Ford shows dealers a small crossover priced around $25,000 and teases a four-door Mustang. Volkswagen is overhauling its U.S. strategy with a pickup and new leadership. Plus, UL Research Institute’s Adam Barowy breaks down what firefighters are really up against when electric vehicle batteries burn.

Michael Martinez and Larry P. Vellequette break down Ford’s newly named Fathom electric pickup, dig into July sales results and discuss Molly Boigon’s reporting on a California court case that could reshape how license plate reader data is used in the repossession industry.

Automotive News Asia Editor Hans Greimel sits down with an AI avatar of Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda. Toyota gets hit by a typhoon the day after restarting from last month’s earthquake. Plus, Widewail CEO Cuyler Owens breaks down the company’s first-quarter Voice of the Consumer report.

Most of Japan’s auto industry is back online following the deadly July 28 earthquake, with one big exception. An international dealer group calls for a ban on Chinese brands in the U.S. Plus, Nicolas Hidalgo, ACLU of Northern California senior staff attorney, breaks down a California court case that could reshape how license plate reader data is collected and used.

Texas repo agent James Waldron, whose agency handles thousands of repossession cases a month, explains what’s driving the surge, why wrongful repossessions happen and when the work becomes dangerous. Lucid delays its mass-market Cosmos crossover to 2027 after a $1 billion second-quarter loss. Plus, General Motors doubles down on China with a 20-year joint venture extension.

Vehicle repossessions are on the rise, creating new issues for lenders and dealers navigating the affordability crisis. A 1967 California wiretapping law is being used to target dealership websites, with violations starting at $5,000. Plus, Ford and Toyota sales round out a mixed July for the industry.

Hybrids carry Honda, Hyundai and Kia to strong July results. Volvo reveals its new entry-level electric vehicle. Plus, John Pelliccio, QNX global product marketing director, explains how vehicle sound systems are moving onto the main chip in software-defined vehicles, saving automakers money and opening the door to a new kind of buyer experience.

China now ties the U.S. with 16 companies each on the Automotive News Top Suppliers list. In this bonus episode, four North American supplier executives from Aumovio, ZF, Denso and OPmobility weigh in on what that means for the competitive landscape, and share where they each see the most growth ahead.

Automotive News reporters Michael Martinez and Larry P. Vellequette break down Ford and Stellantis’ second-quarter earnings and what they reveal about where Detroit automakers stand heading into the second half of 2026. Plus, fallout from the Japan earthquake keeps spreading production disruption far beyond the original quake zone.

Japan’s earthquake fallout keeps spreading far beyond the quake zone. Audi reveals its largest vehicle ever, the Q9, targeting American families and dealers hungry for a product boost. Plus, TransUnion’s Satyan Merchant breaks down a new report showing auto finance fraud has nearly tripled since 2018.