After halting all operations on public roads following a near-fatal crash last autumn, General Motors’ autonomous driving unit Cruise appears ready to put at least some of its robocab fleet back into use.
Paul Eisenstein
First Look: 2025 Buick Enclave – Bigger, More Stylish and Now, Hands-Free
Buick’s flagship SUV is back with a new look for the upcoming model year and it’s picking up on some of the key design cues first seen on the Wildcat concept vehicle. The 2025 Buick Enclave also gets an assortment of new comfort features as well as new technology that includes the “premium” brand’s first use of the hands-free GM Super Cruise.
Musk Promises to Reveal Tesla Robotaxi in August
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in a tweet that the automaker will reveal its new robotaxi on August 8, 2024. According to recent reports, Tesla has scrubbed plans to build an “affordable” EV to focus resources on developing the driverless ride-sharing vehicle – though Musk said such reports are false.
Tesla Kills Plan for Affordable EV
Tesla pulled the plug on a program aimed at developing a $25,000 EV, even as Chinese automakers led by BYD double down on bringing to market all-electric vehicles affordable often to reach mainstream buyers. According to Reuters, Tesla CEO Elon Musk now wants to focus on self-driving robocabs.
Waymo, Uber Eats Partner on Driverless Food Deliveries
Users of the Uber Eats service in the Phoenix area now can order a meal delivered by a driverless vehicle as part of a partnership with Waymo.
Could Tesla “Go Bust”?
With sales falling sharply, the first quarter of 2024 was an “unmitigated disaster,” according to one of Tesla’s big boosters. Now, one of the automaker’s big critics is warning the company could “go bust.”
Hybrids, EVs Helped Prop Up March Sales – Except for Tesla
It’s become something of conventional wisdom that the EV market is slowing down. And there’s no question that, on a percentage basis, the growth rate for battery-electric vehicles has slowed over the last 12 months. But the market does continue to grow, Kia’s EV sales jumping 151% in March. Ironically, it was the 800-pound gorilla of the battery-electric market, Tesla, where sales fell well short of expectations.
Chevy Finally Ready to Launch Retail Versions of the Silverado EV
Plagued by issues with supplier snags, battery production problems and glitchy software, General Motors has been slow to get its promised wave of new EVs to market. But it’s finally getting ready to roll the retail version of its Chevrolet Silverado EV into showrooms – at a steep price. The initial, limited-edition version of the battery pickup will start around $95,000 plus delivery fees.
UAW Gaining Traction as Mercedes’ Alabama Workers Set to File for Union Vote
In what could be a critical development for the United Auto Workers Union, employees at the Mercedes-Benz assembly plant in Alabama are expected to file the paperwork needed to set up a vote aimed at organizing the factory. Workers at the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee made a similar move last month.
Highway Fatalities Fell in 2023 – But Are Still Up Over Pre-COVID Totals
Federal regulators said the number of Americans who died in highway crashes last year fell by 3.6%. But the total is still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, with safety experts pointing to a variety of causes, including distracted and drunk driving, as well as failure by passengers to wear seatbelts.
Q&A: Infiniti Americas’ Craig Keeys – What Comes Beyond the New QX80
The 2025 Infiniti QX80 is the automaker’s most important new entry in decades and, according to some observers, could be its make-it-or-break-it product. Craig Keyes, the head of Infiniti Americas, spoke to Headlight.News about the 3-row luxury sedan as well as future products such as the brand’s first EV. He also discussed the challenges of taking on better-known brands like Mercedes, BMW and Lexus, in this exclusive Q&A.
EPA Clampdown on Heavy Truck, Bus Emissions Should Save Lives, Reduce Global Warming
The EPA announced strict new emissions standards meant to slash CO2 emissions from the nation’s heavy truck and bus fleet – among the country’s largest source of global warming gases. But the regulations could face a fight, both in Congress and the courts.