NHTSA States Robotaxis Must Stop Delaying First Responders Already: TDS
Heather Diehl/Getty Images
The most important car news and reviews, no nonsense
Our complimentary daily newsletter delivers the most crucial stories straight to you every weekday.
Welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, The Drive’s morning news summary featuring major automotive headlines from around the globe.
The Downshift condenses news articles into a few sentences, providing links to other sources for more in-depth information. Here’s your update for Thursday, July 9, 2026.
🔊 The latest installment of The Drivecast, The Drive’s weekly podcast, is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms. There was a hiccup in publishing the episode yesterday, so we appreciate your patience if you were waiting for it!
🚨 Jonathan Morrison, chief of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, has urged autonomous vehicle manufacturers to create designs that do not hinder first responders. “Let me be clear: the inability to detect and respond appropriately to such situations signifies a functional deficiency,” Morrison stated in a letter, with the department reportedly planning meetings with vendors this month to tackle the issue. [Reuters]
📈 Although domestic car sales in China have plummeted by an astonishing 26% compared to June of last year, exports have surged by 80%, totaling 905,000 vehicles. This reflects the recent success that BYD has achieved in markets outside of China. [Associated Press]
💷 A coalition of Aston Martin creditors, holding over 50% of the company’s shares, has formalized a cooperation agreement amid rising concerns regarding its debt. [Bloomberg]
⚡ Mercedes has unveiled an AMG variant of its compact sedan, named the CLA45, which features three axial-flux electric motors generating a combined 671 horsepower from a 94-kWh battery. [Autocar]
🎰 McLaren has launched the 788HS, claiming it is the final iteration of the 720S line. This new model boasts 10% more downforce than the 765LT, weighs 2,789 pounds, and delivers 777 horsepower (“788” refers to its output in pferdestärke—apparently, “777” wasn’t a big enough figure.) Only 100 coupes and 100 convertibles will be produced. [McLaren]
🤖 Surprisingly, Mitsubishi is venturing into the humanoid robot sector, planning to utilize them in its factories and collaborate with a startup called Highlanders Inc. to manufacture them. [Automotive News]
Have a tip? Contact us at tips@thedrive.com
Other articles
How Flock Cameras Misidentified Me for Days Due to 'Stolen' Plates and Alerted the Police
A minor mistake escalated through Flock's nationwide surveillance camera system, resulting in four police cars surrounding me.
Federal Authorities Are Promoting a New Gas Station Chain Offering Unusually Low Fuel Prices
Twenty-five "Freedom Fuel Network" gas stations have suddenly appeared in the Philadelphia and South Jersey area, offering gas at 30 cents below the average price.
How Flock Cameras Incorrectly Monitored Me for Days Due to 'Stolen' License Plates and Prompted Police Action Against Me
A minor mistake escalated due to Flock's national network of surveillance cameras, resulting in four police cars surrounding me.
Need for Speed Studio is now completely dedicated to Battlefield, and this may remain the case indefinitely.
It seems that the prospect of a new Burnout is largely over, as Criterion Games has been entirely rebranded as "A Battlefield Studio."
NHTSA States Robotaxis Must Stop Delaying First Responders Already: TDS
A letter from the head of the transportation department urges manufacturers of autonomous vehicles to respond to a "distinct trend" of their cars obstructing emergency situations.