WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he is resetting federal fuel standards that were used by President Joe Biden&#8217;s administration to impose severe regulations on American car manufacturers.
The president unveiled the changes in the Oval Office, promising that the reset of the Biden-era fuel economy standards will save American families a combined $109 billion. The president said he will realign the standards with real world market conditions.
&#8220;Combined with the insane electric vehicle mandate, Biden&#8217;s burdensome regulations helped cause the price of cars to soar more than 425%, and in one case, they went up 18% in one year,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Today, we&#8217;re taking one more step to kill the Green New Scam.&#8221;
The president added that his administration&#8217;s action &#8220;is expected to save the typical consumer at least $1,000 off the price of a new car, and we think substantially more than that.&#8221;
Trump was flanked by Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy as well as Republican lawmakers and the CEOs of major American carmakers Ford and Stellantis.
“Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg illegally twisted mileage standards to create an electric vehicle mandate — jacking up car prices for American families and forcing manufacturers to produce vehicles no one wanted,” said Duffy. “I’m proud to stand with President Trump in the Oval Office today to say that those days are over. This administration understands the freedom of every American family starts with affordable cars. That’s why our new standards will make that dream more achievable by letting auto manufacturers produce the cars that fit families&#8217; needs at a lower price.”
Trump&#8217;s move was praised by auto leaders, including Ford CEO Jim Farley, who said in a statement ahead of the announcement, “As America’s largest auto producer, we appreciate President Trump’s leadership in aligning fuel economy standards with market realities. We can make real progress on carbon emissions and energy efficiency while still giving customers choice and affordability. This is a win for customers and common sense.”
Farley said in the Oval Office that Trump&#8217;s move will allow Ford to &#8220;invest in affordable vehicles made in the U.S.&#8221;
&#8220;We believe that people should be able to make a choice&#8221; between gas-powered, hybrid, and electric cars, Farley added. &#8220;And we will invest more in affordable vehicles.&#8221;
Under Biden&#8217;s rules, auto manufacturers were required to increase fuel efficiency to an average of around 50 miles per gallon for vehicles by 2031. The Trump administration took immediate action to eliminate the former president&#8217;s policies of fuel efficiency, and shortly after Duffy was sworn in as Transportation secretary in January, he signed an order to roll back Biden&#8217;s fuel economy standards.
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Biden&#8217;s stringent rules, which were imposed under the 1975 Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, worked as a &#8220;backdoor electric vehicle mandate,&#8221; according to the Trump administration. The White House argues that the reset of fuel economy standards &#8220;will realign&#8221; the Corporate Average Fuel Economy program with what Congress initially intended and will take a major burden off of car manufacturers.
Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said the Trump administration&#8217;s move would also give Americans more freedom when shopping for vehicles.
&#8220;We look forward to working further with [the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] on environmentally responsible policies that also allow us to offer our customers the freedom to choose the vehicles they want at prices they can afford,&#8221; Filosa said.
A spokesperson for General Motors said in a statement on Wednesday that it supports the goals of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration&#8217;s proposed rules as well as its &#8220;intention to better align fuel economy standards with market realities.&#8221;
&#8220;We have long advocated for one national standard that upholds customer choice and provides the auto industry long-term stability,&#8221; the spokesman said. &#8220;As we review the proposal, we remain committed to offering the best and broadest portfolio of electric and gas-powered vehicles on the market.&#8221;

President Trump Makes An Announcement On New U.S. Fuel Economy Standards

‘Historic Reset’: Trump Terminates Biden’s Fuel Standards That Squeezed Auto Companies

Auto Companies

Cars

Department of Transportation

Donald Trump

Sean Duffy

Gerry McGovern, the chief creative officer behind the disastrous Jaguar rebranding campaign, has reportedly been fired from the company just months after the new CEO took over, as originally <a href="https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/jlr-axes-design-boss-gerry-mcgovern">reported</a> by U.K.-based outlet Autocar.
McGovern was a 20-year veteran of the company and, per the outlet, was the main force behind the failed avant-garde marketing campaign that received mostly negative reviews from consumers. 
The shakeup comes just months after the car manufacturer appointed Indian national PB Balaji as chief executive officer following the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jaguar-ceo-steps-down-months-after-woke-rebrand-commercial-went-viral">departure</a> of Adrian Mardell.
The ad campaign for Jaguar sparked massive criticism online following its November 2024 release. The “Copy Nothing” campaign included a colorful commercial of people dressed in vibrant, outlandish outfits. The characters could be seen grabbing sledgehammers, painting over the camera lens, and striking poses as the music played.
One of the chief criticisms from viewers was that the ad did not feature any cars. 
Instead, disjointed phrases such as “create exuberant,” “live vivid,” “delete ordinary,” “break molds,” and “copy nothing” appear on the screen.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded to the ad, writing, “Do you sell cars?”
The social media account replied to many commenters questioning the ad, saying things like, “The story is unfolding. Stay tuned,” “We’re shifting gears, not our purpose,” and “Consider this the first brushstroke.”
The ad was part of a huge brand overhaul, which was described as going in a new EV-only direction.
Managing director Rawdon Glover complained about the backlash during an interview with the Financial Times, saying the campaign messaging was drowned out in “a blaze of intolerance” on social media. Glover also claimed that the colorful new ad was not meant to be “woke.”
McGovern defended the campaign at the time, saying, “Jaguar has its roots in originality. Sir William Lyons, our founder, believed that ‘a Jaguar should be a copy of nothing.’ Our vision for Jaguar today is informed by this philosophy. New Jaguar is a brand built around Exuberant Modernism.”
He continued, “It is imaginative, bold and artistic at every touchpoint. It is unique and fearless. We are creating Jaguar for the future, restoring its status as a brand that enriches the lives of our clients and the Jaguar community.”
Jaguar sales in Europe <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/01/business/jaguar-sales-plummet-after-botched-rebrand-ev-pivot/">dropped</a> by a whopping 97.5% following the botched rebrand as the car manufacturer transitioned from gasoline-powered vehicles to all-electric. 
The company told The Daily Wire on Thursday that they will not be commenting on the situation.

Jaguar

Man Behind Jaguar’s Controversial Rebrand Fired After Plummeting Sales

Design Boss Behind Jaguar's Controversial Rebrand Reportedly Fired After Plummeting Sales

Business

Electric cars

United Kingdom

Wokeness

World

Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda was smiling for photos and giving two thumbs up as he donned a red “Make America Great Again” hat and a Trump-Vance shirt during an American-themed NASCAR event in Japan over the weekend.
“I’m not here to argue whether tariffs are good or bad. Every national leader wants to protect their own industry,” Toyoda <a href="https://www.autonews.com/toyota/an-toyota-akio-toyoda-maga-nascar-trump-japan-tariff-1116/">said</a> ahead of the exhibition. “We are exploring ways to make tariffs a winner for everyone. The people we want most to be winners are our customers.”
Japan now has a roughly 15% baseline tariff on auto imports, down from 27.5% following September trade negotiations.
The America-themed celebration at Fuji Speedway featured top NASCAR drivers, fans waving American flags, and an appearance from U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass. The ambassador posted photos of himself at the event alongside the caption, “Start your engines! &#8230; Looking forward to celebrating the culture of motorsports again next year, as part of our [America250] festivities in Japan.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda showed up to a NASCAR event on Sunday repping MAGA gear.
BASED 🔥🔥🔥🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/NnkbuJaNfk">pic.twitter.com/NnkbuJaNfk</a>
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1990855538045792277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The event came days before the carmaker announced on Tuesday a $912 million investment in its U.S. manufacturing operations, aimed at expanding hybrid production in Southern states.
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Per Motor Intelligence <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/18/toyota-hybrid-plants.html">data</a>, Toyota currently has more than 51% market share of hybrid vehicles through the third quarter of this year.
“Customers are embracing Toyota’s hybrid vehicles, and our U.S. manufacturing teams are gearing up to meet that growing demand,” Kevin Voelkel, Toyota Motor North America senior vice president of manufacturing operations, <a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-boosts-hybrid-production-with-912-million-investment-creating-252-new-u-s-manufacturing-jobs/">said</a>. “Toyota’s philosophy is to build where we sell, and by adding more American jobs and investing across our U.S. footprint, we continue to stay true to that philosophy.”
Toyota announced last week it will invest as much as $10 billion into the United States over the next five years, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-11-14/toyota-confirms-up-to-10-billion-investment-in-u-s">confirming</a> what President Donald Trump had said in October after meeting with the company’s CEO.

Akio Toyoda

Toyota CEO Goes Full MAGA At NASCAR Event Then Drops $912M On U.S. Jobs

Toyota CEO Rocks MAGA Hat At NASCAR Event, Then Announces Nearly $1B Boost To U.S. Manufacturing

Economy

Japan

MAGA

Tariffs

WASHINGTON — A group representing nearly all major automakers asked the Trump administration Tuesday to roll back aggressive vehicle emissions limits that seek to force the industry to build a rising number of electric vehicles.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents General Motors, Toyota Motor, Volkswagen, Hyundai, and other major automakers, said in a filing with the Environmental Protection Agency that legislation signed by President Donald Trump in June will increase the effective price of EVs and could lead to a near-term decline in EV market share.
They argue that rules finalized last year under President Joe Biden are no longer feasible.
&#8220;The 2027 and later standards are simply not achievable in light of significant market, charging infrastructure, supply chain, affordability, and other challenges as well as recent policy changes enacted,&#8221; the group said.
The 2024 Biden rules aim to cut passenger vehicle fleetwide tailpipe emissions by nearly 50% by 2032 compared with 2027 projected levels. The EPA forecast between 35% and 56% of new vehicles sold between 2030 and 2032 would need to be electric.
On Sept. 30, the $7,500 EV tax credit expires, and automakers warn that &#8220;a significant portion&#8221; of automakers may lose a battery production tax credit for EVs typically worth $3,000 per year next year under the law.
&#8220;This harms not only the automotive manufacturers that have spent hundreds of millions of dollars investing in electric vehicle technology, but also the entire supply chain that has supported these initiatives,&#8221; the group said.
In July, the EPA proposed rescinding the long-standing finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health, removing the legal foundation for all U.S. greenhouse gas regulations, a move that would end current limits on greenhouse gas pollution from vehicle tailpipes.
Democrats in Congress and environmental groups have called on the EPA to drop its plan and retain the rules.
Automakers argue the EPA should still rewrite the Biden rules, saying they &#8220;still need to be revised to feasible levels to provide certainty for the industry.&#8221; The group said &#8220;such a contingency plan will be critical if motor vehicle GHG standards are retained or reinstated in some way.&#8221;
(Reporting by David Shepardson, Editing by Franklin Paul and Nick Zieminski)

Cars ride in traffic along the I5 freeway is shown in Los Angeles, California

Major Automakers Call For EPA To Ease Tailpipe Emissions Rules

Automobiles

Climate Change

General Motors

Tesla

The CEO of Jaguar is stepping down from his position not long after after the company went viral for an avant garde rebrand that many deemed ultra woke.
Adrian Mardell is reported to be retiring from his role after spending three decades at the luxury car company. The exec worked in finance for most of his tenure before stepping in to serve as CEO for the past three years, per a Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/jaguar-land-rover-says-ceo-mardell-step-down-2025-07-31/">report</a>. No reason was given for his upcoming departure.
An ad campaign for Jaguar sparked massive criticism online following its November release. The “Copy Nothing” campaign included a colorful commercial of people dressed in vibrant, outlandish outfits. The characters could be seen grabbing sledgehammers, painting over the camera lens, and striking poses as the music played.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Copy nothing. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jaguar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jaguar</a> <a href="https://t.co/BfVhc3l09B">pic.twitter.com/BfVhc3l09B</a>
— Jaguar (@Jaguar) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jaguar/status/1858800846646948155?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
One of the chief criticisms viewers have is that the ad doesn’t have any cars in it.
Instead, disjointed phrases such as “create exuberant,” “live vivid,” “delete ordinary,” “break molds,” and “copy nothing” appear on the screen.
Tesla founder Elon Musk responded to the ad, writing, “Do you sell cars?”
The social media account replied to many commenters questioning the ad, saying things like, “The story is unfolding. Stay tuned,” “We’re shifting gears, not our purpose,” and “Consider this the first brushstroke.”
The ad was part of a huge brand overhaul, which has been described as going in a new EV-only direction.
Managing director Rawdon Glover complained about the backlash during an interview with the Financial Times, saying the campaign messaging was drowned out in “a blaze of intolerance” on social media. Glover also claimed that the colorful new ad was not meant to be “woke.”
“If we play in the same way that everybody else does, we’ll just get drowned out. So we shouldn’t turn up like an auto brand,” Glover said at the time, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/woke-is-dead-jaguar-gets-mocked-for-colorful-car-free-brand-re-launch">reported</a>.
“We need to re-establish our brand and at a completely different price point so we need to act differently. We wanted to move away from traditional automotive stereotypes.”

Adrian Mardell

Jaguar CEO Steps Down Months After Woke Rebrand Commercial Went Viral

Robotaxis produced by Google&#8217;s sister company, Waymo, rolled out onto New York City streets earlier this week as it tests the vehicles with &#8220;human safety operators&#8221; in America&#8217;s most populous city for the first time.
Waymo submitted its application to the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) last month to roll out a &#8220;small fleet&#8221; of robotaxis, but to comply with state law, the company must place a human in each car, at least for now, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/09/us-news/self-driving-robotaxi-service-waymo-launches-nyc-pilot-testing/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_medium=social">reported</a>. Waymo and the DOT are currently pushing for the state to change its law that requires human drivers in each vehicle. Two bills introduced earlier this year to overturn the state&#8217;s ban on self-driving vehicles are still in committee.
“We are working hard to bring Waymo to New Yorkers in the future, starting with this testing and advocating for changes to state law,” a DOT representative told the Post.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
We&#39;re on the move in the Big Apple! 🏙️ We&#39;ve begun testing in New York – be sure to give us a wave and snap a pic if you see us in the city. <a href="https://t.co/0cu2XSWAoi">pic.twitter.com/0cu2XSWAoi</a>
&mdash; Waymo (@Waymo) <a href="https://twitter.com/Waymo/status/1942377604985618487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“The data to date shows that Waymo outperforms human drivers, significantly reducing the frequency of injury-causing traffic collisions,” said a spokesman for Waymo.
The manually driven Waymo vehicles in NYC will be servicing Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, according to <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/07/waymo-heading-to-philadelphia-and-nyc/">TechCrunch</a>. They will also map out parts of New Jersey, focusing on Jersey City and Hoboken. Waymo vehicles also hit Philadelphia this week, where the vehicles will be seen throughout the downtown area as well as driving “at all hours throughout various Philadelphia neighborhoods, from North Central to Eastwick, University City, and as far east as the Delaware River.”
Waymo&#8217;s move to NYC and Philadelphia this week is part of the company&#8217;s &#8220;road trips,&#8221; a plan used to send small batches of human-driven vehicles to cities across the United States to map out areas where Waymo could expand its services in the future. Waymo also plans to embark on &#8220;road trips&#8221; to Houston, Orlando, Las Vegas, San Diego, and San Antonio this year, TechCrunch reported.
&#8220;Once the Waymo Driver understands the lay of the land, the vehicles can begin driving autonomously. During these trips, human specialists provide feedback to our engineering teams on the driving experience and flag unique nuances that might come with operating in new areas. Simultaneously, our engineering team can evaluate the Waymo Driver&#8217;s performance in a virtual replica of the new location,&#8221; Waymo <a href="https://waymo.com/blog/2023/11/road-trip-how-our-cross-country-testing-helps-advance-the-waymo-driver">said</a> in November 2023.
Waymo&#8217;s self-driving robotaxis are currently <a href="https://waymo.com/">operating</a> in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Austin.
As Waymo looks to roll out robotaxis in more cities, it has also been forced to address some issues with its driverless cars. In May, Waymo <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/over-1200-self-driving-robotaxis-recalled-due-to-software-glitch-that-led-to-crashes">recalled</a> more than 1,200 of its robotaxis after a software glitch caused multiple crashes into chains, gates, or other roadway barriers, objects that road safety regulators said &#8220;a competent driver would be expected to avoid.&#8221;
Waymo said that it fixed the issue with a regular update to its fifth-generation self-driving software in November 2024.
Some Los Angeles and San Francisco residents have also recorded incidents involving driverless Waymo vehicles, including confusion, backing into oncoming traffic, and blocking emergency vehicles.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Waymo turned into oncoming traffic on the way to work.
It sat there confused for 45 seconds with its hazards on.
Then it proceeded to back up into oncoming traffic.
And they’re about to let these guys on the freeway 😂 <a href="https://t.co/ZLRKx2loo1">pic.twitter.com/ZLRKx2loo1</a>
&mdash; Jake Glaser | LA Multifamily (@LAMultiBroker) <a href="https://twitter.com/LAMultiBroker/status/1885370114054512921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Videos like this is why I have my doubts on Waymo. 
Blocking three emergency vehicles in the middle of an intersection, and it just looks confused. <a href="https://t.co/wUe7RDltzL">pic.twitter.com/wUe7RDltzL</a>
&mdash; Nic Cruz Patane (@niccruzpatane) <a href="https://twitter.com/niccruzpatane/status/1929590206488883246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Waymo

NYC Finally Allows Driverless Cars – But Only With ‘Human Safety Monitors’ Behind The Wheel

General

Google

New York

New York City

Robots

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is revising fuel economy standards to make cars more affordable for Americans.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is resetting the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards and medium and heavy-duty fuel efficiency programs (MDHD). NHTSA&#8217;s Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards regulate how far vehicles must travel on a gallon of fuel. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) of 1975 directs the Secretary of Transportation and the NHTSA to prescribe average fuel economy standards for vehicles.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we are making vehicles more affordable and easier to manufacture in the United States. The previous administration illegally used CAFE standards as an electric vehicle mandate – raising new car prices and reducing safety. Resetting CAFE standards as Congress intended will lower vehicle costs and ensure the American people can purchase the cars they want,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-announces-key-step-toward-making-cars">stated</a>.
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“EPCA was passed in the context of the Arab oil embargoes of the 1970s when American consumers and the U.S. economy were threatened by gasoline shortages and high fuel prices,” DOT <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2025-06/cafe-interpretive-rule-2127-ZA26-web.pdf">notes</a>, adding, “the purpose of the CAFE program was to induce automakers into offering America’s consumers more efficient vehicle options to advance the national goal of conserving energy &#8230; The statutory prohibition was clear at the time of enactment and has remained clear: it is impermissible for NHTSA to consider the fuel economy of dedicated automobiles in setting maximum feasible fuel economy standards.”
“NHTSA will reset the CAFE and MDHD standards programs consistent with the law,” DOT stated. “This interpretation lays the appropriate groundwork for standard-setting rulemakings that will rest the agency’s regulatory programs as determined necessary to bring them into compliance with Administration policy and applicable substantive statutory requirements as enacted by Congress &#8230;”
On the day he was inaugurated, President Donald Trump issued <a href="https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-01956.pdf">Executive Order</a> 14154, in which he stated, “It is the policy of the United States to ensure that all regulatory requirements related to energy are grounded in clearly applicable law; to eliminate the ‘electric vehicle (EV) mandate’ and promote true consumer choice, which is essential for economic growth and innovation, by removing regulatory barriers to motor vehicle access; by ensuring a level regulatory playing field for consumer choice in vehicles; by terminating, where appropriate, state emissions waivers that function to limit sales of gasoline-powered automobiles &#8230;”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Marks Newark Airport Runway Reopening

Trump Admin Is Slashing Fuel Efficiency Standards, Claims It Will ‘Make Cars Affordable Again’

CAFE standards

Politics

Transportation

This week, the Republican-controlled Senate aims to dismantle the former Biden administration&#8217;s move giving California room to implement a green agenda for cars across the country, Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) announced on Tuesday.
During <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4856qr2PN0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remarks</a> on the Senate floor, Thune said the upper chamber will take up Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions to overturn Clean Air Act preemption waivers the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted to California, which <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/12/18/epa-california-electric-vehicles-waiver" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allowed</a> it to proceed with a plan to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035.
The waivers allowed California &#8220;to dictate emissions standards for the whole country – effectively imposing a nationwide electric vehicle mandate,&#8221; said Thune, who called the state&#8217;s rules an &#8220;improper expansion of a limited Clean Air Act authority and would endanger consumers, our economy, and our nation’s energy supply.&#8221;
A key conflict is whether the CRA, which allows bypassing a filibuster to undo regulations, applies to the waivers. Both the Senate <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5233436-senate-parliamentarian-says-lawmakers-cant-overturn-california-car-rules-but-republicans-may-try-anyway/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">parliamentarian</a> and Government Accountability Office (<a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/b-337179" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GAO</a>) have assessed the waivers are not rules that qualify.
But the Senate is poised to press forward, as Thune contended the EPA submitted the waivers as rules. He also noted the GOP-led House already <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025114?Date=05%2F01%2F2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted</a> to pass a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval with the support of 35 Democrats, and did so &#8220;without objection from the House parliamentarian.&#8221;
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA), the top Democrat for the Committee on Rules and Administration and a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, declared in a <a href="https://www.padilla.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/padilla-places-holds-on-epa-nominees-until-republicans-cease-efforts-to-abuse-the-cra-to-revoke-californias-clean-air-act-waivers/#:~:text=But%20if%20my%20Republican%20colleagues,the%20CRA%2C%E2%80%9D%20added%20Senator%20Padilla" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that he was placing a hold on EPA nominees until Republicans back off and warned of future consequences if the GOP refuses to relent.
“None of these actions are rules, which is why they’ve never been submitted to Congress as rules,&#8221; Padilla said. &#8220;But if my Republican colleagues open this door and overturn the Parliamentarian’s wise safeguards on this type of abuse, there would be no practical limit, and the Senate could be forced to vote repeatedly on such matters that are clearly not ‘rules’ notwithstanding the plain language of the CRA.&#8221;
Thune suggested there will soon be repercussions for GAO, which <a href="https://www.gao.gov/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bills</a> itself as being an independent and non-partisan agency that &#8220;works for&#8221; Congress, because of the stance it took on the CRA in the California waiver debate.
&#8220;It is true that we are facing something of a novel situation,&#8221; Thune said. &#8220;Because for the first time ever, the Government Accountability Office has decided to insert itself into the process and affirmatively declare that an agency rule submitted to Congress as a rule is not a rule. It’s an extraordinary deviation from precedent for an agency that should be defending Congress’ power instead of constraining it.&#8221;
He added: &#8220;And frankly &#8230; I think we need to act to ensure that this intrusion into the Congressional Review Act process doesn’t become a habit, and that the Senate doesn’t end up transferring its decision-making power on CRA resolutions to the Government Accountability Office. That’s why this week I intend to bring the question of GAO’s unprecedented interference to the floor.&#8221;
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Thune: Senate to Overturn California Waiver Rules" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w4856qr2PN0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Senate Majority Leader John Thune

Senate Gears Up To Stop California’s 2035 Gas Vehicle Sales Ban

California

Congress

Environment

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

John Thune

U.S. Senate

Waymo, the software company that was first known as the Google Self-Driving Car Project, recalled more than 1,200 of its robotaxis this week after a software glitch caused multiple crashes into chains, gates, or other roadway barriers.
The recall comes after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into Waymo robotaxis after reports of the automated cars violating traffic laws, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/14/waymo-recalls-1200-self-driving-vehicles-after-minor-collisions.html#:~:text=Alphabet's%20Waymo%20is%20recalling%20more,opened%20a%20probe%20last%20year." target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Waymo said it was aware of 16 collisions with barriers between 2022 and 2024, none of which were serious. The company currently has more than 1,500 robotaxis operating in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Austin.
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Waymo turned into oncoming traffic on the way to work.
It sat there confused for 45 seconds with its hazards on.
Then it proceeded to back up into oncoming traffic.
And they’re about to let these guys on the freeway 😂 <a href="https://t.co/ZLRKx2loo1">pic.twitter.com/ZLRKx2loo1</a>
&mdash; Jake Glaser | LA Multifamily (@LAMultiBroker) <a href="https://twitter.com/LAMultiBroker/status/1885370114054512921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Road safety regulators said that some of the crashes “involved collisions with clearly visible objects that a competent driver would be expected to avoid.”
Waymo said it has fixed the issue with a regular update to its fifth-generation self-driving software in November of 2024.
“Waymo provides more than 250,000 paid trips every week in some of the most challenging driving environments in the U.S.,” the company said, according to CNBC. “Our record of reducing injuries over tens of millions of fully autonomous miles driven shows our technology is making roads safer.”
It&#8217;s at least the third time in the past year that Waymo has recalled robotaxis over potential software issues. In February, the company recalled 444 automated vehicles after two robotaxis crashed into the same truck that was being towed, according to <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/14/business/waymo-recalls-1200-robotaxis-over-glitch-linked-to-crashes/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Post</a>. Last June, 700 robotaxis were recalled after one crashed into a telephone pole in Phoenix. No one was injured in that crash.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also looking into Tesla&#8217;s planned launch of its own robotaxi service, which it hopes to start up in June. The federal government has <a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2024/INIM-PE24031-62887.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> Tesla to provide more information on its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system to “understand how Tesla plans to evaluate its vehicles and driving automation technologies for use on public roads.” The feds also want to know how many robotaxis Tesla plans on sending out and if the vehicles will be monitored by Tesla in real time.
In a social media post in April, Tesla announced, &#8220;FSD Supervised ride-hailing service is live for an early set of employees in Austin &amp; San Francisco Bay Area. We&#8217;ve completed over 1.5k trips &amp; 15k miles of driving. This service helps us develop &amp; validate FSD networks, the mobile app, vehicle allocation, mission control &amp; remote assistance operations.&#8221;
This article has been updated to clarify that Waymo said it fixed the issue with a regular update to its fifth-generation software.

Over 1,200 Self-Driving Robotaxis Recalled Due To Software Glitch That Led To Crashes

Recall

Technology

A 2020 research paper titled “Car Seats as Contraception” has once again become the springboard for debates over why so-called “family vehicles” such as minivans and SUVs are unable to accommodate multiple car seats easily.
Social media users argue that it’s just another way that large families are discouraged or even discriminated against. They question why car seat manufacturers are not intentionally designing their products to be more streamlined so three can fit across a bench seat in the back of a high occupancy vehicle, and why car manufacturers are not similarly concerned with making their vehicles big-family friendly.
The <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/731812">paper</a>, which appeared in The University of Chicago Journal of Law &amp; Economics, argues that people are less likely to have more children due to the limitations posed by fitting many car seats into a standardly equipped vehicle.
“Women with two children younger than their state’s [car seat] age mandate have a lower annual birth probability of .73 percentage points,” the paper says. It notes that this trend began in 1977 when car seat laws were passed.
This concept has become a hot topic of conversation on X as parents with big families relate with this particular struggle.
“I’ve been saying this. [T]here is NO reason you shouldn’t be able to easily fit 3 car seats of any brand in any car that has 3 back seats. so many people I know have had to buy a bigger car for a third kid and I don’t think people realize this is actually a serious consideration for everyone thinking of growing their family beyond 2 kids,” one reaction <a href="https://x.com/smalltown_wife/status/1922026703070597141">said</a>.
“I’m a car seat fan — my kids max out weight limits rear facing &amp; in 5 pt harnesses,” one person <a href="https://x.com/OliveSprouts/status/1921767411428020290">shared</a>. “HOWEVER. Carseat design &amp; car design appear to be 2 fields so separate they’ve never even contemplated the existence of the other.”
“If your minivan seats 7 you should be able to fit 5 car seats,” the social media user added.
“I find this 100% believable,” another person <a href="https://x.com/peterjhasson/status/1921692058294628771">wrote</a>. “We have two toddlers. Our third child is on the way. Federal regulations mean that we are *required* to buy a bigger car than our CR-V if we want our family to legally ride together in the same car. I have 0 idea how that’s supposed to work if you’re a working class parent.”
“We just had to buy a bigger vehicle to accommodate #5 which who’ll be here October,” another commenter echoed. “We had a Grand Caravan, and I wasn’t able to fit 4 in properly because of the rear bench seatbelts and anchors. We just did the best we could which meant not using the seats as per the manual.”
The topic went viral once before when a resurfaced clip of Vice President J.D. Vance weighed in on the topic during a 2023 congressional hearing. A clip of his statements was circulated in September 2024 ahead of the election.
&#8220;American families aren&#8217;t having enough children. I think there&#8217;s evidence that some of the things that we&#8217;re doing to parents is driving down the number of children that American families are having,&#8221; Vance said in the <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@whattheactualkaren/video/7416820046808321323">video</a>.
&#8220;In particular, there&#8217;s evidence that the car seat rules that we&#8217;ve imposed, which of course I want kids to drive in car seats, have driven down the number of babies born in this country by over 100,000. So as we think about how to make kids safe here, I think we should do it in a way that&#8217;s accommodating to American families.&#8221;
Social media accounts dedicated to making multiple car seats work in standard American cars have become popular, with one of the most well-known, “The Car Mom,” promising “Car reviews and car buying tips for families.”

Car Seats

Are Car Seats Making It Harder To Have More Kids? Online Debate Reignites

Children

family

Parenting

Safety

President Donald Trump&#8217;s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is on a mission to &#8220;fix&#8221; the despised start/stop technology in newer cars that shuts down a vehicle&#8217;s engine when stopped in traffic or at a red light in the name of conserving fuel and saving the planet.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said on Monday that his agency would begin looking into how it can modify the start/stop feature. The EPA currently incentivizes car manufacturers to make cars with the start/stop system. The technology can give vehicles anywhere between a 3% to 10% fuel economy boost.
&#8220;Start/stop technology: where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy. EPA approved it, and everyone hates it, so we’re fixing it,&#8221; Zeldin wrote on X.
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Start/stop technology: where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy. EPA approved it, and everyone hates it, so we’re fixing it. <a href="https://t.co/zFhijMyHDe">pic.twitter.com/zFhijMyHDe</a>
&mdash; Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin/status/1921894994769575972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Zeldin did not elaborate on specific plans to change the feature.
Start/stop technology was first used by European car manufacturers on hybrids, but over the past decade, most automakers began implementing the system in many of their new vehicles, including SUVs and pickup trucks. By 2019, however, more automakers began giving drivers the option to shut off the start/stop system as people began to complain. Buick first gave drivers that option with its 2019 Envision based on &#8220;customer feedback,&#8221; according to <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a19561461/automakers-increasingly-offer-ways-to-deactivate-stopstart-systems-temporarily/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Car and Driver</a>. Ford, GM, Volvo, and Lincoln also began including the shut-off option in their start/stop vehicles between 2017 and 2018.
While most cars with start/stop technology allow drivers to deactivate the system, they can&#8217;t turn it off permanently, and owners of start/stop cars who don&#8217;t want to use the tech still have to turn it off every time they get back in the car. The EPA’s fuel-economy test results for vehicles with the start/stop system are affected if drivers turn the system off. According to Car and Driver, &#8220;If a vehicle’s stop/start system can be permanently turned off, then the vehicle’s fuel economy is tested both when stop/start is active and when it’s off. The EPA then averages the two tests for a resulting fuel-economy rating found on the car’s window sticker—which is certain to be lower.&#8221;
The response to Zeldin&#8217;s announcement was overwhelmingly <a href="https://x.com/epaleezeldin/status/1921894994769575972/quotes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">positive</a> on social media, with many people calling the objective &#8220;common sense.&#8221;

Traffic

Trump Admin Sets Out To ‘Fix’ Everyone’s Least Favorite Car Feature

Lee Zeldin

Trump Administration

Americans will soon feel the pinch of President Donald Trump&#8217;s tariffs if they&#8217;re looking to buy certain Ford vehicles, according to a notice sent to dealers and obtained by Reuters.
Citing Trump&#8217;s tariff on foreign vehicle imports, Ford is increasing the prices of its Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, Maverick pickup truck, and Bronco Sport by as much as $2,000, Reuters <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/07/ford-hikes-prices-on-mexico-produced-models-citing-tariffs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The price increase will only affect vehicles built after May 2, which are expected to arrive at U.S. dealerships in late June, according to a Ford spokesman.
The spokesman added that the price increase reflects “usual” mid-year actions &#8220;combined with some tariffs we are facing.&#8221;
&#8220;We have not passed on the full cost of tariffs to our customers,&#8221; the spokesman added.
The price increase will likely be seen after Ford ends its major <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/from-america-for-america-ford-offering-major-discounts-as-tariffs-kick-in" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discount offer</a> for American buyers. Ford is currently offering customers employee pricing until June 2, which it says is &#8220;worth thousands of dollars&#8221; in savings.
In an effort to push for more American car production, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on auto imports, affecting around eight million vehicles imported to the United States each year. Late last month, Trump<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-major-victory-trump-makes-deal-with-auto-industry-for-tariff-relief" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> made a deal</a> with the auto industry to relieve some of the tariff pressure, signing an order to prevent auto tariffs from “stacking” on top of each other in exchange for manufacturers&#8217; continued focus on domestic production. While auto manufacturers will continue to pay the 25% tariff on auto imports under the new deal, they won&#8217;t be hit with additional tariffs, such as the 25% tax on steel and aluminum.
Car companies, including Ford, suspended their annual earnings guidance for 2025 over the tariffs. Ford said earlier this week that it expects to see a $2.5 billion impact from Trump&#8217;s tariffs, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/05/ford-motor-f-earnings-q1-2025.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The Michigan-based auto company has yet to announce any plans to ramp up domestic manufacturing or move plants from Mexico to the United States. After Trump relieved some tariff pressure on car companies, Ford CEO Jim Farley <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/29/trump-auto-tariffs.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vowed</a> to “continue to work closely with the administration in support of the president’s vision for a healthy and growing auto industry in America.&#8221;
&#8220;Ford sees policies that encourage exports and ensure affordable supply chains to promote more domestic growth as essential,&#8221; Farley added.
Some of Ford&#8217;s foreign competition, such as Hyundai, BMW, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mercedes-says-it-will-make-another-car-in-the-u-s-after-trump-tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mercedes-Benz</a>, have announced plans to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tariffs-very-strongly-work-trump-announces-21-billion-hyundai-investment-in-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invest</a> in more U.S. manufacturing as they seek to navigate the tariffs.

Ford

Ford To Jack Up Prices On Vehicles Made In Mexico Over Tariffs

Ford Motor Co.

Mexico

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