CES: GM to open the dashboard to developers

At last year's Autoweek Design Forum, father of the iPod and Nest Labs co-founder Tony Fadell suggested that automakers concentrate on designing and building cars, leaving handset makers to handle infotainment. The latest announcements from Ford and GM -- in conjunction with the International CES -- suggest that automakers would rather treat the dashboard space as a handset. Yesterday, Dearborn, Mich., announced the Ford Developer Program, which opens up Sync to outside application development; now General Motors has announced a similar initiative.

Ford posts rare increase as industry gains from clunkers

Ford Motor Co. posted its first U.S. sales increase in 19 months in July and most rivals pared their declines as the federal cash-for-clunkers incentive helped lift industry demand to its highest rate this year.

Bankruptcy looms for cash-starved Saab

The future is growing dim for Saab. Reports from Europe say the Swedish courts might soon declare Saab bankrupt--possibly as soon as Wednesday--because the company is out of cash. Saab recently won court protection from its creditors while it waited for funds.