TechMobility Topics

America's artificial intelligence boom is attracting staggering amounts of investment. But what happens when Big Tech's appetite for money starts to affect everyone else's ability to borrow?

During this episode of TechMobility Topics, I follow the money behind the projected $10.3 trillion AI infrastructure build-out over the next six years and examine how the race to build data centers, expand electrical grids, and power the next generation of computing could reshape America's financial landscape.

The implications extend far beyond Silicon Valley. Massive demand for investment capital could raise borrowing costs, squeeze smaller businesses, and divert resources from housing, local infrastructure, and community development. Meanwhile, taxpayers and local governments could end up absorbing financial liabilities tied to projects whose long-term economic benefits remain uncertain.

And then there's the uncomfortable question nobody wants to confront: What happens if the enormous expectations surrounding artificial intelligence fail to materialize?

Is America financing the next great economic revolution—or building a multitrillion-dollar bubble that ordinary Americans could end up paying for?

Once the ultimate symbol of American luxury, Lincoln now faces an uncomfortable question: Does the legendary brand still have a reason to exist?

In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I take a hard look at Lincoln's place in today's fiercely competitive luxury vehicle market. From its storied history and prestigious reputation to its struggle for a distinctive identity, Lincoln faces challenges that go far beyond selling more SUVs.

With luxury buyers demanding cutting-edge technology, distinctive design, exceptional quality, and genuine brand prestige, can Ford justify continuing to invest in Lincoln? Or would those resources be better spent strengthening Ford's core business?

The stakes extend beyond nostalgia. Lincoln represents a piece of American automotive history, but history alone doesn't guarantee a profitable future.

Should Ford reinvent Lincoln or finally pull the plug on one of America's traditional luxury brands?

In a world obsessed with SUVs, does a traditional compact sedan still deserve a place in your driveway?

In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I get behind the wheel of the 2026 Volkswagen Jetta to see whether this longtime compact sedan favorite still delivers the practicality, driving enjoyment, and value that once made it a compelling choice.

I examine the Jetta's performance, driving modes, interior comfort, technology, and everyday usability. From its driving characteristics to trunk space and passenger accommodations, I explore what Volkswagen gets right—and some surprising compromises that could leave potential buyers scratching their heads.

With compact SUVs dominating American showrooms, the Jetta faces a difficult challenge: convincing buyers that a sedan can still offer everything they need without the extra size and expense of an SUV.

Is the 2026 Volkswagen Jetta an overlooked bargain—or has the market simply moved on?

Once a recognizable player in the American automotive market, Mitsubishi now faces a critical question: Can it reinvent itself before consumers stop paying attention altogether?

In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I examine Mitsubishi's ambitious Momentum 2030 strategy, a plan designed to breathe new life into the struggling automaker through fresh products, expanded electrification, and stronger alliances with industry partners.

But launching new vehicles is only part of the challenge. Mitsubishi must rebuild consumer confidence, strengthen its dealer network, regain market share, and give Americans a compelling reason to choose its vehicles over an increasingly competitive field of alternatives.

With the automotive industry undergoing a massive transformation, Mitsubishi has an opportunity to rewrite its future. But is Momentum 2030 a genuine comeback strategy—or simply an attempt to delay the inevitable?

Imagine owning an electric vehicle that charges itself while sitting in your driveway—or even while you're driving down the highway. No charging station required for some of your daily trips. Science fiction? Maybe not.

During this episode of TechMobility Topics, I explore Aptera's unconventional solar-electric vehicle and its ambitious attempt to change how we think about transportation. With its futuristic three-wheel design, lightweight construction, aerodynamic body, and integrated solar panels, Aptera is pursuing extraordinary efficiency rather than simply adding bigger batteries.

But can sunlight really provide enough energy to make a meaningful difference in everyday driving? How much do weather, geography, and driving behavior affect the equation? And can a vehicle that looks nothing like a conventional car attract mainstream buyers?

Aptera raises an intriguing possibility: What if the future of electric transportation isn't just about where you plug in—but how often you need to?

Remember when Hyundai was the inexpensive alternative nobody took seriously? Those days are long gone.

In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I trace Hyundai's extraordinary transformation from a struggling newcomer in the American automotive market to a formidable global competitor challenging some of the industry's most established brands.

Through dramatic improvements in engineering, vehicle quality, design, and customer confidence—backed by industry-leading warranties—Hyundai has rewritten its reputation and expanded its ambitions. Today, the automaker competes aggressively across gasoline-powered vehicles, hybrids, and EVs, while investing in manufacturing, technology, and future mobility.

But Hyundai's rise raises a bigger question: How did a company once known primarily for cheap transportation become an automotive powerhouse? And can it maintain that momentum as competition intensifies and the industry undergoes its biggest transformation in generations?

For generations, owning a home was a cornerstone of the American Dream. But for millions of younger Americans, that dream is rapidly becoming financially out of reach.

For this episode of TechMobility Topics, I examine how skyrocketing home prices, stubborn mortgage rates, limited housing inventory, and the disappearance of affordable starter homes are creating enormous barriers for first-time buyers.

Even young professionals with steady jobs and good incomes are discovering that saving for a down payment is only half the battle. Rising insurance costs, property taxes, and monthly mortgage payments are pushing homeownership further out of reach.

Are younger Americans facing a temporary housing affordability crisis—or a permanent shift toward a nation of renters? And what happens to the American Dream when an entire generation can no longer afford a piece of it?

What if the next vehicle sent into a dangerous battlefield isn't a tank or armored personnel carrier, but a Ford F-250 pickup—with nobody behind the wheel?

In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I explore the U.S. Army's plans to test autonomous Ford F-250 pickups for high-risk military assignments. By adapting commercially available trucks with self-driving technology, the military could reduce soldiers' exposure to deadly situations while potentially lowering costs and expanding operational flexibility.

But battlefield autonomy presents challenges that civilian self-driving vehicles rarely encounter, including hostile environments, unpredictable terrain, and electronic warfare.

Could an everyday pickup become a lifesaving military asset? And are autonomous vehicles about to fundamentally change how America's armed forces operate?

Diesel isn’t just another fuel at the pump. It’s one of the fuels that keeps the American economy moving. Trucks haul much of the nation’s freight, while diesel also powers equipment critical to agriculture, construction, and other industries.

In this TechMobility Topics segment, we examine why refining constraints and tightening diesel supplies can quickly become everybody’s problem. When fuel costs rise, trucking and agricultural expenses climb—and those increases can work their way through supply chains into groceries, manufactured goods, shipping, and retail prices.

That makes diesel an important part of the inflation conversation.

You may never buy a gallon of diesel yourself, but when its price spikes, there’s a good chance you’ll pay for it somewhere else.

What if a power-starved satellite didn’t have to rely entirely on its own solar panels? Wireless power beaming could eventually turn space itself into an energy network, transmitting electricity where and when spacecraft need it.

During this TechMobility Topics segment, we explore whether orbital power grids could support satellites, spacecraft, and potentially energy-hungry data centers in space. The concept could change how we design and operate orbital infrastructure by separating where electricity is generated from where it is consumed.

But beaming energy across space introduces serious questions about efficiency, interference, safety, ownership, and regulation.

If electricity can be transmitted through space on demand, who controls the power grid when there are no national borders?