Andrew J. Hawkins

Transportation editor

Andrew J. HawkinsMar 13, 2024

Waymo opens up in LA.

The robotaxi company is ready to start inviting regular people on its waitlist (50,000 and counting) to use its fully driverless vehicles. The vehicles will only operate in a 63 square-mile section that includes Santa Monica and DTLA. And while the initial rides will be free, future rides will not — thanks to a recent thumbs-up from regulators.

The company plans to follow similar rollout in Austin, Texas, “later this year.” The future of autonomous vehicles still seems super cloudy, but Waymo is trying its best to prove the doubters wrong.

Andrew J. HawkinsMar 13, 2024

Tesla’s litigiousness is why Doug DeMuro hasn’t reviewed the Cybertruck yet.

Tesla’s threat to sue anyone who tries to resell their Cybertruck within the first year has owners “spooked,” which is why the polarizing electric truck hasn’t shown up on his auction site Cars and Bids. He also hinted at some sort of retaliation from Tesla when he reviewed one of the first Model 3s back in 2017. “It wasn’t pretty,” the popular YouTuber chuckled. Say more!

Eventually he’ll review the Cybertruck, he says. His neighbor even has one! DeMuro was just hoping to promote his auction site as part of the review. That’s capitalism, baby!

Cadillac teases ‘Opulent Velocity’ electric V-Series concept

Andrew J. HawkinsMar 13, 2024

BYD’s electric vehicles are moldier than usual.

The Chinese company, which overtook Tesla last year as the top global seller of EVs, is running into challenges as it seeks to cement its dominance in other markets like Europe. Challenges such as too many cars, not enough customers. Oh, and mold.

The issue wasn’t so much the existence of mold, which is known to grow in cars shipped over long distances, but concern that the vehicles didn’t receive professional treatment with an ionization process to remove spores fully.

WSJ News Exclusive | Having Overtaken Tesla, BYD Is Running Into Problems Overseas

[WSJ]