Source: Independent, Ariana Baio
Photo: A Waymo autonomous self-driving electric vehicle in Manhattan on December 13, 2025. Self-driving taxis have not been implemented in New York City but former mayor Eric Adams did allow for a limited testing program (AFP via Getty Images)

State lawmakers have expressed openness toward introducing self-driving vehicles in New York state, while city officials appear skeptical about their potential in the Big Apple

A battle is brewing in New York over self-driving taxis.

While robotaxis, from companies Waymo, Zoox and May Mobility, have been operating in San Francisco, Atlanta, Miami, Austin and other major cities for a while, the new technology has yet to convince New York City officials.

Governor Kathy Hochul said this month she would introduce legislation that would allow a small fleet of commercial, for-hire self-driving vehicles to operate outside of the five boroughs. Lawmakers in Albany have also introduced legislation that would allow autonomous vehicles on public roads elsewhere in the state.

In the Big Apple, there appears to be little appetite for the cars. Mayor Zohran Mamdani is a fierce defender of New York City taxi cab drivers, who have endured crippling financial complications due to the introduction of rideshare apps such as Uber and Lyft.

The New York Taxi Workers Alliance, a union representing yellow cab drivers that helped get Mamdani elected, has expressed immense skepticism toward autonomous vehicle taxi services.

“There’s potential here for massive job loss, and also a fundamental change in the service that New Yorkers are provided,” Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, told City & State last month.

A spokesperson for Hochul told Politico that the governor “will always stand with workers and has no interest in advancing policies that put hard-working New Yorkers’ jobs at risk.” The spokesperson emphasized that the governor’s proposal is “limited” and “safety-focused.”

Brad Hoylman-Sigal, borough president of Manhattan and a former New York state senator, introduced legislation last year to ban self-driving vehicles from operating in New York City without being licensed by the city’s taxi and limousine commission. The legislation never made it out of committee.

Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams introduced a testing program that allowed operators such as Waymo to obtain a permit to test a small number of self-driving taxis in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The program ends on April 1.

In a statement to Politico, a spokesperson for Waymo said: “Our operations in New York City are extraordinarily helpful for ensuring our technology is ready for the Big Apple in the future.”

The spokesperson added that Governor Hochul’s proposal to introduce self-driving vehicles outside of the five boroughs “brings Waymo a step closer to serving New Yorkers outside of New York City, and we look forward to exploring more communities throughout the state.”

However, New York Taxi Workers Alliance director Bhairavi Desai struck a different tone.

“It’s hard for me to imagine the governor signing it, given that the governor is going into an election year, trying to position herself as a working-class, lower-middle-class candidate,” she told Politico.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/self-driving-taxis-new-york-city

Source: Realtor.com, Allaire Conte
Photo: Getty Images

The same generational shifts reshaping the housing market are changing something even more foundational to American life: driving.

It’s well known that younger adults are delaying homeownership under intense affordability pressure. What’s less discussed is that they’re also delaying car ownership and driving less overall. Meanwhile, as more Americans age in place, a growing number of older adults are expected to age out of driving, raising urgent questions about mobility and independence.

That quiet retreat from the driver’s seat could have major consequences for the future of housing. Even as demand grows for neighborhoods where daily life can be lived on foot or by transit, most new homes are still being built for a lifestyle that assumes a car is not only desirable, but also required.

The driving decline: What’s changing and why

It was once a widely held belief in urban planning circles that traffic would always grow. But already, the data is suggesting otherwise.

Vehicle miles traveled per capita have declined 2.3% since 2019, according to data from the Federal Highway Administration. And today, the average American drives nearly 5% less than they did two decades ago—proof that the slow fade of car dependency was already underway even before the COVID-19 pandemic rewired daily routines.

The trend is especially sharp among younger adults. From 2001 to 2017, vehicle travel among this group dropped 19%, nearly double the decline seen in their older peers. From 2017 to 2022, the shift accelerated even more dramatically: Daily trips among young adults fell nearly 50%, according to research from UCLA.

And while turning 16 used to be synonymous with a trip to the DMV, it no longer is today. Only 1 in 25 licensed drivers is 19 or younger, a marked decline from a decade ago, according to data from the Department of Transportation.

Online shopping, remote work, and the rise of streaming services are all seen as playing a role in these trends. People are just leaving the house less. And to be fair, that trend has hit public transit ridership as well: Nationwide, the number of public transit trips declined by 23% since 2019, according to federal data.

But public transit seems to be making a stronger comeback than driving. A 2025 report from the Federal Transit Administration found that ridership grew more than 17% from 2022 to 2023 alone. So, although people may be traveling less overall, the desire for transit access is clear.

The mismatch: Where housing is being built vs. where the need is

Fewer willing drivers introduces a huge question for the housing market: Where will these nondrivers live? Transit-oriented development (TOD) is one solution.

TOD is almost exactly what it sounds like: housing and land use designed around transit, to create compact, walkable communities where people can get around without relying on a car.

It’s gained traction in planning circles in recent decades as congestion and traffic headaches have pushed Americans to rethink car-first growth. Plus, a growing body of research suggests TOD can strengthen local economies by increasing foot traffic to nearby businesses.

But even as TOD gains more funding and policy focus, the actual housing supply near transit lags dramatically behind. In fact, over the past two decades, nearly nine times as many housing units were built far from transit stations as were built near them, according to a comprehensive Urban Institute analysis.

Historically, neighborhoods surrounding transit stations have grown more slowly than other parts of their cities. The trend was especially pronounced around stations opened in the mid-20th century.

“Neighborhoods near stations that opened in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s had a lower rate of housing growth than other parts of their respective urban areas during the 10 or 20 years following station openings,” the report notes.

That pattern shifted in the past 25 years, though. Neighborhoods near transit stations that opened from 2000 to 2009 saw housing growth that outpaced similar neighborhoods without transit by about 8% by 2019.

But even this improvement hasn’t kept pace with the overall population and housing demand. From 2000 to 2019, urban areas with transit stations added just 2 million units, while areas without stations added 17.6 million—a staggering disparity.

The result is a housing landscape where most new supply is built in car-dependent areas, reinforcing the need for personal vehicle ownership and its associated costs.

And as in any constrained market, scarcity drives up prices.

“Traditionally, walkable neighborhoods with transit access have been extremely valuable and sought after,” explains Jake Krimmel, senior economist at Realtor.com. “They’re close to both work and play, and they’re exceedingly rare.”

“COVID kind of broke this rule because being close to work and restaurants/bars became somewhat irrelevant. It became all about space,” he explains. However, “in recent years, with the world returning to normal, the pendulum is swinging back in some metro areas with house prices increasing in prized downtown neighborhoods even as prices at the metro level might be struggling.”

Those dynamics are clearly visible in two historically car-centric cities that have invested in transit.

In Phoenix, where walkability and transit have long been limited, price growth in the city’s most transit-connected ZIP codes has outpaced the citywide average. In two neighborhoods along the city’s 35-mile light-rail line that was first completed in 2008, home prices rose by 194% and 208% from 2019 to 2025, compared to 159% across Phoenix overall, according to data from Realtor.com.

Austin shows a similar pattern. In the neighborhood near UT Austin, which benefits from high walkability and transit access, prices rose 168%—well above the 135% average across the metro. More tellingly, this neighborhood bucked the recent downturn. From 2022 to 2025, while Austin’s median home price declined by 10%, prices there grew 26%.

Where cities do manage to build housing near transit, demand is strong—and prices reflect it. But until more homes are added in these areas, walkable, transit-connected living will remain a premium experience, not a common one.

Why it’s so hard to build near transit

There’s clear demand. There’s a proven price premium. So why isn’t more transit-oriented housing getting built?

The biggest blockers (and they’re familiar to anyone who has followed the housing shortage) are land and zoning restrictions. Transit-rich neighborhoods often have entrenched land uses and strict zoning that limit density, effectively barring transit-oriented housing at scale.

But some cities, like Austin, are finding ways around these constraints. As the city sought to expand its mass transit corridor, it worked to build housing along with it.

“In my view, you can’t have real affordability without having good transportation options,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said at the 2025 Let America Build panel at SXSW. “So, as part of the corridor on [Austin’s light] rail line, we have passed zoning changes related to transit-oriented development that will bring about those kinds of changes.”

“While we understand and have suffered from some of the issues with regard to a lack of supply and making it harder for people to build, we have taken significant action in the past two years in order to fix that,” he added.

It’s a potent lesson for other cities trying to bring down housing costs: Building near transit must be part of the affordability strategy, especially as younger generations priced out of the housing market are also less likely to drive.

With the average cost of owning a car now topping $12,000 a year—up from about $8,000 a decade ago, according to the American Automobile Association—transit-oriented development increasingly functions as a financial pressure valve. When households can live without a car, or reduce from multiple vehicles to one, the savings can be substantial enough to ease the affordability squeeze.

An unlikely driver of transit-oriented housing needs: Aging populations

There’s one more reason transit-oriented housing stands to be a critical investment in the decades ahead: America’s aging population.

An overwhelming majority of retirees are opting to age in place. But advanced age can complicate driving, and for many, it eventually becomes difficult or impossible to do safely. That can greatly limit access to services and social relationships and put undue strain on caretakers.

In 2009, family caregivers arranged or gave an estimated 1.4 billion rides to older adults, according to a study by the National Aging and Disability Transportation Center. But that informal safety net has limits, especially for those who need frequent trips to medical care or who live far from relatives.

But easy access to public transit can offset some of those pressures, according to a study on the impact of aging in place near public transit from the Canadian government.

“Understanding and improving public transportation for older adults is crucial because it has a direct impact on their quality of life and on their independence,” explains Merrina Zhang, senior research engineer at the National Research Council of Canada’s Automotive and Surface Transportation Research Centre.

“When we invest in making transit systems more accessible and inclusive, we support the well-being of our aging population and improve our understanding of how transit can be made more efficient to meet a variety of needs,” adds Zhang, an author of the study.

But right now, that access is often out of reach for most Americans.

Nearly 58% of older adults live in neighborhoods with no public transit stops, according to research published in the Journal of Transport & Health. Among older nondrivers, more than 1 in 4 use public transit, and nearly 17% use it frequently.

That usage is strongly linked to neighborhood design: In areas with greater walkability and denser transit stop coverage, older adults were far more likely to ride—particularly those transitioning away from driving.

In other words, if cities don’t plan for it now, they risk leaving millions of aging residents stranded in neighborhoods designed for drivers, not seniors. At the same time, they risk compounding an affordability crisis for an already cash-strapped younger generation. Transit-oriented development, then, isn’t just a climate solution; it becomes a way for cities to preserve affordability and independence for all.

Allaire Conte is a senior advice writer covering real estate and personal finance trends. She previously served as deputy editor of home services at CNN Underscored Money and was a lead writer at Orchard, where she simplified complex real estate topics for everyday readers. She holds an MFA in Nonfiction Writing from Columbia University and a BFA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College. When she’s not writing about homeownership hurdles and housing market shifts, she’s biking around Brooklyn or baking cakes for her friends.

https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/transit-oriented-housing-driving-less

Source: National Geographic, Connor McGovern
Photo: Classic car tours are the pinnacle of slow-lane luxury, with vintage vehicles and cinematic roads to choose from. (Photograph by Turo)

Freedom, flexibility and a non-stop backdrop of epic views — there’s nothing quite like a road trip, and even better when it’s from the comfort of a classic car.

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Nothing beats hitting the open road. There’s something undeniably romantic about watching a destination roll by — all on your own schedule — and if you’ve opted for a convertible, the age-old cliche of feeling ‘the wind in your hair’ can become an exhilarating reality.

Trend reports from the likes of Travelbag and Travel Tomorrow cite ‘slow travel’ as an enduring trend this year, where travellers take things a little more leisurely, focusing on the quality and depth of experiences rather than ticking off a list. Road trips are, perhaps, the ultimate way to slow down and take it all in, and what better way to do it than in a classic car?

According to Booking.com’s Travel Reinvented report for 2025, meanwhile, ‘vintage voyaging’ is on the up, whereby travellers ditch cookie-cutter experiences for more authentic ones, typically with a retro edge. Think rolling through rural France in a vintage Peugeot or touring the Highlands in an old-school Jaguar. Along with the trend for ‘set-jetting’ — seeking out the destinations of favourite books, films and series — travelling in a vintage set of wheels holds plenty of nostalgic appeal.

So, whether it’s winding through the hills of Tuscany or cruising along the California coast, we’ve picked seven road trips to inspire an adventure of your own.

1. Experience a touch of the Renaissance in Tuscany

Tuscany’s timeless landscapes dazzle with beauty of a Michelangelo painting. Florence is the inevitable starting point; the crucible of the Renaissance still glitters with cultural treasures, from the masterpieces that hang in the Uffizi to the soaring 15th-century Duomo. From here, Chianti spills out like a puddle of its namesake red wine, a region of rolling hills dotted with wineries and agriturismi (farmstays), many of them within easy reach of the handsome town of Greve in Chianti.

Head south east to the underexplored gem of Arezzo, or twist south on the Via Chiantigiana to Siena, famous for the Palio di Siena horse race, which thunders through the medieval streets twice each summer. South of here, the Val d’Orcia is Tuscany at its most painterly, all golden hills, cypress trees and spectacular hilltop towns like Montepulciano, Montalcino and Pienza, the last of those an UNESCO-listed example of Renaissance urban planning.

Rising to the north west is the hilltop town of San Gimignano, dominated by 14 towers once built by medieval nobles to flaunt their wealth. Pisa, towards the rugged Tuscan coast, needs little introduction for its own leaning tower, while the walled city of Lucca is a highlight of any Tuscan road trip, its rose-coloured piazzas the ideal spot to sip a glass of local lucchese wine. For literal immersion in the Tuscan countryside, however, drive north to Bagni di Lucca, a town renowned for its thermal waters and spa retreats, hidden away in chestnut forests.

The vehicle: Go for a slick ’50s Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider or an old Fiat 500 for timeless Italian vibes, although the modern Fiat 500c convertible is an excellent choice. Alternatively, why not splash out on an Italian supercar — a Ferrari 296 or Lamborghini Aventador and the Tuscan tarmac are a match made in motoring heaven.

How to do it

Florence and Pisa are the main gateways to Tuscany, and either city makes a good start and end point for this circular tour. Country roads are well signposted and a pleasure to drive; only in narrow, medieval areas does navigating (and parking) become a challenge.

Summer can be busy in the countryside and on the coast, though September is quieter, and brings warm temperatures and beautiful amber autumn light, along with the wine harvest season in Chianti.

Lucca-based Drive The Vintage offers day hire of Vespas and classic Fiat 500s, as well as five-day tours of the Lucchesia region in a vintage Fiat 500.

2. Live la dolce vita on the Bay of Naples

This is one of the world’s most spectacular drives; even slate-faced Roman emperors fell for the charms of the Bay of Naples and made their luxurious retreats here. A loop of the Sorrento Peninsula, just south of Naples, will prove the area has lost none of its cachet. Around every hairpin bend is scenery so spectacular — lemon groves, turquoise seas and sprawling, pastel-hued palazzi turned five-star hotels — you’ll think you’d stumbled onto the set of a Fellini film.

Start with a day’s discovery of Naples, an ancient city brimming with art and rugged elegance — perhaps with a visit to the Roman sites of Herculaneum or Pompeii, too — before heading to the coast. The peninsula is a straightforward drive with well-maintained but tight coastal roads. The SS163 threads along the southern edge, with plenty of options for stopovers: the lemon-scented lanes of Positano; Ravello, where fine dining at Rossellinis comes with jaw-dropping views; Atrani, with its famous beach; and Amalfi, whose glorious, wedding-cake cathedral towers above the picture-postcard town. Sorrento roughly marks a midway point on the drive — and is where boats leave for the glamorous isle of Capri, should you wish to rub tanned shoulders with the rich and famous — before the SS145 loops back towards Naples, with the great cone of Vesuvius brooding in the distance.

The vehicle: A retro Fiat 500 offers style and substance: these compact cars are ideal for navigating both the backstreets of Naples and winding coastal roads. A modern Fiat 500c convertible or Fiat Panda makes a good compromise. Consider an automatic, too, as the zigzagging coastal roads require plenty of clutch control.

How to do it

May and early autumn are perhaps the best times to visit as the roads and small towns can become extremely busy in summer. In true Italian style, festivals colour the local calendar, so plan accordingly: highlights include the Lemon Festival in Massa Lubrense in July and the Ravello Festival, a series of classical concerts held each August. With weather sunny year-round, winter offers fewer crowds, though many local services close between October and Easter.

The trip is entirely feasible as a self-drive adventure, with car hire services based in Naples and at its airport. For a retro set of wheels, Book a Classic offers several classic cars to hire, either by the hour or day.

3. Pop through the Champagne region

Vines have flourished in the chalk hills east of Paris since Roman times, and there’s no better way to explore than a languid drive along the Route Touristique du Champagne — a network of country roads connecting storybook villages and prestigious wineries. The elegant city of Reims makes an excellent introduction; with fine museums, bistros and a grand gothic cathedral, it merits a day’s exploration. In the neighbourhood of Les Crayères, many of the world’s finest marques have their houses, or maisons de champagne. Book ahead for tastings and tours at the likes of Ruinart, Taittinger and Piper-Heidsieck.

Further south — through the wine-growing districts of the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs, where hills are striped with vines of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir — the charming Grand Cru villages make worthy pit stops, including Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize and Oger, their streets bedecked with flowers. The town of Épernay glitters with stately maisons, mostly along the Avenue de Champagne, where connoisseurs can take tours of the cellars at Moët & Chandon, perhaps the grandest of them all. History buffs, meanwhile, should detour to the village of Hautvilliers, the self-styled ‘cradle of Champagne’. It was within the hallowed walls of the abbey here that a monk named Dom Pérignon pioneered the production of Champagne at the turn of the 18th century.

Alternatively, strike out along the Marne Valley, another wine-growing district, for riverside picnics and walks through vineyards of Pinot Meunier, using the beautiful, spire-topped village of Aÿ-Champagne as a base.

The vehicle: A luxurious convertible feels fitting for a road trip exploring the world’s most prestigious tipple, so opt for something grand like the Jaguar F-type or Audi R8 Spyder. Or go vintage with a Citroën 2CV or Peugeot 404 — when parked up beside a rolling vineyard, it’s classic France at its best.

How to do it

The champagne maisons are generally open to visitors between February and November, but there’s plenty to discover even in the winter months. Autumn makes a particularly good time to visit, when the vines are tinged gold and harvest begins.

The Route Touristique du Champagne is well signposted, making it easy to arrange a self-drive trip. Reims is a three-hour drive from Calais and has a number of car hire outlets, but local outfit My Vintage Tour Company offers day trips in and around the Côte des Blancs on board a classic Renault Estafette or Citroën 2CV.
4. Cruise California’s iconic West Coast
The Golden State has enough variety for a lifetime, but California State Route 1 (SR-1) captures some of the best in a single trip, from lush vineyards to vibrant beach towns, with plenty of breathtaking coastal scenery.

From the surfing hotspot of San Diego, the road heads north as Interstate 5, before peeling away towards Huntington Beach, well worth a stop for its iconic pier and breezy West Coast vibe. Traffic around Los Angeles is inevitable, but make time to explore Santa Monica and Venice Beach, or take a spin around the mid-century mansions of Beverly Hills before curving north west to Santa Barbara, dubbed the ‘Californian Riviera’ for its balmy climate and laid-back lifestyle. It’s also here that the Santa Barbara Mission, a Franciscan monastery, has stood since 1786.

Also rich in 18th-century history is the town of San Luis Obispo, gateway to the sleek, modern wineries of the Santa Ynez Valley. It’s also a short hop to Hearst Castle, a 1920s-era, Mediterranean-inspired estate full of antiques and lavish interiors. As the road winds north towards Monterey, the stretch of coast known as Big Sur unfurls with jaw-dropping beauty, its rugged cliffs scored with redwood-backed coves. Enjoy the ocean vistas on the final leg to San Francisco, one of America’s most storied cities, renowned for its Victorian architecture and tram rides up hair-raisingly steep hills.

The vehicle: Powerful and stylish, Ford Mustangs or Chevrolet Camaros are made for the Californian tarmac. Evoke the Hollywood Golden Age with a more classic choice, such as a Cadillac Eldorado or a Chevrolet Impala, but consider the distances between stops when driving (the above trip is around 600 miles in total) – fuel efficiency and comfort are important.

How to do it

Avoid the heat of high summer and opt for April-May or September-November instead, with pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds.

The route itself is well signposted, and a range of accommodation and amenities make this an achievable self-drive trip. San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco offer numerous options for international flights and car hire.

Turo is an excellent resource for hiring cars, typically in and around the major cities. Several classic vehicles are available to hire, too, including 1960s Ford Mustangs and Ford Thunderbirds.

5. Drive Florida’s classic coast

The southernmost stretch of US Highway 1 (US 1) is Florida’s backbone, a 545-mile strip linking many of the Sunshine State’s top sights. Start on chic Amelia Island, home to luxurious hotels, golf courses and sublime Atlantic sunrises. It’s an easy drive from here to St Augustine, the oldest continuously inhabited European city in the US, rich with stately Spanish architecture.

At Daytona Beach, a sign modestly welcomes travellers to the ‘World’s Most Famous Beach’, though the days of motor racing on the sands are now an oil-slicked memory. The unspoilt beaches of Canaveral National Seashore, meanwhile, are a natural paradise, home to family-friendly swimming spots as well as mossy islets and mangrove forests at Mosquito Lagoon. The Kennedy Space Center looms large here, too; few fail to be awed by the scale of towering replica rockets, glittering IMAX films and exhibits on the history and future of space exploration.

Miami sizzles in the state’s south east, a hotspot for art and fusion cuisine. After soaking up the neon-splashed vibes at Miami Beach, pick up the US 1 through the Florida Keys, a chain of islands touching the tropics that’s all laid-back beach bars and coral reefs. Key West marks the southernmost tip of the ‘Lower 48’ states, and no trip here is complete without a piece of its namesake key lime pie.

The vehicle: A ’60s Ford Mustang is an iconic choice for American road trip — its chiselled chassis sparkles in the Florida sunshine — while the sleek Ford Falcon or Chevrolet Corvair are also some classic American ‘pony cars’. Modern Mustangs are smooth and powerful drives and offer more boot space and modern comforts such air conditioning, which is not always a given in the earlier generations.

How to do it

With fewer crowds and warm temperatures, spring is the best time to visit, as roads often become more congested than usual in winter, when many Americans head south. Though June and July are warm, rainy days start to pick up before the height of hurricane season in August.

Fly into Jacksonville, a short hop from Amelia Island, and out of Miami. For the full Florida experience, consider a few days’ detour to the Everglades, Orlando’s theme parks or the beaches around Tampa on the west coast.

Turo offers a suite of modern and classic cars for hire, as does Book A Classic, including stunning cherry-red ’64 Mustangs to hire by the hour or day.

6. Take a wild ride in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains

From otherworldly desertscapes to lush mountain gorges, Morocco rewards adventurous travellers, but it would be remiss not to discover Marrakech — a web of tranquil gardens, palaces and bustling, spice-scented souks make this one of the world’s most beguiling cities. From here, the N9 threads into the ochre foothills of the Atlas Mountains, and the drama of the Moroccan landscape reveals itself.

After Ait Ourir, the road snakes through the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, a route of plunging valleys and argan tree forests. Head east on the P1506 towards Telouet for the Glaoui Kasbah, a crumbling 19th-century fortress that evokes Telouet’s former days as a vital Saharan trading post. Refuel on traditional tagine at the town’s restaurant-auberge before winding on to Ait Ben Haddou, an ancient Berber ksar (fortified city) that rises on a rocky outcrop like a mirage. Film fans will recognise it as a backdrop from the likes of Gladiator and Game of Thrones, and a short drive away is the very ‘capital’ of Morocco’s film industry, Ouarzazate, home to studio tours as well as the rambling Taourirt Kasbah.

Head north east to take the R704 as it runs through the Dadès Gorges, a ribbon of dramatic, rocky canyons topped with fortresses. Birdwatching and scenic hikes are on the cards here; otherwise the village of Merzouga beckons to the east. Home to luxurious tented camps and the ‘sand sea’ of Erg Chebbi, it promises camel treks and unforgettable, violet sunsets over the dunes.

The vehicle: While a classic Jeep looks and feels the part for this rugged, sand-swept adventure, it’s generally easier to source a modern 4WD, such as a Hyundai Tucson, Volkswagen T-Roc R or Dacia Duster, which are well suited to both urban routes and rougher roads in more rural areas.

How to do it

Morocco swelters in the summer, and winter snow is not uncommon in the higher areas of the Atlas, so consider mid-to-late spring, when temperatures are warm and the southern stretches of the Dadès Gorges bloom with damask roses.

Moroccan roads are generally pleasant to drive, though winding mountain routes can be a challenge, even for confident drivers. Some rural roads are uneven or under construction entirely, so bear this in mind when planning the trip and choosing a vehicle. Driving in the narrow, chaotic Medina — the ancient heart of Marrakech — is best avoided.

Cars are best hired at the outlets at Marrakech Menara Airport, as options are limited outside the city. Some luxury hotels in Marrakech offer private excursions into the Atlas in classic cars, with trips ranging in length from a couple of hours to half-day tours.

7. Roll through Scotland in a Highland classic

Scotland promises some of Europe’s most epic landscapes, and its soothing palettes of greens, purples and earthy browns make a perfect foil to the bustle of its cities. Soak up the industrial and artistic heritage of Glasgow before taking the A82 north, skirting the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, where eagles and ospreys wheel overhead. Luss, a picture-perfect village on the shores of the loch, is the ideal spot for lunch with a view, before a detour west to Inveraray Castle, one of the finest country piles in the land.

Further north, beneath the brooding peak of Ben Nevis, is Fort William, its stores and outfitters ideal for picking up supplies for hikes, cycles and watersports nearby. Head towards Mallaig for the ferry to the magnificent Isle of Skye, passing the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct along the way, or take the sinuous A87 instead. A breathtaking drive, it winds past silent lochs, wide valleys and a scattering of ruined castles.

Back on the mainland, head east across the heather-flushed braes (hillsides) and pine forests of the Cairngorms National Park. This vast wilderness is the essence of Scotland: pebble-strewn rivers teeming with salmon, whisky distilleries and the rustle of a red stag on the moors. Take it slow and admire the scenery on the journey south to Edinburgh, Scotland’s handsome, lamplit capital, where royals, writers and rebels have shaped the streets for centuries.

The vehicle: For undisputed British elegance, go for a sporty Jaguar — the classic E-type, or a more recent XK — or an Aston Martin V8 Vantage, or DB6 for retro glamour. A Range Rover Evoque makes a brilliant choice, too, as much for its ability to handle tricky terrain as for its uncompromised style and comfort.

How to do it

Spring and early autumn offer longer days with the warmest, calmest weather; popular routes can often become busy with traffic in the summer months. Scotland’s weather is unpredictable, however, so pack accordingly and take care on rural roads as many are subject to closure in adverse conditions. Amenities — including fuelling stations — are limited when on remote country roads, so consider the fuel efficiency of a vehicle.

Super Car Hire Scotland offers a range of luxury British cars for hire by the day, including the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Jaguar F-type and Bentley Continental GT.
Published in the Luxury Collection 2025 by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/most-retro-road-trips-on-earth

Source: Better Report,
Photo: Daria Kulkova/iStock

Between commuting to work, driving kids to school, and weekend excursions, many of us spend hours in our cars every day. However, regardless of how often you’re in your vehicle, there are a few features that you probably didn’t even know you had that might make your trips a little less stressful. From symbols on the dashboard to concealed compartments, here are eight hidden car features that will elevate your driving experience

Gas Tank Arrow

Pulling up to a gas pump and realizing your tank is on the other side of the car is frustrating. You can avoid this hassle by taking note of the little arrow next to the gas pump symbol on the dashboard — if the arrow is on the left, so is your gas tank, and vice versa.

Conversation Mirror

Rear-view mirrors are angled to help keep your eyes on the road, making them less than ideal for knowing what’s going on in the back seat. The conversation mirror, an option built into many minivans and crossover SUVs, offers a solution to this problem. This small convex mirror is in an overhead compartment and drops down so drivers can check on kids, pets, or anything else in the back without craning their necks.

Umbrella Compartment

If you open your car door, you’ll notice an empty compartment that’s perfect for storing your umbrella. The tradition of having an umbrella compartment on the car door began with the luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom but has since extended to other car models. So, rather than leaving your wet umbrella on the floor or placing it on a seat, you can safely tuck it into the empty compartment. This also serves as a great spot to store your dry umbrella, so you have one handy on an unexpectedly rainy day.

Color-Coded Engine

Dealing with engine trouble can be intimidating. Luckily, many modern car brands have simplified this process by color-coding caps and compartments under the hood. Instead of guessing which part of the engine is which, consult your car manual for a simple guide explaining what parts are represented by which color.

Gas Cap Holder

Gas tank arrows aren’t the only hidden gas hack in your vehicle. The next time you’re pumping gas, look at the inside of the gas tank flap. You’ll likely find a little ledge to hang your gas cap on the gas tank door until you’re done pumping.

Hidden Storage

Most cars have hidden storage — you just need to know where to look. Some car seats fold up to reveal spacious compartments underneath, or a secret storage area may be located under the mat in the trunk. The dashboard also has countless nooks for storing keys, change, and other tiny objects. There’s no universal rule for where hidden storage might be, so check your car thoroughly for compartments you may not have realized are there.

Road Condition Indicators

Dashboard lights may look confusing but they convey essential information to make your driving experience much safer. One important indication is the frozen road alert, which appears as a snowflake. This alert means that freezing temperatures may cause icy conditions, so take extra caution or avoid driving if this light appears.

Drowsiness Alert

Drowsy driving is one of the most dangerous threats on the road. Luckily, certain cars contain sensors that detect when you are driving erratically, which may be due to drowsiness. If this happens, a coffee cup or similar icon will light up on the dashboard to suggest it may be time to pull over and rest up.

https://betterreport.com/hidden-car-features

Source: Wired, Carlton Reid
Photo: Courtesy of Hyundai/Rolls Royce

Amazingly, reaction times using screens while driving are worse than being drunk or high—no wonder 90 percent of drivers hate using touchscreens in cars. Finally the auto industry is coming to its senses.

Automakers that nest key controls deep in touchscreen menus—forcing motorists to drive eyes-down rather than concentrate on the road ahead—may have their non-US safety ratings clipped next year.

From January, Europe’s crash-testing organization EuroNCAP, or New Car Assessment Program, will incentivize automakers to fit physical, easy-to-use, and tactile controls to achieve the highest safety ratings. “Manufacturers are on notice,” EuroNCAP’s director of strategic development Matthew Avery tells WIRED, “they’ve got to bring back buttons.”

Motorists, urges EuroNCAP’s new guidance, should not have to swipe, jab, or toggle while in motion. Instead, basic controls—such as wipers, indicators, and hazard lights—ought to be activated through analog means rather than digital.

Driving is one of the most cerebrally challenging things humans manage regularly—yet in recent years manufacturers seem almost addicted to switch-free, touchscreen-laden cockpits that, while pleasing to those keen on minimalistic design, are devoid of physical feedback and thus demand visual interaction, sometimes at the precise moment when eyes should be fixed on the road.

A smattering of automakers are slowly admitting that some smart screens are dumb. Last month, Volkswagen design chief Andreas Mindt said that next-gen models from the German automaker would get physical buttons for volume, seat heating, fan controls, and hazard lights. This shift will apply “in every car that we make from now on,” Mindt told British car magazine Autocar.

Acknowledging the touchscreen snafus by his predecessors—in 2019, VW described the “digitalized” Golf Mk8 as “intuitive to operate” and “progressive” when it was neither—Mindt said, “we will never, ever make this mistake anymore … It’s not a phone, it’s a car.”

Still, “the lack of physical switchgear is a shame” is now a common refrain in automotive reviews, including on WIRED. However, a limited but growing number of other automakers are dialing back the digital to greater or lesser degrees. The latest version of Mazda’s CX-60 crossover SUV features a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, but there’s still physical switchgear for operating the heater, air-con, and heated/cooled seats. While it’s still touch-sensitive, Mazda’s screen limits what you can prod depending on the app you’re using and whether you’re in motion. There’s also a real click wheel.

But many other automakers keep their touchscreen/slider/haptic/LLM doohickeys. Ninety-seven percent of new cars released after 2023 contain at least one screen, reckons S&P Global Mobility. Yet research last year by Britain’s What Car? magazine found that the vast majority of motorists prefer dials and switches to touchscreens. A survey of 1,428 drivers found that 89 percent preferred physical buttons.

Motorists, it seems, would much prefer to place their driving gloves in a glove compartment that opens with a satisfying IRL prod on a gloriously yielding and clicking clasp, rather than diving into a digital submenu. Indeed, there are several YouTube tutorials on how to open a Tesla’s glove box. “First thing,” starts one, “is you’re going to click on that car icon to access the menu settings, and from there on, you’re going to go to controls, and right here is the option to open your glove box.” As Ronald Reagan wrote, “If you’re explaining, you’re losing.”

Voice Control Reversion

The mass psychosis to fit digital cockpits is partly explained by economics—updatable touchscreens are cheaper to fit than buttons and their switchgear—but “there’s also a natural tendency [among designers] to make things more complex than they need to be,” argues Steven Kyffin, a former dean of design and pro vice-chancellor at Northumbria University in the UK (the alma mater of button-obsessed Sir Jonny Ive).

“Creating and then controlling complexity is a sign of human power,” Kyffin says. “Some people are absolutely desperate to have the flashiest, most minimalist, most post-modern-looking car, even if it is unsafe to drive because of all the distractions.”

Automakers shouldn’t encourage such consumers. “It is really important that steering, acceleration, braking, gear shifting, lights, wipers, all that stuff which enables you to actually drive the car, should be tactile,” says Kyffin, who once worked on smart controls for Dutch electronics company Philips. “From an interaction design perspective, the shift to touchscreens strips away the natural affordances that made driving intuitive,” he says.

“Traditional buttons, dials, and levers had perceptible and actionable qualities—you could feel for them, adjust them without looking, and rely on muscle memory. A touchscreen obliterates this,” says Kyffin. “Now, you must look, think, and aim to adjust the temperature or volume. That’s a huge cognitive load, and completely at odds with how we evolved to interact with driving machines while keeping our attention on the road.”

To protect themselves from driver distraction accusations, most automakers are experimenting with artificial intelligence and large language models to improve voice-activation technologies, encouraging drivers to interact with their vehicles via natural speech, negating the need to scroll through menus. Mercedes-Benz, for example, has integrated ChatGPT into its vehicles’ voice-control, but it’s far too early to say whether such moves will finally make good on the now old and frequently broken promise of voice-controlled car systems from multiple manufacturers.

In fact, sticking with Mercedes, the tyranny of touchscreens looks set to be with us for some time yet. The largest glass dashboard outside of China is the 56-inch, door-to-door “Hyperscreen” in the latest S-Class Mercedes comprising, in one curvaceous black slab, a 12.3-inch driver’s display, a 12.3-inch passenger touchscreen, and a 17.7-inch central touchscreen that, within submenus, houses climate control and other key functions.

To turn on the heated steering wheel on a Nissan Leaf, there’s an easy-to-reach-without-looking square button on the dashboard. To be similarly toasty on the latest Mercedes, you will have to pick through a menu on the MBUX Hyperscreen by navigating to “Comfort Settings.” (You can also use voice control, by saying “Hey Mercedes,” but even if this worked 100 percent of the time, it is not always ideal to speak aloud to your auto, as passengers may well attest.)

Tesla might have popularized the big-screen digital cockpit, but Buick started the trend with its Riviera of 1986, the first car to be fitted with an in-dash touchscreen, a 9-inch, 91-function green-on-black capacitive display known as the Graphic Control Center that featured such delights as a trip computer, climate control, vehicle diagnostics, and a maintenance reminder feature. By General Motors’ own admission, drivers hated it, and it was this seemingly trailblazing feature, along with a reduction in the car’s size, that supposedly led to the model’s year-on-year sales plummeting by 63 percent.

Buick soon ditched the Riviera’s screen, but not before a TV science program reviewing the car asked the obvious question: “Is there a built-in danger of looking away from the road while you’re trying to use it?”

Reaction Times Worse Than Drunk or High

Screens or not, “motorists shouldn’t forget they are driving [potentially] deadly weapons,” says Kyffin. An average of 112 Americans were killed every day on US roads in 2023, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s most recent full-year statistics. That’s equivalent to a plane crash every day.

Despite the proliferation of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), motor crash fatalities in the United States have increased 21 percent in the past 15 years. Forty thousand people have died on the roads in each of the past three years for which complete federal records are available.

In-vehicle infotainment systems impair reaction times behind the wheel more than alcohol and narcotics use, according to researchers at independent British consultancy TRL. The five-year-old study, commissioned by road-safety charity IAM RoadSmart, discovered that the biggest negative impact on drivers’ reactions to hazards came when using Apple CarPlay by touch. Reaction times were nearly five times worse than when a driver was at the drink-drive limit, and nearly three times worse than when high on cannabis.

A study carried out by Swedish car magazine Vi Bilägare in 2022 showed that physical buttons are much less time-consuming to use than touchscreens. Using a mix of old and new cars, the magazine found that the most straightforward vehicle to change controls on was the 2005 Volvo V70 festooned with buttons and no screens. A range of activities such as increasing cabin temperature, tuning the radio, and turning down instrument lighting could be handled within 10 seconds in the old Volvo, and with only a minimum of eyes-down. However, the same tasks on an electric MG Marvel R compact SUV took 45 seconds, requiring precious travel time to look through the nested menus. (The tests were done on an abandoned airfield.)

Distraction plays a role in up to 25 percent of crashes in Europe, according to a report from the European Commission published last year. “Distraction or inattention while driving leads drivers to have difficulty in lateral control of the vehicle, have longer reaction times, and miss information from the traffic environment,” warned the report.

A Touch Too Far

Seemingly learning little from Buick’s Riviera, BMW reintroduced touchscreens in 2001. The brand’s iDrive system combined an LCD touchscreen with a rotary control knob for scrolling through menus. Other carmakers also soon introduced screens, although with limitations. Jaguar and Land Rover would only show certain screen functions to drivers, with passengers tasked with the fiddly bits. Toyota and Lexus cars had screens that worked only when the handbrake was applied.

With curved pillar-to-pillar displays, holographic transparent displays, displays instead of rear-view mirrors, and head-up displays (HUD), it’s clear many in-car devices are fighting for driver attention. HUDs might not be touch-sensitive, but projecting a plethora of vehicle data, as well as maps, driver aids, and multimedia information, onto the windscreen could prove as distracting as toggling through menus.

“Almost every vehicle-maker has moved key controls onto central touchscreens, obliging drivers to take their eyes off the road and raising the risk of distraction crashes,” EuroNCAP’s Avery tells WIRED. “Manufacturers are realizing that they’ve probably gone too far with [fitting touchscreens].”

“A new part of our 2026 ratings is going to relate to vehicle controls,” says Avery. “We want manufacturers to preserve the operation of five principal controls to physical buttons, so that’s wipers, lights, indicators, horn, and hazard warning lights.” This however does not address the frequent needs for drivers to adjust temperature, volume, or change driver warning systems settings (an endeavor all too commonly requiring navigating down through multiple submenus).

Perhaps unfortunately, it looks like continuing with touchscreens won’t lose manufacturers any of the coveted stars in EuroNCAP’s five-star safety ratings. “It’s not the case that [automakers] can’t get five stars unless they’ve got buttons, but we’re going to make entry to the five-star club harder over time. We will wind up the pressure, with even stricter tests in the next three-year cycle starting in 2029.”

Regardless, Avery believes auto manufacturers around the world will bring back buttons. “I will be very surprised if there are markets where manufacturers have a different strategy,” he says.

“From a safety standpoint, reducing the complexity of performing in-vehicle tasks is a good thing,” says Joe Young, the media director for the insurance industry-backed Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). “The research is clear that time spent with your eyes off the road increases your risk of crashing, so reducing or eliminating that time by making it easier to find and manipulate buttons, dials, and knobs is an improvement.”

Neither Young nor Jake Nelson, director of traffic safety research for AAA, would be drawn on whether US automakers—via the US version of NCAP—would adopt EuroNCAP’s button nudges. “Industry design changes in the US market are more likely to occur based on strong consumer demand,” Nelson says. “It would be ideal to see better coordination between NCAP and EuroNCAP, however, we have not observed much influence in either direction.”

Nevertheless, Nelson agrees that “basic functions, such as climate control, audio, and others, should be accessible via buttons.” He adds that the “design of vehicle technologies should be as intuitive as possible for users” but that the “need for tutorials suggests otherwise.”

For Edmund King, president of the AA (the UK equivalent to AAA), driver distraction is personal. “When cycling, I often see drivers concentrating on their touchscreens rather than the road ahead,” he says. “Technology should be there to help drivers and passengers stay safe on the roads, and that should not be to the detriment of other road users.”

Screen Out

The deeper introduction of AI into cars as part of software-defined vehicles could result in fewer touchscreens in the future, believes Dale Harrow, chair and director of the Intelligent Mobility Design Center at London’s Royal College of Art.

Eye scanners in cars are already watching how we’re driving and will prod us—with haptic seat buzzing and other alerts—when inattention is detected. In effect, today’s cars nag drivers not to use the touchscreens provided. “[Automakers] have added [touchscreen] technologies without thinking about how drivers use vehicles in motion,” says Harrow. “Touchscreens have been successful in static environments, but [that] doesn’t transfer into dynamic environments. There’s sitting in a mock-up of a car and thinking it’s easy to navigate through 15 layers, but it’s far different when the car is in motion.”

Crucially, touchscreens are ubiquitous partly because of cost—it’s cheaper to write lines of computer code than to add wires behind buttons on a physical dash. And there are further economies of scale for multi-brand car companies such as Volkswagen Group, which can put the same hardware and software in a Skoda as they do a Seat, changing just the logo pop-ups.

Additionally, over-the-air updates almost require in-car computer screens. A car’s infotainment system, the operation of ambient lighting, and other design factors are an increasingly important part of car design, and they need a screen for manufacturers to incrementally improve software-defined vehicles after rolling off production lines. Adding functionality isn’t nearly as simple when everything is buttons.

Not all screens cause distractions, of course—reversing cameras are now essential equipment, and larger navigation screens mean less time looking down for directions—but to demonstrate how touchscreens and voice control aren’t as clever as many think they are, consider the cockpit of an advanced passenger jet.

The Boeing 777X has touchscreens, but they are used by pilots only for data input—never for manipulation of controls. Similarly, the cockpit of an Airbus A350 also has screens, but they’re not touch-sensitive, and there are no voice-activated controls either. Instead, like in the 777X, there are hundreds of knobs, switches, gauges, and controls.

Of course, considering the precious human cargo and the fact that an A350 starts at $308 million, you can’t fault Airbus for wanting pilots’ eyes on the skies rather than screens. There are slightly fewer tactile controls in the $429,000 Rolls-Royce Spectre, the luxury car company’s first electric vehicle. There’s a screen for navigation, yes, but also lots of physical switchgear. Reviewing the new Black Badge edition of the high-end EV, Autocar said the vehicle’s digital technology was “integrated with restraint.”

Along with Volkswagen reintroducing physical buttons for functions like volume and climate control, Subaru is also bringing back physical knobs and buttons in the 2026 Outback. Hyundai has added more buttons back into the new Santa Fe, with design director Ha Hak-soo confessing to Korean JoongAng Daily towards the end of last year that the company found customers didn’t like touchscreen–focused systems. And, if EuroNCAP gets its way, that’s likely the direction of travel for all cars. Buttons are back, baby.

https://www.wired.com/story/why-car-brands-are-finally-switching-back-to-buttons

Source: Fast Company, Grace Snelling
Investigators look over the scene at a Tesla Collision Center after an individual used incendiary devices to set several vehicles on fire on March 18, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Analysts warn that vandalism of Tesla vehicles could lead insurance companies to raise premiums—or stop covering Tesla vehicles altogether.

By most accounts, it’s been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad month for Elon Musk’s Tesla—and it might be about to get worse.

Tesla shares surged to their highest-ever peak after the 2024 election, but since mid-December, they’ve been on a sharp decline. (The company lost 15% of its total value in just one day last week.) The EV brand is facing a number of headwinds: Sales have plummeted in Europe and China; the war against Chinese competitor BYD is heating up; and Tesla showrooms across the U.S. are facing an influx of protests and vandalism in response to Musk’s draconian cuts to the federal government.

To top it off, some analysts are now warning that the increased risk of vandalism against Tesla vehicles could result in inflated insurance prices for drivers.

“Kia Challenge” 2025 version

According to a March 2025 analysis by Bankrate, the average cost of full-coverage car insurance for a Tesla Model 3 is $3,495 a year, compared to the national average of $2,678. To put the number in context, an Audi Q5 cost $3,023 to insure, while a Ford F-150 cost just $2,608.

To be fair, car insurance rates are rising across the board, in no small part because of increased damage from climate change-induced extreme weather events. And according to a 2024 report from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, EVs are typically 20% more expensive to insure than gas-powered cars, a gap that Bankrate attributes to steeper repair costs due to specialized parts. Still, Tesla vehicles tend to be pricier to insure than other EVs: In an interview with Newsweek, Insurify data journalist Matt Brannon confirmed that the Tesla Model 3, Model Y, and Model X are the most expensive EVs to insure as of February 2025. (In 2023, Tesla even launched its own insurance provider, called Tesla Insurance, as a response to the high premiums—but that initiative came with a slate of its own problems.)

Tesla insurance rates could be set to soar even higher. In the same Newsweek piece, Bankrate insurance analyst Shannon Martin explained that vandalism is one factor insurance companies consider when setting premiums. While frequent vandalism isn’t as much of a concern as high-collision rates—which Teslas have also historically struggled with—she says it can factor into how insurance companies set their prices.

A recent example of insurance company backlash against a problematic vehicle can be found in 2023’s “Kia Challenge,” where TikTok users shared a simple “hack” that made it easy to steal certain models of Kia and Hyundai vehicles. The trend led to multiple class-action lawsuits and caused State Farm, Allstate, and Progressive to restrict coverage of the models altogether. In an interview with WCNC Charlotte at the time, Bankrate senior analyst Ted Rossman said that the thefts were driving up available insurance rates by as much as 17%.

Now, Tesla may be facing a problem that’s nearing those Kia and Hyundai proportions. Vehicles at Tesla showrooms, charging stations, and privately owned cars have been burned, painted, and defaced with swastikas. Reports of vandalism against Tesla have become so frequent in recent months that President Trump threatened to call the occurrences acts of domestic terrorism and, in a transparent effort to boost the brand’s reputation, held what was essentially a Tesla infomercial on the White House lawn.

Time will tell whether insurance companies see this trend as enough justification to raise prices or refuse coverage to Tesla owners altogether. In the meantime, this might be the push that regretful Tesla owners needed to give up on disguising their vehicles and trade them in instead.

The final deadline for Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators Awards is this Friday, March 28, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Grace Snelling is an editorial assistant for Fast Company with a focus on product design, branding, art, and all things Gen Z. Her stories have included an exploration into the wacky world of Duolingo’s famous mascot, an interview with the New Yorker’s art editor about the scramble to prepare a cover image of Donald Trump post-2024 election, and an analysis of how the pineapple became the ultimate sex symbol.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91301432/why-insurance-on-teslas-is-about-to-get-way-more-expensive

Source: Knowledge@Wharton, John Paul MacDuffie
Photo: EVs

More than protective tariffs, the U.S. needs a comprehensive industrial strategy that addresses the entire supply chain, writes Wharton’s John Paul MacDuffie.

The following article was written by John Paul MacDuffie, Wharton management professor and director of the School’s Program on Vehicle and Mobility Innovation.

As the U.S. imposes 100% tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and Europe follows with its own barriers, we risk missing the bigger picture. China’s automotive strategy extends far beyond EVs — in Mexico, Chinese manufacturers now account for 20% of new vehicle sales.

The U.S. needs more than protective tariffs. We need a comprehensive industrial strategy that addresses the entire supply chain. This means investing in processing and manufacturing capabilities, not just R&D. It means maintaining consistent policy support for emerging technologies rather than reversing course with each administration. And it means recognizing that in today’s automotive industry, intellectual property and manufacturing expertise are inextricably linked.

Consider the irony: The lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology that China’s CATL has turned into a global competitive advantage was originally developed in the U.S. While we excel at innovation, we lack the patience and industrial strategy framework to develop these innovations into market-ready products. This pattern keeps repeating: American innovation, followed by overseas commercialization.

It’s a pattern that has become painfully familiar. The U.S. pioneered not just LFP batteries but also lithium-ion technology itself at Texas Instruments and key elements of battery management systems at national laboratories. Yet today, China controls more than 75% of global battery production capacity and an even larger share of processing for critical materials. The story of American innovation lost to foreign commercialization extends to flat-panel displays, drones, and solar panels. Each time, we master the science but fumble the transition to manufacturing scale.

While we excel at innovation, we lack the patience and industrial strategy framework to develop these innovations into market-ready products.

A crucial and missing link, for EV batteries and beyond, is the processing and refining of critical minerals. Even if we secure supplies from friendly nations (an increasingly complex calculation in today’s geopolitical environment), China dominates the crucial middle step of processing these materials. The Inflation Reduction Act made a promising start in addressing these supply chain vulnerabilities, but current congressional moves to roll back its provisions, coupled with potential emissions regulation reversals, risk putting us even further behind.

Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers are executing a sophisticated regional manufacturing strategy. They are establishing production bases in Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, and Eastern Europe, often in partnership with local firms. This means that attempting to block Chinese EVs through targeted tariffs is like playing whack-a-mole — we’d need to impose barriers on virtually every manufacturing location to keep Chinese competitors at bay.

A more nuanced approach could involve domestic content requirements, where tariff reductions are tied to the use of U.S.-made components up to certain value thresholds. This policy could be particularly effective for SUVs and pickup trucks manufactured in Mexico or Japan or elsewhere, which already face a 25% tariff. But even this strategy would require careful crafting to ensure meaningful integration with U.S. supply chains rather than token compliance.

China’s regional manufacturing strategy is already bearing fruit. BYD’s $1 billion investment in a Turkish factory gives it tariff-free access to the EU market, while its Hungarian plant leverages Eastern Europe’s existing automotive supply chains. Similar patterns are emerging in Southeast Asia, where Chinese manufacturers are moving into facilities once operated by Japanese firms.

In Mexico, Chinese presence is growing through multiple channels: BYD’s successful battery electric and hybrid vehicle sales, U.S. brands selling Chinese-made ICE vehicles, and a complex web of component supply that flows both directly from Chinese-owned plants (locally and globally) and through assembled vehicles. Indeed, half of the vehicles made in China and sold in Mexico were made by GM in their Chinese plants.

Without a coordinated national strategy … the U.S. risks becoming a bystander in the greatest transformation of the auto industry since Henry Ford’s assembly line.

Remember Japan

The Japanese auto industry’s expansion in the 1980s offers an instructive but imperfect parallel. When faced with U.S. import restrictions, Japanese manufacturers built factories in America, creating jobs and transforming our automotive landscape — a pattern they continue today.

China presents unique challenges: Beyond its sophisticated regional manufacturing networks, concerns arise from state subsidies, military connections, and labor practices. Even if Chinese manufacturers invest in U.S. production with strong domestic content and fair labor standards (as some have, like Nexteer), national security considerations — particularly military ties — distinguish this situation from Japan’s integration into the U.S. market.

More is at stake than economics. The global transition to electric vehicles represents a crucial step in retaining a domestic auto industry (which we need for national security reasons) and addressing climate change. China has made this transition a national priority, combining industrial strategy, infrastructure development, and market incentives. Their success is not only because of lower costs; it reflects a systematic approach to building industrial capabilities.

The reality is stark: Without a coordinated national strategy that combines R&D support, manufacturing policy, and supply chain development, the U.S. risks becoming a bystander in the greatest transformation of the auto industry since Henry Ford’s assembly line. Carefully crafted tariffs could help build U.S. capabilities — as the Biden administration attempted by combining tariff protections with emissions regulations to accelerate domestic investments.

Such policies need dynamic adjustment: Subsidies and tariffs can be gradually reduced as market share grows and competition increases, but only after U.S. companies have had time to catch up to advantages built on China’s massive government support, loan guarantees, and labor cost advantages from weak unions and concerning labor practices. While Congress debates rollbacks and restrictions, China is laying the groundwork for decades of industrial dominance. We should not just be protecting markets — we should be building them.

As one Chinese executive recently told me, “The question isn’t whether to go global, but how to do it sustainably and successfully.” It’s a question American policymakers would do well to consider — while also examining how their actions might put U.S. automakers into a U.S.-shaped box that could tip them into a difficult-to-reverse decline.

https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/the-ev-trade-war-alone-wont-save-american-manufacturing

Source: The Hustle, Sam Barsanti
Photo: Jaguar

A decade ago, British car company Jaguar launched an ad campaign around the idea that its customers are villains. James Bond would drive a classy Aston Martin; the bad guy would drive a Jag.

Well, not anymore.

Ahead of going all-electric in 2026, Jaguar announced a total rebrand that’s more about selling a vibe than, you know, cars.

Gone is the pouncing cat in its logo, replaced with something that The Verge notes looks more like “JaGUar.”

British villains have been swapped for stylish models in a pink void and the slogan, “Copy nothing.”

But the models all seem sad, and it feels like it’s approximating “artsy” from a cold, corporate mindset.
Oh, and there aren’t any cars in the new campaign.

Traditionalists are losing their minds over how wrong it is for the Jaguar brand, per NBC News.

But who cares?

Nobody’s buying Jaguars, anyway:

The company sold fewer than 67k vehicles last year globally, while competitor BMW sold 362k+ in the US alone.

Recently, Jaguar announced that it was killing off five models with “close to zero profitability.”

If people aren’t buying Jaguars under the current “serious white men in suits” identity, why should the company care if people think this redesign is silly? It’s not like Jaguar took a successful brand — with an iconic logo and terminology that had been accepted into the global lexicon — and replaced it with a single generic letter.

That said, the backlash will be justified if this JaGUar logo shows up on a crummy EV that looks stupid in 2026. The company has to put its money where its artsy mouth is — then it can come back and kill James Bond in style.

https://thehustle.co/news/meet-the-new-jag-nothing-like-the-old-jag

Source: Extreme Tech, Adrianna Nine
Photo: N-Dream/VW

The automaker’s partnership with AirConsole will bring roughly 130 multiplayer games to the new Golf, Passat, ID series, and more.

Volkswagen is working with a Swiss gaming company to bring new entertainment options to some of its vehicles’ “infotainment” systems. Beginning later this year, owners of select Volkswagen models will be able to play roughly 130 local multiplayer games using just their smartphones and their vehicles’ center displays.

Volkswagen’s partnership is with N-Dream, which makes the virtual gaming console AirConsole. Using a smartphone and a PC, Android TV, Google TV, or Amazon Fire TV, anyone can play AirConsole’s “starter pack,” which includes a handful of games for up to two players. Subscribing to AirConsole Hero for $8 per month unlocks the entire platform, which includes console and mobile titles such as Overcooked!, Tumblestone, Knife Jump, and Clusterpuck 99. Depending on the title, up to eight players can join a single gaming session using their own smartphones and a PIN or QR code.

N-Dream previously joined forces with BMW to bring AirConsole to certain BMW and Mini vehicles models 2023 and later. In a release published Monday, N-Dream announced that it was expanding its in-vehicle gaming offerings by bringing AirConsole to the 2025 Passat, Tiguan, Golf, and Golf Estate. Volkswagen’s ID series (which includes the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, and ID.7 electric vehicles) will also integrate AirConsole with the ID software version 4.0 rolling out later this year.

Before N-Dream partnered with Volkswagen, it worked with BMW to bring its games to select BMW and Mini vehicles.

According to the release, AirConsole will only be available to play when a vehicle is parked. This makes the virtual console a suitable entertainment option for road trip breaks and EV charging sessions—the ideal combination for Volkswagen’s ID.Buzz microbus—but not for impatient kids during long drives.

Some might be surprised to hear about Volkswagen embracing in-car gaming after the brand signaled a pivot away from touch screens last year. But Volkswagen’s design boss indicated that only “important” functions would receive physical switches and dials, which drivers reportedly desire for their ease of use while, you know, actually driving. The ID.2, an electric hatchback slated for 2026, is expected to walk this line: While it features a 13-inch center touch screen, defrosters, climate control, volume, and other essentials are controlled via tactile knobs.

https://www.extremetech.com/cars/volkswagen-to-add-virtual-gaming-console-to-select-vehicles-infotainment

Source: Fast Company, Chris Morris
Photo: Nyobolt

Nyobolt’s new EV battery charges in roughly twice the time it takes to fill up a gas-fueled vehicle.

One of the most common complaints from electric vehicle owners is the time it takes to recharge their cars. In some instances, such as “level 1” EV battery chargers in residential homes, that can take as long as 40 hours. Using a Tesla Supercharger, it averages out to about 20 minutes.

A Cambridge-based EV manufacturer, though, says it has developed a battery that charges in less than five minutes, roughly twice as long as it takes to fill up a gas-fueled vehicle.

Nyobolt says it has developed a 35kWh lithium-ion battery that charges from 10% to 80% in just over four and a half minutes. Additionally, it says, the battery does not show the degradation of lithium-ion batteries.

The battery, the company says, citing independent OEM testing (though the company did not name who ran that testing), can achieve over 4,000 fast charge cycles, which spans roughly 600,000 miles, maintaining over 80% battery capacity retention.

“Our extensive research here in the U.K. and U.S. has unlocked a novel battery technology that is ready and scalable right now,” said Nyobolt’s cofounder and CEO, Dr Sai Shivareddy in a statement. “We are enabling the electrification of new products and services currently considered inviable or impossible.”

The new batteries were tested, the company says, in the Nyobolt EV prototype, an EV sports car weighing just 2,755 pounds (vs. more than 5,000 lbs. for a Tesla Model X). That not only can improve handling, but lighter vehicles and smaller batteries will be cheaper to build and have a smaller carbon footprint, Nyobolt argued. The car will reportedly travel roughly 155 miles on a single charge (and can add 120 miles of range in just four minutes).

Nyobolt says it is in talks with eight electric car manufacturers about sales of its battery. It’s unlikely to make it over to the U.S. in the short term, as a 35 kWh battery is notably smaller than the 85 kWh one used in most American EVs. The breakthrough, though, could be a building block for larger batteries in the future.

The company claims to already be prepared for manufacturing, saying it could be in production at low volumes within a year.

Widespread distribution is far from imminent, though. Nyobolt’s battery depends on the chemical niobium, which is not heavily mined at present compared to the production levels of the materials used in the production of lithium-ion batteries.

Nyobolt is just one of many companies working to improve EV batteries. A company called 24M, last month, showcased a battery that is designed to have a range of up to 1,000 miles on a single charge. That battery uses lithium metal rather than lithium ion, which 24M, an MIT spinout, says gives it more energy density. It could be five years, however, before that technology is on the road.

And researchers at Cornell University, earlier this year, said they had created a stable, lithium battery that can charge in less than five minutes. And last year, a company called Gravity said its chargers could power an EV for a 200 mile trip in just five minutes. The problem there was that some EVs aren’t designed to handle the chargers’ power.

It’s promising tech, but the days of super-fast charging EV batteries are still a good way down the road for owners and buyers.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91150627/u-k-company-nyobolt-new-electric-car-ev-battery-charges-in-5-minutes