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☆ California governor vetoes bill banning robotrucks without safety drivers
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Abhirup Roy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A veto by the governor can still be overturned if the legislature chooses to vote in favor of the bill with a two-thirds majority in each house. While many states, including Texas and Arkansas, have allowed the testing and operation of self-driving trucks, California - home to Alphabet (GOOGL.O), Apple (AAPL.O) and some of the most cutting-edge tech startups - bars autonomous trucks weighing more than 10,001 pounds. Developing autonomous technology has proved harder and more expensive than expected, leading to job cuts and even companies shutting shop. But labor unions led by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters have been calling for Governor Newsom to sign the bill, saying autonomous trucks - some of which weigh over 80,000 pounds - were unsafe and would lead to job losses. Governor Newsom in his veto message said any regulations framed by the department of motor vehicles would be transparent, with inputs from stakeholders and experts to ensure safety.

Persons: Tina Bellon, Gavin Newsom, Bill, Newsom, Abhirup Roy, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, FRANCISCO, U.S, Apple, Reuters, Daimler, Kodiak Robotics, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Thomson Locations: Palmer, Dallas , Texas, U.S, California, Texas, Arkansas, Aurora, Southern California, San Francisco

Sept 23 (Reuters) - U.S. auto workers expanded their strike on Friday with a clear target for distress: dealers who sell and service GM and Stellantis vehicles. The strategy of choking parts delivery increases problems for some dealers who say it already had been difficult to source some components. The broader strike, which targets 38 parts distribution centers owned by GM and Stellantis, "is going to have these shops telling their customers 'We don't know when we can fix your vehicle. "It's definitely going to impact customers," said Thomas Morris, 60, who went on strike on Friday at a General Motors parts distribution center in the suburbs of Philadelphia. The center serves GM dealerships from Pennsylvania to Maine, moving some 30,000 parts for auto repairs each day, workers said.

Persons: Richard Fasulo, Howard Drake, Mike Stanton, It's, Thomas Morris, Stellantis, Arthur Wheaton, Brad Sowers, Jim Butler, he'll, Abhirup Roy, Doyinsola, Jarrett Renshaw, Peter Henderson Organizations: Cadillac, GM, National Association of Auto Dealers, UAW, Motors, Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Jim Butler Auto Group, Chevrolet, Thomson Locations: Wappinger , New York, California, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Maine, St.Louis , Missouri, San Francisco, New York, Pennyslvania

UAW President Shawn Fain, in a Facebook live event, said that by targeting distribution centers the strike becomes a nationwide event. Stellantis has said it wants to be able to consolidate and close some of its parts distribution centers. Nearly 13,000 UAW workers walked out at plants in Missouri, Michigan and Ohio on Sept 15. "GM and Stellantis are looking at stockholder value and Ford is looking a lot more long-term that they have to make friends with labor." Fain said on Friday that the union had negotiated the elimination of lower wage tiers in some components facilities at Ford and GM.

Persons: Fain, Shawn Fain, Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, Thomas Morris, Stellantis, Phaedra Grant, Michael Swensen, Ford, Daniel Ives, Sam Fiorani, Ford's, David Shepardson, Joseph White, Jarrett Renshaw, Ben Klayman, Peter Henderson, Abhirup Roy, Jeff Mason, Nick Zieminski, Matthew Lewis Organizations: GM, Ford, United Auto Workers, Detroit, General Motors, Chrysler, UAW, REUTERS, Ford Bronco, Chevrolet, AutoForecast Solutions, Reuters, Thomson Locations: DETROIT, United, Michigan, California, Massachusetts, Oregon, Florida, Philadelphia, Langhorne , Pennsylvania, Kokomo , Indiana, Kokomo, Louisville , Kentucky, U.S, Missouri , Michigan, Ohio, Chevrolet Colorado, Washington, Detroit, San Francisco

UAW President Shawn Fain, in a Facebook live event, said that by targeting distribution centers the strike becomes a nationwide event. Fain said Ford had improved its contract offer, including boosting profit sharing and agreeing to let workers strike over plant closures but said the union still has "serious issues" with Ford. Nearly 13,000 UAW workers walked out at plants in Missouri, Michigan and Ohio on Sept 15. "GM and Stellantis are looking at stockholder value and Ford is looking a lot more long-term that they have to make friends with labor." Fain said on Friday that the union had negotiated the elimination of lower wage tiers in some components facilities at Ford and GM.

Persons: Phaedra Grant, Michael Swensen, Biden, Fain, Shawn Fain, Ford, Stellantis, Joe Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre, Shawn Fain's, Donald Trump, Daniel Ives, Sam Fiorani, Ford's, Mark Reuss, David Shepardson, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, Peter Henderson, Abhirup Roy, Jeff Mason, Nick Zieminski, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Ford, UAW, REUTERS, GM, United Auto Workers, Detroit, General Motors, Chrysler, Ford Bronco, Chevrolet, AutoForecast Solutions, Reuters, Republican, Detroit automakers, Thomson Locations: Louisville , Kentucky, U.S, DETROIT, United, California, Massachusetts, Oregon, Florida, Kokomo , Indiana, Kokomo, Michigan, Missouri , Michigan, Ohio, Chevrolet Colorado, Washington, Detroit, San Francisco

☆ General Motors' Cruise unveils wheelchair-accessible robotaxi
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A self-driving GM Bolt EV is seen during a media event where Cruise, GM's autonomous car unit, showed off its self-driving cars in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 28, 2017. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSAN FRANCISCO, Sept 14 (Reuters) - General Motors' (GM.N) robotaxi unit Cruise on Thursday unveiled a self-driving vehicle that is accessible to people with disabilities even as it waits for a key regulatory approval to build and deploy vehicles without human controls. The wheelchair-accessible vehicle called Cruise WAV is based on its Origin driverless vehicle that operates without a steering wheel and pedals with room for passengers to sit facing each other. Raid-hailing firms, including robotaxi operators, have faced criticism for not having enough wheelchair-accessible vehicles available for disabled people, who often face shortages and significant wait times. Reporting by Abhirup Roy in San FranciscoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Elijah Nouvelage, Cruise, Alphabet's, Waymo, Abhirup Roy Organizations: GM Bolt, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, General Motors, Chevrolet Bolt, National, Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California, U.S, San Francisco

☆ Rivian to benefit next year as EV battery material prices ease - CFO
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Rivian name shown on one of the carmaker's new electric SUV vehicles in San Diego, U.S., December 16, 2022. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 7 (Reuters) - Electric-vehicle maker Rivian Automotive (RIVN.O) will benefit late this year and in 2024 from a significant deflation for battery material prices, finance chief Claire McDonough said at a technology conference on Thursday. Prices for raw materials used in batteries surged to record highs in recent years on burgeoning demand for EVs, coupled with tight supplies due to the pandemic that were exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Lower costs of battery raw materials could potentially boost margins for Rivian and its rivals who have struggled with high costs and dwindling cash balances. Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru and Abhirup Roy in San Francisco; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Timothy GardnerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mike Blake, Claire McDonough, TrendForce, McDonough, Goldman Sachs, Akash Sriram, Abhirup Roy, Sriraj Kalluvila, Timothy Gardner Organizations: REUTERS, Rivian, EVs, Goldman, Thomson Locations: San Diego , U.S, Ukraine, Bengaluru, San Francisco

☆ California regulator probes crashes involving GM's Cruise robotaxis
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A Cruise self-driving car, which is owned by General Motors Corp, is seen outside the company's headquarters in San Francisco where it does most of its testing, in California, U.S., September 26, 2018. The statement from California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) came after a Cruise robotaxi was involved in a crash with an emergency vehicle in San Francisco late on Thursday, the latest accident involving the self-driving cars. The two have been running robotaxi tests limited by times and geographic areas within San Francisco. San Francisco will suffer serious harms from this unfettered expansion," he said in a statement. Reporting by Abhirup Roy and Hyunjoo Jin in San Francisco; editing by Diane Craft and Sonali PaulOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Heather Somerville, robotaxi, Cruise, David Chiu, Abhirup Roy, Hyunjoo Jin, Diane Craft, Sonali Paul Organizations: General Motors Corp, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, General Motors, California Department of Motor Vehicles, DMV, San Francisco Police Department, Reuters, California Public Utilities Commission, City, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, California, U.S, Cruise

☆ GM's Cruise robotaxi collides with fire truck in San Francisco
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Initial investigation shows the collision occurred when a fire truck was operating in an emergency with its forward facing red lights and siren on, the San Francisco Police Department said in a statement to Reuters. The San Francisco Fire Department did not respond to requests for comment. The two have been running robotaxi tests limited by times and geographic areas within San Francisco. San Francisco will suffer serious harms from this unfettered expansion," he said in a statement. Reporting by Abhirup Roy in San Francisco; editing by Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Heather Somerville, robotaxi, Cruise, David Chiu, Abhirup Roy, Diane Craft Organizations: General Motors Corp, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, General Motors, Twitter, San Francisco Police Department, Reuters, Cruise, San Francisco Fire Department, California Public Utilities Commission, City, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, California, U.S, Cruise

☆ Texas approves plan to mandate Tesla tech for EV chargers despite opposition
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Abhirup Roy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla's efforts are facing early tests as some states start rolling out the funds. But individual states can add their own requirements on top of CCS before distributing the federal funds at a local level. In June, Reuters reported that Texas - which will receive and deploy $407.8 million over five years - planned to mandate companies to include Tesla's plugs. That forced Texas to defer a vote on the plan twice as it sought to understand NACS and its implications, before the commission voted unanimously to approve the plan on Wednesday. Reporting by Abhirup Roy in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Elon Musk's, Biden, Humberto Gonzalez, Abhirup Roy, Jarrett Renshaw, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: FRANCISCO, Federal, CCS, Ford, General Motors, Reuters, SAE, Texas Transportation Commission, Thomson Locations: Texas, Pennsylvania's, Ohio, U.S, Washington, Kentucky, Florida, San Francisco

☆ Nikola recalls all battery-electric trucks, halts sales after fire probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-12 | by ( Mrinmay Dey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Logo of U.S. truckmaker Nikola is pictured at the IAA Transportation fair in Hanover, Germany, September 19, 2022. The company had said it suspected foul play when it started an investigation in June after trucks at its Phoenix, Arizona, headquarters caught fire. Struggling with supply chain bottlenecks and weaker demand, Nikola decided to make battery electric trucks only to order and focus on hydrogen fuel cell trucks. Nikola on Aug. 4 appointed Chairman Stephen Girsky, a former General Motors executive, as its chief executive, its fourth in four years. On Friday, Nikola asked customers and dealers of its Tre battery electric trucks to take certain immediate safety measures, including considering parking them outside.

Persons: Nikola, Fabian Bimmer, NKLA.O, Stephen Girsky, Shubhendu Deshmukh, Mrinmay Dey, Abhirup Roy, Sandra Maler, William Mallard, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: IAA Transportation, REUTERS, Reuters, General Motors, Thomson Locations: Hanover, Germany, Phoenix , Arizona, Bengaluru, San Francisco

☆ Rivian lifts production target after quarterly revenue beat on higher deliveries
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mike Blake/file photoAug 8 - Rivian Automotive (RIVN.O) on Tuesday raised its full-year production forecast after it beat second-quarter revenue expectations on higher deliveries. The Amazon.com-backed (AMZN.O) company expects demand for its pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles to remain stable even in the face of high borrowing costs. Rivian's revenue for the April-June period stood at $1.12 billion, compared with Wall Street estimates of $1 billion, according to Refinitiv data. It reported a net loss of $1.2 billion, compared with a loss of $1.71 billion a year earlier. Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the quarter were $9.26 billion, compared with $11.57 billion, as of December 2022.

Persons: Mike Blake, Rivian, Cash, Akash Sriram, Abhirup Roy, Shinjini Organizations: REUTERS, Rivian, Thomson Locations: San Diego , U.S, Ukraine, Bengaluru, San Francisco

Most of the supply chain has now come through out of the COVID era," CEO Peter Rawlinson told Reuters. Although logistics and labor costs have come down, there was a "significant amount of opportunity" to cut costs further, she said. Lucid on Monday reported revenue in the April-June period of $150.9 million, missing estimates of $175 million, according to seven analysts polled by Refinitiv. Cash stood at $2.78 billion at the end of June, compared with $900 million three month prior. Lucid is set to unveil its Gravity SUV in November ahead of its launch in 2024.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Peter Rawlinson, Sherry House, Rawlinson, Cash, Garrett Nelson, Akash Sriram, Abhirup Roy, Anil D'Silva, Jamie Freed, Leslie Adler Organizations: Nasdaq, Lucid Motors, Churchill Capital Corp, REUTERS, Saudi, Public Investment Fund, Reuters, Air, Refinitiv, Thomson Locations: New York City , New York, U.S, Bengaluru, San Francisco

☆ EV maker Lucid slashes prices of Air sedan as part of offer amid heating competition
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Abhirup Roy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A Lucid Air electric vehicle is displayed in Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S., September 27, 2021. REUTERS/Hyunjoo Jin/File PhotoSAN FRANCISCO, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Electric vehicle maker Lucid (LCID.O) cut prices of its Air luxury sedans by as much as $12,400 as part of an offer, it said on Saturday, amid rising competition in the U.S. EV industry and a price war sparked by Tesla (TSLA.O). A spokesperson for Lucid said the company was unable to provide details on how much stock will be part of this offer. But rising interest rates to curb inflation and fears of recession have dampened consumer demand, prompting market leader Tesla to slash prices this year. Newark, California-based Lucid is expected to show deepening losses in its second-quarter earnings on Monday after reporting a fall in April-June production due to supply-chain problems.

Persons: Hyunjoo Jin, Tesla, Lucid, Abhirup Roy, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, FRANCISCO, U.S, EV, Plaid, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Thomson Locations: Scottsdale , Arizona, U.S, Newark , California, San Francisco

The maker of Tre model electric trucks has decided to make battery electric trucks only to order and focus on hydrogen fuel cell trucks. The company laid off 270 employees in June and liquidated assets of a recently acquired battery maker last month. Nikola forecast third-quarter revenue of $18 million to $28 million, compared with estimates of $34.5 million, according to Visible Alpha. Other electric vehicle (EV) startups also have toiled to ramp up production, meet delivery targets and raise funds as cash reserves dwindled. Separately, Nikola reported a narrower second-quarter loss as lower production of its Tre battery-electric trucks in the April-June period helped keep costs in check.

Persons: Stephen Girsky, Brendan McDermid, Nikola, NKLA.O, Michael Lohscheller, Girsky, Tre, Trevor Milton, Akash Sriram, Abhirup Roy, Will Dunham, Anil D'Silva, Sriraj Kalluvila, David Gregorio Our Organizations: VectolQ, Reuters, of Autonomous Vehicles, REUTERS, U.S, General Motors, Friday's, Nikola, Fisker, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Phoenix, Bengaluru, San Francisco

Nikola's investors on Thursday approved a proposal that will allow the company to issue more shares. The maker of Tre model electric trucks has been trying to pivot to hydrogen fuel cell technology. Nikola forecast third-quarter revenue of $18 million to $28 million, compared with estimates of $34.5 million, according to Visible Alpha. It had cash and cash equivalents of $226.7 million at the end of the second quarter, compared with $441.8 million, a year earlier. The company laid off 270 employees in June and liquidated assets of a recently acquired battery maker last month.

Persons: Stephen Girsky, Brendan McDermid, Nikola, okayed, Michael Lohscheller, Girsky, Tre, Trevor Milton, Akash Sriram, Abhirup Roy, Anil D'Silva, Sriraj Kalluvila, David Gregorio Our Organizations: VectolQ, Reuters, of Autonomous Vehicles, REUTERS, General Motors, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Bengaluru, San Francisco

The company now expects to produce between 20,000 and 23,000 vehicles in 2023, down from 32,000 to 36,000 units projected in May. Fisker also raised its annual expenses projection to between $565 million and $640 million from $535 million to $610 million on higher selling, general and administrative costs. Electric-vehicle startups have faced supply chain issues in the past year as industry suppliers prioritize larger EV makers with proven production capacity and demand. Shares of Nikola (NKLA.O) also sank 13% on Friday after it named its fourth CEO in as many years in a bid to navigate a host of challenges including depleting cash reserves, supply chain constraints and a pivot to hydrogen fuel cell technology. Analysts expect the company to record an operating profit in the fourth quarter, according to Refinitiv data.

Persons: Henrik Fisker, Fisker, Raymond James, Akash Sriram, Sriraj Kalluvila, Anil D'Silva, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Fisker, Reuters, Nikola, Magna International, Revenue, Thomson Locations: California, Europe, United States, Austrian, Alaska, U.S, Bengaluru

HUNTINGTON BEACH, California, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Electric vehicle (EV) maker Fisker Inc (FSR.N) unveiled a pickup truck on Thursday, weeks after starting deliveries of its flagship sport utility vehicle (SUV) and as it tackles persistent supply chain issues. Fisker aims to make a mark in the crowded EV market with lower-priced vehicles that still have high-design sensibility. Fisker said Alaska, reservations for which opened on Thursday, would be built on the same platform as its Ocean SUV. Fisker, which uses contract manufacturing for its vehicles, aims to keep cost of production as well as vehicle prices low. While the Ocean SUV starts at $37,499, its smaller Pear SUV, which was also unveiled on Thursday, is priced at $29,990.

Persons: Henrik Fisker, Fisker, Tesla, We're, Lisa Baertlein, Abhirup Roy, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Fisker Inc, Reuters, Ford, Thomson Locations: HUNTINGTON BEACH , California, Alaska, Huntington Beach , California, Huntington Beach, San Francisco

☆ Nikola gets required shareholder votes for share increase proposal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Fabian BimmerAug 3 (Reuters) - Electric truck maker Nikola Corp (NKLA.O) said on Thursday it had garnered enough support for a proposal to increase the number of shares it can issue, opening the doors to much-needed capital. To reduce cash burn, Nikola announced layoffs in June and liquidated assets of a recently acquired EV battery maker. But investors have been closely scrutinizing cash reserves at Nikola and other electric-vehicle makers worried about more share disposals to raise funds diluting their stakes. Opposing the vote vocally was Nikola's founder and top shareholder Trevor Milton, who has also called for a change in leadership. Shares of Nikola, which have soared nearly 60% this year to Thursday's close, fell 3.7% in after-hours trading.

Persons: Nikola, Fabian Bimmer, Nikola Corp, Michael Lohscheller, Trevor Milton, Milton, Thursday's, Abhirup Roy, Gerry Doyle, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: IAA Transportation, REUTERS, Nikola, EV, Thomson Locations: Hanover, Germany, San Francisco

Tesla, which accounted for more than 60% of U.S. EV sales last year, has the largest network of fast-chargers with almost 18,000 Superchargers. Tesla said earlier this year it would open part of that charging network to EVs from rivals in order to be eligible for a share of funding from $7.5 billion in federal subsidies. The new charging company will support both charging standards but will compete with Tesla's network. CEOs of the seven auto brands said a charging network built out like gas stations with restrooms, food service and retail operations would support a faster EV rollout. Automakers, however, lack the necessary electricians or experience working with retailers, said Andres Pinter, co-CEO at installation and maintenance company Bullet EV Charging Solutions.

Persons: Tesla, Mercedes Benz, Akshay Singh, Karine Jean, Pierre said, Biden, TESLA, Carlos Tavares, Steve Marcus, –, Andres Pinter, Andre Barlow, Doyle Barlow, Mazard, Abhirup Roy, Jarrett renshaw, Kevin Krolicki, Ben Klayman, Paul Lienert, Diane Bartz, Chizu Nomiyama, Bernadette Baum, Marguerita Choy Organizations: General Motors, Hyundai Motor, Kia, Honda, BMW, EV, Tesla, Industry, White House, U.S, REUTERS, GM, Hyundai, BMW –, American, Solutions, VW, Daimler, Ford, Justice, Justice Department, White, Thomson Locations: U.S, North America, Las Vegas , Nevada, America, Europe, San Francisco, Washington

NEW YORK, July 24 (Reuters) - Electric-vehicle charger operator EVCS is looking to raise $125 million, according to a document seen by Reuters, as it races to expand its network of fast chargers eightfold by 2025 and capitalize on the U.S. government's push to boost EV adoption. EVCS, which operates its own network of fast chargers as well as stations for clients such as Hertz and Hilton, plans to increase its network to 2,100 fast chargers by 2025 from 260 currently and focus on the U.S. states of California, Washington and Oregon, according to the document. A person familiar with the matter said a $125 million investment would represent a large minority stake in the business. Reuters was not immediately able to ascertain what valuation the company or its advisers had arrived at for the entire business. The deals between Tesla and rivals also could make it easier for operators to cater to virtually all EVs.

Persons: Tesla, EVCS, Biden, Isla Binnie, Abhirup Roy, Peter Henderson, Matthew Lewis Organizations: YORK, Reuters, BNP, Hertz, Hilton, Tesla, Volta, stoke, Thomson Locations: California, EVCS, Washington and Oregon, New York, Francisco

July 19 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O) CEO Elon Musk signalled on Wednesday that he would cut prices again on electric vehicles in "turbulent times", even as his all-out price war on automaker rivals squeezes the company's own margins. The large price cuts have pressured Tesla's automotive gross margin, a closely watched indicator in the industry, but Musk has said Tesla would sacrifice margin to drive volume growth. As an example, Tesla this year cut U.S. prices of its Model Y long-range version by a quarter to $50,490. In 2020, Musk unveiled a plan to produce Tesla's own EV batteries called "4680" cells. Tesla said production of the long-delayed electric pickup Cybertruck remained on track for initial deliveries this year.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Tesla, Thomas Martin, Akash Sriram, Hyunjoo Jin, Abhirup Roy, Peter Henderson, Joe White, Sayantani Ghosh, Matthew Lewis, Sam Holmes Organizations: Globalt Investments, EV, Ford, General Motors, Reuters, Thomson Locations: United States, China, Texas, Bengaluru, Hyunjoo, San Francsico

☆ Tesla's Elon Musk optimistic on progress for self-driving, robots
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Abhirup Roy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAN FRANCISCO, July 19 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O) Chief Executive Elon Musk on Wednesday set new targets for artificial intelligence products including self-driving software and using humanoid robots in factories, though he acknowledged he's been optimistic before. The electric vehicle maker is in early talks with a major automaker to license its full self-driving technology, Musk added. The value of Tesla vehicles would rise in perhaps "the single biggest step change in history" once regulators approved self-driving, he said at an earnings briefing. Musk has also said that Tesla robots, in pilot phase, could become a huge product. But Musk said Tesla will keep pushing to expand sales volume at the cost of profit margins, betting on the long-term value from FSD.

Persons: Elon Musk, he's, Musk, Tesla, Tesla's, Tasha Keeney, I've, Abhirup Roy, Peter Henderson, Sam Holmes Organizations: FRANCISCO, Twitter, Thomson Locations: San Francisco

[1/5] A Domino's staff member stands next to a sign for a 49-rupee pizza at a restaurant in Noida, India, July 4, 2023. A: With the world's cheapest Domino's pizza. "You are coming to the store or open the app, because there is a 49-rupee callout," he said, adding that Domino's global team supported the plans. Domino's global HQ referred queries about India to its local franchisee. When Khetarpal visited Domino's stores in Chennai and other cities, he said he saw customers emptying out their pockets and only being able to scrape together 49 rupees.

Persons: Adnan Abidi, Sameer Khetarpal, Khetarpal, Merrill Pereyra, They'll, Akshay Jatia, Westlife, It's, Devanshu Bansal, Kiran Raj, Praveen Paramasivam, Aditya Kalra, Saurabh Sharma, Jatindra, Brenda Goh, Hilary Russ, Abhirup Roy, Miyoung Kim, Pravin Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, India, Sapphire Foods, Domino's, Burger King's, Restaurant Brands, Euromonitor, Yum Brands, Global Financial Services, Pravin Char, Thomson Locations: Noida, India, CHENNAI, DELHI, America, Shanghai, San Francisco, Burger, zeroing, Pizza, New Delhi, Chennai, Burger King's India, United States, U.S, Lucknow, Bhubaneswar, New York, Singapore

☆ Texas defers decision on EV charging funds amid industry pushback on Tesla plugs, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Abhirup Roy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The vote in Texas is being closely watched in the industry as it could drive similar moves in other states. Reuters reported last month that Texas planned to mandate EV charging companies to include Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) standard if the companies wanted access to a program to electrify highways using federal funds. Washington state has talked about similar plans and Kentucky has mandated that EV charging companies include Tesla's plug. The rollout of the federal funds require charging companies to offer CCS. But plans to adopt Tesla's technology by Ford Motor (F.N) and General Motors (GM.N) have prompted a flurry of automakers and charging companies to embrace the technology.

Persons: let's, Abhirup Roy, Hyunjoo Jin, Sonali Paul Organizations: FRANCISCO, Reuters, U.S, EV, CCS, Ford Motor, General Motors, Thomson Locations: Texas, Washington, Kentucky, San Francisco

☆ Texas defers decision on EV charging funds amid industry pushback on Tesla plugs - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Abhirup Roy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

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