New Volkswagen Plant in Russia

The way for a new Volkswagen AG production plant in Russia is clear. The Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, Dr. Bernd Pischetsrieder, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Skoda Auto, Detlef Wittig, signed the necessary contracts with the Russian Federation and the Kaluga Oblast in Moscow on Monday.The new plant will be built...

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Gasoline prices delaying 'green' cars

Thirty-seven percent of consumers say high gasoline prices have them thinking about replacing their cars with more fuel-efficient vehicles. And half of those say they are considering a gasoline-electric hybrid, according to a new survey by Consumer Reports.But when cost-conscious consumers actually look at hybrids, many of them will be turned off, predicts Douglas Love, a spokesman for Consumer Reports.The first generation of hybrids, such as the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius, "were designed from the start to deliver great fuel economy," Love...

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Automotive corporate responsibility

Great news from TNS! Automotive companies are finally striking a chord with their social responsibility programmes in emerging markets. A great step towards building some strong local ties that can aid the production of cheap cars in the future. The 2006 Global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) study, which was conducted in March and April across 16 countries, reveals that emerging markets such as Thailand, India, and China rate automotive companies higher in regards to corporate social responsibility than mature markets of the west. The study...

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Robotic cars driving inside city limits

Seven months after an unmanned Volkswagen successfully drove itself over the rugged Mojave Desert, the Pentagon is sponsoring another challenge for self-driving vehicles that can weave through congested city traffic without causing an accident. The contest, to be held in November 2007, will test the vehicles' ability to independently carry out a simulated military supply mission in an urban setting in less than six hours. The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, created the latest challenge to spur development of vehicles...

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