Seldom does one get his complaint redressed when the matter is flagged on Twitter. Customers wait for days, if not hours, to get a reply from the company, whose products they are using.

But Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk has taken customer responsiveness to a whole new level. It is no secret that Musk is hyperactive on Twitter—so much so that one wonders whether he himself is available on the social networking site or has hired any special team for this purpose.

Also read |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/warning-of-population-collapse-on-earth-elon-musk-calls-for-colonisation-of-mars-399164">Warning of 'population collapse' on Earth, Elon Musk calls for&nbsp;colonisation&nbsp;of Mars&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>

He often posts opinions or engages in a heated debate on the social media site. From exchanging banters with the United States Senator Bernie Sanders to debating on ending world hunger with the director of the UN's World Food Programme, Musk’s Twitter replies have often gained attention as well as ire of many.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-asks-people-to-use-signal-app-instead-of-whatsapp-and-facebook-over-privacy-issues-355704">Elon Musk asks people to use Signal app instead of WhatsApp and Facebook over privacy issues</a>

Recently, Musk left many impressed when he replied to a Twitter complaint related to his Tesla car in three minutes.

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Checking …
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1461807570138640387?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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When a South Korean owner of Tesla Model 3 complained that he was unable to connect the electric compact sedan's system to his iPhone, Musk’s reply came within three minutes with a brief response, “Checking…".

Five hours after his first reply, Musk came back with an update on the server error issue and shared what went wrong with the Tesla app.

The Model 3 owner was amazed with Musk's promptness and even replied to the Tesla CEO with a ‘Thank you, Elon’ after this.

Netizens too praised Tesla CEO's prompt responsiveness to the concerns of Tesla owners.

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Crazy. A CEO, billionaire, richest person served you. What a great company!
— GoToMars (@aguduo4) <a href="https://twitter.com/aguduo4/status/1461809341519081472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Awesome that the CEO is right on top of this!
— Jeremy Johnson (@AGuyOnlineHere) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGuyOnlineHere/status/1461809513007390723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Seldom does one get his complaint redressed when the matter is flagged on Twitter. Customers wait for days, if not hours, to get a reply from the company, whose products they are using.

Seldom does one get his complaint redressed when the matter is flagged on Twitter. Customers wait for days, if not hours, to get a reply from the company, whose products they are using. But Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk has taken customer responsiveness to a whole new level. It is no secret that Musk is hyperactive on Twitter—so much so that one wonders whether he himself is available on the social networking site or has hired any special team for this purpose. Also read | Warning of 'population collapse' on Earth, Elon Musk calls for colonisation of Mars He often posts opinions or engages in a heated debate on the social media site. From exchanging banters with the United States Senator Bernie Sanders to debating on ending world hunger with the director of the UN's World Food Programme, Musk’s Twitter replies have often gained attention as well as ire of many. Also read | Elon Musk asks people to use Signal app instead of WhatsApp and Facebook over privacy issues Recently, Musk left many impressed when he replied to a Twitter complaint related to his Tesla car in three minutes. Checking … — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 19, 2021 × When a South Korean owner of Tesla Model 3 complained that he was unable to connect the electric compact sedan's system to his iPhone, Musk’s reply came within three minutes with a brief response, “Checking…". Five hours after his first reply, Musk came back with an update on the server error issue and shared what went wrong with the Tesla app. The Model 3 owner was amazed with Musk's promptness and even replied to the Tesla CEO with a ‘Thank you, Elon’ after this. Netizens too praised Tesla CEO's prompt responsiveness to the concerns of Tesla owners. Crazy. A CEO, billionaire, richest person served you. What a great company! — GoToMars (@aguduo4) November 19, 2021 × Awesome that the CEO is right on top of this! — Jeremy Johnson (@AGuyOnlineHere) November 19, 2021 ×

Netizens hail Elon Musk for ‘promptly’ replying to Twitter complaint in 3 minutes

A car exploded near the entrance of the&nbsp;international airport of&nbsp;Yemen's southern port city of Aden on Saturday, resulting in at least 12 casualties.&nbsp;One security source said the car exploded at an outer entrance to the airport near a hotel.

"Twelve civilians were killed in an explosion" in the vicinity of Aden airport and "there are also serious injuries", said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The cause of the blast remains unknown.

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A car explosion targeted the outer gate of Aden International Airport, leaving at least ten killed and many injured. The car exploded near a bus and lots of taxis carrying people. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthYemen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SouthYemen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yemen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yemen</a> <a href="https://t.co/6Ypl78mo6Q">pic.twitter.com/6Ypl78mo6Q</a>
— Summer Ahmed (@summerahmeda) <a href="https://twitter.com/summerahmeda/status/1454476700830547975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yemen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yemen</a> : Car bomb reportedly explodes near entrance to Aden international airport - casualties reported <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%86?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#عدن</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D9%B1%D9%84%D9%92%D9%8A%D9%8E%D9%85%D9%8E%D9%86?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ٱلْيَمَن</a> <a href="https://t.co/xQehCVqmMf">pic.twitter.com/xQehCVqmMf</a>
— Middle East Times 🇵🇸 🇮🇷 (@middleeasttime) <a href="https://twitter.com/middleeasttime/status/1454477586541678596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Aden is the temporary home of&nbsp;Yemen's internationally-recognised government. The current government comes as a&nbsp;part of a coalition backed by Saudi Arabia, who have&nbsp;been fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi group for nearly seven years.&nbsp;The government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) are nominal allies under the Saudi-led coalition.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-challenges-indigenous-children-compensation-in-favour-of-negotiating-425351">Also read |&nbsp;Canada challenges indigenous children compensation; in favour of negotiating</a>

This comes almost three weeks after six people were killed in a car-bomb attack that targeted Aden's governor. However, he managed to survive.

Instability in the south complicates various peace efforts led by the United Nations&nbsp;to end the war in&nbsp;Yemen&nbsp;which has killed tens of thousands of people.&nbsp;

Yemen&nbsp;also happens to be the&nbsp;home to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The militant organisation keeps launching&nbsp;periodic attacks against&nbsp;fighters aligned with the country's authorities as well as the insurgents. &nbsp;

A car exploded near the entrance of the international airport of Yemen's southern port city of Aden on Saturday, resulting in at least 12 casualties. One security source said the car exploded at an outer entrance to the airport near a hotel.

A car exploded near the entrance of the international airport of Yemen's southern port city of Aden on Saturday, resulting in at least 12 casualties. One security source said the car exploded at an outer entrance to the airport near a hotel. "Twelve civilians were killed in an explosion" in the vicinity of Aden airport and "there are also serious injuries", said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The cause of the blast remains unknown. A car explosion targeted the outer gate of Aden International Airport, leaving at least ten killed and many injured. The car exploded near a bus and lots of taxis carrying people. #SouthYemen #Yemen pic.twitter.com/6Ypl78mo6Q — Summer Ahmed (@summerahmeda) October 30, 2021 × #Yemen : Car bomb reportedly explodes near entrance to Aden international airport - casualties reported #عدن #ٱلْيَمَن pic.twitter.com/xQehCVqmMf — Middle East Times 🇵🇸 🇮🇷 (@middleeasttime) October 30, 2021 × Aden is the temporary home of Yemen's internationally-recognised government. The current government comes as a part of a coalition backed by Saudi Arabia, who have been fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi group for nearly seven years. The government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) are nominal allies under the Saudi-led coalition. Also read | Canada challenges indigenous children compensation; in favour of negotiating This comes almost three weeks after six people were killed in a car-bomb attack that targeted Aden's governor. However, he managed to survive. Instability in the south complicates various peace efforts led by the United Nations to end the war in Yemen which has killed tens of thousands of people. Yemen also happens to be the home to Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The militant organisation keeps launching periodic attacks against fighters aligned with the country's authorities as well as the insurgents.

Car explodes at the entrance of Yemen's Aden airport; Casualties reported

A car bombing in the northern Syrian city of Afrin on Monday killed six people, including at least one Turkey-backed rebel fighter, a war monitor said.

Afrin, like all areas held by pro-Turkish rebels, is the scene of regular targeted killings, bombings and shootings that largely remain unclaimed.

On Monday, an explosive-laden vehicle detonated in "an area crowded with civilians" in the centre of the rebel-held city, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/two-killed-in-israel-strike-on-syria-base-monitor-419395">Two killed in Israel strike on Syria base: Monitor</a>

The explosion hit near a market and military outpost for the hardline Jaysh al-Islam rebel group, according to the monitor which relies on a network of sources inside Syria.

At least two civilians and one Jaysh fighter were among those killed, while 12 other people were wounded, the Observatory said.

"Hospitals in Afrin received charred corpses of unidentified persons," the monitor added.&nbsp;

According to the Observatory, a local police force in Afrin arrested two young men suspected of involvement.

Last month, Afrin was hit by 4 separate attacks using explosive devices, including one targeting the vehicle of a rebel commander.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/prominent-al-qaeda-figure-killed-in-drone-attack-in-syria-jihadist-sources-7077">Prominent al-Qaeda figure killed in drone attack in Syria: Jihadist sources</a>

Turkey and its Syrian proxies have seized territory inside Syria in several military operations since 2016 against the Islamic State (IS) group and the Kurdish YPG militia.

In March 2018, they seized the town of Afrin after pushing out Syrian Kurdish forces.

The conflict in Syria has killed nearly 500,000 people since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of peaceful demonstrations.

A car bombing in the northern Syrian city of Afrin on Monday killed six people, including at least one Turkey-backed rebel fighter, a war monitor said. Afrin, like all areas held by pro-Turkish rebels, is the scene of regular targeted killings, bombings and shootings that largely remain unclaimed.

A car bombing in the northern Syrian city of Afrin on Monday killed six people, including at least one Turkey-backed rebel fighter, a war monitor said. Afrin, like all areas held by pro-Turkish rebels, is the scene of regular targeted killings, bombings and shootings that largely remain unclaimed. On Monday, an explosive-laden vehicle detonated in "an area crowded with civilians" in the centre of the rebel-held city, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Also Read | Two killed in Israel strike on Syria base: Monitor The explosion hit near a market and military outpost for the hardline Jaysh al-Islam rebel group, according to the monitor which relies on a network of sources inside Syria. At least two civilians and one Jaysh fighter were among those killed, while 12 other people were wounded, the Observatory said. "Hospitals in Afrin received charred corpses of unidentified persons," the monitor added. According to the Observatory, a local police force in Afrin arrested two young men suspected of involvement. Last month, Afrin was hit by 4 separate attacks using explosive devices, including one targeting the vehicle of a rebel commander. Also Read | Prominent al-Qaeda figure killed in drone attack in Syria: Jihadist sources Turkey and its Syrian proxies have seized territory inside Syria in several military operations since 2016 against the Islamic State (IS) group and the Kurdish YPG militia. In March 2018, they seized the town of Afrin after pushing out Syrian Kurdish forces. The conflict in Syria has killed nearly 500,000 people since it started in 2011 with the brutal repression of peaceful demonstrations.

Car bomb kills six in Syria's Afrin: Monitor

The Ministry says that these incentives and disincentives combined are aimed at encouraging vehicle owners to discard their old and polluting vehicles, which have higher maintenance and fuel consumption costs.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a list of incentives and disincentives pertaining to the Vehicle Scrapping Policy on Tuesday. These incentives and disincentives combined are aimed at encouraging vehicle owners to discard their old and polluting vehicles, which have higher maintenance and fuel consumption costs.

"As an incentive, there will be a waiver of the fee for the issuance of a certificate of registration for a new vehicle, purchased under the authority of the Certificate of Deposit (CoD) issued by a Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility for a vehicle being scrapped, according to the press statement by the ministry.

The disincentives include:&nbsp;

1) An increase in the fee for conducting fitness tests and renewing fitness certificates for vehicles older than 15 years.

2)An increase in the fitness certification fee for transport vehicles more than 15 years old.&nbsp;

3). An increase in the registration fee for personal vehicles (non-transport vehicles) that are more than 15 years old.

Presenting the Union Budget 2021-22, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 announced a voluntary vehicle scrapping policy to phase out old and unfit vehicles under which the personal vehicles will undergo a fitness test in automated centres after 20 years while the commercial vehicles will undergo the test after 15 years.

The Ministry says that these incentives and disincentives combined are aimed at encouraging vehicle owners to discard their old and polluting vehicles, which have higher maintenance and fuel consumption costs.

The Ministry says that these incentives and disincentives combined are aimed at encouraging vehicle owners to discard their old and polluting vehicles, which have higher maintenance and fuel consumption costs. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a list of incentives and disincentives pertaining to the Vehicle Scrapping Policy on Tuesday. These incentives and disincentives combined are aimed at encouraging vehicle owners to discard their old and polluting vehicles, which have higher maintenance and fuel consumption costs. "As an incentive, there will be a waiver of the fee for the issuance of a certificate of registration for a new vehicle, purchased under the authority of the Certificate of Deposit (CoD) issued by a Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility for a vehicle being scrapped, according to the press statement by the ministry. The disincentives include: 1) An increase in the fee for conducting fitness tests and renewing fitness certificates for vehicles older than 15 years. 2)An increase in the fitness certification fee for transport vehicles more than 15 years old. 3). An increase in the registration fee for personal vehicles (non-transport vehicles) that are more than 15 years old. Presenting the Union Budget 2021-22, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 announced a voluntary vehicle scrapping policy to phase out old and unfit vehicles under which the personal vehicles will undergo a fitness test in automated centres after 20 years while the commercial vehicles will undergo the test after 15 years.

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways releases a list of incentives, disincentives under the vehicle scrapping policy

Rolls-Royce on Wednesday announced its first fully electric car, the "Spectre", will be available in late 2023, the luxury BMW group brand adding that all its vehicles will be electric by 2030.

"This is not a prototype. It’s the real thing, it will be tested in plain sight and our clients will take first deliveries of the car in the fourth quarter of 2023," said CEO Torsten Mueller-Otvoes.

"I am proud to announce that Rolls-Royce is to begin the on-road testing programme for an extraordinary new product that will elevate the global all-electric car revolution and create the first -– and finest -– super-luxury product of its type," he added.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/lucid-to-start-deliveries-of-electric-cars-with-range-exceeding-teslas-in-october-416769">Lucid to start deliveries of electric cars with range exceeding Tesla's in October</a>

Mueller-Otvoes noted that Charles Rolls (co-founder with Henry Royce) had "truly prophesied an electrified future for automobiles. In April 1900 he experienced an early electric motor car named the Columbia and declared its electric drive to be ideal".

With the increasing switch over to electric, "now is the time to change the course of the future of luxury," he added, with Rolls Royce seeing electric propulsion as perfectly adapted to the brand's ambitions.

The group had already presented two electric-powered prototype models.

In a video Rolls showed off the Spectre coupe, complete with the marque's trademark "Spirit of Ecstasy" bonnet sculpture. The Spectre is based on the aluminium chassis of its 2017 Phantom limousine launched in 2017.

Rolls-Royce on Wednesday announced its first fully electric car, the "Spectre", will be available in late 2023, the luxury BMW group brand adding that all its vehicles will be electric by 2030.

Rolls-Royce on Wednesday announced its first fully electric car, the "Spectre", will be available in late 2023, the luxury BMW group brand adding that all its vehicles will be electric by 2030. "This is not a prototype. It’s the real thing, it will be tested in plain sight and our clients will take first deliveries of the car in the fourth quarter of 2023," said CEO Torsten Mueller-Otvoes. "I am proud to announce that Rolls-Royce is to begin the on-road testing programme for an extraordinary new product that will elevate the global all-electric car revolution and create the first -– and finest -– super-luxury product of its type," he added. Also Read | Lucid to start deliveries of electric cars with range exceeding Tesla's in October Mueller-Otvoes noted that Charles Rolls (co-founder with Henry Royce) had "truly prophesied an electrified future for automobiles. In April 1900 he experienced an early electric motor car named the Columbia and declared its electric drive to be ideal". With the increasing switch over to electric, "now is the time to change the course of the future of luxury," he added, with Rolls Royce seeing electric propulsion as perfectly adapted to the brand's ambitions. The group had already presented two electric-powered prototype models. In a video Rolls showed off the Spectre coupe, complete with the marque's trademark "Spirit of Ecstasy" bonnet sculpture. The Spectre is based on the aluminium chassis of its 2017 Phantom limousine launched in 2017.

Rolls Royce announces fully electric car for late 2023

&nbsp;Self-driving startups like Cruise and Pony.ai have begun testing their driverless cars in some parts of California in the past year, with an additional feature: Human operators.

While there is no driver behind the wheel, the passenger seat is occupied by a safety operator who "has a red button that can stop the vehicle just in case anything happens," Pony.ai CEO James Peng told Reuters.

The operator will be removed next year when Pony.ai, whose investors include Toyota Motor Corp, plans to deploy its driverless ride-hailing vehicles in certain areas of California. Still, a remote operator will monitor vehicles and provide guidance when the vehicles run into trouble, Peng said.

Alphabet Inc`s Waymo keeps personnel wearing fluorescent yellow vests at the ready to provide roadside assistance for its automated minivans in Phoenix, according to videos and to one of its avid riders, Joel Johnson, who has witnessed this.

Cruise, majority-owned by General Motors Co, started operating five driverless vehicles in San Francisco at night in October 2020 with a human in the front seat. The minder has "the ability to stop the vehicle at any point during the ride," a Cruise spokesman said.

"Cruise views the development of self-driving vehicles as not only a tech race, but also a trust race," the spokesman added. "Given that, we keep&nbsp;humans in the&nbsp;loop in testing driverless vehicles not&nbsp;only as a means of safe development, but also, beyond that, in order to build trust with the public."

South Korea`s automotive giant Hyundai Motor Group has invested in remote operation startup Ottopia, which will provide remote assistance for the robotaxi fleets by Hyundai`s self-driving car joint venture, Motional.

TESLA TO DRIVERS: `BE READY TO ACT`

The continued human presence in what are supposed to be software-driven, automated vehicles underscores the challenges facing the automated vehicle industry, which has consumed billions of dollars in investor capital over the past decade.

With no end in sight to the technical and regulatory obstacles to free-range, driverless robotaxis, some self-driving companies are accepting the need for human minders and scaling down their ambitions so they can start generating revenue in the near future, according to interviews with investors and startup executives.&nbsp;

Even Tesla Inc, which recently launched a new test version of what it calls “Full Self-Driving" software https://www.reuters.com/technology/musks-ai-day-confronts-tough-questions-about-teslas-technology-2021-08-18, said in a message to owners that drivers should "be prepared to act immediately, especially around blind corners, crossing intersections, and in narrow driving situations.” U.S. safety regulators have opened a formal investigation of the automaker`s Autopilot driver assistance system following a series of fatal accidents&nbsp;

WAYMO`S ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE

Waymo has been developing self-driving technology for more than a decade, and launched the first commercial robotaxis in Phoenix. But the successor to the pioneering Google self-driving car project still keeps humans in the loop.

 
Waymo told Reuters it runs four teams monitoring and assisting the fleet. Duties range from responding to riders` questions to providing, remotely, a "second pair of eyes" in tricky situations such as road closures. One of its teams provides roadside assistance to respond to collisions and other incidents.

The teams "work together to orchestrate the operation of our fully autonomous fleet throughout the day," Nathaniel Fairfield, a software engineer at Waymo, said in a statement to Reuters. 
Waymo does not operate vehicles by remote control, he said.

"We don’t use remote takeover, or `joysticking,` because we don`t think remote humans actually add safety," he said, citing potential wireless connection problems.

Waymo now plans to start commercial autonomous vehicle operations in San Francisco with safety drivers initially. The company relies on an army of vehicle operators to ramp up testing in the dense and complex city environment.

A former Waymo operator who participated in San Francisco testing this year said he had to "disengage" and intervene roughly 30 times a day in cases including the car failing to stop fast enough for red lights or vehicles in front that abruptly slow down or stop.

"You are on your toes... There are times where (you think) `Oh, I did not predict this behaviour at all. "This behaviour doesn`t usually happen,`" said the experienced safety operator, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to confidentiality concerns.

DIRTY LITTLE SECRET

Regulators are also keeping humans involved with automated vehicles. California laws "call for a two-way communication link that allows the manufacturer to continuously monitor the (driverless) vehicle’s location/status," the California Department of Motor Vehicles said in a statement to Reuters.

Other robotaxi companies are using remote operation as a way to get vehicles on the road.

In Las Vegas, startup Halo allows customers to summon a driverless car, which is driven by a remote human operator over fast, fifth-generation wireless networks operated by T-Mobile US Inc.

"Just a few years back, remote human assistance was a dirty little secret in this space,"&nbsp;said Elliot Katz, co-founder of teleoperation firm Phantom Auto.

"Virtually no one talked about it publicly because there was still this facade that these vehicles were just going to be able to drive autonomously, everywhere they need to go and do everything that a human driver would do."

He added: "Everyone now knows that`s not going to be the case."

Self-driving startups like Cruise and Pony.ai have begun testing their driverless cars in some parts of California in the past year, with an additional feature: Human operators.

Self-driving startups like Cruise and Pony.ai have begun testing their driverless cars in some parts of California in the past year, with an additional feature: Human operators. While there is no driver behind the wheel, the passenger seat is occupied by a safety operator who "has a red button that can stop the vehicle just in case anything happens," Pony.ai CEO James Peng told Reuters. The operator will be removed next year when Pony.ai, whose investors include Toyota Motor Corp, plans to deploy its driverless ride-hailing vehicles in certain areas of California. Still, a remote operator will monitor vehicles and provide guidance when the vehicles run into trouble, Peng said. Alphabet Inc`s Waymo keeps personnel wearing fluorescent yellow vests at the ready to provide roadside assistance for its automated minivans in Phoenix, according to videos and to one of its avid riders, Joel Johnson, who has witnessed this. Cruise, majority-owned by General Motors Co, started operating five driverless vehicles in San Francisco at night in October 2020 with a human in the front seat. The minder has "the ability to stop the vehicle at any point during the ride," a Cruise spokesman said. "Cruise views the development of self-driving vehicles as not only a tech race, but also a trust race," the spokesman added. "Given that, we keep humans in the loop in testing driverless vehicles not only as a means of safe development, but also, beyond that, in order to build trust with the public." South Korea`s automotive giant Hyundai Motor Group has invested in remote operation startup Ottopia, which will provide remote assistance for the robotaxi fleets by Hyundai`s self-driving car joint venture, Motional. TESLA TO DRIVERS: `BE READY TO ACT` The continued human presence in what are supposed to be software-driven, automated vehicles underscores the challenges facing the automated vehicle industry, which has consumed billions of dollars in investor capital over the past decade. With no end in sight to the technical and regulatory obstacles to free-range, driverless robotaxis, some self-driving companies are accepting the need for human minders and scaling down their ambitions so they can start generating revenue in the near future, according to interviews with investors and startup executives. Even Tesla Inc, which recently launched a new test version of what it calls “Full Self-Driving" software https://www.reuters.com/technology/musks-ai-day-confronts-tough-questions-about-teslas-technology-2021-08-18, said in a message to owners that drivers should "be prepared to act immediately, especially around blind corners, crossing intersections, and in narrow driving situations.” U.S. safety regulators have opened a formal investigation of the automaker`s Autopilot driver assistance system following a series of fatal accidents WAYMO`S ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE Waymo has been developing self-driving technology for more than a decade, and launched the first commercial robotaxis in Phoenix. But the successor to the pioneering Google self-driving car project still keeps humans in the loop. Waymo told Reuters it runs four teams monitoring and assisting the fleet. Duties range from responding to riders` questions to providing, remotely, a "second pair of eyes" in tricky situations such as road closures. One of its teams provides roadside assistance to respond to collisions and other incidents. The teams "work together to orchestrate the operation of our fully autonomous fleet throughout the day," Nathaniel Fairfield, a software engineer at Waymo, said in a statement to Reuters. Waymo does not operate vehicles by remote control, he said. "We don’t use remote takeover, or `joysticking,` because we don`t think remote humans actually add safety," he said, citing potential wireless connection problems. Waymo now plans to start commercial autonomous vehicle operations in San Francisco with safety drivers initially. The company relies on an army of vehicle operators to ramp up testing in the dense and complex city environment. A former Waymo operator who participated in San Francisco testing this year said he had to "disengage" and intervene roughly 30 times a day in cases including the car failing to stop fast enough for red lights or vehicles in front that abruptly slow down or stop. "You are on your toes... There are times where (you think) `Oh, I did not predict this behaviour at all. "This behaviour doesn`t usually happen,`" said the experienced safety operator, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to confidentiality concerns. DIRTY LITTLE SECRET Regulators are also keeping humans involved with automated vehicles. California laws "call for a two-way communication link that allows the manufacturer to continuously monitor the (driverless) vehicle’s location/status," the California Department of Motor Vehicles said in a statement to Reuters. Other robotaxi companies are using remote operation as a way to get vehicles on the road. In Las Vegas, startup Halo allows customers to summon a driverless car, which is driven by a remote human operator over fast, fifth-generation wireless networks operated by T-Mobile US Inc. "Just a few years back, remote human assistance was a dirty little secret in this space," said Elliot Katz, co-founder of teleoperation firm Phantom Auto. "Virtually no one talked about it publicly because there was still this facade that these vehicles were just going to be able to drive autonomously, everywhere they need to go and do everything that a human driver would do." He added: "Everyone now knows that`s not going to be the case."

A secret weapon for self-driving car startups: Humans

General Motors announced Friday a second recall of the all-electric Chevrolet&nbsp;Bolt&nbsp;to address a battery defect blamed for recent car fires.

GM cited&nbsp;"two rare manufacturing defects" in the high-voltage batteries, which are produced by LG Chem in South Korea.

The&nbsp;automaker said it will notify 2017-2019&nbsp;Bolt&nbsp;owners when replacement parts are available. The recall affects about 69,000&nbsp;cars&nbsp;globally, including around 51,000 in the United States.

"Out of an abundance of caution, customers should continue to park their vehicles outside immediately after charging and not leave their vehicles charging overnight," GM warned.

The announcement follows a July 14 consumer alert from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urging&nbsp;Bolt&nbsp;owners to park their&nbsp;cars&nbsp;outside and away from homes due to fire risk.

NHTSA said it knew of two recent fires involving the vehicles.&nbsp;According to news reports, one of the recent fires occurred in Vermont and another in New Jersey.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sales-of-electric-cars-charge-ahead-in-europe-400204">Also read |&nbsp;Sales of electric cars charge ahead in Europe</a>

While the fix is being rolled out, GM directed&nbsp;Bolt&nbsp;owners to adjust vehicle settings to enable a maximum charge of 90 percent.

Customers also were urged to charge their vehicle after each use and avoid letting the charge dip below 70 miles of available range.

This is the second time the company has had to address a fire risk in the&nbsp;cars: GM recalled the same population of vehicles in November 2020.

The recall comes as the manufacturer ramps up its push to remake itself as a leader in electric vehicles. In June, it boosted its capital spending plan by 30 percent to $35 billion through 2025 to accelerate efforts on EVs and autonomous driving technology.

Shares of GM fell 1.2 percent to $54.97 in morning trading, but later recovered some ground.

General Motors announced Friday a second recall of the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt to address a battery defect blamed for recent car fires. GM cited "two rare manufacturing defects" in the high-voltage batteries, which are produced by LG Chem in South Korea.

General Motors announced Friday a second recall of the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt to address a battery defect blamed for recent car fires. GM cited "two rare manufacturing defects" in the high-voltage batteries, which are produced by LG Chem in South Korea. The automaker said it will notify 2017-2019 Bolt owners when replacement parts are available. The recall affects about 69,000 cars globally, including around 51,000 in the United States. "Out of an abundance of caution, customers should continue to park their vehicles outside immediately after charging and not leave their vehicles charging overnight," GM warned. The announcement follows a July 14 consumer alert from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urging Bolt owners to park their cars outside and away from homes due to fire risk. NHTSA said it knew of two recent fires involving the vehicles. According to news reports, one of the recent fires occurred in Vermont and another in New Jersey. Also read | Sales of electric cars charge ahead in Europe While the fix is being rolled out, GM directed Bolt owners to adjust vehicle settings to enable a maximum charge of 90 percent. Customers also were urged to charge their vehicle after each use and avoid letting the charge dip below 70 miles of available range. This is the second time the company has had to address a fire risk in the cars: GM recalled the same population of vehicles in November 2020. The recall comes as the manufacturer ramps up its push to remake itself as a leader in electric vehicles. In June, it boosted its capital spending plan by 30 percent to $35 billion through 2025 to accelerate efforts on EVs and autonomous driving technology. Shares of GM fell 1.2 percent to $54.97 in morning trading, but later recovered some ground.

GM announces 2nd Bolt recall to address fire risk

French carmaker Renault said on Monday, it had sealed partnerships with China's Envision AESC and France's Verkor to produce electric car batteries in northern France. 
 
Carmakers globally are racing to keep ahead of rivals in producing cleaner vehicles, a technology shift that is already prompting Germany's Volkswagen to build six battery cell plants of its own in Europe. 
 
Renault made the announcement, which confirmed earlier media reports, before a visit of President Emanuel Macron to the Douai site in northern France where Envision is investing up to 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) close to 'Renault ElectriCity' electric car hub to create 2,500 new jobs by 2030. 
 
Renault also said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the French start-up Verkor to co-develop and then manufacture high-performance batteries, with a view to owning a more than 20% stake in Verkor. 
 
"The combination of these two partnerships with Renault ElectriCity will create nearly 4,500 direct jobs in France by 2030, while developing a robust battery manufacturing ecosystem in the heart of Europe," the statement said. 
 
Envision AESC's gigafactory in Douai will have a capacity of 9 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2024 and with aim of reaching 24 GWh by 2030. 
 
The proximity of the Envision AESC’s gigafactory to Renault ElectriCity production sites at Douai, Maubeuge and Ruitz, will create 700 additional jobs in the Hauts-de-France region. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

French carmaker Renault said on Monday, it had sealed partnerships with China's Envision AESC and France's Verkor to produce electric car batteries in northern France.

French carmaker Renault said on Monday, it had sealed partnerships with China's Envision AESC and France's Verkor to produce electric car batteries in northern France. Carmakers globally are racing to keep ahead of rivals in producing cleaner vehicles, a technology shift that is already prompting Germany's Volkswagen to build six battery cell plants of its own in Europe. Renault made the announcement, which confirmed earlier media reports, before a visit of President Emanuel Macron to the Douai site in northern France where Envision is investing up to 2 billion euros ($2.4 billion) close to 'Renault ElectriCity' electric car hub to create 2,500 new jobs by 2030. Renault also said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the French start-up Verkor to co-develop and then manufacture high-performance batteries, with a view to owning a more than 20% stake in Verkor. "The combination of these two partnerships with Renault ElectriCity will create nearly 4,500 direct jobs in France by 2030, while developing a robust battery manufacturing ecosystem in the heart of Europe," the statement said. Envision AESC's gigafactory in Douai will have a capacity of 9 gigawatt hours (GWh) in 2024 and with aim of reaching 24 GWh by 2030. The proximity of the Envision AESC’s gigafactory to Renault ElectriCity production sites at Douai, Maubeuge and Ruitz, will create 700 additional jobs in the Hauts-de-France region. (With inputs from agencies)

Renault seals electric car battery deals with Envision, Verkor

A car drove into a crowd of pedestrians in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, killing five, state media reported on Sunday.&nbsp;

A black sedan drove into a crowd of people crossing a street at 11:47 am (0347 GMT) on Saturday and fled the scene, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing Dalian's public security bureau.&nbsp;

Four people died at the scene and another was confirmed dead after being sent to hospital, while five, who sustained injuries, were receiving medical treatment in hospital, according to Xinhua.&nbsp;

The driver, surnamed Liu, has been caught and was determined not to have been driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Xinhua said.&nbsp;

Further investigation was underway, it said.&nbsp;

A car drove into a crowd of pedestrians in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, killing five, state media reported on Sunday. A black sedan drove into a crowd of people crossing a street at 11:47 am (0347 GMT) on Saturday and fled the scene, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing Dalian's public security bureau.

A car drove into a crowd of pedestrians in the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, killing five, state media reported on Sunday. A black sedan drove into a crowd of people crossing a street at 11:47 am (0347 GMT) on Saturday and fled the scene, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing Dalian's public security bureau. Four people died at the scene and another was confirmed dead after being sent to hospital, while five, who sustained injuries, were receiving medical treatment in hospital, according to Xinhua. The driver, surnamed Liu, has been caught and was determined not to have been driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Xinhua said. Further investigation was underway, it said.

Car drives into crowd in China, killing five: State media 

A man jumped&nbsp;into a&nbsp;moving car&nbsp;through the&nbsp;open&nbsp;window to stop an erratic and dangerous driver in the main square of Albania’s capital.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In the&nbsp;footage captured by dozens of cameras set up to report the country’s general election,&nbsp;the car’s wheels&nbsp;can be seen&nbsp;screeching as it reverses in circles around the&nbsp;Skanderbeg Square.&nbsp;

The various&nbsp;onlookers&nbsp;at&nbsp;the square&nbsp;tried to stop the car by grabbing the driver through the open door.&nbsp;But as&nbsp;the door slammed shut as it spun around, a man jumped with&nbsp;feet first through the driver side window to stop the&nbsp;car.&nbsp;It is also&nbsp;one of the main sites of the city’s coronavirus vaccinations.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to the&nbsp;police,&nbsp;the&nbsp;32-year-old&nbsp;driver&nbsp;had previously crashed three other cars in other parts of the city, local media&nbsp;said.&nbsp;Citing police,&nbsp;a&nbsp;BBC report said,&nbsp;he was believed to be driving under the influence of drugs.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A man jumped into a moving car through the open window to stop an erratic and dangerous driver in the main square of Albania’s capital. In the footage captured by dozens of cameras set up to report the country’s general election, the car’s wheels can be seen screeching as it reverses in circles around the Skanderbeg Square.

A man jumped into a moving car through the open window to stop an erratic and dangerous driver in the main square of Albania’s capital. In the footage captured by dozens of cameras set up to report the country’s general election, the car’s wheels can be seen screeching as it reverses in circles around the Skanderbeg Square. The various onlookers at the square tried to stop the car by grabbing the driver through the open door. But as the door slammed shut as it spun around, a man jumped with feet first through the driver side window to stop the car. It is also one of the main sites of the city’s coronavirus vaccinations. According to the police, the 32-year-old driver had previously crashed three other cars in other parts of the city, local media said. Citing police, a BBC report said, he was believed to be driving under the influence of drugs. (With inputs from agencies)

Man jumps onto moving car to stop dangerous driver in Albania 

The Central African Republic declared an emergency for 15 days amid the post-election crisis. Watch this video to know more.

Central African Republic declares emergency for 15 days

The number of people fleeing violence in the Central African Republic has doubled in just a week to nearly 60,000, the U.N. refugee agency said on Friday, as post-electoral violence intensifies.

UN: Nearly 60,000 have fled Central African Republic violence

Saudi Arabia has announced the building of a new project "the line" in its future city NEOM. The city, a project personally being monitored by the country's crown prince -- Mohammad bin Salman -- is being built on the Red Sea.&nbsp;

The line will be a 170-km infrastructure project connecting various communities of the city and will blend the region with the surroundings. The project will be such that cars and streets will be not a part of it.&nbsp;

The city is being built as part of the kingdom's diversification plans as oil as a key resource runs out in the region.

Announcing the project, Mohammad bin Salman said, "We need to transform the concept of a conventional city into that of a futuristic one. As the Chairman of the Board of Directors of NEOM, I present to you THE LINE. A city of a million residents with a length of 170 km that preserves 95 per cent of nature within NEOM, with zero cars, zero streets, and zero carbon emissions.”

One of the key outcomes of the project is seen as that saves carbon emission as climate change has been a global cause of concern.

The crown prince pointed out, "By 2050, one billion people will have to relocate due to rising CO2 emissions and sea levels. 90 per cent of people breathe polluted air. Why should we sacrifice nature for the sake of development? Why should seven million people die every year because of pollution? Why should we lose one million people every year due to traffic accidents? And why should we accept wasting years of our lives commuting?”

Construction of the said project starts in the first quarter of 2021. It uses artificial intelligence as part of larger sustainability.&nbsp;

The project uses "clean energy" and will make all daily needs--schools, medicines, clinics others within 5-minute reach.&nbsp;

Other countries in the Gulf are also diversifying. Notable are countries like Qatar and UAE among others. The diversification process is accompanied by relaxation in conservative rules in many of the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia has announced the building of a new project "the line" in its future city NEOM. The city, a project personally being monitored by the country's crown prince -- Mohammad bin Salman -- is being built on the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia has announced the building of a new project "the line" in its future city NEOM. The city, a project personally being monitored by the country's crown prince -- Mohammad bin Salman -- is being built on the Red Sea. The line will be a 170-km infrastructure project connecting various communities of the city and will blend the region with the surroundings. The project will be such that cars and streets will be not a part of it. The city is being built as part of the kingdom's diversification plans as oil as a key resource runs out in the region. Announcing the project, Mohammad bin Salman said, "We need to transform the concept of a conventional city into that of a futuristic one. As the Chairman of the Board of Directors of NEOM, I present to you THE LINE. A city of a million residents with a length of 170 km that preserves 95 per cent of nature within NEOM, with zero cars, zero streets, and zero carbon emissions.” One of the key outcomes of the project is seen as that saves carbon emission as climate change has been a global cause of concern. The crown prince pointed out, "By 2050, one billion people will have to relocate due to rising CO2 emissions and sea levels. 90 per cent of people breathe polluted air. Why should we sacrifice nature for the sake of development? Why should seven million people die every year because of pollution? Why should we lose one million people every year due to traffic accidents? And why should we accept wasting years of our lives commuting?” Construction of the said project starts in the first quarter of 2021. It uses artificial intelligence as part of larger sustainability. The project uses "clean energy" and will make all daily needs--schools, medicines, clinics others within 5-minute reach. Other countries in the Gulf are also diversifying. Notable are countries like Qatar and UAE among others. The diversification process is accompanied by relaxation in conservative rules in many of the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia's future city will have no cars, no streets

Security forces and U.N. peacekeepers have been battling rebels who have occupied towns and roads outside the capital.

Central African Republic: Russia and Rwanda send troops to quell election violence

After being hit by a car in Mexico a Jaguar returned to the wild. The male jaguar has suffered from broken shoulder blade & lesions.

Mexico: Jaguar returns to the wild, after being struck by a car

Hertz Global Holdings Inc has filed for bankruptcy protection on Friday after its business was decimated during the coronavirus pandemic and talks with creditors failed to result in much needed relief.

Hertz earlier laid off about 10,000 employees and said there was substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.

The more than a century old car rental firm is reeling under government orders restricting travel and requiring citizens to remain home. A large portion of Hertz's revenue comes from car rentals at airports, which have all but evaporated as potential customers eschew plane travel.

With nearly $19 billion of debt and roughly 38,000 employees worldwide as of the end of 2019, Hertz is among the largest companies to be undone by the pandemic.

Hertz's board, earlier in the day, approved the company seeking Chapter 11 protection in a US bankruptcy court in Delaware, according to court records. Its international operating regions including Europe, Australia and New Zealand were not included in the US proceedings.

Even before the pandemic, Hertz and its peers were under financial pressure as travelers shifted to ride-hailing services such as Uber.

To combat Uber, Hertz had adopted a turnaround plan, aiming to modernise its smartphone apps and improve management of its fleet of rental cars.

(with inputs from Reuters)

Hertz Global Holdings Inc has filed for bankruptcy protection on Friday after its business was decimated during the coronavirus pandemic and talks with creditors failed to result in much needed relief.

Hertz Global Holdings Inc has filed for bankruptcy protection on Friday after its business was decimated during the coronavirus pandemic and talks with creditors failed to result in much needed relief. Hertz earlier laid off about 10,000 employees and said there was substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. The more than a century old car rental firm is reeling under government orders restricting travel and requiring citizens to remain home. A large portion of Hertz's revenue comes from car rentals at airports, which have all but evaporated as potential customers eschew plane travel. With nearly $19 billion of debt and roughly 38,000 employees worldwide as of the end of 2019, Hertz is among the largest companies to be undone by the pandemic. Hertz's board, earlier in the day, approved the company seeking Chapter 11 protection in a US bankruptcy court in Delaware, according to court records. Its international operating regions including Europe, Australia and New Zealand were not included in the US proceedings. Even before the pandemic, Hertz and its peers were under financial pressure as travelers shifted to ride-hailing services such as Uber. To combat Uber, Hertz had adopted a turnaround plan, aiming to modernise its smartphone apps and improve management of its fleet of rental cars. (with inputs from Reuters)

Car rental group Hertz files for bankruptcy

'The Beast' set to ride Indian roadways upon Trump's visit

India's Biggest Automakers Witness Sales Drop In December. #WION #Gravitas #India

Gravitas: Car sales slump to a 2-decade low in India

53-year-old went to police station with a body in his car and confessed about the gruesome murders done by him.

Indian-American man held for murders

Sudhir Gharpure and his sales team sat chatting at a big Maruti Suzuki dealership on the outskirts of Mumbai some two hours after its doors were opened on a recent Saturday morning - not a single customer was in sight.

"There used to be close to 15-20 bookings each day, but now we're down to 3-5 on good days," said Gharpure, the general manager at the dealership.

Gharpure's experience is not an isolated one. Across India dealerships are being pushed out of business and the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/sensex-nifty-end-lower-dragged-by-auto-stocks-239222">Indian auto sector</a> is going through its biggest slump in nearly two decades.

Passenger vehicle sales fell for eight straight months until June, and in May sales dropped 20.55% - the sharpest recorded fall in 18 years.

Preliminary data indicates passenger vehicle sales may have plunged as much as 30 per cent in July. The slump in India, along with a simultaneous slide in Chinese auto sales, is a blow for automakers wrestling with higher costs driven by more stringent emission norms and a push to develop electric cars.

Unlike in China, where the plunge in cars sales has been caused largely by new emissions rules, India has seen a mix of factors that have combined to erode demand for automobiles.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2016 ban on high-value banknotes, higher tax rates under a new goods and services tax regime, a boom of ride-sharing firms such as Uber and Ola, and a weak rural economy have all played a role.

But many dealers and automakers agree it is a deepening liquidity crunch among <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/government-considering-more-powers-for-rbi-to-regulate-shadow-banking-sector-232030">India's shadow banks</a> that has been the biggest single factor in an auto sales collapse, which some fear may lead to more than a million job losses.

Non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), or shadow banks, have dramatically slashed lending following the collapse of one of the biggest, IL&amp;FS, in late 2018.

IL&amp;FS, or Infrastructure Leasing &amp; Financial Services Ltd, was a behemoth in shadow banking and its defaults and unravelling, amid fraud allegations, have dried up funding for rivals and led to a surge in their borrowing costs.

Non-bank or shadow banking firms generate credit outside traditional lenders, by means such as collective investment vehicles, broker-dealers or funds that invest in bonds and money markets.

In India, NBFCs have in recent years helped fund nearly 55-60% of commercial vehicles both new and used, 30% of passenger cars and nearly 65% of the two-wheelers in the country, according to rating agency ICRA.

To aggravate matters, the stress in the autos market has also prompted banks to begin trimming their exposure to the sector.

"The car doesn't sell, it's the finance that sells," said R.

Vijayaraghavan, a senior marketing consultant at the same Mumbai dealership. "Today the finance is not selling, so the cars are not selling."

Problems amplified

Some 286 dealerships have shut down in the last 18 months across India as rising costs for inventory management have made businesses unviable, according to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA), a lobby group of auto dealers.

"The slowdown in the (NBFC) sector has dragged down vehicle sales growth," said AM Karthik, financial sector head at ICRA.

"Now the auto slowdown is becoming more visible as the liquidity squeeze continues."

Automakers including Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors , and Mahindra &amp; Mahindra are feeling the heat and have either cut production or temporarily closed plants to correct mounting stocks.

According to FADA data, passenger vehicle inventories now stand at 50-60 days up from around 45 days earlier, while those of two-wheelers are even higher at 80-90 days. For commercial vehicles, inventory levels range between 45 and 50 days.

"We are asking dealers to maintain an inventory of 21 days, which is almost half of the current levels," said Ashish Kale, president of FADA. 
At least four dealers from different brands said, however, there was little scope to reduce inventories as automakers were pushing them to buy stock despite there being no demand even with heavy discounting and other sops on offer.

While 70-75% of car sales were previously financed in-house by NBFC or bank agents sitting at a dealership, that has fallen to about 50%, say, dealers, as buyers struggle to qualify under more stringent lending norms put in place by lenders that are under pressure to shore up their books.

Moreover, as many NBFCs typically lent to less creditworthy clients, banks are reticent to rush in to fill the void, as they struggle to cope with an existing pile of about $150 billion in bad loans.

"The banking sector is certainly one of the factors that has affected the growth of the industry," said RC&nbsp;Bhargava, chair of Maruti Suzuki, noting interest rates for car buyers have gone up in the last 12 months despite the central bank cutting rates.

Early recovery unlikely

With the autos sector employing more than 35 million people directly and indirectly, and contributing more than 7% to India's GDP and accounting for 49% of its manufacturing GDP, the fallout from the autos slump is huge and presents a big challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government as it begins its second term.

The entire supply chain, from vehicle manufacturers to component makers, are bleeding amid the slump.

"I've been making my payments for the last 30 years and the lenders know me," said Adarsh Gupta, the director of finance at Autolite (India), a component manufacturing firm. "But even a two-day delay has people crying that I will default.

"I too want to pay, but because of the fall in cashflows I'm facing short-term issues and because of that it's difficult to get more financing. This is the vicious cycle we are in." Still, automakers are hopeful of a recovery in the months ahead, helped by the September-December festive season that traditionally sees a surge in consumer spending.

"One can only wish that things improve sooner rather than later. With festive demand starting to seep through, we should start seeing a gradual improvement in sales," said PB Balaji, group CFO at Tata Motors.

Analysts are more sceptical though and say without vehicle financing becoming cheaper and easier the chances for that are low. With no silver lining in sight, analysts fear bad debts could mount in the auto sector, forcing banks to further reduce their exposure.

"We see market prices and sales coming down so there may be issues," said a top official at the Indian Banks' Association.

"We could see a spillover in terms of bad loans for the overall sector, but we are going to wait and watch." Dealers said they were hopeful of tiding over the current downturn as the broader growth story for India remains intact, but there could be a lot more pain before a recovery kicks in.

"The future is going to be multi-brand car showrooms," said marketing consultant Vijayaraghavan. "That is the only way for dealerships to survive going forward as overhead costs need to be shared."

Sudhir Gharpure and his sales team sat chatting at a big Maruti Suzuki dealership on the outskirts of Mumbai some two hours after its doors were opened on a recent Saturday morning - not a single customer was in sight.

Sudhir Gharpure and his sales team sat chatting at a big Maruti Suzuki dealership on the outskirts of Mumbai some two hours after its doors were opened on a recent Saturday morning - not a single customer was in sight. "There used to be close to 15-20 bookings each day, but now we're down to 3-5 on good days," said Gharpure, the general manager at the dealership. Gharpure's experience is not an isolated one. Across India dealerships are being pushed out of business and the Indian auto sector is going through its biggest slump in nearly two decades. Passenger vehicle sales fell for eight straight months until June, and in May sales dropped 20.55% - the sharpest recorded fall in 18 years. Preliminary data indicates passenger vehicle sales may have plunged as much as 30 per cent in July. The slump in India, along with a simultaneous slide in Chinese auto sales, is a blow for automakers wrestling with higher costs driven by more stringent emission norms and a push to develop electric cars. Unlike in China, where the plunge in cars sales has been caused largely by new emissions rules, India has seen a mix of factors that have combined to erode demand for automobiles. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2016 ban on high-value banknotes, higher tax rates under a new goods and services tax regime, a boom of ride-sharing firms such as Uber and Ola, and a weak rural economy have all played a role. But many dealers and automakers agree it is a deepening liquidity crunch among India's shadow banks that has been the biggest single factor in an auto sales collapse, which some fear may lead to more than a million job losses. Non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), or shadow banks, have dramatically slashed lending following the collapse of one of the biggest, IL&FS, in late 2018. IL&FS, or Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd, was a behemoth in shadow banking and its defaults and unravelling, amid fraud allegations, have dried up funding for rivals and led to a surge in their borrowing costs. Non-bank or shadow banking firms generate credit outside traditional lenders, by means such as collective investment vehicles, broker-dealers or funds that invest in bonds and money markets. In India, NBFCs have in recent years helped fund nearly 55-60% of commercial vehicles both new and used, 30% of passenger cars and nearly 65% of the two-wheelers in the country, according to rating agency ICRA. To aggravate matters, the stress in the autos market has also prompted banks to begin trimming their exposure to the sector. "The car doesn't sell, it's the finance that sells," said R. Vijayaraghavan, a senior marketing consultant at the same Mumbai dealership. "Today the finance is not selling, so the cars are not selling." Problems amplified Some 286 dealerships have shut down in the last 18 months across India as rising costs for inventory management have made businesses unviable, according to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA), a lobby group of auto dealers. "The slowdown in the (NBFC) sector has dragged down vehicle sales growth," said AM Karthik, financial sector head at ICRA. "Now the auto slowdown is becoming more visible as the liquidity squeeze continues." Automakers including Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors , and Mahindra & Mahindra are feeling the heat and have either cut production or temporarily closed plants to correct mounting stocks. According to FADA data, passenger vehicle inventories now stand at 50-60 days up from around 45 days earlier, while those of two-wheelers are even higher at 80-90 days. For commercial vehicles, inventory levels range between 45 and 50 days. "We are asking dealers to maintain an inventory of 21 days, which is almost half of the current levels," said Ashish Kale, president of FADA. At least four dealers from different brands said, however, there was little scope to reduce inventories as automakers were pushing them to buy stock despite there being no demand even with heavy discounting and other sops on offer. While 70-75% of car sales were previously financed in-house by NBFC or bank agents sitting at a dealership, that has fallen to about 50%, say, dealers, as buyers struggle to qualify under more stringent lending norms put in place by lenders that are under pressure to shore up their books. Moreover, as many NBFCs typically lent to less creditworthy clients, banks are reticent to rush in to fill the void, as they struggle to cope with an existing pile of about $150 billion in bad loans. "The banking sector is certainly one of the factors that has affected the growth of the industry," said RC Bhargava, chair of Maruti Suzuki, noting interest rates for car buyers have gone up in the last 12 months despite the central bank cutting rates. Early recovery unlikely With the autos sector employing more than 35 million people directly and indirectly, and contributing more than 7% to India's GDP and accounting for 49% of its manufacturing GDP, the fallout from the autos slump is huge and presents a big challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government as it begins its second term. The entire supply chain, from vehicle manufacturers to component makers, are bleeding amid the slump. "I've been making my payments for the last 30 years and the lenders know me," said Adarsh Gupta, the director of finance at Autolite (India), a component manufacturing firm. "But even a two-day delay has people crying that I will default. "I too want to pay, but because of the fall in cashflows I'm facing short-term issues and because of that it's difficult to get more financing. This is the vicious cycle we are in." Still, automakers are hopeful of a recovery in the months ahead, helped by the September-December festive season that traditionally sees a surge in consumer spending. "One can only wish that things improve sooner rather than later. With festive demand starting to seep through, we should start seeing a gradual improvement in sales," said PB Balaji, group CFO at Tata Motors. Analysts are more sceptical though and say without vehicle financing becoming cheaper and easier the chances for that are low. With no silver lining in sight, analysts fear bad debts could mount in the auto sector, forcing banks to further reduce their exposure. "We see market prices and sales coming down so there may be issues," said a top official at the Indian Banks' Association. "We could see a spillover in terms of bad loans for the overall sector, but we are going to wait and watch." Dealers said they were hopeful of tiding over the current downturn as the broader growth story for India remains intact, but there could be a lot more pain before a recovery kicks in. "The future is going to be multi-brand car showrooms," said marketing consultant Vijayaraghavan. "That is the only way for dealerships to survive going forward as overhead costs need to be shared."

Auto sector crisis: How a shadow banking crisis is hurting car and bike sales in India

Passenger vehicle sales in India dropped 17% in April - their worst monthly fall in nearly eight years, data from an industry body showed on Monday, as weak sentiment, high insurance costs and a liquidity crunch dented car sales.

Sales of passenger vehicles dived to 247,541 in April versus 298,504 a year earlier, data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers showed. Two-wheeler sales dropped 16.4% to about 1.6 million vehicles.

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Last month, the country's biggest automaker Maruti Suzuki Ltd said it sold 458,479 vehicles in the three months ended March 31, down 0.7 per cent on-year, and forecast a weak rate of growth for the current fiscal year.

Passenger vehicle sales in India dropped 17% in April - their worst monthly fall in nearly eight years, data from an industry body showed on Monday, as weak sentiment, high insurance costs and a liquidity crunch dented car sales.

Passenger vehicle sales in India dropped 17% in April - their worst monthly fall in nearly eight years, data from an industry body showed on Monday, as weak sentiment, high insurance costs and a liquidity crunch dented car sales. Sales of passenger vehicles dived to 247,541 in April versus 298,504 a year earlier, data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers showed. Two-wheeler sales dropped 16.4% to about 1.6 million vehicles. Last month, the country's biggest automaker Maruti Suzuki Ltd said it sold 458,479 vehicles in the three months ended March 31, down 0.7 per cent on-year, and forecast a weak rate of growth for the current fiscal year.

India's car, two-wheeler sales slump to lowest level in almost 8 years in April

J&K car blast probe begins, NIA team reaches site

Possible terror attack averted in cylinder blast

Honda, Hino hitch ride with self-driving car service venture of SoftBank, Toyota

Automobile giant Ford Motor has come up with its brand new premium SUV Endeavour with a "significant evolution in design, convenience and technology," the official press release stated.&nbsp;

Priced at Rs 28.19 Lakh, the 2019 edition of the premium SUV comes with greater road presence, style and convenience while continuing to offer class-leading off-road capabilities, unmatched safety and advanced technologies.&nbsp;

Here's taking a quick look at the key specifications and features of the brand new SUV:

The premium SUV comes with first-in-class hands-free Power Lift Gate, power adjustable front seats, push-button start and dual-zone automatic climate control.

Master in all terrain&nbsp;

The vehicle's first-in-segment Terrain Management System makes it a master in all terrain. The SUV comes equipped with up to seven airbags

The New Endeavour comes with six-speed Manual transmission with the 2.2L engine; a total of three trims with 2.2L &amp; 3.2L diesel engine&nbsp;and six-speed automatic transmission.

Built for extreme conditions

Both rear and front bumpers have integrated skid plates to protect the car’s underbody even in extreme off-road conditions. The new design 18-inch alloy wheels ensure excellent grip and handling. The ORVMs feature puddle lamps make it easier for drivers to get in and out of the vehicle, even in dark, most extreme conditions.

The SUV will also feature Hill Launch Assist and Hill Descent Control that make steep uphill or downhill climbs more convenient and easier for drivers.

Noise cancellation, panoramic sun-roof, voice commands and more&nbsp;

The New Endeavour features first-in-class Active Noise Cancellation, a technology used in noise-cancelling headphones to help reduce low-frequency engine sounds from entering the cabin.

The vehicle also holds on to its promise of being the only premium SUV to feature a panoramic sun-roof, covering up to 50% of the roof space.

In-car connectivity technology SYNC 3, that allows drivers to use simple voice commands to control the car’s entertainment system, make or receive calls and connect mobile devices. SYNC 3 system is also Apple CarPlay and Google Auto compatible.

Hassle-free parking, keyless entry and other smart features

To reduce parking anxiety, it offers Semi-Auto Parallel Park Assist that helps locate the right sized parking spot and steers the SUV effortlessly at the touch of a button.

Push start button, and keyless entry along with a host of smart features such as rear and front parking sensors, rear parking camera, automatic headlamps, automatic wipers, DRLs, dual-zone automatic climate control also get offered across the range.

Attractive options

The New Ford Endeavour will be available in five colours, including brand new Diffused Silver as well as Sunset Red, Diamond White, Absolute Black and Moondust Silver. It comes at the service cost of 68 Paisa and 3-year warranty/100,000 KM warranty.&nbsp;

Automobile giant Ford Motor has come up with its brand new premium SUV Endeavour with a "significant evolution in design, convenience and technology," the official press release stated.

Automobile giant Ford Motor has come up with its brand new premium SUV Endeavour with a "significant evolution in design, convenience and technology," the official press release stated. Priced at Rs 28.19 Lakh, the 2019 edition of the premium SUV comes with greater road presence, style and convenience while continuing to offer class-leading off-road capabilities, unmatched safety and advanced technologies. Here's taking a quick look at the key specifications and features of the brand new SUV: The premium SUV comes with first-in-class hands-free Power Lift Gate, power adjustable front seats, push-button start and dual-zone automatic climate control. Master in all terrain The vehicle's first-in-segment Terrain Management System makes it a master in all terrain. The SUV comes equipped with up to seven airbags The New Endeavour comes with six-speed Manual transmission with the 2.2L engine; a total of three trims with 2.2L & 3.2L diesel engine and six-speed automatic transmission. Built for extreme conditions Both rear and front bumpers have integrated skid plates to protect the car’s underbody even in extreme off-road conditions. The new design 18-inch alloy wheels ensure excellent grip and handling. The ORVMs feature puddle lamps make it easier for drivers to get in and out of the vehicle, even in dark, most extreme conditions. The SUV will also feature Hill Launch Assist and Hill Descent Control that make steep uphill or downhill climbs more convenient and easier for drivers. Noise cancellation, panoramic sun-roof, voice commands and more The New Endeavour features first-in-class Active Noise Cancellation, a technology used in noise-cancelling headphones to help reduce low-frequency engine sounds from entering the cabin. The vehicle also holds on to its promise of being the only premium SUV to feature a panoramic sun-roof, covering up to 50% of the roof space. In-car connectivity technology SYNC 3, that allows drivers to use simple voice commands to control the car’s entertainment system, make or receive calls and connect mobile devices. SYNC 3 system is also Apple CarPlay and Google Auto compatible. Hassle-free parking, keyless entry and other smart features To reduce parking anxiety, it offers Semi-Auto Parallel Park Assist that helps locate the right sized parking spot and steers the SUV effortlessly at the touch of a button. Push start button, and keyless entry along with a host of smart features such as rear and front parking sensors, rear parking camera, automatic headlamps, automatic wipers, DRLs, dual-zone automatic climate control also get offered across the range. Attractive options The New Ford Endeavour will be available in five colours, including brand new Diffused Silver as well as Sunset Red, Diamond White, Absolute Black and Moondust Silver. It comes at the service cost of 68 Paisa and 3-year warranty/100,000 KM warranty.

Ford India introduces brand new premium SUV Endeavour at Rs 28.19 lakh

Boeing Co said on Wednesday its flying car prototype hovered briefly in the air during an inaugural test <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/jeff-bezoss-blue-origin-rocket-makes-10th-flight-test-192329&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwimwZz2w4XgAhWHv48KHWV7BP4QFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0haqT6p7pKShw7BEIpV9sU">flight</a>, a small but significant step as the world's largest planemaker bids to revolutionise urban transportation and parcel delivery services.

Boeing is competing with arch-rival Airbus SE and numerous other firms to introduce small self-flying vehicles capable of vertical takeoff and landing.

The investments, fuelled by leaps in autonomous <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/china-already-leads-the-world-in-some-military-technology-pentagon-report-190597&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiqhOiIxIXgAhWbfCsKHXFfBv4QFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ekAPZiSXuWJencWbAvlVH">technology</a> as much as frustration with road congestion, could change the face of the aerospace industry within the next decade.

Boeing's 30-foot-long (9 meters) aircraft - part helicopter, part drone, and part fixed-wing plane - lifted a few feet off the ground and made a soft landing after less than a minute of being airborne on Tuesday at an airport in Manassas, Virginia, Boeing said.

Future flights will test forward, wing-borne flight.

"This is what revolution looks like, and it's because of autonomy," John Langford, president, and chief executive officer of Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, said in a news release announcing the test flight.
<img alt="Boeing's Autonomous Passenger Air Vehicle (PAV) prototype is shown during an inaugural test flight." data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9a628d6b-9a06-4435-beaa-4726ba65cef4" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2863%29.jpg" />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;(Image source: Reuters)

Major hurdles to Boeing's vision of "low-stress" mobility - as it is called in the company's marketing materials - include sorting out numerous critical safety and regulatory issues to meld traditional roadway traffic with fleets of flying cars.

Boeing is working with startup SparkCognition Inc and the US Federal Aviation Administration to develop a traffic management system for three-dimensional highways, as well as the regulatory framework that will allow waves of autonomous vehicles to zip safely around buildings, the company has said.

Boeing bought Manassas-based Aurora Flight Sciences last year to speed development of a fleet of autonomous air vehicles. With Aurora, Boeing is also working on Uber Technologies Inc's&nbsp;UberAIR service for flights that are planned to be available for order via smartphones around 2023.

Boeing is looking to achieve a range of 50 miles with two flying car variants capable of carrying two and four passengers each. Tests are planned for later this year on a package-hauling version that can lift up to 500 pounds (226.8 kg).

Competitors range from Airbus, which says it has already conducted numerous flying vehicle test flights, to Volocopter, which has tested drone taxis that resemble a small helicopter powered by 18 rotors, and AeroMobil, with a stretch-limousine concept that can turn into a fixed-wing aircraft.

Vertical Aerospace, which completed a flight test last year, aims to offer short inter-city flights in the coming years with a piloted aircraft capable of carrying multiple passengers.

“The future of mobility – moving goods, moving cargo – moving people - that future is happening now and it’s going to accelerate over the next five years and ramp up even more beyond that," Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing's president, chairman, and CEO, told a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday. 
&nbsp;

Boeing Co said on Wednesday its flying car prototype hovered briefly in the air during an inaugural test flight, a small but significant step as the world's largest planemaker bids to revolutionise urban transportation and parcel delivery services.

Boeing Co said on Wednesday its flying car prototype hovered briefly in the air during an inaugural test flight, a small but significant step as the world's largest planemaker bids to revolutionise urban transportation and parcel delivery services. Boeing is competing with arch-rival Airbus SE and numerous other firms to introduce small self-flying vehicles capable of vertical takeoff and landing. The investments, fuelled by leaps in autonomous technology as much as frustration with road congestion, could change the face of the aerospace industry within the next decade. Boeing's 30-foot-long (9 meters) aircraft - part helicopter, part drone, and part fixed-wing plane - lifted a few feet off the ground and made a soft landing after less than a minute of being airborne on Tuesday at an airport in Manassas, Virginia, Boeing said. Future flights will test forward, wing-borne flight. "This is what revolution looks like, and it's because of autonomy," John Langford, president, and chief executive officer of Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, said in a news release announcing the test flight. (Image source: Reuters) Major hurdles to Boeing's vision of "low-stress" mobility - as it is called in the company's marketing materials - include sorting out numerous critical safety and regulatory issues to meld traditional roadway traffic with fleets of flying cars. Boeing is working with startup SparkCognition Inc and the US Federal Aviation Administration to develop a traffic management system for three-dimensional highways, as well as the regulatory framework that will allow waves of autonomous vehicles to zip safely around buildings, the company has said. Boeing bought Manassas-based Aurora Flight Sciences last year to speed development of a fleet of autonomous air vehicles. With Aurora, Boeing is also working on Uber Technologies Inc's UberAIR service for flights that are planned to be available for order via smartphones around 2023. Boeing is looking to achieve a range of 50 miles with two flying car variants capable of carrying two and four passengers each. Tests are planned for later this year on a package-hauling version that can lift up to 500 pounds (226.8 kg). Competitors range from Airbus, which says it has already conducted numerous flying vehicle test flights, to Volocopter, which has tested drone taxis that resemble a small helicopter powered by 18 rotors, and AeroMobil, with a stretch-limousine concept that can turn into a fixed-wing aircraft. Vertical Aerospace, which completed a flight test last year, aims to offer short inter-city flights in the coming years with a piloted aircraft capable of carrying multiple passengers. “The future of mobility – moving goods, moving cargo – moving people - that future is happening now and it’s going to accelerate over the next five years and ramp up even more beyond that," Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing's president, chairman, and CEO, told a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday.

Boeing's flying car takes off, makes short flight

A car bomb attack on a police cadet training academy killed 10 people and wounded 65 on Thursday in Bogota, making it the worst such incident in the Colombian capital in 16 years.

The defense ministry said the "terrorist act" was carried out using a vehicle packed with 80 kilograms (around 175 pounds) of explosives.

"All Colombians reject terrorism and we're united in fighting it," President Ivan Duque tweeted.

Vowing to bring those responsible to justice, Duque added: "COLOMBIA is sad but will not bow to violence." The bomber -- who authorities confirmed was killed in the attack -- struck at the General Francisco de Paula Santander Officer's School in the south of Bogota during a promotion ceremony for cadets.

No group has claimed responsibility, but public prosecutor Nestor Humberto Martinez named suspect Jose Aldemar Rojas Rodriguez as the "material author of this abominable crime." Martinez said Rojas Rodriguez entered the school compound at 9:30 am (1430 GMT) driving a grey 1993 Nissan Patrol truck, but gave no details about the explosion.

He said the truck underwent an inspection in July in the Arauco department on the border with Venezuela -- a traditional stronghold of ELN Marxist guerrillas.

The defense ministry said an investigation had been opened "to find those responsible for this terrorist act." Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno said one of the dead was an Ecuadoran cadet, while a second suffered light injuries.

"The brutal act of terrorism in Bogota took the life of a compatriot," Moreno said on Twitter.

"My sincerest thoughts go to the family, friends and companions of Erika Chico." Meanwhile, Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela that 45 Panamanian cadets were present during the attack, with two injured.

Fanny Contreras, the Colombian armed forces' health inspector, told local radio that the truck "entered (the school compound) suddenly, almost hitting the police, and then there was the explosion."&nbsp;

Carol Oviedo said her brother Jonathan, a cadet, told her on the phone he had been injured, before the connection was cut.

"In two years since he joined the police, he's never had to face a situation like this," she said.

Like other families, she was lingering in the vicinity of the academy hoping to hear some news.

United States assistant secretary of state in charge of Latin America, Kimberly Breier condemned the attack and said: "Our condolences and sympathies go to the victims and family members of those killed." The US embassy in Bogota offered its "help in investigating this reprehensible attack." Rosalba Jimenez, 62, was opening her confectionary store near the school when the bomb went off.

"When we turned to look at the school the sky was grey with smoke. People were running, sirens... Horrible, horrible, it seemed like the end of the world," Jimenez told AFP.

Authorities sealed off the area to the press and increased security service patrols in the south of the city, AFP reporters said.

Right-wing Duque, who assumed power in August, has peddled a tough line against Marxist rebels and drug traffickers in the largest cocaine producer in the world.

Peace talks with ELN guerrillas -- who in the past have claimed responsibility for bomb attacks on police -- stalled before Duque replaced Juan Manuel Santos as president, and have not been restarted.

Duque has made several demands, including the release of all hostages, as prerequisites to kick-starting the peace process, but the ELN has dismissed those as unacceptable.

After the 2016 peace accord signed by Santos and FARC guerrillas, turning the former rebels into a political party, the ELN is considered the last active rebel group in a country that has suffered more than half a century of conflict.

That cycle of violence has also involved paramilitaries, drug traffickers and other Marxist rebels, including FARC dissidents.

A year ago, six police died and 40 were injured in an attack on a police station in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla that was claimed by the ELN.

In February 2017, the ELN claimed responsibility for an attack on a police patrol in the Macarena neighbourhood of Bogota that left one officer dead and several seriously wounded.

In June, three people -- including a Frenchwoman -- were killed and nine others wounded in an attack on a Bogota shopping mall that authorities blamed on a fringe left-wing group called the Revolutionary People's Movement (MRP).&nbsp;

A car bomb attack on a police cadet training academy killed 10 people and wounded 65 on Thursday in Bogota, making it the worst such incident in the Colombian capital in 16 years.

A car bomb attack on a police cadet training academy killed 10 people and wounded 65 on Thursday in Bogota, making it the worst such incident in the Colombian capital in 16 years. The defense ministry said the "terrorist act" was carried out using a vehicle packed with 80 kilograms (around 175 pounds) of explosives. "All Colombians reject terrorism and we're united in fighting it," President Ivan Duque tweeted. Vowing to bring those responsible to justice, Duque added: "COLOMBIA is sad but will not bow to violence." The bomber -- who authorities confirmed was killed in the attack -- struck at the General Francisco de Paula Santander Officer's School in the south of Bogota during a promotion ceremony for cadets. No group has claimed responsibility, but public prosecutor Nestor Humberto Martinez named suspect Jose Aldemar Rojas Rodriguez as the "material author of this abominable crime." Martinez said Rojas Rodriguez entered the school compound at 9:30 am (1430 GMT) driving a grey 1993 Nissan Patrol truck, but gave no details about the explosion. He said the truck underwent an inspection in July in the Arauco department on the border with Venezuela -- a traditional stronghold of ELN Marxist guerrillas. The defense ministry said an investigation had been opened "to find those responsible for this terrorist act." Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno said one of the dead was an Ecuadoran cadet, while a second suffered light injuries. "The brutal act of terrorism in Bogota took the life of a compatriot," Moreno said on Twitter. "My sincerest thoughts go to the family, friends and companions of Erika Chico." Meanwhile, Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela that 45 Panamanian cadets were present during the attack, with two injured. Fanny Contreras, the Colombian armed forces' health inspector, told local radio that the truck "entered (the school compound) suddenly, almost hitting the police, and then there was the explosion." Carol Oviedo said her brother Jonathan, a cadet, told her on the phone he had been injured, before the connection was cut. "In two years since he joined the police, he's never had to face a situation like this," she said. Like other families, she was lingering in the vicinity of the academy hoping to hear some news. United States assistant secretary of state in charge of Latin America, Kimberly Breier condemned the attack and said: "Our condolences and sympathies go to the victims and family members of those killed." The US embassy in Bogota offered its "help in investigating this reprehensible attack." Rosalba Jimenez, 62, was opening her confectionary store near the school when the bomb went off. "When we turned to look at the school the sky was grey with smoke. People were running, sirens... Horrible, horrible, it seemed like the end of the world," Jimenez told AFP. Authorities sealed off the area to the press and increased security service patrols in the south of the city, AFP reporters said. Right-wing Duque, who assumed power in August, has peddled a tough line against Marxist rebels and drug traffickers in the largest cocaine producer in the world. Peace talks with ELN guerrillas -- who in the past have claimed responsibility for bomb attacks on police -- stalled before Duque replaced Juan Manuel Santos as president, and have not been restarted. Duque has made several demands, including the release of all hostages, as prerequisites to kick-starting the peace process, but the ELN has dismissed those as unacceptable. After the 2016 peace accord signed by Santos and FARC guerrillas, turning the former rebels into a political party, the ELN is considered the last active rebel group in a country that has suffered more than half a century of conflict. That cycle of violence has also involved paramilitaries, drug traffickers and other Marxist rebels, including FARC dissidents. A year ago, six police died and 40 were injured in an attack on a police station in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla that was claimed by the ELN. In February 2017, the ELN claimed responsibility for an attack on a police patrol in the Macarena neighbourhood of Bogota that left one officer dead and several seriously wounded. In June, three people -- including a Frenchwoman -- were killed and nine others wounded in an attack on a Bogota shopping mall that authorities blamed on a fringe left-wing group called the Revolutionary People's Movement (MRP).

Ten killed in car bomb attack on Colombian police academy

A downturn in China's car market has wrong-footed some of the world's biggest automakers, saddling them with factories they no longer need and that are costly to retool, according to a report from the Dow Jones Newswires supplied to EFE on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Ford Motor, Peugeot and Hyundai Motor especially mistimed recent expansions, opening new plants just as the seemingly unstoppable growth of China's auto market went into reverse.&nbsp;

It has gotten so bad that at one Peugeot factory, skilled workers spend their days washing floors or attending Communist Party political study sessions at work.&nbsp;

At a Ford plant, workers' shifts have been reduced to a few days a month, according to employees.&nbsp;

Now, these automakers face a painful dilemma: Abandon those big investments or invest even more to turn around dying plants at an uncertain time in a crucial market.&nbsp;

"Looking back, it wasn't the right choice" to build new factories, said Paul Gong, an auto analyst at UBS Group. "No one was willing to predict that they might ever lose market share in China."&nbsp;

In a few short decades China zoomed from nowhere to become the world's biggest vehicle market, with sales often growing by double digits; in 2016, auto sales grew 14 per cent to 28 million, eclipsing the United States' 17.5 million sales, Dow Jones added in its report to EFE.&nbsp;

Global automakers rushed in, despite rules requiring them to take on Chinese partners. Domestic auto companies proliferated, too, building plants of their own. A government campaign to promote electric vehicles added more sizzle to the market.&nbsp;

In the frenzy, some companies became complacent, assuming growth would be endless and easy to capture, according to Gong and other analysts.&nbsp; 
Then the growth evaporated. Sales grew 3 per cent in 2017 and declined 2 per cent in the first 11 months of 2018.&nbsp;

China now has enough factories to build 43 million cars but will produce fewer than 29 million this year, according to consulting firm PwC. While foreign and domestic auto makers alike find themselves under pressure, the slowdown has hit those that misread the market hardest of all.&nbsp;

Ford opened a new plant – its seventh in China – in the northern city of Harbin last year. The factory – a nearly $1 billion investment with joint-venture partner Chongqing Chang'an Automobile Co. – increased Ford's production capacity by 200,000 to 1.6 million vehicles a year in China.&nbsp;

Ford's sales in China peaked at 1.27 million in 2016; they then fell 6 per cent last year and 34 per cent in the January-November period of 2018 year-over-year to 695,028.&nbsp;

"We expanded too fast and too far," said a technician currently based at the Ford plant in Hangzhou.&nbsp;

He, like several other Ford workers interviewed, asked not to be identified. Some had signed nondisclosure agreements prohibiting them from talking about the company.&nbsp;

The Hangzhou facility, which turns out Taurus sedans and Edge SUVs, used to be a hive of activity, said the technician. Shifts have now dwindled to a few a month.&nbsp;

While there haven't been layoffs, some workers are receiving monthly salaries of as little as $220, forcing many to find second jobs as couriers or cabdrivers, the technician said.&nbsp;

A Ford spokesman declined to respond directly to questions about overcapacity or conditions at its factories. The spokesman said Ford works with its joint-venture partners to "schedule production based on market demand."&nbsp;

A slate of new models will be launched over the next few years as part of a turnaround strategy, he said, suggesting that a projected rebound in sales would absorb excess capacity.&nbsp;

Electric vehicles risk exacerbating overcapacity. A government plan to make China a world leader in EVs is opening up floodgates of financing for domestic companies.&nbsp;

At least 32 new car plants with a combined yearly capacity of more than 7.5 million vehicles – mostly electric – are in the pipeline, according to announcements made by 26 firms.&nbsp;

Among them is Tesla, which is building a plant in Shanghai with capacity to make 500,000 vehicles. Volkswagen is building a 300,000-capacity EV factory in Shanghai, having opened three new Chinese plants for both EVs and gasoline cars in 2018 alone.&nbsp;

Ford also plans to open an eighth China factory, with new JV partner Zotye Auto, that will be able to produce 100,000 electric cars a year.&nbsp;

Like Ford, Hyundai opened a new plant, its eighth for passenger cars in China, in 2017, only to see sales falter that year and this. A spokesman for the South Korean automaker declined to answer questions about overcapacity.&nbsp;

Peugeot also continued to open new plants through the height of the boom. Sales of its Citroën and Peugeot cars, which it builds in partnership with Dongfeng Motor Corp., peaked at 705,000 in 2015 and dwindled to 205,000 in the first nine months of this year.&nbsp;

On an online forum, workers at one Peugeot plant in Wuhan described how they'd been cleaning or painting factory walls or spending their time in sessions undergoing "ideological training." They said that two of the company's four plants had been idle since October, while the other two were only partially operational.&nbsp;

A Peugeot spokeswoman didn't respond to questions about the plants but said the company was "optimizing the business model" and implementing "a sharp reduction in fixed costs," without saying what that involved.&nbsp;

Gong, the analyst, notes that one foreign maker, Suzuki Motor, quit China entirely in 2018 rather than continue to bleed cash. Others with surplus factories, he said, will likewise find that option "a rational choice."

A downturn in China's car market has wrong-footed some of the world's biggest automakers, saddling them with factories they no longer need and that are costly to retool, according to a report from the Dow Jones Newswires supplied to EFE on Tuesday.

A downturn in China's car market has wrong-footed some of the world's biggest automakers, saddling them with factories they no longer need and that are costly to retool, according to a report from the Dow Jones Newswires supplied to EFE on Tuesday. Ford Motor, Peugeot and Hyundai Motor especially mistimed recent expansions, opening new plants just as the seemingly unstoppable growth of China's auto market went into reverse. It has gotten so bad that at one Peugeot factory, skilled workers spend their days washing floors or attending Communist Party political study sessions at work. At a Ford plant, workers' shifts have been reduced to a few days a month, according to employees. Now, these automakers face a painful dilemma: Abandon those big investments or invest even more to turn around dying plants at an uncertain time in a crucial market. "Looking back, it wasn't the right choice" to build new factories, said Paul Gong, an auto analyst at UBS Group. "No one was willing to predict that they might ever lose market share in China." In a few short decades China zoomed from nowhere to become the world's biggest vehicle market, with sales often growing by double digits; in 2016, auto sales grew 14 per cent to 28 million, eclipsing the United States' 17.5 million sales, Dow Jones added in its report to EFE. Global automakers rushed in, despite rules requiring them to take on Chinese partners. Domestic auto companies proliferated, too, building plants of their own. A government campaign to promote electric vehicles added more sizzle to the market. In the frenzy, some companies became complacent, assuming growth would be endless and easy to capture, according to Gong and other analysts. Then the growth evaporated. Sales grew 3 per cent in 2017 and declined 2 per cent in the first 11 months of 2018. China now has enough factories to build 43 million cars but will produce fewer than 29 million this year, according to consulting firm PwC. While foreign and domestic auto makers alike find themselves under pressure, the slowdown has hit those that misread the market hardest of all. Ford opened a new plant – its seventh in China – in the northern city of Harbin last year. The factory – a nearly $1 billion investment with joint-venture partner Chongqing Chang'an Automobile Co. – increased Ford's production capacity by 200,000 to 1.6 million vehicles a year in China. Ford's sales in China peaked at 1.27 million in 2016; they then fell 6 per cent last year and 34 per cent in the January-November period of 2018 year-over-year to 695,028. "We expanded too fast and too far," said a technician currently based at the Ford plant in Hangzhou. He, like several other Ford workers interviewed, asked not to be identified. Some had signed nondisclosure agreements prohibiting them from talking about the company. The Hangzhou facility, which turns out Taurus sedans and Edge SUVs, used to be a hive of activity, said the technician. Shifts have now dwindled to a few a month. While there haven't been layoffs, some workers are receiving monthly salaries of as little as $220, forcing many to find second jobs as couriers or cabdrivers, the technician said. A Ford spokesman declined to respond directly to questions about overcapacity or conditions at its factories. The spokesman said Ford works with its joint-venture partners to "schedule production based on market demand." A slate of new models will be launched over the next few years as part of a turnaround strategy, he said, suggesting that a projected rebound in sales would absorb excess capacity. Electric vehicles risk exacerbating overcapacity. A government plan to make China a world leader in EVs is opening up floodgates of financing for domestic companies. At least 32 new car plants with a combined yearly capacity of more than 7.5 million vehicles – mostly electric – are in the pipeline, according to announcements made by 26 firms. Among them is Tesla, which is building a plant in Shanghai with capacity to make 500,000 vehicles. Volkswagen is building a 300,000-capacity EV factory in Shanghai, having opened three new Chinese plants for both EVs and gasoline cars in 2018 alone. Ford also plans to open an eighth China factory, with new JV partner Zotye Auto, that will be able to produce 100,000 electric cars a year. Like Ford, Hyundai opened a new plant, its eighth for passenger cars in China, in 2017, only to see sales falter that year and this. A spokesman for the South Korean automaker declined to answer questions about overcapacity. Peugeot also continued to open new plants through the height of the boom. Sales of its Citroën and Peugeot cars, which it builds in partnership with Dongfeng Motor Corp., peaked at 705,000 in 2015 and dwindled to 205,000 in the first nine months of this year. On an online forum, workers at one Peugeot plant in Wuhan described how they'd been cleaning or painting factory walls or spending their time in sessions undergoing "ideological training." They said that two of the company's four plants had been idle since October, while the other two were only partially operational. A Peugeot spokeswoman didn't respond to questions about the plants but said the company was "optimizing the business model" and implementing "a sharp reduction in fixed costs," without saying what that involved. Gong, the analyst, notes that one foreign maker, Suzuki Motor, quit China entirely in 2018 rather than continue to bleed cash. Others with surplus factories, he said, will likewise find that option "a rational choice."

Idle hands in China workshops: Foreign carmakers struggle with zombie plants

2018 Hyundai Santro: Hit or Miss?

Since picking up a wrench as one of the first female car mechanics in conservative Pakistan, Uzma Nawaz has faced two common reactions: shock and surprise. And then a bit of respect.

The 24-year-old spent years overcoming entrenched gender stereotypes and financial hurdles en route to earning a mechanical engineering degree and getting a job with an auto repairs garage in the eastern city of Multan.

"I took it up as a challenge against all odds and the meager financial resources of my family," Nawaz told AFP.

"When they see me doing this type of work they are really surprised."

Hailing from the small, impoverished town of Dunyapur in eastern Pakistan's Punjab province, Nawaz relied on scholarships and often skipped meals when she was broke while pursuing her degree.

Her achievements are rare. Women have long struggled for their rights in patriarchal Pakistan, an Islamic republic, and especially in rural areas are often encouraged to marry young and devote themselves entirely to family over career.

"No hardship could break my will and motivation," she says proudly.

The sacrifices cleared the way for steady work at a Toyota dealership in Multan following graduation, she adds.

Just a year into the job, and promoted to general repairs, Nawaz moves with the ease of a seasoned pro around the dealership's garage, removing tyres from raised vehicles, inspecting engines and handling a variety of tools -- a sight that initially jolted some customers.

"I was shocked to see a young girl lifting heavy spare tyres and then putting them back on vehicles after repairs," customer Arshad Ahmad told AFP.

But Nawaz's drive and expertise has impressed colleagues, who say she can more than hold her own.

"Whatever task we give her she does it like a man with hard work and dedication," said coworker M. Attaullah.

She has also convinced some of those who doubted her ability to make it in a male-dominated work environment, including members of her own family.

"There is no need in our society for girls to work at workshops, it doesn't seems nice, but it is her passion," said her father Muhammad Nawaz

"She can now set up the machinery and can work properly. I too am very happy."

Since picking up a wrench as one of the first female car mechanics in conservative Pakistan, Uzma Nawaz has faced two common reactions: shock and surprise. And then a bit of respect.

Since picking up a wrench as one of the first female car mechanics in conservative Pakistan, Uzma Nawaz has faced two common reactions: shock and surprise. And then a bit of respect. The 24-year-old spent years overcoming entrenched gender stereotypes and financial hurdles en route to earning a mechanical engineering degree and getting a job with an auto repairs garage in the eastern city of Multan. "I took it up as a challenge against all odds and the meager financial resources of my family," Nawaz told AFP. "When they see me doing this type of work they are really surprised." Hailing from the small, impoverished town of Dunyapur in eastern Pakistan's Punjab province, Nawaz relied on scholarships and often skipped meals when she was broke while pursuing her degree. Her achievements are rare. Women have long struggled for their rights in patriarchal Pakistan, an Islamic republic, and especially in rural areas are often encouraged to marry young and devote themselves entirely to family over career. "No hardship could break my will and motivation," she says proudly. The sacrifices cleared the way for steady work at a Toyota dealership in Multan following graduation, she adds. Just a year into the job, and promoted to general repairs, Nawaz moves with the ease of a seasoned pro around the dealership's garage, removing tyres from raised vehicles, inspecting engines and handling a variety of tools -- a sight that initially jolted some customers. "I was shocked to see a young girl lifting heavy spare tyres and then putting them back on vehicles after repairs," customer Arshad Ahmad told AFP. But Nawaz's drive and expertise has impressed colleagues, who say she can more than hold her own. "Whatever task we give her she does it like a man with hard work and dedication," said coworker M. Attaullah. She has also convinced some of those who doubted her ability to make it in a male-dominated work environment, including members of her own family. "There is no need in our society for girls to work at workshops, it doesn't seems nice, but it is her passion," said her father Muhammad Nawaz "She can now set up the machinery and can work properly. I too am very happy."

The female car mechanic driving change in patriarchal Pakistan

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday confirmed that Tesla will not be making its launch in India anytime soon,&nbspsuggesting in a tweeted earlier this morning.&nbsp

Musk said that it was up to the CFO, Deepak Ahuja, who suggested that the restrictive policy environment in India is acting as an obstacle in the electric vehicle's local production.&nbsp

“Would love to be in India. Some challenging government regulations, unfortunately. Deepak Ahuja, our CFO, is from India. Tesla will be there as soon as he believes we should,” Musk replied to a Twitter user who had said, “No Tesla in India.”

While many prominent Indians have shown a keen interest in Tesla’s vehicles, the firm is yet to take concrete steps to foray into the Indian market.

Last May, Musk had taken to Twitter to announce that his India plans had been derailed by the country’s Make in India push, which requires foreign companies to source at least 30% of their products locally. “…the supply doesn’t yet exist in India to support that,” he wrote.

A month on, Musk said Tesla was seeking temporary relief from import duties in India, presumably to start selling in the country sooner and with an affordable price tag. Although at the time, the official Make In India Twitter account clarified that only foreign retailers—not manufacturers—were subject to the local-sourcing clause, there was still no word on Tesla’s entry in the country.

Elon Musk has revealed plans to install 10,000 Supercharger stations for his company's electric vehicles around the world by the end of 2019.&nbsp

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Would love to be in India. Some challenging government regulations, unfortunately. Deepak Ahuja, our CFO, is from India. Tesla will be there as soon as he believes we should.
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Musk said that it was up to the CFO, Deepak Ahuja, who suggested that the restrictive policy environment in India is acting as a caveat in the electric vehicles local production

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday confirmed that Tesla will not be making its launch in India anytime soon,&nbspsuggesting in a tweeted earlier this morning. Musk said that it was up to the CFO, Deepak Ahuja, who suggested that the restrictive policy environment in India is acting as an obstacle in the electric vehicle's local production. “Would love to be in India. Some challenging government regulations, unfortunately. Deepak Ahuja, our CFO, is from India. Tesla will be there as soon as he believes we should,” Musk replied to a Twitter user who had said, “No Tesla in India.” While many prominent Indians have shown a keen interest in Tesla’s vehicles, the firm is yet to take concrete steps to foray into the Indian market. Last May, Musk had taken to Twitter to announce that his India plans had been derailed by the country’s Make in India push, which requires foreign companies to source at least 30% of their products locally. “…the supply doesn’t yet exist in India to support that,” he wrote. A month on, Musk said Tesla was seeking temporary relief from import duties in India, presumably to start selling in the country sooner and with an affordable price tag. Although at the time, the official Make In India Twitter account clarified that only foreign retailers—not manufacturers—were subject to the local-sourcing clause, there was still no word on Tesla’s entry in the country. Elon Musk has revealed plans to install 10,000 Supercharger stations for his company's electric vehicles around the world by the end of 2019. Would love to be in India. Some challenging government regulations, unfortunately. Deepak Ahuja, our CFO, is from India. Tesla will be there as soon as he believes we should. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 30, 2018 ×

Elon Musk talks about Tesla's arrival in India, says all depends on Indian CEO

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