BMW Executive States That Young Individuals Favor Voice Commands and Screens Rather Than Buttons Due to Their Multitasking Habits: TDS
BMW
The latest automotive news and reviews, no fluff.
Our complimentary daily newsletter delivers significant stories right to your inbox every weekday.
Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short, The Drive’s daily summary that collects the most important car news from across the globe.
The Downshift condenses stories into brief summaries and includes links for those who want to dive deeper. We hope you had a great weekend—here’s your update for Monday, August 24, 2026.
🗣️ Curious as to why BMW's Neue Klasse models are opting for touch and voice controls while the rest of the industry is shifting back to physical buttons? “We can see that voice and touch are becoming more prevalent,” stated BMW Group Australia CEO Vikram Pawah in a recent interview. “Perhaps it’s a generational aspect as well. You’ll notice that many in the younger generation, maybe aged 45 or below, are embracing these technologies more quickly, using voice and touch. They prefer quick responses and are multitasking. We need to take that into consideration. This is how customers are evolving; they are multitasking.” [CarExpert]
🍁 If you’re curious as to why U.S.-Canada trade talks that appeared promising last week suddenly fell apart, the main issue reportedly revolved around Canada’s medium- and heavy-duty truck exports, which American negotiators are said to have excluded from tariff relief at the last moment. Additionally, the absence of exemptions for Canadian automotive parts is believed to have contributed to the negotiations collapsing. [Automotive News]
🌍 According to E-Mobility Europe, one in four new cars sold in Europe in July were fully electric. In France specifically, the percentage reached 35%, thanks to a new initiative that makes leasing EVs more affordable for individuals under a certain income level. [Reuters]
⚡ In response to recent reports suggesting the Taycan will be phased out by the end of the decade, a Porsche representative confirmed that the company “currently has no plans to stop the Taycan in the near future,” opting instead to reduce the variety of models available. “Streamlining the model range doesn’t necessarily imply discontinuing entire model lines,” the spokesperson clarified. “For the Taycan, we will continue to minimize the number of variants to reduce complexity.” After 2026, the Cross and Sport Turismo wagons will no longer be available in the U.S. Taycan lineup. [CarBuzz]
🔋 Geely claims that its next-generation solid-state battery technology could potentially provide up to 500 watt-hours-per-kilogram, roughly double the efficiency of its current best lithium-ion pack. [Electrek]
🏁 Weekend race results:
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at New Hampshire: Layne Riggs for Front Row Motorsport
Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix: Lando Norris for McLaren
IMSA SportsCar Championship at Virginia: Andrew Caldarelli and Sandy Mitchell for Pfaff Motorsports
IndyCar at Washington, D.C.: Kyle Kirkwood for Andretti Global
NASCAR Cup Series at New Hampshire: Ryan Blaney for Team Penske
NHRA Drag Racing Brainerd Nationals Finals: Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock), and Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel)
Have a tip or feedback for TDS? Get in touch at tips@thedrive.com
Other articles
Leo Turini: Fernando Alonso continues to amaze
Leo Turini usually worries about Ferrari's failures, but this time he also noticed how the drivers of some other teams performed yesterday in Zandvoort...
Max Verstappen: We have the fourth fastest car.
Max Verstappen crashed his car on the wet track in the last corner of the first lap of the Dutch Grand Prix. The Red Bull Racing driver was uninjured, although the impact with the wall was quite strong. Max explained what happened and was glad that his exit did not turn into a serious pile-up.
Krak: We made a good step forward
Aston Martin's racing director Mike Krack is pleased with the updated car and believes that more can be achieved from it...
Fernando Alonso: This result was needed by the team.
During the Dutch Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso rarely appeared on screen – likely a mistake by the broadcast director, as the Aston Martin driver finished ninth after starting from 18th position...
Kimi Antonelli: McLaren has made a huge step forward
In the final laps of the Dutch Grand Prix, the Mercedes team asked George Russell to let Kimi Antonelli pass for second place so he could try to catch Lando Norris and challenge him. George reluctantly complied with the team's order and, after some difficulty, held onto third place against attacks from Lewis Hamilton.
Dario Marraffuski: The team revised their approach in the race.
Pirelli is surprised by the teams' strategy in Zandvoort, citing the factors that influenced the decisions made...
BMW Executive States That Young Individuals Favor Voice Commands and Screens Rather Than Buttons Due to Their Multitasking Habits: TDS
Additionally, U.S.-Canada trade discussions collapse over issues related to trucks, and Porsche states it is simply "streamlining" the Taycan lineup.