Andrew J. Hawkins

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown (D), for one, who is calling for an outright ban on plug-in vehicles from the rival country. “Chinese electric vehicles are an existential threat to the American auto industry,” Brown said, echoing a similar comment made recently by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The concern is that Chinese EVs are so cheap — BYD’s Seagull sells for around $10,000 — that domestic automakers couldn’t possibly compete.

The Google-spinoff has started charging for rides in its autonomous vehicles in Los Angeles, marking its third such city to do so (after Phoenix and San Francisco). The usual caveats apply about limited number of vehicles, waiting lists, and a service area that doesn’t cover the entire city. Will these driverless cars make a difference in a city notorious for its traffic?