One in four suppliers is bracing for a loss-making 2026, the Spring 2026 edition of the European Association of Automotive Suppliers' (Comité de Liaison Européen des Fabricants d'Equipements et de Pièces Automobiles [CLEPA]) Pulse Check survey shows. With a growing share of companies expecting losses, the data shows an emergency shift toward non-automotive sectors as a temporary measure to maintain industrial capacity during one of the most volatile periods in the sector’s history...

Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) drivers in the UK could face a new tax as the UK government aims for a fairer system for all drivers. A BBC report quoted a government spokesperson saying: "Fuel duty covers petrol and diesel, but there's no equivalent for electric vehicles. We want a fairer system for all drivers." UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is said to be planning to announce a new pay-per-mile charge for BEVs in the upcoming budget. Citing an article that appeared i...

The European Association of Automotive Suppliers (Comité de Liaison Européen des Fabricants d'Equipements et de Pièces Automobiles: CLEPA) has released a note stating that the European automotive supply industry is facing significant challenges due to mainland China's recent export restrictions on rare earth elements (REEs) and magnets. On April 4, mainland China’s Ministry of Commerce imposed export restrictions on seven REEs and magnets used as critical materials in the automotive, ene...

The Auto Care Association, a US-based industry body representing independent manufacturers, distributors and repair shops, announced that on Feb. 11, a significant legal decision was made concerning the automotive industry and vehicle repair rights in Massachusetts, US. Judge Denise Casper ruled in favor of maintaining the 2020 Massachusetts Data Access Law, effectively dismissing the challenge presented by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. This suit aimed to overturn the Massachusetts Rig...

The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) Aftermarket Suppliers, an association in North America representing motor-vehicle component manufacturers, announced that it has successfully petitioned for a new exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) regarding its anti-circumvention provisions, which traditionally prevent the bypassing of copyright protection systems, according to a press release dated Nov. 1. This exemption was officially recognized by the Register o...

The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) Aftermarket Suppliers, an association in North America representing motor-vehicle component manufacturers, has announced that it is launching a new right to repair campaign in support of the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (“REPAIR”) Act, according to a press release dated April 29. Significance: The act would expand access to vehicle repair and maintenance information safely and securely and enable afterm...

Earlier in March, the UK automotive industry had called for the chancellor to use the recently concluded budget to put the UK’s shift to electric vehicles back in the fast lane, with fair taxes for a fairer transition, according to a press release by UK automotive industry body Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders dated March 1. Significance: New research commissioned by SMMT from market research services firm Savanta has revealed that rising numbers of would-be EV drivers are now lik...