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Ford has brought back roughly 350 experienced engineers, including former employees, to catch defects that its automated quality systems and AI-based inspection tools were missing. A company vice president acknowledged that Ford had wrongly assumed feeding design requirements into AI would be sufficient to ensure vehicle quality.
Slate Auto's stripped-down electric truck starts at $24,950, undercutting most new vehicles by tens of thousands of dollars, and lets buyers customize it with vinyl wraps and over 200 accessories. Its 63 kWh battery yields an estimated 205-mile range, well below rivals that often reach 280 to 450 miles, though its 181-horsepower motor and towing capacity roughly match Ford's Maverick hybrid.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang publicly dismissed Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's proposal for antitrust exemptions that would let AI companies coordinate a slowdown in development, calling it unnecessary. OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar separately said she isn't concerned about pausing AI progress, arguing the intelligence already built is substantial enough to matter even if development stopped now.
Autonomy, the car subscription startup that once pledged to buy 23,000 EVs, is now adding internal combustion engine vehicles for the first time. The company will offer gas-powered Ford models like the Mustang, F-150 and Bronco Sport, sourced from Galpin Motors, starting in California with plans to expand through dealer partners in other states.
Several automakers are developing extended-range electric vehicles that run primarily on electric motors but carry a small gasoline engine solely to recharge the battery, not to drive the wheels. Stellantis will bring this setup to the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Ram 1500 REV, promising up to 690 miles of range, while Hyundai, Genesis and Ford plan similar models for the Santa Fe, an unnamed Genesis SUV and a revived F-150 Lightning.
Nvidia announced a deal to purchase open-source AI platform Hugging Face for roughly $13 billion, news that broke alongside the close of the G20's two-day Innovation Ministerial in Chapel Hill. At the summit, tech leaders including Nvidia's Jensen Huang and OpenAI's Sam Altman pushed governments to treat AI adoption as essential, while officials debated the costs and benefits of data center expansion.
Uber has begun operating the UK's first robotaxi service in London, using 15 Ford Mustang electric vehicles fitted with Wayve's autonomous driving technology. Each car currently requires a human safety driver ready to intervene, and rides cost the same as a standard UberX, Electric or Comfort trip. The self-driving option only appears in the app after booking, if a suitable vehicle is nearby.
Uber has begun offering self-driving rides in London through a partnership with British AV startup Wayve, using electric Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles equipped with cameras and radar. A human safety operator will remain behind the wheel for now, and the companies plan to extend the service to Nissan Leaf vehicles in Tokyo later this year.
Uber has launched autonomous ride-hailing in London through a partnership with British self-driving company Wayve, using Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles equipped with Wayve's technology. Riders booking UberX, Comfort, or Electric may be matched with these vehicles, which still require a human safety supervisor behind the wheel under Uber's newly granted London operating license. Pricing matches standard Uber rates, and tipping prompts are disabled by default despite the human presence.
Uber has begun operating autonomous vehicles in London using self-driving technology from UK startup Wayve, marking the city's first commercial robotaxi service. The cars, currently Ford Mustang Mach-Es with plans to add Nissan Leafs, still carry safety drivers who monitor but don't control the vehicles, and riders can opt in via the Uber app when booking UberX, Comfort, or Electric trips.
Ford VP Alan Clarke explained that after evaluating Apple, Google, and other mapping providers, the company chose Apple Maps for native integration in its upcoming Universal Electric Vehicle Platform, including the Fathom model. He cited Apple's flexibility, improved map quality, and close collaboration on EV-specific needs like range estimation and battery preconditioning as deciding factors.
Slate Auto has introduced a compact two-door electric truck that strips away typical modern features, offering manual crank windows as standard and a small 65-kWh battery yielding roughly 205 miles of range. The base model costs under $25,000, far less than the average $50,000 new vehicle price in the US, though buyers can pay extra for upgrades like power windows, vinyl wraps, and a Bluetooth stereo.