Analysis · Ford
Ford's Privacy Promise Bans Selling Your Driving Data, Not Sharing It
Ford pledges never to sell how you drive. Its consent-based data pipes to insurers, open since 2020, are left untouched — and that's where GM's drivers got hurt.
Topic
Regulation
Analysis · Tech
BMW's City Assistant Shows Level 3 Already Lost on Price
BMW's 2027 city assistant isn't a leap past Tesla. It's what replaced Level 3 after few buyers paid €6,000 to look away: supervised driving, factory hardware, a software unlock.
Analysis · Policy
GM Will Pay $220 Million for Selling Your Driving Data. You Get Nothing
Thirty-six attorneys general extracted about 11 times what GM earned selling driving data. The decree sends every dollar to the states and cannot touch the insurers who used the scores.
Analysis · Policy
Cyan Lights Are the Distraction. NHTSA Is Rewriting the Rules for Cars With No Wheel
The optional cyan lamps get the headlines. The same proposal is NHTSA's sixth rewrite this year for cars without wheels or pedals, easing them out of a capped exemption.
Analysis · Volvo
Volvo Lost China on Price. Washington Took Apart Its American Plan
China cost Volvo its sales. Washington cost it the plan: a CAFE credit write-down, lost EV incentives, tariffs and an underused US plant that now has to carry the fix.
Analysis · Pricing
CarGurus Lawsuit Exposes the Flaw in Every Online 'Great Deal' Badge
New York's case against CarGurus shows a deal badge that ignores mandatory fees measures listing format, not price. I expect out-the-door ratings to become the norm.
Analysis · EVs
California Sells EVs at 2.5x the U.S. Rate. Its $3,500 Rebate Isn't the Reason
MyFirstEV put 12,000 first-time buyers into EVs, yet California's EV share slipped in the quarter it launched. The state's lead runs on $6 gas and home chargers.
Analysis · Policy
Washington Locked In the V8 Through 2031. Drivers Will Pay at the Pump
The V8 came back when fuel-economy fines hit $0. NHTSA's final rule keeps it safe through 2031, and the agency's own numbers show who pays.
Analysis · Pricing
Your Car Didn't Get More Expensive This Year. Keeping It Did
New-car prices have barely moved since early 2024. The cost of keeping one running is up 18%. The price hike has moved past the dealership.
Analysis · Explainer
Servicing Your Car Outside the Dealership Won't Void Your Warranty: What the Law Says
U.S. federal law bars carmakers from voiding a warranty just because an independent shop did the maintenance. Here is what is protected, and when a claim can be denied.