Automotive News Daily Drive

In the first part of an exclusive interview with Automotive News, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the auto industry is on the verge of a self-driving revolution. Six countries call on the European Union to abandon its 2035 combustion engine ban. Plus, Canadian auto retailers have poured millions into electric vehicle infrastructure upgrades, but many say there’s been no return on investment.

Part Two of Automotive News Retail Reporter Mark Hollmer’s interview with Yuriy Demidko, chief information Officer at Fox Motors, outlining the steps dealers need to take when selecting a vendor for artificial intelligence tools.

Auto industry leaders joined President Donald Trump at the White House to announce proposed rollbacks of Biden-era fuel economy standards. Automotive News’ Larry P. Vellequette and Michael Martinez talk about that and other news from the past week, including Toyota’s leap back into supercars.

President Donald Trump wants Asian kei cars to be built and sold in the U.S. Toyota leaps back into supercars. Plus, service and parts consultant Vernon Davis talks about his new book about how to implement mobile service at a dealership.

Yuri Demidko, chief information Officer at Fox Motors, outlines the steps dealers need to take before settling on new artificial intelligence tools for their stores. President Donald Trump unveils his plan to slash fuel economy rules. Plus, dealer sentiment sinks as the tariff rush fades and tax credits end.

Jessica Caldwell, head of insights at Edmunds, talks about the state of the industry heading into 2026 and how affordability issues have continued to shrink the new car market. Trump is poised to propose relaxed fuel economy standards. Plus, thousands of dealerships fall victim to a new data breach.

Toyota, Ford, Honda, Hyundai and Kia posted mixed November U.S. sales, with strong hybrid volume offset by an EV slump. JLR fires the design boss behind Jaguar’s polarizing rebrand. Plus, Helion Technologies President Erik Nachbahr explains why the cybersecurity tools dealerships relied on five years ago are becoming obsolete.

Stellantis goes on a hiring spree at its North American headquarters. Pressure grows on Mercedes’ CEO as the company’s luxury strategy stalls. Plus, ChargerHelp CEO Kameale Terry explains why charging attempts still fail despite better uptime.

Eric Watson, Kia America’s vice president of sales operations, joins the show to talk about the automaker’s affordability strategy and why he’s optimistic about 2026. Audi’s pared down U.S. compact crossover lineup comes with big price hikes. Plus, 2025 has been the year artificial intelligence has started making a big mark on both carmaking and sales.

Hyundai Motor America CEO Randy Parker joins the show to talk about the automaker’s fresh models and why it’s still optimistic about the future of its electric vehicles. GM misses Canada’s deadline for a plan on its shuttered BrightDrop plant. And industry executives pitch collaboration on supply chain mapping.

General Motors is investing $550 million dollars at two component plants to support expanded U.S. vehicle production in 2027. Mercedes plots a comeback to retake America’s luxury crown. Plus, Michael Berube, CEO of Calstart, talks about how the public sector should be helping educate consumers about EVs.

Rachael Zaluzec, senior vice president of brand marketing and customer experience at Volkswagen of America, talks about the automaker’s restored microbus that survived the Palisades fire in January, which VW showed off at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Plus, the second and final part of an interview with Stefano Marzani of Amazon Web Services about connected vehicles’ dependence on strong cellular service and possible solutions.

Automotive News’ Jerry Hirsch and Larry P. Vellequette discuss the biggest news from the Los Angeles Auto Show, including Kia’s spotlight on the redesigned Telluride SUV. Plus, a look at Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda’s decision to don a red “Make America Great Again” hat and Trump-Vance T-shirt at a NASCAR showcase in Japan Nov. 16.

A Tier 2 supplier is suing Nexteer over a canceled Ford EV program. China makes new demands to end the Nexperia chip crisis. Plus, Cox Automotive’s Skyler Chadwick talks about the findings from the company’s new Service Industry Study.

Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa talks about the company’s turnaround plan and the slew of new products it will unleash on the market next year. A breakdown of what dealership finance and insurance managers need to know about selling products to Gen Z customers. Plus, another fire hits the damaged Novelis aluminum plant in New York.

The Netherlands suspends its takeover of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia. Nissan considers a Rogue spin-off for Infiniti. Plus, Stefano Marzani of Amazon Web Services digs into issues around connected vehicles and their reliance on cellular service to function as designed. 

As part of Automotive News’ 100 year anniversary, former Ford Mexico CEO Kathleen Ligocki reflects on Mary Barra’s rise at General Motors and what it has meant for women in the industry. Toyota will spend almost a billion dollars to boost hybrid production across the U.S. Audi plans to build a Land Rover Defender rival for the American market.

Ford joins Hyundai on Amazon Autos for certified pre-owned vehicle sales. Hyundai Motor is set to invest $86 billion in South Korea in the wake of the country’s trade deal with the U.S. Plus, Cox Automotive’s Erin Keating talks about the state of the EV market after the end of federal tax credits.

Jonathan Eisen, curator of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, talks about the 100-plus-year-old partnership between the automotive and film industries. Plus, Cullen Hendrix of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, discusses the U.S. government’s role in any attempt to create a domestic rare earths supply chain.