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‘Look, no hands’: China chases the driverless dream at Beijing car show
As domestic sales slow, manufacturers are investing in AI and seeking growth in technology and in overseas markets At the world’s biggest car fair, which opened in Beijing on Friday, there were hundreds of manufacturers, more than 1,000 vehicles, hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts – and hardly anyone behind a wheel. China’s car companies have…
Union tries to seize control of works council at Tesla’s German factory
Lawsuits and slander claims fly in IG Metall’s battle with Elon Musk over employment rights and conditions Business live – latest updates Europe’s largest trade union is trying to gain control of the works council at Elon Musk’s Tesla gigafactory near Berlin, in an industrial relations showdown marked by lawsuits and mutual accusations of slander.…
‘It can be quite a thankless job’: why driving examiners are calling it quits
A staff exodus and a broken booking system are helping to cause huge jams in Britain’s driving test system It has long been a stressful rite of passage for many young people but, in recent years, passing the actual driving test is the easy part. Now, many people seeking a test need to wake up…
Conservatives would end 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars
Party would also abolish zero-emission vehicle mandate, cutting legal requirement on carmakers to sell EVs The Conservatives have announced proposals to end the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars and cut the legal requirement on car manufacturers to sell electric vehicles. A Conservative government would abolish the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, ending the…
Nexperia halts chip supplies to China in threat to global car production
Dutch-controlled company informs customers about suspension but is said to want to de-escalate trade war Nexperia, the EU-based automotive chipmaker at the centre of a geopolitical dispute, has suspended supplies to its Chinese factory, stepping up a trade war that threatens to halt production at carmakers around the world. The company wrote to customers this…
Is London ready for driverless taxis? – podcast
Autonomous cabs are a staple in some US cities – but how will they cope with London’s streets? Gwyn Topham and Johana Bhuiyan report Today in Focus presenter Helen Pidd enjoys a ride in a driverless taxi in Austin, Texas, as transport correspondent Gwyn Topham examines whether the technology can adapt to London’s medieval streets…
Driverless cars are coming to the UK – but the road to autonomy has bumps ahead
Waymo plans London robotaxis as early as 2026, but the history shows hype, hesitation and a few missed turns The age-old question from the back of the car feels just as pertinent as a new era of autonomy threatens to dawn: are we nearly there yet? For Britons, long-promised fully driverless cars, the answer is…
Driverless taxis from Waymo will be on London’s roads next year, US firm announces
Cars with human safety drivers will appear in coming weeks as permissions are sought for fully autonomous rides Driverless taxis from Waymo will be available for hire on London’s roads next year, the US company has announced. The UK capital will become the first European city to have an autonomous taxi service of the kind…
‘Little lungs are paying’: why the Dieselgate scandal is still running hot
Carmakers accused of cheating air pollution rules have faced little punishment in UK but trial brought by 1.6m motorists is about to begin “Little lungs are still paying for Dieselgate every day,” says Jemima Hartshorn, the founder of the Mums for Lungs campaign group. Her own young daughter has suffered serious breathing problems, which at…
‘Raring to go:’ the German remote-driving firm that hopes to make private car ownership redundant
Europe has been slow to embrace robotaxis but Germany will allow remote-controlled rental cars from December Having been summoned by a few clicks in an app, the electric car slows to a halt outside the former cargo hall of Berlin’s now defunct Tegel airport. No one is at the wheel, but upon a passenger stepping…