Japanese automotive major Honda has become the first company globally to earn a five-star rating in the products and services category of the FIA Road Safety Index. The award was presented at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza during the FIA Formula One Italian Grand Prix.

The FIA Road Safety Index measures organisational impacts on road safety across operations, supply chains, products and services. The FIA expanded the index from a 3-star to a 5-star framework, introducing modules for planning, performance monitoring, safety culture management and supply chain or product coverage.

To qualify for the updated framework, Honda expanded its assessment scope to cover 17 countries, representing over 90 percent of its global motorcycle and automobile sales volume. The evaluation reviewed Honda's safety governance, global fatality tracking, safety technology deployment and traffic safety data disclosures. The company maintains targets to halve traffic collision fatalities involving its vehicles per 10,000 units sold by 2030 compared to 2020 levels, with a long-term goal to eliminate traffic collision fatalities by 2050.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA, said, “Road safety remains one of the world’s most urgent challenges, and no single organisation or sector can address it alone. Progress depends on action at scale across the public and private sectors, uniting all stakeholders around our shared goal of saving lives on the road. The FIA has an important role to play in accelerating that change for road users worldwide. Alongside our work with companies, we encourage governments to consider how the FIA Road Safety Index methodology can support regulatory compliance frameworks and strengthen road safety standards globally. We aim to build a shared culture in which road safety is recognised as a fundamental responsibility. I congratulate Honda on leading the way and becoming the first organisation to receive five stars.”

Willem Groenewald, FIA Secretary General for Automobile Mobility, Sustainability and Tourism, said, “The expansion of the FIA Road Safety Index to five stars marks an important step in our ambition to make road safety a measurable and accountable part of corporate decision-making. Organisations worldwide have a significant influence on road safety through their operations, employees, products, services and supply chains. With this expanded methodology, they can not only understand that impact more broadly, but set targets, measure progress, showcase in-depth commitment and continuously improve their performance. Honda becoming the first organisation to achieve the new five-star rating demonstrates the level of ambition we want the Index to inspire. We hope this milestone will encourage many more organisations across the public and private sectors to measure their road safety footprint and take concrete action to save lives.”

Mikihito Kojima, Assistant Vice-President and General Manager of Traffic Safety Promotion Operations, Honda Motor Co, said, “We are deeply honoured that Honda safety initiatives have received the 5-Star rating, the highest recognition in the FIA Road Safety Index. At Honda, our goal goes beyond delivering safer products. We look to the safety of each and every customer who uses our products, and everyone sharing the road around them. Through the advancement of our safety technologies, activities to promote safe driving and riding practices, and a clearer understanding of how traffic collisions occur so that we can keep improving, we work to reduce the number of traffic collisions themselves. The FIA Road Safety Index brings visibility to corporate road safety efforts, and has given us a clearer view of where we stand today and of what we need to address next. We see this recognition as an important milestone on the way to our challenging goal of achieving zero traffic collision fatalities involving Honda motorcycles and automobiles globally by 2050, and we will continue to take on that challenge. We also hope that the FIA Road Safety Index will encourage broader commitment to road safety among companies and organisations worldwide beyond individual companies and industries, helping to drive road safety forward across society.”

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French automotive major Renault Group has announced the appointment of Carine Damois as Chief Financial Officer, effective 14 November 2026. She will report to Francois Provost and join the Group's Leadership Team.

She comes with over 20 years of experience in corporate finance, financial governance and digital transformation within international organisations. Her background includes oversight across management control, treasury, risk management, tax, strategic planning, consolidation and sustainable finance.

Since 2021, she has served as Deputy Chief Financial Officer of Michelin, managing finance functions across more than 100 countries. Her prior career includes senior leadership roles across manufacturing, logistics, energy, and operations within Michelin and the AREVA Group. She is a graduate of ESSEC Business School.

The appointment comes as Renault Group continues the implementation of its futuREady strategic plan, aimed at maintaining financial performance and operational agility.

François Provost said: "I am delighted to welcome Carine Damois to Renault Group. Her recognised financial expertise, strong industrial background and international perspective make her the ideal leader for our Finance function. As we continue to execute our strategy and aim to maintain a high level of financial performance, I am confident that Carine will play a decisive role in achieving our ambitions. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Duncan for his commitment and contribution to the Group's development over nearly three decades."

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Switch Mobility, the electric bus and light commercial vehicle brand of the Hinduja Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Adhiyamaan College of Engineering to establish a Skill Development Centre for Electric Vehicle Technology in Hosur, Tamil Nadu.

The facility will function as a dedicated training site to upskill students and industry personnel in electric commercial vehicle technology. The curriculum will focus on practical applications, including battery technology, power electronics, charging infrastructure, real-world vehicle systems and electric mobility operations.

The initiative marks the establishment of a specialised electric vehicle skilling hub in the Hosur industrial belt, aiming to supply trained technical workforce to the region's expanding commercial electric vehicle manufacturing sector.

R G Venkataraman, Chief Commercial Officer, Switch Mobility, said, "As part of the MoU, Switch Mobility will extend its technical expertise and support towards this initiative. This program will entail practical industrial exposure, learning and skill development."

Radhakrishnan, Principal of Adhiyamaan College of Engineering, said, "We are proud to be associated with an industry leader like Switch Mobility. We believe that this collaboration will provide our students with valuable hands-on exposure to EV technologies and strengthen the industry–academia partnership in the field of electric mobility. With this Centre, our vision is to offer a practical learning environment to enhance their employability and prepare them to meet the evolving demands of the electric mobility industry."

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers in the country, has announced five of its employees were awarded the Medallion for Excellence at the 48th WorldSkills Competition 2026, held in Shanghai, China, from 22 to 27 September 2026.

Competing across three skill categories – mechatronics, additive manufacturing and robot systems integration – the company's employees secured five of the total 20 Medallions for Excellence won by the Indian contingent.

The WorldSkills Competition featured over 1,400 participants from 68 countries competing across 64 technical trade categories. The Medallion for Excellence is awarded to competitors who meet international standards by achieving performance benchmark scores below the gold, silver and bronze medal positions.

In the Mechatronics category, Deepu Mudigerepalya Srinivasa and Jayanth Kariyappa received the recognition. Pavan Bhadravati Suresha was awarded in Additive Manufacturing, while Abhishek Somanna Shignalli and Vinay Muttayya Hiremath received medallions in Robot Systems Integration. Additionally, TKM employees Tejas B.S. and Praveen Yankappa Hunakunti represented India in the Auto Body Repair and Welding categories respectively.

G Shankara, Chief Strategy Officer, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, "The achievements of our employees at the WorldSkills Competition 2026 exemplify the spirit of excellence, innovation and continuous learning. Five of our employees winning Medallions for Excellence in 3 categories on a global stage is a proud moment for Toyota Kirloskar Motor and for the nation. Their success reinforces our commitment to nurturing world-class talent and supporting India's journey towards becoming the global skill capital. We hope their journey inspires the next generation of young professionals to pursue excellence in technical and vocational careers."

Toyota Kirloskar Motor conducts technical training through the Toyota Technical Training Institute (TTTI), established in 2007 to provide a three-year residential programme for students from rural Karnataka. The automaker has trained over 140,000 individuals through vocational initiatives, including partnerships with over 120 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), 30 Government Tool Room & Training Centres (GTTCs), the Toyota Technical Education Program and Toyota Kaushalya.

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Japanese tier 1 supplier Denso Corporation and Niterra Co., have agreed to terminate their business transfer agreement concerning Denso's Spark Plug and Exhaust Gas Sensor business, which was originally executed on 1 September 2025.

The initial agreement followed a memorandum of understanding signed in July 2023, under which both companies explored transferring Denso's spark plug and exhaust gas sensor operations – including oxygen sensors and air-fuel ratio sensors – to Niterra to streamline internal combustion engine (ICE) component manufacturing amidst global vehicle electrification.

The revision in the original plan is said to be due to changes in the market environment, which led Denso to reassess its strategy under its ‘CORE 2030’ Mid-Term Management Plan.

While vehicle electrification has progressed, global market conditions, regional energy supplies and regulatory environments have sustained demand for internal combustion and hybrid powertrains longer than projected. Following strategic reviews, Denso concluded that maintaining its spark plug and sensor business in-house remains optimal for supporting multi-powertrain vehicle systems, prompting the mutual agreement with Niterra to dissolve the transfer deal.

Denso stated that it will continue operating the business independently to meet powertrain requirements and supply chain demands across global markets.

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