Ford and Rivian have abandoned a plan they had to jointly develop an EV together. In an interview with Automotive News, Ford CEO Jim Farley said the automaker will go it alone as it aims to produce 600,000 vehicles per year by the end of 2023.

When the company invested $500 million in Rivian in 2019, the two said they would work together to produce a Ford-branded EV featuring the startup's "skateboard" powertrain. In early 2020, the two, citing the pandemic, canceled a Lincoln-branded EV. At the time, they said they still planned to go forward with an "alternative vehicle" based on Rivian's technology. Now, that project won't go forward either.

"Right now, we have growing confidence in our ability to win in the electric space," Farley told Automotive News. "When you compare today with when we originally made that investment, so much has changed: about our ability, about the brand's direction in both cases, and now it's more certain to us what we have to do."

According to Farley, part of the reason Ford and Rivian decided not to move forward with the project is the complexities of marrying their hardware and software together. The companies say the decision has not affected their relationship.

"As Ford has scaled its own EV strategy and demand for Rivian vehicles has grown, we've mutually decided to focus on our own projects and deliveries," a spokesperson for Rivian told Engadget. "Our relationship with Ford is an important part of our journey, and Ford remains an investor and ally on our shared path to an electrified future."

Rockstar Games has apologized for the shoddy quality of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - Definitive Edition. It plans to fix "the unexpected technical issues" and improve the three games in the collection.

"We want to sincerely apologize to everyone who has encountered issues playing these games," the publisher said. "The updated versions of these classic games did not launch in a state that meets our own standards of quality, or the standards our fans have come to expect." The first update is scheduled to arrive in the coming days and it will "address a number of issues."

It didn't take long for players to start sharing clips of bugs and glitches on social media after the remastered collection of GTA III, GTA: Vice City and GTA: San Andreas arrived last week. Digital Foundry took a deep dive into GTA III and found there were "issues that are so blatant and jarring and ridiculous, it's hard to understand how the game made its way through quality control."

What's more, Rockstar pulled the PC version of the bundle soon after launch to "remove some data files that were unintentionally included in the new versions of these games" (those are believed to include files related to the infamous San Andreas "Hot Coffee" mod). The collection was available to buy again a few days later. Rockstar Launcher services were unavailable for over a day too, making the collection and the PC versions of Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online unplayable during that time.

Soon after Rockstar announced the release date for the trilogy in October, it removed the original versions the games from digital storefronts. Now, the classic versions of GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas are returning to PC as a bundle on the Rockstar Store. Players who buy the remastered trilogy on PC by June 30th will receive the originals at no extra cost.

Meanwhile, Rockstar has asked everyone to refrain from attacking developers on social media. "We would kindly ask our community to please maintain a respectful and civil discourse around this release as we work through these issues," it said. Grove Street Games, which is behind ports of several other Rockstar titles, worked on these remasters.

Ford has ambitions to become the biggest US-based EV manufacturer someday, and that means greatly ramping up its production. Company CEO Jim Farley has announced that the automaker is planning to produce 600,000 electric vehicles per year by the end of 2023, which will double the number of EVs it originally intended to manufacture. According to Automotive News, production will be spread across the Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning and E-Transit.

Ford's current EV lineup is wildly popular, Farley said, and the demand is "so much higher" than the company expected. The Mustang Mach-E is selling on three continents, while the Ford F-150 Lightning has been popular from the time it was announced. Ford received 100,000 reservations within three weeks after it was unveiled, and that number's now up to 160,000 — all placed with a $100 refundable deposit. Due to the high demand for the F-150, Ford previously decided to invest $250 million to boost its production, creating 450 new jobs to help it make 80,000 trucks a year. It's unclear how much that target would change now that the company is doubling its manufacturing goal. 

Before it achieves its ultimate goal of being the biggest EV producer in the US, Ford is first aiming to become the second largest behind Tesla. As CNBC notes, whether Ford can achieve that with 600,000-a-year production target remains to be seen. Long-time Ford rival GM is expecting to sell 1 million electric vehicles by 2025 and is also ramping up production by converting current plants and opening new ones in the US over the coming years.

Nissan is finally ready to offer pricing and other tangible details for its electric Ariya crossover. The automaker has started taking reservations for the Ariya beginning at $45,950 for the Venture+ model. That's more than the $40,000 ballpark from before, but still brings the price down to $38,450 with a federal tax credit. The Venture+ may be the best model for long drives, too. You'll have only a 238HP motor with front wheel drive, but you'll get the longest estimated range at 300 miles. The higher-capacity 87kWh battery is standard on all currently announced models.

The $48,950 Evolve+ builds on that formula with an "around view" monitor and a powered moonroof, albeit with a shorter 285-mile range. The reservation-only Premiere trim starts at $53,450, but gives you access to the Ariya's signature "Sunrise Copper" color, hands-off highway driving from ProPilot Assist 2.0 and ProPilot Park. If you want all-wheel drive, you'll currently have to splurge on the $58,950 Platinum+ variant with 389HP, a hands-free liftgate, Nappa leather and a reduced 265-mile range.

All models are due to arrive in fall 2022. You'll need to place a $500 refundable deposit and choose a preferred dealer, but you can complete the final purchase online and have the Ariya delivered to your home. You won't have to wade through the usual hassles of in-person dealership sales.

The price slots the Ariya between the $39,995 Volkswagen ID.4 and Tesla's Model Y (currently $53,940), with the in-between range and features to match. It may face tough competition as a result. However, that might be the precise appeal — this is a middle-of-the-road EV from a well-known badge. Where the Leaf was aimed at early adopters (and lately the cost-conscious), the Ariya promises to be a thoroughly mainstream vehicle that reaches more first-time EV owners and helps Nissan electrify the rest of its lineup.

Three days after it pulled Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition from sale on PC, Rockstar Games says players can once again buy the bundle on that platform. The publisher yanked the remastered collection from the Rockstar Games Launcher's store "to remove some data files that were unintentionally included in the new versions of these games."

The publisher apologized for the inconvenience and said it would "improve and update overall performance as we move forward." Many players have criticized the latest versions of GTA III, GTA: Vice City and GTA: San Andreas, and some have shared screenshots and videos of various glitches and bugs. They've also voiced their displeasure on Metacritic, where they've been review bombing the collection — the aggregate user score is currently below one out of 10 on every platform.

Soon after the trilogy was released last week, the Rockstar Games Launcher was taken offline for what the publisher says was maintenance reasons. That meant those who did buy the collection were unable to play its three games for over a day, while Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online were also out of commission until Rockstar restored service on Friday evening.

Are you uncomfortable with the idea of Tesla letting owners test Full Self-Driving betas on public streets? You're not the only one. Reutersreports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating a driver's complaint that the FSD beta led to a November 3rd collision in Brea, California. The owner alleged that his Model Y entered the wrong lane, leading to impact with another car and serious damage on the left side.

The EV offered an alert partway through the turn, according to the driver. However, the FSD software supposedly wouldn't let the driver regain control, forcing the car into the wrong lane. Tesla hasn't commented on the incident and is believed to have disbanded its PR team. The automaker has usually limited the beta to volunteer drivers with high safety scores and warned that testers must be ready to take over on short notice.

The investigation won't necessarily conclude that FSD was responsible for the collision, or lead to major action against Tesla. It does, however, represent the latest in a growing number of run-ins between Tesla and regulators. The NHTSA launched a probe into Autopilot this August following a string of emergency vehicle crashes, and it expressed concern in October that Tesla was using a beta "on public roads." Officials aren't thrilled that Tesla is testing in real traffic, and the investigation might support their case.

Tesla may be thriving despite chip shortages, but those shortcomings are apparently making an impact on the cars people get. Electrek has learned numerous Model 3 and Model Y buyers are receiving their electric vehicles without USB-C ports in the center console or rear seating areas. Some customers said they were alerted in advance, but others only found out when they took their EVs home.

Delivery specialists and others at Tesla have pinned the missing USB ports on chip shortages. Some customers have heard Tesla would install the missing connectors in December, but it's not clear if this applies to every affected owner. Tesla has long stopped responding to requests for comment and is believed to have disbanded its PR team.

This isn't the first time brands have shipped cars without parts, including Tesla. BMW recently removed touchscreen features from some models, while that company and Tesla have both removed passenger lumbar support options. And there aren't many great alternatives — automakers have delayed orders, halted production and otherwise asked customers to wait longer than usual.

Even so, this could leave more than a few Tesla buyers upset. The absence of USB ports breaks not only connectivity, but wireless charging. That's a luxury, to be sure, but it's one you'd expect given Tesla's price tags. It might also sour customers worried Tesla might be sacrificing quality to meet its quarterly delivery targets.

The PC version of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition seems to have some serious issues at the minute. The bundle — a remastered collection of GTA III, GTA: Vice City and GTA: San Andreas — arrived on Thursday. However, at the time of writing, the Rockstar Games website says "this title is currently unavailable in your country or region." Console players can still buy it on the Xbox, PlayStation and Switch digital stores.

Rockstar Games

According to Kotaku, those who bought the title on PC before it disappeared are unable to play it at the minute. Rockstar removed the older versions of the three games from PC storefronts before the collection arrived.

Adding to the publisher's woes, the Rockstar Launcher has been out of commission for around 24 hours "for maintenance" — not a great look when Rockstar just released a new collection of some of its most notable games. That means Rockstar's PC games like Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online are unavailable. The store, cloud services, downloads and authentication systems are also down.

"We thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work on restoring services for the Rockstar Games Launcher and supported titles," Rockstar wrote on Twitter early Friday morning. Engadget has contacted Rockstar Games for comment.

Some fans have expressed disappointment at the quality of remasters, with screenshots of glitches and videos of bugs popping up. One player posted a video of a rainstorm in San Andreas that made it difficult to see anything around CJ. 

The Hummer H1 was based on a military truck, and now it appears GM is ready to return the favor. GM Defense president Steve duMont told CNBC the company planned to build a military vehicle prototype based on the upcoming Hummer EV. The eLRV, or electric Light Reconnaissance Vehicle, would modify the Hummer's frame, motors and Ultium batteries to suit US military requirements.

The prototype should be ready sometime in 2022. There's no guarantee American armed forces will use the eLRV, however. The Army is still exploring the viability of EVs like this, and GM will have to meet formal requirements (along with a rival manufacturer) if and when they exist. A choice is due sometime in the mid-2020s.

Any military EV faces logistical challenges, at least for machines on the front lines. Soldiers couldn't just find a charging station on the battlefield, for starters — they'd need transportable charging systems that aren't dependent on a working electrical grid. DuMont said GM could provide combustion-powered charging systems. We'd add that temperatures significantly affect EV range, and swappable batteries (important for quick turnarounds and repairs) are still in their relative infancy.

There could be advantages to military EV adoption. They might improve overall emissions, even if the need for combustion-based chargers partly offset that advantage. EVs generally require less maintenance due to fewer moving parts. And their quiet operation could be extremely useful for recon and stealth missions where conventional rides would be too noisy. The challenge is to make the most of these advantages while minimizing drawbacks that could hurt operational speeds.

Hyundai has shared a handful of teaser images of the Seven, a new all-electric SUV the automaker plans to debut at the AutoMobility LA show later this month. The company notes the concept “hints at a new SUV model coming to the Ioniq family.”

Hyundai

Concept vehicles rarely make it to production without substantial changes, so treat the images accordingly. We probably won’t see the Seven’s successor come with an array of pixel lights or a lounge-like interior. Of the interior, Hyundai says it’s made from sustainable and eco-friendly materials.

Hyundai

In the US, Hyundai’s EV family includes the recently launched Ioniq 5. The base model of the crossover features a 72.6-kWh battery that allows it to travel up to 300 miles on a single charge. Hyundai will debut the Seven on November 17th at 12:55PM ET. Afterward, it will stay on display at the LA Auto Show until November 28th, giving the public a chance to see the EV in person.