Automotive Assembly

Man Acquitted of Automotive Assembly Plant Bombing

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

WINDSOR, Ontario, Canada—A janitor accused of having rigged a bomb at the Stellantis assembly plant here in 2021 in opposition to COVID-19 vaccine mandates was acquitted of all charges on July 20.

Honda, Nissan Consider Standardizing Control Units for Software-Defined Vehicles

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:00:00 -0400

TOKYO—In an effort to reduce development costs, Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. are talking about standardizing the electronic control units (ECUs) that will be used in future software-defined vehicles (SDVs). The automakers could begin installing the units in vehicles as early as 2029.

Adhesive Bonding Problem Leads to Recall of Ford SUVs

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:00:00 -0400

DEARBORN, MI—Ford Motor Co. has issued a safety recall involving 288,314 Explorer SUVs after determining that exterior roof rail covers may loosen and detach while the vehicle is moving.

Study: 2025 Tariffs Cost Midwest Manufacturing 41,700 Jobs

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:00:00 -0400

DETROIT — Tariffs imposed in 2025 cost Midwest manufacturers an estimated 41,700 jobs, according to a new study from the Midwest Economic Policy Institute and the University of Illinois' Project for Middle Class Renewal.

Trump Announces 50% Tariffs on Canadian Goods, Impacting Automotive Industry

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 16:48:36 -0400

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — President Donald Trump has announced 50% tariffs on most Canadian imports, a move that could create new uncertainty for North America's automotive manufacturers and suppliers.

Auto Suppliers Struggle to Remain Competitive

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:45:00 -0400

DETROIT—There are five strategies that suppliers must consider to balance near-term resilience with long-term survival.

Honda Recalls SUVs Due to Bolt Tightening Issue

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 17:00:00 -0400

TORRANCE, CA—American Honda Motor Co. has recalled almost 4,000 late-model sport utility vehicles due to a fastening snafu.

Volkswagen to Slash Half Its Vehicle Lineup in Sweeping Overhaul

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:52:45 -0400

BERLIN — Volkswagen plans to reduce its global vehicle lineup by as much as half as part of a sweeping restructuring aimed at lowering costs and improving competitiveness amid rising pressure from Chinese automakers and global tariffs.

Volkswagen Considers Closing Four German Plants, Cutting 50,000 Jobs

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:01:02 -0400

BERLIN — Volkswagen's supervisory board is scheduled to meet July 9 to consider a sweeping restructuring plan that could include plant closures, job cuts and changes to the automaker's corporate structure as it seeks to address mounting financial and competitive pressures.

Global Auto Industry Faces Strong Headwinds Ahead

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:00:00 -0400

DETROIT—Automakers around the world are entering a new chapter, faced with supply chain uncertainty and trade risks, according to a recent study by AlixPartners.

Toyota Invests $3.6 Billion in Texas, Calls for USMCA Resolution

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 17:19:59 -0400

SAN ANTONIO — Toyota Motor North America will invest $3.6 billion to expand its San Antonio manufacturing campus, adding a second vehicle assembly line for the Tacoma pickup and creating approximately 2,000 jobs.

Tesla’s Efficiency Edge Faces a Toyota Reality Check

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode of ASSEMBLY News Now, we look at how Tesla stacks up against Toyota and BYD, and what the numbers suggest about manufacturing efficiency, workforce scale and the changing competitive landscape in the global auto industry.

Robots Automate Bolt-Tightening on Automotive Assembly Lines

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Once thought impossible, robots can now tighten bolts using 3D vision systems and force sensors, even under the demanding conditions of a car factory.

Toyota, Tesla and BYD Rank Among World’s Best for Revenue and Profit per Employee

sprovierij@bnpmedia.com (John Sprovieri) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

BYD might produce and sell more EVs than Tesla, but Tesla operates with significantly fewer employees and generates higher revenue per worker model.

USMCA Renegotiation Could Create Manufacturing Uncertainty

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:48:11 -0400

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it will seek to renegotiate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) rather than renew the trade pact, a move that could create new uncertainty for manufacturers with integrated North American supply chains.

GM and Rheem Honored for Digital Manufacturing Transformation

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:00:00 -0400

WASHINGTON—General Motors and Rheem Manufacturing Co. recently received top honors in the 2026 Manufacturing Leadership Awards Competition sponsored by the Manufacturing Leadership Council.

25 People Who Shaped American Manufacturing

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In honor of the country’s 250th birthday, here’s a brief look at 25 people who were responsible for breakthroughs and innovations that helped U.S. manufacturers grow and thrive.

Ford Pivots From EVs to Energy Storage Systems

sprovierij@bnpmedia.com (John Sprovieri) — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Ford is shifting its focus to hybrid vehicles and conventional gas-powered models, and it’s repurposing two new assembly plants that suddenly have nothing to make.

Ford Rehires Veteran Engineers to Improve AI, Vehicle Quality

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:25:23 -0400

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — Ford has rehired some 300 experienced engineers and technical specialists over the past three years after determining that artificial intelligence and automated quality systems alone were not enough to improve vehicle quality.

Automated Machine Tending Boosts Output

sprovierij@bnpmedia.com (John Sprovieri) — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Manufacturers continue to struggle with a lack of skilled workers, and for many, robots are the obvious answer to the problem.

Humanoids Take on New Role at BMW’s U.S. Assembly Plant

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:00:00 -0400

SPARTANBURG, SC—BMW Group is expanding its use of humanoid robots at its assembly plant here.

GM to Invest $275 Million at Tennessee Engine Assembly Plant

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400

SPRING HILL, TN—General Motors plans to invest $275 million to upgrade its 36-year-old flexible assembly plant here.

Daimler-Volvo Joint Venture Advances Software-Defined Truck Platform

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 07:00:00 -0400

GOTHENBURG, Sweden — Coretura, the software-defined vehicle platform company founded by Daimler Truck and Volvo Group, has signed an engineering agreement with Accenture to accelerate development of a software platform for trucks, buses and other medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles.

ABB Robotics Named Ford Supplier of the Year

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 07:00:00 -0400

DEARBORN, Mich. — ABB Robotics has been named a 2026 Ford Supplier of the Year.

Slate Unveils Bare-Bones Electric Pickup Truck

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 01:00:00 -0400

LOS ANGELES—Slate recently unveiled the design of its much-anticipated electric pickup truck.

Cyber-Physical Systems in Automotive Assembly

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Our new flexible transportation positioning device (FTPD) enables rapid, model-specific reconfiguration within the BIW manufacturing process.

Robots Cause a Ruckus in the Motor City

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:00:00 -0400

DETROIT—General Motors is facing a backlash from the UAW for installing collaborating robots at its Factory Zero complex here, which recently laid off more than 1,000 workers.

Mercedes-Benz Turns 100

webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0400

STUTTGART, Germany—Mercedes-Benz is celebrating its 100th birthday this year.

Quaker Houghton Adds CV Joint Grease Testing System

moorej@bnpmedia.com (JJ Moore) — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 06:00:00 -0400

AURORA, Ill. — Quaker Houghton has installed a custom dynamometer at its Center of Innovation in Aurora to support grease development and qualification for CV joint and universal joint manufacturers and automotive OEMs.

Sealants Protect Pins and Busbars in EVs

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Today’s sealants offer very good resistance to common oils and coolants, as well as stable mechanical performance at elevated temperatures.