Author: Central Desk

Vietnam is expected to witness a significant shift in its transportation landscape, with car sales projected to surpass motorbike purchases after 2035, according to a new World Bank report. This transition reflects changing consumer behavior, economic growth, and the country’s push for greener mobility. Surge in Car Sales and EV Adoption The World Bank’s latest Vietnam Economic Update, titled Accelerating the Transition to Electric Vehicles in Vietnam, highlights the nation’s shift towards sustainable transport. The Vietnamese government has set ambitious targets under Decision No. 876/QD-TTg, aiming for 50% of urban vehicles and 100% of city buses and taxis to be…

Mercedes-Benz has chosen Chinese firm Hesai as its lidar supplier for smart driving vehicles, marking the first time a foreign automaker has integrated Chinese-made lidar into models sold globally outside of China. The decision follows months of deliberation, influenced by cost considerations, production scalability, and geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China, according to a Reuters report citing unnamed sources. Advancing Smart Driving with Lidar Technology Lidar, or ‘light detection and ranging,’ is a key technology in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). It utilizes laser pulses to create highly detailed, real-time 3D maps of a vehicle’s surroundings, offering enhanced precision…

EV Saudi Arabia 2025 Conference and Expo, the Kingdom’s premier event dedicated to electric vehicles (EVs), will take place on May 4–6, 2025, at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Centre. This leading event aims to enhance awareness and drive the adoption of sustainable transportation solutions across Saudi Arabia and the broader MENA region. The EV Saudi Arabia Conference and Expo 2025 will bring together top local, regional, and global manufacturers and suppliers to showcase cutting-edge EV and energy storage innovations and technologies. The event is expected to attract hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of visitors, including buyers, entrepreneurs, and…

Kia Corp will increase the production of its compact SUV, the Seltos, following its strong global sales performance. The South Korean automaker sold 310,000 units of the Seltos in 2024, making it the company’s second best-selling vehicle after the Sportage, which recorded 580,000 sales. Expanded Production for Next-Generation Seltos To meet growing demand, Kia has reached an agreement with its labor union to begin manufacturing the next-generation Seltos at its Hwaseong plant in Gyeonggi Province. Currently, the model is produced at Kia’s Gwangju plant in South Jeolla Province. In 2024, Kia manufactured 159,965 units of the Seltos following the launch…

MAHLE chargeBIG has introduced the world’s smallest wallbox, available in two variants: the smallBOX ECO with a 7.4 kW charging capacity and the smallBOX PRO offering 22 kW. The PRO version can fully charge an electric vehicle in three to four hours. The wallbox integrates with the chargeCLUSTER, a modular charging distributor available in three sizes—S (2 charging points), M (6 points), and L (up to 36 points)—allowing cost-effective and scalable solutions tailored to customer needs. The chargeCLUSTER system ensures all smallBOX charging stations feature dynamic load management and calibration-compliant billing, optimizing electricity distribution without overloading power supplies. This technology…

The ongoing uncertainty caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s shifting tariff policies is forcing investments in key industries, including the automotive sector, to be put on hold, posing a significant risk to the Canadian economy, Unifor National President Lana Payne has warned. Her remarks followed the White House’s decision on Tuesday to maintain the existing 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum despite Trump’s earlier threats to double them. The sudden reversal is the latest in a series of tariff announcements that have created instability for Canadian businesses. Impact on Canadian Industry Payne, whose union represents workers across multiple industries, including…

Volvo Cars has been honored with the 2025 Sandy Myhre Award by Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY), recognizing it as the automotive brand most dedicated to women. The award acknowledges Volvo’s ongoing efforts in promoting gender equality and empowering women in the industry. Maria Fe Perez-Agudo, Vice Chairman, President, and CEO of HARI, Volvo’s official distributor in the Philippines, praised the brand’s commitment, stating, “Our vision and values reflect Volvo’s dedication to advancing the industry with women at the forefront.” Named after New Zealand motoring journalist Sandy Myhre, who founded WWCOTY in 2009, the award celebrates automakers that…

Luxshare Precision Industry, a leading Chinese electronics manufacturer, is accelerating its expansion in the global automotive components sector to capitalize on the rapid growth of intelligent connected vehicles. “We are fully committed to seizing the high ground in new energy vehicle (NEV) intelligence and keeping pace with industry developments and emerging trends to maintain steady growth in the global automotive market,” said Wang Laichun, chairwoman and founder of Luxshare. With a long-term goal of becoming a top-tier global automotive component supplier within the next five years, Luxshare has been making strategic advancements in the sector for over a decade. “Today,…

South Korea ranked seventh in global vehicle production in 2024, slipping one position from the previous year due to declining output amid an economic downturn, according to the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association (KAMA). Domestic car production fell to 4.13 million units from 4.24 million in 2023 as local demand weakened. High inflation and rising interest rates dampened consumer sentiment, leading to a slowdown in vehicle sales, the report noted, citing Yonhap news agency. “A combination of sluggish domestic demand and potential U.S. tariffs on vehicle exports will likely continue to weigh on local production,” a KAMA official stated. He…

Nissan has begun testing its autonomous Serena minivan on busy city streets, aiming to catch up with industry leaders like Waymo. Equipped with 14 cameras, nine radars, and six LiDAR sensors, this driverless minivan controls traffic independently while adhering to a 40 kph (25 mph) speed limit. Despite Japan’s strong automotive industry, it has lagged behind China and the U.S. in self-driving advancements. Nissan’s system is currently at Level Two autonomy, requiring a remote operator at headquarters and a human in the front passenger seat for emergencies. The company aims to reach Level Four autonomy by 2029-2030, eliminating human intervention.…