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
Tesla Semi Truck Has Officially Started Mass Production
Tesla has begun mass production of its all‑electric Semi truck, offering two configurations. The long‑range model delivers roughly 500 miles on a single charge, boasts three rear‑axle motors, 800 kW power, and is priced at $290,000 before destination fees. The short‑range version provides about 325 miles, weighs under 20,000 lb, and is priced between $250,000 and $260,000. Compared with a diesel Freightliner Cascadia, the Semi’s energy consumption of 1.7 kWh per mile translates to significantly lower per‑mile fuel costs.
Waymo Hits 500k Fully Autonomous Rides Weekly
Google $GOOGL owned Waymo is now doing more than 500,000 fully autonomous rides a week
EV Adoption Hinges on Subsidies, Not Inherent Superiority
Myth: EVs have achieved superiority over gas cars, as evidenced by their increasingly high adoption rates in China and Europe. Truth: In both of those places, high EV adoption rates are the result of massive government subsidies of EVs and forced...
Emergency First Responders Say Waymos Are Getting Worse
Emergency first‑responder leaders in San Francisco and Austin told federal regulators that Waymo’s driverless taxis are increasingly freezing, blocking fire stations, and ignoring hand signals, creating dangerous delays during emergencies. Officials said the vehicles are committing more traffic violations and that...
Model Y L Deliveries Begin in Australia, the First Tesla with Vehicle-to-Load
Tesla has started delivering its new six‑seater Model Y L in Australia, marking the first Tesla in the market equipped with Vehicle‑to‑Load (V2L) technology. The L‑variant offers a 681 km (423 mi) range – about 14% more than any other Model Y – and a...
GM Makes a Huge Investment to Produce V-8 Engines in Canada
General Motors is pouring roughly $505 million into its St. Catharines Propulsion plant in Ontario to produce a sixth‑generation V‑8 engine. The new small‑block powerplant will also be assembled at GM’s Tonawanda, New York, and Flint, Michigan facilities. The engine is slated for...
GM Boosts Q1 2026 EBIT by $500 Million on Supreme Court Tariff Refund
General Motors lifted its adjusted EBIT to $4.3 billion and nudged full‑year guidance up $500 million, thanks to a Supreme Court‑mandated tariff refund. The boost came as total revenue slipped $400 million, underscoring the mixed impact of policy, EV restructuring and market dynamics...
GM Trains Super Cruise on 100 Years of Driving Data for 2028 Eyes‑off Launch
General Motors said it is stress‑testing Super Cruise in a digital environment that simulates roughly 100 years of human driving every day, aiming to debut an eyes‑off Level 3 system on the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ. The move follows a billion miles...
Volkswagen ID Polo Debuts With A 280-Mile Max Range, But Tamer Looks Than Its Charismatic Competition
Volkswagen unveiled the ID Polo, a compact electric hatchback targeting Europe’s city‑car revival. The model offers a WLTP‑rated 280‑mile range with an optional 52‑kWh battery that charges from 10 % to 80 % in 24 minutes, while the standard 37‑kWh LFP pack delivers...
Robotaxis Are Priced Like Software, but Scale Like Infrastructure
The robotaxi market is being priced as if autonomy were a pure software product, a view amplified by Tesla’s shift toward a “physical AI” narrative. Analysts link the company’s soaring valuation to future robotaxi and humanoid‑robot revenue rather than traditional...
Paccar Sees Truck Sales, Production Accelerating in Q2
Paccar reported a 19.8% drop in Q1 Class 8 truck sales, moving 17,800 units, while its financial services arm posted $542.2 million revenue, up 2.7%. CEO Preston Feight said the slowdown was a cadence issue and expects a rapid acceleration in Q2,...
Driving Lyft Into the Future
Lyft CEO David Risher announced that 2026 will be a transformational year as the company rolls out autonomous vehicles and pivots from a pure ride‑sharing app to a global hybrid transportation platform. The plan includes launching a self‑driving fleet in...
Govt Mulls Partial Credit Guarantee, Interest Subvention Support for Pvt Sector Electric Bus, Truck Adoption
India’s heavy industries ministry is evaluating partial credit guarantees and interest‑subvention schemes to lower financing costs for private‑sector electric buses and trucks, which currently cost 2.5‑3 times more than diesel equivalents. Private operators, responsible for roughly 90% of the nation’s two million...
EDITOR’S PICKS: Presentation Highlights Ahead of This Year’s Autonomous Vehicle Tech Expo
The Autonomous Vehicle Tech Expo will run June 23‑25, 2026 in Stuttgart, featuring over 80 speakers. Highlights include Mercedes‑Benz presenting digital twins of European proving grounds to validate virtual tests, and Uber discussing revamped data pipelines for vision‑language models. Volkswagen...
Neusoft and AISpeech Partner on AI-Powered In-Vehicle Mobility Companion Using LLM Technology
Neusoft Corporation and AISpeech have signed a memorandum of cooperation to embed AISpeech’s large‑language‑model (LLM) voice technology into Neusoft’s OneCoreGo 7.0 in‑vehicle platform. The integration will upgrade the One Mate AI companion with continuous, context‑aware conversation, high‑precision speech recognition and proactive...
Chargebyte’s CCL MCS Brings ISO 15118-20 over Ethernet to Megawatt Charging for Heavy-Duty EVs
Chargebyte unveiled its Charge Control L MCS (CCL MCS) at ACT Expo, a stand‑alone controller that implements the full ISO 15118‑20 communication and safety stack for Megawatt Charging System (MCS) trucks, buses and heavy machinery. The unit uses dual NXP S32K146 processors and communicates over...
Rolls‑Royce Unveils ‘Project Nightingale’ Limited‑edition Electric Convertible
Rolls‑Royce Motor Cars announced Project Nightingale, a limited‑edition battery‑electric convertible that combines bespoke coachbuilding with a silent all‑electric powertrain. The 5.76‑metre vehicle marks the marque’s first foray into open‑top electric luxury, underscoring a strategic shift toward sustainable mobility.
WeRide and Lenovo Commit to Deploy 200,000 Level‑4 Robotaxis by 2031
WeRide and Lenovo sealed a partnership at Auto China 2026 to roll out 200,000 Level‑4 autonomous vehicles, including robotaxis, over the next five years. The deal hinges on Lenovo’s HPC 3.0 compute platform, which slashes hardware costs by 50% and total...
Tesla FSD Improves Manual Turn Signal Navigation, Still Imperfect
It doesn't work all the time but Tesla's FSD is getting better at following manual turn signal input for navigational preferences. First, navigation wanted to go right on Roosevelt and I had it turn left. Second, it wanted to go straight...
We Charge City Offers €0.39/kWh AC Charging in Germany
"Starting this October, the We Charge City tariff will be available to ID. Polo drivers - offering public AC charging at €0.39/kWh across more than 150K AC plugs in 🇩🇪" wonder if this (or something like it, will be available abroad...
They Spent Billions. They Built the Future. Then It All Fell Apart
Automakers worldwide poured billions into electric‑vehicle programs only to write off massive losses as demand stalled and regulatory pressure eased. Honda alone faces a $7.5 billion hit from scrapped U.S. EVs, while Nissan is refocusing on gasoline‑powered SUVs, Ford is canceling...
ROCSYS Secures $13M, Launches 10‑Bay Hands‑Free Robotaxi Charger
Robotaxi charging: ROCSYS raises $13M and unveiled the M1, a robotic hands-free charging system capable of serving up to 10 robotaxi bays simultaneously. Our full brief on EVwire: https://t.co/15ZhKLpipD https://t.co/bD3MSBXpCc
Safety-First Approach Sets Industry Standard, Waymo Honored
Honored to see @Waymo once again recognized by @TIME. Solving full autonomy requires both prescience and patience. We’ve always believed in a safety-first, holistic approach, spending years ensuring it’s the non-negotiable foundation of our Driver. That approach is now defining...
GM Announces $691 Million Investment in Ontario Plant to Secure Its Future for Now
General Motors is pouring $691 million into its St. Catharines, Ontario propulsion plant to add sixth‑generation V‑8 engine capacity, making it the third such facility in North America. The move follows a February layoff of 500 workers at the Oshawa plant and...
Electric Semi Trucks Debut at Seattle Port Event
fully electric semi trucks at the Port of Seattle or today's “Ride and Drive” event https://t.co/qt1q18OJAd
China's EV Subsidies Favor Domestic over Imported Components
China also has made an art out of local content requirements (i.e. "made in China") -- remember no imported car or imported battery ever qualified for China's EV subsidy list ... 1/2
Big Orange Goes Green: UT Knoxville to Deploy Nine Electric Trucks
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is rolling out a fleet of nine electric trucks, highlighted by a Volterra electric refuse truck built by McNeilus. The refuse truck carries a 499 kWh battery that delivers roughly 200 miles of range and can...
Waymo May Target Cincinnati After Grayson Success
Grayson got this one right. Will Cincinnati be next for @Waymo? 👀 Autonomy Markets. Every Saturday.
US Hydrogen Vehicle Sales Reach 84 in 2026, 19k Total
Cumulatively, 84 hydrogen vehicles have been sold in in the US in 2026. In total, 19,076 FCEVs have been sold in the US since 2014.
The Week in Electric Bus News: E-Buses Motor Past Inflection Point in Europe
Electric city buses have passed the inflection point in Europe, with 60% of new EU orders in 2025 being electric and a trajectory toward 100% by 2028. Major operators such as Belgium’s De Lijn and Italy’s Cagliari are scaling fleets, while...
From Human Habits to Scalable Autonomous Driving
I really enjoyed talking with @PJVogt for this recent Search Engine episode about the early days of the Google self-driving car project, the challenges in distilling the "hows" and "whys" of human-driving habits and the imperative for deploying autonomous vehicles...
EV Demand Stalls as Prices Fail to Drop
A claim that one of the things holding back EV demand is that costs have not fallen as expected https://t.co/9UU7Msgfjw
![[Gasgoo News] Apollo to Acquire Forvia's Automotive Interiors Business; Xiaomi EV to Expand Overseas in Second Half of Next Year,...](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://gascloud.gasgoo.com/production/2026/04/0d6cefae-a280-48da-8773-330097060dcb-1777497396.png)
[Gasgoo News] Apollo to Acquire Forvia's Automotive Interiors Business; Xiaomi EV to Expand Overseas in Second Half of Next Year,...
Apollo Global Management announced a €1.82 billion ($2.1 billion) deal to acquire Forvia's automotive interiors business, pending regulatory clearance and slated to close in the second half of 2024. At Xiaomi's Investor Day, President Lu Weibing outlined a two‑phase EV rollout: 550,000...
New Vehicle Networks Will Supersede Legacy as AI Grows
New in-vehicle networking technology will likely take over as more AI is added, but in the near term designers face challenges integrating new with old. https://t.co/Mc3XsZ2MbY #CAN #AutomotiveEthernet #automotive #CANbus #LIN #Ethernet #SerDes
Chery Q1: Gross Margins Rose, Exports Soared
Chery posted Q1 2026 revenue of about $9.2 billion, with gross profit of $1.5 billion and a gross margin of 16.0%, up from 12.4% a year earlier. Net profit reached roughly $580 million while R&D spending rose 25.5% to $400 million. Exports surged 53.9%...
Auto China 2026: GWM Chairman's Livestream on Long-Termism in Car Manufacturing
Great Wall Motor (GWM) used its Auto China 2026 livestream to promote a long‑term, value‑driven approach called “The Covenant.” The chairman unveiled the Guiyuan platform, a modular architecture that can host five different power‑train types, emphasizing reliability over gimmicks. GWM...
Foreign Tier 1s in China: 18 Months Is Just the Baseline, Speed Has No Ceiling
Aumovi Group China announced that its 18‑month high‑performance‑computing development cycle, once a benchmark, is now a baseline as Chinese automakers demand 12‑18‑month model launches. To meet this pace, the company has shifted decision‑making authority to its China Management Committee, granting...
March 2026 Passenger Vehicle Group Sales Ranking: BYD Takes Top Spot, Domestic Brands Continue to Break Through | Gasgoo Research...
China’s passenger‑vehicle groups rebounded in March 2026, with BYD leading the pack by selling 295,693 units. Geely Holding Group and Chery Holding followed at 256,970 and 232,071 vehicles, securing the top three domestic spots. Volkswagen slipped to fourth with 185,254...
Seeds | BIBO Completes B+ Round Financing, Total Series B Funding Exceeds 1 Billion Yuan
BIBO Automotive Electronics announced a B+ financing round of over 700 million yuan (≈$98 million), pushing its total Series B funding past 1 billion yuan (≈$140 million). The capital will accelerate mass production of its smart chassis XYZ three‑axis products, boost R&D in three‑axis and...
Geely Auto Posts 83.8 Billion Yuan Revenue in Q1 2026, Core Net Profit Rises 31%
Geely Automobile posted record Q1 2026 results, with revenue of 83.8 billion yuan (about $11.7 billion), a 15% year‑on‑year increase, and a gross margin of 17.5%. Core net profit, excluding foreign‑exchange and impairment items, rose 31% to 4.56 billion yuan (roughly $638 million). The...
Gebrüder Weiss to Increase E-Truck Fleet to 25 by Year-End
Gebrüder Weiss, Austria’s leading logistics provider, currently operates 14 Mercedes‑Benz eActros 600 electric trucks and plans to expand the fleet to 25 units by the end of 2026. The trucks serve regional, line and long‑distance routes, powered by the company’s own photovoltaic‑derived...
U.S. EV Policy Sparks New Rust Belt, Exposing Limits
"How U.S. Electric Vehicle Industrial Policy Created A New ‘Rust Belt’" https://t.co/dwciwwcJL7 "this phenomenon shows the inherent limitations of government-led industrial development" https://t.co/WYvR8iHxw4
GFT Takes AI From Visual Inspection to Physical Action For Auto Manufacturers
GFT Technologies unveiled an AI‑powered robotic line that not only inspects automotive components but also physically removes defective parts from the assembly line. The system combines a camera‑equipped gripper, a marking robot, and a third arm that repositions or extracts...
Are Things Looking up for the EU’s New LCV Market?
The EU light‑commercial‑vehicle (LCV) market posted a modest 2.3% year‑on‑year increase in Q1 2026, with 360,648 new registrations reversing an 8.8% drop in 2025. Electric LCVs surged 42% to 43,441 units, lifting the electrified segment to a 12% share of total...
Genoa Golf Club Launches West's First Private Tesla Supercharger
The Genoa Golf Club is debuting Tesla Superchargers at historic Genoa, NV. This first privately owned Supercharger site in the western US is a destination all on its own — founded in 1851, Genoa is Nevada’s oldest settlement. Read more on EVwire:...
Closing the EV Confidence Gap in Retail
Electric vehicle demand is rising, yet a confidence gap hampers retail conversion. Black Horse’s report identifies lingering misconceptions about battery health, affordability, and charging that deter shoppers. Dealers who introduce clear total‑cost‑of‑ownership messaging and align finance teams as confidence partners can...
Loss-Making Aston Martin Gets $68 Million From Stroll-Led Group
Aston Martin secured a £50 million (≈ $68 million) financing facility from a Lawrence Stroll‑led consortium, lifting its end‑quarter liquidity to about £230 million (≈ $312 million). Cost‑cutting measures, including a 20% workforce reduction, and strong sales of the hybrid Valhalla supercar helped narrow the adjusted operating loss...
Overbearing Safety Tech Is Annoying, but BMW and Polestar Have Nailed It
Euro NCAP’s upcoming ‘Driver State Link’ requirement pushes manufacturers to make advanced driver‑assistance systems (ADAS) more collaborative rather than intrusive. BMW’s new iX3 and Polestar 3 exemplify this shift, delivering lane‑keep and attention‑monitoring features that intervene only when the driver is...
Xpeng VLA 2.0 Test Drive: Tesla Is Not Alone with ‘Full Self-Driving’ Anymore
Xpeng rolled out its Vision‑Language‑Action (VLA) 2.0 autonomous driving system in March 2026 via OTA updates to the P7, G7 and X9 Ultra models. The end‑to‑end vision‑to‑action architecture, powered by a proprietary Turing AI chip delivering up to 2,250 TOPS, improves driving efficiency...
California Adopts Rules Allowing Testing And Deployment of Heavy-Duty AVs
The California Department of Motor Vehicles approved new regulations that lift the ban on autonomous vehicles over 10,001 pounds, allowing heavy‑duty driverless trucks to be tested and eventually deployed on state roads. Manufacturers must start testing with a safety driver,...