ANDREW J. HAWKINS | The Verge | 1/13/2026

Mercedes-Benz is pausing its Drive Pilot feature, a Level 3 automated driving system, due to low demand and high production costs. The new S-Class will not include this system when it arrives. Drive Pilot allowed hands-free driving at up to 40mph but faced limitations, such as specific operational conditions and legal restrictions.

The company plans to introduce a new Level 2++ feature called Drive Pilot Assist this year. Mercedes may combine Drive Pilot with this system in the future as technology and regulations evolve.

New York governor clears path for robotaxis everywhere, with one notable exception

KIRSTEN KOROSEC | Tech Crunch | 1/13/2026

New York Governor Kathy Hochul plans to introduce legislation to legalize robotaxis in the state, excluding New York City. The proposal aims to expand the state’s autonomous vehicle pilot program, allowing limited deployment of commercial self-driving cars outside the city. Companies must prove local support and adhere to safety standards. More details will be in the governor’s executive budget, to be released on January 20.

Ford’s $30K EV Truck Will Have the World’s Cheapest Electric Motor

MARNUS MOOLMAN | Auto Blog | 1/11/2026

Ford is aiming to shake up the EV pickup market with a new electric truck priced around $30,000, made possible in part by what it calls the world’s cheapest electric motor. This move follows the recent discontinuation of the Ford F-150 Lightning. By aggressively cutting component costs and simplifying design, Ford hopes to deliver an affordable, mass-market EV truck by around 2027, narrowing the price gap with gas-powered pickups and better positioning itself against low-cost Chinese competitors.

Lucid’s CEO Gets Candid About The EV Mistake Automakers Won’t Talk About

PATRICK GEORGE | Inside EVs | 1/11/2026

Lucid Motors’ interim CEO Marc Winterhoff used a CES appearance to argue that the EV industry has historically focused too much on sustainability and environmental messaging and not enough on the performance, space, and real-world advantages electric vehicles can offer. Winterhoff said this marketing misstep has made it harder to connect with mainstream buyers and that companies need to better explain the inherent strengths of EV technology. To illustrate his point, he pointed to Lucid’s Gravity SUV as an example of an EV that competes on specs and driving experience with high-end internal-combustion rivals, not just emissions reductions.

Maine Gov. Mills vetoes bill to weaken car repair data access law

HENRY WELCH | PIRG | 1/9/2026

Maine Gov. Janet Mills vetoed a bill that would have diluted the state’s 2023 automotive right-to-repair/data access law, preserving stronger data access rights for vehicle owners and independent repair shops. The veto came after opposition from independent mechanics and repair advocates. This is a state-level fight over who controls access to telematics and operational vehicle data, a proxy for broader national debates on data ownership, competition, and privacy.