Today's Automotive Pulse
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Rivian R2 Aims to Make the Brand a Household Name by 2026
Rivian unveiled its R2 electric SUV, slated for a 2026 launch, positioning it as a fun, autonomous‑ready model. The company is betting the R2 will elevate Rivian to the same household recognition as Tesla.
Tesla FSD Supervised Approved in Netherlands
Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving (FSD) Supervised system earned type approval from the Dutch vehicle authority (RDW) after more than a year and a half of on‑track and public‑road testing. The regulator highlighted continuous driver monitoring as a safety advantage over competing driver‑assistance suites. Approval legally enables Dutch owners to activate FSD Supervised without special exemptions. The decision positions the Netherlands as a key testbed for Europe’s autonomous‑vehicle rollout.
Americans Would Love This $25,000 Hybrid SUV — but It’s Not Available Here Yet
Edmunds’ senior test editor gave the Chinese‑made Geely Galaxy M9 a glowing review, calling it an "incredibly competitive SUV." The three‑row plug‑in hybrid is priced at roughly $25,000, delivers about 130 miles of electric range, and packs premium touches such...
Electric, Diesel, or CNG? MOOG Tech Lets You Pick All of the Above, on Just ONE Machine!
MOOG’s ZQUIP platform lets a single heavy‑equipment unit switch between diesel, natural‑gas (CNG), battery‑electric and even hydrogen modules. The modular power pods can be swapped on‑site, enabling fleets to transition to lower‑carbon fuels without purchasing separate machines. Engineers on the...
STRADVISION Seeks $70‑$80 M KOSDAQ IPO to Fund AI Vision Software for Autonomous Vehicles
STRADVISION filed a registration statement to list on Korea's KOSDAQ, aiming to sell 7 million shares at KRW 12,400–14,800 each, a raise of roughly $67‑$80 million. The capital will back its SVNet vision perception suite, already in mass‑production programs with global OEMs, as...
The Automotive Agentic AI Revolution
Agentic AI is reshaping the automotive sector by accelerating vehicle design, testing, and autonomous‑driving capabilities while personalising in‑car experiences. The technology also streamlines manufacturing, supply‑chain logistics, and financial processes through predictive analytics and coordinated AI agents. However, its semi‑autonomous nature...
EV Prices Drop Again as the Gap with Gas Cars Hits a Record Low
U.S. electric‑vehicle transaction prices kept falling, reaching an average of $54,508 in March, a 2.8% year‑over‑year decline and the third consecutive month of drops. The price gap with comparable gasoline cars narrowed to roughly $5,800, the smallest differential Kelley Blue...
Tesla Plaid X’s FSD Surpasses Expectations, Drives Itself
Traded in my 2020 Model S for a brand new plaid X before they discontinue it. Car is amazing, but the FSD hype is real. It blew away my expectations coming from the 2020 hardware. 95% of my miles are...
DTNA Q1 Sales Decline 24.5% Year Over Year
Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) reported a 24.5% year‑over‑year drop in Q1 2026 sales, moving 29,432 trucks and buses versus 38,992 a year earlier. North American volumes also slipped 13.5% sequentially from Q4 2025, dragging the global Daimler Truck total...
Over 100 Self-Driving Cars Leave Passengers Stranded in China After Sudden Outage
On March 31, 2026, more than 100 Apollo Go robotaxis in Wuhan abruptly shut down, leaving passengers stranded on busy streets and an overpass. The company attributed the blackout to a possible system failure and launched an internal investigation. While no one was...
Uber Wants To Slip Its Drivers A Cool $4,000 To Switch To EVs
Uber announced a $4,000 “Go Electric” grant for its Platinum and Diamond drivers who purchase a personal electric vehicle and complete 100 eligible rides by Dec. 31. The incentive, which replaces the $7,500 federal tax credit, is now open to drivers...
China Subsidizes Auto Sector to Crush Foreign Competition
China's government has been providing incentives for Chinese manufacturers and suppliers to sharply undercut foreign auto manufacturers at home and abroad. This has been the goal of the CCP - rule the auto supply chain sector and wipe all global...
Connected Cars: Privacy Compliance Guidance
Cooley special counsel Claire Gibbs warned that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) face mounting privacy and compliance hurdles as connected cars continuously capture sensitive driver data. She emphasized that OEMs must provide clear, timely notice and secure meaningful consent before any...
Europe Vehicle Registrations Drop in First Two Months of 2026
European new‑vehicle registrations slipped 1.2% year‑to‑date through February 2026, marking a modest decline after a 3.9% drop in January. Battery‑electric vehicles (BEVs) expanded their market share to 18.8% from 15.2% a year earlier, while hybrid‑electric models remained the dominant power‑train...
Lotus Tech Secures $23 Million Equity Investment and Posts 9% Gross Margin in Q4 2025
Lotus Technology announced a $23 million strategic equity investment from eCarX and posted a 9% full‑year gross margin, boosted by a 43% inventory reduction. The Chinese EV maker also expanded its global dealer network to 211 outlets while navigating tariff pressures...
RoboSense Q1 2026 LiDAR Shipments Jump 204% as Robotics Segment Explodes 1,459% YoY
RoboSense announced that it shipped 330,300 LiDAR units in the first quarter of 2026, a 204.1% year‑on‑year increase. The robotics segment alone grew 1,458.8% YoY to 185,500 units, surpassing the automotive ADAS segment for the first time, underscoring rapid hardware...
The Hydrogen Stream: BMW Unveils Tank for iX5 Hydrogen
BMW unveiled a 700‑bar hydrogen tank for its iX5 Hydrogen, storing seven kilograms of hydrogen for up to 750 km range and refueling in under five minutes. The design can be built on the same line as conventional and electric drivetrains,...
Tesla Is Using a Redesigned Cybertruck Battery Cell to Mitigate Semi Challenges
Tesla is equipping its Long‑Range Semi with a redesigned battery pack that uses the same 4680 cells found in the Cybertruck, but arranged in a compact vertical cube rather than the traditional flat layout. The cubic architecture reduces the pack's...
New Rumor Suggests GMC Could Be Getting Back Into The Industry’s Most Important Segment With A New Jimmy
A new GM Authority report suggests GMC is reviving the Jimmy nameplate as a midsize SUV, potentially offering a V8 powertrain. The move would address the brand’s current gap in the midsize crossover segment after the Acadia’s expansion. Relaxed emissions...
Porsche 911 Sales Surge, Rest of the Automaker's Lineup Stumbles in Q1 2026
Porsche reported a 15% global sales decline in Q1 2026, but the 911 model surged, with U.S. deliveries up 83% to 3,826 units. Sales of other models fell sharply: 718 deliveries dropped to 206 units, Macan sales fell 18.8% in...
Serbian Post Adds 100 New Electric Vans to Its Fleet
Serbia’s state‑owned postal service, Pošta Srbije, has added 100 electric vans from U.S. maker Cenntro, deploying the Logistar 210V and Avantier Commuter X models in Belgrade and other cities. The expansion follows earlier acquisitions of Logistar 200, Logistar 260 and e‑scooters, marking a steady electrification...
Amorim Cork Solutions Introduces Cork Composite for EV Battery Thermal Runaway Management
Amorim Cork Solutions unveiled ETP058, a cork‑based engineered composite designed to manage thermal‑runaway events in electric‑vehicle and stationary‑energy‑storage battery packs. The material delivers a low thermal conductivity of 0.054 W/m·K and achieves a UL94 V‑0 flammability rating for samples thicker than...
Electric Trucks Are Selling Like Hotcakes
Harbinger, a California‑based electric‑truck startup, doubled its Q4 sales versus Q3, moving 733 medium‑duty trucks and generating $87 million in revenue after the federal EV tax credit expired on September 30. The company’s growth is anchored by a major FedEx order of...
Workhorse Launches Pricing Promotion on W56 Electric Step Vans
Workhorse Group is offering a limited‑time discount on its W56 electric step vans from April 1 to September 30, 2026. The Standard wheelbase now starts at $196,000, $59,000 less than the list price, while the Extended version begins at $204,000, $61,000 below regular...
Mercedes Finally Has Better EV Numbers. But One Market Ruined The Quarter
Mercedes‑Benz’s EV sales rose 11% to 50,400 units in Q1, while total global deliveries fell 6% due to a 27% slump in China amid a price war. Europe contributed a 7% EV increase and the United States a 20% rise...
Xiaomi EV Delivers 21,440 Vehicles in Mar as Revamped SU7 Sedan Deliveries Begin
Xiaomi EV reported March deliveries of 21,440 vehicles, marking a 5.03% rise from February but a 26.69% drop year‑on‑year. The new‑generation SU7 sedan contributed 7,882 units, a 3,515% month‑on‑month surge after its March 19 launch, while the YU7 SUV delivered...
Partial Permit for Heide Plant as Lyten/Northvolt Repays Millions
Lyten, a U.S. battery maker, has obtained a key partial permit to begin construction of a battery‑cell factory in Heide, Germany, reviving a project once led by insolvent Swedish firm Northvolt. The plant will be scaled down to about 1,000...
Waymo Robotaxis Are Now Finding Potholes
Waymo’s autonomous robotaxis are now detecting potholes across five test markets, transmitting the information to city agencies and the Waze navigation app. The fleet’s lidar and camera sensors feed high‑resolution road‑condition data into a shared platform, enabling real‑time alerts for...
Transit Unions Resist AVs to Protect Jobs, Not Safety
The reason all the "new urbanist" and "transit" accounts are anti-AV is thanks to their historical alliance with public transit, and by extension, the unions of those agencies. Transit people should be overjoyed about a safer transit technology in the...
Tesla Could Bring Driverless Robotaxis to Europe
Europe doesn’t have driverless car services like we do here in the U.S. They have never seen anything close to FSD before on their local roads Hopefully Tesla can follow this up with a Robotaxi service in the Netherlands
VW’s Three-Row Atlas II SUV Lands with a Whimper, Not a Bang
Volkswagen unveiled the 2027 Atlas II at the New York International Auto Show, but the model arrives with a modest 2.0‑liter turbo engine and no hybrid options. The redesign adds larger screens, ambient lighting and a powered tailgate, yet reviewers...
RDW Claims Tesla’s Driver Monitoring Makes It Safest System
“Due to the continuous strict monitoring of the driver in the vehicle, the system is safer than other driver assistance systems. We have thoroughly researched and checked this system, more than a year and a half” — RDW on Tesla...
EU FSD Goes Hands‑Free, Drivers Must Stay Ready
“The hands do not have to be on the steering wheel but should be able to take over the steering wheel immediately if necessary” — RDW, confirming FSD Europe will be hands free
Which Automaker Should Make A New Pickup Truck Next?
Jalopnik asks which automaker should launch the next U.S. pickup, noting that trucks remain the nation’s top-selling vehicle segment, with Ford alone moving over 828,000 F‑Series units last year. Recent announcements from Kia, Hyundai, Ford, and Ram show a flood...
Proper Use of Driver System Boosts Road Safety
“The proper use of this driver's system makes a positive contribution to road safety” — RDW on FSD
Driver Assistance System Cleared for Netherlands, EU Expansion Pending
“Due to the type approval, the driver's assistance system can now be used in the Netherlands, with possible later expansion for all member states of the European Union” — RDW
UK Grants $510 Million Subsidy to Tata for Jaguar Battery Plant, Securing 4,200 Jobs
The British government has approved a £380 million (about $510 million) subsidy for Tata Group’s new battery plant in Somerset, England. The facility will supply Jaguar Land Rover EVs, lock in 4,200 direct jobs and generate thousands more in the supply chain,...
Tesla Robotaxi Arrives in Europe Sooner than Expected
The Tesla robotaxi service will also be coming to Europe far faster than people imagine.
FSD Supervised Approved by RDW, Launching in Netherlands
IT. IS. DONE. FSD Supervised was approved by RDW and will start rolling out in the Netherlands shortly.
Zeekr Launches Updated 007 Series with Upgraded Specs and Lower Prices
Zeekr, Geely’s premium EV brand, unveiled an updated 007 series with a limited‑time starting price of 193,900 yuan (about $28,400), down from prior levels. The models now feature a 900‑volt high‑voltage architecture that supports 6C fast charging, delivering a 10‑minute charge...
Questioning Proven AV Safety Is Irresponsible, Like Vaccine Skepticism
The data on AV traffic safety improvements is so clear and overwhelming that I think it's a bit unethical to run stuff like this. It's basically the transportation planning equivalent of vaccine skepticism.
Waymo Car Witnesses Chaotic
MyPOV - Just saw a @Waymo Engineering car in #SanDiego. Existing. And why we need them - deicer turned without turn signal - in the wrong lane.
BMW Electric Vehicles To Receive Dow Jones Energy Charging Information
BMW will embed Dow Jones Energy’s Eco‑Movement charging data directly into its electric vehicles, with rollout slated for summer 2024. The platform supplies near‑real‑time information on roughly two million charging connectors across more than 80 countries. Drivers will see live...
Top Beta Testers Drive Exceptional FSD 14.3 Results
David and Scott have been doing some of the best FSD 14.3 testing We really have an amazing group of early access beta testers
Top Ten Users Near Perfect Self-Driving Scores
Highest self-driving percentage on @fsd_database this week 1. @VangeloMedia — 100% 2. @GregMcFarland16 — 100% 3. @drewinnovations — 100% 4. @MstrHappyJustin — 99.9% 5. @A_pad91 — 99.9% 6. @LandonoftheWest — 99.8% 7. Brandon P — 99.8% 8. Tom Kelly — 99.8% 9. @4JimLee — 99.8% 10. @wholemars — 99.7%
Audi Boss: Concept C Going Ahead Despite Porsche Uncertainty
Audi’s C‑Sport, the production version of the Concept C electric coupé, remains on track for a 2027 launch despite recent turbulence at Porsche. The vehicle, echoing the iconic TT design, will sit on the jointly developed PPE Sport platform. Porsche’s...
New Framework Boosts Safety for Robot and Car Networks
US-led team introduces framework to make networks of #Robots, self-driving cars safer by Prabhat Ranjan Mishra @IntEngineering Learn more: https://t.co/CkNDgK0qUj #Robotics #EmergingTech #Technology #Innovation https://t.co/8bIsp9UrPr
US EV Sales Plunge 27% in Q1 2026
"New first-quarter 2026 EV sales estimates from Cox Automotive show the US electric-vehicle market shrinking sharply, with total sales down 27% year over year to about 216,000 units." https://t.co/GWpFnebh5l https://t.co/HC6rhLpUBT
New EV Newsletter Launches for 14K Enthusiasts
Just dropped a newsletter for the 14,032 EV geeks I've gathered. An industry roundup for yours truly, give it a read https://t.co/uY3r1QEbq7
Tesla Leads with Compute-Defined Vehicles, Rivals Lag
Other automakers are catching up on software-defined vehicles while @elonmusk here is already launching compute-defined vehicles.
USTR Calls Chinese Vehicle Data Ban Short‑sighted, Unnecessary
USTR's Greer sees no changes in data rules that bar Chinese vehicles from US A short-sighted policy not driven by actual data security concerns, all of which are manageable... https://t.co/wyITSMvYtq