COLUMBUS, OH--A surge in auto-manufacturing jobs since the start of the decade provided a desperately needed lift for Ohio as it climbed out of the worst recession since the Great Depression. But, that growth has stalled, based on recent figures, and analysts expect the job totals to remain flat or even shrink.
MILWAUKEE—There are a lot of good reasons for Harley-Davidson to open an assembly plant in Thailand, and few, mostly jingoistic, ones against it, but the irony is that the quintessential American motorcycle maker is going abroad because it is being punished by the same sort of trade rules it once championed.
TOKYO—Toyota Motor Corp. wants to smooth the oft-bumpy ride for startup companies by forming a new venture capital business. Armed with an initial $100 million to invest, Toyota AI Ventures will seek companies that are taking on challenging research related to artificial intelligence and robotics.
CANTON, MS—Employees at Nissan’s assembly plant here have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board for a unionization vote within a month.
MEXICO CITY—Mexico’s automotive industry is anticipating its eighth consecutive year of record-high production and exports. And in a bid to stay competitive, the industry is embracing ever more automation.
When the average person opens up a refrigerator and grabs a too-warm soda can or bottle, his initial reaction is one of disappointment. But, if that person is an assembler of harnesses for this type of appliance, his initial thought is: Check the evaporator fan wiring harness.
When I was a lad, the family car only had an AM radio, which was just fine with my father. All he wanted was to listen to the ballgame. FM radio? Tape player? Man, those were luxuries!
Most people associate additive manufacturing with plastics. However, a slew of new materials and processes are now available that enable engineers to print a variety of metal components.
Among the most innovative features on a new car is the keyless antenna, which emits a radio frequency signal to identify the owner’s key and open the car.