French drivers sue Tesla claiming Musk's conduct makes cars symbols of far right
A group of French Tesla drivers are taking Tesla to court because, they say, Elon Musk's behaviour has turned the brand's cars into totems of the extreme political right. The lawsuit, filed in Paris, claims that the perception of Tesla vehicles as political symbols prevents them from fully enjoying their cars.
This is not the first manifestation of a backlash precipitated by Musk's support for America's President Donald Trump. A legal firm working with the drivers' group said, “Because of Elon Musk’s actions... Tesla-branded vehicles have become strong political symbols and now appear to be veritable extreme-right ‘totems’, to the dismay of those who acquired them with the sole aim of possessing an innovative and ecological vehicle.”
The action against Tesla demands that the plaintiffs' leases be terminated and their legal fees repaid.
The decline in the popularity of both Musk and Tesla seems to be driven by a series of political choices made by Musk. At Donald Trump's inauguration, Musk allegedly performed a version of the Nazi salute. This, along with Musk's support for the far-right Alternative for Germany party have prompted activists to refer to Teslas as “swasticars”.
Czech Republic becomes the second European country to allow Level 3 self-driving cars on the road
The Czech Republic has joined Germany in legally permitting level 3 autonomous vehicles to operate on its roads. Self-driving cars will be allowed to operate, but a human driver must be present and ready to take control if necessary. The required changes to Czech legislation were made in April 2025 and will take effect from January 2026.
Cars equipped with level 3 self-drive technology are allowed to operate in the US states of California and Nevada, and Honda operates a limited number of level 3 autonomous vehicles in Japan. Chinese car builders BYD, Zeekr, Xpeng, Li Auto and Nio, are expected to introduce Level 3 vehicles in China before the end of 2025.
One notable aspect of level 3 driving autonomy is that vehicle manufacturers are liable for claims arising from an accident when the car is in control.
Robotaxis tax the patience of Californians
Residents of Santa Monica in California, USA are rebelling against self-driving taxis operated by Waymo, an autonomous vehicle company owned by Google's parent company, Alphabet. Local people claim their sleep has been seriously disrupted by noise from the electric cabs, and by the activity of support staff who service the vehicles.
The main point of controversy is two charging lots near downtown Santa Monica that Waymo opened in January 2025. People living nearby have complained about honking horns, flashing lights and reversing beeps emitted from the taxis that use the charging lots. Additional noise and disturbance is reportedly caused by staff who plug the taxis in for changing and who clean and vacuum the cars' interiors.
Local residents have resorted to an activity known as "stacking". As the robotaxis approach the charging lots through alleys, masked local people stand in front of them, forcing the cars to stop. When one car stops, the next has to stop behind it until a line or "stack" of taxis is stranded in the alleyway.
The activists, known as "stackers" claim that the charging lots violate a local law prohibiting business support operations between the hours of 11pm and 6am within 100 feet of a residence.
Waymo has tried and failed to get a court injunction against the activist leader, known by the alias Stacker One.
Official bodies have so far failed to settle the matter, with various departments and agencies claiming that other departments have responsibility.
Meanwhile, Waymo is planning to begin operating in New York, so New Yorkers will be taking some interest in Santa Monica's experience.
Buy-out for ailing British car charging company
British electric vehicle charging company Pod Point is to be acquired by French energy supplier EDF after the UK company suffered poor financial performance and a drop in the price of its shares. EDF already has a majority share (53%) of Pod Point, but it has negotiated a deal which would see it take full ownership for £10.6 million.
The recommended offer, at a 24 per cent premium to Pod Point's share price when it was made in late April, follows an intense deterioration in the group's financial performance and share price.
Pod Point has blamed its troubles on growing competition and disappointing demand. Slower than expected growth in the UK electric car market has meant that sales of domestic chargers to private households have been low. The company's shares fell by around a third in January 2025, and continuing problems were forecast.
Pod Point has said the acquisition by EDF deal represents 'the only realistic prospect' for the group to continue as a going concern.
Australians fall for combustible EV myth
According to a recent survey, almost half of Australians believe that electric cars are prone to catching fire.
Researchers from the University of Queensland, and three institutions based in Germany, surveyed more than 6,300 people in Australia, America, Germany and Austria. Results agreed with other research by Aussie insurer NRMA, that found misinformation about EV battery safety was putting motorists off buying low-emission cars.
False assertions that EVs were more likely to catch fire than petroleum powered cars were accepted by 47% of the Australian sample, with 44% also believing that EV batteries were deliberately manufactured to be non-upgradeable.
A number of other pieces of misinformation about emissions and alleged under-reporting of EV accidents were also accepted by substantial portions of the sample.
University of Queensland environmental psychologist Dr Chris Bretter said, “The misinformation statements we tested included that EVs are more likely to catch fire than petrol cars, do not produce emission savings and emit electromagnetic fields that damage health – all claims which are demonstrably false.
“We know this sort of false information is out there and circulating but the scale of acceptance is concerning and poses a significant challenge to the global transition to more sustainable transport.”
The people most likely to accept false claims about electric vehicles were those inclined to believe conspiracy theories, people with sceptical environmental views and older people.
Toyota logo's hidden 'secrets' revealed
Speculation and rumour have long surrounded Toyota's distinctive three-ovals logo. Some people have claimed that the ovals depict a thread passing through the eye of a needle - a reference to Toyota Industries Corporation's early history as a loom and sewing machine maker. Others see it as depicting a circle around the world.
A recent TikTok discussion has repeated much-repeated claims that the Toyota logo shows every letter in the name Toyota in stylised form.
However, according to the Toyota Magazine website:
"The three ovals in the Toyota logo are linked in a horizontally symmetrical layout – so it is recognizable both head-on and when seen in a rear-view mirror.
"The inner ovals represent the heart of the customer and the heart of the company, overlapping to signify a mutually beneficial relationship and trust between the two, as well as forming a 'T' shape for Toyota. The outer oval signifies the world embracing Toyota.
"Each oval is drawn with different stroke thicknesses, alluding to Japanese calligraphy art and culture. The space in the background within the logo is intended to depict the 'infinite values', which Toyota stands for. These include: superb quality, value beyond expectation, the joy of driving, innovation and integrity in safety, the environment and social responsibility."
So there.
