2024: The Year of the Driverless Car
Waymo is expanding its autonomous taxi fleet that can carry passengers on public roads, no human driver required.
Automobiles
Trump Floats Tax Break for Carmakers Hurt by His Own Trade Deal
After proposing a deduction for interest paid on car loans, the former president suggested it would apply only to vehicles made in America.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom Vetoes Car Speed Alarm Bill
He returned S.B. 961 to the California Senate for all the wrong reasons.
Most Chinese E.V. Firms Are Unprofitable. Local Governments Keep Propping Them Up Anyway.
China has dominated the market—thanks in part to a robust industrial policy.
Commerce Department Bans Chinese Car Components
Commerce Secretary Raimondo insists the rule "is a strictly national security action."
California Bill Requires All New Cars To Beep When You Speed
Drivers in the state narrowly avoided an even harsher restriction on their automotive freedom.
The Teamsters' Alliance With the 'New Right' Was Never Going To Work
Autonomous vehicle developer Waymo is at the center of a fight between labor unions and venture capital that's dividing the populist right.
Trump Promises To Get Rid of Bad Regulations. Can He Deliver?
Growth of regulation slowed under former President Trump, but it still increased.
Biden and Trump Are Both Disastrously Wrong About Tariffs
Yes, cheap imports hurt some American companies. But protectionist trade policy harms many more Americans than it helps.
Biden, Trump, and RFK Jr. Are All Anti-Freedom
Those three presidential candidates are making promises that would have bewildered and horrified the Founding Fathers.
Illinois License Plate Cameras Are Violating People's Constitutional Rights, Says New Suit
The plaintiffs are challenging the state's widespread surveillance, which it collects through over 600 cameras.
Glenn Youngkin Withdraws Virginia From California's Electric Vehicle Mandate
Youngkin's administration says the state will adhere to federal emissions standards beginning in 2025.
California's Regulations Might Steer Self-Driving Innovations to Other States
Despite being the so-called epicenter of innovation, California certainly doesn't give innovators a lot of room to experiment with new ideas.
American Manufacturers Need Tax and Regulatory Reform, Not Tariffs
Despite both presidential candidates touting protectionist trade policy, tariffs do little to address the underlying factors that make it difficult for U.S. manufacturers to compete in the global marketplace.
Zoning Regulations Empower Control Freaks—and Bigots
The Institute for Justice has launched a project to reform land use regulation.
Biden's Tariffs Are a Bad Idea
Bad for consumers, bad for American industry, bad for his administration's own environmental goals, and bad for an increasingly irrational executive branch.
No, Unions Aren't Having a Resurgence—and That's Good for Workers
Private unions have every right to exist, but that doesn't mean they're actually beneficial on net.
How California's Ban on Diesel Locomotives Could Have Major National Repercussions
No technology exists today to enable railroads to comply with the state's diktat, which villainizes a mode of transportation that is actually quite energy efficient.
No One Can Make Government Work
If businesses don't serve customers well, they go out of business. Government, on the other hand, is a monopoly.
China Is Doubling Down on Electric Vehicle Subsidies
Electric vehicles are not a bad thing, especially in heavily polluted China. But the market should drive demand, not central planners.
Politicians Are Showering Manufacturing Companies With Crony Subsidies for 'Job Creation.' It Won't Work.
These handouts will flow to businesses—often big and rich—for projects they would likely have taken on anyway.
Stop Your Car From Spying on You
Modern cars are smartphones on wheels, but with less protection for your data.
How the EPA's New Emissions Rule Is Likely To Backfire
While drafted with good intentions, the rule prioritizes electric vehicles that run on batteries, even as hybrids see strong sales growth.
Rivian Pauses Construction at Factory That Costs Georgia Taxpayers $1.5 Billion
The company will now build everything in its existing Illinois factory, pausing construction on the Georgia plant until "later."
Apple Abandons Plans for Driverless Electric Car, Shifts Team to AI
While a disappointment to green-tech supporters, Apple's decision reflects the growing uncertainty in the E.V. market.
Why Are Pickup Trucks Ridiculously Huge? Blame Government.
Regulations, tariffs, and other government-imposed hurdles reward American car companies for building bigger, more expensive trucks and keep out any potential competitors.
The Feds Shouldn't Subsidize Fancy, Risky Beach Houses
Government is "promoting bad behavior," says Sen. Rand Paul. He's right.
Biden Considering Higher Tariffs on E.V.s Imported from China, Raising Prices for Americans
Tariffs of 25 percent introduced under Donald Trump have been allowed to remain in place, and Biden may tack on even more to shield American firms from competition.
3 Economic Myths That Need To Die
As we step into 2024, it's crucial to adopt a more informed perspective on these dubious claims.
Self-Driving Cars Have Arrived. They Will Make Us Safer.
The good news: Regulators have exercised unusual restraint.
G.M. To Lay Off 1,300 Michigan Workers Despite $824 Million in State Incentives
The bulk of the employees may be able to find work elsewhere within the company, but the state could still be on the hook for the promised cash.
Tesla's Expensive New Cybertruck May Qualify for $7,500 in E.V. Tax Credits
According to a Treasury Department website, two of the three Cybertruck models currently offered would qualify for tax credits.
North Carolina's Bad Billion-Dollar Bet on a Struggling E.V. Company
Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast has lost $5.8 billion in three years, during which time the state of North Carolina pledged $1.2 billion in state incentives.
Congress Authorized $7.5 Billion for E.V. Chargers. After 2 Years, None Are Built.
More than $2 billion has been distributed, but only two states have even broken ground and most states haven't even submitted proposals.
Gas Tax Revenues Decline as Cars Get More Efficient. How Will Government Pay for Roads?
Lawmakers should consider a user-fee system designed to charge drivers by the mile.
Exclusive: Rand Paul Wants To Kill Electric Car Subsidies and Mandatory A.M. Radio
The senator has introduced an amendment to the AM For Every Vehicle Act, sponsored by Sens. Ed Markey and Ted Cruz.
Automakers Rethink E.V. Investments as Higher Labor Costs Hit
President Joe Biden's support for the United Auto Workers might have harmed his push for a faster transition to electric vehicles.
Starting Next Year, You Can Buy a Car on Amazon
While the partnership between Hyundai and Amazon is a good first step, states should get rid of laws that mandate franchise dealerships.
Great Moments in Unintended Consequences (Vol. 13): Gun Buybacks, Poppy Payday, CAFE Standards
Good intentions, bad results
