Today's Automotive Pulse
Waymo suspends driverless rides in Atlanta and Texas amid severe storms
Waymo announced a temporary suspension of its driverless‑car services in Atlanta, Georgia, and multiple Texas cities after a vehicle became stranded in flood‑water. The company said the pause is an "abundance of caution" as flash‑flood warnings, severe thunderstorms, hail and gusty winds threaten safety.
Also developing:
By the numbers: LTM Ltd acquires Randstad’s Europe and Australia units for $186M
California Clears Path for Autonomous Tesla Semi Testing as Production Ramps Up
The California Department of Motor Vehicles adopted new regulations permitting manufacturers to seek permits for testing heavy‑duty autonomous trucks, including the Tesla Semi. The rules require 500,000 miles with a safety driver before fully driverless trials, a timing Tesla says aligns with its newly‑started high‑volume Semi production in Nevada. Labor groups have already vowed legal challenges, underscoring the stakes for the long‑haul logistics sector.
HERE Technologies Expands China Partnerships to Drive Global Automated Driving
HERE Technologies announced a suite of strategic agreements at Auto China 2026, highlighted by a memorandum of understanding with Baidu Maps to fuse global and domestic map data for automakers. The company also unveiled an integrated Highway Navigation on Autopilot...
Tesla to Fix 219k Vehicles in Recall with Simple Software Update
Tesla is recalling 218,868 U.S. vehicles because a software glitch can delay the rear‑view camera image by up to 11 seconds. The defect affects certain 2023‑2025 Model S, Model X, 2024‑2025 Model 3 and Model Y equipped with Hardware 3 and...
This New Tech Completely Changes How The Brake Pedal Works
Brembo unveiled Sensify, a brake‑by‑wire system that eliminates hydraulic fluid and uses individual electric actuators at each wheel. The brake pedal now acts as an electronic input, letting software modulate braking force in real time. This architecture promises smoother, more...
The Automotive Update: What Were Europe’s Fastest-Selling Used Cars in April?
April’s European used‑car market saw the Tesla Model Y and Cupra Formentor dominate speed charts, topping sales in two of seven key markets each. Dacia Sandero, Toyota Yaris Cross, SEAT Leon and Volkswagen Polo also featured prominently, with the Sandero leading...
Tesla Is Seeing Record Sales Rebounds in Key Markets Globally
Tesla posted a strong sales rebound in April 2026, highlighted by a 36% year‑over‑year increase at its Shanghai Gigafactory and double‑digit registration gains across several European markets. China shipments reached 79,478 Model 3 and Model Y units, while France, Sweden, Denmark and...
Bajaj Auto Beats Q4 Estimates and Launches $595 M Record Share Buyback
Bajaj Auto reported quarterly earnings above analyst forecasts and unveiled a 56.33 bn‑rupee ($595 M) share buyback at a 16.3% premium. The earnings surge was driven by premium bike sales, margin expansion and a recent tax cut on 350 cc motorcycles.
Ford’s Upcoming $30,000 Electric Truck: 7 Intriguing New Twists
Ford is engineering a $30,000 electric pickup slated for 2027, using a skunkworks team at its Long Beach EV Development Center. The truck’s architecture breaks the vehicle into three modular sections, employs a single‑piece aluminum front and a battery pack...
WattEV Orders 370 Tesla Semis in Record California EV Deployment
WattEV announced a record order of 370 Tesla Semi Class 8 electric trucks, with the first 50 slated for delivery in 2026 and full deployment by the end of 2027, making it California’s largest single electric‑truck rollout. More than 300 of...
Nuro Secures California Driverless Permit for Uber‑Backed Lucid Robotaxi Service
Nuro has been granted a California DMV driverless testing permit for its Lucid Gravity robotaxis, paving the way for Uber’s premium robotaxi rollout. The approval allows testing without a safety driver at speeds up to 45 mph, bringing the companies closer...
As Gas Prices Climb, Hybrid Sales Are Booming
Hybrid vehicle sales jumped 9.2% in April, making up 14.5% of all new U.S. car purchases despite a 7.1% decline in overall new‑vehicle sales. The surge was led by Hyundai and Kia, which together moved more than 40,000 hybrids, while...
Ford Cuts Part Production From 130 to 3 Days
This is what reindustrialization is all about. After 123 years, @Ford is continuing to use our industrial know-how to help support American manufacturing. At @MichiganCentral, we’re seeing startups grow and great ideas scale. Here’s a look at how Ford teamed...
Visteon SmartCore: The Cockpit Is No Longer a Collection of Systems. It’s a Platform Decision.
Visteon’s SmartCore platform is reshaping cockpit architecture by consolidating clusters, infotainment and displays into a single compute platform. OEMs are moving platform decisions earlier in the development cycle, effectively locking most of the software stack and shifting control upstream. Visteon...
Powering the EV Revolution
Power electronics, the backbone of electric vehicles, are undergoing rapid evolution as demand surges. A recent IDTechEx report forecasts a 10% annual growth, pushing the market to $65 billion by 2036. Automakers are turning to wide‑bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide...
Cadillac Already Has a Running Formula 1 Engine of Its Own Hidden in North Carolina
General Motors is accelerating its Formula 1 ambitions by testing a turbocharged V‑6 power unit at its new Charlotte, North Carolina technical center. While Cadillac will run Ferrari‑supplied engines through 2028, GM plans to debut a proprietary power unit for the...
Three Midwest Manufacturers Form Dielectric Manufacturing Group, Targeting EV Busbar and Components Market
Three established Midwest manufacturers—Dielectric Manufacturing, EMS Industrial and Centerline Machine—have merged to create Dielectric Manufacturing Group, a single‑source provider of precision plastic and metal parts, machining, fabrication, and custom busbar solutions for electric‑vehicle OEMs. The combined entity leverages over 60...
735 Electric Buses Coming To Dubai Soon
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority will receive 735 electric buses in 2026, expanding its electric fleet to roughly 775 vehicles. The existing 40‑bus pilot has already avoided 59,263 tons of CO₂ in 2025 and achieved a 95% satisfaction rate among drivers...
At Auto China, Geely Leans Heavily On The Software Defined Vehicle
Geely used Auto China 2026 to unveil an AI‑defined vehicle strategy, debuting the Galaxy Light second‑generation concept, a purpose‑built off‑road electric platform delivering over 1,000 hp with software‑controlled torque distribution, and an i‑HEV hybrid system that posts a 48.41% thermal efficiency...
Versa Materials and AUMUND Partner on Domestic Battery Cathode Manufacturing Equipment, Targeting 50% CapEx Reduction
Versa Materials Technology of Austin and Germany’s AUMUND Corp have signed an exclusive MOU to adapt AUMUND’s conveying and thermal‑processing equipment for battery‑cathode calcination. The partnership will replace the traditional multi‑step co‑precipitation and saggar‑based calcination with a single‑step spray‑pyrolysis process,...
Aurora’s Chris Urmson on Why Self-Driving Trucks Are Finally Ready to Scale
Aurora launched its first commercial driverless trucks in April 2025 and is now expanding the fleet to hundreds of units in 2026. CEO Chris Urmson told TechCrunch’s Equity podcast that long‑haul trucking provides the first viable economics for full autonomy,...
Edmunds' Dodge Charger EV Lost $50,000 In Value In A Year
The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona EV has experienced a dramatic drop in resale value, with some models losing up to 50% within a year. Kelly Blue Book data shows the R/T coupe fell from $61,590 to about $30,000 and the Scat Pack...
Used Car Prices Fall for First Time This Year as Gas Prices Spike, EV Interest Rises
Used‑car prices slipped 1.6% in April, marking the first monthly decline since October, as gasoline surged to $4.56 a gallon amid the Iran conflict. Cox Automotive’s Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index remains 1.8% higher than a year ago, but the...
UK Leads Self‑Driving Rollout with Agile Regulation
Spoke with 𝐙𝐃𝐅 𝐌𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧 (leading German🇩🇪 television programme) on how is the UK standing out as a leader in #selfdriving vehicle rollout... By focussing on technology approval, as well as creating a legal framework for passenger mobility services in an agile...
Hino Trucks Introduces New Le Series Battery Electric Vehicle
Hino Trucks unveiled its Le Series battery‑electric vehicle at the ACT Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, with production slated for the third quarter of 2026. The line will be offered in two gross vehicle weight ratings—25,950 lb (L6e) and 33,000 lb (L7e)—and features...
Tesla Model Y Smashes Korean Import Sales Record
For the first time ever, a single imported car in South Korea sold over 10,000 units in a month: the Model Y, with 10,086 units in April. Tesla sales are up 812% YoY and has left the runner-up imports BMW (6,658)...
QCraft Unveils Physical AI Model, Expands Autonomy to Robotics and Logistics
QCraft announced its Physical AI Model and the QPilot MAX 500+ TOPS platform, extending its autonomous‑driving stack into robotics and logistics. The system is already deployed in 25 Chinese vehicle models, with 50 more expected this year, and promises a false‑activation...
Tesla Semi Is Electric, Not Fully Autonomous
Guys, a battery electric truck is not the same thing as a fully autonomous truck The Tesla Semi that is being sold now is not a fully autonomous truck It is a human operated battery electric semi so there is...
NHTSA’s Stricter ADAS Screening Sets Autonomous Approval Blueprint
Glad NHTSA is screening these systems more carefully. Not all ADAS systems were created equal. Many are just plain unsafe. This is also a blueprint for what federal approval of fully autonomous vehicles could look like.
US Carmakers’ China Balance: Cooperate Abroad, Protect Turf at Home
Ford is weighing a partnership with China’s Geely to boost its European competitiveness while resisting any technology transfer that would allow Chinese automakers to enter the U.S. market. CEO Jim Farley emphasized the need for global IP sharing but framed...
Bezos‑backed Slate Loses His Board Representative
New from @sokane1 - we were the first to report that Jeff Bezos had backed Slate (a year ago). Now there's a change-up on the board of the EV startup. Bezos' rep has left the board. https://t.co/UG5uA83iXC
Tesla's April German Sales Surge 256% YoY
Tesla just recorded its strongest April ever in Germany: 256% increase year-over-year to 3,149 vehicles registered. Jan-Apr registrations are up 175% compared to last year. Get all the stats on EVwire: https://t.co/N4ADK7k8wj h/t @piloly for great reporting
Power Corner: Texas Instruments’ Nikhil Jotwani on Smarter, Safer Automotive BMS
Texas Instruments’ automotive BMS manager Nikhil Jotwani discussed how modern battery‑management systems are evolving to improve safety and performance in electric vehicles. He highlighted electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) as a diagnostic that reveals state‑of‑health, aging and lithium‑plating, offering deeper insight...
Can Waymo Detect and Avoid Dodge Chargers?
“Daddy do you think Waymos can recognize the shape of Dodge Chargers and purposefully stay away from them?”
Rising Gas Prices Make Tesla $2k Cheaper Annually
Markets are Speaking Gasoline commodity since January: +100% This is what higher gas prices do to EV demand. It's now almost $2000 cheaper to drive a Tesla than a gasoline-powered car per year. cc @elonmusk https://t.co/sx9JHvByFa
Leapmotor Hits Record EV Deliveries in April 2026 Amid New Model Launches
Leapmotor delivered 71,387 electric vehicles in April 2026, a 73.95% year‑over‑year jump and 42.69% increase from March, marking its strongest month to date. The surge was powered by the launch of the D19 SUV, B05 Ultra and B03X compact SUV,...
Tesla's China-Made EV Sales Surge
Tesla's China-made EV sales jump 36% in April, extending rebound Yes, adding to the millions of connected vehicles on the road in China, chocked full of sensors. China can deal with this, while US discussion on issue at low level. https://t.co/mDvHnmjt1o
Chinese EV Battery Firms Profit as Car Margins Plunge
China’s EV battery giants thrive while carmakers’ profits shrink amid price wars Carmakers’ profit margin stood at 3.2 per cent in the first quarter, versus 6 per cent for downstream industrial firms, according to CPCA https://t.co/I0VDlo0wf1 via @scmpnews
US Rare‑Earth Strategy Stalls as Permitting Delays Push Buyers to Non‑Chinese Sources
U.S. rare‑earth development is being held back by permitting that can add a decade to projects, while fresh procurement rules in the United States and Europe are nudging customers toward non‑Chinese producers such as Australia’s Lynas. The twin pressures expose...
Regulation Delays Driverless Trucks; Sleeker Designs Await
The ones you see now have human safety drivers for regulatory reasons and they use sleepers because they have more space for the computer array When they have regulatory approval, they’ll start looking more like this (supposedly) https://t.co/3SKi968OZu
Roadzen’s VehicleCare Partners with Global Auto Parts Network TISAG-TEMOT to Build Integrated Claims-to-Repair Infrastructure in India
Roadzen’s AI‑driven VehicleCare platform has partnered with Germany‑based TEMOT’s global auto‑parts network to create an end‑to‑end claims‑to‑repair pipeline in India. The collaboration links VehicleCare’s garage connectivity with TEMOT’s distributor base, enabling demand aggregation, faster parts sourcing and better pricing for...
Vy Buss to Deploy Europe’s First Fully Driverless Public Bus in Stavanger
Transport operator Vy Buss, backed by Norway’s Statens Vegvesen, will launch Europe’s first public bus service without an onboard safety driver later this month in Stavanger. The Level‑4 Karsan e‑ATAK, equipped with Adastec’s autonomous stack and monitored remotely via Applied Autonomy’s...
Uber Posts 21% YoY Booking Surge and Returns $3 B to Shareholders in Q1 2026
Uber Technologies reported a 21% year‑on‑year increase in gross bookings and a 44% rise in non‑GAAP earnings per share for Q1 2026. The company also returned a record $3 billion to shareholders through stock buybacks while expanding Uber One to over...
Tata and JSW to Spend $1bn Building India’s Way Out of Chinese Battery Dependence
India’s EV sector, heavily reliant on Chinese battery cells, faces supply‑chain risk after Beijing tightened export controls on graphite, lithium‑processing equipment and cell‑making machinery. In response, Tata Group and JSW Group have pledged just under $1 billion to fund multi‑year R&D...
CATL Strikes Bedrock Chassis Deal with Turkey's Togg for 2027 EVs
Chinese battery giant CATL has signed a cross‑border supply agreement with Turkey’s EV maker Togg to deliver its Bedrock Chassis for three B‑segment models, with the first vehicle slated for mass production in 2027. The Bedrock Chassis integrates battery cells...
Waymo's Lack of Human Social Awareness Poses Safety Risk
The moment you introduce "the human element", Waymos" lack that social awareness of what to do, and they freeze", thereby creating" a significant danger to public safety". Congrats on developing machines that work best in a world without humans....
IFAT Munich Showcases Next Generation of Municipal Electric Vehicles
At IFAT 2026 in Munich, leading European truck makers showcased their latest electric municipal vehicles. Mercedes‑Benz introduced the eEconic 400 with a larger 400 kWh battery and announced an initial Copenhagen order of six units. Volvo displayed a next‑generation FM Electric 6×2...
Iran War to Accelerate China's Shift to Electric Trucks From Diesel
The Iran‑Ukraine conflict has driven a sharp rise in diesel prices in China, accelerating the shift toward electric heavy‑truck fleets. Electric heavy‑truck sales jumped 45% year‑on‑year to 44,000 units in 2024, now accounting for more than a quarter of new...
New Lexus TZ Is a Luxury Six-Seater Out to Rival the Volvo EX90
Lexus unveiled the TZ, its largest ever vehicle and a six‑seat electric SUV positioned as a "driving lounge" for the premium market. Measuring 5.1 m in length, the TZ offers a 96 kWh battery that promises up to 330 miles of range and...
Nissan Equips the Ariya with New Features for the Upcoming Model Year
Nissan has refreshed the 2026 Ariya with subtle exterior tweaks, a new paint option and a host of interior upgrades, including extra storage, a 15 W wireless‑charging pad with cooling, and 64‑color ambient lighting. The EV now ships with deeper Google...
Tesla China April Wholesale Sales Jump Year-on-Year but Slip From March
Tesla China reported wholesale deliveries of 79,478 vehicles in April, a 35.96% year‑on‑year increase but a 7.23% drop from March. The broader Chinese NEV market grew 7% both YoY and MoM, outpacing Tesla's month‑on‑month decline. From January through April, Tesla’s...