This week on the Headlight News podcast, we talk about the strong April sales numbers, as well as President Trump implementing his tariffs on the auto industry, plus a review of the 2025 Lincoln Navigator and more.
Car Culture
Toyota Teaming Up With Waymo on Autonomous Vehicles
Waymo and Toyota are teaming up. The Japanese giant will help develop a new autonomous vehicle platform for the Google spin-off which has become the U.S. leader in driverless ride-sharing technology. The announcement comes days after VW and Uber revealed their own autonomous alliance. More from Headlight.News.
Safer Cars Combined with 90% Seat Belt Usage Cutting Deaths on U.S. Roads
Traffic fatalities have been declining in recent years in the U.S. And while cars laden with the newest safety technology play a role, it’s that nine out of 10 Americans using their seat belts nearly every time they get into a vehicle that is the real difference maker, experts claim. Get details at Headlight.News.
Automotive Trivia – the Mighty Piston
Faster than a speeding bullet? More powerful than a locomotive? Well, not necessarily, but the piston in your car’s internal combustion engine is an impressive piece of technology. And you probably don’t know much more. Contributing editor Jeff Zurschmiede came up with these surprising facts.
Tesla Trade-in Prices Post Industry’s Largest Decline
Looking for a good deal on a used vehicle? The price for a previously owned Tesla Model S posted the industry’s biggest year-over-year decline, according to dealer sales records. Tesla products, on the whole, have plunged in value as backlash grows to CEO Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration. Headlight.News has more.
Headlight News Podcast for the Week of April 28, 2025
On this week’s podcast, Headlight News covers the debut of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ new EV company, Slate, and its first product and electric pickup. We also review the 2025 Cadillac Optiq and look at the other stories coming in the week ahead.
Slate’s New Pickup To Start at “Under $20,000” – But Are Americans Ready to Return to the Days of Hand-Cranked Windows?
A low-profile start-up quietly backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has suddenly burst into the headlines, Dubbed Slate Auto, the Michigan-based automaker rolled out an all-electric pickup Thursday night that, it said, will go on sale in late 2026 for “under $20,000.” But rather than delivering another high-tech wonder, the Slate pickup draws its inspiration from a low-tech past. Will Americans embrace an EV with crank-up windows and no infotainment screen? Headlight.News has more.
Nissan Revamping U.S. Lineup with Xterra Return Possible
Nissan is taking a new tack on its attempted turnaround, especially in the U.S. The automaker revealed changes to its product plan for America, including a potential return to a longtime favorite: the Xterra. Get details at Headlight.News.
Buy Now or Wait? Car Buyers Battered By Tariffs
Trump’s tariffs are beginning to unnerve consumers as they eye purchasing new vehicles, forcing some buyers to jump off the fence and race into dealerships, while others have decided to wait out the chaos. Headlight.News has more.
Lexus Unveils All-New ES for 2026 in Shanghai
Luxury automaker Lexus took to the stage at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition to reveal the all-new 2026 Lexus ES — in hybrid and battery-electric form. The ES is the brand’s entry-level sedan. Find out more about the new model at Headlight.News.
Motorists Becoming More Comfortable With EVs – Though Growth Has Slowed
Motorists around the world are becoming increasingly comfortable with purchasing and owning EVs, according to a new study, though Americans lag well behind their counterparts in Europe and, in particular, China. Credit the longer range, faster charging and lower costs of newer EV models, consumers told McKinsey & Co. Headlight.News has more.
First Look: Mercedes-Benz Vision V Reveals a New Take on the Luxury Limousine
Don’t think of the Mercedes-Benz Vision V as just another van. True, it has the tall roof and the sliding doors but the German automaker intends to create an entirely new segment with the all-electric concept vehicle – and the production model set to soon follow....