Sony’s automotive dreams take shape: The Sony Honda Mobility venture unveiled its connected car prototype, Afeela, that illustrates automotive’s high-tech future. This means new revenue streams for tech and marketers.
Tesla keeps inviting bad press: South Korea’s regulator says Tesla exaggerated its EV driving ranges. It’s the latest of many woes that could mean further loss of Tesla’s consumer appeal.
Tesla leads EV charge, but competition is around the corner: Tesla’s expansion is unparalleled, but so are its recalls and safety issues. Meanwhile, the rest of the automotive industry is slowly but steadily catching up.
Twitter’s turbulent takeover: The Twitter-Musk saga is one of the biggest stories for 2022 that will likely continue into 2023. It could strangle other Musk-owned businesses like Tesla, which Musk is using to sell stock to keep Twitter afloat.
A second life for EV battery minerals: Redwood Materials’ expansion will be pivotal for automakers who want to take advantage of federal EV tax credits. Battery reuse startups are competitors.
Tesla’s latest innovation is streaming Steam games: The feature, which converts EVs into gaming consoles, could kindle the debate on distracted driving. Meanwhile, Tesla’s market value dips below $500 billion.
Waze is the latest victim of Big Tech’s austerity: Google Maps and Waze are too similar to be separate, so Google is integrating them. This could mean dominating the mapping app segment at the cost of consumer choice.
Demand for Tesla cools in China: Competition from cheaper Chinese-made EVs could be putting a damper on Tesla adoption and hiring at the company.
Carvana and Bed Bath & Beyond teeter closer to bankruptcy: Both retailers are facing serious money problems as decisions made during the pandemic come back to haunt them.
Switzerland eyes draconian grid-saving measures: Amid a European energy crisis that’s growing dire as winter approaches, officials are considering an EV ban. Incorporating hydrogen and advanced solar is another option.
Tesla takes on the semitrailer truck market: As competition in EVs intensifies, Tesla ships its first Semi to show a diversifying product mix. Meanwhile, various recalls pile up, exposing a pattern of QA mishaps.
The stubborn failure of EV affordability: Automakers’ promises of affordable EVs haven’t met consumer expectations. Tesla’s slipping dominance illustrates market potential and the possibility for a new contender.
Just under 2% of the US population will drive an electric car next year, for a total of 5.4 million drivers, per our forecast. By contrast, more than half the population, or 151.4 million people, will drive a connected car in 2023.
Tesla’s safety recall pileup: Hyperscaling production is taking a toll on vehicle safety and quality control. The carmaker’s approach to fixing problems with over-the-air firmware updates could be part of the problem.
Ford, VW vehicles rendered obsolete by 3G shutdowns: The carmakers are dealing with the fallout of 2014-2019 models no longer being able to remotely start, lock, or unlock due to the loss of 3G access.
Los Angeles to become robotaxis’ next proving ground: Despite the controversy surrounding AV technology, Motional and Lyft are gearing up to unleash driverless taxis on the streets of LA.
Tesla’s self-driving is like a ‘drunken, suicidal 13-year-old’: Green Hills Software’s CEO is on a mission to sink Tesla’s Full Self-Driving release. He’s being ridiculed, but consumer surveys indicate agreement.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren suspicious of Big Tech’s carmaking ambitions: Google lends its software expertise to help Renault build vehicles digitally. It’ll meet consumer demand for connected cars but also trigger antitrust scrutiny.
Intel accelerates cost reductions: Layoffs and reduced work hours are aimed to help Intel reduce $3 billion in costs in 2023 and up to $10 billion in 2025. Competing chipmakers and PC companies are likely to follow suit.
Tesla in hot water over Autopilot, Argo AI shutters: Vehicle crashes, dubious marketing strategies, and public fears take a toll on the AV sector, but a revival is possible.