The auto industry has a long history of borrowing ideas from the aerospace sector, ranging from aerodynamic styling to lightweight materials. The latest adoption is head-up display (HUD) technology, which was originally developed for fighter jets.

DETROIT—The Open Automotive Alliance, a consortium of automotive OEMs and technology providers like Google, has launched a new, automotive-specific operating system—Android Auto.

DUBLIN, VA—Volvo Trucks North America says it will invest $69 million in improvements at its New River Valley plant in Dublin.

BUFFALO, WV—A former employee at the Toyota assembly plant here is accusing the company of wrongly firing her for seeking medical leave to address her methamphetamine problem.

DETROIT—It’s a basic tenet of mass production: Making things in batches is the most efficient way to manufacture anything. So why, then, is lean manufacturing evangelist Ted Duclos arguing that America can revitalize its manufacturing base by making things one at a time?

WARREN, MI—Chrysler Group will invest $63 million to expand production capacity at its stamping plant here.

OXFORD, UK—BMW has installed 11,500 solar panels on the roof its Mini assembly plant here. The panels will generate enough electricity to power 850 UK households.

DETROIT—General Motors has appointed Cathy Clegg, a 31-year veteran of the company, to take over as vice president of North American manufacturing as it focuses on improving the production launches of new vehicles in the wake of a record number of recalls.

DEARBORN, MI—Engineers at Ford Motor Co. have created virtual representations of employees— called “avatars”—to assess whether articulating arms and other ergonomic aids could help with assembly.

CAMBRIDGE, MA—Engineers at MIT and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have developed a new ultrastiff, ultralight material. Based on repeating microscopic units, the material has record-breaking stiffness at low density.