VENTURE CAPITAL POST

General Motors Co (GM.N) has developed contingency plans in case recalls of potentially lethal Takata-made air bag inflators widens, forcing the U.S. automaker to repair millions of vehicles, the company said on Friday.

Google Inc (GOOGL.O) is laying the groundwork for a version of Android that would be built directly into cars, sources said, allowing drivers to enjoy all the benefits of the Internet without even plugging in their smartphones.

General Motors Co (GM.N) will recall 316,357 SUVs and sedans, mainly in North America, because the low-beam headlights can stop working, the company said on Monday.

Takata Corp disclosed for the first time that it began making air bags with a recently discovered flaw as early as 2008, in a report to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the agency released on Saturday.

General Motors Co (GM.N) will shift production of the transmission on the 2016 Chevrolet Volt from Mexico to Michigan, the automaker said.

Ford Motor Co's third-quarter earnings fell 34 percent but beat Wall Street expectations on a strong showing in North America even as revenue fell due to the cost of introducing the F-150 pickup truck.

Tesla Motors Inc on Thursday took its first step toward automated driving, unveiling features that will allow its electric sedan to park itself and sense dangerous situations.

General Motors Co said on Friday it was recalling 524,384 cars and sport utility vehicles globally in two actions dealing with potential latch problems and loose parts and would stop sales of two new truck models with potential air bag defects.

The safety recall in parts of the United States of millions of vehicles with potentially defective air bags made by Japan's Takata Corp (7312.T) may expand to include General Motors Co (GM.N), according to documents filed this week with U.S. regulators.

Japan's Isuzu Motors Ltd (7202.T) said on Friday that it has agreed with General Motors Co (GM.N) to jointly develop a midsize pickup truck for sale in several markets around the world, excluding the United States and Canada.

An Acura RLX sedan demonstrated an unusual way to tow another car this week: the vehicles were not physically attached. The second car drove itself, following instructions beamed over by the first in a feat of technology that indicates a new stage in automation is happening faster than many expected.

A group of companies, including several large automakers, have joined a public-private research initiative to lay the groundwork for a system that wirelessly connects vehicles and helps smooth the flow of traffic, the University on Michigan said on Friday.

U.S. August auto sales were the highest for that month in more than a decade, thanks in part to heavy discounting by the manufacturers and a strong Labor Day weekend close, with the industry selling at an annualized pace not seen since early 2006.

New orders for U.S. factory goods posted a record gain in July and auto sales last month accelerated to their highest level in 8-1/2 years, offering further bullish signals for the economy.

Investor GeorgePio filed a case against General Motors Co and Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra for its failure to take care of the faulty issues that led to the recall of over 3.1 million cars, Reuters reported.