BERLIN (Reuters):

A 46-year-old German motorist driving along a busy road suddenly veered to the left and ended up stuck on a railway track because his satellite navigation system (Satnav) told him to, police said on Sunday.

The motorist was heading into the north German city of Bremen "when the friendly voice from his satnav told him to turn left," a spokesman said.

"He did what he was ordered to do and turned his Audi left up over the curb and onto the track of a local streetcar line. He tried to back up off the track but got completely stuck."

The police spokesman said about a dozen trams were held up until a tow truck arrived to clear the car off the track.

Several German motorists have crashed their cars in recent months, later telling police they were only obeying orders from their satnavs.

London council to hit gas-guzzling cars

LONDON (Reuters):

A London council announced last Tuesday it will press ahead with a controversial plan to cut CO_² emissions by charging owners of gas-guzzling cars up to three times as much for parking permits. Richmond-upon-Thames Council in southwest London, one of the capital's most affluent areas, will introduce the scheme despite a consultation that revealed only 49 per cent of residents supported it.

The council said 39 per cent had opposed the idea and 12 per cent didn't know, but 64 per cent said the plans would make them think about changing their vehicle to a less-polluting model. The cost of parking the most polluting vehicles in the parts of the borough subject to controlled zones will rise to 300 pounds from 100 pounds.

A sliding scale of charges for permits will come into force from around April, based on the Government's car tax bands. Band A, electric cars, will be free, with Band B, which includes the Toyota Prius hybrid and the Renault Megane dCi 106 diesel hatchback, getting a 50 per cent reduction. Hardest-hit will be owners of 4x4s like the BMW X5, the Renault Espace people-carrier and saloons like the Jaguar X-type.

Ford executive gives up use of jet after criticism

DETROIT (Reuters):

The head of Ford Motor Co.'s money-losing North American operations last Thursday told employees that he had given up use of a corporate jet for personal travel, an expensive benefit that had come under fire. Ford's president of the Americas, Mark Fields' trips from Detroit to his home in Florida became controversial in recent weeks after the provision in his contract was highlighted by a Detroit television station and challenged at a time when the automaker is losing billions and slashing jobs.

The cost of flying Fields for the fourth quarter of 2005 was $214,479, according to a proxy statement filed by Ford with the Securities and Exchange Commission in April. The automaker has not yet disclosed the cost for 2006. Ford lost $7 billion during the first nine months of 2006 and further losses are forecast in the October-December period quarter and beyond. By Ford's own estimate, its North American unit will lose money until 2009 and run through $17 billion cash in the next three years.

South Korea wants six years in jail for Hyundai chief

SEOUL (Reuters):

South Korean prosecutors demanded on Tuesday a six-year jail term for the chairman of Hyundai Motor Group, the world's number six auto maker, for alleged breach of trust and embezzling company funds. The prosecution request came as unionised workers at South Korea's top auto maker prepared further partial strike action over a bonus dispute, which is expected to put pressure on the company's goal to more than double global revenue growth in 2007.

"Hyundai plays a big role in the South Korean economy and its transparent management is essential. We were shocked to discover old corruption such as embezzlement," senior prosecutor Lee Dong-yoel told the court. "We need to apply the principles of law to this case considering the damage it inflicted on the national economy." Chung Mong-koo, 68, was arrested last April on allegations that Hyundai and its affiliates set up slush funds to pay for political favours.