Afeela 1, the high-tech battery-electric vehicle developed as part of a joint venture between Sony and Honda, has begun early prototype production at the Honda assembly plant in East Liberty, Ohio. Headlight.News has more.
Autonomous Vehicles
Buyers Do About-Face, Now Want Hands-Free Driving Tech
What a difference a year makes! According to a new study, the technology new vehicle buyers want most is semi-autonomous driving technologies, such as General Motors Super Cruise and Ford’s BlueCruise. It didn’t make the top 10 list of wants in the same study last year. What changed? Find out at Headlight.News.
Lyft to Become the Next Player in Robotaxi Market
With Tesla following Waymo and Uber set to get its own robotaxis into operation soon, the other ride-sharing giant, Lyft, is determined not to be left behind. The San Francisco-based ride-sharing service is partnering up with Holon and Bentler to start rolling out a fleet of autonomous shuttles next year. Headlight.News has more.
Tesla Earnings Plunge while Musk Warns of “a Few Rough Quarters”
Tesla reported a 16% plunge in second-quarter net income as its worldwide sales continue to decline. CEO Elon Musk warned that there could yet be “a few rough quarters” ahead before the automaker gets its long-promised “affordable” EV into production. More from Headlight.News.
Ford Launches Two Electrified Broncos – But You Can’t Have it Unless You Live in China
Ford has launched two electrified versions of the Bronco, an EV and a range-extender. Both are set to go on sale later this year. Unfortunately for EV fans, the only place they’ll be available is in China. Headlight.News has more.
Chinese Automakers Pose a Growing Risk – But So Do Tariffs and a Shortage of Skilled Workers, Warns Ford CEO Farley
Chinese domestic automakers are becoming a major threat as they gain acceptance around the world with new, low-cost products, Ford CEO Jim Farley warns. But that’s not the only challenge facing Ford and other traditional manufacturers – particularly those in the U.S. There are Trump’s tariffs, for one thing, as well as a shortage of the skilled workers automakers depend on. More from Headlight.News.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of 6-30-25
On this week’s Headlight News podcast: Cadillac Delivers Most Expensive Model Ever, A New Oil Crisis, a Honda CR-V TrailSport Review, and This Week in Automotive History. Check it out at Headlight.News.
Feds Examining Incidents Where Tesla’s Robotaxis Appeared to Break Laws
Tesla’s first day of robotaxi service in Austin, Texas appeared to go off without a disastrous hitch. However, federal safety regulators are looking into situations where the vehicles may have broken local traffic laws. Meanwhile riders offered their largely positive reviews. Get details at Headlight.News.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of June 23, 2025
Headlight News for the Week of 6-23-25 includes: Trump Iran Attack and Gas Prices; New Corvette Hypercar; Tesla Launches Robotaxi; and more.
Tesla Rolls Out First Robotaxis, Select Riders Paying Flat $4.20 Fee Per ride
Tesla’s first robotaxis took to the streets of Austin, Texas on Sunday, the start-up ride-sharing service picking up invite-only riders for a flat $4.20 a trip. The move was hailed by Tesla bulls who see the move as the first step in what could become an even bigger business than the company’s EV operations. But it’s yet to be seen if Tesla can stand up against competitors like Waymo and Uber — or whether the backlash facing Tesla EVs will cripple the robotaxi service, as well. More from Headlight.News.
Tesla Pausing Cybertruck, Model Y Production; May Delay Robotaxi Launch
Production of the Tesla Cybertruck, as well as the newly updated Model Y, will be paused later this month. The temporary move comes at a time when both products are struggling due to slow demand. Separately, Tesla is facing pressure to delay the launch of the long-awaited Robotaxi tentatively scheduled to also roll out of its Austin, Texas plant this coming weekend. More from Headlight.News.
Musk Sets “Tentative” Date for Robotaxi Launch
The first Tesla robotaxi is “tentatively” set to roll out on June 22, according to CEO Elon Musk, though that date could be pushed back, he indicated in a tweet because he is being “super paranoid about safety.” With Tesla’s EV sales sliding fast in many key markets, analysts and investors believe fully self-driving vehicles will be critical to the brand’s future. More from Headlight.News.