EV Job Watch: NextStar’s Windsor battery plant still employs about 1,300 people toward a promised 2,500, with the full-capacity timeline now tied to market and customer demand. AI & Autonomy Push: GM CEO Mary Barra argues EVs and self-driving cars are the “AI future,” while Ceva and LG team up to accelerate Ultra-Wideband adoption for next-gen automotive and SoCs. Battery & Power Infrastructure: HD Hyundai Heavy plans a 1.07 trillion won investment in land-based power engines and small modular reactors to feed AI data-center electricity demand. Factory Scaling: Ultraviolette Automotive will build its BIGGA factory in Hosur with phased capacity up to 500,000 units and 2,000–3,000 direct jobs initially. Safety Testing Tech: KU Leuven spin-out IVEX raises €5m to speed AI-powered automotive safety testing and expand in North America and Asia. New Model/Bookings: Hyundai launches Creta/Creta Electric/Alcazar Lounge Editions with a rear 11.6-inch screen; Mercedes opens GLC electric bookings in India in early October for late-2026 launch. China Market Signals: AmCham Shanghai reports a rebound in business confidence among member firms operating in China. Labor Update: Hyundai Steel signs its first collective bargaining deal with subcontracted workers under South Korea’s “yellow envelope” law. Corporate Moves: JSW and Škoda Auto explore a JV in India via a non-binding MoU, aiming at passenger vehicles across powertrains.