by Joseph Szczesny | Mar 31, 2020
The turmoil at the top of the United Auto Workers continues as the union suspended Richard Rankin, one of the union’s regional directors, following an independent investigation by an outside law firm into charges that had described as “workplace harassment.” The move...
by Joseph Szczesny | Mar 30, 2020
The extension of the rules for social distancing and the shutdown on non-essential businesses through April is certain to intensify the strain on automakers, reducing their cash flow sharply as sales of new vehicles continue to fall precipitously. President Donald...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 27, 2020
A long-simmering battle could come to a boil next week when the Trump Administration is expected to formally announce a rollback of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, standards. President Donald Trump has long advocated reducing the guidelines established...
by Michael Strong | Mar 27, 2020
Hoping to fend off a takeover of the union by government officials, UAW President Rory Gamble has agreed to meet with federal prosecutors, who have been critical of the union’s level of assistance during the ongoing investigation of corruption involving the union and...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 23, 2020
Anthony Levandowski, once hailed as one of the leaders in the development of autonomous vehicles, could spend as much as 30 months in prison after agreeing to plead guilty on federal charges arising out of the theft of intellectual property. Levandowski, who was the...
by Joseph Szczesny | Mar 20, 2020
Tesla bowed to pressure from local authorities, saying it will close its big car plant in Fremont, California, and a second in New York State. The closures will start March 23, the company said in a release. It did not say when it will reopen the facilities, but most...
by Michael Strong | Mar 17, 2020
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is advancing toward some standardization of federal safety rules for driverless vehicles, asking for public comment on the potential mandates. The agency issued a notice of proposed rulemaking March 17, seeking input...
by Michael Strong | Mar 16, 2020
The wheels of justice turn slowly until you add in the coronavirus epidemic, then they grind to a halt as they did when the $2.2 billion court case involving Tesla CEO Elon Musk was put on hold due to the outbreak. A new trial date has not be set. Shareholder groups...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 9, 2020
There are hundreds of autonomous vehicles now operating on U.S. roads, Lyft and Waymo currently using them in their ride-sharing services in Las Vegas and Phoenix, respectively. Yet only about 12% of Americans are ready to fully trust the technology, according to a...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Mar 6, 2020
(This story has been updated with an additional comment from Anthony Levandowski’s attorney.) Anthony Levandowski, one of the pioneers in autonomous vehicle technology has filed for Chapter 11 protection, a move taken in response to a court order to pay $179...
by Joseph Szczesny | Mar 5, 2020
The lengthy investigation into the UAW by federal prosecutors finally reached the top of the organization today with the two charges filed against former union President Gary Jones. Jones was charged with leading the efforts to embezzle more than $1 million from the...
