TechMobility Topics

The 2026 Subaru Trailseeker Touring EV wears a Subaru badge, but its family tree tells a much bigger story about how modern vehicles are developed and built.

In this TechMobility Topics segment, I get behind the wheel of the Trailseeker and explore its Toyota connections, shared EV architecture, and what platform sharing means for buyers. I also dig into what matters once the technology becomes your daily driver: its wagon-like practicality, huge 14-inch display, NACS charging compatibility, range expectations, and overall usability.

I like plenty, but some omissions are frustrating—including no spare tire and no frunk.

The Trailseeker raises an interesting question: As automakers increasingly share platforms and technology, how much does the badge on the hood still tell you about the vehicle you’re actually buying?

A tariff can change an automaker’s manufacturing strategy almost overnight. Ford’s plan to phase out China-built Lincoln models for the U.S. puts a 52.5% tariff at the center of a much larger conversation about where America should build its vehicles.

In this TechMobility Topics segment, we look beyond the tariff itself to what reshoring can mean for manufacturing jobs, wages, suppliers, and the communities surrounding an auto plant. Bringing production back to the United States can create economic ripples that extend far beyond the factory gates.

But manufacturing alone can’t answer another question: What does Lincoln mean to today’s luxury buyer? Even if Ford brings more Lincoln production home, can the brand strengthen its position in a luxury market crowded with formidable competitors?

Building Lincoln in America is one challenge. Making buyers want one may be another.

California is targeting something nearly every driver eventually has to buy: replacement tires. New efficiency standards are putting rolling resistance under the microscope, aiming to reduce the energy vehicles need just to keep moving.

In this TechMobility Topics segment, we examine how tire design can affect fuel economy and EV range, what lower rolling resistance could mean for drivers, and whether efficiency gains translate into meaningful savings at the pump or charging station.

But tires are also where your vehicle meets the road. That raises a bigger question: Can regulators raise tire efficiency without increasing prices, shortening tire life, or compromising traction and safety?

Your mouth isn’t separate from the rest of your body. Emerging research on the oral microbiome is revealing how bacteria around our teeth and gums—and the inflammation linked to gum disease—may connect to health far beyond the dentist’s chair.

During this TechMobility Topics segment, we explore growing evidence linking oral health to cardiovascular disease, diabetes outcomes, and cognitive decline, especially as we age. We also look at why chronic inflammation may be a key part of that connection and what researchers still need to understand.

Brushing, flossing, and regular dental care may do more than protect your teeth. Your mouth could be an important window into your body's overall health.

Wastewater treatment can keep microplastics out of rivers and streams—but that doesn’t necessarily mean those particles disappear. Instead, some can concentrate in sewage sludge, which may eventually be processed into biosolids and applied to agricultural land.

For this TechMobility Topics segment, we follow that troubling environmental loop from wastewater treatment plant to farm field. What happens when microplastics, along with their associated chemicals, move from water into soil? Could those contaminants eventually reach groundwater, crops, livestock, or the broader food system?

Removing pollution from one place is only part of the solution. If the contaminants simply end up somewhere else, have we really solved the problem—or just changed where we have to look for it?

Robots don’t have to look human to work alongside humans. A robot centaur with glowing eyes and power-tool hands may seem like science fiction, but its unconventional design points toward a much bigger shift in industrial automation.

In this TechMobility Topics segment, we explore why engineers are experimenting with radically different robot forms and why function may matter far more than appearance on the factory floor. From welding robots and warehouse automation to exoskeleton-style systems that reduce physical strain, engineers are designing these machines around the jobs they need to perform—not our expectations of what a robot should look like.

The bigger question isn’t whether the future of robotics will look human. It’s how humans and increasingly capable machines will work together.

A driverless robotaxi turns a futuristic idea into a very personal question: would you get in? For this episode of TechMobility Topics, I examine the reported U.S. approval for Amazon’s Zoox to offer paid rides and what it means for autonomous transportation. I also explore what NHTSA enforcement signals for the wider robotaxi industry, where commercial ambitions must meet demands for safety, accountability, and public trust.

The race for AI leadership isn’t just about better chips—it also takes electricity. In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I explore China’s push to expand wind, solar, and battery storage to meet growing data center demand. We examine how clean energy connects operating costs, energy security, and climate goals—and why the infrastructure behind AI could matter as much as the technology making headlines.

A luxury sport sedan can win your heart—but does it fit your everyday life? During this episode of TechMobility Topics, I share my review and impressions of the 2026 Genesis G70 Prestige Graphite. With an available 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 and an upscale cabin, the G70 offers plenty to tempt drivers. I break down what impressed me, what disappointed me, and how rear-seat space and daily practicality factor into the decision. Is this the sport sedan for you—or one you’ll admire from a distance?

Electric air taxis promise a new way to travel—but how much risk will the public accept? In this episode of TechMobility Topics, I explore the safety expectations for eVTOL aircraft and whether a single accident could derail an emerging industry. Drawing on lessons from aviation and autonomous vehicles, I examine why earning trust takes more than impressive technology. Safety culture, transparent oversight, and how companies respond when something goes wrong could determine whether air taxis ever become everyday transportation.