[category] [title] These cities rank high for tech, infrastructure, quality of life and more. When you think of a "smart city," certain tropes often come to mind: neon-lit skyscrapers, autonomous vehicle lanes and daily activities completed with the flash of a palm or tap of a button on your phone. However, the true mark of urban intelligence lies in human-centered design. According to the 2026 IMD Smart City Index, Zurich has officially secured the title of the world’s "smartest city" for the seventh consecutive year. What sets Zurich apart isn't just flashy technology, but how seamlessly innovation serves daily life. The IMD index evaluates 148 global cities based primarily on resident perceptions across two core pillars: existing physical Structures and available Technology. These are evaluated across five dimensions: health and safety, mobility, activities, opportunities and governance. Out of every city assessed, Zurich emerged as the only city to achieve the coveted AAA overall Smart City Rating. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best cities in the world in 2026 A city that functions effortlessly for its residents naturally yields a better experience for visitors. Efficient public transit, sustainable urban planning, accessible green spaces and inclusive civic governance create an environment where daily friction disappears. Zurich leads a strong European cohort at the top of the index, followed closely by Oslo (2), Geneva (3), London (4), Copenhagen (5) and Lausanne (7), with Dubai (6) breaking into the top tier as a Middle Eastern tech hub. Only four U.S. cities made the top 50 rankings in 2026. Boston ranks the highest at number 35. Washington, D.C. jumped 23 spots up the rankings to land at number 39. Other U.S. metros in the top 50 include Seattle (41) and New York (45), while San Francisco (72), Los Angeles (73), Denver (78), Chicago (81) and Philadelphia (99)
Aug 29, 2026 · via timeout.com
Hyundai has several new electric SUVs coming, including a new global D-segment SUV positioned slightly above the IONIQ 5. Hyundai plans to launch 100 new vehicles by 2030 “It’s a great time to be at Hyundai,” José Muñoz, Hyundai Motor Company president and CEO, said during the company’s 2026 CEO Investor Day this week. In the first half of 2026, Hyundai sold 2 million vehicles and achieved record revenue of 95.2 trillion won (about $69 billion), up 3% from the same period last year. The performance helped propel Hyundai Motor Group, including Kia and Genesis, to become the 2nd most profitable auto group globally behind Toyota and 3rd in volume. Over the next few years, Hyundai is betting on AI, robotics, software, batteries, and other new tech to drive growth as it transitions from a traditional automaker to a tech and physical AI company that also produces great cars. By 2030, Hyundai aims to sell 5.5 million vehicles globally, up from 4.1 million in 2025. Of which, electrified vehicles, including hybrids, fully electric vehicles, and extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), will account for 60% of the mix, a big jump from just 23% in 2025. Hyundai and Genesis plan to launch 100 new or refreshed vehicles globally between now and 2030, including 58 in North America, 49 in South Korea, 41 in Europe, and 26 in India. Electric vehicles, hybrids, and EREVs Over the next eight months, Hyundai will launch seven new vehicles, including the new Elantra (Avante in Korea), IONIQ 3, new Tucson and Tucson Hybrid, its first-ever Santa Fe EREV, plus a new electric A-SUV for India, a new global B-SUV, and another new B-SUV for Europe. Later in the presentation, Muñoz revealed five new EVs set to launch in Europe. These include the two new B-segment SUVs, two
Aug 29, 2026 · via electrek.co
Tesla (TSLA) plans to hold an invite-only Cybercab launch event on September 3 in Austin, Texas, that will also be livestreamed. The event is expected to feature rides for members of the public in a broader way than the company showed off
Robotaxi reveal: Tesla's Cybercab takes the stage next week
Aug 29, 2026, 7:00 AM ETTesla, Inc. (TSLA) Stock, ZOOX StockAMZN, UBER, LCID, WAYMOBy: Clark Schultz, SA News Editor110 Comments
Aug 29, 2026 · via seekingalpha.com
1 Labor Secretary visits NEXA, lauds Hollywood company’s $100M expansion investment Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling, visited Hollywood-based NEXA and its founder and CEO, Robert Morcos. The topic of their discussions revolved around NEXA’s efforts expanding job creation in South Florida and making sure the metro area is a destination for technical talent to support South Florida’s growing tech industry. NEXA, formerly Social Mobile, is a leader in custom wireless solutions for enterprises and IoT. NEXA creates connectivity devices for firms such as Bechtel, DoorDash, Abbott Labs, Disney, and many more. “It’s great that companies are expanding and building, but we want to make sure that local workers are getting these opportunities so they can stay home and stay in their local community and not have to leave to get these high-tech, high-skilled jobs,” Sonderling, a Boca Raton native and Broward County public schools graduate, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. NEXA has recently made a $100 million investment to expand its local design and manufacturing at its facilities in South Florida, and has announced a collaboration with Qualcomm and a development project with the Department of Homeland Security. Sonderling said the expansion “counters a lot of narrative you hear of the doom and gloom of the tech industry.” “When I founded NEXA in Miami in 2011, I knew South Florida had the potential to become an important center for technology and innovation. ” This week, I was proud to welcome Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling to our headquarters.” Morcos shared on LinkedIn after the visit, Read more here. 2 A1R water completes SPAC combination A1R water, an atmospheric water generation company that produces packaged mineralized drinking water from humidity in the air, announced the closing of its business combination with Inflection Point Acquisition
Aug 29, 2026 · via refreshmiami.com
104-Year-Old WWII Veteran Takes First Waymo Ride, Calls It Boring: “Didn’t Have Any Near Crashes” The experience of riding in a car with no one behind the wheel can be thrilling for most people, especially those from an older generation who first encountered the concept in Hollywood movies. One such person is 104-year-old World War II veteran Karl Schmitt from Houston, Texas, who grew up in an era when Ford Model Ts could still be seen on the roads. A video of his first ride in a Waymo robotaxi was posted on YouTube by ONSCENE TV, in which he humorously remarked that the drive was "in some ways, boring," noting that he didn't have any near crashes. Schmitt was actually thrilled to ride in an autonomous vehicle, saying "he was born too early" and that robotaxis are the future. He also noted that these cars could be a great way to keep drunk drivers off the road. When asked about some of his life experiences, Schmitt said: "Well, the most shattering, of course, I'm a veteran of World War Two infantry, and I fought in six campaigns, I was wounded twice, so I'm a survivor too." Schmitt then went on to describe his first experience riding in a robotaxi, which he took with other passengers, saying: "It was smooth. In some ways, it was boring (laughs). There was no excitement; we didn't have any near crashes, nobody threatened us. We had a conversation the whole time, and during much of it, I simply forgot where we were, just like normally, in an automobile. "My impression is, my response is, I was just born too early. I'm never going to own one of these babies. And the time, I believe this is the way we're going to go. And as I
Aug 29, 2026 · via autos.yahoo.com
CHINA’S electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers are finding a foothold in the United States’ autonomous-driving market as suppliers of purpose-built vehicle platforms, even as steep tariffs and security restrictions keep Chinese-branded EVs out of US showrooms.
Since 2024, Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer Zeekr has shipped more than 3,200 minivan-like CM1e vehicle platforms — including over 2,600 this year — to the United States, where Waymo is its only known partner, business magazine Forbes reported, citing data compiled by US research firm ImportGenius.
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Aug 29, 2026 · via thestar.com.my
Key Points - Tesla stock trades at a sky-high price-to-earnings ratio of 321, making it 12 times as expensive as the S&P 500 average. - The S&P itself could be vulnerable to a sharp sell-off due to its own elevated valuation, which could send Tesla stock plunging to $100 (or less). - Tesla's electric vehicle business is recovering in 2026, but the company is falling behind its competitors in other industries like autonomous driving. The benchmark S&P 500(SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is hovering near a record high, but the risk of a sell-off might be rising due to the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, the stubbornly high inflation rate, and the growing chance of an interest rate hike before the end of 2026. The S&P 500 currently has a Shiller cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings (CAPE) ratio of 41.6, its highest valuation since the dot-com bubble in 2000. That makes the index especially vulnerable to downside, and if it were to enter a bear market by experiencing a 20% decline, many stocks with elevated valuations would likely also suffer sharp corrections. Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again.In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue » The S&P 500 last traded in bear territory during 2022 and 2023, which sent Tesla(NASDAQ: TSLA) stock plummeting by 75% to just $100. The electric vehicle (EV) giant recovered to set a new record high of $489 last year, but it's currently on the back foot once again. Here's why I predict it will fall below $100 if the S&P enters another bear market. Tesla stock is trading at a sky-high valuation Tesla used to be
Aug 29, 2026 · via theglobeandmail.com
Reality check for China’s carmakers as authorities tell them to focus on quality, not tech
Vice-minister says that to ensure safety, new technologies that fail to pass stricter approval procedures will be barred from market
A nationwide inspection campaign assessing the quality of Chinese-made cars that was announced this week would see some consumers shelve purchase plans, exacerbating a bearish outlook for the country’s auto sector, dealers and analysts said.
Vice-Minister of Industry and Information Technology Xin Guobin told a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday that new auto products and technologies would be barred from entering the market unless they passed stricter approval procedures.
“Some reckless innovative designs were installed in vehicles without sufficient testing and verification,” Xin said. “Several incidents attracted public attention due to concerns about the cars’ quality and the safety of autonomous driving technology.”
“Several accidents and growing consumer complaints have spurred the regulators into action,” said Gao Shen, an independent analyst in Shanghai. “With improved oversight, carmakers will have to shift their focus from making their vehicles more intelligent to ensuring quality.”
Aug 29, 2026 · via amp.scmp.com
Audio By Carbonatix For the first time in Denver’s history, an empty vehicle driving on its own was involved in a car crash. A (human) driver traveling on West 8th Avenue rear-ended a stopped vehicle and pushed it into the back of a stopped Waymo at the Delaware Street intersection at around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27, according to the Denver Police Department. The self-driving Waymo taxi was unoccupied. None of the people involved suffered serious injuries, police say. The two drivers claimed the Waymo stopped suddenly for no apparent reason, blaming it for the collision, CBS reported. A Waymo spokesperson says its vehicle stopped to yield to a pedestrian waiting in the curb cut to cross the street, adding that the pedestrian crossed without incident. One of the drivers told CBS they didn’t see anyone crossing. There is no marked crosswalk or stop sign at the intersection where the Waymo stopped; however, state law requires vehicles to yield to pedestrians at all intersections and crosswalks, even if the lines are not marked. Police issued the driver a citation for following too closely, finding him at fault. “The driver who initially crashed was following too closely, causing his vehicle to strike the rear of another car and cause a secondary crash into the Waymo vehicle,” says a DPD spokesperson. “There is no indication that the Waymo vehicle caused the crash.” This is the first reported collision involving a Waymo in Denver, according to DPD. The incident comes before the self-driving taxis have even opened to the public. The company says Waymo will be fully operational and open to Denver riders before the end of 2026. Waymo arrived in Denver last September, unleashing a fleet of AI-powered self-driving vehicles to map out the city. The operation started with human employees
Aug 29, 2026 · via westword.com
Hyundai's Digital Measuring Center Uses Data & Robotics to Achieve Top Quality Survey Rankings Korean automaker deploys coordinate measuring machines & optical scanners to catch minuscule flaws that affect customer satisfaction scores. At a Glance - Coordinate measuring machines evaluate 1,000 points across 600 quality criteria on each vehicle body. - Autonomous robots and optical scanners verify moving components like doors meet design specifications. - High-speed cameras capture 500 measurements per second to detect imperceptible deformation issues. Hyundai Motor Group brands like Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis have consistently topped JD Power quality surveys in recent years, marking a stark turnaround for the Korean brands from 20 years ago, when they consistently lagged. We recently heard from Ford about how that company has combined senior engineers with AI to address its stumbles in quality scores, with the results already becoming evident. The Hyundai Group points to its Digital Measuring Center (DMC) at the Namyang Research and Development (R&D) Center as a contributor to its quality successes. The DMC’s Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) systems measure as many as 1,000 points on a single vehicle body structure across 600 parametric quality criteria to monitor four key quality verification areas with data: exterior quality, NVH, water tightness, function, and assembly feasibility. The goal is to discover the small variations and gaps that can be overlooked during casual inspection and tiny deformations that can only be spotted by sensors. By quantifying these factors, Hyundai shifted its quality management from reactive problem-solving to data-driven refinement. This lets Hyundai engineers directly attack the kinds of flaws that degrade customer satisfaction, such as panel gaps and surface misalignments that can lead to water leaks and wind noise. The challenge is that many of these dimensional challenges occur in areas that are invisible to visual inspection. The DMC uses
Aug 29, 2026 · via designnews.com
Tesla: Autonomous Monetization Begins, But Not Priced In Yet Summary - Tesla, Inc.'s price corrected drastically after Fiscal Q2 2026 earnings, reflecting the marketâs continued focus on its near-term margins. - This focus misses the companyâs long-term platform value brought about by its autonomous technologies. - FQ2 earnings updates show multiple signs of monetization for TSLAâs autonomy capabilities, whose nonlinear growth potential is not fully priced in. - Advances in robotaxi, Full Self-Driving, Optimus robotics, and AI compute capacity underpin explosiveâor even step changesâof future growth potential. - Looking for a helping hand in the market? Members of Envision Early Retirement get exclusive ideas and guidance to navigate any climate. Learn More » This article was written by Analystâs Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Aug 29, 2026 · via seekingalpha.com
Fast Facts | Demo Days Festival San Francisco 📍Location: Alameda Point in the San Francisco Bay Area 🛞 Demo Experiences: More than 22,000 drives and rides across all categories 🎤 EV Reality Check: 15 speakers across two days covered autonomous vehicles, grid infrastructure, and other practical EV topics 🧭 GreenCars Matchmaker: Personalized recommendations included battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, conventional hybrid, and 35-plug-mpg vehicles Record-Breaking Attendance In the Bay Area Demo Days made its first stop in the Bay Area this year, and it turned out to be the biggest weekend the festival has run. Held right on the water at Alameda Point on August 22 and 23, Demo Days allowed attendees to experience everything with a motor: gas, hybrid, or electric, with two wheels or four, over dirt or asphalt. With over 30,000 attendees across two days, Bay Area Demo Days drew the largest crowd in the festival's history. Attendees came from all over Northern California and the entire Bay Area, including the South Bay, East Bay, San Francisco, and the North Bay. Some even came from out of state. Here's a little bit of what they got to experience. Test Driving the Latest Vehicles Eighty percent of surveyed attendees said they came specifically to test-drive something. The lineup of vehicles available to test drive included passenger cars from first-time auto exhibitors Honda and Ram, alongside Toyota, Tesla, Jeep, Kia, Hyundai, and Rivian, including the first-ever public demo of the all-new Rivian R2. Attendees could also view a display truck from Slate, one of the fledgling automaker's first public showings. It's a good example of what makes Demo Days special: getting people behind the wheel of the latest, most anticipated vehicles. The test drives took place on a nearby airstrip, and the layout encouraged back-to-back cross-shopping. Many visitors turned a single
Aug 29, 2026 · via greencars.com
Waymo is bringing driverless taxis to Munich, its third city outside the US, as data suggests autonomous vehicles are far safer than human drivers.
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Aug 29, 2026 · via news.inbox.lv
Tesla's Cybercab Launch Is Next Week. Here's What Tesla Still Needs To Prove Tesla scheduled a Cybercab launch event for next week. But will you actually be able to buy one for $30,000? Tesla’s steering wheel-free, scissor door-having Cybercab is apparently ready for primetime. The two-seat robotaxi is getting an official launch event next Thursday in Austin, the carmaker announced this week. How quickly Cybercabs will actually hit streets—and whether you’ll be able to buy one for $30,000 anytime soon—are just some of the questions hanging over this rollout. A big one centers around software. Specifically: Is Tesla’s good enough? Famously, Elon Musk is betting that he can make Tesla an autonomous-vehicle juggernaut using cameras alone. The Cybercab was built from the ground up around that gamble. But how reliable Tesla’s system is at scale is still an open question. Many experts argue that sensor redundancy through lidar and radar is key for safety. Industry leader Waymo took a not-so-subtle shot at Tesla’s strategy this week by saying in a blog post that cameras are “not enough” for safe autonomous driving at scale. [We discuss the Cybercab and more on this week's Plugged-In Podcast, available wherever you listen/watch.] To Tesla’s credit, its Robotaxi service does now offer driverless Model Y rides in Austin and some other markets, and that part of the business seems to be growing. On X this week, Tesla said its “unsupervised fleet is a lot bigger” and that it had extended its operating hours. Ethan McKanna of the crowdsourced Robotaxi Tracker website has detected a significant uptick in unsupervised rides, The Verge reported. But the Robotaxi rollout has also been far more sluggish than Musk once promised. Last year, it was supposed to be “hyper exponential” and cover half the U.S. population by the end of
Aug 29, 2026 · via insideevs.com
MSU FRIB debuts new chip-testing facility to advance driverless tech and spaceflight The new MSU chip-testing facility will push forward critical research for the autonomous vehicle and spaceflight industries, utilizing the world’s most powerful heavy-ion linear accelerator. EAST LANSING, Mich. (News 10) - A new addition at Michigan State University aims to improve technology that may someday be used in things like driverless cars. Michigan Sen. Gary Peters stopped at MSU’s Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) to take a look at the building’s new chip-testing facility alongside a group that included university President Kevin Guskiewicz. The new addition will help improve testing for technology used in the spaceflight and autonomous vehicle industries. The FRIB building houses the world’s most powerful heavy-ion linear accelerator, which produces rare isotopes that scientists can use to study their impact on medicine, national security, and diagnosing diseases according to the university. Peters said it is important to support cutting-edge research that makes a tangible impact on people’s lives. “Most people don’t realize the type of breakthrough research that’s occurring here and how it’s going to impact their lives both now and in the future, and it’s important for people to understand that,” Peters said. Since becoming a senator in 2015, Peters has helped secure more than $2 billion in public investment for the facility through bipartisan efforts. For Peters, the stop was the last on his statewide motorcycle tour of Michigan. This marked his 10th and final tour before he leaves office in January. The two candidates battling for Peters’ seat in November are Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers. Stream News 10 Lansing on your favorite devices! Here’s how to download the News 10+ app on Roku, Fire TV or Apple TV. Be the first to see the Mid-Michigan headlines you care
Aug 28, 2026 · via wilx.com
Updated: 9 hours ago
The alleged sexual assault happened in 2024.
Updated: 9 hours ago
The post-fire decon kits include wipes for the face, neck, helmet and mask, along with trash bags for safe disposal and transport back to the station.
Updated: 9 hours ago
New bills in the House would set longer minimum prison terms.
Updated: 9 hours ago
For the first time, state regulators have signed off on a settlement clearing the way for a large-scale solar project, after a controversial state law stripped local townships of the power to block it outright.
Updated: 9 hours ago
People gathered at the Lansing Center at 5:30 p.m. Friday to march to the Michigan Capitol, marking 63 years since the March on Washington led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Aug 28, 2026 · via wilx.com
In a recent showcase at Hyundai’s headquarters in Seoul, the OEM did a deep-dive into how it is harnessing digital technologies and AI across the company to improve operations, including key achievements and plans for the future. A major focus of this discussion was the benefits of AI in development, particularly Hyundai’s crash testing AI agent. “AI is undoubtedly an important technology, but ultimately it is a tool that companies must utilize,” said Eunsook Jin, president and head of the ICT management division at Hyundai Motor Group. “What matters is not the technology itself, but how quickly an organization can understand new technologies, including AI, apply them to its work and business, and internalize them as a source of competitive advantage. Building on our ongoing digital transformation efforts, Hyundai Motor Group is expanding AI transformation through the integration of AI and other intelligent technologies.” In 2022, the group deployed the JIRA, Dooray and Confluence platforms to standardize project management, decision-tracking and knowledge-sharing. These systems are said to have transformed how staff work together across the organization. Employees gained greater visibility into group-wide operations and key project progress, and work processes and outcomes could be systematically accumulated as organizational assets. Microsoft 365 was also implemented, creating a unified cloud-based collaboration environment. R&D teams working on technologies such as autonomous driving and hydrogen had previously been unable to use external collaboration tools due to security regulations governing national core technologies. Now they were able to safely adopt SaaS solutions as relevant government authorities swiftly established guidelines for SaaS use. As a result, information and knowledge previously dispersed across the organization could be shared and accumulated within a single environment, while establishing a foundation for continuously securing digital assets that can be used by AI. In parallel, Hyundai launched the Global One Data
Aug 28, 2026 · via automotivetestingtechnologyinternational.com
Recent data shows that non-collision testing at Waymo and Zoox led to around two dozen injuries among test drivers in 2024 and 2025, mostly caused by hard braking or sudden automated maneuvers. A review by TechCrunch of data submitted to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), along with interviews with current and former workers, found that safety drivers testing autonomous vehicles on public roads have suffered injuries including sprains, strains, and whiplash. Some injuries were serious enough to keep workers away from the job for weeks or even months. However, not all injuries may have been recorded, as OSHA requires companies with 100 or more employees to publicly report certain workplace injury data. As a result, injuries involving test drivers in cities where operations are still in their early stages may not have been captured in the available data. Waymo’s autonomous driving technology has reportedly been linked to multiple workplace injuries. Transdev, which employs and manages Waymo’s test drivers, recorded 16 injuries across three Waymo depot locations after vehicles braked aggressively or swerved unexpectedly. As Waymo continued expanding into new service areas, the company likely increased the amount of autonomous vehicle testing required to familiarize its systems with unfamiliar roads and environments. Although Waymo does not disclose how many vehicles it dedicates specifically to testing, injuries among its test drivers also rose during this period. In 2024, Transdev reported five injuries involving Waymo test drivers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, one caused by hard braking and four attributed to erratic vehicle behavior. In one incident, a test driver reported that the car “suddenly backed up” while parking itself and “whipped the steering wheel.” This caused his left hand, with which he held the steering wheel, to bend “to the point he heard a crack in his wrist.”
Aug 28, 2026 · via motorbiscuit.com
On the Dash: - Hybrids hit 16.80% of new vehicle financing in Q2, up from 12.99% last year - Hybrid loans carry the lowest average monthly payment at $646, beating EVs and gas vehicles - Refinancing saved consumers $83 a month on average as rates declined According to Experian‘s State of the Automotive Finance Market Report, hybrid vehicles accounted for 16.80% of new vehicle financing in the second quarter of 2026, up from 12.99% a year earlier, while EV market share fell over the same period, dropping to 8.15% from 9.21%. The report highlights that the shift is driven by ongoing gas price pressures on household budgets. Hybrids had the lowest average monthly payment among new loans at $646, followed by EVs at $692, and gasoline vehicles at $721. For new leases, hybrids again had the lowest payments, averaging $566, compared to $602 for gas vehicles and $641 for EVs. Melinda Zabritski, Experian’s head of Automotive Financial Insights, pointed to the expiration of the federal EV tax credit as a factor pushing buyers toward hybrids, stating, “With the EV tax credit expiring last year, hybrids seemingly have become a more attractive option for consumers, particularly for those looking to save some money at the pump,” Zabritski said in a company statement. The trend also aligns with sales data reported earlier this summer, as NADA’s June Market Beat report showed hybrid sales increased to 19.4% in the first half of 2026 and EV sales fell 25.1% over the same span. Meanwhile, JD Power’s July forecast projected hybrids would account for 15.9% of retail sales that month, up 2.5 percentage points from a year earlier, as the end of the federal tax credit continued to reshape buyer behavior. Notably, broader market data showed rising costs for new-vehicle buyers overall. Since the average
Aug 28, 2026 · via cbtnews.com
Autonomous vehicles expand across Las Vegas as safety questions remain LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Autonomous vehicles are becoming a more familiar sight on Las Vegas roads, as companies including Zoox, Tesla, Waymo and Aviari move to expand driverless transportation in the valley. The growth comes as Waymo has announced a multiyear partnership with the Las Vegas Raiders, making it the team’s official ride-hailing partner. The agreement calls for a dedicated Waymo pickup and drop-off area at Allegiant Stadium for games, concerts and other major events. Waymo has not yet announced a public launch date for rides in Las Vegas. [Raiders announcement](https://www.raiders.com/news/the-las-vegas-raiders-and-waymo-announce-first-ever-autonomous-ride-hailing-partnership-at-allegiant-stadium) But as more vehicles operate without a human behind the wheel, some drivers remain uneasy about safety and accountability. Brendan Morris with UNLV’s Transportation Research Center studies machine learning and artificial intelligence in vehicles. He said he understands the hesitation but believes the technology has the potential to make roadways safer over time. Morris said autonomous systems are designed to remove some of the human errors that contribute to crashes, including distraction, impairment and reckless driving. Liability remains another concern for potential riders and motorists. Morris, who is not a legal expert, said responsibility in a crash involving a fully autonomous vehicle would typically fall on the company operating the service. Zoox has already launched robotaxi rides in Las Vegas, and its steering-wheel-free vehicles are now authorized to charge passengers under a temporary federal exemption. As the technology spreads, Morris said the key will be building public trust while companies and regulators continue to prove the vehicles can operate safely in real-world traffic.
Aug 28, 2026 · via news3lv.com