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Received today — 17 July 2025

Mercedes-Benz will let you use an in-car camera in Microsoft Teams while driving

16 July 2025 at 18:46
Image of the Microsoft Teams logo on a car infotainment screen.

I like to drive without the distractions of my work life interrupting me, but if you’re eager to stay connected then Mercedes-Benz is ready. You’ll soon be able to join a Microsoft Teams call in some Mercedes‑Benz vehicles and use the in-car camera to chat with colleagues while you’re driving.

Mercedes‑Benz is the first car maker to enable in-car camera use for Microsoft Teams while a car is being driven, but there are some important safety caveats. While you can share a video stream of yourself merrily driving along, you won’t be able to see any shared screens or slides while you’re in motion.

Usually video meeting apps like Teams, Zoom, or WebEx only work while a car is stationary, so this Mercedes‑Benz functionality is clearly designed primarily for that colleague — you know the one — who always has to let everyone know they’re working no matter what.

The meeting video stream will be automatically turned off as soon as the in-car camera is enabled, but other meeting participants will still see your camera feed while you’re driving — so don’t forget it’s on if you get the urge to rummage around your nostrils. The in-car camera support for Microsoft Teams will arrive first on the new CLA, and it’s part of several “productivity enhancements” that Mercedes‑Benz is making this summer.

Microsoft and Mercedes‑Benz are also working together to integrate Microsoft 365 Copilot into “the latest vehicles,” which would be a first of its kind in a car. The experience will be driven by voice prompts, allowing drivers to summarize emails, manage daily tasks, and more.

Mercedes‑Benz gleefully describes this as having “the potential to transform the vehicle into a third workspace, complementing the office and the home office.” I don’t know about you, but I already have enough workplaces, thanks to smartphones and laptops, and I have zero desire to work while I’m driving.

Mercedes‑Benz only mentions the all-new CLA for this new Teams app, but given the latest E-Class models have a selfie camera for apps like TikTok and Zoom, it’s likely we’ll see this functionality show up on other MB.OS-powered vehicles.

GM and Redwood teaming up to make batteries for energy storage

16 July 2025 at 18:00
photo of Redwood Materials’ energy storage system
Redwood Materials’ energy storage system in Nevada. | Image: Redwood Materials

General Motors and Redwood Materials are joining forces yet again, this time with the intent to build energy storage units made out of new batteries and recycled EV packs.

The two companies signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to build energy storage out of US-manufactured batteries, as well as “second-life” EV packs from GM’s vehicles. The announcement comes on the heels of Redwood’s decision to move more aggressively into the energy storage business with the creation of a new division. The company’s first project will be building a storage system for an AI development center in California.

Battery storage systems play a crucial role in balancing energy for the grid. These systems can store energy from a variety of sources, including renewables like wind and solar, releasing it when needed, which helps save power during periods of low demand.

The rise of AI is putting increasing pressure on the grid, in the US and globally. The steepest rise in global electricity demand is coming from new data centers in the US and China, as well as the manufacturing of electric vehicles, batteries, solar panels, and semiconductors.

The rise of AI is putting increasing pressure on the grid, in the US and globally

GM has a preexisting partnership with Redwood to recycle scrap from its battery manufacturing facilities in Warren, Ohio, and Spring Hill, Tennessee, as well as end-of-life EV batteries . The automaker says this new deal will help power its ambitions to expand beyond EV batteries and into grid management and energy storage. GM has its own energy division that sells power banks, charging equipment, solar panels, and management software to residential and commercial customers.

“The market for grid-scale batteries and backup power isn’t just expanding, it’s becoming essential
infrastructure,” said Kurt Kelty, GM’s VP of batteries, propulsion, and sustainability, in a statement. “Electricity demand is climbing, and it’s only going to accelerate. To meet that challenge, the U.S. needs energy storage solutions that can be deployed quickly, economically, and made right here at home. GM batteries can play an integral role.”

Redwood Materials was founded in 2017 by Tesla’s former chief technologist JB Straubel. In addition to breaking down scrap from Tesla’s battery-making process with Panasonic, Redwood recycles batteries from Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Specialized, Amazon, Lyft, Rad Power Bikes, Lime, stationary storage facilities, and others. The company also produces cathodes at a facility in Nevada, and eventually at its under-construction site in South Carolina.

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My family of 5 outgrew our Subaru Outback. We test drove the Volkswagen ID Buzz and loved it — except for one thing.

15 July 2025 at 15:11
VW Buzz and Subaru Outback
The author tested the Volkswagen ID Buzz.

Courtesy of the author

  • We bought our Subaru Outback in 2018 when we had our first child.
  • It's been a super reliable car, but with three growing kids, we've outgrown it.
  • We tested the new electric 2025 Volkswagen ID Buzz, and we loved it.

We've had our Subaru Outback since 2018, when my first child was just a newborn.

Now that our kids are 7, 5, and 5, while the car is still as reliable as day one, it's become a source of stress because our kids fight so much in it from the lack of space.

My husband had been suggesting a minivan for our family, with three rows to space the kids out and sliding doors for easy loading. I, however, refuse to be a minivan mom. I find them ugly and impractical.

That all changed when I saw the new electric Volkswagen ID Buzz, so we decided to test it with our family — and now we are torn.

We need more space for our family so decided to test out the electric Volkswagen ID Buzz.
Woman driving VW ID Buzz
The author felt like the range makes this a city car more than a road trip car.

Courtesy of the author

There's no denying we need more space in the car. With three car seats, growing limbs, and all the stuff from school and sports, the back row is tight.

That's the major cause of fights in our car, which makes any trip (short or long) incredibly stressful for whoever is driving.

As for the rest of the car, it's got what we need: a big trunk, the ability to place a turtle top, and an overall reliable engine.

My first car was a Volkswagen Golf, which I loved, so I've always been a bit partial to the brand. We also tested the Volkswagen Atlas Crossport, which has two rows instead of three, and even having just a bit more space in the second row made our kids more comfortable and manageable.

When we saw previews on social media of the ID Buzz, VW's new version of their 1950s Bus, I was intrigued. It looked cuter than a van, but still offered what we thought we needed.

The third row is a true row.
The third row in the Volkswagen ID Buzz
The third row in the Volkswagen ID Buzz is a true row.

Courtesy of the author

When the kids saw the VW ID Buzz, they all squealed in excitement. I won't lie, it looks so cool in person. Even while driving it to summer camp drop off, we saw people turn around to do a double take and kids pointing as we drove past. If you don't like the attention, be warned that this car attracts all the looks.

The ID Buzz we tested didn't have captain seats, so we had to lower one seat for one of our kids to sit in the third row. As I was setting up the car seats, I noticed that the third row is a full row. I'm 5'6" tall and was able to sit comfortably with extra space for my legs.

Loading the kids was pretty easy.
ID Buzz
The ID Buzz's doors can be closed remotely.

Courtesy of the author

You can open the sliding doors with the key, and even with the seat lowered, it was easy for all three of them to navigate their bodies inside.

One detail I loved was the ability to open the doors three different ways: from the remote, as mentioned, from the actual door, and also from a button near the driver's seat.

This last option made it so I could get in the car, type in our destination on the screen, and not have to wait around to close the doors.

It doesn't have a ton of bells and whistles.
The interior of the VW ID Buzz.
The VW ID Buzz doesn't have a ton of bells and whistles according to the author.

Courtesy of the author

One of the biggest complaints online has been the interior design, which some feel is lacking compared to how innovative the exterior design is. For my family's needs, this wasn't a problem at all.

Coming from a 2017 car to a 2025 model, we could tell the difference in things like heated seats in the middle row and a more dynamic screen (our Subaru's screen doesn't even show a map). That said, the VW ID Buzz doesn't have that many bells and whistles, and I actually like that.

We recently drove a BMW 7 Series after getting a free upgrade from a rental car company, and I really disliked all the extra buttons in the back row.

My kids kept changing the temperature and radio station, annoying everyone.

The trunk space was limited but enough for day-to-day use.
The trunk in the VW ID Buzz
The trunk in the VW ID Buzz can be configured by lowering seats and platform.

Courtesy of the author

The trunk space in the ID Buzz is nonexistent compared to the space in our Subaru Outback if the third row is in use. I do like that the ID Buzz has two baskets that can be covered by a platform, allowing us to store groceries or sports equipment without taking up precious trunk space.

While the amount of space wouldn't be an issue on a day-to-day basis, if we were going on a road trip, the space in the trunk does feel a bit limited.

But there was one major drawback for us.
ID Buzz charging
The author charger the car in about 40 minutes.

Courtesy of the author

Overall, I've found the Volkswagen ID Buzz easy to drive, fun, and reliable. While there's criticism for the range — which is advertised at 230 miles — as a city car to move kids from one location to the other, the range felt fine. We were able to run almost a full week without charging, and then stopped to charge while during groceries for about 30 minutes.

The one criticism I have for the ID Buzz is its price point. The 4-wheel-drive, which is what we would need in Maine, is retailing at over $72,000. This puts it over our other car, an Audi Q7, the 2025 model of which is now retailing at $70,000 and is considered a luxury SUV.

Read the original article on Business Insider

From the hospital to the car plant: What is GM doing with CT scanners?

15 July 2025 at 17:07

More and more, we're seeing imaging technologies and machine learning showing up in automotive applications. It's usually to diagnose some kind of problem like quality control, although not always—the camera-based system by UVeye that we wrote about a few years ago made news recently after Hertz started using it to charge renters for things like scuffs on hubcaps. I have fewer concerns about customer abuse with General Motors' use of CT scanning, which simply seems like a clever adaptation of medical technology into another industry.

Ignore, if you can, GM's business decisions. Maybe you're upset because it killed your favorite brand,  changed the shape of the Corvette headlights, or abandoned Apple CarPlay. There are many valid reasons, but none change the fact that the company's engineers are quite creative. (That's probably why it stings so much when the company starts hacking things up.)

GM first turned to X-rays as a way of doing two-dimensional quality control on castings during the development process, according to Ed Duby, manufacturing engineering executive director at GM. "Much like the application to people, when you think about X-ray and CT scan, it's really trying to diagnose something without having to go into surgery. We kind of want to do the same thing with our castings," Duby told me.

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BYD has caught up with Tesla in the global EV race. Here’s how.

In mid-2022, when BYD executive Lian Yubo was asked to compare Chinese manufacturing with Tesla’s technology, he remarked that Elon Musk was an example that all Chinese carmakers could learn from.

“Tesla is a very successful company no matter what. BYD respects Tesla and we admire Tesla,” he said in an interview on Chinese state media.

Yet just three years later, Tesla’s technological lead over its Chinese rivals has narrowed dramatically. It is fighting to stay ahead in the world’s largest car market, its sales are falling in many other countries and its efforts to develop fully self-driving vehicles are running into regulatory roadblocks.

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Why GM’s CEO is still betting on electric vehicles (and racing)

13 July 2025 at 11:00
illustration of GM CEO Mary Barra

GM was the first major US automaker to make the promise to go all-electric by 2035, just four years ago. Those promises have since turned into rough estimates under the second Donald Trump presidency, with the company softening language about its electrification goals. But GM is riding high on EV sales, and as CEO Mary Barra puts it, EVs are still the future - just on a delayed (and very flexible) timeline.

"We still believe in an all-electric future," Barra told The Verge in an exclusive interview at the Le Mans race in France. "The regulations were getting in front of where the consumer demand was, largely because of charging infrastruct …

Read the full story at The Verge.

xAI explains the Grok Nazi meltdown, as Tesla puts Elon’s bot in its cars

13 July 2025 at 00:54

Several days after temporarily shutting down the Grok AI bot that was producing antisemitic posts and praising Hitler in response to user prompts, Elon Musk’s AI company tried to explain why that happened. In a series of posts on X, it said that “…we discovered the root cause was an update to a code path upstream of the @grok bot. This is independent of the underlying language model that powers @grok.”

On the same day, Tesla announced a new 2025.26 update rolling out “shortly” to its electric cars, which adds the Grok assistant to vehicles equipped with AMD-powered infotainment systems, which have been available since mid-2021. According to Tesla, “Grok is currently in Beta & does not issue commands to your car – existing voice commands remain unchanged.” As Electrek notes, this should mean that whenever the update does reach customer-owned Teslas, it won’t be much different than using the bot as an app on a connected phone.

This isn’t the first time the Grok bot has had these kinds of problems or similarly explained them. In February, it blamed a change made by an unnamed ex-OpenAI employee for the bot disregarding sources that accused Elon Musk or Donald Trump of spreading misinformation. Then, in May, it began inserting allegations of white genocide in South Africa into posts about almost any topic. The company again blamed an “unauthorized modification,” and said it would start publishing Grok’s system prompts publicly.

xAI claims that a change on Monday, July 7th, “triggered an unintended action” that added an older series of instructions to its system prompts telling it to be “maximally based,”  and “not afraid to offend people who are politically correct.” 

The prompts are separate from the ones we noted were added to the bot a day earlier, and both sets are different from the ones the company says are currently in operation for the new Grok 4 assistant. 

These are the prompts specifically cited as connected to the problems:

“You tell it like it is and you are not afraid to offend people who are politically correct.”

* Understand the tone, context and language of the post. Reflect that in your response.”

* “Reply to the post just like a human, keep it engaging, dont repeat the information which is already present in the original post.”

The xAI explanation says those lines caused the Grok AI bot to break from other instructions that are supposed to prevent these types of responses, and instead produce “unethical or controversial opinions to engage the user,” as well as “reinforce any previously user-triggered leanings, including any hate speech in the same X thread,” and prioritize sticking to earlier posts from the thread.

Rivian R1S review: second time’s the charm

12 July 2025 at 12:00
photo of Rivian R1S

Just four years after Rivian began selling its R1T truck, 2025 marks the beginning of the R1T and R1S' second generation. Considering they look essentially the same on the outside, it might be hard to decipher what warrants a new generation. But underneath, it's actually quite easy: all-new electric architecture, a new motor arrangement, retuned suspension, and more. Kicking off at $107,700, here's how all these revisions make the 2025 Rivian R1S Premium Tri-Motor a true frontrunner in the modern EV space.

Specs

The tri-motor arrangement fits in between the base dual and top-level quad, and was my tester's powertrain for a whole week. All …

Read the full story at The Verge.

5 big EV takeaways from Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”

12 July 2025 at 11:12

If you’re an electric vehicle enthusiast, President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) is anything but. The legislation, signed by the president last weekend, cuts all sorts of US government support for emission-light vehicles. The whole thing creates a measure of uncertainty for an American auto industry that’s already struggling to stay afloat during a sea change.

Still, nearly one in four US vehicle shoppers say they’re still “very likely” to consider buying an EV, and 35 percent say they’re “somewhat likely,” according to a May survey by JD Power—figures unchanged since last year. On those EV-curious folks’ behalf, WIRED asked experts for their tips for navigating this weird time in cars.

Go electric … soon? Now?

First things first: The new bill nixed the electric vehicle tax credit of up to $7,500, bringing to an end years of federal support for EVs. This program was supposed to last until 2032 but is now set to expire on September 30. This extra oomph from the feds helped some of the “cheapest” electrics—like the $43,000 Tesla Model 3, the $37,000 Chevy Equinox EV, and the $61,000 Hyundai Ioniq 9—feel more accessible to people with smaller (but not small) budgets.

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Lamborghini follows successful racing Huracan with new Temerario GT3

11 July 2025 at 14:30

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is currently taking place in the UK; the event is part garden party, part hill climb, and plenty of auto show as car makers small and large unveil their vehicle du jour. Among those whipping satin covers off new machinery was Lamborghini. It's replacing the venerable Huracan and its howling naturally aspirated V10 engine with the plug-in hybrid Temerario, another wedge-shaped all-wheel drive mid-engined supercar, now with even more power. The road-going car has been public for some time now, but today it was the turn of the Temerario GT3, which is coming to race tracks in 2026.

Critics and badge snobs sometimes look down on Lamborghini because, unlike the other Italian sports car builders, it didn't start life as a race team. That's not to say the company hasn't had racing success, but it's all happened this century, thanks to a category called GT3, for racing versions of performance coupes ranging from Ford Mustangs to Porsche 911s. GT3 cars are designed to be driven by amateurs, so they feature driver assists like antilock brakes and traction control. They're "performance balanced" so that they're all fairly equivalent in terms of lap times.

That's not to say they're slow: In the hands of a top-level professional driver, GT3 cars based on road cars are now as fast as the mighty Group C prototypes of the 1980s. Lamborghini's current car is old, but it's still notching up wins—two weekends ago, Grasser Racing took victory at the 24 Hours of Space with its Huracan GT3. Some of the same drivers had the potential to do well the weekend before at the Nürburgring until one of them chose to ignore multiple red flags during a practice session that rightfully earned that car a grid penalty.

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Mazda’s third-gen CX-5 SUV on sale in 2026, hybrid comes in 2027

10 July 2025 at 15:10

A new version of Mazda's popular CX-5 SUV is on the way. Earlier today, the Japanese automaker revealed details about the third-generation CX-5, which goes on sale in Europe later this year before coming here in 2026.

The current CX-5, first introduced in 2017, marked Mazda's move upmarket, with a renewed focus on elegant interiors and keen handling without luxury automaker prices. Mazda remains committed to its core principle of "Jinba Ittai"—the horse and rider being at one—and the cars remain popular with enthusiasts, but it's fair to say that the available powertrains often leave something to be desired in terms of fuel efficiency.

At one time, Mazda readied a new diesel engine to try to improve its fleet average, although that option disappeared within a couple of years due to minimal demand. And for a while, we were teased with the clever "Skyactiv-X" compression ignition engine, which promised diesel-like efficiency on regular pump gasoline. It seems the odds of that one actually going on sale in the US are now remote, though.

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2025 Volvo EX90: A low-key luxury electric SUV

9 July 2025 at 17:24

Volvo was among the very first of the global automakers to declare plans to build an all-electrified future. Note the choice of word—electrified, not electric, as it includes hybrids, both plug-in and mild. When it comes to pure electric vehicles, the Swedish automaker has something of a two-pronged strategy. At the low end, there's the diminutive EX30 and EX30 Cross Country, a pair of stripped-down crossovers whose value proposition might be entirely different in light of tariffs and the end of the clean vehicle tax credit. At the other end of the spectrum is the EX90, a big battery electric SUV with tech so cutting-edge that some of it wasn't even ready when we had our first drive last fall.

The idea of a high-end Volvo is not a new one; for decades, the company has offered a low-key luxury alternative to the flashier German brands. It's just that back then, your family doctor probably drove a Volvo station wagon, whereas these days, most people want something with a little more height. Unlike the little EX30s, the EX90 should be largely unaffected by the recent chaos—it's built in South Carolina, so it isn't subject to import tariffs (beyond any imported parts used to build it) and with a starting price of $81,290, it's just too expensive to qualify for the IRS 30D tax credit, which now goes away at the end of September.

Do Volvo's impeccable safety credentials and the EX90's emissions-free powertrain purchase it any credit in the war on cars? Probably not, but there's something wonderfully incongruous about the slab sides and beige paint (actually a solid metallic called Sand Dune) accented by the bright jewelry of the daylight running lights, although the lidar hump on the roof continues to scream "London taxi cab" at me. (Did you know that Volvo's corporate parent also owns a company that builds those?) As you approach the car and it unlocks, the "Thor's Hammer" headlights do a neat little mechanical "blink"—think that one alien that Will Smith chased around the Guggenheim in Men in Black.

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Mercedes-Benz electric G-Wagen review: king of the off-road

5 July 2025 at 12:00
Photo of Mercedes-Benz electric G-Wagen.

As exciting as it is to see how electric technology redefines automotive transportation, it's just as exciting to see how it alters what we already have. In the aftermarket, EV-converted restomods are quickly becoming big business. But direct from manufacturers, there's great potential in electrifying legacy badges by seamlessly blending old design with new technology.

Case in point is the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology, better known as the EV Geländewagen (which is German for all-terrain vehicle), or G-Wagen. Starting at $162,650, the G580 stays true to its original design formula but also utilizes EV technology to bolster its …

Read the full story at The Verge.

2025 VW ID Buzz review: If you want an electric minivan, this is it

3 July 2025 at 16:24

If you had asked me a few years ago, I would have told you that the review you're about to read would be one of the most-read car reviews of the year. For a while—quite a long while, in fact—the Volkswagen ID Buzz was the hottest electric vehicle you couldn't buy. Starting in 2001, VW began teasing concept after concept that called back to its various Transporters and Kombis, classic microbuses reimagined as modern minivans. When the electric Buzz was greenlit for production after wowing crowds in 2017, it caught the attention of the kind of people who don't normally care about such things. Early coverage of the Buzz showed plenty of interest, and it looked like VW might have a real hit on its hands.

At least, that's how things looked for the first couple of years. It actually took seven years for a version of the ID Buzz to go on sale in North America, two years after Europe. Much of the optimism about EV adoption has now gone. Rather than reaching price parity with regular cars as battery prices dropped, everything just got more expensive during the pandemic. Add in recent worries about import tariffs and clean vehicle tax credits (available if you lease), and you start to understand why they remain a rare sight on the roads. Expect stares, glances, and even people taking out their phones as you drive past.

Some of the wait was for VW's more powerful rear drive unit, which provides this 2025 ID Buzz Pro S Plus with 282 hp (210 kW) and 413 lb-ft (560 Nm), paired with a 91 kWh battery pack. The official EPA range is 234 miles, which sounds disappointingly low, but it's correct. It does seem like a very conservative estimate based on a week with the Buzz. 3.1 miles/kWh (20 kWh 100/km) was possible if I drove carefully, with high-twos possible when I didn't, and with 89 percent state of charge in the battery, the Buzz's onboard brain figured we had 255 miles (410 km) of range.

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From Le Mans to Driven—where does F1: The Movie rank?

2 July 2025 at 17:08

It may not have escaped your attention that there's a new film about motorsport called F1: The Movie. It's a return-to-racing story with elements you'll have seen before, just maybe with other sports. A driver has been looking to slay his personal demons. There's a wise veteran, an impatient rookie, and an underdog team with its back to the wall. Except this time, the backdrop is the multicolored circus of Formula 1, seen close up at 200 mph.

Backed by Apple and made by people responsible for high-energy productions like the recent Top Gun: Maverick, the film takes advantage of some of those same ingredients. For one, the filmmakers got an all-access pass from the powers that be, filming on the actual Formula 1 grid during 2023 and some of 2024. Having seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton as a producer helped with that. And the filmmakers were able to capture remarkable footage in the process thanks to powerful cameras that are now much smaller than the versions they strapped to some US Navy fighter jets.

The movie comes with a prebuilt audience, one that's grown enormously in recent years. The Drive to Survive effect is real: Motorsport, particularly F1, hasn't been this popular in decades. More and more young people follow the sport, and it's not just among the guys, either.

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Tesla Q2 2025 sales dropped more than 13% year over year

2 July 2025 at 14:27

Tesla sold 384,122 electric vehicles during the months of April, May, and June of this year. That's a double-digit decline compared to the same three months of last year—itself no peach of a quarter for a car company with a stratospheric valuation based on the supposition of eternal sales growth.

The automaker faces a number of problems that are getting in the way of that perpetual growth. In some regions, CEO Elon Musk's right-wing politics have driven away customers in droves. Another issue is the company's small, infrequently updated model lineup, which is a problem even in parts of the world that care little about US politics.

Most Tesla sales are of the Model 3 midsize electric sedan and the Model Y, its electric crossover. For Q2 2025, Tesla sold 373,728 of the Models 3 and Y across North America, Europe, China, and its other markets. But that's an 11.5 percent decrease compared to the 422,405 Models 3 and Y that Tesla sold in Q2 2024, a quarter that itself saw a year-on-year decline.

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‘We are the media now’: why Tesla’s robotaxis were dominated by Elon Musk superfans

29 June 2025 at 12:30
illustration of a person hailing a Tesla robotaxi

Over the years, Tesla has built part of its reputation on hosting big, bold events to generate authentic hype for upcoming releases. The robotaxi launch in Austin, Texas, last week wasn't one of them.

Coverage of the rollout was dominated by a close-knit cohort of Tesla influencers and Elon Musk superfans, many of whom are openly supportive of the CEO's vision. Journalists and tech bloggers who might have been more critical of the technology were not only excluded but also actively ridiculed and mocked by Tesla fans and some of their followers for attempting to ask basic questions about the service. In Austin and online, Tesla fans were taking a cue from Musk, who has spent years fomenting a culture of resentment toward critical media.

One of the more prominent influencers, who goes by Zack on X, claimed he was approached multiple times by a Reuters journalist, whom he promptly ignored. That post, which has over 2,000 likes, received supportive responses from other users - one wrote that the publication and other legacy media outlets "can go F themselves." Another said they would unfollow any account that simply responded to members of the media.

"The …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Tesla says it delivered its first car autonomously from factory to customer

28 June 2025 at 18:22

This might be a bigger deal than the robotaxis.

Tesla said it completed its first fully autonomous vehicle delivery from factory to customer. A video posted on X shows the vehicle — a Tesla Model Y — leaving the company’s Austin Gigafactory, driving on the highway, passing through suburban sprawl and residential neighborhoods, before arriving at a customer’s apartment building.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk had promised the first fully autonomous delivery would take place on June 28th. But on Friday, he announced that the milestone had been achieved a day early.

“There were no people in the car at all and no remote operators in control at any point. FULLY autonomous!” Musk wrote on X. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first fully autonomous drive with no people in the car or remotely operating the car on a public highway.”

That last part isn’t accurate. Waymo has been operating fully driverless vehicles with passengers on the highway for over a year. The vehicles, which are driving on freeways in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, are only available to employees of the company, with the goal of opening them up to the public at a later date.

But Tesla’s achievement is still notable, especially when you consider the rocky rollout of the company’s robotaxi service. The robotaxis launched with safety monitors in the passenger seat with access to a kill switch, and within a few days, the vehicles were recorded committing several safety lapses, including driving over the double-yellow line into the opposite lane of traffic and hard braking in the middle of the road for no apparent reason.

By proving it can operate fully autonomous vehicles on highways without a safety monitor present in the vehicle, Tesla is able to demonstrate that its Full Self-Driving system is getting closer to Musk’s promise of “unsupervised” driving. The robotaxis aren’t quite there yet, still requiring safety monitors and remote supervisors. That leaves Tesla in limbo between confidence that its technology can handle the driving without anyone in the vehicle, but less confident when there’s a human being riding inside.

Update, June 28th: Added Tesla’s 30-minute “long version” of the trip.

Lamborghini Revuelto review: perfect harmony

28 June 2025 at 12:00
photo of Lamborghini Revuelto

With the dawning of a new era of hybridization in the automotive industry, more and more manufacturers are integrating electric propulsion into their lineups. Mild-hybrid systems are well-established, and more beneficial plug-in hybrid systems keep getting better and better. Even Lamborghini's participating in the latest wave of hybridization, which might come as a surprise to some.

That's because this Italian company's outlandish supercars have never been regarded as thrifty, or ever trying to be thrifting. They've always returned old-truck-like fuel economy thanks to their ravenous 10- and 12-cylinder engines. And their innate ability to make those behind the wheel drive them as inefficiently as possible doesn't help, either.

But by God, it's a reality in the 2025 Lamborghini Revuelto, the Italian brand's top V12-powered model. Its plug-in hybrid system is mainly there to up the thrills, but surprisingly, it can also return respectable fuel economy with no downsides to its ravenous driving experience. Here's how $612,858 (before costly options) worth of Lambo slots into our current golden age of hybridized high-performance.

Doing its part

Lamborghini …

Read the full story at The Verge.

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