China's automotive influence now reaches electric vehicles, commercial trucks and manufacturing partnerships. With a third of global production and aggressive expansion, the industry watches its every move.
Engineers from Aumovio, Volkswagen, and other automakers and suppliers travel to northern Sweden each winter to test vehicles on frozen lakes and icy roads. The harsh conditions reveal weaknesses in braking, batteries and sensors that milder climates can't expose.
Electric vehicle platforms and digital advances deliver superior braking, cooling and modular design that combustion engines cannot match, making them the better technology choice regardless of climate policy.
Federal EV tax credits, charging infrastructure funding and state road-repair incentives are essential to counter China's aggressive industrial policy advantages in electric vehicles, or the U.S. auto industry risks becoming a profitable but obsolete market island
Ford's California skunk works aims to reinvent the electric pickup, but dealer service investments and compatibility requirements may limit how radical the redesign can be.
The 2026 Automotive News Rising Stars include 18 executives and technical leaders age 45 and younger driving rapid change across vehicles, manufacturing, retail strategies and customer experiences.
The 2026 All-Stars include executives from Ford, GM, Toyota, Hyundai, BMW, Ferrari, BYD, Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz and suppliers, dealers and tech firms. Canadian and Mexican leaders also made the list.
