions for users in large urban areas. All these initiatives are included in the SEAT Talent Xperience project that the company is promoting to attract professionals with a technical and digital profile to face the company’s future challenges.

In recent years, SEAT has invested close to 17 million euros annually in continuous training for its workforce. SEAT has implemented a training programme focusing on the future challenges posed by Industry 4.0, aimed at the entire workforce. To date, more than 2,000 employees have followed the programme.

SEAT’s worker healthcare and well-being service, spearheaded by the CARS Healthcare and Rehabilitation Centre, provides all SEAT employees with advanced preventive, healthcare and rehabilitation services in areas ranging from orthopedics, cardiology, gynecology and mental health to image diagnostics, physiotherapy, fitness and rehabilitation.

In 2018, more than 70,000 treatments were performed in these facilities for SEAT employees.

SOURCE: SEAT

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Deutsche Post DHL Group’s human resources policy earns the Total E-Quality Award for the seventh time in a row – Deutsche Post DHL Group has, for the seventh time in a row, received the Total E-Quality Award for its human resources policy focused on creating equal opportunities for men and women. The Group has also been honored with the Add-On Diversity Award for its special commitment in the area of diversity…

SAP: U.S. nonprofit GENYOUth the beneficiary of the inaugural Klaus Tschira Human Resources Innovation Award $10,000 prize – SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) today announced that Shakti Jauhar, PepsiCo senior vice president of Global HR Operations and Shared Services, has selected GENYOUth, a leading U.S. nonprofit organization focused on elevating youth leadership to advance wellness in schools and communities…

DLL HR team won the HR Award for Excellence in Employee Relations at the 18th annual Delaware Valley Human Resources Department of the Year awards – On November 19, the DLL Human Resources Team received the HR Award for Excellence in Employee Relations at the 18th annual Delaware Valley Human Resources Department of the Year awards ceremony. The awards program was designed to recognize HR departments throughout the Delaware Valley that demonstrate excellence in service and contribute to the success of their organizations…

Sandoz certified “TOP Employer Asia Pacific 2019” for its exceptional employee offerings in the region – Sandoz, a Novartis division, has been certified “TOP Employer Asia Pacific 2019” for its exceptional employee offerings in the region. Sandoz is certified in five Asia Pacific countries, leading to regional certification. Those countries are: China, Japan, Thailand, Australia and Pakistan…

UCL ranked as one of the UK’s best employers for LGBT staff in the Stonewall 2018 Top 100 Employers Index – The inclusion of UCL in the Top 100 Employers Index is a major triumph for the organisation, as it currently places UCL as the only UK university with an Athena SWAN Silver Award; a Bronze Race Equality Chartermark and a place in the Stonewall Top 100…

Leonardo ranked eighth in the ‘Best Employer of Choice 2018’ survey – Leonardo is seen by new graduates as the ideal place to work. So says the ‘Best Employer of Choice 2018’ survey by Cesop Communication, which has analysed the feedback from 2,500 young graduates across 100 national and multinational companies in order to determine…

University of Leicester ranked 44th in Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers for Equality and Diversity – The University of Leicester has been ranked as one of the top 50 employers in Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers 2018, the definitive list showcasing the most inclusive employers for lesbian, gay, bi and trans staff in the UK …

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Shell acquisition of charging network Greenlots points to juice as the new gas

Shell charging station in Britain (higher res)
Electric cars are getting the attention of oil companies.

On Wednesday, one of the largest fast-charging networks in the U.S., Greenlots, announced that it had been bought by oil giant Royal Dutch Shell—via the subsidiary Shell New Energies US LLC.

Greenlots includes more than 350 mainly DC fast charge stations across the U.S., the kind electric cars drivers are meant to visit occasionally when they need a quick charge to complete a long trip—kind of like using a gas station.

CHECK OUT: Shell buys its first electric car charging station firm in Europe

For now, that doesn't mean that DC fast chargers are going to appear at every Shell gas station. Greenlots operates chargers along highways, often at public rest areas, especially up and down the East Coast, in the Pacific Northwest, and California.

The company recently signed an agreement with Volkswagen subsidiary Electrify America to manage EA's installations along highways. So far, most Greenlots chargers are operated through a cell-phone app were users create an account and put in their credit cards, or via membershiop. Electrify America has agreed to make all its chargers credit-card accessible.

The initial announcement of the purchase, for an undisclosed amount, did not speculate about what a future Shell charging-station network might look like in the U.S. In a statement, Shell called the purchase the “foundation for Shell's continued expansion of electric mobility solutions in North America.” Executive Vice President for New Energies, Mark Gainsborough, said, “This latest investment in meeting the low-carbon energy needs of US drivers today is part of our wider efforts to make a better tomorrow. It is a step towards making EV charging more accessible and more attractive to utilities, businesses and communities.”

READ MORE: Oil companies fight back for charging dollars

Perhaps in part borne of a culture bred in Shell's home country of the Netherlands, the company has long been one of the oil giants most interested in investing in alternative energy sources. Shell already bought the New Motion charging network in Europe and recently bought one of Britain's largest utilities.

The company also operates Shell Recharge Plus, which helps electric-car drivers in California minimize charging during times of peak demand on the power grid, and with the lowest possible fees.

Shell has also been an early investor in developing hydrogen filling stations and supplies for fuel-cell cars in the U.S.