Automotive Industry

China bans hidden car door handles, which can trap people after crashes

China has introduced new regulations, starting in 2027, requiring all car doors to open manually from both sides. Electric door handles can malfunction in a crash or battery failure.

Back seats aren’t as safe as they should be. A crash test is trying to help

Better engineering has made the front seat much safer in head-on collisions. But the back seat hasn't kept pace. It's a problem one vehicle safety group is trying to solve.

Built to spill: The life of a crash test dummy

Automotive crash test dummies are born in Ohio, brought to "life" near Detroit, and then sent around the world to make cars safer.

Alabama Leaders Oppose Clean Car Standards Rollback

Elected leaders and others gathered in Birmingham to oppose to Trump administration's plan to roll back clean car standards, including those setting targets for fuel efficiency.

Potential Threats to Alabama’s Automotive Industry

Alabama leaders love to tout the state’s automotive industry. What started with the Mercedes plant in Tuscaloosa County in the mid-1990s now includes Honda and Hyundai plants plus numerous suppliers. While the auto industry has increasingly moved to the Deep South, Alabama’s success could be threatened by a place further south. We talk about it in this week’s Magic City Marketplace.

Alabama Auto Workers Say “Yes” to Joining Union

The United Auto Workers Union scored a major victory Wednesday in Piedmont, Alabama where workers at truck seat manufacturer CVG voted in favor of joining the union. The company says it has been responsive to employee concerns, and invested millions to improve working conditions. But that wasn’t enough.