NHTSA Looking into Rivian Over Rear Toe Links That Fail During Driving: TDS

      Rivian

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      Welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, which is The Drive’s morning news summary showcasing major automotive headlines from around the globe.

      The Downshift summarizes news in brief sentences and includes links for more in-depth coverage. Here’s the update for Thursday, May 28, 2026.

      🔧 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has initiated an investigation into Rivian concerning left rear toe links in the R1S SUV and R1T pickup. Earlier this year, the automaker recalled nearly 20,000 vehicles due to improperly reassembled toe links; since that time, two owners have reported the joint detaching while driving, which led to a loss of control. NHTSA’s investigation will evaluate the durability of the part, along with Rivian’s repair procedures. In a statement, Rivian emphasized, “Vehicle safety is a top priority at Rivian. Our data indicates R1 toe link joints are functioning as designed. We are cooperating with NHTSA’s preliminary assessment, but our internal review found that the two vehicle owner questionnaires (VOQs) cited by NHTSA do not implicate the joint itself.” [Reuters]

      🚚 In additional Rivian news, the company intends to start delivering the first series of R2 SUVs to customers on June 9. [TechCrunch]

      🐂 Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann discussed the automaker’s choice to halt development of its electric vehicle following the lukewarm reception of the Ferrari Luce, stating, “By observing the market… we realized that the acceptance curve [for EVs] among our customer demographic is not rising, prompting us to pivot from a fully electric vehicle to a plug-in hybrid.” Winkelmann also remarked that while this decision suits Lamborghini, “each brand and company must determine their own path.” [CNBC]

      📉 Toyota reported that, despite a 2% increase in global production in April compared to last year, sales decreased by 3.1%, marking the third consecutive month of decline for the company. [Reuters]

      🌎 American Honda sales VP Lance Woelfer expressed that he does not expect tariff-related price hikes for Honda or Acura models this year, as the company’s production base in North America appears to have shielded it from the effects of tariff increases. [Automotive News]

      🪫 Nio CEO William Li declared that China is “no longer a growth market, but instead a saturated market” for electric vehicles, indicating that the “golden era” of the nation’s automotive industry has ended. [Reuters]

      Update May 28, 3:12 p.m. Eastern: Added Rivian’s response to NHTSA’s preliminary assessment.

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