Industry

DETROIT — Magna International Inc. said Wednesday it is testing a last-mile autonomous delivery robot for use on public roads as the supplier giant looks to develop new businesses in the mobility space. “The plan is to prove the technology — prove it has significantly lower costs than other use cases and other applications being […]

LAS VEGAS — Ford’s U.S. dealers must invest as much as $1.2 million and adhere to rigorous sales standards if they want to sell electric vehicles beyond 2023 as the brand tweaks its retail model to better compete with direct-sales startups. Dealers have until Oct. 31 to opt into one of two EV certification tiers

The University of Michigan‘s autonomous vehicle testing track has been awarded a $5 million federal grant to build out virtual reality software that will enable users to conduct tests from anywhere. Mcity received the funding from the National Science Foundation, which it said will “supercharge” the facility’s capabilities well beyond its 32-acre testing grounds on

With robotaxis an always-on-the-horizon mirage — and costing billions of dollars to develop and deploy — automotive companies are seeking quicker paybacks for expensive autonomous technology. Delivery robots, which use the same sensors, software and manufacturing infrastructure, have become a prime opportunity. Magna’s announcement last week that it has started building a large fleet of

Rivian just added almost $3 billion to its market capitalization in a day, and all it took was a fairly bare-bones deal with a potential rival. The upstart EV pickup, SUV and van maker and Mercedes-Benz will join forces to build big electric vans in Europe ”in a few years,” the two revealed Thursday, sending Rivian

BERLIN — BMW will power its new class of electric vehicles with cylindrical battery cells made in six factories by partners including China’s CATL and EVE Energy, as the automaker looks to speed up charging and extend driving range. Two plants each in Europe, China and North America will produce round lithium-ion cells that enable

Mullen Automotive Inc. acquired a controlling interest in fellow electric vehicle manufacturer Bollinger Motors, of Oak Park, Mich. Mullen, headquartered in Brea, Calif., bought a 60 percent stake in Bollinger for $148.2 million, the company said Thursday. The deal marks Mullen’s first foray into the electric truck market, with Bollinger Motors introducing both electric SUVs

WASHINGTON — The nation’s top auto safety regulator on Wednesday released updated guidance to the automotive industry for improving cybersecurity in new vehicles. The latest version updates NHTSA’s voluntary guidance from 2016 and covers a range of cybersecurity issues as cars become more connected and potentially more vulnerable to hacking. “As vehicle technology and connectivity

Stellantis has named Chris Taylor its chief digital information officer, a newly created position as the automaker works to become a “mobility tech company.” Taylor reports to Xavier Chéreau, chief human resources and transformation officer, and Ned Curic, chief technology officer. The move was effective Sept. 5. Stellantis said Taylor will drive its digital strategy

Harman International acquired Israeli startup Caaresys for its car-occupant monitoring system. Caaresys’ technology uses low-emission radar to monitor adults and children in a vehicle cabin, marking the locations of passengers and measuring their vital signs, such as respiration and heart rate. Harman said the company is working with major automakers to provide a production-ready system