An autonomous car for consumers? Lucid says it’s happening.

Good news if you sell GPUs

First, Lucid will roll out a more advanced version of its partially automated driving assist for the Gravity SUV, which it says has been “turbocharged by Nvidia Drive AV.” But after that, the plan is for a so-called “level 4” autonomous system, capable of driving itself from point to point without human intervention, at least within a geofence or other limited operational design domain.

In scope, this is more limited and more achievable than the “level 5,” go-anywhere dream of Tesla’s FSD system. It is similar to the level 4 autonomous vehicles being developed by companies like Waymo and Zoox, but those are also designed to be operated by fleets with regular maintenance.

Lucid will use Nvidia’s platform to reach level 4, building a pair of Drive AGX Thor computers into the new midsize EV platform. And leaning on Nvidia’s software means Lucid doesn’t have the hard ongoing job of keeping everything up to date.

“As vehicles evolve into software-defined supercomputers on wheels, a new opportunity emerges—to reimagine mobility with intelligence at every turn. Together with Lucid, we’re accelerating the future of autonomous, AI-powered transportation, built on [the] Nvidia full-stack automotive platform,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia.

Car buyers are starting to cotton on to driver assists like General Motors’ Super Cruise, which about 40 percent of customers choose to pay for after the three-year free trial ends, and Lucid must be hoping that offering a far more advanced system, which won’t require the human to pay any attention while it is engaged, will help it earn plenty of money.

The other part of the Lucid/Nvidia announcement may have the potential for even more impact on the profit and loss statements. Nvidia’s industrial platform will let Lucid create its production lines digitally first before committing them to actual hardware. “By modeling autonomous systems, Lucid can optimize robot path planning, improve safety, and shorten commissioning time,” Lucid said.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/an-autonomous-car-for-consumers-lucid-says-its-happening/

Here’s how Slate Auto plans to handle repairs to its electric trucks

Earlier this year, Slate Auto emerged from stealth mode and stunned industry watchers with the Slate Truck, a compact electric pickup it plans to sell for less than $30,000. Achieving that price won’t be easy, but Slate really does look to be doing things differently from the rest of the industry—even Tesla. For example, the truck will be made from just 600 parts, with no paint or even an infotainment system, to keep costs down.

An unanswered question until now has been “where do I take it to be fixed if it breaks?” Today, we have an answer. Slate is partnering with RepairPal to use the latter’s network of more than 4,000 locations across the US.

“Slate’s OEM partnership with RepairPal’s nationwide network of service centers will give Slate customers peace of mind while empowering independent service shops to provide accessorization and service,” said Slate chief commercial officer Jeremy Snyder.

RepairPal locations will also be able to install the accessories that Slate plans to offer, like a kit to turn the bare-bones pickup truck into a crossover. And some but not all RepairPal sites will be able to work on the Slate’s high-voltage powertrain.

The startup had some other big news today. It has negotiated access for its customers to the Tesla Supercharger network, and since the truck has a NACS port, there will be no need for an adapter.

The Slate truck is due next year.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/slate-auto-announces-repair-network-access-to-superchargers/

F1 in Mexico City: We have a new championship leader

Doing so vaulted him past his teammate Oscar Piastri to regain the lead Norris held in the early part of the season, albeit by just a single point. But if that makes it sound like it was a boring race, think again.

Behind Norris, the chasing pack went into turn 1 four-wide. Both Ferraris were in the mix: Charles Leclerc qualified second, and his teammate Lewis Hamilton was third. Max Verstappen could qualify his Red Bull no higher than fifth, behind George Russell’s Mercedes. A number of drivers had to take to the grass at turn 1 to avoid crashing, giving Norris plenty of breathing room to build a lead.

Behind him, things were a little more interesting. Leclerc managed to keep second place, but with much less speed than Norris, a following pack formed behind him. By lap 7, Verstappen had managed to fight his way past Russell, then diced with Hamilton, his old foe from the 2021 title. Neither car was able to keep entirely to the track, and Hamilton was handed a 10-second penalty, putting an end to any thoughts of finally grabbing his first Ferrari podium finish. Eventually, he finished eighth.

Norris, Leclerc, and Verstappen all stuck to a one-stop strategy, with the Red Bull driver starting on medium tires and then swapping to the softs; his rivals did the opposite. Verstappen was in a much stronger position in the final phase of the race, with newer, softer rubber than the Ferrari ahead. But although he closed the gap to fractions of a second, he was denied a chance to overtake Leclerc when a virtual safety car interrupted the race with just three laps to go.

With his third place, Verstappen is now 36 points behind championship leader Norris, with a total of 116 points left on offer for the season.

Fourth went to the Haas of Oliver Bearman, who saw a chance early on to get into the front-running pack but was unable to hold off Verstappen for the final podium spot toward the end of the race. As for Piastri, he was able to claw his way back to fifth after starting eighth. That earned him 10 points, so he only gave away five to Verstappen, although Norris now leads him by 357 points to 356.

The next race will be in Brazil on November 9.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/f1-in-mexico-city-we-have-a-new-championship-leader/

Tesla’s “Mad Max” mode is now under federal scrutiny

Earlier this month, Tesla rolled out a new firmware update that added a pair of new driving modes for the controversial full self-driving (FSD) feature. One, called “Sloth,” relaxes acceleration and stays in its lane. The other, called “Mad Max,” does the opposite: It speeds and swerves through traffic to get you to your destination faster. And after multiple reports of FSD Teslas doing just that, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants to know more.

In fact, “Mad Max” mode is not entirely new—Tesla beta-tested the same feature in Autopilot in 2018, before deciding not to roll it out in a production release after widespread outcry.

These days, the company is evidently feeling less constrained; despite having just lost a federal wrongful death lawsuit that will cost it hundreds of millions of dollars, it described the new mode as being able to drive “through traffic at an incredible pace, all while still being super smooth. It drives your car like a sports car. If you are running late, this is the mode for you.”

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/feds-probe-tesla-about-its-mad-max-mode/

Rivian is settling $250 million lawsuit to focus on next year’s R2 EV

Electric vehicle startup Rivian announced on Thursday that it has settled a lawsuit with some of its investors. The company continues to deny allegations of making “materially untrue” statements during its inial public offering but says it agreed to pay $250 million to clear itself of distractions as it focuses on building its next EV, the mass-market R2, which is due next year.

Rivian was first sued by a shareholder in 2022 over claims that the startup knew it would cost far more for it to build each R1T electric truck and R1S electric SUV than the advertised $67,500 and $70,000 prices, respectively. A big surprise price increase would tarnish the nascent automaker’s reputation, the lawsuit claimed, and could lead to many of the almost 56,000 pre-orders being canceled.

Just a few months after its November 2021 IPO, the company had indeed issued a hefty price hike: $79,500 for the R1T and $84,500 for the R1S SUV. After an outcry, the company said it would honor the original price for its existing preorders. By that point, though, the damage was done, and more than a third of the company’s value was erased within a few days, the lawsuit alleged.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/rivian-settles-shareholder-lawsuit-for-250-million-denies-allegations/

Great hybrid V6, lousy HMI: Three days with a Ferrari 296 GTB

The first time I drove this generation of mid-engined Ferrari, it was on a curated route on the company’s home turf. As the Po Valley gives way to the Apennines, you find plenty of narrow winding roads, steep gradients, and hairpin turns. It was an engaging few hours of driving, but it was too brief to properly assess some of the 296’s technology. I found the ride firm but comfortable on rough Italian tarmac and the hybrid system easy to operate, flicking into calm-and-quiet electric-only mode through the villages I encountered.

That was back in 2022 during the unveiling of Ferrari’s 499P race car. Last month, I met the 499P again as it visited the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, along with the rest of the World Endurance Championship. And that afforded another chance to get to know the 296, with three days rather than three hours to form an impression.

Head west from Austin and you’ll find twisty roads that wrap around the hills. It would have been easy to spend an entire day out there, but that seemed repetitive—I’d experienced the 296’s back road behavior already. Plus, there were things to do at the racetrack, although I’ll admit I took the long way there and back each day.

Driving among the AVs

For mixing it up in downtown traffic—among the dozens of all-white Waymo Jaguars and brightly wrapped Zoox Toyotas doing their autonomous driving thing—the Ferrari’s eDrive mode is perfectly sufficient. It uses the axial flux electric motor that lives between the 2.9 L V6 engine and the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, but the donut-shaped motor’s 165 hp (123 kW) and, more importantly, 232 lb-ft (315 Nm) are all you need to move the 296’s roughly 3,300 lbs (1,500 kg) at city speeds. Visibility is good looking forward and is adequate otherwise, and the throttle mapping makes it easy to measure out just as much acceleration as you need.

Beyond the confines of the city center, you’ll want the contribution of the V6’s 654 hp (488 kW). There are three modes to choose from. Hybrid is best when the lithium-ion traction battery is charged, and the car’s brain will cut the V6 as and when necessary to save some fuel. If the 7.4 kWh battery is depleted, switching into Performance mode is a solution. This keeps the internal combustion engine fired and uses spare power to keep topping up the pack. It also sounds more raucous.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/great-hybrid-v6-lousy-hmi-three-days-with-a-ferrari-296-gtb/

Porsche does U-turn on electric vehicles, will focus on gas engines

Porsche had bet on electrification in the wake of Volkswagen Group’s Dieselgate emissions cheating scandal but had been “too bullish,” said Metzler Research analyst Pal Skirta.

The sports-car maker’s challenges have been compounded by its struggles in China and the US, its two most important markets. In China, previously boasting strong growth and healthy profits, sales slumped by almost 40 percent between 2022 and 2024 as local rivals emerged.

In the US, new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump will foreseeably apply to every unit sold. Unlike rivals, Porsche does not have a factory locally and imports all its vehicles from Europe.

The effects of the crisis are already being felt at Porsche’s factories. The company said earlier this year it would cut 3,900 jobs by 2029, the equivalent of 9 percent of its workforce, and it is in talks with unions about more cost savings.

Porsche will have to smooth out persistent EV product delays because of software problems, where Chinese newcomers have set the standard in recent times. In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Sajjad Khan, Porsche board member for IT and software, said the quality of its products and technologies would be better in 2026 and 2027. “We have to work hard to execute perfectly,” Khan said.

Leiters may be one of the few well-placed executives to lead Porsche, but one question he faces will be how to preserve the premium status of its vehicles. His former employer Ferrari has thrived on scarcity of its sought-after supercars, but analysts have long wondered how Porsche will square its high prices with a push to sell more cars.

The German group’s U-turn on combustion engines also raises questions over its aim to establish itself as a maker of premium EVs.

“That’s the risk of the strategy that they will focus again too much on combustion engine vehicles, and then we’ll lose the EV race in the long run,” said Skirta.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/porsche-does-u-turn-on-electric-vehicles-will-focus-on-gas-engines/

Tesla FSD gets worse at driving, NHTSA opens new investigation

At least six crashes have been reported to the agency under its standing general order, which requires an automaker to inform the regulator of any crash involving a partially automated driving system like FSD (or an autonomous driving system like Waymo’s). And of those six crashes, four resulted in injuries.

The second scenario involves Teslas operating under FSD crossing into oncoming traffic, driving straight in a turning lane, or making a turn from the wrong lane. There have been at least 24 complaints about this behavior, as well as another six reports under the standing general order, and NHTSA also cites articles published by Motor Trend and Forbes that detail such behavior during test drives.

Perhaps this should not be surprising. Last year, we reported on a study conducted by AMCI Testing that revealed both aberrant driving behaviors—ignoring a red light and crossing into oncoming traffic—in 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of testing that required more than 75 human interventions. The rest of the time, the system was capable of quite sophisticated behavior; “its seeming infallibility in anyone’s first five minutes of FSD operation breeds a sense of awe that unavoidably leads to dangerous complacency,” said AMCI Testing’s director, Guy Mangiamele.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/tesla-fsd-gets-worse-at-driving-nhtsa-opens-new-investigation/

Tesla’s standard-range Model 3, Model Y join the lineup

Today, Tesla announced a new variant of the Model Y crossover for North America. Tesla fans have long-awaited a cheaper entry-level model; this was supposed to be the $25,000 Model 2. But the development of that electric vehicle was shelved earlier last year as CEO Elon Musk began to lose interest with car-making in favor of humanoid robots.

However, car sales still make up the overwhelming majority of Tesla’s revenue, and the removal of the IRS clean vehicle tax credit at the end of September may have juiced US EV sales in Q3 2025, but sales are expected to dip significantly in the current quarter.

The new Standard Range Model Y starts at $39,990, with 321 miles (516 km) of range from its rear-wheel drive powertrain, compared to the now-Premium rear-wheel drive Model Y, which has an EPA range of 357 miles (574 km). In the past, Tesla has software-locked batteries to a smaller configuration; however, here we believe the Standard Range Model Y uses a 69 kWh pack.

The cheaper Model Y is decontented in other ways. There’s no AM or FM radio, and no touchscreen in the back for passengers to control their climate settings. The roof is metal, not panoramic glass, and there’s a simpler center console and manual adjustment for the steering wheel. Tesla has reduced the choice of interior trim materials, there’s a less-capable particulate filter (with no HEPA mode), and there’s no seat heating for the back seats or cooling for the front seats.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/teslas-new-cut-price-evs-a-39990-model-y-and-36990-model-3/

Hyundai gives the Ioniq 5 a huge price cut for model-year 2026

Earlier today, we wrote about how Ford, General Motors, and Tesla have reacted to the end of the clean vehicle tax credits. Now we know what Hyundai is doing, and the answer is “giving the Ioniq 5 a huge price cut.”

The cheapest Ioniq 5 is still the SE RWD. A model-year 2025 SE RWD cost $42,600; for model-year 2026 it’s now $35,000. The price cuts for other versions are even greater—between $9,150 and $9,800. For example, the Ioniq 5 XRT that you see in the photo above had a starting price of $55,500 for MY25; now it starts at a very reasonable $46,275.

“Hyundai is taking bold steps to ensure our award-winning Ioniq 5 remains a top choice for EV buyers,” said Randy Parker, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America. “This pricing realignment reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional technology and innovation without compromise.”

Unlike the tax credit, there’s no income cap applied to Hyundai’s price cut. But the cuts have only been applied to Ioniq 5s built in the US—the Ioniq 5 N, built in Korea, was absent from Hyundai’s press release, as was the Ioniq 6 sedan or the Ioniq 9 three-row SUV. However, Hyundai said that those MY25 cars are still eligible for a manufacturer’s incentive of $7,500.

Hyundai updated the Ioniq 5 last year, adding native NACS ports and other improvements to an already-excellent EV, like adding the missing rear windshield wiper.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/10/hyundai-gives-the-ioniq-5-a-huge-price-cut-for-model-year-2026/