Automotive News Daily Drive
Daily Drive is a daily podcast series hosted by Kellen Walker. We speak with industry experts, insiders and Automotive News reporters about events and trends impacting and reshaping the automotive industry. Automotive News is the leading source of news, data and understanding for the auto industry's decision-makers. Learn more at autonews.com.
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Aug. 14, 2026 | Tesla dominates shrinking EV market; AI risk in dealership lending
<p>Tesla grabs 60 percent of a shrinking electric vehicle market. Public charging reliability hits a six-year high. Plus, Artificial intelligence is speeding up the finance and insurance process, but InformedIQ’s Tom Oscherwitz says many dealers are not checking the work, and that’s a problem.</p>
Aug. 13, 2026 | EVgo looks to match gas station convenience; Polestar dealer lawsuit
<p>Automotive News’ Clara Martinez and EVgo CEO Badar Khan explain why the company is betting on a gas station-style model to ease charging anxiety. Tariffs force Ford to move some Lincoln production out of China. Plus, a Polestar dealer files a $25 million lawsuit claiming the automaker’s U.S. ban is a cover for a planned exit from the market.</p>
August 12th, 2026 | AIADA chairman on call for Chinese auto ban; Unifor-GM talks
<p>Mike Darrow, chairman of the American International Automobile Dealers Association, talks about why his pro-import organization wants to keep Chinese vehicles out of the U.S. New-vehicle inventory holds steady in August, a good sign for the industry. Plus, a closer look at the Unifor-General Motors contract talks with Automotive News Canada’s Greg Layson.</p>
August 11, 2026 | Used-vehicle prices defy affordability push; Japanese automakers eye U.S. market share
<p>Automotive News retail reporter Mark Hollmer explains why the used-vehicle market is not turning out to be the pressure valve the industry had hoped amid an affordability crisis. Tariff pressures are not the only reason Toyota and Honda are expanding in the U.S. Plus, Unifor wants General Motors to build more trucks in Canada as the two sides open contract talks.</p>
August 10th, 2026 | Ford previews $25K crossover and 4-door Mustang; EV fire truth vs. fiction
<p>Ford shows dealers a small crossover priced around $25,000 and teases a four-door Mustang. Volkswagen is overhauling its U.S. strategy with a pickup and new leadership. Plus, UL Research Institute’s Adam Barowy breaks down what firefighters are really up against when electric vehicle batteries burn.</p>
Aug. 8, 2026 | Weekend Drive: Ford Fathom EV pickup; July sales
<p>Michael Martinez and Larry P. Vellequette break down Ford’s newly named Fathom electric pickup, dig into July sales results and discuss Molly Boigon’s reporting on a California court case that could reshape how license plate reader data is used in the repossession industry.</p>
Aug. 7th, 2026 | A chat with Akio Toyoda AI; Widewail CEO Cuyler Owens on dealership customer service
<p>Automotive News Asia Editor Hans Greimel sits down with an AI avatar of Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda. Toyota gets hit by a typhoon the day after restarting from last month’s earthquake. Plus, Widewail CEO Cuyler Owens breaks down the company’s first-quarter Voice of the Consumer report.</p>
Aug. 6th, 2026 | AIADA calls for Chinese vehicle ban; ACLU attorney on license plate reader privacy
<p>Most of Japan’s auto industry is back online following the deadly July 28 earthquake, with one big exception. An international dealer group calls for a ban on Chinese brands in the U.S. Plus, Nicolas Hidalgo, ACLU of Northern California senior staff attorney, breaks down a California court case that could reshape how license plate reader data is collected and used.</p>
August 5, 2026 | Repo agent James Waldron on the repossession surge; Lucid delays Cosmos to 2027
<p>Texas repo agent James Waldron, whose agency handles thousands of repossession cases a month, explains what’s driving the surge, why wrongful repossessions happen and when the work becomes dangerous. Lucid delays its mass-market Cosmos crossover to 2027 after a $1 billion second-quarter loss. Plus, General Motors doubles down on China with a 20-year joint venture extension.</p>
Aug. 4, 2026 | Repossessions rising; dealerships face California wiretapping law
<p>Vehicle repossessions are on the rise, creating new issues for lenders and dealers navigating the affordability crisis. A 1967 California wiretapping law is being used to target dealership websites, with violations starting at $5,000. Plus, Ford and Toyota sales round out a mixed July for the industry.</p>
