Volkswagen has announced a 10 billion euro savings program that will feature staff reductions as part of its efforts to boost efficiency in the shift to electric vehicles. The carmaker’s brand chief, Thomas Schaefer, emphasized the need to address high costs and low productivity, which have made its cars less competitive.

While Volkswagen had previously committed to no dismissals until 2029, it now aims to leverage partial or early retirements to reduce its workforce. The company also stated that the majority of the cost-cutting target will involve measures other than personnel reductions, with specific details to be outlined by year-end.

A number of retailers, including Tapestry, BJ’s Wholesale Club, and Hanesbrands, have recently issued lackluster fourth-quarter outlooks, causing concern for the crucial holiday season. Factors such as persistent inflation, slowing demand, and cautious consumer spending have contributed to reduced forecasts. This cautious sentiment among retailers raises questions about the overall health of the economy.

The holiday shopping season, which experienced significant growth during the pandemic, is expected to see a slowdown in 2023 due to dwindling savings accounts, inflation, and high interest rates. As a result, retailers are approaching the season with more caution than anticipated. Retailers like Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods have struck a cautious tone with their outlooks, despite some positive results. The overall lack of confidence among retailers spells trouble for the holiday quarter.

Amazon is implementing stricter measures to enforce its return-to-office mandate for corporate employees. According to internal posts viewed by CNBC, employees who do not comply with the policy of working in the office at least three days a week may be denied promotions. Managers are responsible for supporting employee growth and must ensure compliance with the in-person work requirement. Amazon’s decision to require employees to return to the office has sparked tensions and protests among staff. The company’s stance on remote work has evolved throughout the pandemic, initially planning to return to an office-centric culture before implementing the current mandate.

Amazon.com announced that it is cutting jobs at its Alexa voice assistant unit as it shifts its business priorities to focus more on generative artificial intelligence (AI). While the exact number of affected employees was not disclosed, the cuts reportedly impact several hundred workers. Amazon has been reducing its presence in various divisions recently, including music, gaming, and certain human resources roles.

The decision to discontinue some initiatives and allocate resources to generative AI aligns with the company’s efforts to maximize resources and meet customer demands. The move comes as Amazon strives to make Alexa more competitive in the era of generative AI. Despite the job cuts, the company remains optimistic about the future of Alexa and its potential for growth.

Private space company Sierra Space has laid off several hundred employees and contractors this week, with around 165 employees and an unspecified number of contractors affected. The company, recently valued at over $5 billion, shipped its first Dream Chaser spaceplane for testing at NASA’s Armstrong facility in Ohio before the layoffs began. Sierra Space will now focus on the operations phase of Dream Chaser’s first mission and classified national security work, including adding nearly 150 employees with security clearances. The layoffs come after Sierra Space raised almost $300 million in funding two months ago.

The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has announced a groundbreaking four-year contract with CBS Sports, ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, and Scripps Sports for media distribution, set to begin in 2024. The deal, valued at $60 million per year and amounting to $240 million for the term, marks a significant increase from the league’s previous agreement. The NWSL aims to reach new audiences and generate record-breaking distribution and revenue through this partnership.

As part of the deal, CBS, ESPN, Prime Video, and Scripps will broadcast a variety of NWSL matches across their platforms, allowing fans to access games through various channels and streaming services. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman expressed excitement about the deal, emphasizing that it will revolutionize the league’s future and benefit both the players and the league as a whole.

Chrysler parent company Stellantis is providing voluntary separation packages to approximately 6,400 of its US white-collar employees, representing half of its nonbargaining unit workforce with five or more years of employment. The move is aimed at reducing headcount and cutting costs for the automaker’s North American operations.

Stellantis is among several US auto industry companies seeking to reduce expenses amidst economic uncertainties and significant investments in emerging technologies like electric vehicles. The voluntary separation packages come shortly after Stellantis reached a tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers union, which also includes voluntary buyouts. Employees have until December 8 to accept the buyout offers.

Uber is introducing new features to tackle the issue of unfair deactivations faced by ride-hail and delivery drivers. The company will use technology to identify customers who consistently give bad ratings or feedback with the aim of receiving a refund, and their allegations will no longer impact drivers’ ratings or deactivation decisions.

Additionally, Uber is expanding its in-app review center, allowing drivers and couriers to understand why their accounts were deactivated, request a review, and provide additional information such as audio or video recordings. The company will also pilot voluntary drug tests to allow drivers to dispute accusations of driving under the influence or having a car that smells like marijuana.

Previously, drivers had protested against unfair deactivations and joined lawsuits against Uber, stating that false complaints, discrimination, and lack of transparency had led to their deactivation.

Joby Aviation and Volocopter recently conducted demonstration flights of their electric aircraft in New York City, providing a glimpse into the future of aviation. During a press conference, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced plans to electrify two heliports, further supporting the development of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The move is crucial for eVTOL developers, who require significant public investment to establish their commercial air taxi service by the mid-2020s. The eVTOL industry is benefitting from climate commitments by cities, including New York City, to reduce carbon emissions and transition to clean energy. Joby Aviation, with plans for a “city-to-airport” service in New York and Los Angeles, estimates that it could reduce travel time between Manhattan and John F. Kennedy International Airport to just seven minutes.