Elon Musk created a fair share of controversy several years ago when he appeared to smoke a joint during an appearance with podcaster Joe Rogan. A new report is kicking up even more dust, the Wall Street Journal alleging money and drugs have improperly tied the Tesla CEO to the same board of directors that previously approved a $55 billion pay package for Musk.
He’s warned that the switch to battery-electric vehicles could seriously harm the auto industry. And even though his successor as Toyota CEO has committed more resources to EVs, Akio Toyoda continues to see a future in which hybrids and other alternatives dominate the global market. More from Headlight.News.
The crash of a Cruise ride-share vehicle in San Francisco last October has raised concerns about the readiness of robocab technology. But how will buyers take to an alternative approach that has launched in Las Vegas? German startup Vay’s small car-sharing fleet doesn’t have humans onboard. Instead, it relies on remote “teledrivers.” More from Headlight.News.
Tesla has become the latest automaker to raise wages for its U.S. workers, a move that industry-watchers see as an effort to stall an organizing drive by the United Auto Workers Union. The Texas-based EV manufacturer is seen as particularly vulnerable, especially at its California assembly plant which has faced numerous complaints about racial and sexual harassment and unsafe working conditions.
The New Year brings bad news for potential EV buyers as only a handful of models now qualify for federal tax credits of up to $7,500. That’s because of new requirements covering the sourcing of batteries and raw materials like lithium and cobalt. Among the brands impacted are Tesla, Nissan, General Motors and Ford. And analysts worry this could further slow growth of EV sales.
While its products are no longer available in the U.S., Daihatsu is an important part of the Toyota brand empire, with sizable markets in Japan and other parts of the world. But the minicar maker has halted Japanese production after it acknowledged that it has cheated on safety tests for the last 30 years. And that’s just the latest problem for Daihatsu, reports Headlight.News.
Tesla is wrapping up 2023 with another record under its belt. But while sales hit an all-time high they still fell short of CEO Elon Musk’s ambitious forecast. And the Texas-based automaker has a growing list of problems on its plate, including mounting pressure for another recall following the one it announced two weeks ago.
Porsche and Audi dealing with two actions, one of which isn’t about the vehicles, but the charging cables. The other recall covers just 205 Porsche Taycans at risk for fire due to overcharging. Get details at Headlight.News.
The U.S. auto industry set a new fuel economy record in 2022, according to the EPA – though Detroit’s Big Three automakers lagged both foreign-owned brands and domestic start-ups. It marked the biggest improvement in mileage in nine years. More from Headlight.News .
Airbags have saved so many lives during the past two decades, but they’ve also been the cause of the largest single automotive recall in history. Automakers are currently fighting an effort by federal safety regulators recall 52 million airbag inflators. It would be the second-largest recall. Get details at Headlight.News.
Passive alcohol-detection systems are mandated by law. But don’t expect them to arrive without controversy. The first steps toward mandating car technology passive alcohol-detection systems that prevent drunk or impaired driving will become reality under a new federal...
Cruise LLC, GM’s autonomous vehicle arm, continues to feel the impact of an October 2 crash that nearly killed a pedestrian in San Francisco. The robotaxi company will eliminate a quarter of its workforce in a bid to move onto “a more deliberate path with safety as the north star.” That includes nine senior executives cited in an ongoing safety investigation.”