The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI), an organization representing the interests of Ford, General Motors (GM), Stellantis, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai, and several others, recently sent a letter to Congress requesting that it overturn a waiver granted to California letting it set its own emissions rules.

Later this week, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on overturning the waiver granted to California under the 1968 Clean Air Act to impose the tightened standards, according to Reuters. In the previous letter, the AAI argued to Congress that automakers would be “forced to substantially reduce the number of overall vehicles for sale to inflate their proportion of electric vehicle sales,” adding that it would also boost prices and reduce competition in the market.

The waiver, enacted under the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), allows California to mandate at least 80 percent electric vehicle sales by 2035 under the Clean Air Act. The passage of disapproval of the waiver is being ushered under the Congressional Review Act, and an initial vote in the House of Representatives is set to take place on Wednesday.

READ MORE ON STATE EMISSIONS RULES: Tesla could face emissions credit tax in Washington

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia backed the EPA’s decision to grant the waiver last April, following a challenge from 17 Republican-run states. The group claimed that California was being given unconstitutional regulatory power in the decision, adding that other states didn’t have those same powers.

In December, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear out bids from Valero, the AAI, and other groups to oppose the 2035 California gas car sales ban, which would begin phasing them out in 2026 if the waiver remains in place.

You can see the full list of members of the AAI below, including automakers and a handful of other tech companies.

Companies represented by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI)

Here’s the full list of AAI members, according to the lobbying group’s website:

• AESC
• AISIN
• Aptiv
• Autoliv
• BMW Group
• Bosch
• Denso
• Emergency Safety Solutions
• Ferrari
• Ford
• GM
• Harman
• Honda
• Hyundai
• InEos Automotive
• Infineon
• Isuzu
• Jaguar-Land Rover
• Kia
• LG
• Luminar
• Magna
• Mazda
• McLaren
• Mercedes-Benz
• Mitsubishi Motors
• Nissan
• Nuro
• Panasonic
• Porsche
• Qualcomm
• RV Industry Association
• Samsung
• SiriusXM
• SK On
• Stellantis
• Subaru
• Texas Instruments
• Toyota
• Uber
• VinFast
• Volkswagen
• Volvo
• Zoox

California proposal to allow self-driving tests for heavy-duty trucks

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On Monday, X user Bradford G Smith shared a video detailing his experience as the third person in the world to receive the Neuralink BCI, and as the first non-verbal patient and the first with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) to receive the implant. In the video, Smith details how the BCI works, how it’s less limiting than his previous eye tracker technology, and how it has literally helped him regain his voice through AI.

“I am typing this with my brain,” Smith wrote. “It is my primary communication.”

The video, which he says is the first edited directly with a BCI, is narrated by an AI-generated version of his old voice. Prior to the BCI, he was also unable to leave the house using his eye tracker, as it made it difficult to communicate unless he was in dark or low-light settings.

The video also shows how he’s able to connect with external devices using the BCI, with a live shots of him controlling his computer using a cursor.

You can see the full update below, which runs a little under 10 minutes.

READ MORE ON NEURALINK: Elon Musk: over 1,000 humans with Neuralink implants in 2026 is feasible

The news follows Neuralink’s initial update with Brad and other initial BCI patients, as was shared in a post on the company’s website in February. In it, Brad also explained how groundbreaking it was to be able to communicate outside and see his son win a robotics award, along with being able to consider leaving the city area for the first time in half a decade:

The most significant thing that happened this week will sound strange to you: I got to use the computer on the porch, and it worked!!

I went to [my child’s] soccer game, and the referee thought I was sleeping. I was actually able to talk outside. I [am] actually thinking about traveling outside the [city] metro [for] the first time in 5 years.

Both of Neuralink’s studies focus on restoring autonomy to people who are paraplegic through the use of external devices. The company gained initial approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to install the first BCI in a human patient in May 2023, with Noland Arbaugh being the first, a patient named Alex being the second, and Brad being the third.

Neuralink opened its Patient Registry worldwide earlier this month, allowing participants to submit to take part in the company’s initial PRIME and CONVOY studies. The firm also announced plans to operate the PRIME study out of a second location in Miami, Florida in January, after an initial location was launched in Phoenix, Arizona.

Last week, it was reported by Bloomberg that Neuralink is currently targeting a $500 million funding round at a valuation of $8.5 billion. Meanwhile, Neuralink has also been constructing office buildings near Austin, Texas, which initially aimed to be completed in May 2025.

Neuralink human trial patient shares his progress

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Over the past several months, we have reported numerous instances of vandalism against Tesla. No victim is too big or too small to be a potential target, as everything from keying vehicles to having Molotov cocktails thrown at showrooms is sufficient in the eyes of perpetrators.

However, the latest attack appears to be politically motivated and could hurt Tesla, its consumers, and even other automakers, and it seems to be some form of retaliation against Musk due to his affiliation with President Trump.

President Donald J. Trump purchases a Tesla on the South Lawn, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

Lawmakers in New York state are now attempting to shut down Tesla showrooms in a move that would force the company to sell through dealer franchises, complicating the sales process and making the direct-to-consumer platform the company has used for years obsolete.

The New York Times reported that New York State Sen. Patricia Fahy is one of several lawmakers that is looking to hit Tesla where it hurts the most: its accessible and stress-free showrooms.

The problem is that this will hurt consumers more than Tesla.

Sen. Fahy said in March that the ease-of-sales platform Tesla uses has to be taken “from Elon Musk,” because “he’s part of an effort to go backwards.”

The licenses Tesla uses in the state allow it to sell cars directly to consumers instead of going through the traditional dealership model. These licenses, in Sen. Fahy’s perfect world, would be revoked from Tesla and given to other EV manufacturers. At one time, she was a proponent of Tesla and supported the company operating its D2C sales, stating it would cut emissions.

Now, Sen. Fahy believes Musk’s association with the Trump Administration is counterintuitive, as she says it is “killing all the grant funding for electric vehicle infrastructure, killing wind energy, killing anything that might address climate change.”

Tesla could face New York store ban under this legislation

She continued by stating:

“The bottom line is, Tesla has lost their right to promote these when they’re part of an administration that wants to go backwards. Elon Musk was handed a privilege here.”

The bill is with the Senate and Assembly Finance committees.

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The electric vehicle maker also shared the new logo of its Class 8 all-electric truck, which is pretty slick and classic Tesla at the same time.

Semi Factory Update

In the video, Tesla Semi program lead Dan Priestley stated that the last few months were spent building the factory shell of the facility, from its walls to its columns to its concrete floors. With the Semi factory shell completed, it is now time to equip the facility with the necessary equipment that would allow it to mass produce the Tesla Semi. The Tesla executive also shared the facility’s target output.

“This factory is designed with an annual capacity of 50,000 units a year. So over the next several quarters, we’re going to be industrializing the factory, installing the equipment, and preparing for high volume production. First units are set to be on the line by the end of this year, and we’ll be ramping the factory through 2026,” Priestley stated in the video. 

The Tesla Semi is arguably Tesla’s most underrated product, with the vehicle operating in real-world fleets over the past years. As per Priestley, there are a lot of exciting things coming to the Semi factory and the Semi itself. These things, the Tesla executive noted, would prove that electric trucking is ready to scale.

New Tesla Semi Logo

The end of the Tesla Semi factory update video featured a logo for the vehicle that had not been shared by Tesla before. Similar to the Cybertruck, it appears that Tesla will be giving the Semi its own stylized logo. Unlike the Cybertruck’s graffiti print, however, the Class 8 all-electric truck’s logo features the word “Semi” written in a futuristic, thin font. Interestingly enough, the “E” in the word “Semi” was written with three horizontal lines, similar to the Tesla Model 3’s original logo.

Below is the Tesla Semi’s new logo.

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Strike Against Tesla

As noted in an rbb24 report, Berlin’s Labor Senator Cansel Kiziltepe (SPD) ended up pissing off a lot of people, especially in Brandenburg, after she dubbed Teslas “Nazi” cars on social media platform X. In her post, Kiziltepe wrote, “Who wants to drive a Nazi car?” She also shared a news article that highlighted Tesla’s decline in Germany in the first quarter, titled “Electric Car Manufacturers Experience Sales Boom—Apart from Tesla.”

Kiziltepe’s Tesla comment garnered so much negative attention that she ended up deleting her post. She did, however, share a follow-up which explained that her sentiments against CEO Elon Musk do not extend to the thousands that Tesla employs, especially in Germany. 

“Tesla is currently experiencing a sales slump because customers attribute the right-wing extremist positions of its shareholder Elon Musk, who holds around 13% of the company. I explicitly stand by my assessment of Elon Musk. Of course, this does not mean that I hold Musk’s employees or customers responsible for his political positions,” the senator wrote in her post on X.

Brandenburg Backlash

A lot of the anger that resulted from Kiziltepe’s post came from other officials, such as Brandenburg’s Minister of Economic Affairs and SPD party colleague Daniel Keller. The official’s sentiments are understandable considering that Tesla Gigafactory Berlin is the largest employer in the region, providing jobs to thousands of people in the area. 

“Such a Nazi comparison hurts the people who work there and is completely inappropriate for a labor senator. I expect the labor senator to retract her historically unacceptable comparison and return objectively to the major economic and labor market policy challenges that Berlin and Brandenburg should tackle together.

“Everyone can have their own personal opinion about Elon Musk. But it’s important to me that we don’t forget the people behind the Tesla factory in Grünheide. 11,000 people from 150 nations work here – more than half of the employees live in Berlin… Brandenburg and Berlin benefit from this in terms of employment and value creation,” Keller noted, highlighting that Giga Berlin provides well-paying, permanent jobs.

Equally Pissed Off

In a comment to the BZ newspaper, Brandenburg’s Minister-President Dietmar Woidke (SPD) stated that Kiziltepe’s comments were out of place, because in addition to the numerous Berliners who work at Giga Berlin, people from about 150 nations also work at the plant. Berlin CDU parliamentary group leader Dirk Stettner was more direct, stating that the Berlin Senator’s post was a “dangerous relativization of Nazi terror and thus also of the Holocaust.” 

The Berlin-Brandenburg Business Association (UVB) shared their frustrations with the senator as well, with General Manager Alexander Schirp stating that Kiziltepe’s comments were unbecoming of someone who sits at the Berlin Senate. Schirp also stated that the comments were an affront to Tesla employees. “This will not increase the manufacturer’s chances of investing in the capital. Statements of this magnitude do not bode well for the election campaign,” Keller stated.

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The new Supercharger benefits not just Tesla owners since it offers rapid charging services to other EV brands as well.

New V4 Tesla Supercharger

As per Tesla watcher @NicklasNilsso14, who has long been following the activities of the electric vehicle maker in Sweden, the newly opened Supercharger is located at Östgötaporten in Ödeshög. The site features 12 Superchrger V4 stalls that are ready to provide up to 250 kW to electric vehicles. Its location is good, too, as it was built near the E4 highway exit, making it close to amenities in the area.

The fact that the Supercharger serves not just Teslas but also electric vehicles from other brands will likely be appreciated by drivers in Sweden. Tesla Superchargers, after all, are among the most reliable and convenient rapid charging systems in the country.

Anti-Supercharger Union Efforts

Amidst Tesla’s conflict with IF Metall, other unions in the country have rolled out sympathy measures in an attempt to cripple the company’s operations. Two of the most notable are the Elektrikerna union and Seko, both of which have initiated efforts to block the launch of new Superchargers.

Unfortunately for the unions, Tesla is a very stubborn company, and it is also creative. Tesla also does not hesitate to use its resources to get around the measures being implemented by the unions. Earlier this month, for example, two new Supercharger sites were opened in the city of Södertälje. 

The new Södertälje Superchargers upset the unions, with a press officer for the Elektrikerna union stating that Tesla seems to be flying in people to help launch its Superchargers. “It is a good question how this has happened. We think it is unfortunate. But they seem to have their methods. They bring in foreign companies and fly in people, we think,” Bello noted then.

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This was hinted at recently in Tesla’s Career Page, which lists a whopping 83 job listings related to the Tesla Semi program as of writing.

Tesla Semi Jobs

A look at Tesla’s Careers Page shows that the company has posted an impressive 83 jobs for the Semi program. The job listings are for several locations across the United States, from engineering-related roles in Palo Alto, California, to manufacturing-related roles in Sparks, Nevada, and vehicle service-related roles in Sacramento, California. 

The late number of Semi-related jobs on Tesla’s Careers website suggests that efforts are now underway to grow the company’s team for the Class 8 all-electric truck. The Semi is arguably Tesla’s most underrated product, after all, having delivered its first units to a customer late 2022. Today, the Tesla Semi is being used in the field by customers like PepsiCo, but their numbers are still very limited.

Tesla Semi Factory

To enable the mass production of the Semi, Tesla has started the construction of a dedicated factory near Giga Nevada. Drone flyovers of the Semi factory site show that the facility is seeing steady progress. And during the Q4 and FY 2024 earnings call, VP for Vehicle Engineering Lars Moravy noted that the Semi is expected to see its first batch of meaningful production this 2025. 

“The first builds of the (Tesla Semi’s) high volumes in design come late this year in 2025 and begin ramping early in 2026. But as we’ve said before, the Semi is a TCO no-brainer. I think it’s really similar to Optimus. It’s going to be set by how much people pay, and its total cost of ownership is much, much cheaper than any other transportation you could have. So, at that point, when we’re at scale, it will meaningfully contribute to Tesla’s revenue,” the Tesla executive noted.

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Tesla Model Y Juniper deliveries started in South Korea recently. The Model Y Juniper is poised to drive Tesla’s sales growth in South Korea.

Tesla’s strong performance in the country’s import market underscores its growing dominance in South Korea. In 2024, Tesla sold 29,750 vehicles in South Korea, defying challenges in the broader auto sector.

The company’s momentum carried into 2025. The Tesla Model Y led South Korea’s imported car market in February with 2,038 unit registrations, according to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA). South Korea’s total imported passenger car registrations rose 24.4% to 21,199 units. Tesla ranked third with 2,222 unit registrations, trailing behind BMW’s 6,274 units and Mercedes-Benz’s 4,663 car registrations.

The Model Y Rear Wheel Drive has been a key driver of Tesla’s appeal in South Korea. The classic Model Y was South Korea’s top performer in February 2025. The Model Y Juniper variant is expected to build Tesla’s success in the country.

In the first quarter, Tesla was focused on retooling and upgrading its gigafactories worldwide for the Model Y Juniper. Tesla’s results in the second quarter will reveal how much of an impact the retooling and upgrades had on the company in the first quarter.

Tesla is still facing a few headwinds in Q2 2025, including Trump’s auto tariffs and attacks on customer vehicles related to Elon Musk. While Tesla is predicted to be the best-positioned American automaker for Trump’s auto tariffs, it will still be affected. As for the Tesla attacks, Elon Musk has announced a renewed focus on his duties to the EV automaker and plans to significantly reduce his time to DOGE next month.

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The rumors were initially reported by prolific Chinese auto blogger @胖虎Shawn, who has long been tracking Tesla’s activities and programs in the country.

Recent Model Y Rumors

Over the weekend, rumors from China suggested that Tesla would reportedly be releasing a variant of the best-selling all-electric crossover internally dubbed as “E80.” The vehicle will reportedly be a stripped-down version of the new Model Y, similar to the Cybertruck Long Range Rear Wheel Drive, which is a stripped-out version of the Cybertruck All Wheel Drive.

As noted in a CNEV Post report, it remains to be seen if the recently rumored new Model Y “E80” variant would be a three-row vehicle. That being said, Reuters also hinted at a Model Y “E41” version in a report last month, though the publication claimed that the variant will reportedly start production at Giga Shanghai sometime in 2026. Giga Shanghai is Tesla’s largest factory by output, and it also serves as the company’s primary vehicle export hub.

Three Row Potential

While Tesla China has started deliveries of the new Model Y to domestic customers, the company only offers the vehicles in five-seat configurations.  Even the rumored “E80” variant that made the rounds in the news and social media this weekend hinted at a Model Y with five seats instead of seven.

Tesla has released a seven-seat version of the Model Y during the vehicle’s previous generation. However, the three-row Model Y classic did not feature an extended wheelbase like what the recent rumors from China suggest. This resulted in the seven-seat Model Y’s third row being useful only for small passengers like children or adults with short stature. 

If the recent rumors prove accurate and Tesla China is indeed poised to produce a seven-seat new Model Y variant with an extended wheelbase, the company would be able to offer a vehicle that has a comfortable third row. This should allow Tesla to compete in the MPV market, which is populated by vehicles from local manufacturers like BYD.

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Starlink is poised to launch in South Korea this year, pending regulatory approvals, as global demand for low-orbit satellite connectivity surges.

On April 27, South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT announced system improvements to facilitate low-orbit satellite communication services like Starlink and the U.K.’s OneWeb. Low-orbit satellites, operating at 300–1,500 km, enable high-speed internet without extensive ground infrastructure, serving remote areas, ships, and airplanes.

“If we start domestic services, high-speed Wi-Fi services will be available on airplanes, and we will be able to provide online video services (OTT) and video calls to crews on long-haul ships,” said Minister of Science and ICT Yoo Sang-im.

According to KMIB, OneWeb is awaiting approvals for cross-border supply agreements and terminal suitability assessments. SpaceX’s Starlink is also waiting for approval. In October 2024, South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT notified the public about amendments to technical standards that would prevent frequent interference. After 60 days of the notice’s publication, the South Korean government is estimated to take 3-4 months to approve Starlink’s cross-board supply agreement with SpaceX.

Kim Nam-cheol, director of the Radio Policy Bureau, noted, “It is certain that (the two companies) will launch services this year, but it is difficult to specify a date as changes may occur during the consultation process.”

Starlink and OneWeb’s pending approvals in S. Korea involve ensuring compliance with local regulations, including terminal assessments for new devices. The push for satellite internet reflects a broader global trend, with S. Korea positioning itself to bridge connectivity gaps in aviation, maritime, and remote regions.

Starlink’s global reach is evident, and its usefulness increases as it expands. In January, T-Mobile used Starlink Cellular to transmit emergency alerts during LA wildfires. Meanwhile, Hawaiian and United Airlines offer Starlink Aviation for in-flight video streaming and gaming.

As Starlink expands, new competitors enter the ever-growing lob-orbit satellite communications industry. For example, Amazon’s Kuiper established a corporation in South Korea last May.

Starlink’s involvement in the Ukriane-Russia war has also led world governments to consider establishing their own satellite communications network. South Korea aims to develop its own independent satellite technology by 2030. The Asian nation plans to invest 320 billion won over six years to launch two communication units via the Nuri rocket.

Ukraine is also exploring Starlink alternatives developed by the European Union. In addition, Germany’s military, Bundeswehr, plans to build its own satellite constellation to reduce dependence on foreign networks amid geopolitical tensions.

As Starlink expands, S Korea’s regulatory and technological efforts could shape its role in the global satellite communication market, balancing foreign services with ambitions for domestic innovation.

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