Tesla finally kills Autopilot in a bid to boost FSD subscriptions
Tesla finally kills Autopilot in a bid to boost FSD subscriptions Tesla scrapped its Autopilot driver assist feature that used to come standard in new vehicles, as it attempts to steer customers to its newly subscription-only Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. According to Electrek, the company removed Basic Autopilot as a standard feature from new Model […]
Tesla to stop selling FSD as a standalone package and switch to subscription only
Tesla to stop selling FSD as a standalone package and switch to subscription only Tesla Model Y electric vehicles (EV) at a dealership in Colma, California, US, on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. As its sales continue to slip and its robotaxi strategy seems to falter, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said today that the company would […]
What surprised us the most at CES 2026
What surprised us the most at CES 2026 There are some things you can reliably expect to see at the Consumer Electronics Show every year. Companies will announce big splashy TVs, there’s going to be a bunch of new gadgets for charging your other gadgets, and the odds are good that a robot or two […]
Sony and Honda’s Afeela EV will start customer deliveries in late 2026
Sony and Honda's Afeela EV will start customer deliveries in late 2026 Sony and Honda’s joint venture, Sony Honda Mobility (SHM), said it will start customer deliveries of the $90,000 Afeela 1 electric vehicle in in the US in late 2026. The company also showed off an SUV concept that it said would inform a […]
Humanoid robots are coming. Eventually?
Humanoid robots are coming. Eventually? This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on robotics and AI, follow Robert Hart. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. We’re taking a winter break! The Stepback will be […]
Elon Musk says Tesla drivers can text while driving, but they absolutely should not
Elon Musk says Tesla drivers can text while driving, but they absolutely should not I can’t believe I have to say this, but Tesla drivers should not start texting while driving, despite what Elon Musk says. Do not listen to the billionaire CEO of the company that makes your car. He will not be liable […]
BMW iX3 first drive: a ‘New Class’ is in session
BMW iX3 first drive: a 'New Class' is in session BMW has been peppering us with teasers and bits and pieces about its next-gen EV platform, Neue Klasse, for so long – fully two years now – that I confess I’ve become a bit numb to the hype. I’d seen the dashboard-filling displays, talked to […]
The Jeep Recon lives
The Jeep Recon lives It’s been over three years since we first caught glimpse of Jeep’s Wrangler-esque Recon EV, named after the automaker’s suspension-lifting package of off-roading options for its popular lineup of SUVs. Jeep originally pegged the Recon’s sales debut for 2023, but that obviously didn’t happen. And since then, there have been reports […]
Tesla rewards Elon Musk’s reality-distortion field
Tesla rewards Elon Musk's reality-distortion field The most striking moment of Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting Thursday wasn’t when Elon Musk won a impossible sounding pay package worth nearly $1 trillion. That was a foregone conclusion, given Musk’s popularity with retail shareholders and his ability to vote his own extensive holdings. To me, the more illuminating […]
The Polestar 4 takes EV minimalism to the next level
The Polestar 4 takes EV minimalism to the next level Since the launch of its Polestar 2 sedan in 2021, Swedish EV company Polestar has launched two additional models: the spacious 3 compact crossover SUV, and now the 4, a sporty, even more compact crossover SUV. The 4 slotting in between the 2 and 3 […]