Hyundai has announced an expansion of its Assurance payment-assistance program designed to help out federal government employees affected by mandatory furloughs.

Until the United States government’s shutdown ends, Hyundai says that furloughed employees will be able to defer their loan and lease payments. 

In addition, the Korean carmaker says that furloughed employees who plan to buy a car this month will be granted a 90-day payment deferral.

“We recognize the impact on family budgets that the furlough will drive,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America in a statement released to members of the media. “Like we did almost four years ago when we launched Hyundai Assurance, this is our way of saying ‘We’ve got your back’ during this uncertain time.”

Hyundai has used its Assurance program to allow owners and lessees to delay payments during both economic slowdowns and natural disasters. It’s not clear how the automaker will ensure that owners who plan to make use of the Assurance program are actually among the roughly 800,000 who have been furloughed, however. <![CDATA[
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In response to rumors swirling about the Motor City this week, Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman Bill Ford stated today that while the automaker’s CEO, Alan Mulally, will “stick around.”

“I’m happy he’s sticking around,” Ford said on Bloomberg TV. “But we also feel really good about where we are in terms of succession.”

Reports began circulating recently that Microsoft is looking to Mulally for its top executive position. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced his retirement plans recently. Ballmer is set to hand over the top position at the software giant in about a year.�

Ford executives have indicated that Mulally will remain on board through the end of 2014, at which time most auto industry correspondents assume that COO Mark Fields will take over. 

Connections between Mulally and Microsoft are close, even though the executive has never worked in the high tech industry. Ford and Microsoft have a close relationship; not only is Ford’s in-car technology driven by Microsoft, the software firm’s One Microsoft reorganization plan is based on Ford’s One Ford philosophy campaigned by Mulally.

“As good as Alan is, we knew that he wasn’t going to last forever,” Ford said. “Nobody does. We have the best team today that we’ve had in my working career. I feel really good, as does Alan, about where we are going forward.” 

Mulally has proven crucial at Ford ever since taking the top position at the automaker in late 2006. Credited with borrowing about $23 billion and leveraging the automaker’s distinctive Blue Oval logo, Mulally helped bring Ford back into profitability. <![CDATA[
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