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OICA'S TOP 5 NEWS
Francois Roudier
March 5, 2026
What is in the EU’s buy-European law?
Reference: Reuters – Kate Abnett and Philip Blenkinsop – March 4, 2026 1:18 PM GMT+1
Link: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/what-is-eus-buy-european-law-2026-03-04/
Commission draft Industrial Accelerator Act would tie public subsidies and procurement to “made in Europe” and low-carbon criteria, including EVs: EU-assembled, then 70% EU components (battery excluded). It adds reciprocity checks, cost/supply exceptions, and conditions on big foreign investments. Major revisions likely.
China sets course for smarter, greener auto industry in new five-year agenda
Reference: Gasgoo – March 5, 2026 11:33 BJT
Link: https://autonews.gasgoo.com/articles/news/china-sets-course-for-smarter-greener-auto-industry-in-new-five-year-agenda-2029399994115653633
Li Qiang’s NPC work report makes autos, intelligent manufacturing and new energy pillars for 2026–2030 planning, citing 2025 GDP +5%, robots +28%, chips +10.9%, and NEV output >16m with 20m+ chargers. Priorities include “AI+”, bonds for trade-ins and upgrades, and greener targets.
U.S. new-car market loses traction again in February
Reference: Automotive News – David Phillips – March 04, 2026, 11:10 AM EST
Link: https://www.autonews.com/retail/sales/an-febus-auto-sales-0303/
U.S. February new-vehicle sales fell 3.8% to ~1.18m; retail -5.6% while fleet +4.5%. Weather, affordability and lost federal EV tax credits cooled demand; EV share ~5.6%. GlobalData cut 2026 forecast to 16.1m as incentives and prices stay high.
Honda to import China-made EVs to bolster Japanese lineup
Reference: Nikkei – SHOYA OKINAGA – March 5, 2026, 00:39 JST
Link: https://asia.nikkei.com/business/automobiles/electric-vehicles/honda-to-import-china-made-evs-to-bolster-japanese-lineup
Honda plans to sell a China-built EV in Japan from spring, adapting its China-only e:N SUV and reviving the “Insight” name. The ~500 km-range model would widen Honda’s sparse domestic EV lineup and lift China plant utilization amid price wars and sliding China sales.
Call for clean tech has Indian automakers fishing for talent
Reference: ET Bureau – Prachi Verma & Sharmistha Mukherjee – March 5, 2026, 08:20 AM IST
Link: https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/auto-technology/call-for-clean-tech-has-automakers-fishing-for-talent/129064119?utm_source=top_story&utm_medium=homepage
India’s carmakers say they need 100k–200k engineers skilled in hybrids and alternative fuels (EV, LNG, hydrogen, CNG) as launches accelerate. Demand spans R&D and embedded software to batteries; pay premiums run 15–25%. Firms upskill, hire from electronics/startups, and redeploy EV specialists into hybrids.
Francois Roudier
March 4, 2026
Europe’s automakers brace for disruption as Iran conflict escalates
Reference: Automotive News Europe — William Boston — March 03, 2026, 09:29 AM EST
Link: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/
European carmakers report normal production but warn Iran conflict is disrupting Asia–Europe shipping lanes, forcing reroutes and higher safety stocks or premium freight. One automaker relies on 2–3 weeks’ buffers; contingency routing has lifted logistics costs ~40%. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd divert around Africa, adding 10–15 days and higher insurance.
‘Made in EU’ auto rules risk backlash from friends and rivals
Reference: Reuters — Nick Carey, Gilles Guillaume and Julia Payne — March 3, 2026, 3:06 PM GMT+1
Link: https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/made-eu-auto-rules-risk-backlash-friends-rivals-2026-03-03/
Draft ‘Made in EU’ rules would tie EV subsidies to 70% EU-made parts cost (excluding battery) and minimum EU content in packs, reflecting China’s cell dominance. France pushes tougher rules; Germany fears retaliation. UK, Turkey, Morocco lobby inclusion. Teardowns: VW ID.3 qualifies; Renault 5 borderline.
Maruti Suzuki to rev up its capacity next fiscal to meet surge in demand
Reference: ET Bureau — Sharmistha Mukherjee — March 3, 2026, at 10:28 PM IST
Link: https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/passenger-vehicle/maruti-suzuki-to-rev-up-its-capacity-next-fiscal-to-meet-surge-in-demand/128982495?utm_source=top_story&utm_medium=homepage
Maruti Suzuki plans to add 500,000 vehicles of capacity next fiscal as plants run full, leaving ~200,000 orders pending and inventories at ~12 days. Bookings rose 20%. Two new lines—Kharkhoda (Q1) and Hansalpur (Q2)—add about 20,000 units per month, ramping gradually.
Euro 7 rules for tires: Conflict between safety, environmental protection, and costs
Reference: Automobilwoche — Armin Wutzer, Hans Evert — March 4, 2026, 6:00 AM
Link: https://www.automobilwoche.de/automobilzulieferer/amw-euro7-reifenabrieb-bremsabrieb/
Euro 7 will regulate brake and tire wear particles, with car type-approval from Nov. 29, 2026 and tire rules from July 2028. Tire testing is disputed: lab drum rigs vs ~8,000-km road convoys. Stakeholders warn tight limits could hurt safety or raise prices; Michelin suggests first banning the worst 30%.
Schaeffler, Leju Robotics team up to accelerate humanoid deployment in China
Reference: Gasgoo — March 4, 2026, 00:25 BJT
Link: https://autonews.gasgoo.com/articles/news/schaeffler-leju-robotics-team-up-to-accelerate-humanoid-deployment-in-china-2028869198883684352
Schaeffler partnered with China’s Leju Robotics to speed industrial humanoid deployment, its first tie-up with a Chinese robotics firm. They target factory inspection, intralogistics and human–robot collaboration, plus data collection and model iteration. Schaeffler aims to integrate a mid-four-digit number of humanoids in its plants by 2035.
Francois Roudier
March 3, 2026
How the conflict with Iran could affect the auto industry
Reference: Automotive News — Michael Martinez — March 02, 2026, 05:26 PM EST
Link: https://www.autonews.com/manufacturing/an-iran-conflict-shipping-concerns-0302/
Strikes on Iran lifted oil prices and effectively stopped Hormuz traffic, threatening shipments of LNG and key auto inputs (aluminum, steel feedstocks, plastics). Prolonged disruption could squeeze supply chains in Asia/Europe, raise fuel and vehicle costs, force rerouting, and hit demand; forecasts warn of $100+ oil.
BYD redraws global EV map, overtaking Tesla in 20 markets
Reference: Nikkei — Shizuka Tanabe — March 3, 2026, 11:41 JST
Link: https://asia.nikkei.com/business/automobiles/electric-vehicles/byd-redraws-global-ev-map-overtaking-tesla-in-20-markets
Facing slower China growth, BYD accelerated exports, entering 113 markets since 2021 and surpassing Tesla sales in 22 countries/regions, including the U.K. Cost advantages from in-house batteries enabled competitive pricing. Barriers (U.S. pressure, EU rules) push BYD toward local plants in Thailand, Brazil and Hungary.
MG narrows European production site search to 5 countries
Reference: Automotive News Europe — Nick Gibbs — March 02, 2026, 05:05 AM EST
Link: https://www.autonews.com/saic/mg/ane-mg-europe-factory-search-narrows-0302/
MG aims to build cars in Europe by 2027 and has narrowed potential factory locations to five countries to avoid steep EU tariffs that cut its BEV sales. SAIC/MG faces a 45% duty. Local production would mean higher prices and emphasis on brand, value and new tech.
Canada’s auto sector can’t just ‘take a Valium’
Reference: Automotive News Canada — Grace Macaluso — March 02, 2026, 06:00 AM EST
Link: https://www.autonews.com/opinion/columns/anc-macaluso-column-march/
At Canada’s Automotive News Congress, executives warned U.S. protectionism and shifting policies are freezing investment decisions. Rob Wildeboer urged calm, but analysts said uncertainty blocks retooling and new programs. Tariffs are raising costs, prompting layoffs and delaying projects like Stellantis’ Brampton retooling and GM’s Oshawa shift cuts.
From Toyota to Stellantis, CEO churn roils auto industry with 9 new bosses in just a year
Reference: Automotive News — Hans Greimel — March 01, 2026, 06:00 AM EST
Link: https://www.autonews.com/manufacturing/an-ceo-churn-changing-leaders-toyota-nissan-stellantis-porsche-bmw-0301/
Nine major automakers changed CEOs in just over a year as tariffs, Chinese competition and the pivot to EVs, software and AI raise board pressure. New leaders at Toyota, BMW, Nissan, Stellantis, Volvo, Renault, JLR, Hyundai and Porsche signal shorter tenures and demand for faster strategic pivots and digital skills.
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