The Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman has announced during her presentation of the Union Budget 2023 that the subsidies on electric vehicle (EV) batteries will be extended for an additional year, making EVs cheaper in India, according to a report published by The Times of India on 1 February 2023. EV battery subsidies extension for another year is anticipated to accelerate the adoption of EVs in the country. The government introduced the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) program f...

UK-based solid-state battery (SSB) technology company Ilika Technologies Ltd has announced on 25 January 2023 that it is leading a 24-month, GBP8 million (USD9.9 million) Faraday Battery Challenge collaboration project. The project, which is codenamed ‘History’, is slated to start on 1 February 2023 and will focus on integrating high silicon content electrodes into Ilika’s Goliath solid-state batteries developed for electric vehicles (EVs), to enable automotive level performance. Ili...

The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) said that Mercedes-Benz can deploy advanced automated driving systems on its roads after it completed a self-certification, according to a report published by Reuters on 5 January 2023. The Nevada DMV has approved the application and is developing the certificate of compliance that will be provided within the next two weeks. The "SAE Level 3 conditionally automated driving" system allows the driver to legally take his or her eyes off ...

Colorado-based solid-state battery technology company Solid Power announced on 12 January 2023 that the company has received notification of an award from the US Department of Energy (DoE) ARPA-E group to continue its development of nickel- and cobalt-free solid-state battery cells. The battery maker, which is known for developing all-solid-state rechargeable battery cells by replacing the flammable liquid electrolyte used in a conventional lithium-ion battery with a proprietary sulfide-...

A China-based autonomous driving startup WeRide has announced that its Level 4 driverless electric shuttle officially obtained an autonomous driving road test license from the Office of Beijing High-level Automated Driving Demonstration Area, according to WeRide's WeChat platform press release on 18 January 2023. The license allows WeRide's autonomous shuttle vehicles to operate on public roads inside a 60-square-kilometer region within the Beijing High-level Automated Driving Demonstratio...

The Japanese government plans to relax regulations on the installation of fast-charging electric vehicle (EV) stations with an aim to support the country’s EV charging infrastructure, according to a news report published by the news agency Nikkei Asia on 4 January 2023. It is known that the currently, the EV chargers with an output of more than 200 kW are subject to strict safety measures along with other regulations, which translates into high installation costs. According to the report, i...

In a press release statement on 4 January 2023, Mobileye said that it has obtained a permit recommendation from TÜV SÜD, an independent third-party for testing, certification, auditing, and advisory service in Germany, enabling Mobileye to operate its autonomous vehicle (AV) technology on German streets. The permit makes way for Mobileye to expand the pilot phase in Germany and operate Mobileye Drive™-equipped NIO ES8s with a responsible safety driver on all roads in Germany. Mobiley...

According to a report published by San Francisco Chronicle on 22 December 2022, Tesla will effectively be banned from advertising its vehicles as full self-driving (FSD) under a new law ‘SB1398’ signed this legislative session. One of the many new state regulations that will go into effect in 2023 is Senate Bill 1398, which targets the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer's promotion of software included in certain Tesla models but not all of them, which implies that the car can fully drive...

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Thursday it has opened two new special investigations into crashes involving Tesla vehicles with the advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) suspected to have been active, according to a report published by Reuters on 22 December 2022. According to a police report, one of the new crashes under investigation was an eight-vehicle incident on the Bay Bridge in San Francisco on 24 November in which the driver of a 2021 Tesl...

Israel’s wireless service provider Electreon will be deploying its in-road wireless electric vehicle (EV) charging technology for commercial and passenger EVs in Germany as part of a first-ever public wireless road project in Europe’s largest automobile market, the company announced on 15 December 2022. Electreon will collaborate with EnBW, a leading provider of EV charging infrastructure for EVs in Germany, for the project, which is aimed at powering the publicly used electric bus. ...

The US safety regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating whether General Motors’ autonomous robo-taxis Cruise can stop too quickly or unexpectedly quit moving, potentially stranding passengers, according to a report published by The Associated Press on 16 December 2022. According to the NHTSA, the investigation was sparked by three rear-end crashes that allegedly happened when Cruise automated vehicles applied heavy braking. Human safety drivers used t...

Mahindra & Mahindra has announced that its new Scorpio-N model has become the first body-on-framesport utility vehicle (SUV) to secure a 5-star rating in the Global New Car Assessment Programme’s (GNCAP) new crash test protocols, it said in a press release on 12 December. The protocols came into effect from 1 July this year. “Achieving best-in-class safety performance for the All-New Scorpio-N is a demonstration of our unique product development approach towards body-on-frame vehicles...

California Energy Commission (CEC) has approved an investment of USD2.9 billion toward the development of zero-emission transportation infrastructure, CEC announced in a press release 14 December. Among other areas, the investment will go toward light- and heavy-duty electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) manufacturing, and hydrogen refueling infrastructure. The funds will become available over the next four years and distributed to projects throu...

The US Department of Energy (DoE), through its Loan Programs Office (LPO), has loaned USD2.5 billion to Ultium Cells LLC to finance the company in constructing new lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facilities in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan, DoE said on 12 December 2022. Ultium Cells, a joint venture between US carmaker General Motors and South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution, plans to expand electric vehicle (EV) battery production capacity to address the growth in demand amid ...

Redwood Materials, a battery company founded by former Tesla executive JB Straubel, has received an approval for over USD105.6 million in US tax incentives for its battery recycling and materials processing plant in Northern Nevada, according to a news report published by the Reno Gazette Journal on 1 December 2022. The report stated that Redwood Materials was awarded tax credits and multiple abatements on by the state of Nevada in exchange for USD1.1 billion in capital investments ...

Europe’s largest carmaker Volkswagen has signed an agreement with the government of Canada to jointly look for potential sites for VW’s planned battery cell factory in Canada, the company announced on 1 December 2022. The arrangement is part of VW’s larger strategy of accelerating the build-up of its global EV battery business under PowerCo SE by setting up a network of gigafactories worldwide. The company said on Thursday that VW CEO Oliver Blume and the Canadian Minister for Innovatio...

The French government has rolled out a new funding program to support the country’s expanding network of fast EV charging stations, according to a news report published by electrive.com on 30 November 2022. The report cited an announcement by the French government. It stated that the funding program, which has a budget of EUR10 million (USD10.36 million), will support the installation of fast DC charging stations at the smaller gas filling stations located in the rural regions of the countr...

On 9 November 2022, the European Commission presented a proposal to implement Euro 7 emission norms in Europe for new light duty vehicles (cars and vans) from 1 July 2025 and for heavy-duty vehicles (lorries and buses) from 1 July 2027. Succeeding Euro 6 norms, which was implemented in 2014, the Euro 7 mandate is going to be the final set of regulations for the internal combustion engines (ICEs), before new gas-powered cars and vans are phased out from production and sales by 2035 in Europe. ...

The Beijing Municipal Government issued a permit to Baidu Apollo on unmanned autonomous driving to conduct unmanned autonomous vehicle tests in Beijing, mainland China, according to Baidu’s WeChat account on 22 November 2022. Baidu Apollo's total testing mileage has surpassed 36 million km, and Apollo Go, a Baidu autonomous driving mobility service platform, has launched commercial autonomous driving mobility services in Beijing, Chongqing, Wuhan of Hubei, Changsha of Hunan, Hefei of Anhui,...

The Beijing Intelligent Connected Vehicle Policy Pilot Zone has granted permission for second-phase (front-row unmanned and rear-row manned) tests of unmanned autonomous driving, with Pony.ai among the first batch of approved enterprises, according to Pony.ai’s WeChat account on 22 November 2022. Pony.ai's ten unmanned test vehicles will begin testing in a 60-square-kilometer core area of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (also known as E-town) that covers E-town urban hig...

In a press release announcement on 22 November 2022, 'Invest in Spain' announced that the Spanish government is preparing a Sustainable Mobility Law. The draft expresses a strong commitment to emerging technologies, ranging from autonomous vehicles to on-demand transportation and shared mobility. It will also improve the financing of urban public transportation. The new legislation also supplements the 2030 Sustainable, Safe, and Connected Mobility Strategy as well as the Recovery, Trans...

Hubject has joined the French government’s Advenir Program, which funds and promotes the expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across France, to provide its eRoaming services, the company announced on 22 November 2022. Notably, Hubject is known as the facilitator of the largest international EV charging eRoaming network. According to the official note, the French government has made EV charging eRoaming services a priority in its national strategy to promote zero-emissi...

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has allocated a funding of about USD74 million to advance technologies and processes for EV battery recycling and reuse, the DOE said in its official release on 16 November 2022. It said that the funding would be part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will be provided to 10 projects operating in the EV battery recycling and second-life applications. The department estimates that the surging demand for critical battery minerals, suc...

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) announced on 17 November 2022 that it is adopting a five-year, statewide, USD1 billion transportation electrification program to ensure California meets its ambitious climate and electric vehicle (EV) goals. Calling it a groundbreaking investment, CPUC said that the decision to make a focused investment provides a unified policy-driven funding structure for utility transportation electrification efforts through 2030, and prioritizes investment...

The European Commission has presented a proposal to implement Euro 7 emission norms for new cars and vans from 1 July 2025 and new heavy-duty vehicles such as lorries, trucks, and buses from 1 July 2027, according to a media note released by the Commission on 10 November 2022. Besides the tailpipe emissions, the Euro 7 proposal also includes emissions from brakes and tyres and therefore also covers electric vehicles too in its purview. The battery electric vehicles (BEVs) also still caus...

The first batch of expressways for autonomous driving in Shanghai was officially opened, specifically 21.5 km of the G1503 Beltway in Jiading District, 19.5 km of the G2 Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, and 303 surface roads with a total length of 459.6 km in Jiading district, according to a report published by Shanghai Pudong New District's WeChat on 8 November 2022. Shanghai will have completed over 800 km of intelligent expressways and intelligent urban roads, as well as more than 500 intellig...

Euro NCAP has released its new Vision 2030, a Safer Future for Mobility that outlines a path for safer vehicles and offers greater certainty for European consumers, according to a press release on 9 November 2022. In addition to presenting the role that Euro NCAP will play in the context of the future mobility environment, this roadmap establishes the emphasis on vehicle safety for the European industry over the following ten years. Euro NCAP also pledges under this roadmap to promote vehicle...

The newly introduced electric vehicle (EV) tax credits in the US could deter further investment by the Japanese companies, Japan's government warned in a response submitted to the US Treasury Department, according to a news report published by Nikkei Asia on 5 November 2022. The report stated that the Japanese government has raised several concerns about the pre-conditions set to qualify for the tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022. It is known that the US IRA 2022 is desi...

EV charging solution provider Charge+ announced on 2 November 2022 that the company has won the Singapore government’s large- scale tender for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to install, operate, and maintain about 4,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points. These EV charging points are expected to be installed in the carparks of the housing and development board (HDB) in the Central and West regions of Singapore. Commenting on the new tender, Goh Chee Kiong, CEO at Charge...

The Council and the European Parliament have reached a provisional political agreement on adopting the stricter carbon dioxide (CO2) emission performance standards for new cars and vans, according to a media release issued by the the Council of the European Union on 27 October 2022. The press release mentioned that pending a formal adoption, the co-legislators agreed to a) 55% CO2 emission reduction target for new cars and 50% for new vans by 2030 compared to 2021 levels b) 100% CO...

UK-based battery technology company Britishvolt has managed to secure enough funds to stay afloat in the short to medium term, according to a news report published by the BBC on 1 November 2022. The news cited unnamed sources who are aware of the matter at Britishvolt. The news report also did not provide details of the new sources from where the company has secured emergency funds. Earlier on 31 October 2022, the Financial Times reported that Britishvolt was on the brink of bankruptcy aft...

XPENG has announced that it has successfully obtained the Guangzhou Intelligent Connected Vehicle Road Test Permit, making XPENG G9 the first unmodified commercial vehicle to qualify for autonomous driving tests on designated public roads in China, according to a press release on 1 November 2022. The Industry and Information Technology Bureau, the Public Security Bureau, and the Transport Bureau of Guangzhou Municipality granted XPENG the Permit on 31 October. Without any hardware reconfigura...

The Luxembourg government has selected 29 EV charging infrastructure projects for granting financial aid in order to accelerate the electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the region, the government communique released on 27 October 2022 said. “Following the first call for projects granting financial aid to companies investing in charging infrastructure projects for electric vehicles, 29 projects were selected,” Luxembourg government said in its official statement Thursday last week. It adde...

Japan has planned to allow semi-autonomous vehicles on public roads in a limited capacity starting April 2023, paving the door for services such as robo-taxis and driverless buses, according to a report published by Nikkei Asia on 28 October 2022. According to proposals disclosed last week, the National Police Agency aims to lift a restriction on Level 4 self-driving vehicles, which may function without a driver under certain situations. Japan's approach comes as local startups make effort...

The US Department of Energy (DoE) has announced the first set of projects that will be funded with a total of USD2.8 billion under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand domestic manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and the electrical grid, the US DoE said in a media note on 19 October 2022. It said that 20 companies have been shortlisted in the first round and that will receive the funding to build and expand commercial-scale facilities in 12 states to extract and pr...

Asahi Kasei Plastics Singapore Pte Ltd (APS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Kasei has announced that it acquired International Sustainability and Carbon Certificate (ISCC) PLUS accreditation for its polyphenylene ether (PPE) as a sustainable product, it said in a press release on 18 October.   PPE is an engineering plastic that is modified by blending it with other resins such as polystyrene and polyamide (m-PPE). Xyron m-PPE from Asahi Kasei is widely used in automotive parts among...

China has released the first international standard for scenario-based testing of autonomous vehicles, according to a report published by CGTN on 14 October 2022. The new standard is titled "2022 Road vehicles – Test scenarios for automated driving systems – Vocabulary." According to Wang Zhao, director of the Standardization Institute of China Automotive Technology & Research Center, in an interview with CCTV said, “The standard clarifies fundamental terms and elements of automated...

Lumen Freedom, which is a leading manufacturer of wireless EV charging systems, demonstrated its wireless charging for electric taxis (WiCET) project in real-time in Nottingham, UK, the company said on 12 October 2022. The project went live using Lumen Freedom WEVC technology on 27 September 2022. The WiCET project is funded by the UK’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and delivered through Innovate UK, to assess the commercial and technical viability of deploying wireless charging ...

Brussels has ordered that all the car parks must install a number of electric vehicle (EV) charging points by 2025 to better serve the EV customers in the city, according to a news report published by The Brussels Times on 7 October 2022. Quoting a recent study, the news report said that the people of Brussels are more likely to go electric than in any other part of the country, with 18% of motorists driving an electric car, which is 10% more than the national average. The move by the city au...

California's new zero-emission requirements, which bans the sale of gas-powered cars from 2035, will be hard to meet, Toyota Motor President Akio Toyoda said, according to a news report published by Nikkei Asia on 30 September 2022. Nikkei Asia credited Reuters as the original source of the story. "Realistically speaking, it seems rather difficult to really achieve them," the news report said, citing Toyoda, who recently spoke to the journalists during a roundtable interview. The report...

Electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions company Juice Technology has announced via press release on 6 October that it received ISO/SAE 21434 “Road vehicles – Cybersecurity engineering” certification. Christoph Erni, CEO and founder of Juice Technology AG, said, “For us, adoption of the standard is the consistent continuation of our 3-level concept for security in electromobility, which we presented at the Juice World Charging Day 2021. We are once again a step ahead of our competitor...

In an attempt to accelerate the roll out electric vehicle (EV) charging network across Europe, the members of European Parliament (MEPs) have agreed to set a target of installing EV charging stations on every 60 km and hydrogen refilling stations at every 100 km on prominent roads and highways across the continent, a press note issued by the European Parliament on 4 October 2022. “The Transport and Tourism Committee adopted a draft negotiating mandate on the deployment of alternative f...

Michigan-based EV battery technology startup Our Next Energy (ONE) plans to set up its first battery manufacturing plant in its home state with an investment of USD1.6 billion, according to a press note issued by the state government of Michigan on 5 October 2022. The planned facility, which will come up in Van Buren Township in Wayne County, will be one of the few units that will produce both LFP and anode-free cells in the US, it said. Commenting on the new development, Governor of the stat...

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) battery company Gotion High-Tech has selected the Big Rapids site to set up its battery component manufacturing plant in Michigan, US, the Michigan state government confirmed in a press note on 5 October 2022. Gotion will invest USD2.36 billion in setting up its battery plant in the US, it said. The development has come soon after the US had passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) in August 2022. The new mandate defined under the IRA 2022 aims to decoupl...

Electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment maker Tritium DCFC Limited announced on 28 September 2022 that the company will provide fast chargers for a new EV highway that will span more than 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles) across the state of Western Australia. Tritium’s plan is part of a AUD43.5 million (about USD28.19 million) project that is funded by the Western Australian government. The project is focused on expanding access to EV infrastructure across the state. To launch the inves...

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has deferred six airbags mandatory proposal in passenger cars by a year to October 2023, ET Auto reported on 29 September. Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, said, "Considering the global supply chain constraints being faced by the auto industry and its impact on the macroeconomic scenario, it has been decided to implement the proposal mandating a minimum of 6 Airbags in Passenger Cars (M-1 Category) w.e.f 1 October 202...

Dynamic Research, Inc. (DRI) has been awarded a five-year contract by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to conduct Advanced Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS) testing for its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). “We are delighted to be awarded the NHTSA ADAS testing contract for a third time in a row,” said Brian Kebschull, Dynamic Research, Inc., VP of Track Testing. “We have a long-established relationship with NHTSA and our team is heavily experienced in vehicle...

The first funding call under the "Autonomous and networked driving in public transportation" funding guideline has started, according to a press release by the Federal Ministry of digital affairs and transport, Germany on 23 September 2022. Around EUR55 million are available for this purpose. The Federal Agency for Administrative Services (BAV) will accept project ideas until 21 October 2022. The new funding guideline "Autonomous and connected driving in public transport" encourages appl...

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a draft notification on mandating the usage of rear seat belt reminders in all passenger vehicles, Autocar India reported on 21 September. Significance: The document calls for modifications to the Automotive Industry Standards (AIS156), including the need that all "front facing rear seats" have seat belt reminders as part of the basic safety features in M and N category vehicles. The updated announcement, however, makes no mention...

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced on 16 September 2022 that it has drafted the 2022 version of the ‘National IoV Industrial Standard System Construction Guidelines (Intelligent Connected Vehicles)’, which is open for public comment between 16 September and 24 October 2022. The following two goals have been established. By 2025, more than 100 standards pertaining to intelligent connected vehicles should have been established or revised, cov...

According to a press release on 21 September 2022, The Government of India has approved the modifications in the program for development of semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem in India. The modifications include the following Under the Scheme for establishment of semiconductor fabs in India, all technological nodes will get 50% of the total project cost on a pari-passu basis. Fiscal support of 50% of Project Cost on a pari-passu basis under the display fabs establi...

South Korean carmaker Kia Corporation plans to begin local manufacturing of electric cars in the United States from 2024, according to a news report published by Reuters on 20 September 2022. The Reuters news report cited South Korean media Maeil Business Newspaper and TV channel SBS as the original source of the information. Reuters also added that although it reached out to Kia Corp. for an official comment on its plan of starting EV manufacturing operations in the US, the automaker remaine...

US President Joe Biden has announced the approval of a USD900-million investment to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across 34 states and Puerto Rico, according to a news report published by the Smithsonian Magazine on 15 September 2022. “The great American road trip is going to be fully electrified. Whether you're driving coast-to-coast along the I-10, or on I-75 here in Michigan, charging stations will be up and as easy to find as gas stations are now," the report said, cit...

The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) has announced the winners sharing around GBP25 million (USD28.8 million) of government funding aimed at scaling up the innovative electric vehicle (EV) technologies to support the growth of manufacturing and expansion of businesses in the UK automotive supply chain, APC said on 7 September 2022. The grants are awarded as part of the Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF), a program created to support large-scale industrialization. APC said that a final ...

Japan has expressed concern to the United States that electric cars developed by the Japanese automakers may not be eligible to qualify for the electric vehicle (EV) tax credits under the new rules introduced in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA 2022) last month, according to a news report published by Nikkei Asia on 9 September 2022. The report said that Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who is visiting the US, has told the Commerce Secretary Gina M. R...

OmniAir Consortium has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in support of waiver requests by Georgia Department of Transportation, Florida Department of Transportation, and Maryland State Highway Administration, it said in a press release on 12 September. The requests are to deploy and operate Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technology in the 5.895–5.925 GHz band. “OmniAir urges the Commission to grant the C-V2X Waver Requests as soon as possible, and to ...

The US government's recent limits on NVIDIA's ability to provide artificial intelligence (AI) processors to Chinese clients pose a significant risk to the nation's potential to develop a wide range of technology, according to a report published by Bloomberg on 2 September 2022. NVIDIA revealed in a regulatory filing this week that it needs permission from Washington to continue selling some high-end chips in China. To train AI models for jobs like autonomous driving, picture recognition,...

India’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has said that it is likely to mandate seat belt warning alarm system for rear seat passengers, Autocar India reported on 7 September. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari further stated that a notification specifying a penalty structure for rear seat occupants who are found not wearing seat belts will be issued within the next three days. "Like we made it mandatory for all cars to have a seat-belt warning alarm for front passengers, we will no...

The General Office of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government released a new plan and called for setting up a “domestically leading innovation and development system” for autonomous vehicles, according to a report published by South China Morning Post on 6 September 2022. According to the proposal, Level 2 and Level 3 driverless systems should be standardized on over 70% of cars produced by 2025, while Level 4 systems should only be used in "certain regions and scenarios." Currently, the...

The US Department of Commerce has announced its plans to roll out around USD50 billion in funding for domestic semiconductor chip manufacturing, according to a report published by The Detroit News on 6 September 2022. The funding through the CHIPs and Science Act is intended to speed up the production of microchips in the wake of a global shortage that impacted the automotive sector and exposed fragile supply networks. "With this funding, we're going to make sure that the United state...

Tesla has been hit by a class action lawsuit in California, United States, over phantom braking, Reuters reported on 29 August. The lawsuit has been filed by Jose Alvarez Toledo, the owner of a Tesla Model 3. The lawsuit seeks class action status for all US owners or leasors of a Tesla vehicle with sudden unintended braking defect. The lawsuit read that Tesla has rushed its autonomous driving cars to market with unsafe technology, including its driver assistant system which the company c...

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has approved the Advanced Clean Cars II rule that established a year-by-year roadmap to achieve 100% electrification of cars, pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and other light vehicles by 2035, CARB said in a press release on 25 August 2022. The proposal to allow sale of only zero emission light duty vehicles in California 2035 onward was first announced two years ago by the governor Gavin Newsom. While the approval formalizes the earlier p...

French multinational energy and petroleum company TotalEnergies plans to install and commercially operate up to 4,400 public electric vehicle (EV) charging points in the West Flanders and Flemish Brabant regions in Belgium, the company said on 31 August 2022. The company was assigned the task by the Flemish government on the recommendation of the Department of Mobility and Public Works of the Flemish Region, TotalEnergies said in an official statement Wednesday. The French multinational wi...

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has announced that it is introducing a nighttime test of pedestrian automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems to address the high percentage of pedestrian crashes that occur on dark roads, according to a press release on 30 August 2022. “As we expected, most of these pedestrian AEB systems don’t work very well in the dark,” says IIHS President David Harkey. “But it’s clear automakers can rise to this new challenge, as Ford, Nissan, and Toyo...

Mexico has set up a state-owned company for lithium mining activities in an attempt to organize the battery and critical minerals supply chain in North America, according to a news report published by Reuters on 23 August 2022. The news report cited the President of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who communicated the same via a decree issued in the national gazette on Tuesday. The said state-run company will be called Litio para Mexico, or Lithium for Mexico, and plans to commence operat...

The Government of India plans to introduce the new mandatory standards for battery components and their testing, including cells, of electric vehicles (EVs) in the next two to three months, according to a news report published by The Times of India on 22 August 2022. Citing sources aware of the new developments, the report said that the standards and testing protocols will be notified simultaneously for both electric two- and four-wheelers. It added that the Indian government plans to make th...

Britain has announced plans for new regulations and GBP100 million (USD119.09 million) in funding stating that it intended a widespread implementation of autonomous vehicles on roads by 2025, according to a report published by Reuters on 19 August 2022. The government claimed it intended to capitalize on the growing autonomous vehicle business, which it valued at GBP42 billion and predicted could generate 38,000 new employment. While some self-driving cars may be permitted on major hi...

On 16 August 2022, the US Department of Energy (US DoE) has released a list of about 20 electric car models sold in the US market that would qualify for the tax credits approved under the newly passed Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA 2022). The list of qualifying EV models was released after the US president Joe Biden signed the act into law Tuesday. The law, which takes effect immediately, may disqualify the eligibility of about 70% of the battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid...

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, also known as the Auto Innovators, the lobby body representing the US automotive industry, said in a statement on 16 August 2022 that the electric vehicle (EV) purchase incentives offered in the US Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is a ‘missed opportunity’. The auto lobby released its official statement after the IRA 2022 was signed by the US president Joe Biden making the act into a legislation on Tuesday. The new act aims to boost local manufacturi...

According to a report published by Automotive News Europe on 16 August 2022, a German court has ruled that Tesla may continue promoting the capabilities of its driver assistance system and autonomous driving after a challenge against the practise was dismissed. The non-admissibility case was filed with Germany's Federal Court of Justice by the Wettbewerbszentrale, an industry-funded organization entrusted with police anticompetitive activities. A court representative stated on 28 July that...

A US appeals court has rejected a legal challenge to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) 2020 decision for the use of certain part spectrum for automotive applications, Reuters reported on 12 August. The Intelligent Transportation Society of America and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials filed a case with the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, seeking to reverse the FCC's reallocation of 60% of the 5.9 GHz band spectrum blo...

According to a press release on 8 August 2022, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) of China is seeking public comment on guidelines for safety for autonomous vehicle trials. The Ministry of Transport (MOT) of China released a draft version of service guidelines for safe transportation of autonomous vehicles on 8 August and is open for public comment before 7 September 2022. According to MOT, the use of autonomous cars (also known as intelligent connected vehicles) in the sector of transportation ...

The US Senate on 7 August passed the Inflation Reduction Act, a USD740 billion economic package that extended the US electric federal tax credit system to 2032, removed the credit system’s cap for individual automakers, and added new material sourcing conditions for qualification of the credit. The Act provides a per-vehicle tax credit of USD3,750 only if certain critical minerals used in the batteries and motors of the EV are: Not extracted, processed, or recycled by a foreign entity...

New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) has selected UK-based electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure specialist Connected Kerb to deliver on-street EV chargers for a ground-breaking project in New York, the company announced on 4 August 2022. The said project aims to demonstrate how public access to EV charging can drive up EV ownership amongst the 50% of residents who park their cars on-street. According to the company, the project forms part of the DOT Studio—a collabo...

The Government of India-backed Convergence Energy Services limited (CESL) has signed an agreement with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), one of the largest fuel retailers in the country, for setting up of EV charging infrastructure in selected retail outlets in several cities across India, CESL said on 30 July. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), which is a Ministry of Power unit. Notably, the said agreement with HPCL will span ...

The Government of India’s Ministry of Power-backed Convergence Energy Services (CESL), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services (EESL), plans to set up 810 EV charging stations across 16 expressways and national highways, covering 10,275 km across the country, according to a report published by news publication Autocar Professional on 28 July 2022. The report further stated that CESL has also determined the prices for setting up the said 810 EV charging stations. Cit...

According to a report published by Xu Hua on 1 August 2022, Shenzhen City in South China has published new rules that make it lawful to operate self-driving vehicles. The local regulation states that locations specified by the local traffic management agency are allowed for the operation of fully autonomous vehicles without drivers. The legislation also establishes guidelines for culpability in collisions involving autonomous cars, whether or not they have drivers. The autonomous drivin...

The Government of India’s Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) signed the program agreement under the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage with three selected bidders on 28 July 2022, an official press release issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on 29 July 2022 announced. The three selected bidders that signed the agreement under PLI for ACC are Reliance New Energy Limited, Ola Electric Mobility Private Limited, and Rajesh Exports...

UK-based battery technology company Britishvolt announced on 28 July 2022 that it has received a confirmation letter that states that it will receive funding support from the UK government through its Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF), which is managed by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). Although it did not disclose the amount of funding it is expecting to receive from the UK government later this year, the same is expected to support the battery maker in setting up its planned GBP3.8...

The US House of Representatives has passed the USD280 billion semiconductor industry bill Chips and Science Act, according to a report published by The Washington Post on 28 July 2022. The bill would subsidize billions in science and technology research, as well as billions in domestic semiconductor production in an effort to boost US competitiveness. Strong bipartisan support helped the House pass the law on a vote of 243–187, despite a last-minute attempt by House GOP leaders to whip...

Indian think tank Niti Aayog and UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) president Alok Sharma, who was on a visit to the subcontinent on 21–22 July 2022, launched two initiatives for promoting the electric mobility in India, according to a press note issued by the Press Information Bureau (PIB India) on 21 July 2022. The initiatives include a mobile application named E-AMRIT, which stands for ‘Accelerated e-Mobility Revolution for India's Transportation’, aimed at raising awareness on ele...

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened five investigations into more than 1.8 million vehicles manufactured by Stellantis, Ford Motor, and General Motors over stalling and other issues, Reuters reported on 26 July. The auto safety agency is investigating more than 21,000 model year (MY) 2019–21 Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid vehicles over allegations of incidents of loss of power potentially due to transmission malfunction. The NHTSA is probing into 1.34 mil...

The US Energy Department plans to provide a loan of up to USD2.5 billion to General Motors–LG Energy Solution (GM-LGES) battery joint venture (JV) Ultium Cells LLC to help finance the construction of new li-ion battery-cell-manufacturing facilities, according to a news report published by Reuters on 25 July 2022. According to the report, the conditional commitment for the loan to Ultium Cells for new battery facilities in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan is expected to close in comin...

Solid-state batteries can potentially reduce the carbon footprint of electric vehicle (EV) batteries by almost two-fifths, further bolstering the advantage that EVs offer over fossil fuel–powered vehicles, according to the findings of a new research that was commissioned by the Transport & Environment (T&E), a note issued by T&E said on 19 July 2022. Created over 30 years ago, T&E is Europe’s clean transport campaign group. The research was carried by Minviro, a compa...

The US Senate voted by a wide margin to begin debate on legislation to provide more than USD52 billion in grants and incentives for the US semiconductor industry, news agency Bloomberg reported on 20 July 2022. The procedural vote on Tuesday night, 64–34, fulfilled the requirement established by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to include research and development initiatives put forth by Democrats Kyrsten Sinema and Todd Young that could be included in the legislation that the Senate ma...

The Shanghai Traffic Police Corporation has announced a dedicated lane for autonomous driving tests on Lane 3 on the outermost side of the Donghai Bridge in both directions, according to press release by Shanghai Traffic Police Corps on 15 July 2022. The management measures for the dedicated lanes for autonomous driving tests will be implemented in accordance with the "Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" and other pertinent laws and regulations on the Donghai Bridge as ...

The Government of Canada has announced deployment of over 6,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers across the country, supporting the infrastructure development with total investment of over CAD45 million (USD34.81 million), the government website said on 15 July 2022. The announcement came during EVWeek, which was organized by the Government of Canada between 11 July 15 July 2022 to attract new investments in establishing net zero industries. During the week-long event, the Government of Canada ...

New vehicles sold in the European Union are required to install a black box, according to various reports last week. All new vehicles are to be equipped with a black box that which will record various types of data during phases of driving, acceleration, speed, braking, seat belt use, and the use of headlights and turn signals will be archived in the system for one minute. Significance: From July 2024, all cars in the European Union will be required to install a black box irrespective of the ...

The Germany's national competition regulatory agency said that Volkswagen Group and Robert Bosch can start the developing automated driving technology together, according to a report published by Automotive News Europe on 4 July 2022. "It is the task of the cartel office to maintain competition already at the level of research and development, as this is where the foundations for future products and markets are laid," office head Andreas Mundt said. VW and Bosch's collaboration comes under...

According to a press release on 4 July 2022, Suzhou Research Institute for Automotive Semiconductor Industry was inaugurated in China.   The new research institute will focus on in-depth research in the areas of intelligent sensing, advanced assisted driving, intelligent interaction for vehicles, and third-generation semiconductor components. Additionally, an industrial cluster of related technologies and projects will be established, and efforts will be made to establish a domestic auto...

France has unveiled an investment plan of over USD5 billion to develop and produce new electronics technology by 2030, according to a report published by EE Times Europe on 13 July 2022. During a visit to STMicroelectronics' manufacturing facility in Crolles, French President Emmanuel Macron outlined the goals and activities of the "Electronique 2030" investment plan. "Electronique 2030" is a key component of "France 2030," an investment plan released in October 2021 to revive France's indust...

According to a report published by Reuters on 9 July 2022, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said will open a special investigation into a crash occurred near Gainesville, Florida on 6 July 2022 that killed a 66-year-old Tesla driver and a 67-year-old passenger. A 2015 Tesla Model S exited Interstate 75 and entered a rest area, where it collided with the rear of a parked tractor trailer, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The investigation is still underway, but ...

The EU has introduced new technical rules mandating advanced driver assistant systems (ADAS) to improve road safety and has established the legal framework for the approval of automated and fully driverless vehicles in the EU, according to a press release on 6 July 2022. The new measures introducing safety features to assist the driver include For all road vehicles (i.e. cars, vans, trucks, and buses): intelligent speed assistance, reversing detection with camera or sensors, attention w...

A large consortium representing 30 entities has begun work under the purview of the European Union funded FLOW Project in Spain, Italian energy company Enel Spa, which is part of the said group, said in a media release on 5 July 2022. The consortium is led by Spain’s Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC) and comprises 30 European companies, research organizations, and associations from 9 different countries. The members within the consortium have joined forces to work together on e...

A new vehicle regulatory reform will enable autonomous cars to travel on highways in specific places without the need for human controls equipment in Shenzhen, China, according to a report published by China daily on 7 July 2022. The city in Guangdong province revealed new legislation in China designed for smart and connected vehicle management, which is set to go into effect on 1 August 2022. The new legislation, which is intended to cover a legal loophole for domestic intelligent co...

The Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) in Germany is funding the development of lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery recycling capabilities with EUR16.66 million (over USD17.2 million), BMWK said in a media notification issued on 5 July 2022. Aimed at setting up a stable battery ecosystem, the funds are given to a consortium that has development partners including Licular GmbH, Mercedes-Benz AG, Daimler Truck AG, Primobius GmbH, SMS group GmbH, Clausthal University of Technol...

German authority Bundeskartellamt will not initiate a proceeding against Bosch and Volkswagen on their partnership to advance automated driving, it said in an official release on 4 July. “Automated driving is one of the most exciting future-related topics in the automotive industry. We are currently seeing various players racing to find the most innovative solutions in research on this future technology. It is the Bundeskartellamt’s task to maintain competition even at the research and de...

The Law Commission of England and Wales is seeking views on the regulation of remote driving on public roads, expanding on previous suggestions from the Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission for change to enable "the safe and responsible introduction of automated vehicles", according to a news article published by UK Parliament on 27 June 2022. According to the government, it is "continuing to develop a full legal framework for self-driving vehicles". This is expected to include a comple...

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has called out that the EV industry stakeholders need to move fast in setting up the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to meet Europe’s ambitious carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction goals, the industry body said in its official note on 29 June 2022. “To meet the extremely ambitious CO2 reduction goals agreed last night by European environment ministers, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) is ca...

According to a report published by Alliance for Automotive Innovation on 22 June 2022, over 20 CEOs representing automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and innovators have urged for faster passage of a bipartisan bill, the CHIPS for America Act, that includes funding to increase domestic capacity and resilience of semiconductor supply chains that are "critical" to the future of the auto industry in the United States. The CEOs wrote, “Currently, the auto industry is facing substantial pro...