Tesla's Robotaxi Service Authorized in Arizona Lacking In-Car Safety Monitors Despite Accidents: TDS
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Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
Concise and direct, TDS compiles the latest automotive news from all over the world into one place. Each story is summarized in a single, occasionally lengthy sentence, with a link for those looking for further details.
🚨 A quick reminder that I am in Los Angeles this week for the 2026 World Car of the Year testing, the 2025 LA Auto Show, and some time with Volvo. This explains why TDS is being published slightly later than usual today and probably for the rest of the week.
My first cup of coffee is finished, and I urgently need a second, so let’s dive in.
🚘 What I’m driving: I'm still cruising around LA in the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq, but I spent yesterday driving several 2026 World Car of the Year nominees, including the Kia EV5, Audi S6 E-Tron, Chevrolet Spark EUV, among others.
🚕 Tesla has acquired a ride-hailing permit, which is the last requirement before launching its anticipated “self-driving” robotaxi service in Arizona, despite the service experiencing seven crashes since its debut in Austin in July, even though a human safety monitor is present in the vehicle with a kill switch.
🤖 Waymo has announced an expansion of its self-driving taxi service to five new cities, which include Miami, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando.
🚐 The Volkswagen ID Buzz has been awarded the Top Safety Pick designation by the IIHS.
🌃 Lincoln has introduced a new Aurora Black Label Theme, inspired by “the majestic night sky.”
🚙 The 2026 Honda Pilot has been unveiled with a refreshed appearance and larger displays.
🔌 Stellantis announced that its electric vehicles will gain access to Tesla Superchargers in 2026.
‼️ Honda has recalled 256,603 Accord Hybrids due to a problem with the Integrated Control Module (ICM) software, which could lead to a loss of power to the wheels while driving.
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Tesla's Robotaxi Service Authorized in Arizona Lacking In-Car Safety Monitors Despite Accidents: TDS
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