Robotaxi fever is back, baby! After a bunch of automaker-led autonomous driving projects shut down amid concerns over safety and costs, car companies are expressing a renewed interest in self-driving cars, and robotaxis specifically. Stellantis, which oversees brands like Jeep, Ram, Dodge, and Chrysler, announced today a "new collaboration" with a diverse range of firms, including Nvidia, Foxconn, and Uber, to launch its own robotaxi service.
In the middle of October, Stellantis revealed plans for a substantial investment in the U.S., to the tune of a $13 billion investment over the course of four years with an impact on plants in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. At the time, one of the upcoming vehicles Stellantis teased was a midsize truck, slated to be manufactured at the automaker's Toledo, Ohio-based facility. Earlier this week, Stellantis provided some more information on what to expect as part of its third quarter earnings call.
At the centre of the scandal are "discretionary commission arrangements" (DCAs) - hidden incentives paid by lenders to car dealers for arranging vehicle loans. Under the model, which was in place for more than a decade, dealers could set the interest rate charged to buyers, often inflating borrowing costs to earn larger commissions. The FCA banned the practice in 2021 but is investigating deals dating back as far as 2007.
