AGP Executive Report

Stellantis x JLR Move: Stellantis and Jaguar Land Rover are set to co-develop cars in a US-focused push, signaling automakers are pooling engineering muscle to spread EV and compliance risk. Labor Deal: In Michigan, UAW Local 699 reached a tentative agreement with Nexteer Automotive, narrowly avoiding a strike after members voted to authorize one. Motorsport Spotlight: NASCAR’s biggest weekend turned into a tribute to Kyle Busch, while Daniel Suarez won the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600—an emotional win tied directly to Busch’s legacy. Performance Culture: Nissan’s Nismo boss says demand for manual “three-pedal” cars is coming back, hinting at more driver-first models. Tech & China Pressure: Chinese automakers keep ramping Europe R&D to localize faster, as industry watchers warn the EV market is converging on similar SUV-and-screen formulas. Local Reality Checks: Road chaos and potholes remain a recurring headache, with communities pushing for faster fixes as vehicle damage costs mount.

Customs Crackdown: Nepal’s Auditor General says Chinese EV maker Joylong evaded about Rs 2.5844 crore in customs duties by exploiting tax concessions—declaring microbuses/minibuses in ways that should have triggered higher rates. Finance Tightening: Sri Lanka’s Central Bank rolls out new vehicle loan/lease LTV caps from May 25, limiting financing to 60% of market value for vehicles used over a year, with separate caps for newer/unused categories. Road Disruption: A12 in Essex is snarled by a “two motorbikes & car” crash, with four-mile queues in extreme heat and emergency services on scene. Credit Squeeze for Drivers: Sri Lanka also moves to curb auto credit risk via stricter lending rules. New Models in the Middle East: Al-Futtaim BYD Saudi Arabia expands with the all-new BYD Ti 7, touting up to 735 km range on its DM-P Super Hybrid. Motorsport Spotlight: Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 dominate the day’s auto attention, with rain risk and Katherine Legge’s “double” attempt adding extra stakes.

F1 Power Struggle: Lewis Hamilton says Ferrari’s lack of straight-line engine power is holding back what he calls a “fantastic” chassis, with Ferrari hoping a Montreal rule tweak on engine capacity can help them close the gap to Mercedes-powered McLarens. Motorsport Weekend: NASCAR’s Charlotte qualifying was wiped out by rain, leaving Tyler Reddick on pole via rulebook metrics, while the Indy 500 crowd is already in full “camping season” mode at IMS. EV/Auto Safety Watch: Hyundai is in the recall spotlight again—this time tied to unexpected brake activation on 421,000 U.S. cars. Real-World Fuel Reality: A Hyundai Venue 1.2 petrol test found real mileage well below the claimed figure, underscoring how gearing and vehicle weight can swing consumption. Disruption on the Road: A toxic chemical tank overheating in Garden Grove has kept 40,000 Orange County residents under evacuation, while a Merced County crash sent multiple people to hospital.

Indy 500 Front-Row Stakes: Race day at Indianapolis is all about position—front-row spacing can decide the afternoon as the 110th Indy 500 rolls out Sunday. Motorsport Memorial Moment: NASCAR’s garage went quiet as Kyle Busch’s No. 8 was suspended and renumbered after his death, underscoring how fast racing news turns personal. Honda India Push: Honda Cars India says it’s launching six models in 2026-27, with hybrids and a BEV SUV, while openly seeking partners to grow and cut costs. Tax Pressure on Drivers: UK car tax bands for 2026 are already hitting running costs, with small CO₂ differences pushing owners into higher bands. Safety Flashpoints: A fatal head-on crash shut part of New York’s Saw Mill River Parkway, while a separate report highlights how vehicle-related incidents keep piling up. EU Border Chaos: Dover’s queues worsened after the EU’s Entry/Exit system rollout, prompting temporary suspension and even water handouts. Auto Supply Chain Watch: Bosch and others are flagging CAFE III and mandatory ADAS as the next big growth driver for auto electronics and emission-control systems.

Memorial Day travel squeeze: Oregon’s high gas prices are nudging people to stay closer to home, with AAA projecting 600,000+ travelers but locals leaning on nearby Willamette Valley plans like markets, wine tastings, and races instead of longer trips. EV momentum under pressure: In Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa, drivers are increasingly lining up at charging points as fuel costs bite and EVs become the more predictable option—demand is starting to outpace infrastructure. India pricing + incentives: Maruti Suzuki is set to raise prices by up to ₹30,000 from June as input costs keep climbing, while Uttar Pradesh announced a ₹50 crore subsidy to make EV two-wheelers, bikes, and cars more affordable. Auto industry signals: Stellantis says a Jeep SUV is coming in 2028 on a Tata platform for ~50 countries; Spark Minda’s Minda Corp posted record Q4 revenue (+29%) and profit (+7.3%). Safety + regulation: California lawmakers advanced a bill limiting nitrous oxide sales (with automotive/medical exceptions) amid misuse concerns.

EV Family Updates: Toyota’s refreshed 2026 bZ4X (now branded bZ) leans harder into real-world usability with more range and faster charging, while Lexus’ 2026 RZ 550e F SPORT AWD doubles down on “treat-yourself” comfort for daily family life. Labor Pressure: A JLR supplier in the UK, OPmobility, says workers rejected a “final” pay offer and are backing strike action. Legal/Trade Secrets: A US appeals court revived $82.2M of a Ford trade-secrets verdict in Versata’s licensing dispute, sending damages back for a new trial. Safety Recall: Honda and Acura recalled nearly 60,000 EVs over rearview camera screens that may go blank or distorted. Policy & Procurement: Nigeria’s public procurement framework now threatens sanctions for MDAs and suppliers that don’t prioritize eligible locally assembled vehicles. Roadside Reality: Penang JPJ seized 51 luxury cars over expired road tax/insurance, flagging revenue leakages.

Smart-City Tech Push: Perak’s Ipoh delegation is in Shanghai studying Taopu Smart City’s digital twins, IoT and command-centre systems to strengthen Ipoh’s Integrated Operation Centre and plan a Perak State Command Centre. Auto Retail & Consumer Goods: Simply Brands’ FRSH Scents has acquired Leeds car-fragrance brand Carfume in a multi-million-pound deal aimed at faster international distribution. Market Shift to Chinese Cars: UK registrations show Chinese brands at 14.2% vs Japanese at 13.2% for the first four months of 2026—an early sign of changing buyer preferences. Supply Chain Stress: Toyota dealers in North America are preparing for motor-oil shortages tied to Iran-related disruptions, with guidance on alternative oil weights. Urban Mobility Idea: Tampa International Airport is pitching an air-taxi “air mobility hub” concept to bypass traffic using eVTOL flights. Weather Disruption: A fast storm flooded parts of Cape Coral, with cars driving through localized water.

Weather Disruptions: Flash flooding in Atlanta turned parts of I-75/I-85 into “ponds,” stranded drivers and even trapped a Waymo in high water, while officials warned “turn around, don’t drown” as more rain threatens the holiday weekend. Road Safety: In the UK, a lorry crash on Cambridgeshire’s A47 left a woman dead and kept the road closed; elsewhere, a three-car collision on England’s A20 near Ashford is causing long delays. EV Momentum: Global electric sales are still surging—analysts say worldwide EV sales doubled in record time, with Europe and the US leading and Southeast Asia also accelerating. Manufacturing Push: Stellantis is rolling out STLA One, a modular platform aimed at cutting complexity and supporting multiple powertrains across 30+ models to reach 2M+ cars by 2035. Fraud Crackdown: Roseville police arrested two men tied to an odometer-tampering ring, seizing vehicles allegedly sold with rolled-back mileage.

Motorsport Marketing: Škoda Auto India is leaning hard into performance, launching a “Škoda On A Track” campaign after setting a new Coimbatore circuit record with a five-car relay (Octavia RS fastest lap). Policy Pressure on Roads: California’s Senate greenlit SB 1406 to close the “Montana Loophole,” targeting shell-company buyers of luxury cars/RVs that dodge state sales taxes and fees. Driverless Reality Check: Minnesota’s 2026 session failed to pass a driverless-car bill, leaving Waymo’s testing in the state in a “not yet” lane. Cost Squeeze Hits Car Buyers: U.S. borrowing costs jumped again as Treasury yields rose, pushing up mortgage rates and auto-loan pricing. EV Incentive Fight: Pakistan’s New Energy Vehicle policy is drawing backlash for treating plug-in hybrids like full EVs in the same incentive category. Safety + Crime Spillover: Suffolk County police rolled out a roadside saliva drug test for impaired driving, while local incidents—from a Rockford gas-station shooting to vandalism of parking meters in Bradford—kept attention on road safety and enforcement.

Trade Pressure: Sen. Tammy Baldwin led 14 colleagues urging the Trump administration to keep American workers central in the USMCA review, calling out job offshoring, tougher China treatment, and holding Mexico to labor enforcement. Fuel Shock: U.S. gas prices jumped to a national average of $4.55/gal, with California around $6.14 and every state now above $4 ahead of Memorial Day travel. Border Reality Check: CBP warned Canadians heading to the U.S. for the holiday to expect congestion and delays at Detroit, Port Huron and Sault Ste. Marie, plus tighter screening. EV/Auto Tech: Bosch landed a major Mercedes EV motor order even as it faces broader company pressure, while CircuitHub raised $28M to speed electronics manufacturing from weeks to days. Driverless Milestone: Bliq won Estonia approval for fully driverless road operation under remote supervision. Dealership Playbook: Retailers are leaning harder into experiential, temporary visual branding to pull in walk-in traffic during May sales events.

Transit Payments Go Contactless: B.C. Transit is finally rolling out tap-to-pay on buses across Greater Victoria and most of the province, letting riders use credit/debit cards or smartphone wallets—after a three-year slog that included upgrading 900 buses and reworking payment systems. EV Push in India: India’s government is fast-tracking E100 flex-fuel availability with plans for 5,000 dispensing stations in two years, aiming to cut crude imports and enabling automakers’ flex-fuel prototypes to hit the road once pump coverage and pricing are clear. Tech in the Driver’s Seat: Lexus debuts an enhanced Lexus Interface on the 2026 ES, promising faster on-device voice responses and a more customizable home screen with quicker access to safety features. Market Watch: South Korea’s auto exports fell 5% in April as Middle East shipments dropped sharply, while eco-friendly vehicle exports rose. Safety & Ops: Collision-related rental repair times eased in Q1 2026, with Enterprise reporting shorter rental lengths for collision claims.

AI in the factory: Stellantis is teaming with Accenture and Nvidia to push AI-driven “digital twins” deeper into vehicle production, aiming for more efficient, predictive manufacturing across its global plants. Used-car demand shifts: In the UK, Autotrader data shows the MG ZS petrol-hybrid is the fastest-selling used car in May so far (10.5 days), while EVs are also moving quicker than petrol/diesel—fuel-price pressure is reshaping what buyers snap up. Parts maker fallout: First Brands, hit by fraud allegations and bankruptcy filings, is expanding layoffs beyond Ohio, with more job cuts possible at its Indiana facilities. New EV pricing pressure: Skoda’s smallest EV, the Epiq, is set to start at £24,950 in the UK, targeting value buyers with two battery options and fast charging. Safety enforcement: Miami-Dade school buses begin issuing AI-backed citations for drivers who don’t stop, with a $225 penalty after a warning period. Production momentum abroad: Stellantis’ Kragujevac plant in Serbia is ramping toward 150,000 vehicles a year, driven by demand for the Fiat Grande Panda.

San Diego Mosque Attack: Police say the threat at the Islamic Center of San Diego has been “neutralized” after a shooting killed three people; two suspected teenage gunmen were later found dead in a car, with authorities investigating it as a hate crime. Indy 500 Shock: Alexander Rossi was taken to hospital after a practice crash on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, with Pato O’Ward and Romain Grosjean also caught up; IndyCar also confirmed qualifying penalties for Jack Harvey and Caio Collet, sending them to the back of the grid. EV Supply Moves: Nissan is weighing exporting Chinese-made EVs to Canada as the market opens to more China-origin vehicles. Robotaxi Race: Xpeng says it has started mass production of autonomous cabs using its own chips, aiming for pilot operations later this year. Automation Showcase: FANUC UK will demo collaborative automation at the Smart Factory Expo in June. Local Road Safety: East Canton is pushing harder on speeding as residents say enforcement can’t keep up. Affordability Pressure: A new affordability index shows April’s slight worsening is squeezing collision repair demand. Luxury Theft: Paris police are investigating a rapid, high-security theft of 20+ luxury sports cars.

Ford Europe Push: Ford unveiled a “Ready, Set, Ford” plan to launch seven new models in Europe by 2029, including two EVs (a B-segment hatchback and a small SUV) plus rally-bred electrified crossovers and a new Bronco variant—aimed at reversing years of passenger-car weakness. China Demand Drag: New data shows China’s retail sales barely grew in April and auto sales fell sharply, while industrial output cooled—signaling softer consumer momentum even as exports hold up. Stellantis x Dongfeng Reset: Stellantis and Dongfeng agreed to revive their China venture with fresh capital to locally produce Peugeot and Jeep models for wider markets. Motorsport Upset: At the Nürburgring 24 Hours, Max Verstappen looked on course for victory before a late drive-shaft failure ended his run, while Mercedes-AMG’s Ravenol entry took the win. Safety & Crime: Austin saw a weekend spree of at least 12 shootings and multiple car thefts, with three suspects now in custody.

Workforce & training: Community colleges in San Diego and Imperial counties are leaning into graduation-season momentum, pitching affordable, job-aligned programs that feed careers in areas like automotive technology. Motorsport shake-up: IndyCar penalized the No. 4 and No. 24 entries after post-qualifying inspection issues, pushing both cars to the back and reshuffling Indy 500 grid and pit order. Semiconductors for autos: Tata Electronics and ASML signed a deal for a major chip plant in India, aiming to supply AI and automotive-focused demand. Road safety & chaos: NASCAR’s Dover All-Star race was marred by a Lap 2 multi-car crash and fire, while multiple serious crashes across the U.S. sent riders and drivers to hospital. Legal pressure on EVs: A judge in Australia warned Tesla to take discovery seriously in a class action over claims tied to software and range. Local enforcement: A school in Liverpool plans to name parents over dangerous parking, using complaints and photos to curb unsafe drop-offs.

Motorsport Shock: Max Verstappen’s Nürburgring 24 Hours win bid ended early when a driveshaft issue forced a pit stop with about three hours left, turning a Mercedes-led run into heartbreak for Verstappen Racing. UK Defense Push: JLR and GM are eyeing a £900M UK military truck contract as NATO spending rises, with new logistics vehicles set to replace older Land Rovers. EV Price War Watch: BYD’s 2026 Seagull (Dolphin Surf) is pitched as a low-cost EV with ~250 miles of range and LiDAR-based driver assist—aimed squarely at mainstream buyers. Regulatory Crossroads: The FTC opened an antitrust probe into Arm over whether it could use its CPU licensing power to squeeze competitors while selling its own chips. Road Safety / Disruption: Phoenix saw six hospitalized after a collision sparked fires; Waymo says its Phoenix service won’t be affected by a separate recall. Rail Modernization: Amtrak’s first Airo trainset arrived in Seattle as the U.S. begins a broader fleet upgrade.