Americans continue to pay near-record prices for new vehicles and they’re financing the purchases at near-record interest rates. The result? Vehicle repossessions rose 23% in the first half of the year. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Business
U.S. Regulators May Ban Chinese Software from New Vehicles
Your next new car is likely to be loaded with all sorts of digital technology – and the software to run it. And that means it may know “a lot about you.” And how that information is used has raised growing privacy concerns. That’s why the U.S. Commerce Dept. may impose restrictions on the use of software coming from China.
A Week With: 2024 Ford Ranger Lariat FX4 — The Flexible Off-Roader
The popularity of pickups remains unquestioned, and after a week in the 2024 Ford Ranger Lariat with the FX4 off-road package, it quickly becomes apparent why — they’re do-it-all vehicles. Find out more in our review at Headlight.News.
New Vehicles Less Affordable in June as Credit Declines
Anyone who bought a new car, truck or SUV last month likely paid a little more than they would have in May. Multiple factors are working in concert to keep prices higher than consumers would like. Get the story at Headlight.News.
VinFast Hits the Brakes, Delays U.S. Plant Opening Until 2028
Vietnamese EV start-up VinFast announced a “prudent,” 3-year delay in the opening of its first U.S. assembly plant. It’s the latest in a series of setbacks for the automaker which suffered a wave of harsh reviews for its initial offering, the VF 8 crossover.
Lucid Pushes Efficiency to New Levels with 2025 Air Pure Model
Many EV makers want to see just how far they can get their vehicles to travel on a single charge or how fast it can recharge using a fast DC charger, but Lucid’s improved its industry-leading efficiency to a new high. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Stellantis Brands Offering Free Chargers with EV Purchase
New EV buyers face an immediate dilemma once they make the choice to go all-electric: how will I charge my new vehicle? Stellantis is making it easier with a few options, including a new free home charging setup. Check it out at Headlight.News.
Fiat 500e Giorgio Armani Could Be 1st of Several New Special Editions
Looking to build momentum for its latest – and now, all-electric – 500e, Fiat launches a special edition named for fashion legend Giorgio Armani. And it hints that it may bring a second new model to the U.S.: the Grande Panda crossover which debuted last month in both hybrid and all-electric form.
Toyota Reportedly Ready for Return to F1 in Partnership with Haas
Will it or won’t it? That’s the big question in the racing world this week as Toyota reportedly prepares to announce plans to reenter Formula 1 racing. It would mark a return after a failed effort ended 15 years ago. But Toyota is said to be partnering up this time, likely with the American F1 Haas team.
Tesla Looks to Drum Up Sales With New Long-Range Model 3 Variant
Back-to-back quarterly sales drops seems to have CEO Elon Musk’s attention. Always looking for ways to bolster deliveries, Tesla’s offering a new long-range variant of the Model 3 sedan. Get details at Headlight.News.
$25 Million Ransom Reportedly Paid to End Hack That Took Down 15,000 U.S. Dealers
Things are back to normal at 15,000 U.S. showrooms after a hack that brought operations nearly to a halt last month. Data processing firm CDK apparently paid a $25 million ransom to regain control of software controlling everything from sales prospects to payroll. But the damage has topped $1 billion in lost sales and other issues.
Automated Driving Systems Aren’t Improving Safety, Finds New Study
More than half of the automotive models now on sale offer some form of partial automation, whether to help steer, brake or accelerate. Manufacturers have promoted these technologies as a way to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities – but, with the exception of front automatic emergency braking, a new study finds “partial automation…doesn’t confirm additional safety benefits.”