Volkswagen is no stranger to testing self-driving cars, but now it's finally bringing those experiments stateside. The car maker is rolling out its first US fleet of autonomous test vehicles in Austin this month. The 10 modified ID.Buzz electric vans will use longtime partner Mobileye's Level 4 self-driving system (that is, full autonomy in some conditions) to collect driving data that will "validate and refine" technology. These early machines will include safety drivers.

The German brand plans to both expand its Austin fleet and grow testing to "at least" four more US cities. If all goes well, VW will launch commercial self-driving service in Austin by 2026. It will court third parties, too, by offering fleets of driverless ID.Buzz EVs to other mobility and transportation companies. The company also expects to employ people who previously worked with the defunct autonomous driving startup Argo AI.

The deployment isn't surprising. Although Ford shuttered Argo to focus on semi-autonomous features in the short term, full self-driving remains a hot category in the US. GM's Cruise is bringing its robotaxis to more cities, and Waymo is rapidly expanding its service areas. American testing is vital if VW expects to compete with these robotaxi rivals.

The emphasis on self-driving tech also reflects VW's ongoing transformation into an all-encompassing mobility company. It's adapting to an era where ridesharing and robotaxis will reduce the need for personal car ownership. Ride hailing and fleet deals could help VW thrive even if its car sales decline over time. Of course, that depends on driverless tech being ready in a timely fashion. Level 3 autonomy (hands-off motoring where the driver must be ready to take control) is only just reaching passenger cars in the US, and then only in limited circumstances. It could be a while before these platforms are advanced enough that autonomous taxis are practical on a large scale.

Joby Aviation has been cleared by the FAA (Federal Aviation Authority) to start flight tests on its first production prototype air taxi, the company wrote in a press release. It's a large step in the company's aim to start shipping the eVTOL aircraft (electric vertical takeoff and landing) to customers in 2024 and launch an air taxi service by 2025. 

"The aircraft will now undergo initial flight testing before being delivered to Edwards Air Force Base, California, where it will be used to demonstrate a range of potential logistics use cases," Joby wrote. 

The aircraft can take off and land like a helicopter, then tilt its six rotors horizontally and fly like an airplane at up to 200 MPH. It's designed to carry a pilot and four passengers over a distance up to 100 miles on a charge — enough range for most types of air taxi operations. At the same time, Joby claims it's nearly silent in cruise mode and 100 times quieter than conventional aircraft during takeoff and landing.

Joby's first production prototype recently rolled off the company's assembly line in Marina, California. The plant was built in partnership with Toyota, Joby's largest investor with a $394 million stake. Cementing that relationship, Joby announced that it was appointing Toyota North America CEO Tetsuo (Ted) Ogawa to the board of directors.

With the the FAA's special airworthiness certificate in hand, Joby can perform flight tests of full production aircraft, following tests with full-scale prototypes that began in 2017. In May last year, the company received another crucial permit, the FAA's Part 135 air carrier certificate for commercial operations. It recently teamed with Delta Air Lines to offer travel to and from airports, and its website shows a scenario of flying from downtown NYC to JFK airport in just seven minutes compared to 49 minutes in a car.

Now, Joby must clear the largest hurdle with full FAA type and production certification in order to take paying passengers on commercial flights. That's likely about 18 months away, aerospace engineer and Vertical Flight Society director Mike Hirschberg told New Scientist. Its first customer would be the US Air Force, as part of a $131 million contract under the military's Agility Prime program, with deliveries set for 2024.

Alll that puts the company tantalizingly close to delivering a true air taxi service, something that has eluded numerous other manufacturers to date. Last year, the Kittyhawk aircraft backed by Larry Page shut down, and other companies like Ehang, Archer, Volocopter and even Airbus aren't as far along as Joby. "This first aircraft coming off our pilot manufacturing line is a really, really big deal for the company," Joby CEO JoeBen Bevirt told TechCrunch. 

You knew it was just a matter of time before Polestar echoed Volvo's adoption of Tesla's charging technology. The EV-oriented brand has confirmed that it will use Tesla's NACS connector in North America. You'll see "convenient" CCS-to-NACS adapters for existing cars in mid-2024, and cars released in 2025 onward will have the standard built-in. An adapter will help those future models charge at CCS stations.

The news complicates the expansion of Polestar's lineup. The Polestar 3 SUV and Polestar 4 SUV coupe are expected in 2024, while the Polestar 5 grand tourer and Polestar 6 roadster are coming later. In other words, some models will have as little as one year of CCS-native charging before moving to Tesla's port while others will ship with NACS from the outset. You may have to decide if it's worth dealing with an adapter just to get an EV as soon as it's available.

The reasoning behind the switch is the same as for Volvo: using NACS gives Polestar drivers access to Tesla's much larger (not to mention more reliable) Supercharger network in North America, with over 12,000 charge points available so far. This could "greatly increase" EV uptake in the area, Polestar chief Thomas Ingenlath argues. You could buy a Polestar 3 knowing you'd have enough charging stations to complete a long-distance trip.

Volvo and Polestar aren't alone. Ford, GM and Rivian have also committed to using Tesla's tech in North America, while Hyundai and Stellantis have said they're evaluating that move. For Polestar, however, the decision may be more symbolically significant than for other marques. It's considered one of the closest competitors to Tesla — the Polestar 2 is an obvious Model 3 alternative. This isn't an outright capitulation to Tesla, but it is an acknowledgment that access to the Supercharger network is a major advantage that sways customers.

This summer, North America’s first hydrogen-powered train began traveling across the Canadian countryside. The French passenger train is a short-term demonstration, running through the end of September, that aims to spark adoption in Canada and the US. “I think the most important thing that’s going to come out of it is people’s awareness and comfort with the technology,” Robert Stasko, executive director of Ontario’s Hydrogen Business Council, toldCBC News.

The Canadian loaner runs from Montmorency Falls in Quebec City to Base-Saint-Paul — a two-and-a-half hour trip — on Wednesdays to Sundays through September 30th. The train has a top speed of 140 km/h (87 mph) and can carry up to 120 people in its two passenger cars. The French company Alstom, which makes the train, says its acceleration and braking performance is comparable to standard diesel-engine trains — sans the emissions. While much of Europe uses trains with electric rails or overhead wires, hydrogen trains are ideal for places like the Canadian countryside, with its long distances and relatively low commuter density. (Much of the US would fit that bill as well.)

The same model of train, the Coradia iLint, has already made runs in eight European countries. As many as 14 of the same model began running a route in Lower Saxony, Germany, last year. Alstom began testing the trains in 2018 and has additional contracts in Germany, Italy and France. The company says European clients have ordered 41 of the trainsets.

The Coradia iLint uses a ballpark of “about 50 kilograms of hydrogen a day,” says Serge Harnois, CEO of Hanois Énergies, the train’s hydrogen fuel supplier. The same journey using a standard engine would burn around 500 liters of diesel fuel. It only emits water vapor along its journey as a byproduct of combining hydrogen with oxygen in a fuel cell to generate its power.

There are some asterisks to attach to the three-month demo. First, it requires a diesel-powered truck to transport the hydrogen to the train every time it refuels. (Harnois says that, ideally, the hydrogen would eventually be produced onsite to avoid this step.) We also have to wonder about the emissions produced on its presumed voyage from Europe to Canada for its mere three-month demo. However, the train will move on to other North American cities after its summer residence. The long-term goal is for the tour to help promote widespread hydrogen-train adoption across different North American regions, which — if successful — could more than offset the carbon footprint from its diesel-truck top-offs and journey across the Atlantic.

It makes sense that a majority of EVs are crossovers. It's a market segment that does well. Sure, they're essentially raised hatchbacks, but they offer enough cargo space and seating for a couple or small family. On the other hand, if you have a large brood or need to transport a lot of supplies, gear, or groceries, the electrification of a three-row vehicle has been slow. Fortunately, the Kia EV9 is here with seating for up to seven and a cavernous cargo space.

We had a chance to take the Korean-spec EV9 for a first drive in Korea and while the suspension was a bit softer than what we're used to in the United States and there's a good chance that the acceleration will be tweaked to deliver more zip, it delivered the electric vehicle experience we expect from the automaker.

With a targeted range of up to 300 miles and DC fast charging that Kia says will take the 99.8kWh capacity battery from 10 percent to 80 percent in about 24 minutes, the automaker has something that should appeal to families looking for a road trip SUV. For more details on the EV9 and how it fared on the road, check out the video below.

It's not just US manufacturers adopting Tesla's EV charging technology. Volvo has confirmed that its electric cars in the US, Canada and Mexico will use Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) port. Current and recently announced cars (such as the C40 Recharge, EX30 and EX90) will connect to Supercharger stations through an adapter starting in the first half of 2024, while models from 2025 onward will have NACS built-in. An adapter will be available to connect those upcoming EVs using the Combined Charging System (CCS) format.

Volvo isn't shy about its reasoning. It wants drivers to have access to an "easy and convenient" charging network, and that means Tesla Superchargers. The company claims the deal will give owners access to 12,000 more fast charging locations. The Volvo Cars app will help users find and pay for stations.

The move makes Volvo the first European marque to use Tesla's port. It joins American brands that have made the leap, including Ford, GM and Rivian. Those companies are also promising adapters for current designs followed by native NACS ports.

Tesla opened up NACS in late 2022, making the technology available to any company that wanted to use it. At the time, it hoped charging networks like Chargepoint and Electrify America would support the system. While that has yet to materialize, NACS is quickly gaining support beyond just automakers. Texas will require Tesla's connector on state-funded charging stations, and SAE International is working on a standardized version of the plug.

Other car giants are uncertain about using Tesla's tech. Stellantis (owner of Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and other brands) toldReuters it's "evaluating" NACS, while Hyundai is also considering adoption. A switch isn't necessarily easy. Makers like Hyundai and Porsche have 800-volt architectures that allow faster charging than existing Superchargers, and they'd either have to press Tesla for upgraded technology or accept less-than-ideal charging rates. Still, there's clearly mounting pressure to embrace Tesla's format.

Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) is one step closer to becoming the de-facto electric vehicle charging system in the US. On Tuesday, SAE International, one of the automotive industry’s most important standards bodies, shared it is working to support the plug, a move that will make it easier for manufacturers to add NACS connectors to their vehicles and charging stations.

“Standardizing the NACS connector will provide certainty, expanded choice, reliability and convenience to manufacturers and suppliers and, most of all, increase access to charging for consumers,” the SAE said in a statement. According to the organization, the US Joint Office of Energy and Transportation helped bring together Tesla and the SAE. The association says it will create a standardized NACS connector on an “expedited timeframe,” all in hopes of improving the country’s charging infrastructure that much faster.

As The Verge points out, the announcement comes on the same day that ChargePoint said customers could begin ordering charging stations with NACS connectors. Starting later this year, the company will offer the port as an option on its home AC charging systems. More broadly, the last month has seen Ford, General Motors and Rivian all announce they plan to adopt NACS. In turn, that has pushed states like Texas to mandate government-funded EV charging stations feature Tesla’s connector. With the momentum behind NACS growing, holdouts like Electrify America may reconsider their stance on the connector.

Starting July 1st, any planes without retrofitted sensitive radar altimeters across the US can't land in low visibility, a stipulation that could cause delays for travelers, The Wall Street Journal reports. To be clear, this is not addressing an ongoing safety issue — the deadline aligns with US wireless companies increasing the power of their 5G networks, potentially creating greater interference for any aircraft without the necessary equipment.

The 5G boost comes after years of delays and debates between the Febderal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) due to concerns about the signals' impact on radio waves that judge how far a plane is from the ground. Carriers first planned to increase the power of their networks in January 2022, delayed it until July 2022 and finally found a compromise with the FAA to proceed on July 1st, 2023.

About 80 percent of domestic aircraft have undergone the upgrade, with some top carriers still needing to finish their fleet. Delta, for instance, will have 190 planes left to bring up to par, while JetBlue will have 17 — something the Airlines for America trade association blames on supply chain problems. United, Southwest and American Airlines have all reported they will have no outstanding planes by the deadline. Another 65 percent of aircraft flying from international destinations into the US have up-to-date altimeters, with airlines poised to use those options whenever possible.

"There's a real risk of delays or cancellations," Buttigieg said. "This represents one of the biggest—probably the biggest—foreseeable problem affecting performance this summer." The level of impact will depend mainly on the weather, but fortunately, there won't be snowstorms anytime soon. All planes in the US will need an updated altimeter by February 2024, regardless of visibility conditions.

Texas says it will require state-funded electric vehicle charging stations to have a connector for Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS). The news comes as automakers such as Ford, GM and Rivian shift to adopting the NACS and away from the Combined Charging System (CCS).

The Texas Department of Transportation told Reuters that the automakers’ move to NACS prompted the requirement for EV charging companies to install NACS connectors if they want to be included in a state program that involves federal funding. DC fast chargers in the state will still need to have a CCS connector to obtain federal dollars through the program.

The US Department of Transportation has earmarked up to $7.5 billion in funding for high-speed charging stations along highways. It said EV charging companies would need to include a CCS connector, and now Texas is adding another requirement. States are free to add extra provisons as long as they abide by the federal rules.

Tesla said last year it would open source the NACS in the hopes of getting other automakers to adopt it. Tesla has the largest slice of EV charging infrastructure in the US — it claims its more than 21,000 Supercharger points account for around 60 percent of the country’s fast-charging stations. 

In the last several weeks, GM and Ford announced they would offer owners of their vehicles (which currently use CCS) an NACS adapter before fully embracing that standard in future models. Rivian followed suit with a similar announcement this week. EV charging companies such as ChargePoint and EVgo have said they’re looking into adding NACS to their charging points.

As Reuters notes, Texas’ move may prompt other states to push EV charging companies to include an NACS connector. The report suggests that states including California, Michigan and Iowa are reviewing the state of the charging market, while at least one other is said to be considering an incentive for companies to include an NACS port.

Rivian is joining GM and Ford in gaining access to Tesla's Supercharger network. The automaker will offer R1T and R1S owners an adapter to connect their EVs to Supercharger stations as soon as spring of next year. Rivian will also adopt North American Charging Standard (NACS) charge ports as standard in R1 vehicles starting in 2025, as well as in the upcoming R2 platform.

The move means that Rivian owners will soon be able to top up their vehicle's battery at more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across the US and Canada. Rivian plans to keep expanding its Adventure Network of DC fast chargers too.

"The adoption of the North American Charging Standard will enable our existing and future customers to leverage Tesla’s expansive Supercharger network while we continue to build out our Rivian Adventure Network," Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing to find new ways to accelerate EV adoption.”

Last year, Tesla said it would open source the NACS, which has taken strides toward becoming a true standard for EV charging in North America. Ford, GM and now Rivian are all embracing it as part of an apparent move away from the Combined Charging System (CCS). In November, Tesla pressed its case for the NACS, noting that the breadth of the Supercharger network meant that standard had far wider availability than CCS. The automakers' shift toward NACS could pressure the likes of Electrify America and Chargepoint to adopt it in their infrastructure too.