My daughters have both outgrown car seats, but I’d installed and uninstalled our seats in more than 300 vehicles before they graduated to boosters and, eventually, the front seat. Unless you’re an automotive journalist, you likely won’t have the unique pleasure of switching car seats to a new vehicle every week, but the experience taught me the importance of an easy-to-use LATCH anchor system. 

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) systems include two metal anchors in the rear seats. The two lower anchors are almost always located in the crease between the seat back and lower cushion, but some automakers have found creative ways to make them more noticeable and accessible. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) includes LATCH ease-of-use scores in many vehicles’ overall safety rankings. Let’s look at how they can help you choose a car with easier car seat installation.

IIHS LATCH Scores

First, it’s important to break down what the car seat ratings actually mean. They aren’t a measure of a vehicle’s LATCH system safety. Instead, the IIHS rates vehicles’ car seat anchors for their ease of use, assessing factors such as how deeply they are located under the seat cushion and how easy they are to confuse with other seat hardware. For each seat with an anchor point, the IIHS assigns a rating of Poor, Marginal, Acceptable, or Good. Those scores are then tallied to create the vehicle’s overall rating. 

When viewed in combination with other interior specifications, such as second-row legroom and hip room, these ratings can give you a good idea of the difficulty involved with installing car seats.  

LATCH vs. Seat Belts

LATCH anchors became federally mandated in the United States in the early 2000s, though many automakers had already been installing them voluntarily. While there were other solutions available prior to then, including ISOFIX in Europe, seat belts were the primary method for securing car seats. While you can still use seat belts to anchor car seats today, LATCH anchors are generally considered easier to use. Here are some differences between LATCH and seat belts for anchoring car seats.

Read about how rear-seat dimensions affect car seat fit. Visit our Safety hub page for curated articles and insights to help you drive with confidence.

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While some of us live in relatively calm areas, the number and severity of extreme weather events are growing across the country. That can bring a range of headaches for vehicle owners, especially in flood-prone regions, where it can be nearly impossible to prevent damage during a major rainstorm. 

Flooding and water damage usually mean a total loss for owners, and the cars often end up in salvage yards. That said, many make it through the reconditioning process with varying degrees of care and success, so used-car buyers need to know what they’re looking for and how to spot water damage.

What Does Flood Damage Do to a Car?

The scope of flood damage depends on how deeply the vehicle was submerged. Some vehicles suffer light water intrusion in less-sensitive areas, such as the trunk, while others sustain catastrophic damage from water in the cabin and under-hood areas. Saltwater is especially damaging, as it speeds corrosion of sensitive electrical connections and other metal components.

How to Spot Flood Damage on the Vehicle’s Title and Paperwork

There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself against unintentionally purchasing a flood-damaged car before you see the vehicle in person. One of the best first steps is to check the vehicle history report. Experian’s AutoCheck and Carfax are two of the most popular history report services, and while they aren’t perfect, they frequently capture major damage incidents, such as flooding. In many cases, they also provide the car’s title status, which can help you determine whether it has experienced flooding or has other issues, such as collision damage or theft. 

The National Insurance Crime Bureau also offers a VINCheck service, which is free to use and provides information on a vehicle’s title status. The program can show whether a car has been stolen or reported as having a salvage title by one of the NICB’s member insurance companies.

Can You Repair a Flood-Damaged Car?

Almost anything is possible. The question becomes whether it’s worth the time, effort, and money involved. If your vehicle has been flooded, an insurance write-off is likely. The insurance company will sell the car as salvage at an auction, and some end up back on the road with rebuilt titles. Depending on state laws and the severity of the damage, you might be able to keep and repair the car, but it’s often best to walk away and let the insurance company deal with the fallout. That said, the decision-making process becomes more complicated with very expensive, rare, or exotic cars.

We’ll never advise you to buy a flood-damaged car, but for some people, it can make sense as a project or a complete rebuild in limited circumstances. If you’re considering one and don’t have significant mechanical knowledge, it’s best to have the vehicle inspected by a reputable mechanic before any money changes hands.

Title Washing and Title Fraud with Flood-Damaged Vehicles

Editor’s Note: We have updated this article since its initial publication. Renee Valdes contributed to the report.

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In the early days of electric vehicles (EVs), manufacturers offered free chargers as an incentive to attract potential EV buyers. For example, many early Tesla adopters received free lifetime Supercharger access for their vehicles. While that promotion no longer exists, you can still find some grandfathered Tesla owners who receive the benefit.

While perks like these are now much rarer, a few automakers still offer them. Aside from free charging, some manufacturers also offer other perks, such as at-home charger installation support. If you’re looking for additional benefits, you can explore EV incentives from your state and local governments.

Cars That Offer Free Charging

While many automakers previously offered free charging in partnership with networks like Electrify America and EVgo, most have discontinued this perk for their newer 2026 models. Most new EVs now come with complimentary charging adapters or built-in NACS ports instead. Below is a list of some automakers that still offer charging perks to customers.

BMW

The 2026 BMW i4, i5, and iX all offer free charging of up to 1,000 kWh in partnership with Electrify America, or around 3,000 miles of range. Some models qualify for up to 2,000 kWh of free charging, which translates to around 6,000 miles of range using BMW’s estimates. Charging may be limited to 30-minute sessions with a 60-minute waiting period between free charges. If you don’t use these credits, they expire at the end of two years. BMW also runs the ChargeForward program, which allows drivers to monitor charging and earn rewards through the BMW mobile app.

Ford

Although Ford doesn’t have a free charging partnership with any public charging stations, the comopany will help you install an at-home charger if you purchase or lease a 2025 F-150 Lightning or 2025/2026 Mustang Mach-E. The Ford Power Promise program covers the cost of an at-home charger and installation, or buyers can choose $2,000 in bonus cash instead.

Hyundai

Drivers eyeing the 2026 IONIQ 9 are in luck. Hyundai is offering a choice between $400 in ChargePoint credits or a free ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 charger. The only caveat for both incentives is that customers must use the Hyundai Home Marketplace to claim them.

Mercedes-Benz

All 2024 to 2026 Mercedes-Benz EV and PHEV models come with two years of free charging at Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging locations. To access this perk, drivers must download the Mercedes-Benz mobile app and activate the MB.CHARGE Public service.

Volkswagen

The 2026 ID.4 will offer first-time owners discounted charging rates in partnership with Electrify America. New ID.4 owners will gain two-year access to Pass+ charging within the Electrify America network, allowing them to save 25% on charging.

Volvo

Volvo offers free charging perks for its Sweden-based customers, but not for North American drivers. The automaker has partnered with Swedish electric company Vattenfall to give customers one year of free at-home charging. Hopefully, this program will be available to U.S. customers in the future, although there are no indications that Volvo plans to expand at this time.

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Volvo’s 2030 EV Goal Suddenly Looks More Real

Volvo’s initial plan to become a fully electric automaker by 2030 once seemed overly ambitious, especially in markets like the United States, where gas-powered SUVs still dominate sales. But comments from Volvo’s chief engineering and technology officer, Anders Bell, suggest the company has already moved much further away from internal combustion than many expected.

Speaking with CarBuzz, Bell revealed that Volvo no longer operates factories dedicated to producing combustion engines.

Bell said combustion engines are “not part of our core technology anymore,” adding that former engine plants have either been sold or converted to produce electric motors. The statement reinforces Volvo’s earlier decision to stop investing in new combustion engine development. Even though the automaker still sells hybrids and gasoline-powered models today, its manufacturing strategy now appears heavily centered around EVs.

Volvo Stays Committed Despite Europe’s EV Uncertainty

Volvo’s comments come as several European automakers push for softer emissions rules and adjustments to the European Union’s planned 2035 combustion-engine ban. Slowing EV demand and concerns about charging infrastructure have caused some manufacturers to reconsider how quickly they can transition away from gasoline-powered vehicles.

Volvo, however, seems committed to staying the course. Bell acknowledged that combustion-powered vehicles will remain necessary in the U.S. for the near future, but he said future Volvo hybrids will deliver a more EV-like driving experience. He also confirmed Volvo is willing to rely on outside partners for combustion engine technology rather than restarting internal ICE development programs.

The Lowdown

European automakers have increasingly warned regulators that forcing a rapid EV transition could hurt competitiveness. Still, some countries already show how quickly the shift can happen. Norway recently reached roughly 96 percent EV adoption in new-vehicle sales, effectively making gasoline-powered cars a shrinking niche.

Volvo appears convinced that global markets will eventually follow that direction. The company is not only reducing investment in combustion engines but actively restructuring factories and engineering teams around electrification.

That confidence also explains why Volvo leadership has expressed openness to building lower-cost Chinese-developed EVs in the United States if market conditions make sense. While many automakers continue to balance gasoline, hybrid, and EV programs, Volvo increasingly looks like one of the few traditional brands fully committed to an electric future.

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Like Integras past, the latest model is essentially a glitzy Honda Civic. That’s no bad thing, though, as Honda’s compact car is among the best in its segment. Whereas the Civic is available in both sedan and hatchback body styles, the Integra is a hatchback-only affair. If you want to snag the most fuel-efficient variant of this entry-level luxury car, then you’ll need to stick to the base model and its smaller rolling stock. Though it may lack the racy bits of higher-end trims (pictured), the standard Integra retains those models’ 200-hp turbocharged four-cylinder. Alas, the car’s available six-speed manual is not offered in its entry-level guise.

• Base price: $34,695
• EPA combined/city/highway: 32/29/37 mpg

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ACURA INTEGRA

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Australia’s new car market took another decisive step in April, and the message is now hard to miss: the centre of gravity is shifting away from internal combustion and towards electric cars.

And China is delivering that transition – more on that below.

The latest data shows battery electric vehicles jumping to nearly 17% of monthly new car sales in April, another sharp lift from the previous record set in March, while plug-in hybrids also surged.

On the numbers now visible in the market, the old petrol-and-diesel majority is shrinking fast. Pure ICE-only vehicles – petrol and diesel, excluding hybrids and plug-in hybrids – are now down to just 52.5% of new vehicle sales.

That is the real story in the April data. It is not simply that EVs had a strong month. It is that the combined rise of battery electrics, plug-in hybrids and conventional hybrids is steadily hollowing out the old market dominance of petrol and diesel.

The drivetrain chart show this clearly. Petrol has been in long decline since the post-Covid rebound, diesel has flattened and then eased, while BEV share has climbed from almost nothing in 2020 to the high teens in April 2026.

Hybrids and plug-in hybrids have also continued to rise, meaning the share of the market with some level of electrification is now approaching half of all new vehicles sold.

That shift is also changing where Australia’s vehicles come from.

China is now firmly in the lead as the biggest source of new vehicles sold into Australia, with about 28% of the market on a year-to-date basis. Japan, which dominated the Australian market for decades, continues to lose share.

The April data reinforces China overtaking Japan on a monthly basis, and Japan’s share continuing to slide, and the longer trend now suggests that is no temporary blip but a clear structural change locked in the supply base.

The significance of that goes beyond a country-of-origin league table. Australia is not just electrifying; it is electrifying mainly with vehicles built in China.

And that reflects the reality of the global market. China moved early and fast on solar, but now is moving even faster on batteries and EV platforms and manufacturing scale.

Meanwhile, Japanese automakers leaned more heavily into hybrids and delayed full battery EV rollouts. The result is now visible in Australian showrooms and in VFACTS tables alike.

April also matters because it comes one month before the traditional run-up to the June end-of-financial-year sales spike.

Historically, June has often delivered a temporary rebound in ICE sales as dealers clear stock and businesses bring purchases forward before 30 June. That was visible in the June 2023 and June 2025 bumps, even though the broader petrol and diesel trend kept heading down afterwards.

But 2026 may look different.

This year’s EOFY push will land in a market shaped by three forces at once: strong EV momentum, the first full year of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, and still-elevated fuel prices from the 4 week war on Iran.

That means June could still be a big month overall, but the composition of the spike may be very different from the old ICE-heavy EOFY pattern.

If fleets and business buyers move early to lock in deliveries, some of that demand is now likely to flow to hybrids, plug-in hybrids and BEVs (especially with full FBT exemption for EVs confirmed to stay for another year) rather than just diesel utes and petrol SUVs.

At the same time, carmakers will be increasingly aware that extra low-emissions volume helps under NVES, while pushing more high-emissions stock becomes harder to sustain – just like happened with Dieselgate.

So April may prove to be more than just another strong EV month. It may be the clearest sign yet that Australia’s market is crossing a threshold: China is now the lead supplier, one in six new vehicles is a battery EV, and ICE-only sales are falling towards half the market just as EOFY pressure begins to build.

See The Driven’s detailed EV sales data here: Australian electric vehicle sales by month in 2026; by model and by brand.

Sign up for The Driven’s free daily newsletter and get the latest EV news and analysis delivered straight to your inbox. 

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• Tesla patented a new way of cooling down your EV’s cabin in the summer heat.
• Its new method involves using vacuums to suck up hot air and put it directly into the car’s HVAC system.
• This would make cooling hot spots inside of cars much easier, potentially unlocking more range.

Car interiors get hot, and conditioning them (whether it be preconditioning before you get in, or just keeping it at the right temperature while scooting down the road) saps up a significant amount of juice that could have been translated into mileage instead.

That’s what makes one of Tesla’s latest patents so interesting. Its invention proposes a new way of cooling down a car’s interior by targeting “hot air pockets” in the cabin. Here’s how it’s done.

Photo by: Tesla

According to the patent, Tesla’s method involves installing a suction unit into the car’s HVAC system. This creates negative pressure (aka: vacuum) that can be applied to specific vents in the car near these pockets of hot air. The hot air is then sucked into the car’s HVAC system and conditioned with the rest of the cabin air before being recirculated back into the car.

A good example of this would be solar radiation. The sun beating down on the car’s glass roof is an easy way to heat up the cabin—I’m sure you’ve felt this before when getting into a car on a hot day, or even when feeling the sun hitting your arm or leg for an extended time while driving down the road. The larger the vehicle and its interior space (Think Model X compared to a Model 3), the more surface area and ambient cabin space that requires conditioning.

But Tesla’s idea is that this thermal conditioning can be a done a bit more efficiently. The goal, according to the patent, is to “maximize thermal comfort and minimize energy consumption”—basically, pull air from spaces that need to be cooled and more evenly distribute the temperature in the cabin.

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Based on the data in the patent, Tesla shows that the tech could lower the power draw by as much as 7.4%. That might not seem like a lot, however, that’s a savings of around 127 watts when it’s 104 degrees outside. That cuts the peak power consumed by the HVAC down from 1,720 watts to just 1,593.

Tesla’s patent goes further by noting that the suction can be conditionally activated by sensing the temperature in the cabin and activating the suction only in areas that need to be conditioned.

The idea is admittedly pretty innovative. Of course, this is just a patent, so it may never actually make it into an actual production car. But this is a clever way of improving range without boosting battery capacity, playing with aerodynamics, or doing anything special to the powertrain. 

On a 100-degree day, for example, air conditioner use contributes to a range loss of up to 18%, a study from Recurrent found. If Tesla’s method is able to squeeze a bit more range out of its cars while also improving passenger comfort, that’s a win-win.

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Quick Facts About Digital Keys

In 2017, Tesla helped popularize phone-as-key technology with the Tesla Model 3. Since then, other car companies have jumped on board, allowing drivers to use their smartphones to lock, unlock, and start their cars. Not having to carry several key fobs for multiple vehicles in the household is a significant convenience for some drivers. Today, dozens of car models offer digital keys as a standard or optional feature.

What Is a Digital Key?

A digital car key lets drivers access their vehicles, start their cars, and create and share a digital key with others using their smartphones. With the digital key stored in a mobile wallet or automaker app, the phone acts as a functional key, allowing you to unlock, start, and drive the vehicle without the key fob. Setup usually starts in the automaker’s app, the vehicle display, or a wallet setup link, and requirements vary by brand. After the initial setup, access may work by tapping the phone to a reader, holding it near the door handle, or using passive entry, depending on the system. Users manage this technology through Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet, or the automaker’s app, depending on the car’s make and model.

While digital key technology is gaining traction along with other new features, it is still not offered as a standard feature on every vehicle. If it is available on a model or a specific trim level, you may have to pay a monthly or yearly fee to use it.

Digital Keys vs. Connected Car-Apps

Many automakers offer connected-car apps that let owners remotely lock or unlock doors, start the engine, check vehicle status, locate the car, or manage charging. However, those features are not the same as a true digital key. For this article, a “digital key” means a compatible phone or wearable can replace the physical key fob for entry and driving, allowing the driver to unlock, start, and drive the vehicle without the fob present.

Because digital key availability varies widely by model, model year, trim, region, phone platform, and subscription package, shoppers should verify the feature by looking for terms such as “Digital Key,” “Phone Key,” “Digital Key Plus,” “Smartphone Key,” or “Key Card/Phone-as-Key” in the owner’s manual or window sticker. Do not assume that a vehicle has a true digital key simply because the automaker offers a mobile app.

How Does a Digital Key Work?

Digital keys are straightforward to use. Once you’ve installed the app and paired your phone with the vehicle, hold your phone near the door, and your car will lock or unlock. Some cars don’t even require you to hold the phone directly against the vehicle. Instead, just being near the car will unlock it. With this passive “phone-in-pocket” feature, you don’t need to take your phone out of your pocket or bag.

Digital key smartphone technology is available for many recent phones from major manufacturers, but compatibility varies by phone, vehicle, market, operating system, and feature. It works across Apple Wallet, Samsung Wallet, and Google Wallet, depending on the make and model of your car. If you have additional devices, such as an Apple Watch, you can also use them to unlock your vehicle when supported.

Some cars also let you start your vehicle remotely with the digital key, or pair digital-key access with app-based remote features such as remote lock/unlock or climate preconditioning. This can be convenient on a hot or cold day when you want to cool or heat the cabin before you enter. To help ensure security, carmakers use vehicle software, secure hardware, cryptographic credentials, and wallet or phone security features that help keep digital keys secure and tied to an identifiable device.

How to Set Up a Digital Key

The exact steps for setting up and using your digital key will vary by make and model, but here are the general steps:

1. Connect your phone to your car’s central infotainment system via the Bluetooth setup screen, if required.
2. Download the manufacturer’s smartphone app and create a profile with a username and password, or begin setup from the vehicle display, a setup link, or your phone’s wallet app.
3. Follow the prompts on your phone or dashboard to create or activate a new digital key. Typically, vehicles require one or more physical key fobs to be present when initializing a digital key.

In some cases, automakers deactivate the feature during vehicle production and shipping, and an over-the-air update or a visit to the dealership may be required to enable the digital key.

PRO TIP: We recommend using biometric locks in your phone’s wallet app to store the digital key, and reviewing “shared keys” regularly to revoke access for previous borrowers.

How to Use a Digital Key

After the initial setup, you can send a digital car key to a trusted user’s mobile device, allowing them Christo use the vehicle without having a physical key fob. To use the digital car key:

1. Unlock the vehicle by hovering or tapping the back of your phone near the driver’s door handle, as you might with a wireless mobile payment system at a checkout line. The digital key system for some cars will detect the authorized mobile device from farther away and unlock the doors as it approaches.
2. Enter the vehicle and place your phone in the designated location, such as the wireless charging pad, if required. Some systems don’t require specific phone placement and will detect the mobile device even if it’s in your pocket or bag.
3. Press the ignition button to start the engine.

Benefits of a Digital Key

We’ve all been there at least once: You get ready to leave the house but can’t find your keys. Or you discover your spouse’s car parked behind yours in the driveway. Times like these are when digital keys come into play. If your phone is with you and you’ve set up a digital key for the vehicle, you can use your mobile device to access and drive the vehicle without the key fob.

Simply being near your vehicle, with your smartphone on hand, may let you unlock and start the engine, depending on the vehicle’s digital key system. While you may overlook the digital key as a convenient feature, you’ll be glad to have it when you need it.

As a bonus, if multiple people use your car, digital key functionality typically lets you assign access to friends, family, babysitters, or whoever you want to have access to the vehicle.

MORE: Vehicle History Report: Everything You Need To Know

Are Digital Keys Secure?

According to the Car Connectivity Consortium, a group of carmakers and technology experts developing global standards and solutions for smartphone and in-vehicle connectivity, mobile devices create and store digital keys in secure places. The consortium says it has added security protections for digital keys, including support for Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology.

The consortium says UWB technology can help vehicles verify the distance and position of an authorized device, improving protection against relay-style attacks. BMW is one carmaker using UWB technology for its “Digital Key Plus,” noting that it prevents relay attacks and the interception of digital information.

However, not every vehicle uses UWB technology. Some automakers use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or Near-Field Communication (NFC) systems. Systems that combine NFC, BLE, and UWB can improve usability and security, especially by using UWB for precise distance checks that help mitigate relay attacks.

Some digital keys let you grant full access to another trusted driver or passenger. Sharing allows other people to lock, unlock, and start the vehicle. To share a key, access the setup assistant from your mobile wallet or the vehicle’s infotainment system.

Hacking Digital Car Keys

As with most digital networks, hacking is a concern for many users. Digital keys are designed with multiple security protections, but risks still depend on the vehicle implementation, phone security, account security, and wireless technology used. Automakers have security measures in place for contactless key systems. Even if you lose your phone, a would-be thief must bypass its password or biometric verification to access the wallet containing the digital key. Also, some systems may require authentication before unlocking or starting the vehicle. Still, here are some ways to protect yourself:

• Keep your smartphone secure: Use strong, unique passwords or biometric authentication to protect it. Fingerprint and facial recognition are trusted ways to unlock your phone. Update your software regularly to ensure you have the latest security patches.
• Beware of phishing attempts: Be cautious of any suspicious emails, links, or requests for personal information. Always verify the authenticity of the source before sharing any sensitive information.
• Be mindful of your surroundings: Smartphones remain common targets for physical theft. Such a snatch can give thieves access to your digital key. Be aware of your surroundings and keep your phone secure at all times.
• Enhance your security: If possible, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for your automaker account and related services to add an extra verification step before the digital key grants access. Similar features that provide another layer of protection can help keep your digital key secure.

Car Brands That Offer Digital Keys

The number of models with digital key functionality in the United States continues to grow. Availability is not universal across each brand’s lineup, and the feature may depend on model, trim, phone type, market, and subscription status. Here’s a list of vehicles that have a true digital key system.

Aftermarket Digital Keys

Various third-party systems are available to retrofit digital key functionality into older vehicles that lack it. However, compatibility, installation complexity, warranty implications, and security features vary widely, so research the system carefully before installing one.

Brands With Connected-Car Apps or Remote App Features

A connected-car app can control certain vehicle functions remotely, but a true digital key lets you leave the physical key fob at home and still drive the vehicle. Remote or connected-car app availability varies by model year, trim, region, phone platform, and subscription package. You’ll always want to confirm compatibility with the automaker or dealer, or check the owner’s manual for availability in specific models when buying from a private seller. Most mainstream manufacturers offer at least one model you can control via a mobile phone app.

Bottom Line on Digital Car Keys

Digital car keys let you use a compatible smartphone or smartwatch to lock, unlock, start, and drive your vehicle without a key fob present, bringing convenience and the ability to share access with others. Security can be enhanced through features like biometric authentication and advanced wireless technology, though adoption varies by brand and model. Ultimately, digital keys offer flexibility and ease of use, but whether to use them depends on your personal preference, vehicle compatibility, and comfort with using your phone as a key.

Editor’s Note: We have updated this article since its initial publication. Chris Hardesty and Chris Teague contributed to the report.

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Everybody has an opinion on auto-start/stop, that aspect of modern cars that’s become weirdly politicized. I say “weirdly” because it’s largely optional now, and there’s nothing intrinsically political about saving money and making air easier to breathe at the same time. That’s not to say I love the feature, or think it belongs in everything. Because as soon as it announced itself to me in the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray I’ve been driving for the past few days, I shook my head laughing.

On some level, there is a very practical argument for giving the E-Ray auto-start/stop: 6.2-liter V8s burn a lot of gas, don’t you know, and the E-Ray isn’t like a plug-in hybrid with a big battery that can supply decent all-electric range. It can run for few miles on electrons alone, but you’re spraying fuel into those cylinders pretty much the entire time. As it happens, the E-Ray is one of two C8 models to have the technology, the other being the mighty ZR1X.

The issue with a Corvette having such a feature is that the engine is quite loud, and starting it shakes the car in a way I find satisfying but don’t really need to experience once or twice at every stop light. I very much enjoy the LT2’s rasp emanating inches from my spine, but I also know that the sound of someone’s car is typically welcome only to them. Sitting completely still and hearing the V8 repeatedly fall silent and roar back to life—especially as it gets warmer out, and the motor needs to kick back on to feed cold air into the cabin—is almost a public nuisance. It feels silly.

Auto-start/stop tech has gotten so good that, when it works as intended in a car with good sound insulation, you barely notice it. You want something like that in a comfortable, smooth, and quiet luxury vehicle, like the Land Rover I drove immediately before this. A car that feels like a spaceship, hovering over the road surface on a cloud, where you can go 80 mph and feel like you’re barely moving. The exact opposite sensations that a midship V8 supercar intends to evoke.

And then there’s the other problem with the way GM has implemented the feature in the E-Ray. It’s a little harder to defend auto-start/stop in vehicles that don’t let you turn it off permanently. The E-Ray offers a grand total of six drive modes, but even if you switch off auto-start/stop while in your customizable “My Mode,” it will flip back on the next time you fire up the car.

At least the toggle is very conveniently accessible on the left-side touch control panel, since you may find yourself tapping it before every journey. This will be a dealbreaker for some people, and to them, all I’ll say is you’d be missing out on quite an incredible machine in exchange for one minor inconvenience. Yeah, it shouldn’t work that way, but believe me: Considering everything else the E-Ray gives you, it’s an annoyance I’m willing to accept. Not to say I wouldn’t recommend GM reconsider this decision when the hybrid Vette becomes the even more powerful Grand Sport next year.

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Another Curveball for EV Adoption

Electric vehicles were already experiencing a slowdown amid shifting policies, especially in the U.S., where the $7,500 tax credit ended last year. Now, there could be further disruption.

Stephan Keese, senior partner at Roland Berger North America, told Automotive News that the war in Iran could constrict the supply of helium, which is used in semiconductor manufacturing and is especially important for EV plans, as technologies like advanced driver-assistance systems and software-heavy architectures rely heavily on those components.

As a result, Keese argued that a potential helium shortage could force automakers to shift their focus back toward combustion vehicles and hybrids equipped with fewer advanced electronics. Automakers that are doubling down on EVs are likely to be the most affected, while those taking a multi-powertrain approach, such as Toyota, may have greater flexibility.

The Supply Chain Floats No More

According to Keese, about 33% of the global helium supply comes from the Middle East, largely from Qatar. However, a helium production facility has reportedly been damaged in an attack, further constraining the supply chain.

Meanwhile, roughly 47% of global helium supply comes from North America, meaning regions such as East and Southeast Asia could potentially face shortages in the coming weeks.

The thing is, the automotive industry isn’t the only sector relying on semiconductors. They are widely used in smartphones and computers, and demand is rising further with artificial intelligence, which, according to S&P Global, could disrupt automotive production.

Another report from The Register states that an SAE Level 4 automated driving system is estimated to require more than 300 GB of RAM to ensure components such as lidar, sensors, and cameras operate well enough to keep passengers safe without driver intervention. By comparison, many passenger cars today use SAE Level 2 systems, including Ford’s BlueCruise and Tesla’s Full Self-Driving, which only use around 16 GB of memory.

Running Out of Gas

While Keese argues that EVs could take a hit from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, combustion cars are also being affected, particularly by rising gas prices. Such a crisis has put hybrids in the spotlight for their more fuel-efficient powertrains.

The full impact of the global supply disruption remains to be seen, especially if the situation worsens. It also adds to existing challenges in the U.S. car market, where affordability has already become a concern, to the point that Ford is reportedly considering a return to sedans after previously stepping away from the segment to prioritize larger vehicles.

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