BMW Executive States That Young Individuals Favor Voice Commands and Screens Rather Than Buttons Due to Their Multitasking Habits: TDS

      BMW

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      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)

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