The Dispatch: Week 27
Tesla expands robotaxi pilot in Austin amid scaling challenges. VW, BMW & Mercedes form open-source SDV alliance. Sibros taps Jerry Ray as VP of Japan. BYD teases 900-mile solid-state battery.
SDV Insider | July 3, 2025
Happy (almost) Independence Day! 🇺🇸🎆
While our USA based readers are busy stocking up on sparklers and grill supplies, the Software-Defined-Vehicle (SDV) world is also crackling with its own fireworks: Tesla’s first real-world robotaxis have hit Austin streets albeit with some challenges, European OEMs are forming an open-source “super-stack,” and U.S. lawmakers just passed a policy grenade at EV incentives. Buckle up — because cars now boot before breakfast, and news moves faster than a bottle-rocket. Let’s get into it!
🔥 Top Story
Tesla’s Austin Robotaxi Pilot Shifts From Hype to Hard-Mode 🤖🚕
Tesla’s carefully curated June 22 robotaxi debut was just the opener. Over the past 72 hours the company (1) began inviting ordinary Austinites who pre-registered in the app to hail driver-free Model Ys, (2) pre-mapped additional South-Austin roads to widen its geofence, and (3) signaled a move toward true public beta by running cars through heavy Texas rain with no safety driver. teslanorth.comautoevolution.com
But expanding from “dozens of cars on a 10-sq-mi sandbox” to a city-wide service is where the easy part ends. As Reuters notes, each new zip code demands painstaking HD-map work, regulatory buy-in, and evidence that Tesla’s vision-only Full Self-Driving stack can match Waymo-level disengagement numbers — all while Texas finalizes its newly minted autonomous-vehicle rulebook. In short: the Austin pilot proves Tesla can launch; the next six months will show whether it can scale. reuters.comhoustonchronicle.com
🔄 Key Industry Moves
European “Open-Source SDV Alliance”: VW, BMW, Mercedes-Benz + 8 suppliers signed an MoU on June 30 to share a certifiable base software stack by 2026, hoping to blunt Big-Tech leverage. 🛠️evxl.co
Geely buys 26.4 % of Renault’s Brazil JV to produce low-/zero-emission LCVs, expanding Geely’s global beachhead beyond China. reuters.com
Ford lifts the veil on a low-cost EV platform (LFP prismatic cells, eight body styles) aimed squarely at BYD-price territory, slated for late 2026 SOP. 🔋electrek.co
Nissan’s next-gen Leaf returns as a UK-built crossover with up to 375 mi of range and NACS charging, underscoring its 2030 zero-emission pledge. 🌿automotiveworld.com
Volvo Cars taps GlobalLogic (Hitachi) as a strategic software-engineering partner on July 1, reinforcing its shift to an in-house “Core OS” approach. 🤝globallogic.com
🏛️ Market & Regulations Watch
US Senate budget bill will now scrap the $7,500 EV credit and erase CAFE fines, handing legacy OEMs a reprieve but spooking clean-tech lobbyists. ⚖️﹣reuters.com. ⚖️reuters.com
UK ZEV mandate debate continues, with SMMT warning targets outpace charging-infra and battery sourcing realities. 🔌smmt.co.uk
India’s car buyers pick safety stars over MPG — five-star Bharat/Global NCAP ratings are now a prime marketing hook, forcing OEMs to up air-bag counts and ADAS. 🛡️economictimes.indiatimes.com
🧪 Tech & Innovation Spotlight
Bentley and MHP achieve UNECE R155/R156 certification for GT series, ensuring full compliance with global cybersecurity and OTA update mandates. 🔐 themanufacturer.com
BYD’s “900-mile in 12 min” solid-state battery test lit up Chinese media last week, but BYD quickly denied near-term production plans. Truth: tech looks real, mass-market timing is post-2030. ⚡️ autoevolution.comcarnewschina.com
Volvo Dynamic Steering 2.0 can detect a front-tire blowout in milliseconds and auto-counter-steer to keep a truck straight, rolling out first on Euro FH/FM models. 🚚🛞 volvotrucks.com
Helm.ai + Honda unveil “Vision-only” Level 2+/3 stack — ISO 26262 ASIL-B certified, no LiDAR, headed for Honda Zero EVs in 2026. 👁️🧠 reuters.com
Android Auto 14.7 Beta adds full light-theme support, smarter messaging sync, and cleaner split-screen hints — another step toward phone-grade UX in head-units. 📱🚘 9to5google.com
🧑💼 People on the Move
Jerry Ray joins Sibros as VP of Japan, leading APAC growth for its Deep Connected Platform. 🎌 globenewswire.com
Jerry Ray, VP of Japan for Sibros Fred DePerez (ex-Toyota/Stellantis) becomes SVP of Sales at Harbinger on July 1, tasked with scaling its medium-duty EV lineup. 🔋🏁 prnewswire.com
Fred DePerez, SVP of Sales for Harbinger (Send us tips!) Know of other fresh SDV-side exec moves? Hit editor@sdvinsider.com.
📚 What We’re Reading
“From Mileage to Mayday: Why Indian Car Buyers Are Now Obsessed with Safety Stars” — a deep dive into India’s crash-test awakening and how it’s rewriting OEM product roadmaps. 👏 economictimes.indiatimes.com
That’s a Wrap! 🎇
Enjoy the long weekend — whether you’re lighting up the sky or updating a CAN bus. Got thoughts or scoops? Reply here or email editor@sdvinsider.com. We’ll be back next week with more bits, bytes, and burnt rubber.
Stay safe & stay curious,
— The SDV Insider Crew 🚗