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Waymo Expands Robotaxi Service to Four More U.S. Cities
23 hours ago•Source: Engadget
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Tesla Challenges DMV Over Autopilot Advertising Decision
Tesla has filed a California lawsuit to overturn a DMV ruling that labeled its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving labels as false advertising. The company had already adjusted branding—removing Autopilot from some listings and converting FSD to a subscription—while contending the names aren’t unambiguously false and that consumers understand their meaning. The DMV said it did not suspend Tesla’s license after the changes, but Tesla argues it didn’t receive due process in the hearings, highlighting the broader debate over how ADAS features are marketed in California.
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Stellantis’s EV gamble exposes a carmaker bogged down by debt and missteps
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Watchdog Finds FAA Understaffed to Oversee United's Maintenance
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Tesla’s $59,990 Cybertruck cuts price, stigma endures
Tesla trims the Cybertruck price to $59,990 for an AWD model with a 325‑mile range and new features like a powered tonneau cover, bed outlets, and adaptive damping; Musk says the low price is temporary, while the Cyberbeast remains at $99,990 amid multiple price swings, and 2025 sales have slumped, underscoring that the stigma around the truck persists.
JetBlue flight makes emergency return to Newark after engine failure; no injuries
A JetBlue Airbus A320 bound for West Palm Beach suffered an engine failure on takeoff from Newark Liberty International Airport, with smoke reported in the cockpit. The plane returned for an emergency landing, passengers exited via slides on a taxiway, and there were no injuries. The FAA will investigate; arrivals were briefly paused, then resumed after about an hour.
Portal Bridge Work Triggers Monthlong NJ Transit Disruptions
A monthlong Port Authority project to renovate the Portal Bridge disrupts NJ Transit service, diverting riders to Hoboken and creating crowded platforms as trains, buses, and ferries shuffle commuters into Manhattan.
Canadian Carriers Pause Cuba Flights Through Spring 2026 Amid Fuel Shortage
AeroRoutes’ Week 12 update (as of 11JAN26) notes that Canadian carriers are gradually suspending Cuba service from mid-February through late April 2026 due to aviation fuel shortages. Air Canada, Air Transat, and WestJet (including Sunwing routes) have published numerous Cuba itineraries from Canadian hubs (e.g., Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa, Quebec City) to Varadero, Cayo Coco, Holguin, Santa Clara, Havana, and other destinations, with frequencies based on OAG schedules as of 11JAN26.
Amtrak launches Airo fleet in major modernization, first rolling out on Pacific Northwest routes this summer
Amtrak is rolling out the Airo fleet—a $8 billion upgrade of 83 Siemens trains—to modernize aging cars, beginning this summer on the Cascades route in the Pacific Northwest and later expanding to the Northeast; the redesigned interior includes larger windows, brighter lighting, more outlets, and accessibility upgrades, with seats that slide forward instead of reclining, a change that has drawn mixed reviews; the Cascades trains will seat up to 300 (vs about 168 today) and run up to 125 mph, aided by power-switching locomotives; funding includes federal Infrastructure Act money, and Amtrak plans more routes as ridership hit 34.5 million in 2025.
Digital car keys get smarter with shareable access and fleet support
The Verge reports that digital car keys are evolving through CCC’s Plugfest, with version 4 adding fleet-owner support and a secure “friend sharing” feature that lets owners text a key to others and revoke access, while ongoing device fragmentation and security concerns across iOS/Android and various wireless technologies remain a challenge.
Weather-related equipment issues force Amtrak to cancel dozens of DC/Northeast trains
Amtrak canceled 16 trains serving Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Thursday and warned the disruption would continue Friday due to weather-related equipment problems, affecting three Keystone Service trains, seven Acela trains, and ten Northeast Regional trains. The company says affected customers are being contacted and that additional charges will be waived; travelers can reschedule via the Amtrak app or Amtrak.com.
BART Could End Service at 9 PM and Close 15 Stations Without Transit Measure
BART warns it may halt service at 9 PM and permanently close up to 15 stations in 2027 if a regional sales tax measure fails in the November 2026 election, with phased closures across multiple lines and a Feb. 12 board workshop to discuss a plan to close a $376M deficit.
Geely’s US car push hits cybersecurity gate
Geely, which controls Volvo, plans to build cars in the U.S. via Volvo’s South Carolina plant, but a new Commerce Department rule requires that all software and connectivity tech be free of Chinese control. Software for model years 2027+ must be certified, with per-model/year authorizations, and hardware bans begin for 2030; no waivers have been issued yet. Volvo may help navigate approvals, but Geely would need to prove software origin and data governance for every model/year before selling in America.
Musk bets on space-based AI by merging SpaceX and xAI to power orbital data centers
Elon Musk announced a SpaceX–xAI merger to pursue space-based data centers for AI at scale, arguing that AI growth will require orbiting infrastructure. The move pairs a profitable SpaceX with cash-burning xAI, which is spending heavily to build data centers, while critics point to enormous power, cooling, and communications costs and question investor appetite as Musk’s broader ventures, including Tesla, accompany the plan.