Volkswagen Doesn't Trust Its Employees With Pokemon Go

The powers that be at Volkswagen aren’t big fans of the Pokémon Go app. While most people think of it as a fun and nerdy augmented reality game, the automaker’s executives see it as a one-way ticket to industrial espionage.

Because of this, Volkswagen’s 70,000 employees are forbidden from installing the app on their company phones, according to the German publication Bild (via Carscoops).

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U.S. Transportation Department Seeks $4B For Future Autonomous Cars

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on Thursday said his department would seek nearly $4 billion over the next 10 years to standardize rules for self-driving cars and make it easier for carmakers to offer more autonomous vehicles.

The plan was mentioned Tuesday by President Barack Obama during his final State of the Union address and detailed by Foxx at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The plan would create a uniform autonomous vehicle policy for states to adopt and would allow more exemptions from current safety regulations for self-driving technology.

Only a few states currently allow autonomous vehicles on their roads, including California, Nevada and Michigan.

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China Tightens Rules For New Automakers. Too Late!

If you want to start a business in China, you need a business license. Getting a license to make cars used to be quite hard, but the Chinese government wants to make it harder. China’s industry ministry will hand down standardized rules, which may limit new entrants, Bloomberg reports.

The not yet precisely defined rules don’t sound sinister at first glance. They state that new car companies must meet certain criteria including scale of production and development capacity. They will take effect on January 1, a statement on the ministry website says.

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  • Eliyahu Tesla is working as well as a full self-driving company can be expected to.
  • JMII No.
  • Mike Beranek I would imagine that a Tesla high-rise condo building would spy on you, lock you inside during software updates, and drop panes of glass when the wind exceeds 4 mph.
  • Theflyersfan It isn't just GM (Looking at Ford and Nissan as well) but will always question the wisdom of putting 1.0 to 2.0L high pressure turbos into a vehicle that can exceed 2 tons when loaded with American-sized Americans and the cargo one hauls around. I know the automakers don't care - the warranty has long ended by the time the turbo goes Chernobyl, but doesn't look good for loyalty if engines keep frying.
  • Dartdude The global climate scam is a money and power grab. If you follow the money it will lead you to Demo contributors or global elitists. The government needs to go back to their original purpose and get out of the public sector.