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MILAN — Fiat Chrysler and France’s PSA Peugeot said Oct. 31 they have agreed to merge to create the world’s fourth-largest automaker with enough scale to confront big shifts in the industry, including a race to develop electric cars and driverless technologies.

True driverless cars have arrived from Waymo, the self-driving unit of Alphabet Inc., but the company’s chief executive officer says robot ride hailing may not be the first form of automotive autonomy to take off commercially.

Days before production starts on Volkswagen AG’s cornerstone electric vehicle, the German manufacturer is stepping up a campaign to more than double its market value and gain investor recognition for the industry’s most ambitious technology push.

Daimler AG is quitting development of natural-gas powered trucks to pool resources for electric and hydrogen rigs that can advance its goal of offering a CO2-neutral fleet in its main markets by 2039.

GREENWICH, Conn. — XPO Logistics Inc. announced Oct. 24 that it was teaming up with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to advance innovation in its industry.

Ford Motor Co. will debut its first battery-electric crossover Nov. 17, the automaker said Oct. 24.

Commercial vehicle brake supplier Haldex AB reported lower third-quarter earnings and higher revenue as it increased sales slightly in North America.

Elon Musk flipped the script on those who doubted Tesla Inc. could return to profitability and meet aggressive timelines, delivering positive earnings few saw coming and declaring he’s ahead of schedule on a new plant and product.

TOKYO — The Tokyo Motor Show opens this week with plenty of futuristic technologies but absent one of the auto industry’s hugest influencers: Nissan’s former chairman, Carlos Ghosn.