STANTON, TN—The U.S. auto industry is accelerating its move south as car companies pour billions of dollars into new factories in Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Automakers are now rushing to construct assembly plants and battery-making facilities—some sitting on sites the size of 60 football fields.

WINDSOR, ON—The Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant recently reached a milestone as the 100,000th Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid rolled off the production line. 

NAGOYA, Japan—Toyota Motor Corp. has resumed operations at its 14 Japanese assembly plants after they were forced to shut down due to a computer glitch.

WASHINGTON—Engineers at NASA’s Advanced Air Vehicles Program are examining supersonic commercial flight.

LAFAYETTE, GA—GE Appliances recently unveiled a revamped cooking products plant here that assembles ranges and ovens.

APEX, NC—ATI Industrial Automation, a provider of robotic tooling and sensing technology, has announced that its multiaxis force and torque (F/T) sensors are now compatible with FANUC’s robots and force control software. This collaboration opens up new possibilities for advanced automation and precision control in robotic applications.

TAINAN, Taiwan—Taiwanese private companies are pivoting into the defense sector and making weapons, and U.S. defense contractors are exploring ways to manufacture and design noncore components of their weapons systems in Taiwan.

QUEBEC CITY—Flexpipe, a manufacturer and distributor of modular steel framing structures and material handling systems, has launched Lean Maker Academy, a free online certification program designed to teach workers to assemble modular system equipment for lean manufacturing.

LOUISVILLE, KY—UAW is applying pressure on the Detroit Three automakers, which include General Motors, Ford and Stellantis—which owns the Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat brands—by hosting a nationwide strike authorization vote.

ALBUQUERQUE—Singapore-based Maxeon Solar Technologies Ltd. is investing more than $1 billion to build a new 3-gigawatt (GW) solar panel assembly plant here, its first expansion into the United States.