automakers

The Trump administration is preparing to announce weaker fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks, rolling back requirements that vehicles become more efficient. The move would ease rules imposed to cut gasoline consumption and emissions, and is expected to draw opposition from environmental groups and possibly legal challenges from states, while automakers may welcome reduced compliance costs.

Chinese autonomous driving firm Momenta and Donglean, the China joint venture between Stellantis and Dongfeng, will jointly develop intelligent driving technology. The partnership signals growing cooperation between global automakers and Chinese tech suppliers as advanced driver-assistance systems become a key battleground in the Chinese car market.

Donald Trump says he has approved new fuel economy standards for vehicles in the United States. The announcement, reported by automotive outlet Carscoops, signals a change in federal requirements for carmakers, though details of the standards have not been laid out. The move is drawing attention from the auto industry and environmental groups watching how US emissions and efficiency rules will shift.

Chinese automaker BYD is investigating a reported cybersecurity vulnerability in its Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute, while defending the data-handling safeguards it has in place for Australian customers. The issue has raised questions about how connected vehicles from Chinese manufacturers collect and protect user data, a growing concern as BYD rapidly expands in the Australian market.

The Trump administration is preparing a sweeping rollback of US clean car rules, according to reporting by the New York Times and Philadelphia Inquirer. The plan would weaken federal emissions standards for vehicles, undoing a centerpiece of Biden-era climate policy and easing requirements on automakers. The move is expected to trigger legal challenges from environmental groups and several states.

Ford is working to develop electric vehicles capable of competing with Chinese automakers, who currently lead the global EV market on cost and technology. InsideEVs reports it went behind the scenes to examine how Ford is attempting to close the gap, looking at the company's engineering and production efforts as it tries to catch up in one of the auto industry's most competitive segments.

Congress has passed a law requiring all new vehicles sold in the United States to come equipped with AM radio. The measure, reported on September 28, 2026, is aimed at preserving broadcast AM service in cars as automakers have been phasing the technology out of newer electric models.

Automakers are moving closer to so-called dark factories — plants that run entirely by machines without human workers or even lighting — as artificial intelligence and robotics improve rapidly. The idea is drawing attention in the auto industry, where manufacturers face pressure to cut costs and speed up production, while raising questions about the future of manufacturing jobs.

Stellantis is using a new robot from Dexory, an AI-powered vision-scanning system, according to The Detroit News. The system is designed to scan and monitor environments autonomously, with the automaker applying the technology in its operations. Coverage is so far limited to the announcement that the robot uses AI-driven visual scanning as part of Stellantis' technology push.