US probe into Tesla remote driving feature

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a probe into 2.6 million Tesla vehicles in the United States over reports of crashes involving a feature that allows users to summon their cars remotely. The vehicles failed to detect posts, or parked vehicles, when they were operating on Actually Smart Summon, the NHTSA said. Actually Smart Summon was launched in September and allows users to remotely move their vehicles toward them or another location using a smartphone application. The probe covers 2016-25 Model S and X vehicles, 2017-25 Model 3 and 2020-25 Model Y with the optional Full Self-Driving driver assistance system. The new investigation comes after the US auto safety agency opened an investigation in October into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving software after four reported collisions, including a fatal 2023 crash.

Rolls-Royce expands to serve VIP customers

British luxury automaker Rolls-Royce said on Wednesday it will invest $376 million to expand its Goodwood plant to focus more on bespoke cars for high-end clients, featuring anything from gold sculptures to mother-of-pearl artwork. As with other high-end automakers, Rolls-Royce has seen rising demand for high-margin, personalized car content from wealthy consumers. In 2024 alone, the BMW unit said its "artisans crafted exquisite details" that included solid 18-carat gold sculptures, embroideries consisting of more than 869,500 stitches, wood veneers including 500 individually-shaped pieces of wood and holographic paint finishes. The investment is the largest since the plant opened in 2003, the company said. Today, Goodwood employs 2,500 people and produces 28 cars daily, it said.

Optimism as Polestar reports rise in sales

Polestar on Thursday reported rises in fourth-quarter retail sales and order intake, raising optimism among jittery investors over demand for the Swedish electric vehicle maker's higher-priced models. The company reported retail sales of 12,256 units, up from 11,640, and a 37 percent rise in order intake compared to a year earlier. Polestar also announced a change in how it reports, saying it would report retail sales based on cars delivered to final customers, not as of when they are invoiced, to better align itself with sector standards. The sector has been grappling with a slowdown in demand for electric cars and pressure to cut prices amid a price war ignited by Tesla. Polestar has also faced operational headaches, encountering problems and delays to its quarterly financial reports and struggles to manage its costs.

Hyundai planning record investments

South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group said on Thursday it plans to boost domestic investment by 19 percent to a record 24.3 trillion won ($16.65 billion) this year to secure future growth even as it grapples with economic and political uncertainties. Hyundai Motor Group, including Hyundai Motor and Kia Corp, ranks third in global vehicle sales behind Toyota and Volkswagen. The planned investment by Hyundai Motor Group includes 11.5 trillion won in research and development for next-generation products, electrification, software-defined vehicles, hydrogen-fueled products and other technology. It will also spend 12 trillion won on ordinary investments, such as adjusting production lines to make electric vehicles and new models, and about 800 billion won on strategic investments such as autonomous driving, the statement said.