Auto Manufacturing

A worker wearing protective gear checks an automobile assembly line worker's temperature at the entrance to a Toyota plant in Onnaing, France, on April 21. U.S. auto plants are preparing to reopen with new coronavirus safety protocols.

Health & Safety

U.S. Automakers Are Slowly Rolling Toward A Restart

10:59am May 05, 2020

by Camila Domonoske

U.S. auto plants are gradually starting to reopen. New safety measures, from social distancing to face shields, are being put into place, while some workers are anxious about the risk of an outbreak.

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A Model A-E ventilator, left, and a simple test lung. Ford plans to begin manufacturing the simple ventilator that operates on air pressure, without the need for electricity, next week.

Ford Says It's On Track To Begin Making Ventilators Next Week

3:12pm April 16, 2020

by Maureen Pao

The carmaker will be able to manufacture 50,000 ventilators by July 4, a Ford official tells Morning Edition. It is retooling a plant in Michigan, which is scheduled to begin operations Monday.

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"This is a merger between two healthy companies," Groupe PSA CEO Carlos Tavares said, noting the profitability both Peugeot and Fiat Chrysler have reached after enduring a recession.

Fiat Chrysler And Peugeot Sign 50-50 Merger Deal

11:51am December 18, 2019

by Bill Chappell

The combined company will generate nearly €170 billion ($189 billion) annually, which is projected to be the third-most revenue of any automaker — leapfrogging GM, Ford and other companies.

Nissan says it is recalling nearly 400,000 vehicles in the U.S. that pose a potential fire danger because of a braking system defect.

National

Nissan Is Recalling Nearly 400,000 Vehicles Over Potential Fire Hazard

7:41pm November 15, 2019

by Paolo Zialcita

The Japanese automaker says a pump seal may wear down and cause brake fluid to leak onto circuitry, creating an electrical short.

A robotic arm works on the production line at Volvo's factory in Ridgeville, S.C. But other essential jobs, including major portions of final assembly, are still left to people.

Even In The Robot Age, Manufacturers Need The Human Touch

6:55am April 30, 2019

by Camila Domonoske

At modern auto plants, some tasks, like welding together a car's body, are entirely automated. But other essential jobs, including major portions of final assembly, are still best left to people.

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The exhaust pipes of a VW diesel car are photographed in Frankfurt, Germany, on Wednesday. German auto bosses, ministers and state governors are considering how to reduce diesel emissions as drivers face the threat of possible bans on driving older diesel

World News

German Carmakers Meet To Set New Standards For Diesels

10:03am August 02, 2017

by Scott Neuman

The "emergency diesel summit" in Berlin comes amid scandals about faked emissions testing data, collusion among carmakers and falling market share.

Olli is an autonomous electric shuttle bus by Local Motors that is test-running at National Harbor, south of Washington, D.C.

A 24-Year-Old Designed A Self-Driving Minibus; Maker Built It In Weeks

2:45pm June 29, 2016

by Alina Selyukh

What if cars weren't mass produced? Local Motors, a small-batch auto manufacturer, relies on an online design community and a "co-creation" business model to bring new vehicles to market, really fast.