News
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A Car Dealer Just Led a $22 Million Bet on the Robot That Calls You About Your Oil Change
A dealer group led STELLA Automotive AI’s $22.1 million round. The real prize is the service drive, and federal robocall rules decide how hard that AI can dial you.
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BYD Shark 6 Hack: Password-Free Access Exposes Lights, Locks and Cabin Microphone
The BYD Shark 6 is a 2.6-tonne plug-in hybrid ute (Australian for pickup) that’s become popular with Australian tradespeople and at least one federal cabinet minister. It also turns out to be a pretty good listening device. Australia’s ABC gave a Shark 6 to Dan Hreszczuk, co-founder of Canberra-based Fortify Labs, for two weeks and…
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NHTSA Wants to Delete Two Safety Tests. The Upgrades They’re Paying For Just Slipped to 2029.
NHTSA wants to drop the Fishhook rollover maneuver and side air bag out-of-position testing from its 5-Star program. The same notice pushes the upgrades meant to replace them out to 2029, 2031 and 2033.
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McLaren’s £500 Million Plan Isn’t Really About the SUV. It’s About Finally Building Its Own Engines.
For 15 years, an outside firm built McLaren’s engines. The supercar maker’s £500 million UK expansion brings that work in-house, and that says more about McLaren’s future than the SUV does.
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GM CVT Lawsuit Explained: Malibu, Trailblazer, Equinox and Terrain Owners’ Guide
A Sacramento Equinox owner has taken General Motors to federal court over the continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) in four of its most common family haulers. The case is Williams v. General Motors LLC, No. 1:26-cv-01162, filed September 15, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, according to the complaint itself. It…
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CarMax Gave Up $230 a Car to Win Buyers Back. Headquarters Is Paying the Bill.
CarMax just cut 145 more corporate jobs. Its SEC filings suggest the real story is a pricing bet, and the office staff is funding it.
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Allstate Added 708,000 Auto Policies Without Adding Premium. That Arithmetic Has to Land Somewhere.
Allstate’s auto book grew by 708,000 policies and $39 million in quarterly premium, because the average premium fell 3.6%. Meanwhile repair costs rose 5.2% and rentals 3.5%. That gap is the real context for the rental reimbursement fight.
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Toyota Ate a $9 Billion Tariff Bill. Now the Fight Moves to the Showroom.
Toyota’s filings show a 1.38 trillion-yen tariff hit and a North American loss despite rising sales. That is why the fight is moving from Washington to the dealership.
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Credit Acceptance Settlement: Who Gets Car Debt Forgiven and What Comes Next
Most car-loan stories end with a tow truck. This one ends, for tens of thousands of borrowers, with a zero balance and a title in the mailbox. Credit Acceptance Corporation, the Southfield, Michigan subprime auto lender, has agreed to a multistate settlement with New York and a coalition of 39 other states, the District of…
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Hyundai Wants Guardrails Against Chinese Cars. Its Own History Says They Only Buy Time
Hyundai’s CEO wants U.S. limits on Chinese automakers. The bigger news is his admission that Chinese car tech is ahead, and Hyundai’s history with trade walls.
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GM’s 8.3L Duramax Mongoose: 555 HP, Electric Steering, and a Towing Catch
GM has answered the heavy-duty diesel horsepower race with the most American fix available: more displacement. The 2027 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD will offer a new Duramax 8.3-liter turbo-diesel V8 rated at 555 horsepower and 1,230 lb-ft of torque, according to GM’s official announcement. A few days earlier, GM’s teaser release named…
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The EV Maintenance Discount Is Real. It Works Out to About $20 a Month.
AAA’s 2026 Your Driving Costs data puts the EV maintenance advantage at about $248 a year. Energy, insurance and depreciation decide far more.
