Foley Automotive Update - June 2026

Foley & Lardner LLP launched its 2026 AI in Manufacturing & Supply Chain Series to help industry participants identify and manage the legal risks and strategic implications of rapid advances in automation and data use. The most recent piece, Legal Considerations for IP in Smart Manufacturing: Data Ownership, Trade Secret Risks, and Patenting AI-Assisted Inventions, illustrates how firms navigate ownership and protection of AI-driven innovations. The update sits alongside broader industry analyses, including a May 2026 U.S. light-vehicle SAAR forecast of 16.3 million units, up 5.8% year over year, though year-over-year comparisons are tempered by tariff-driven purchases in prior months. Global 2026 auto sales are projected to fall 1.1% to 91.1 million, amid geopolitical tensions and weaker demand in China. Plante Moran’s 2026 North American OEM-Supplier WRI study shows improvements across the six OEMs, with Toyota and Honda at the top, followed by GM, Nissan, Ford, and Stellantis. The update also covers tariff rulings, including Section 232 and IEEPA-related refunds, and discusses potential USMCA-content requirements that could alter sourcing rules for automakers.