Automotive Technology Insight | Forecasts | Industry News

US automakers, battery suppliers rationalize excess battery capacity, pivot to energy storage systems

In December 2025, Ford Motor Co. and SK On announced plans to end their $11.4 billion battery joint venture — BlueOval SK — as part of their broader business overhaul amid a slowdown in demand for battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and the end of government subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The decision to cease the battery JV came as the two companies sought to avoid accumulating losses from EV battery operations in a market witnessing policy shifts away from BEVs and to r...

insights
Policy & Regulation
09-Feb-2026
Pinned

European New Car Assessment Program’s button mandate forces a rethink of the digital cockpit

For more than a decade, the automotive industry followed a clear trajectory: digitize the driving experience, replace physical controls with touchscreens and let software define the cockpit. From 2026, Europe’s most influential vehicle safety assessor will begin to reverse that logic. Under revised protocols, the European New Car Assessment Program (EuroNCAP) will explicitly reward vehicles that provide physical controls for essential driving functions, such as indicators, hazard lights, wi...

UpdatePromise and UVeye bring AI-powered vehicle inspection intelligence to dealerships

UpdatePromise, a provider of dealership customer experience and fixed-operations technology, has announced an integration with UVeye, a leading provider of automated vehicle inspection systems. The integration brings AI-powered inspection intelligence directly into dealership service workflows, enabling faster decisions, greater transparency and improved service efficiency. With the new integration, vehicles are automatically scanned during service check-in, and inspection findings are instan...

Continental expands chassis and steering spare parts portfolio

Continental group sector ContiTech has announced the implementation of its portfolio expansion, which was initially revealed at Automechanika in the fall of 2024. As part of this expansion, Continental-branded wheel bearing kits and spare parts for chassis and steering systems are now available, totaling well over 1,000 items in 2025 alone, aimed at a diverse range of vehicles in the European market. ContiTech intends to continue expanding its portfolio in 2026, starting with over a hundred new ...

Insights into Inchcape's sustainability practices and goals

Sustainability in the automotive industry is increasingly important as manufacturers and distributors adapt to shifting consumer preferences and regulatory requirements. The transition toward electric vehicles is central to this shift, driven by increasing awareness of climate change and the need for reduced carbon emissions. Automakers are focusing on developing new-energy vehicles (NEVs) and integrating sustainable practices throughout their operations. A key strategy is diversifying vehicl...

Mercedes-Benz introduces new digital payment option in Europe

Mercedes-Benz is advancing its digitalization efforts in the aftersales business by introducing a new digital payment option for customers to settle service invoices more conveniently. This modern payment solution offers a variety of payment methods, featuring the significant addition of a flexible installment payment option that comes with a swift credit check, eliminating the need for complex contractual processes. Following a successful pilot phase in the German market, Mercedes-Benz is expan...

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