Today's Automotive Pulse
Volkswagen expands Rivian stake amid $1.75B fine risk
Volkswagen is increasing its investment in Rivian while facing potential fines of $1.75 billion over regulatory concerns. The move underscores the automaker's push into electric vehicles despite mounting compliance challenges.
Also developing:
By the numbers: LTM Ltd acquires Randstad’s Europe and Australia units for $186M
Inside Henkel’s Battery Application Center, Where Adhesive Formulations Meet Production-Line Robots
Henkel’s Battery Application Center in Madison Heights, Michigan offers a production‑intent lab where OEMs can test adhesive dispensing on real EV battery housings using a six‑axis ABB robot and heated pump systems. The facility enables rapid co‑engineering, providing data on bead size, flow rates, temperatures and material behavior at line speeds. It also focuses on reversible adhesives for de‑bonding, supporting repair, rework and recycling. Insights from the center feed back into Henkel’s product development via digital twins and scale‑up validation.
Waymo Expands Robotaxi Coverage More than 20% — Larger than Rhode Island
Waymo announced a 27% expansion of its robotaxi service, pushing coverage to over 1,400 square miles across 11 U.S. cities—more area than the entire state of Rhode Island. The rollout begins in Miami and will soon include Austin, Atlanta, Houston...
In Costa Rica, Chinese EVs Are Squeezing Out US and European Brands
Chinese electric vehicles are rapidly gaining ground in Costa Rica, now accounting for more than a third of the nation’s car market. In the first quarter of 2026, EVs represented 18% of new vehicle sales, the highest share in Latin...
Investors Start to Question Daimler Truck’s Anti-EV Stance
At Daimler Truck's 2026 AGM, activist investors challenged the company's anti‑EV stance, citing a 34% profit drop and a 26% sales decline in North America. The group highlighted Tesla Semi's mass production and its dominance in California's Class 8 voucher program,...
Thousands of Waymos Recalled After Robotaxi Swept Into a Creek
Waymo announced a voluntary recall of nearly 3,800 robotaxis after a software flaw could let the vehicles drive into flooded roads. The issue came to light when an empty Waymo car entered a creek in San Antonio on April 20,...
UK Removes HGV Rules for Larger Electric Vans
The UK government will strip heavy‑goods‑vehicle testing, tachograph and driver‑hours rules from electric vans weighing 3.5‑4.25 tonnes starting June 2026, moving them into the Class 7 MOT regime used for light commercial vehicles. The reforms, driven by the Zero Emission Van Plan coalition,...
BYD Expands Flash Charging Lineup with New Fang Cheng Bao Off-Road SUVs
BYD’s Fang Cheng Bao sub‑brand launched flash‑charging editions of its off‑road SUVs, the Bao 5 and Bao 8, on Wednesday. The Bao 5 starts at ¥305,800 (≈$45,020) and the larger Bao 8 at ¥419,800 (≈$61,700), each equipped with the second‑generation Blade Battery and ultra‑fast...
Tesla's Austin Robotaxi Service Falters: Long Waits and Safety Hurdles
Tesla's robotaxi program in Austin is struggling, with only about 50 vehicles serving a city of over 1 million and wait times exceeding 15 minutes half the time. A Reuters test found 27% of ride requests went unanswered, while Waymo operates...
Kia India Launches BaaS Financing Model for Carens Clavis EV
Kia India has introduced a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) financing model for its new Carens Clavis EV, allowing customers to separate chassis and battery payments. The dual‑loan structure offers up to 60‑month financing for the vehicle chassis and up to 96‑month financing for the...
BYD Puts 500th Electric Bus on Japanese Roads
Chinese EV maker BYD has delivered six K8 electric buses to Nankai Rinkan Bus, bringing its total fleet in Japan to 500 units. The new buses will run on the Koyasan Inland Line in Wakayama Prefecture, marking BYD’s first commercial...
Native-Color Rev8 Lidar From Ouster Targets Level 4 AV Development
Ouster announced that its Rev8 OS family of digital lidar sensors is now qualified for Nvidia's Drive Hyperion platform, a key step toward Level 4 autonomous vehicle development. The Rev8 line introduces the world’s first native‑color lidar and the OS1 Max model,...
CATL, Yutong Deepen Ties to Accelerate Global Commercial EV Expansion
Chinese battery leader CATL and bus maker Yutong have signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen a 15‑year partnership, targeting commercial‑vehicle electrification in more than 60 overseas markets. The deal includes joint development of a battery‑swapping system for heavy‑duty trucks...
Mazda Trims EV Spend 20% as Global Hybrid Demand Surges
Mazda announced a 20% reduction in its EV investment, cutting spend to JP¥1.2 tr (≈$7.6 bn) through 2030 and postponing its first in‑house BEV launch to 2029. The automaker lowered its BEV sales target to 200,000‑250,000 units a year (about 15% of...
AI Fast Charging Could Extend EV Battery Life by 23%
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have created an AI‑driven fast‑charging method that extends lithium‑ion EV battery life by about 23% while keeping charge times unchanged. The system uses reinforcement learning to adjust current based on state of charge, health...
“Huawei Inside” And Everywhere at China’s Car Show
Huawei has cemented its role as a "tier‑0.5" automotive player at the Beijing Auto Show, steering the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA) that sold 580,000 vehicles—a 32% jump year‑over‑year. The company supplies design, quality management, onboard systems and sales, while...
Denmark's EDF Offers €0.26/kWh Fast Charging, Under Petrol Price
“€0,26/kWh fast charging ~ approx. €0,94/litre of petrol 🚗🔌 EDF kicking off Easter holidays w/ cheap charging at Korsør from noon today. There are now over 7,000 fast-chargers across Denmark, spread across more than 21 operators, w/ prices ranging from 1.60 to...
Hyundai Launches XCIENT Fuel Cell Trucks in Canada
Hyundai Translead has begun commercial sales of its XCIENT Fuel Cell hydrogen trucks in Canada through Ontario‑based Breadner Trailers, converting the dealer into a dedicated hydrogen‑truck dealership. Eleven trucks are already in service on hydrogen‑mobility projects in British Columbia, including...
Nio Swaps over 1M Batteries Weekly, China Leads EV Charging
Nio is swapping more than 1 million EV batteries a week, as China pulls away on the innovative EV charging technology https://t.co/3laHEyseQ7
Rivian Deploys 'Hey Rivian' AI Assistant with Full Vehicle Control
Rivian has rolled out its AI‑powered ‘Hey Rivian’ voice assistant to every Gen 1 and Gen 2 R1 owner through an over‑the‑air update. The assistant, part of Rivian Unified Intelligence, can control core vehicle functions and is gated behind a $14.99‑per‑month Connect+...
EU’s $235 Billion EV Push Faces 2035 Phase‑out Policy Test
European governments and industry have pledged roughly €200 bn ($235 bn) to electric‑vehicle manufacturing, batteries and charging infrastructure. A pending EU decision to ease the 2035 ban on internal‑combustion cars could undermine that capital, putting the continent’s clean‑tech supply chain at a...
Tesla Adds $250 Million to Giga Berlin Battery Line, Boosting Capacity to 18 GWh
Tesla announced a $250 million injection into its Grünheide plant, more than doubling planned battery cell capacity to 18 GWh and adding 1,500 battery‑related jobs. The move follows a contentious works‑council election and signals a push for full vertical integration of EV...
WeRide Inc (WRD) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
WeRide announced the world’s first city‑level fully driverless robotaxi permit outside the United States, launching a commercial service with Uber in Abu Dhabi that now covers half the city. The company now holds L4 autonomous permits in eight countries, operates...
Chinese EVs & The US Market — Where Is This Going?
Chinese electric‑vehicle makers are rapidly expanding beyond domestic borders, targeting markets in Australia, Europe, South America and now North America. Recent anecdotes—ranging from a Texan landscaper admiring a Changan truck to a Wall Street Journal columnist preferring a Xiaomi SU7—highlight...
WattEV Orders 370 Tesla Semis for Port of Oakland Deployment
WattEV has placed an order for 370 Tesla Semi trucks, with more than 300 slated for a joint program with the Port of Oakland. The first 50 units will arrive alongside new Megawatt Charging System stations in Oakland and Fresno,...
Dedicated Fleets’ Push to Natural Gas Engines Speeding Up
Dedicated carriers are accelerating the shift to natural‑gas powertrains as cost parity with diesel becomes evident, especially after recent diesel price spikes. Cummins' X15N engine, launched in 2024, is being fitted to Freightliner, Peterbilt and Kenworth trucks, enabling long‑haul fleets...
Laos Slashes EV Fees, Hikes ICE Fees to Curb Fuel
Iran war has made Laos cut EV registration fee by 30% and increase ICE registration fee by 30%. Goal: cut petrol/diesel use. Govt agencies have stopped purchase of all ICE vehicles. https://www.eco-business.com/news/laos-slashes-ev-fees-hikes-petrol-car-charges-to-curb-fuel-use/
Indonesia’s EV Subsidies Save Triple Fuel Costs
In Indonesia, the government subsidizes petrol/diesel ICE cars and electricity for EVs. But for every rupiah the state spent covering EV electricity, it saved about three rupiahs in fuel disbursement. https://theicct.org/indonesias-growing-electric-car-fleet-is-cushioning-the-financial-damage-of-the-oil-price-shock-may26/
MG 07 Flagship Sedan Arrives: Electric Rival for Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal Is All-New and Full of Tech
SAIC‑owned MG Motor unveiled the MG 07, a new flagship mid‑size sedan positioned between the MG7 and the IM5. The fastback‑styled model, echoing the Porsche Taycan’s lines, will launch later this year with both plug‑in hybrid and all‑electric variants on SAIC’s...
Waymo’s London Driverless SUVs Stuck in Dead-End Street Three Times in One Week
Waymo’s driverless Jaguar SUV entered a narrow dead‑end street in Shoreditch, London, and became immobilized three times within a single week. The incidents, captured on video and shared by a local resident, highlight navigation gaps as Waymo expands its testing...
GM Cuts 10% of IT Workforce, Shifts to AI Engineers in Skills‑Swap
General Motors announced it will lay off roughly 500‑600 salaried IT employees, about 10% of its technology workforce, and simultaneously post dozens of openings for AI‑focused engineers. The move reflects GM’s strategy to retool its tech organization for autonomous‑driving, data‑driven...
Germany to Invest One Billion Euros in Electric Truck Charging Infrastructure
Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport will invest €1 billion (≈$1.09 billion) over four years to build charging infrastructure for heavy‑duty electric trucks. The funding covers grid connections, battery storage, and load‑management systems and is open to both fleet operators and public providers....
India Gets Its UPI for EV Charging as Kumaraswamy Unveils Unified Bharat E-Charge
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy launched Unified Bharat e‑Charge (UBC), dubbed the “UPI for EV charging,” a government‑backed, NPCI‑supported platform that lets Indian EV owners locate, book and pay for charging across public networks through a single app. The system, built...
Chrysler Is Supposedly Working On A Very Cheap New Car: Report
Chrysler, long reduced to two minivan variants, may soon launch a sub‑$20,000 compact called the Pronto, which Stellantis showed to dealers last fall. The model could broaden the brand’s stalled lineup as sales fell 28% in Q1 2026. An investor...
Lamborghini Rolls Out 1,065‑hp Fenomeno Roadster, Limited to 15 Units
Lamborghini has launched the Fenomeno Roadster, a 1,065‑horsepower hybrid V12 convertible limited to 15 units worldwide. The ultra‑rare model reworks the Revuelto platform for open‑top performance and signals the brand’s push toward hybrid hypercars.
South Korean Ministry Backs MasAuto’s $1.5 M R&D Push to Grow U.S. Autonomous Truck Fleet
MasAuto, a Korean self‑driving truck startup, received 2 billion won (≈$1.5 million) from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to fund R&D and AI training for its U.S. long‑haul operations. The support backs a 3,379‑km fixed route from California’s Port of...
Smart AI Gives Electric Vehicle Batteries 23 per Cent Longer Life - without Increasing the Charging Time
Researchers at Chalmers University have developed an AI‑driven fast‑charging strategy that prolongs lithium‑ion EV battery life by 22.9% while keeping charge time at roughly 24 minutes. The method uses reinforcement learning to adapt current flow based on the battery’s state...
Mazda Posts 69% Profit Drop as Production Slows, Rethinks Compact Lineup
Mazda Motor Corp announced a 69% plunge in full‑year net profit to ¥35.1 billion ($226 million), driven by a 2% dip in revenue and weaker production volumes. The decline has spurred the automaker to reassess its compact‑car strategy, especially in markets like...
General Motors Trims up to 600 IT Roles to Recruit AI Talent for Autonomous Vehicle Push
General Motors announced it will eliminate roughly 500‑600 salaried IT jobs, mainly in Austin, Texas and Warren, Michigan, as part of a broader restructuring. The cuts are offset by new openings for AI, motorsports and self‑driving vehicle engineers, signaling a...
EV Market Growth Seems to Be Happening, Despite EU Policies
Europe’s electric‑vehicle sector has locked in more than €200 billion (≈ $218 billion) for factories, batteries and charging infrastructure, even as EU leaders debate softening the 2035 zero‑emission car ban. The New Automotive report breaks the spend down to €60 billion ($65 billion) for new...
Chinese Cars Surge Abroad as Foreign Share in China Halves
"The market share of foreign auto firms in China has almost halved in five years, to around 30% in 2025. Moreover, in 2023 China passed Japan to become the world’s largest exporter of cars. In 2025 over 8 million of...
Waymo Detects High-Speed Street Race, Avoids Crash
Street racing at 125+ mph on the I-10 in LA led to a crash, but the Waymo Driver saw it coming: it detected the anomalous situation early, tracked the reckless vehicle post-crash, and maneuvered defensively to safely bypass the scene....
EU Scaling Back EV Targets Threatens 34 Battery Factories, $54 Billion in Oil Costs
A Transport & Environment (T&E) report warns that if the EU dilutes its 2030‑2035 car CO2 targets, electric‑vehicle production could fall by half in 2030, endangering up to 34 Northvolt‑sized battery factories and 47,000 jobs. The study also estimates an...
Advancing Safety Frameworks for London’s Upcoming Robotaxi Deployments
Looking forward to speaking at the @FT Future of the Car Summit tomorrow (13 May) on a very timely subject: Advancing safety frameworks for automated vehicles. As London readies itself for robotaxi deployments, this should be an exciting discussion... #FTCar...
Top‑selling US EV Models Ranked by Q1 Sales
Here are all EV models in the US ranked by how many were sold in Q1. data from kbb https://t.co/LjdeYNGtv2
General Motors Trims up to 600 IT Roles While Recruiting AI Talent in Workforce Overhaul
General Motors is eliminating 500‑600 salaried IT jobs, chiefly in Austin and Warren, as part of a cost‑saving restructure, yet it is simultaneously posting dozens of openings for AI, motorsports and autonomous‑vehicle specialists. The move reflects a shift toward generative‑AI...
UK Government Partners with Wayve to Lead Autonomous Driving
Today @peterkyle visited @wayve_ai HQ as we signed a new partnership with the UK government 🤝 After a decade building this technology, it’s great to formalise our collaboration with Government and build a national champion for self-driving across the UK. 🇬🇧...
AI‑First ChargedEV Hubs Challenge Tesla’s Business Supercharging
Tesla's Supercharging for Business is now enabling new business models that take on the giant charging networks. ChargedEV Hubs debuts as an AI-first CPO and opened an 8-stall SC site in Norcross, Georgia. Hundreds more in development. EVwire exclusive: https://t.co/FYultn2q2K
STRADVISION Unveils Production-Ready Integrated Perception Platform, Raising ADAS Benchmark
STRADVISION announced the commercial launch of a production‑ready integrated perception platform that bundles its AI vision stack with a leading Physical AI developer. The solution offers a validated, low‑latency path to Level 2+ driver assistance, aiming for final delivery to OEMs...
Tesla's Robotaxi Rollout to Dallas, Houston Still Beta
JUST IN: Tesla announced an expansion of its robotaxis to Dallas and Houston, but Norihiko Shirouzu found them still in a beta-testing phase.
SDVs Need Deterministic, Safety‑Critical Software Beyond Open Source
Open source alone isn’t enough. SDVs demand deterministic, resilient software built for safety-critical performance. https://t.co/oGto67CuV3