For decades, the auto industry has treated software like some kind of weird side gig. Once a customer buys a car, this software can remain locked in a box and never need to be updated unless something goes wrong (then it was a trip to the dealership).
This strategy has worked so well that cars have become data centers on wheels. Now, automakers are starting to look at what complex connected hardware and software really means – the advantages and disadvantages. And the consensus? Maybe sharing platforms and open source software was the right idea all along.
A must-read automotive and technology digest, every day of the week.
Welcome back to Critical materialsYour daily report on everything related to electricity and technology in the field of cars. Also on deck: Congress could help the Tesla Cybercab, and the former Waymo CEO weighs in on the idea of personal autonomy.
Let’s jump.
25%: Congress could pave the way for Tesla’s cyber car dreams
Photo by: InsideEVs
The Tesla Cybercab has faced a fair amount of skepticism since it was announced in late 2024. It’s designed for passenger service but only has two seats. It’s supposed to cost less than $30,000 and be fully autonomous, something Tesla hasn’t been able to decipher yet. Then there The hoops Tesla will need to jump through to actually sell to the masses No steering wheel or pedals.
Congress could give the automaker exactly the break it needs. Later this month, lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on a set of proposals, including a bill called the Motor Vehicle Modernization Act.
If it passes — and it’s a long way off at this point — the bill would increase the number of vehicles an automaker is allowed to produce annually that don’t adhere to federal motor vehicle safety standards. Currently, this is limited to just 2,500 units, far from the mass market and far from what Tesla is targeting. The new draft law proposes to raise this maximum to 90,000 vehicles.
Of course, Tesla won’t be the only company to benefit here. Other autonomous vehicle providers will have the same advantage. Like Zoox, Amazon’s robotics company that uses an unconventional pod.
Even if Tesla gets enough breathing room through regulatory approval for more cars, it will still need to solve the software side of the equation before it can deploy e-taxis on a large scale. The company has a limited number of self-driving Tesla Model Y taxis driving around Austin, Texas, but they do have a safety screen in the front seat.
And because the Cybercab doesn’t have a charging port, Tesla will also need to deploy an entirely new infrastructure to handle the car’s charging as well. Oh, the whole disaster is over Who already owns the rights to the Cybercab namealso. So, Tesla has a few things to figure out before you get to the races.
50%: Your car won’t be a robotaxi soon: Former Waymo CEO
Photo by: InsideEVs
Robotaxis aren’t coming to your personal car, at least not anytime soon, says John Krafcik, former CEO of Waymo.
“The idea that there will be a personal robotaxi on our way in two years is ridiculous,” Krafcik said at a CES event this week. Car News.
It might be a helpful dose of realism from someone who’s been in this field for a long time. Because during this new era of excitement around autonomous vehicles, a lot of companies are saying about you will Having a personal robotaxi in your driveway — the equivalent of a Waymo car — is in the very near future.
Tensor is a new company that makes a car full of sensors and designed specifically for this purpose. Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe predicts the possibility of personal self-driving before 2030, as does Lucid Motors. Tesla (see above) has been promising to put a robotaxi in your garage for many years — a car that can earn you a side income while you sit on the couch.
At the same time Car News Story, Krafcik took a jab at the electric car maker, telling the outlet: “It’s been 10 years, and this is a decade of broken promises. I think there has to be some accountability for that.”
He said that the next stage of the automobile industry will depend on better and more advanced systems to assist drivers instead of fully self-driving cars. If the announcements coming out of CES are anything to go by, this is definitely the next starting point; Ford said Wednesday it aims to drive out of sight in 2028.
75%: The future of the automotive industry is open source
Photo by: BMW
At CES Las Vegas, the German Automotive Industry Association (VDA) announced a major expansion of its open source automotive initiative. What was originally just 11 factories has evolved into over 30 factories today.
They work together on open source software to reduce costs and make it easier to develop new cars. There are some big names in the coalition, from car companies to chip makers.
Reuters More shares:
European auto group Stellantis and truck maker Traton signed the memorandum of understanding, along with German supplier Schaeffler and chipmakers Infineon and Qualcomm, the VDA said.
These companies join German carmakers Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, among others, bringing the number of participating companies from 11 when the group was announced last year to 32.
Mike Milenkovic of the Eclipse Foundation, which is co-organizing the effort, called the move “a clear global shift toward open innovation.” But this looks less like automakers coming together for a hackathon, and more like companies are finally realizing they can’t do it alone and also doing it on the cheap.
100%: Should automakers work together?
Photography: Patrick George
Automakers have always had collaborations. Diamond Star Motors, Harley Davidson and Porsche. The topic is not new however, there is an organized industry-wide push.
Would you like to see car companies working together this way more often? If so, should these innovations be open to them? everyone Automakers, or just those who contribute to the open source cause?
