For Canadian auto retailer HGreg.com, setting up a cloud-based computer system was necessary to connect its dealerships across two nations. That initiative started around 2014, and it turned out to be a beneficial strategy during the current coronavirus pandemic. The company uses a cloud-based phone system and Google technology for email and file-sharing across its
Industry
More people are using their cars despite the coronavirus lockdown, the RAC motoring group says. Its analysis suggests there are 11% more vehicles on the road this week than in the second week of lockdown. Meanwhile, the number of emergency callouts rose 18% over the same period. “There is now mounting evidence that people are
The rise of self-driving taxis in China comes at a time when people are nervous about taking public transport. Robotaxi providers plan to ramp up the number of driverless cars they are putting on the roads to cater to the increased demand. One of the leading players AutoX is rolling out 100 autonomous vehicles in
After years of chronic discounting and an over-reliance on rental fleet sales to boost market share at any cost, Nissan decided last year to undergo a radical detox plan — trading its focus on share for profits. But now, several months into that difficult journey toward reformation, the coronavirus is threatening to derail the momentum.
Prosecutors in Turkey have charged seven people in connection with ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn’s escape from Japan in December. Four pilots, two other flight attendants, and an airline executive are accused of helping him flee to Lebanon via Istanbul. The pilots and executive are charged with “migrant smuggling” and the other crew with failing to
The COVID-19 crisis has been going on for so long it can be hard to keep track of what day it is, much less all that has happened in the auto industry. To help you keep up, Automotive News is launching a series of Intelligence Reports, in which we examine segments of the industry —
Masks and gloves and hand sanitizer. One customer inside at a time. Tape and plexiglass to keep a 6-foot distance. This is what visiting a dealership during the coronavirus pandemic looks like. At Prime Automotive Group, with 56 dealerships in eight states, most sales are by appointment only, though the retailer was able to reopen
For several years, Toyota slowly assembled a massive global marketing strategy around the 2020 Summer Olympics to be held in Tokyo before COVID-19 blew up both the event and the automaker’s plans. The “Toyota Olympics” — the only half-joking unofficial moniker for the Tokyo games — have been delayed, for now, until 2021. The delay
New car registrations almost ground to a halt in April after coronavirus lockdown measures were introduced, the motor industry has said. Figures from industry body the SMMT show only 4,321 cars were registered, the lowest monthly level since 1946. April’s figure marked a 97% plunge in sales from the same month last year. The closure
Jaguar Land Rover couldn’t have had much worse of a time for production to be halted for what’s expected to be 70 days: JLR had begun booking positive results from a turnaround plan that cut costs, reduced staff and aligned production with demand. Brexit was finally settled. The company’s turmoil in China was coming under
Electrification and shared mobility are taking it on the chin during the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. But don’t count either industry trend out, says former Ford Motor Co. CEO Mark Fields. “Electrification has a bright future in the industry, but clearly it is going to be a bit of a collateral damage of
Tesla boss Elon Musk wiped $14bn (£11bn) off the carmaker’s value after tweeting its share price was too high. It also knocked $3bn off Mr Musk’s own stake in Tesla as investors promptly bailed out of the company. “Tesla stock price too high imo,” he said in one of several tweets that included a vow
Before the coronavirus took hold in the U.S., Genesis had big plans. Not just for a new model or a few more retailers. More like a relaunch of the brand, which has suffered from its all-sedan lineup and sparse dealer network. Genesis had been building momentum from the start of the year: Its first crossover