Japan earthquake impacts automotive and semiconductor supply chains A deadly earthquake in Japan has impacted the manufacturing and supply chain operations of several automakers including Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi. James McLoughlin Ilkhan Ozsevim
How BMW and Beissbarth exported factory floor discipline beyond the gate BMW's approval of Beissbarth's Q.Lign looks like routine dealer news. Look closer and it shows an OEM exporting factory floor discipline, digital verification and audit driven compliance far beyond the plant. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Why factories need an AI orchestration layer, not more apps Maneva's Rae Jeong argues automotive plants are drowning in disconnected AI point solutions. The fix, he says, is not another dashboard but a layer that lets a plant manager simply ask what went wrong. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Suzuki eyes Europe with affordable electric kei car Suzuki plans to export its first modern electric kei car to Europe from 2027, using compact design and competitive pricing to target a growing market for affordable urban EVs despite intensifying competition from European and Chinese manufacturers. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Shanghai Electric expands AI robotics for industrial manufacturing Shanghai Electric has unveiled a new generation of 'embodied' AI robots, industrial AI agents and an AI-native smart factory architecture at WAIC 2026, signalling a broader push to embed autonomous intelligence across manufacturing operations. Ilkhan Ozsevim
BMW's Woodruff plant readies AI-led battery assembly Ahead of December's series launch, BMW Group's new Woodruff facility in South Carolina pairs artificial intelligence with virtual reality training to deliver zero-defect Gen6 batteries for the fully-electric BMW iX5. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Catena-X extends automotive data ecosystem from Europe into China Catena-X has launched the first trusted cross-border automotive data ecosystem linking Europe and China, creating sovereign data infrastructure to support battery passports, regulatory compliance and secure supply chain collaboration at global scale. Ilkhan Ozsevim
US' Ford and China's Geely forge Valencia plant alliance Ford and Geely Auto plan a joint venture at Ford's Valencia plant, pooling production to build low- and zero-emission vehicles from 2028, as the site adapts to Europe's tightening cost and regulatory pressures. Ilkhan Ozsevim
YASA industrialises axial flux motor production under Mercedes-Benz Five years after its acquisition by Mercedes-Benz, YASA has industrialised axial flux motor production at Berlin-Marienfelde and expanded UK manufacturing capacity, underpinning the powertrain of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Japan Inc turns to shared parts in fight against China Toyota's Koji Sato is asking Japan's seven carmakers to standardise the parts drivers never see, from wiring looms to steel grades, as Chinese rivals erode market share and force a rethink of decades-old rules of competition. Ilkhan Ozsevim
State steel seizure rewires UK car supply chain Royal Assent of the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Act on 15 July hands ministers the power to seize British Steel, forcing vehicle makers to rethink just-in-time metal supply and the carbon footprint of every British-built car. Ilkhan Ozsevim
How BMW pushes product and supply chain sustainability with the new BMW X5 BMW has cut the new X5's lifecycle emissions by around 40%, but exclusive comments from product sustainability chief Nils Hesse reveal how far the easy gains only reach. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Retooling on the move at BMW Spartanburg Plant Spartanburg's $1.7 billion retool now runs petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric X5 variants down a single line, while Plant Woodruff strips a step out of battery assembly entirely. Equipment renewal, not just new buildings, is doing the heavy lifting. Ilkhan Ozsevim
MG's case for semi-solid batteries beyond the bridge Dr Li Zheng, MG's global chief battery scientist, explains the materials science behind SolidCore, why it solves a PHEV's oldest anxieties, and how MG plans to scale, supply and stabilise the technology as a manufacturing strategy in its own right. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Net zero's real bottleneck isn't technology, it's teamwork Volvo, JLR and Dassault Systèmes panellists agree that organisational silos, not sensors or software, now pose the greatest threat to automotive manufacturing's decarbonisation targets. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Toyota's AI push to unify a fractured production language Toyota is deploying artificial intelligence to reconcile 45,000 internal terms into 5,000 common ones across planning, production and sales, aiming to cut translation steps by 30% and speed vehicle delivery by 2028. Ilkhan Ozsevim
BMW's Spartanburg line masters five-drivetrain X5 build BMW Group has completed its $1.7 billion South Carolina expansion, unveiling the new X5 as the first vehicle assembled with five drivetrain technologies on one line, with the electric iX5 to follow by year-end. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Volvo, JLR and Dassault chart advanced path to net zero Volvo Car Torslanda, JLR and Dassault Systèmes join an AMS livestream to show how battery passports, simulation and energy data are turning sustainability ambition into factory floor results. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Laser welding advances drive safer battery production At LSE 26 in Aachen this September, Fraunhofer ILT brings together Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Bosch and MAHLE to examine how laser joining can make battery cell, module and pack manufacturing faster, more robust and more cost-effective at scale. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Inside Magna's energy-first route to renewable production power Magna treated energy as an operational variable, not a procurement decision, to achieve 100% renewable electricity across Europe. Magna experts explain the strategy and how the approach is now being scaled across Canada and globally. Ilkhan Ozsevim
GM Defense and Lockheed Martin forge production alliance Lockheed Martin and GM Defense have signed an agreement to merge defence production expertise with high volume commercial manufacturing, as Washington pushes to expand America's industrial capacity for critical military systems. Ilkhan Ozsevim
US policy shifts cost Japan's carmakers $28bn Tariffs, abrupt EV reversals and shifting emissions rules in the United States have collectively inflicted nearly $28 billion in costs on Japan's six major automakers in a single fiscal year, with a further $14 billion forecast before March 2027. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Ford's California lab reshapes EV production In a Long Beach campus far from Detroit, Ford has assembled a 350-strong team tasked with reinventing its electric vehicle architecture from the ground up - blending startup speed with century-old manufacturing depth. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Škoda Epiq enters production in Spain The Volkswagen Group's Brand Group Core strategy takes physical form in Pamplona, as Škoda begins building its first model on the MEB+ platform and its first car ever manufactured on Spanish soil. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Research: AI and tariffs reshape digital transformation A new AMS survey, conducted in partnership with Kyndryl and Microsoft, finds automotive manufacturers navigating a sharper, more turbulent digitalisation landscape than ever before. The findings demand attention. Ilkhan Ozsevim
MG chooses Spain for first mainland European factory MG will invest around €200m ($233m) in a new Spanish manufacturing hub, bringing production, R&D, logistics and component supply under one roof as the SAIC-owned brand accelerates its European localisation strategy. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Europe's truck giants lobby to soften CO2 rules Europe's largest truck manufacturers are pressing Brussels to weaken hard-won emissions targets, even as cheaper foreign electric rivals prepare to undercut them. Experts warn the strategy will cost fleets, jobs and long-term competitiveness. Ilkhan Ozsevim
China's tech giants target the top of the car market The Maextro S800 is a production and strategic statement from a Chinese industry that has mastered the affordable end of electrification and is now methodically climbing to its summit. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Ford CEO's personal Chinese EV exposes its tech gap Jim Farley’s decision to daily-drive Xiaomi’s SU7 has become a public symbol of Ford’s struggle to close what executives describe as a decades-long deficit in software architecture, manufacturing efficiency and EV competitiveness. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Nissan's JATCO scraps £48.7m EV powertrain plan in Sunderland Nissan's transmission-making subsidiary has abandoned a major electric vehicle powertrain investment in Sunderland, as sluggish European demand and a sweeping restructuring of Nissan's global plant network rewrite the economics of electrification. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Carlos Chudek to lead operations at Bosch Mobility Americas; Christopher Prediger to steer computing solutions Bosch Mobility has appointed Carlos Chudek to lead Americas operations including manufacturing and supply chain, as Hanns Bernd Ketteler retires. Christopher Prediger will lead cross-domain computing solutions, signalling a sharper focus on manufacturing strategy, software-defined vehicles and profitable regional growth. Ilkhan Ozsevim
The Software Factory: Volvo’s CTO Anders Bell on industrialising the Software-Defined Car Anders Bell explains how continuous software builds, automated validation, OTA deployment and vertically integrated engineering are reshaping automotive production operations. Ilkhan Ozsevim
How Volvo casts an EX60 floor in two minutes At Torslanda, a single aluminium casting replaces hundreds of stamped and welded components on the EX60. Peter Schüler, Megacasting Shop Manager, explains the physics, the process, and the industrial ambition behind Europe's most advanced high-pressure die-casting cell. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Mercedes-Benz opens $110m truck plant in Argentina Daimler Truck's $110m Zárate Industrial Center marks Mercedes-Benz's first fully dedicated truck and bus plant in Argentina, combining assembly, pioneering parts remanufacturing and a national logistics network, on the 75th anniversary of Argentine operations. Ilkhan Ozsevim
JLR and GM bid to return to military vehicle production As NATO nations race to rearm, a £900m MoD contract for 4x4 military vehicles has drawn JLR, General Motors and a string of rivals into a contest that could reshape British automotive manufacturing for a generation. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Torslanda: Inside Volvo’s most ambitious factory transformation Magnus Olsson has launched seven Volvo models. As Torslanda's plant manager, he now oversees the factory's most complex transformation, and makes the case that people, not machines, will determine whether Western manufacturing prevails. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Cybersecurity in carmaking: when the factory becomes the attack surface As connected factories and supplier networks reshape automotive production, MHP Consulting’s Bodo Philipp says the industry must move beyond compliance and build true cyber resilience before the next attack hits the shop floor. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Ford launches 'Ford Energy' for grid-scale BESS Ford Motor Company's newly launched energy subsidiary will manufacture battery storage systems at a repurposed Kentucky facility, targeting at least 20 GWh of annual output by late 2027, serving utilities, data centres and industrial customers across the United States. Ilkhan Ozsevim
How Volvo built the EX60 without stopping the line Akhil Krishnan oversaw EX60 development while the XC60 ran at full production beside it. In this interview, he unpacks the industrial logic of SPA3, Volvo's AI-driven sustainability strategy and why flexibility has become the company's defining competitive thesis. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Nissan scraps Canton pure EV plan in push for ICE and hybrids Nissan has abandoned its $500m electric vehicle commitment for its Canton, Mississippi plant, replacing it with V6-powered hybrids. The decision lays bare the widening gap between EV ambition and manufacturing reality in Trump-era America. Ilkhan Ozsevim
GM commits $830m to US propulsion plants as Electric Vehicles waver A combined $830 million investment across three Midwest propulsion plants pushes General Motors' domestic manufacturing total past $6 billion in a year, as the automaker bets on full-size trucks and SUVs ahead of a generational model refresh. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Honda SCM marks Pioneer 1000 Deluxe production start American Honda has celebrated the start of production for the 2026 Pioneer 1000 Deluxe at its Timmonsville, South Carolina plant, marking nearly 28 years of powersports output and the first application of throttle-by-wire to a DCT-equipped Honda side-by-side. Ilkhan Ozsevim
China’s carmakers surge ahead of Europe and Japan in global EV race Chinese automakers are pulling ahead of Japanese and European rivals with AI-driven cars, battery advances, and growing global ambitions, as firms like BYD, Xpeng, and Xiaomi expand into Europe amid slowing domestic demand. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Hongqi explores European plant with Stellantis tie-up FAW’s Hongqi brand is reportedly seeking a European manufacturing base, potentially with Stellantis, as Chinese OEMs accelerate localisation strategies to navigate tariffs, logistics costs and intensifying regulatory scrutiny. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Volvo Cars begins EX60 production at Torslanda The first fully electric car to be designed, built and developed in Sweden rolls off the line at Torslanda, as surging European orders and a SEK 10bn ($1.1bn) factory overhaul signal a decisive shift in Volvo's industrial strategy. Ilkhan Ozsevim
US Hormuz blockade deepens automotive production crisis As US warships begin blockading Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, a crisis that has already shattered aluminium supply, driven oil beyond $100 per barrel and disrupted EV raw material chains has entered a more dangerous and unpredictable phase. Ilkhan Ozsevim
VW Chattanooga ends ID.4 output, backs new ICE Atlas Volkswagen is ending ID.4 electric vehicle assembly at its Chattanooga plant and pivoting to a second-generation Atlas as its North American anchor. The move lays bare the tension between long-term electrification targets and the immediate pressures of a market that has not kept pace with them. Ilkhan Ozsevim
AI vision finds its footing on the factory floor Three firms at the forefront of automotive AI vision inspection reveal why most pilots fail, why optics and lighting still govern outcomes, and how quality systems may soon prevent defects rather than merely catch them. Ilkhan Ozsevim
SAIC rolls out semi-solid-state batteries across vehicle range MG4 Anxin Edition showcases SAIC’s first mass-produced semi-solid-state battery technology in a production EV Ilkhan Ozsevim
Iran ceasefire brings relief, but production scars run deep A two-week pause in hostilities sent oil prices into freefall and markets soaring on 8 April. But for automotive manufacturers confronting shattered aluminium supply, elevated energy costs and deferred investment, recovery has barely begun. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Are Humanoid Robots about to take over carmaking? Humanoid robots have entered automotive manufacturing with major fanfare, driven by BMW, Tesla and Toyota. But headlines aren’t production reality - and industry experts warn the gap between demos and deployment remains significant. But what's the reality? Ilkhan Ozsevim
Why data, not AI, is the real constraint in automotive production Automotive manufacturers are discovering that artificial intelligence does not fail on its algorithms. It fails on its foundations. The competitive battleground in smart manufacturing is shifting from model sophistication to data architecture, and most of the industry is not ready for it. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Mercedes commits $7bn to its US manufacturing future With a $4 billion commitment to its Tuscaloosa plant, world premieres of the new GLE and GLS, and a new engineering hub in Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz signals the most consequential expansion of its American manufacturing footprint in a generation. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Why automotive AI fails between pilot and plant The automotive industry has mastered the AI pilot. It has not yet mastered scaling one. Across OEMs and suppliers, a structural gap persists between promising controlled-environment results and sustainable, plant-wide deployment. Ilkhan Ozsevim
China's Geely redraws global engineering map with Geely Tech Europe By merging its Gothenburg and Frankfurt engineering centres into Geely Technology Europe, the Chinese auto giant is making a calculated wager that embedding European expertise from day one will sharpen its vehicles for every market on the planet. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Iran war strikes at the factory floor Three weeks after US and Israeli strikes closed the Strait of Hormuz, the conflict has moved from forecast to fact. Gulf aluminium smelters are shutting down, Brent crude is above $112, Toyota has cut nearly 40,000 units, and Europe's factory energy crisis is accelerating. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Marelli and AWS automate SDV test case generation A new AI agent, built by Marelli and Amazon Web Services, automatically generates system test cases from engineering requirements, promising shorter validation cycles and stronger consistency across software-defined vehicle programmes. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Honda scraps its EV future in $15.7bn retreat Honda has cancelled its entire North American EV programme, bracing for losses of up to ¥2.5 trillion ($15.7bn) in its first loss year since 1957. An Ohio manufacturing hub lies stranded, and every legacy OEM's electrification strategy is now under scrutiny. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Polestar 5 Life Cycle Assessment exposes where EV emissions really lie A detailed lifecycle study of the Polestar 5 reveals a stark truth for manufacturers. Materials, not assembly, dominate emissions, forcing a rethink of where decarbonisation efforts should be focused. Ilkhan Ozsevim
AI vision raises the bar in EV battery assembly Atlas Copco's VisionTools platform brings AI-enhanced machine vision to EV battery production, combining neural networks with traditional inspection logic to achieve unprecedented quality assurance at speed and scale. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Quality Visions: AI inspection systems that learns from the line A factory producing EVs, hybrids and combustion variants simultaneously can no longer ask engineers to pre-define every failure mode. Rule-based vision has met its structural limit. What replaces it doesn't consult a rulebook - it learns from the line. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Horse Powertrain banks on combustion's second act As the EV transition falters, Horse Powertrain is reframing combustion as a shared industrial commodity. With Design-for-Manufacturing embedded, OEMs can slash R&D costs tenfold through pooled development, while its briefcase-sized C15 converts any BEV platform into a hybrid with minimal change. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Iran conflict sends shockwaves through auto production and supply chains As US and Israeli strikes trigger a near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the global automotive industry faces rising energy costs, fractured shipping routes, and production and supply chain disruptions that could last well into summer 2026. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Inside Landshut: BMW bets on in-house battery brains At BMW Group's Plant Landshut in Lower Bavaria, a traditional foundry is quietly becoming one of the automotive industry's most ambitious proving grounds for in-house electronics manufacturing, workforce reinvention, and the possibilties of what a component plant can become. Ilkhan Ozsevim
BMW brings humanoid robots to European production BMW Group's Leipzig plant becomes the first in Europe to host a humanoid robot pilot, as the German automaker scales lessons from Spartanburg and partners with Hexagon Robotics to test the AEON robot across battery assembly and component manufacturing. Ilkhan Ozsevim
Tesla’s Cybercab rewrites the DfM rulebook By eliminating the paintshop, halving part counts and embedding manufacturing logic into every design decision, Tesla’s Cybercab offers the most radical expression of Design for Manufacturing the automotive industry has yet produced. Tesla's senior designers and engineers share treasures... Ilkhan Ozsevim
Why carmakers can't celebrate the Supreme Court win Why carmakers can't celebrate the Supreme Court win James McLoughlin Ilkhan Ozsevim
Renault takes full control of electric van firm Flexis Renault Group has agreed to acquire the stakes held by Volvo Group and CMA CGM in Flexis, consolidating ownership of the electric light commercial vehicle venture and installing a new chief executive to lead its next industrial phase. Ilkhan Ozsevim
