The all-new Santa Cruz, designed in California for the North American market, combines features from cars, SUVs and pickup trucks. It’s a solid vehicle that is fun to drive and easy on the eyes.

President Biden emphasizes the electrified auto industry will be centered in the U.S. and will protect and create American workers’ jobs as he pushes automakers to expand their EV fleets.

“We need to get butts in the seats” of today’s self-driving prototypes, says Mark Rosekind of autonomous vehicle company Zoox.

The carmaker known for its caution has launched a Level 3 autonomous system that only activates at slow speeds.

The cockpit combines multiple consumer-friendly technologies into one seamless user interface that enhances in-vehicle entertainment, comfort, convenience and safety, Mitsubishi Electric says.

“This is a team sport,” the Alliance for Automotive Innovation’s Julia Rege says of bringing electric vehicles into the mainstream.

Wilm Uhlenbecker, president of Brose North America, says there is a trend toward a more collaborative approach between OEMs and suppliers.

The U.S. market for EVs is one-third the size of that in China and Europe, says Sue Helper, a senior economist with the White House Council of Economic Advisers. “The President believes that must change,” she says.

“If someone has to go through the owner’s manual or a book to figure out how a feature works, it won’t be used,” Swamy Kotagiri says.