Last updated on February 9th, 2026 at 05:19 pm
Tesla settles lawsuits over two fatal crashes involving autopilot software (Reuters, 09-17-2025)
Tesla has settled two more Autopilot-related wrongful death cases in California, just weeks after a Florida jury ordered the company to pay $243 million in the Benavides v. Tesla case. As we previously reported, court filings revealed that Tesla had initially rejected a $60 million settlement offer in the Florida case—a decision that ultimately cost them four times as much when the 2019 fatal crash went to trial.
The two California settlements, involving confidential amounts, were reached just before trials were scheduled to begin next month. One case involved the death of a 15-year-old boy traveling with his father when they were rear-ended by a Tesla Model 3 in Autopilot mode. The other centered on two Honda Civic passengers killed when a Tesla Model S allegedly failed to stop at a red light.
US opens probe into 174,000 Tesla Model Y cars over door handle failure (David Shepardson, 09-16-2025)
The U. S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into about 174,000 Tesla Model Y cars from 2021 due to reports of malfunctioning electronic door handles. Parents have reported being unable to open exterior doors to remove a child, sometimes needing to break windows to access their vehicles. NHTSA’s preliminary evaluation is the first step toward a possible recall if safety risks are confirmed. Initial reviews suggest the issue may be linked to insufficient voltage from the low voltage battery, which owners did not report warning signs for before failures.
Waymo gets green light for airport service in San Francisco (Andrew J. Hawkins, 09-16-2025)
After several years of negotiations, Waymo has signed a “Testing and Operations Pilot Permit” with San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The agreement allows Waymo to roll out its new services in multiple phases, first testing vehicles with a human driver, followed by testing without a driver, and then beginning commercial services with trips to and from the airport. SFO will become the second airport with Waymo robotaxi services, following Phoenix’s Sky Harbor. This new agreement is expected to be a very profitable opportunity for Waymo, as trips to and from airports account for approximately 20% of all human-drive ride hailing car services in the United States.
Cadillac’s new electric SUVs crush real-world EV range tests (Peter Johnson, 09-15-2025)
Cadillac’s new luxury electric SUVs may have longer driving ranges than their official EPA estimates suggest. The models, including the Optiq and Vistiq, show impressive real-world performances, with the Optiq reportedly reaching 339 miles and the Vistiq 334 miles. Cadillac has had a strong start this year, claiming leadership in the luxury EV market, excluding Tesla. The SUVs are built on GM’s Ultium platform, offering a range of at least 300 miles. The Optiq starts at $54,390 and the Vistiq at $79,090, with deals available before the federal EV tax credit expires.
Tesla’s ‘self-driving’ software fails at train crossings, some car owners warn (David Ingram, 09-16-2025)
Many Tesla owners are reporting a potential defect with the vehicles’ Full Self-Driving system when coming across railroad crossings. FSD doesn’t seem to be able to register the railroad gate arms and flashing redlights as signals to stop. Many Tesla drivers reported similar problems, as well as many other complaints online internet forums, such as Reddit, about railroad issues. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is aware of the issue, stating, “We are aware of the incidents and have been in communication with the manufacturer.” Many experts believe that Tesla engineers simply have not encountered enough railroad crossing examples to train the FSD software.
Amazon’s Self-Driving Zoox Vehicles Begin Ride-Hailing Service in Las Vegas (Caleb Miller, 09-12-2025)
Amazon subsidiary Zoox has launched a ride-hailing service in Las Vegas using its fully autonomous pod with no driving controls. Currently, the free rides are limited to specific locations, including Resorts World Las Vegas, AREA15, and Topgolf. Zoox aims to expand this service to San Francisco next, followed by Austin and Miami. The vehicle is designed specifically as a robotaxi, without a steering wheel or pedals, marking a significant step in making self-driving cars more mainstream. Paid rides will be introduced after regulatory approval.
