James Yost has left his job as executive vice president and chief financial office of the US wheel maker Hayes Lemmerz to take up the same position at fellow US Tier 1 supplier Dana Corp.

The US Tier 1 supplier ArvinMeritor, Inc. plans to initiate a new commodity surcharge starting from June 1. "As a result of the sudden and extraordinary surges in the price of steel, energy and other commodities, we are implementing a

The US start-up Fisker Automotive, Inc. and Quantum Technologies are now performing initial vehicle testing and fine tuning the battery software management system for the Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid production car in Southern California. Fisker has asked for arbitration on

Giving young people the legal right to take an apprenticeship is a great idea, but a system to allocate places fairly will be needed to make sure that businesses are not overwhelmed by applicants, and that the applicants themselves get

Ricardo CEO Dave Shemmans has accepted a seat on the newly reconstituted board of the UK Electronics Leadership Council, which has an advisory role to the Government on the UK electronics industry.

A Japanese paper, the Tokyo Shimbun, reported yesterday said that Toyota is considering setting up a new plant to build small, low-cost cars in Brazil, which would produce up to 200,000 units/year of a small car for emerging markets from

The US Tier 1 supplier DURA Automotive Systems, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware has approved its revised Disclosure Statement, solicitation procedures and creditor ballots as a preliminary to Chapter 11 emergence. The

Nokia signed an agreement yesterday with a newly formed company named novero GmbH on the divestment of its line fit automotive business. Novero is owned by Razvan Olosu, the former head of Nokia's Enhancements unit, and Equity Partners GmbH, a

Lawyers advising the European Parliament have confirmed that the European Commission does have the right to fine car makers which don't meet future CO2 emissions targets.

Navevo, a UK specialist GPS software developer, has unveiled a sat-nav device for drivers of heavy goods vehicles and vans. Using NAVTEQ Transport, ProNav GPS software features dynamic routing and navigation optimisation based on a vehicle's dimensions and legal restrictions

The European Commission president José Manuel Barroso has ordered a study into possible links between biofuels and the recent rapid rises in food prices, reports the Brussels-based Transport & Environment lobby federation. His spokesman insisted he was not considering changing

Reports on sightings of draft European Commission proposals on 'smart' road charging, which are expected to be published next month, say legislation will allow for external pollution and congestion costs of road use to be internalised, but that this will

A British company, Hydrofuel Technologies Ltd, is urging motorists to use water to reduce fuel costs with a car battery-powered onboard electrolyser, on its website, (www.runyourcaronwater.co.uk ). Hydrofuel' £49 DIY guide explains how motorists can convert cars to a water-burning

The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of the digital map supplier Tele Atlas by the satnav manufacturer TomTom, both of the Netherlands.

General Motors will need to raise about $9 billion over the next two years to refinance its debt, and may seek more to cover close to $11bn in working capital as it faces production 'headwinds' and commodity price increases, Lehman