JUNE 4, 2021

General Motors signs a memorandum of understanding with Honda that increases cooperation in R&D, purchasing, connected services and battery and vehicle development. GM will be able to draw on Honda’s expertise to maintain its lineup of ICE vehicles.

Autoline Daily: Top Industry News for June 4

Electric Mustang Gets Priority; Ford Used “Cheap” Seat to Skirt Chicken Tax; U.S. Plans Battery Recycling Push

Ghosn: I Was Scapegoated for Nissan’s Struggles

“You’re in Japan…in the end the score is 99.4% conviction,” Carlos Ghosn tells Wards. “The judges are just a kind of an appendage of the prosecutor. And they certainly don't want a foreigner who is pleading innocent to be (found) innocent. This would be the end of a long tradition.”

Nissan’s Most-Viewed Auto Ad Resonates With Audiences

Ace Metrix Creative Assessment data from iSpot shows that over the past 90 days, the Nissan spot was deemed 4.9% more watchable by survey respondents than the norm for automotive ads, perhaps explaining why the automaker has stuck with it.

Tesla Raises Concerns of Putting Cost ahead of Safety

From TU Automotive
Tesla has reignited the debate over driverless technology requirements by deciding to focus on camera-only Level 2 automated driving systems.

U.S. Light-Vehicle Sales Still Solid, But Dried-Up Inventory Dents May’s Results

For Wards Intelligence Subscribers
May’s downturn from March-April’s combined 18 million-plus annualized rate indicates U.S. market volume will remain well below existing demand – and probably get worse before improving - until North American automakers can overcome the microchip shortage and shore up production.