U.S. Consumers Favor Silicon Valley to Supply the Brains for Self-Driving Cars

American consumers prefer Detroit carmakers to build self-driving cars, but they prefer Silicon Valley to supply the brains that will enable such vehicles to function properly, according to a poll by Southfield, Mich.-based consultants AlixPartners LLP.

Carmakers Urge India to Lift Diesel Ban

Mercedes-Benz and Toyota are asking the country’s Supreme Court to lift a ban on the sale of vehicles powered by diesels displacing more than 2.0 liters.

GM Cuts OnStar Data Plan Price by 50%

General Motors Co. is dropping prices by 50% for the 4G LTE data packages used by its OnStar customers in the U.S. for in-car Internet access.

VW Still Faces Possible U.S. Criminal Charges Over Diesel Cheating

Volkswagen AG’s $15.3 billion settlement resolves multiple civil fines and lawsuits over cheater diesels the company sold in the U.S. But the company still could face major criminal charges related to its wrongdoing.

BMW Workers Test Robo Suits at S. Carolina Plant

Workers at BMW AG’s Spartanburg, S.C., assembly plant have begun testing an “ekso vest” to help reduce muscle strain and fatigue.

UPDATE: VW Announces $15.3 Billion Settlement on U.S. Diesel Scandal

Volkswagen AG has confirmed a $15.3 billion agreement to resolve fines and lawsuits involving about 475,000 vehicles sold in the U.S. with 2.0-liter 4-cylinder diesels that were rigged to evade emission standards for nitrogen oxides.

Lyft Hires Investment Bank Qatalyst Partners

Ride-hailing service Lyft Inc. has hired investment bank Qatalyst Partners LP, sources tell The Wall Street Journal.

Magna’s Role in Self-Driving Cars

Magna International Inc. is helping car companies integrate such building blocks for autonomous driving as automatic steering, adaptive cruise control and emergency automatic braking.

Honda Plans Recycling Plant for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Honda Motor Co. plans to open a prototype facility in Japan within three years to recover the rare-metal content from lithium-ion batteries used in its hybrid and all-electric vehicles.

VW Urged to Offer European Customers U.S.-Style Diesel Compensation

Volkswagen AG should offer owners of its cheater diesels in Europe that same compensation it plans for customers in the U.S., says EC industry commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska.