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Fiat Chrysler halts European production as coronavirus hits demand

MILAN — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is halting production for two weeks at most of its European plants to help protect staff against the coronavirus pandemic and adjust to a slump in demand, the Italian-American carmaker said on Monday. Italy has been the European country worst hit by the crisis and the first to enforce a nationwide lockdown, which has now been replicated by Spain and, to a lesser extent, by France as the virus sweeps through the continent. With all non essential services closed, including car dealers, and people forced home except for strict working needs, many forecast a heavy fall in car sales in March. FCA — which according to analyst estimates produces around 25% of its vehicles in Europe — said the suspensions through March 27 would allow it "to effectively respond to the interruption in market demand by ensuring the optimization of supply." Ferrari, meanwhile, said it closed its two plants until March 27. Ferrari said it had so far ensured production continuity, and it already implemented all the health measures decided by the Italian government at the two sites, in hometown Maranello and in Modena. But it was "now experiencing the first serious supply chain issues, which no longer allow for continued production." Marco Opipari, an analyst at Fidentiis, said a few weeks of closures was not a big problem in an over-supplied European auto industry and lost production could be recovered later on. "The real problem is on the demand side, people are not buying cars now, and sales volumes are expected to be very bad in March, with a real impact on automakers' earnings," he said. FCA said in a statement that production for its FCA Italy and luxury Maserati units would stop for two weeks, extending a temporary closure period already planned for some Italian facilities. Affected plants are Melfi, Pomigliano, Cassino, Mirafiori, Grugliasco and Modena in Italy, Kragujevac in Serbia and Tychy in Poland. The FIOM union said FCA's decision was "necessary". The carmaker said the freeze would help it to resume activity promptly once market conditions allow it. "The group is working with its supply base and business partners to be ready to enable our manufacturing operations to deliver previously planned total levels of production despite the suspension when market demand returns," it said.

Watch thief steal Jeep Wrangler with laptop

Advancements in technology, especially those in the automotive sector, have made cars safer, easier to drive, and harder than ever to steal. But a recent incident in Houston, TX, reveals that the latest generation of hackers and thieves knows how to use modern tech for their own nefarious devices. A car thief was caught on camera using a small computer to pilfer a 2010 Jeep Wrangler parked in its owner's driveway. The video shows a man entering the Wrangler and after a few minutes on the laptop, driving away in the vehicle. According to the Wall Street Journal, Houston police believe the same method could have been used on four other occasions involving late-model Wranglers and Cherokees. While the short clip looks like something out of a movie, this isn't the first time a Jeep has been hacked. The theft took the pair of thieves roughly 13 minutes from the time the first person opens the hood (not shown) to when the car leaves the driveway. Alarmingly, the Houston police department isn't sure what the laptop is being used for, the Journal reports. A Fiat Chrysler official told the newspaper that the thieves in the Houston incident might be using tools that only dealers have access to, which would allow them to pair another key fob to the vehicle. While that explains how they got into the vehicle, it still doesn't explain how a laptop could be used to get the vehicle running – especially when automakers ( Fiat Chrysler, Tesla, and General Motors) have altered their cars' electronics to reduce hacking. Theft rates have dropped by 96 percent since 1990, according to The New York Times, but recent events show thieves are making their own advances, prompting increased cyber protection efforts from automakers, auto-parts suppliers, and the government. It will come into focus later this month when US Transportation secretary Anthony Foxx, Lyft CEO and co-founder Logan Green, and General Motors' chairman and CEO Mary Barra speak at a cybersecurity summit in Detroit. Related Video: News Source: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Business Wire, YouTube Jeep Technology SUV Off-Road Vehicles Videos viral video hacking thieves

Mopar stuffs the Jeep Performance Parts catalog with 200 accessories

We don't get to savor the all-new 2018 Jeep Wrangler until sometime in November. Today at SEMA, however, we get to sample some of the more than 200 Jeep Performance Parts that Mopar designed for America's off-road mascot. Among the totally new offerings are a roof rack and a stowable tailgate table. The roof rack can accommodate the standard carriers, such as those for skis, snowboards, and bicycles. The tailgate table flips down from the rear hatch, creating a workspace complete with a beverage holder. Urbanites can get down with the mesh and solid bikini tops, a cargo tray that extends to the back seat and doubles the surface area, logoed door sills, and new fuel doors. Redesigned tire covers flash new graphics and incorporate an aperture for the backup camera. When distant GPS points require low-range four-wheeling, redeveloped goodies include 17-inch beadlock aluminum wheels, a two-inch lift kit that permits 37-inch tires when paired with high-top fender flares, thicker, wider rock rails coated with Ram bedliner material, and hard-secured grab handles. Five-inch LEDs throwing 4,080 lumens and seven-inch LEDs throwing 8,000 lumens work with a new mount kit to attach to windshield, winch guard, or frame rails. An auxiliary switch bank with a dedicated power distribution center means convenient access to controls for auxiliaries like those lights and the Mopar Warn winch. A screen protector keeps dust and debris from damaging the Uconnect screen. When the inevitable boo-boo happens, grab for help from the improved emergency first-aid kit and roadside assistance kit. Mopar says the entire range of Jeep Performance Products will be available at dealerships as soon as the Wrangler goes on sale. Related Video: Featured Gallery Jeep Performance Parts: SEMA 2017 View 17 Photos Related Gallery 2018 Jeep Wrangler Mopar accessories View 14 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2017 Drew Phillips / Autoblog.com Auto News Aftermarket SEMA Show Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles SEMA 2017