Toyota pushes back electric vehicle production plans in America (Detroit Free Press, October 7, 2024)

Toyota has long been cautious about the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, and the current EV market slowdown seems to validate its skepticism. However, despite the slump, the global auto industry continues to shift toward electrification, and all manufacturers, including Toyota, will ultimately need to adjust – albeit at a slower pace than originally anticipated.

Though there were reports of Toyota’s three-row EV SUV launching by the end of 2025, production has been delayed until at least 2026. Meanwhile, Lexus has canceled its plans for a new electric vehicle as EV sales continue to decline in the U.S. Despite the downturn, Toyota remains committed to producing 1.5 million EVs annually by the end of 2026, with plans to introduce seven new EV models to the U.S. market.

Google’s Waymo Chooses Hyundai Ioniq 5 for Autonomous Driving Fleet (MSN, October 6, 2024)

Hyundai and Waymo partner to integrate autonomous driving technology into Hyundai vehicles, starting with the sixth generation Waymo Driver in the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Vehicles will be produced at Hyundai’s Georgia factory with autonomous pre-installation, ensuring they are ready for self-driving technology. Waymo plans to add the Ioniq 5 to its Waymo One fleet by 2025, expanding its operations in select U. S. regions. This collaboration allows Hyundai to enter the autonomous vehicle sector while growing Waymo’s fleet, previously supplied by Chrysler and Jaguar. The latest Waymo Driver features advanced hardware and software for enhanced detection capabilities in various conditions.

 Autonomous vehicles could render personal auto insurance obsolete by 2044, new report finds (CBT News, October 4, 2024)

A new Morningstar report suggests that self-driving cars might significantly diminish the need for personal auto insurance within 20 years. By 2044, if AVs are widely adopted, liability could shift from drivers to manufacturers, transitioning insurance to product liability. Full adoption of Level 4 or 5 autonomy, where cars drive without human intervention, could make personal insurance obsolete by 2060. Currently, most vehicles have Level 2 automation requiring driver assistance. Companies like Waymo and Cruise are pioneering Level 4 capabilities with region-specific robotaxis. Morningstar projects that AVs could reach 80% market penetration within 7 to 18 years, depending on adoption speed. Insurance may remain unaffected until Level 4 autonomy prevails, but a 10% AV penetration rate by 2035 could begin reshaping the industry, potentially eliminating some insurers by 2043 as AV penetration grows.

Toyota shows ‘an engine reborn’ with green fuel despite global push for battery electric cars (AP News, May 28, 2024)

While many manufacturers in the auto industry are pushing for electric vehicles, Toyota has announced “an engine reborn,” at a Tokyo hall on Tuesday, offering compact engines that run on green fuels, like hydrogen and bioethanol. In hybrids, Toyota plans for the electric motor to become the main driving force, with the new “reborn” engine to take a lesser role. 

Toyota’s Chief Executive Koji Sato stated that the “engine is optimized for the electrification era,” with goals to meet emissions standards and to push for “carbon neutrality” globally. Officials for the Japanese automaker have repeatedly stated that a complete shift to electric vehicles is not economically possible due to the millions of jobs in vehicle production at stake. “The carbon neutrality the world is aspiring toward isn’t likely attainable for decades to come. It’s going to be a long marathon race,” stated business professor at Waseda University, Takahiro Fujimoto.

Major robotaxi firms face federal safety investigations after crashes (The Washington Post, May 24, 2024)

The self-driving vehicle industry faces increased scrutiny as federal investigations into Amazon’s Zoox, Google’s Waymo, and GM’s Cruise highlight potential flaws linked to numerous collisions. NHTSA is probing incidents involving rear-end collisions with Zoox vehicles, erratic behavior by Waymo robotaxis, and an ongoing investigation into Cruise after a pedestrian accident in San Francisco. Despite the industry’s rapid expansion, with around 40 companies testing autonomous vehicles in California and significant investments aiming to revolutionize transportation, these incidents challenge claims of superior safety compared to human drivers.

Matthew Wansley, an expert on automotive technologies, notes that the period of unrealistic expectations is over, with companies under increased scrutiny. This scrutiny comes as NHTSA uses crash data to identify potential safety risks in autonomous driving technologies. As incidents involving self-driving cars accumulate, the NHTSA faces growing pressure to preemptively regulate rather than react post-incident.

Hyundai Motor and Plus Announce Collaboration to Demonstrate First Level 4 Autonomous Fuel Cell Electric Truck in the U.S. (Morningstar, May 22, 2024)

Hyundai Motor and autonomous driving software leader Plus have debuted the first Level 4 autonomous Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell electric truck in the U.S. at the ACT Expo. This collaboration aims to enhance road safety and freight efficiency. The truck, a Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell model, is equipped with Plus’s Level 4 SuperDrive™ system and is undergoing initial autonomous driving assessments in the U.S. By integrating Plus’s advanced autonomous driving technology, Hyundai seeks to provide safer, more efficient, and sustainable solutions in trucking. The XCIENT Fuel Cell truck has already proven its reliability in real-world applications across eight countries since its introduction in 2020.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Hyundai Motor Company on this important initiative to create more sustainable and safe transportation options. A decarbonized future with autonomous hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks that also improve safety and efficiency is one that Plus is proud to support with our cutting-edge autonomous driving technology,” said Shawn Kerrigan, COO and Co-Founder at Plus.