NHTSA investigates GM cars for possible brake light problems

Federal safety regulators are looking at three General Motors vehicles for potential brake light defects that could result in a recall of more than a million midsize vehicles. A Automotive News they were investigating an estimated 550,000 Pontiac G6s because of possible brake light malfunctions that could increase the chances of an accident. NHTSA said it had received 212 consumer complaints concerning brake light problems on 2005-09 modelG6s.

Higher gas prices? Blame ethanol

MarketWatch reported today that the price of ethanol has seen a 30-percent price increase so far this year, taking the price of gasoline up with it, since a good majority of "gasoline" sold today is around 10 percent ethanol. The average price of a gallon of gas today is $2.30, according to FactSet data, but this has varied since the beginning of 2014. Despite the recent surge, ethanol prices have also proved to be rather volatile with reports of it dropping 8 percent this past Thursday after falling 10 percent just the day before.

News watch December 2011: today's auto industry news

Welcome to CAR Magazine's news aggregator as we round up the daily stories in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hourFriday 30 December 2011• Fisker has recalled all 239 Karma plug-in hybrids manufactured between 1 July and 3 November this year to fix a glitch in its battery. Supplier A123 Systems says the problem affects the battery's cooling system, but Fisker is adamant no customers have complained and this is a precautionary step (Automotive News)• Supplier Continental says business looks brisk in the first quarter of 2012, thanks to strong demand in the US and Asia (Automotive News Europe)• Toyota chief executive Akio Toyoda is gradually changing the culture at Japan's biggest car maker, according to the Detroit News.