Automotive World Magazine – March 2023

Big news from the big name players this month as we take a deep dive into Renault’s redefined corporate blueprint. The automaker is implementing a new structure and separating its once integrated operations into distinct businesses. It’s also adjusting its relationship with Nissan, a relationship that has historically proven such a hot potato that it landed Carlos Ghosn in Japanese prison and prompted documentary films by Netflix and Storyville.

Slightly less dramatic is Ford’s restructuring in Europe, where 3,800 engineering and administration jobs will be cut. The company is relocating many engineering tasks back home to the US where its EV development will be based. GM, on the other hand, looks to be preparing for a European return with a range of EVs.

In other news, Tesla is again fighting against the term ‘recall’ as it is forced to adjust its Full Self-Driving system with an OTA update. After numerous reports and warnings on the inappropriateness of the name and the promised capability, the automaker is finally conceding that the system can “act unsafely” in certain situations. This could serve as a warning for other AV hopefuls to slow down their launch plans and watch their marketing promises.

In this issue:

• Renault’s restructuring–where is it heading?
• Ford—the last free-standing American in Europe?
• What could Tesla’s “recall” mean for the AV industry?
• Xpeng hails ‘breakthrough’ in European EV push
• AV confidence growing despite language barrier
• Does GM stand a chance in Europe’s emerging EV market?
• Can VW overtake Tesla in the EV race?
• No app, no card: is this the future of EV charging?
• E-commerce boom spurs India’s electric three-wheeler market
• What can we expect from the auto industry in 2023?
• Hyundai and IonQ use quantum computing to propel EVs and AVs
• Munro plugs electrification gap for rugged off-road utes
• Range anxiety: realistic concern or modern myth?
• Could global AV adoption cause a data centre CO2 crisis?
• Nvidia’s Omniverse is accelerating AV simulation tests