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KEITH CRAIN Big Brother is watching 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 17, 2013  I am constantly amazed by how much bureaucracy dealers face running what used to be called small businesses.... Read More »
Lithium ion batteries subject to increased testing standards 4:07 pm U.S. ET | June 14, 2013  Underwriters Laboratories, the 119-year-old company that develops product safety tests, is strengthening its lithium-ion battery standards after a string of high-profile battery failures that shed light on the technology's weak spots.... Read More »
Toyota gets more time to win approval of $1.1 billion legal settlement 7:19 pm U.S. ET | June 13, 2013  Toyota and lawyers suing the company were given more time to win final approval of a $1.1 billion settlement of claims that recalls related to unintended acceleration hurt the value of customers’ vehicles in the United States.... Read More »
DealerTrack sued in U.S. court for racial discrimination 3:58 pm U.S. ET | June 13, 2013 Software vendor DealerTrack and its holding company are facing a federal lawsuit for alleged race discrimination filed by two former employees. DealerTrack wrote in a statement that it believes the defendants' claims do not have merit.... Read More »
For some, driving is more stressful than skydiving 10:54 am U.S. ET | June 12, 2013  According to research funded by Audi, driving in chaotic urban traffic can be nearly as stressful for some people as skydiving. The study, conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, used Audi Q5s to test driver frustration, Audi said in a statement.... Read More »
Saab parent's $3 billion lawsuit versus GM thrown out by U.S. judge 5:12 pm U.S. ET | June 10, 2013  Dutch sports car maker Spyker NV's $3 billion lawsuit accusing General Motors of trying to bankrupt Swedish automaker Saab was dismissed Monday by a federal judge who said GM had the right to block the sale of a company using its technology.... Read More »
Saab parent's $3 billion lawsuit versus GM thrown out by U.S. judgeJune 10, 2013 23:12 CET  Dutch sports car maker Spyker's $3 billion lawsuit accusing General Motors of trying to bankrupt Swedish automaker Saab was dismissed by a judge who said GM had the right to block the sale of a company using its technology.... Read More »
Suppliers lose bid to be removed from antitrust suit 4:28 pm U.S. ET | June 10, 2013 Several major auto suppliers named in an ongoing federal antitrust lawsuit have lost bids to have the case dismissed or to be removed from the government’s probe into wire harness pricing.... Read More »
Chrysler's high-stakes 'no' to NHTSA 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 10, 2013 For 17 years, automakers have complied with every request for a recall, no matter how costly, from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And then last week, in a startling decision, Chrysler Group said no. It refused a request from NHTSA to recall 2.7 million 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees and 2002-07 Libertys for an alleged fire risk caused by fuel tanks mounted behind the rear axle. Chrysler's "no" was a high-risk answer and one that came directly from CEO Sergio Marchionne.... Read More »
Chrysler refusal on Jeeps sets challenge of U.S. recall power 9:52 am U.S. ET | June 7, 2013  The federal government’s power to force automakers to fix vehicles could be hindered if Chrysler Group prevails in its refusal to recall 2.7 million Jeeps linked to 51 fire deaths.... Read More »
LARRY P. VELLEQUETTE Why Chrysler decided to fight NHTSA 10:07 am U.S. ET | June 5, 2013  Chrysler Group's decision to reject a recall request for 2.7 million aging Jeep SUVs caught the automotive industry -- and the media -- by surprise Tuesday. But lost amid the drama of a national media maelstrom of conflict between the feds and a domestic automaker is the central question: Why is this happening?... Read More »
Braman lawsuit against GM heads for settlement 3:21 pm U.S. ET | June 4, 2013  Billionaire megadealer Norman Braman's two-tier pricing lawsuit against General Motors appears headed for a settlement. Lawyers for Braman and GM filed a joint motion last week in federal court in South Florida seeking to postpone upcoming court dates because of the pending settlement.... Read More »
GM airbag recalls may be expanded by NHTSA 12:08 pm U.S. ET | June 4, 2013 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is considering expanding two small airbag recalls issued by General Motors to a far larger recall of about 400,000 vehicles.... Read More »
F&I WEEK WEBINARS 24 speakers, volumes of F&I wisdom 12:01 am U.S. ET | June 3, 2013  Two dozen speakers will present during Automotive News' F&I Week. A total of six Webinars will be held over three days, June 11-13, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. EDT each day. Attendees will be able to ask questions from their computers during each session, and each event will be available for replay on demand. There is no charge to attend.... Read More »
HANS GREIMEL Driver's license in Japan comes with lots of ritual 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 31, 2013  Japan's automakers complain about red tape that discourages young people here from buying cars. Add to all that the trials and travails of simply getting a driver's license and then keeping it.... Read More »
U.S. lawsuit accuses vehicle shipping companies of price fixing 11:09 am U.S. ET | May 30, 2013  Several major import-vehicle shippers, which together are said to command 70 percent of the global car-shipping market, face allegations of price fixing in a civil lawsuit filed federal court.... Read More »
Automated cars show promise, but not ready for wider use, regulators sayMay 30, 2013 17:34 CET  Self-driving cars could have huge benefits for drivers in the long run, but they should remain in the experimental phase for now, U.S. federal auto safety regulators say.... Read More »
Automated cars show promise, but not ready for wider use, regulators say 11:34 am U.S. ET | May 30, 2013  Self-driving cars could have huge benefits for drivers in the long run, but they should remain in the experimental phase for now, federal auto safety regulators say.... Read More »
HANS GREIMEL Driver's license in Japan comes with a large helping of numbing ritual 12:09 pm U.S. ET | May 29, 2013  Japan's automakers love to moan about all the red tape that discourages young people here from buying cars: high taxes, thickets of registration, the need to show proof of an overnight parking spot, onerous inspection regimes. Add to all that the trials and travails of simply getting a driver's license and then keeping it.... Read More »
KEITH CRAIN First distractions, then standardization 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 27, 2013  I am lucky enough to drive many cars during the year and am constantly amazed at how different the controls can be from vehicle to vehicle. I am talking about some of the most basic controls -- the ones that are critical to safety.... Read More »
Two Denso execs to plead guilty to price fixing, U.S. saysMay 22, 2013 06:01 CET Two executives at Toyota-affiliated supplier Denso have agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to fix prices and have agreed to cooperate with an ongoing criminal investigation, the U.S. Justice Department said.... Read More »
Two Denso executives to plead guilty to price fixing, U.S. says 10:54 am U.S. ET | May 21, 2013  Two executives at Toyota-affiliated supplier Denso have agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to fix prices and have agreed to cooperate with an ongoing criminal investigation, the federal Justice Department said today.... Read More »
Cost to be big factor in 'talking' cars acceptance, LaHood says 3:51 pm U.S. ET | May 14, 2013  Cars that "talk" to each other to avoid crashes or traffic jams, like those being tested here, will save lives but the cost of the systems will determine consumers' acceptance of such technology, the transportation secretary said today.... Read More »
Report: Vehicles sold in Brazil lack safety features 1:10 pm U.S. ET | May 13, 2013  Automakers are having widespread success selling vehicles in Brazil, but thousands of Brazilians are dying each year in auto accidents that experts blame on a combination of unsafe vehicles and often dangerous driving conditions, according to an Associated Press report.... Read More »
GABE NELSON Why Wednesday hearing could be connected cars' moment of truth 4:12 pm U.S. ET | May 13, 2013  In the software industry, people talk about vaporware -- products that are heavily promoted but never seem to go on sale. Automakers are at the point that they must prove that connected cars, which talk to each other over Wi-Fi to stay out of fender-benders, are more than just vaporware.... Read More »
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