In a recent March 19, 2015 decision, the Illinois Supreme Court refused to acknowledge the self-critical analysis privilege. This recent discussion underscores the need to understand the different standards for the privilege...more
In 2014, the automotive industry waded through numerous recalls, including recalls against component manufacturers. These recalls include multi-billion dollar recalls spanning multiple vehicle manufacturers. In 2015, the...more
2/6/2015
Foley hosted Drive Forward: The Future of Telematics on January 14 and undoubtedly, our speakers agreed – the connected car is here to stay with technology rapidly advancing towards the integration of autonomous vehicles....more
While manufacturers inevitably face products-liability claims, certain business practices could enable your company to limit or even prevent exposure. Being sued on the basis of products liability costs companies in a variety...more
Foley’s Automotive Industry Team has prepared this overview of the major trends we see affecting automotive suppliers this year. While not all legal risk can be anticipated, companies that are aware of litigation,...more
1/12/2015
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Antitrust Provisions ,
Auto Parts ,
Automobile Recall ,
Automotive Industry ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Export Controls ,
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) ,
Manufacturers ,
NHTSA ,
NLRB ,
Suppliers ,
V2V
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) issued new general terms and conditions (Terms) for production and Mopar purchasing that will apply to all purchase orders issued after December 1, 2014. The new Terms are not retroactive and...more
Every day companies deal with an ongoing safety analysis of their own products. These Safety Teams are routinely interdepartmental. The Safety Teams must consider design changes, manufacturing issues, potential recalls,...more
More and more recalls mean more and more product liability claims. Even without recalls, for companies in the Automotive Industry product liability claims are a way of life. So, what do you do to prevent such claims? Knowing...more
Possibly as early as before the end of this decade every new car on the road will be connected to every other new car on the road. Cars may also be connected to traffic signs, traffic signals, smartphones and other devices....more
Auto sales continue to climb, rising almost 10% from a year prior. But one metric in particular caught our eye here at the Dashboard: Generation Y buyers exceeded Generation X buyers for the first time…ever. Specifically, for...more
Here at the Dashboard, we have been leading the charge that the Auto Industry is undergoing a technical revolution. Whether it be new materials, adaptive vehicles, software, or something else, every car you buy, lease or...more
7/22/2014
The Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation (DMDI) Institute has its first grant. That grant, $10 million, is from the Defense Advanced Research Agnecy (DARPA). DARPA develops new technologies for the United States...more
The 2014 Annual Automotive OEM-Supplier Relations Study came out in May 2014 and it showed that Japanese OEMs may be rebounding after a couple down years when it comes to their relationships with suppliers. The study,...more
OESA recently released its Automotive Supplier Barometer for May 2014, Focus on Production, Technology, Globalization. Suppliers continue to hum along in their positive attitudes, sending OESA’s May Supplier Sentiment Index...more
With the recent high-profile recalls involving Toyota and GM, auto suppliers are anticipating a spike in recalls and asking themselves how to prepare for this inevitability.
As a start, auto suppliers need to...more
The Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) recently released its 2013 Annual Report which includes an interesting and positive “State of the Industry.” Modest growth is projected for both 2014 and 2015, pushing...more
The staggering pace of innovation has led to a number of industries being disrupted by upstarts providing similar services or products outside of the established model. Want a taxi? Use Uber. Need a hotel? Try Airbnb. Looking...more
The March 2014 OESA Automotive Supplier Barometer: Focus on Supply Chain was recently published. The 96 survey respondents told a story of an industry still feeling good about itself, but with a little more concern than in...more
We know that you have been considering what business and commercial issues you will face in 2014 (and perhaps beyond) as an Automotive Supplier. But, have you been considering what legal issues you are likely to face? Do you...more
Consistent with many of the forecasts out there, IRN, Inc. is forecasting a 4.5% jump in North American Light Vehicle Production in 2014. If accurate, almost 17 million light vehicles would be sold in 2014 in North America....more
Almost two million! Never before in one year has the United States exported so many vehicles around the world. But, in 2014, they will do so according to the Detroit News. More impressively, the big three of Ford Motor Co.,...more
Having worked for Automotive Industry clients for over a decade, not once did I ever have one tell me that they could not make the products they wanted because there was no tooling. However, a recent study by Harbour Results...more
The American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) issued new Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures governing commercial disputes for AAA commercial arbitrations initiated on or after October 1, 2013. Arbitration proceedings...more
In the latest example of the invasion of technology into the Automotive Industry, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) announced that “a record nine automotive manufacturers will exhibit at the upcoming 2014...more
The Supreme Court of the United States has made significant amendments to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 45, which became effective on December 1, 2013. Rule 45 governs the form, issuance, service, enforcement of, compliance...more