Toyota Reveals Grand AI Vision for Vehicles and Beyond
Toyota’s software arm Woven by Toyota introduced the AI Vision Engine, a large‑scale vision‑language model that fuses visual, behavioral and environmental data. The engine will underpin the next‑generation Anzen driver‑assist suite and the Arene software platform, enabling hardware‑agnostic updates for millions of vehicles. Toyota also highlighted the model’s potential beyond cars, citing retail, airport and office applications. The AI Vision Engine ranks among the world’s leading VLMs and is built without facial‑recognition capabilities, focusing on safety‑critical perception.
What War On EVs? The EV Battery Ecosystem Continues To Grow
Dragonfly Energy secured a $527,000 non‑dilutive award from Nevada Tech Hub and added $432,000 of internal capital to expand its in‑house cell prototyping and testing capabilities. The company’s patented dry‑electrode battery process eliminates toxic solvents, cutting energy use by roughly...
Jeff Bezos’s Representative Just Left the Board of a Startup that Raised $1.4 Billion on His Name. The First Truck...
Jeff Bezos’s family office representative Melinda Lewison has stepped down from Slate Auto’s board just months before the EV startup begins production of its low‑cost electric truck in Warsaw, Indiana. The departure follows a CEO swap in March, with former...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
Tariffs Deal Daimler a 99% EBIT Drop in North America
Daimler reported that U.S. tariffs fully impacted its North American operations in Q1 2026, slashing earnings before interest and taxes by about 99%. The Trucks North America unit saw non‑adjusted operating profit tumble 98.7% year‑on‑year to just €10 million (≈ $11 million). The sharp...
From Chargers to Code: Europe’s EV Infrastructure Pivot
European EV charging is evolving from hardware‑heavy deployments to software‑driven energy platforms, as investors chase recurring revenue models. Start‑ups raised roughly $3.9 billion in 2025, with $236 million already pledged this year. Geneva‑based AMP IT, founded in 2021, combines solar, storage and smart...
Mercedes-Benz Accelerates Electric GLC Production in Bremen
Mercedes‑Benz is accelerating production of its all‑new electric GLC at the Bremen plant, using the large Hall 9 line that can assemble EV, hybrid and combustion variants side‑by‑side. The model logged the highest order intake of any Mercedes EV in Q1,...
How Auto OEMs Are Battling Supply Shocks From West Asia War
Indian auto OEMs are scrambling to keep factories running as the West Asia war disrupts LPG supplies, labor availability, and logistics. Companies have instituted daily LPG stock checks across hundreds of vendors and shifted some processes to electric heating, cutting...
The Commercial Vehicle Show 2026: Electrification and Decarbonization Accelerate in the UK CV Industry
The Commercial Vehicle Show 2026 in Birmingham highlighted the UK’s shift from planning to action on vehicle electrification and decarbonisation. Exhibitors displayed mature electric light‑commercial vans and heavy‑goods trucks, with the Renault Kangoo E‑Tech achieving a 220‑mile range and a...
India-EU Announce ₹169 Crore Push to Develop EV Battery Recycling Technologies
India and the EU have launched a €15.2 million (≈$16.6 million) joint initiative to develop advanced recycling technologies for electric‑vehicle batteries. Funded through Horizon Europe and India’s Ministry of Heavy Industries, the programme will issue a call for proposals until September 15, 2026, targeting...
The Emergence Of Electronics Digital Twins For Software-Defined Vehicles
Electronics digital twins (eDTs) are emerging as the next‑generation virtual models for software‑defined vehicles, extending traditional digital twins to cover hardware, software, and AI interactions. By replicating the entire electronic architecture, eDTs enable virtual validation of advanced driver‑assist systems, over‑the‑air...
Volvo Global Sales Drop 10% Despite Rising EV Momentum
Volvo Cars reported global sales of 162,864 vehicles for February‑April 2026, a 10 percent decline versus the same period in 2025. Electrified models made up 48 percent of sales, with fully electric deliveries up 14 percent while plug‑in hybrids fell 12 percent. Europe remained...
UK Van Market up 6.8% in April as Pickups Slump
UK light commercial vehicle registrations climbed 6.8% in April to 21,716 units, led by strong demand for large vans. Medium and small vans fell 20% and 14.4% respectively, while pickup registrations plunged 57.4% after a benefit‑in‑kind tax change reclassifying double‑cab...
NXP CoreRide Gains Vector Software Support for SDV Platforms
NXP’s CoreRide platform now includes Vector’s MICROSAR embedded software, creating a pre‑integrated solution for software‑defined vehicles (SDVs). The partnership delivers the CoreRide Z248 zonal reference system, combining real‑time compute hardware with Vector’s classic stack, configurator and system‑design tools. By aligning...
Aeva Ships Atlas C-Samples to Daimler Truck NA
Aeva has shipped C‑sample units of its Atlas 4D LiDAR sensor to Daimler Truck North America and Torc Robotics for the autonomous Freightliner Cascadia. The Atlas sensor, built on FMCW technology, can detect objects up to 500 metres and simultaneously capture...
Toyota’s 30-Year Nürburgring Vision Opens Its Doors
Toyota opened its new Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama (TTC‑S) to media, showcasing a 5.3‑km test loop modeled after Germany’s Nürburgring. The facility brings roughly 3,000 designers, engineers and test drivers together in a three‑floor layout that links maintenance, data analysis...
Aeva Nearly Doubles Q1 Revenue to US$6.3m Record
Aeva reported a record first‑quarter revenue of $6.3 million, almost double the $3.4 million earned a year earlier. The company shipped production‑intent 4D LiDAR sensors to Daimler Truck and a top‑10 European passenger‑vehicle OEM, while expanding deployments in defense and industrial sectors....
Diodes Launches 32 Gbps ReDriver for Cockpits
Diodes Incorporated has introduced the PI3EQX32904Q, a four‑channel linear ReDriver delivering 32 Gbps bandwidth for next‑generation automotive smart cockpits. The device supports PCI Express 5.0, SAS4 and CXL, and is built on a 0.13 µm silicon‑germanium BiCMOS process to provide low jitter and high...
Works Ministry Launches an EV Charging System Installation Guidelines Book as Reference for Installers
Malaysia's Works Ministry unveiled a "Design and Installation Guidelines for Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Systems" to standardise charger deployment across the country. Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the manual will aid contractors, designers, government bodies and station...
Hands-Free Driving On Icy 80km/H Roads
EU regulators are debating a bloc‑wide approval of Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving (FSD) system that would permit hands‑free operation on icy roads at 80 km/h. The Netherlands has already signed off, but a formal vote requires the backing of 55% of member...
Kodiak AI Inc (KDK) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Kodiak AI reported Q1 2026 results, announcing a $100 million equity PIPE that lifts cash to roughly $185 million and funds its scaling plan. The company expanded its driverless fleet to 28 trucks, delivering 15,600 loads and 23,500 paid driverless hours, while...
Chinese Automakers Race to Enter Canada, Here Are the EVs Likely Coming
Canada slashed the tariff on Chinese‑built electric vehicles from 100% to 6.1%, creating a quota for up to 49,000 units annually that will rise to 70,000 by 2030. BYD, Geely and Chery have begun hiring, scouting dealership sites and filing...
Why Most Automation Programmes Plateau Between Cell and Line
A Tier 1 automotive supplier’s plants show robots meeting cell‑level targets while line‑level throughput improves only 4% over three years, far short of the 22% goal. The gap stems from an under‑scoped integration layer linking robotic cells, MES, ERP and WMS,...
DTS AutoStage Is Now in 16 Million Vehicles, Xperi Reports
Xperi announced that its DTS AutoStage audio technology is now installed in 16 million vehicles spanning 13 automotive brands. The company’s Q1 2026 results showed a narrowed net loss of $7.8 million, down from $18.4 million a year earlier, while revenue held steady...
Onsemi Q1 2026 Revenue $1.513 Billion, Core Metrics Beat Expectations
onsemi reported Q1 2026 revenue of $1.513 billion, topping the midpoint of its guidance, with GAAP and non‑GAAP gross margins steady at 38.5%. GAAP operating margin fell to 3.5% while non‑GAAP margin held at 19.1%, and diluted EPS was $0.08 GAAP...
What's the Most Affordable Tesla EV?
In 2026 Tesla’s entry‑level Model 3 is the most affordable EV, with a base price of $39,990, keeping it under the $40,000 threshold. The slightly larger Model Y starts near $45,000, while older Model S and X variants remain well above $70,000. Federal...
Pirelli to Begin Cyber Tyre Manufacturing in Georgia, US
Pirelli will begin manufacturing its Cyber Tyre technology at its Rome, Georgia plant, marking the first U.S. production of the sensor‑enabled tyre. The rollout coincides with Italy’s golden‑power intervention that curtails Chinese investor Sinochem’s board influence. The Georgia facility will...