Automotive News Daily Drive

President Donald Trump wants Asian kei cars to be built and sold in the U.S. Toyota leaps back into supercars . Plus, service and parts consultant Vernon Davis talks about his new book about how to implement mobile service at a dealership.

Yuri Demidko, chief information Officer at Fox Motors, outlines the steps dealers need to take before settling on new artificial intelligence tools for their stores. President Donald Trump unveils his plan to slash fuel economy rules . Plus, dealer sentiment sinks as the tariff rush fades and tax credits end.

Jessica Caldwell, head of insights at Edmunds, talks about the state of the industry heading into 2026 and how affordability issues have continued to shrink the new car market. Trump is poised to propose relaxed fuel economy standards . Plus, thousands of dealerships fall victim to a new data breach .

Toyota, Ford, Honda, Hyundai and Kia posted mixed November U.S. sales , with strong hybrid volume offset by an EV slump. JLR fires the design boss behind Jaguar’s polarizing rebrand. Plus, Helion Technologies President Erik Nachbahr explains why the cybersecurity tools dealerships relied on five years ago are becoming obsolete.

Stellantis goes on a hiring spree at its North American headquarters. Pressure grows on Mercedes’ CEO as the company’s luxury strategy stalls. Plus, ChargerHelp CEO Kameale Terry explains why charging attempts still fail despite better uptime.

Eric Watson, Kia America’s vice president of sales operations, joins the show to talk about the automaker’s affordability strategy and why he’s optimistic about 2026. Audi’s pared down U.S. compact crossover lineup comes with big price hikes . Plus, 2025 has been the year artificial intelligence has started making a big mark on both carmaking and sales.

Hyundai Motor America CEO Randy Parker joins the show to talk about the automaker’s fresh models and why it’s still optimistic about the future of its electric vehicles. GM misses Canada’s deadline for a plan on its shuttered BrightDrop plant. And industry executives pitch collaboration on supply chain mapping .

General Motors is investing $550 million dollars at two component plants to support expanded U.S. vehicle production in 2027. Mercedes plots a comeback to retake America’s luxury crown. Plus, Michael Berube , CEO of Calstart, talks about how the public sector should be helping educate consumers about EVs.

Rachael Zaluzec, senior vice president of brand marketing and customer experience at Volkswagen of America, talks about the automaker’s restored microbus that survived the Palisades fire in January, which VW showed off at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Plus, the second and final part of an interview with Stefano Marzani of Amazon Web Services about connected vehicles’ dependence on strong cellular ser...

Automotive News’ Jerry Hirsch and Larry P. Vellequette discuss the biggest news from the Los Angeles Auto Show , including Kia’s spotlight on the redesigned Telluride SUV . Plus, a look at Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda’s decision to don a red “Make America Great Again” hat and Trump-Vance T-shirt at a NASCAR showcase in Japan Nov. 16.

A Tier 2 supplier is suing Nexteer over a canceled Ford EV program. China makes new demands to end the Nexperia chip crisis. Plus, Cox Automotive’s Skyler Chadwick talks about the findings from the company’s new Service Industry Study.

Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa talks about the company’s turnaround plan and the slew of new products it will unleash on the market next year. A breakdown of what dealership finance and insurance managers need to know about selling products to Gen Z customers . Plus, another fire hits the damaged Novelis aluminum plant in New York.

The Netherlands suspends its takeover of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia. Nissan considers a Rogue spin-off for Infiniti . Plus, Stefano Marzani of Amazon Web Services digs into issues around connected vehicles and their reliance on cellular service to function as designed. 

As part of Automotive News’ 100 year anniversary, former Ford Mexico CEO Kathleen Ligocki reflects on Mary Barra’s rise at General Motors and what it has meant for women in the industry. Toyota will spend almost a billion dollars to boost hybrid production across the U.S. Audi plans to build a Land Rover Defender rival for the American market.

Ford joins Hyundai on Amazon Autos for certified pre-owned vehicle sales. Hyundai Motor is set to invest $86 billion in South Korea in the wake of the country’s trade deal with the U.S. Plus, Cox Automotive’s Erin Keating talks about the state of the EV market after the end of federal tax credits.

Jonathan Eisen, curator of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, talks about the 100-plus-year-old partnership between the automotive and film industries. Plus, Cullen Hendrix of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, discusses the U.S. government’s role in any attempt to create a domestic rare earths supply chain . 

Automotive News’ Omari Gardner and Automotive News Canada’s Greg Layson talk about major moves by Japanese automakers this week to boost manufacturing and sales in the U.S. and Canada amid tariffs.

Mitsubishi seems confident it can turn around U.S. sales and jump into new segments. Volkswagen delays investments amid financial doubts. Plus, Tim Yalich of Carleton discusses the challenges dealerships face to quote accurate lease payments these days.

Nissan is readying a slew of new products for next year as part of a plan to restart U.S. sales growth. Scout Motors chooses Charlotte for its headquarters. Plus, Cullen Hendrix of the Peterson Institute for International Economics talks about whether the U.S. can catch up to China on rare earth mining and processing .

Toyota announces another massive U.S. investment . Waymo hits the highways , pulling further ahead of Tesla in the robotaxi race. Plus, KPMG’s Lenny LaRocca joins the show to talk about ongoing turmoil in automotive supply chains and what’s ahead for EV investments. Link:  Why does China dominate critical minerals for U.S. car industry? - Automotive News

Tesla has lost two key vehicle program leaders this week. Dutch officials visit China to end disputes over Nexperia. Plus, Automotive News’ Laurence Iliff breaks down massive pay packages for both Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe .

China is easing its export restrictions on Nexperia chips, a move that is already relieving pressure on global automakers hit by recent shortages. Rivian gives CEO RJ Scaringe a Musk-style pay package . Plus, Upstream Security’s Jennifer Tisdale talks about whether the auto industry is ready for the next vehicle hack.

Automotive News’ Laurence Iliff talks about why Slate has no interest in getting especially high-tech or jumping into the self-driving race with fellow electric vehicle startups such as Tesla or Rivian. Plus, Clarify Group President Darren Slind talks about the company’s latest auto show survey and some surprising results.

Automotive News Staff Reporters Michael Martinez and Molly Boigon talk about the week’s biggest news stories, including Ford’s Signature 2.0 program and more.

Tesla enters a new growth phase with the approval of Elon Musk’s new pay package. Meanwhile, some Nexperia chip deliveries resume . Honda’s bet on EVs backfire. Plus, Apple Tree Automotive Fixed Ops Director Richard Lupo joins the show to tell us how his service department is meeting customers in their home driveways with mobile service.