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Nissan may take control of struggling Mitsubishi Motors

Update: The reports were largely correct. Nissan will take a 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi for roughly $2.2b. Read all about it here. Reports say Nissan will buy a controlling stake in Mitsubishi Motors, either 30 or 34 percent, for about 200 billion yen or $1.84 billion. Nissan and Mitsubishi motors are currently part of a joint venture, NMKV, to build minicars together. Nissan is also responsible for reporting fuel-economy discrepancies with cars built under the joint-venture agreement, which put Mitsubishi in its current weakened state. Earlier today, reports surfaced that the fuel-economy issues were wider ranging than originally thought. Mitsubishi now admits that all of its Japanese-market cars sold since 1991 could have had faked fuel-economy data. Shares of Mitsubishi Motors have dropped by about half since the scandal was uncovered, opening the door for a takeover. While Nissan is a much larger company, it can benefit from Mitsubishi's 60-percent share of Japan's minicar market. The two companies also had plans to build electric vehicles together in the joint venture. Japan's Nikkei reports that talks are ongoing between the company and that a decision could be made Thursday by the companies' boards. Related Video: News Source: Nikkei Green Mitsubishi Nissan

Mitsubishi recalls Mirage in snowy states for airbag delay

The Basics: Mitsubishi is recalling 25,185 examples of the 2014-2015 Mirage, built between August 7, 2013, and September 2, 2015, sold or ever registered in states that use salt to melt ice on the road during the winter months. Those include Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. The Problem: Snow with road salt tracked in on boots could cause a wiring connector to short out behind a kick panel next to the driver's footrest, potentially delaying the deployment of the front airbags. Injuries/Deaths: None reported. The fix: Mitsubishi dealers are being instructed to inspect the electrical connectors, replace any corroded ones, and fit a waterproof sheet to prevent any further corrosion. No timeframe has been set as of yet. If you own one: Try not to track in too much snow. Watch out for the SRS warning light on the dashboard, which will alert you if there's a problem with the airbags. Expect to hear from Mitsubishi Motors North America in due course to arrange for your vehicle to be checked out at a local dealer. Related Video: RECALL Subject : Air Bag Deployment may be Delayed due to Corrosion Report Receipt Date: DEC 04, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V815000 Component(s): AIR BAGS , ELECTRICAL SYSTEM All Products Associated with this Recall Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. SUMMARY: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Mitsubishi Mirage vehicles manufactured August 7, 2013, to September 2, 2015 and originally sold in, or ever registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and District of Columbia. If the driver enters an affected vehicle with their boots covered with snow mixed with road salt, the melting snow may soak through the carpet and cause corrosion to a wiring connector located in a junction box behind a kick panel to the left of the driver's footrest. CONSEQUENCE: In the event of a crash, corrosion of the connector could delay deployment of the frontal air bags, increasing the risk of injury to the driver and the front seat passenger.

Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi adopts Android infotainment in coup for Google

PARIS — The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi carmaking alliance said on Tuesday it will adopt Alphabet's Google Android operating system, handing a victory to the U.S. tech giant as it pushes for a bigger share of the infotainment market. Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi, with combined sales of 10.6 million vehicles last year, said future models will "integrate Google applications and services" including Maps and the voice-commanded Google Assistant. The move, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, leans more heavily on Big Tech than large or luxury rival carmakers have hitherto been willing to do. Many fear losing control of customer relationships, data and potentially significant future revenue from connected services. Some smaller manufacturers such as Volvo Cars have decided to embed Android Auto in their vehicles. But the scale of the shift by Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi may cause a broader rethink of costly standalone tech strategies. "Major carmakers earlier were reluctant to do business with Google, but this has now changed," said Jauke de Jong, a research analyst at AFS Group in Amsterdam. "More carmakers could follow suit and partner with Google." Until now, carmakers have largely chosen Linux, Microsoft or QNX software to power infotainment. That yields clunkier platforms they can control, but which offer little scope to add new apps or functionality. Far more than just hooking up a phone The news may spell trouble for certain existing auto-tech suppliers such as mapping specialist TomTom, which counts Renault among its customers. Shares in the Dutch group fell by more than quarter after the announcement. In return for handing Google the infotainment keys, the alliance will bring the full clout of Android's thousands of apps to its brands' lineups — which include a strong contingent of affordably priced, no-frills models for emerging markets. The partnership promises "rich user experiences that are currently available only outside the vehicle or, to a limited extent, by connecting an Android device to supported vehicles," alliance development chief Hadi Zablit said. While many volume carmakers offer infotainment "mirroring" to pair with Apple iPhones or Android smartphones, premium rivals such as BMW and Daimler's Mercedes-Benz are investing heavily in their own operating systems, vocal assistants and connected services.