ICYMI: Stellantis adds 10,000 jobs globally as hiring strategy shifts. General Motors leads Q1 U.S. auto sales despite industry slowdown. Federal judge partially allows dealer lawsuit against Volkswagen to proceed. FCA U.S. Q1 sales rise 4% as Ram, Jeep and Dodge post gains. Automakers group proposes replacing gas tax with vehicle fee. Here’s a closer look at these top stories and more headlines to stay on top of this week’s automotive industry news. Stellantis adds 10,000 jobs globally as hiring strategy shifts Stellantis increased its global workforce by more than 10,000 employees last year, marking the first annual employment growth in the company’s history, according to newly released corporate filings. Of those additions, 4,700 jobs were in North America, while the company’s total headcount reached 258,668, roughly in line with 2023 levels, and U.S. employment rose by about 400. Read More General Motors leads Q1 U.S. auto sales despite industry slowdown General Motors led the U.S. auto industry in Q1 sales, reporting 626,429 vehicles sold, down 9.7% from a year earlier, as winter storms early in the quarter weighed on performance and comparisons were skewed by a strong March 2025. The automaker said results improved as the quarter progressed, with March delivering stronger showroom traffic and sales following weather-related disruptions in January and February. GM expects a similar decline for the broader industry, noting that last year’s March selling pace exceeded a seasonally adjusted annual rate of more than 18 million units. Read More Federal judge partially allows dealer lawsuit against Volkswagen to proceed A federal judge in California has granted in part and denied in part motions to dismiss filed by Volkswagen of America and related defendants in a lawsuit brought by the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA). In an order dated March 30, 2026, Chief District Judge