Automotive

On today's podcast episode, we discuss whether AI is more like cars or Google search, what's missing from the new AI bill, and what these new rules mean for the rest of the country. Tune into the discussion with host Marcus Johnson, and analysts Jacob Bourne and Grace Harmon.

Volvo and Ford pump the brakes on their EV ambitions: The industrywide shift to EVs isn’t happening as quickly as one would have thought just a few years ago.

California lemon law overhaul seeks to slow flood of lawsuits: Specialist law firms helped drive a 52% year over year increase in litigation over defective vehicles.

The administration approved $521 million to expand EV charging infrastructure, crucial for adoption. However, progress has been slow, with just seven stations built over two years.

Tesla’s individual EU tariff reduction gives it a new competitive edge, while Waymo’s expansion is threatened by an impending US tariff hike.

China’s EVs outsell gas cars for the first time, VW slashes ID.4 lease prices, and Sen. Warren pushes for answers on Musk’s use of Tesla resources for his other companies

EV sales growth slowed significantly in the first half of the year: Many consumers remain skeptical about the technology, driving Tesla, GM, and Ford to shift gears.

Microsoft, Meta, and AWS work together to break Google’s stranglehold on mapping services by developing open map data sets for general availability

Is the auto industry losing faith in TV? Ad expenditures are still high on sports broadcasts, but a tough market is causing spending to contract.

Automakers face speed bumps ahead: While US auto sales grew 2.8% in the first half of the year, sales are expected to slow to 1.3% as consumers wait for interest rates to fall.

High costs, reliability concerns, and a lack of confidence in US infrastructure are detering consumers and hurting EV sales.

Alphabet’s driverless robotaxi service is available to all San Francisco residents, with 300,000 people on the waitlist. Waymo benefits from rivals lagging behind.

VW invests $5 billion to keep Rivian afloat and in turn gets access to technology-driven solutions for its fleet of vehicle brands. Strategic partnerships can accelerate EV adoption.

While this provides smarter in-car assistance, consumers may not flock to VW just for an improved infotainment system. Read online

A cyberattack on CDK Global disabled key systems for nearly 15,000 car dealerships, seriously disrupting operations. Ransomware can paralyze entire industries relying on single service providers.

Industry giants say the new requirements are “practically impossible” with today’s technology, and high costs will trickle down to consumers.

Fisker’s failures highlight the dwindling space in the US EV market for smaller names, especially those still manufacturing internationally.

The market for high-priced EVs is tapping out and EV sales growth is declining. Manufacturers need to slash prices to compete in this stalling market.

Musk may otherwise exit the company, taking his AI and robotics resources with him. That could be a big hit to Tesla’s growth and finances.

Higher borrowing costs cause auto sales growth to slow and electric vehicle adoption to remain limited.