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Stellantis' production in Italy cut by up to 220,000 vehicles

MILAN — A global crunch in semiconductor supply could cost Stellantis up to 220,000 vehicles this year in terms of lost output in Italy, the FIM CISL union said, adding this would mark the fifth year in a row of declining production in the country. FIM CISL said in its periodic report on the group's production in Italy that Stellantis produced 351,890 vehicles in the first half of this year, almost 14% less than in the same period last year, with the key Melfi plant and the Sevel van-making facility being the most affected sites. Using data for the first half of the year and potential full-year production based on orders booked, the union estimates Stellantis could lose between 200,000-220,000 vehicles in 2022, said Ferdinando Uliano, the head of the FIM CISL union. "It's as if one of the group's large plants stopped for a year," he said, adding the chip supply situation was not improving this year and would also affect production in 2023. Uliano said factors including the war in Ukraine and the disruption to Russian gas supplies to Europe would only worsen the part supply situation for the automotive industry. A spokesman for Stellantis declined to comment on data and forecasts provided by FIM CISL, but repeated the carmaker had been taking decisions regarding the management of its operations on a day-by-day, plant-by-plant basis since the start of the COVID pandemic. Plants/Manufacturing Fiat Jeep

FCA reportedly joins the crowd skipping this year's Paris Motor Show

It's likely FCA vehicles will not be seen at the Paris Motor Show this year. Automotive News is reporting that Fiats, Alfa Romeos, Jeeps and Abarths will not be a part at the show, based on information circulating in the French media. There's a possibility that Maseratis will be displayed at a special section dedicated to upscale cars, but Maserati too will not have a show stand of its own. Ferrari will have a stand, but as it happens, the supercar maker has been a standalone brand since 2015. Skipping the Paris show follows FCA's decision not to take part in the Frankfurt show last year, and the two shows alternate as the biggest autumnal automotive show in Europe. Volkswagen will also not attend the event, and neither will Ford, Nissan or Infiniti. This has become a problem for car shows worldwide, including Detroit's North American International Auto Show. FCA has not released a formal statement about the matter, but a FCA spokesman, quoted by the French magazine L'Argus, reportedly said that the sales and publicity brought in by the show stand would not justify the costs of attending. The news mirrors Volvo's newly announced plan to not take part at the next Geneva Motor Show, but to arrange "bespoke activities" to introduce its cars instead. Related Video:

Jeep Renegade recalled to prevent hacking

Jeep is issuing a voluntary recall of some 7,800 Renegades over fears that their radios may be vulnerable to hacking. The company is quick to stress that this campaign is independent of the hacking scare earlier this year. Only Renegades fitted with the 6.5-inch touchscreen display are affected by the recall. Owners of the affected vehicles will be mailed a USB jump drive that they can plug into their vehicle for a free software update. Alternatively, owners can head over to the UConnect website, enter their VIN, and download the software to their own jump drive. (See how in our video below.) Dealers will also perform the upgrade free of charge. The software update provides "additional security features," that should prevent remote tampering. If this sounds worrying, it's actually not that huge of a problem. First, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles estimates that over half the affected vehicles are still sitting on dealer lots. More importantly, according to FCA, the vulnerability on the Renegade "required unique and extensive technical knowledge, prolonged physical access to a subject vehicle and extended periods of time to write code," making it considerably different than the Cherokee problem. No injuries or hacks have been reported by any Renegade owner. Related Video: Statement: Software Update September 4, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC is conducting a voluntary safety recall to update software in approximately 7,810 U.S.-market SUVs equipped with certain radios. More than half remain in dealer hands and will be serviced before they are sold. The campaign – which involves radios that differ from those implicated in another, similar recall – is designed to protect connected vehicles from remote manipulation. If unauthorized, such interference constitutes a criminal act. FCA US has already applied measures to prevent the type of vehicle manipulation demonstrated in a recent media report. These measures – which required no customer or dealer actions – block remote access to certain vehicle systems. The Company is unaware of any injuries related to software exploitation, nor is it aware of any related complaints, warranty claims or accidents – independent of the media demonstration. Affected are certain 2015 Jeep Renegade SUVs equipped with 6.5-inch touchscreens. Customers will receive a USB device which they may use to upgrade vehicle software. This provides additional security features.