The Drivecast gives you an inside, behind-the-scenes look at the biggest stories, controversies, and people shaping the car industry from one of the top automotive news sites in the country.
Each week, The Drive's editor-in-chief Kyle Cheromcha, director of content Joel Feder, and a rotating cast of expert staffers will break down how automakers are navigating a transformative time. Massive shifts in technology, manufacturing, and consumer demands are changing the ways cars are built and sold quicker than ever, and the way car companies are navigating this moment will shape the way our roads look for the next century.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an enthusiast since birth or just curious about why cars are the way they are today—we’ll give you the inside line with our exclusive reporting and break it all down for you.
If you like what we're doing, check out The Drive for the latest news, analysis, and in-depth car reviews, sign up for one of our newsletters, and subscribe to us on YouTube. We're also posting all the time on Instagram and Facebook.
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America's EV charging situation is a mess. So much so that eight automakers banded together to create a joint venture, dubbed Ionna, and try to fix the situation. It's an unprecedented move on multiple levels that shows the gravity of the situation, how seriously automakers take the future of electric vehicles, and an entirely new business venture that diversifies these companies beyond just building and selling vehicles: now they are selling the fuel too.
Ionna has a big goal: build a reliable, high-powered electric vehicle fast-charging network across North America with at least 30,000 chargers and 2,000 stations in the U.S. by 2030 followed by Canada.
The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director of Content and Product Joel Feder are joined by Ionna CEO Seth Cutler to discuss the where the landscape sites today, why chargers are placed where they are and look like they look, and future of EV charging in America.
Stories referenced in today's episode:
New Automaker Super-Alliance Plans to Nearly Double EV Chargers Across America
Rivian’s Charging Network Is 4% of Tesla’s. Here’s RJ Scaringe’s Plan to Change That
Unreliable Charging Networks Plagued 1 in 5 EV Owners Last Year: Study
00:00 - Intro
04:48 - Why is America's charging situation a hot mess?
05:41 - What's taking so long to get EV charging stations up and running?
09:14 - How many Ionna stations exist today? Status report
10:42 - The business model
19:44 - How are charging station sites chosen?
23:46 - Partnerships
27:25 - Software, reliability, broken chargers
34:20 - Eight automakers own Ionna
37:31 - Charging speeds, how fast is fast enough?
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What everyone is getting wrong about Leno's Law
mercredi 23 septembre 2026 • Durée 28:16
A new law in California relaxing emissions tests for classic cars is being hailed as a “landmark” victory for the car community and common sense. But it’s not what it seems.
California has the toughest emissions standards in the country, requiring any car made after 1975 to pass a biennial smog test in order to be registered. By design, the system forces thousands of old cars off the road every year as the cost of compliance rises—even if the vehicle runs just fine, a stubborn check engine light will cause it to fail.
Now, a group backed by industry lobbyists and Jay Leno has succeeded in changing the law to make it easier for owners to keep their classics. It’s being celebrated as an unprecedented win—but in reality, it's not going to do much at all to fix the state’s broken approach to emissions tests, or help the people who are affected the most.
This week The Drive's Editor-in-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director of Content and Product Joel Feder separate fact from fiction and break down why Leno's Law isn't the solution everyone is claiming.
Stories mentioned in today's episode:
‘Leno’s Law’ Finally Passes: Here’s What That Really Means for Classic Car Owners
Video: The Problem with US Emissions testing (YouTube)
00:00 Intro
04:34 The fight over smog testing
8:54 How the system works
12:25 Devil's in the details
14:51 Long walk to Leno's Law
17:14 Missed opportunity
20:30 Where do we go from here?
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Honda doesn't want to be the next Toyota
mercredi 16 septembre 2026 • Durée 25:11
Honda's top executives have watched Toyota's reliability crisis play out with the Japanese competitor's new turbocharged engines, and it keeps them up at night.
Honda Motor Executive Vice President Noriya Kaihara and American Honda President and CEO Eiji Fujimura told The Drive how the automaker's quality control systems are evolving as the automaker prepares a new wave of next-gen powertrains. The goal? Avoid the nightmare that is currently playing out with Toyota and its turbocharged V6 engines in the Tundra.
This week The Drive's Director of Content and Product Joel Feder and Deputy Editor Jerry Perez go behind the scenes with Honda's top executives and discuss how the automaker's making sure its engines don't grenade themselves.
Stories mentioned in today's episode:
Honda’s Top Bosses Explain How They’re Avoiding Toyota’s Engine Nightmare
Toyota Built Its Reputation on Reliability. The Tundra Is Threatening to Undo It
Honda’s New V6 Hybrid Will Have More Power and Better Fuel Economy Than Competitors Turbo-Four Hybrids
Next-Gen Honda Civic Hybrid Prototype Drive: A Fuel Sipper That Feels Like An Automatic Si
2026 Honda Prelude Long-Term Test Begins: Living With Honda’s Most Controversial Car
00:00 - Intro
03:57 - Toyota's nightmare recap
05:34 - Honda execs can't sleep over Toyota's issues
07:10 - Evolving quality control systems
07:36 - Speed to market
08:37 - Three words
12:04 - Who is Honda? How can Honda compete?
13:16 - Honda turbocharged path
14:13 - Honda's next-gen V6 hybrid
21:02 - No one is perfect
21:45 - Quick action
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The luxury car market is crashing
mercredi 9 septembre 2026 • Durée 30:46
You would not know it from the posts on Instagram during Monterey Car Week last month or the barrage of expensive debuts that have been touted, but the luxury segment is in trouble.
While Bugatti and Ferrari are doing just fine the story isn't the same for other luxury automakers. Bentley is spiraling, Aston Martin is a mess, Maserati is a train wreck, and Porsche is in trouble and it's not clear that the Macan and Cayenne SUVs can save the iconic automaker this time.
This week The Drive's Director of Content and Product Joel Feder and Editor Byron Hurd break down the situation, go behind the scenes on the luxury market crumbling, why it's happening, and what comes next.
Stories mentioned in today's episode:
The Luxury Car Market Is Crumbling from the Top Down
00:00 - Intro
05:41 - How did we get to this story?
06:11 - What's happening?
09:18 - Facts and figures
11:26 - Depreciation
12:30 - Second-hand market
17:59 - The blurry line of "luxury features"
26:00 - Pricing and stealth wealth
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Diesel prices are climbing and everyone's about to pay for it
mercredi 2 septembre 2026 • Durée 28:17
One year ago, the average cost of a gallon of diesel fuel in America was $3.70. Today, at the time of this recording, it’s $5.60. That’s 50% higher, and some forecasts have it touching a record $6 a gallon by the end of the year. Not good.
America, and arguably the world, runs on diesel. So when prices go up by 50%... well, that pain can only be contained for so long. From multiple wars to oil refineries going offline there’s no easy fix. Everyone's about to feel the pain.
The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director of Content and Product Joel Feder break the situation down with Senior Editor Caleb Jacobs.
Stories mentioned in today's episode:
Diesel Prices Are About to Break Records. Here’s Why They Keep Rising
The Government Is Still Messing With Fuel Formulas to Try to Curb Gas Prices
The Feds Say Cutting Fuel With Ethanol Will Bring Down Gas Prices. We’re Not Buying It
The Feds Plan To Start Diluting Gasoline This May: Explained
00:00 Intro
0:55 - Current diesel pricing reality
5:18 - Why has diesel gotten so expensive?
6:37 - This is a global issue
8:54 - Goldman Sachs prediction
10:27 - Modern realities
11:38 - Napkin math
15:42- Who's talking about this?
17:35 - Not at record levels, yet
18:56 - The new normal?
19:17 - Ripple affects on schools
22:05 - The holidays are coming
22:36 - This affects everyone
23:49 - There's no diluting like with gas
25:08 - There's no backstop
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The man trying to save Goodyear
mercredi 12 août 2026 • Durée 59:17
While most people could not care less about tires they are in fact one of the most important aspects of a car's performance and safety. Goodyear is one of the most iconic tire manufacturers in the world, but its name, legacy, and blimps haven't kept it insulated from the turmoil the auto industry is going through.
Goodyear recorded a net loss of $1.7 billion in 2025 and $249 million in the first quarter of 2026. The company brought in a new CEO, Mark Stewart, in 2024 to "transform the company." Stewart's been swift and decisive in a bid to turnaround Goodyear's business.
The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director of Content and Product Joel Feder are joined by Goodyear CEO Mark Stewart to discuss whether the company can actually grow its business by selling more expensive tires to fewer people, the company's support of tariffs, and the competition. And yes, there's blimp talk.
00:00 Intro
07:23 How did Goodyear get into trouble?
10:33 Are we done with layoffs?
13:36 Stewart's background isn't tires
16:42 Tariffs
21:54 OEM supplier business
30:52 Chasing those whales
33:13 Are expensive tires actually better than cheaper tires?
37:31 Should Goodyear be more involved in cultural events?
42:04 The Goodyear blimps -- Blimp talk!
48:20 Goodyear in motorsports
52:38 Smart tires
55:44 Airless tires
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Finally: America's getting modern headlights
mercredi 5 août 2026 • Durée 45:17
The U.S. is laughably behind the rest of the world when it comes to headlight technology. It’s not because the technology didn’t exist, but rather because outdated U.S. laws have prevented automakers from bringing these modern technological marvels to U.S. roads. Until now.
New laws that were finally enacted years ago are finally allowing automakers to bring adaptive headlights to the U.S. with a handful of automakers now launching the modern tech in America.
The Drive's Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder, Head of Exterior Lighting for Audi AG, Michael Kruppa, and vehicle lighting and regulation subject matter expert Daniel Stern break down the differences in these upcoming modern headlight technologies and why it took so long for the U.S. to catch up to the rest of the world.
Stories mentioned in today's episode:
Audi’s Matrix LED Headlights Are Finally Coming to America
Audi’s New Q9 Will Project Your Turn Signals Onto the Road
Here’s Why Modern Headlights Are So Unbelievably Annoying
It’s Not Just You: Six of 10 Drivers Say Headlight Glare Is a Problem
See Audi’s New Micro LED Digital Matrix Headlights in Action. Yes, They’re Still Illegal in America
Adaptive Headlights Will Finally Come to the US, Thanks to the Infrastructure Bill
00:00 Intro
04:58 Laws had to change to enable modern headlight tech
09:21 Addressing headlight glare
13:48 Adding communication to lighting
15:06 Rivian's adaptive lighting system vs. Audi's
21:56 Retrofitting adaptive lighting to cars on the road
25:22 One lighting regulation for the world
28:12 What took so long for America to get into this century?
28:40 One world headlight
30:42 Different implementations of the tech
33:26 Safety, light pollution, and blinding people
36:58 Audi vs. Rivian's system
38:35 Lighting tunnels: U.S. vs. The World
40:40 Is this a safety item?
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Flock's CEO faced me
mercredi 29 juillet 2026 • Durée 40:18
Millions of people have read Joel's report and seen the body cam footage after he was mistakenly tracked, and then ambushed, by police for what was believed to be grand theft auto after Flock license plate readers flagged the car he was driving for days.
The story, and topic of Flock and automatic license plate readers, is a lightning rod and at the heart of a national debate and various discussions in America. People's concerns about warrantless tracking, their 4th amendment rights, their privacy, and the constant stories surfacing of cops misusing the technology to stalk people can't be overlooked.
The Drive's Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder and Flock Safety CEO Garrett Langley sat down for a candid conversation about what happened, what's happening in America, and the future.
Stories mentioned in today's episode:
How Flock Cameras Wrongly Tracked Me for Days Over ‘Stolen’ Plates and Sent Police After Me
Flock Says Its Cameras Worked ‘Correctly’ When Police Tracked and Ambushed Me for No Reason
I Reported on Flock’s Cameras. Now I’m One of the System’s Mistakes
Cops Are Already Using License Plate Readers to Stalk People
License Plate Cameras Are Tracking Your Life Without a Warrant
License Plate Cameras Will Soon Track Phones, Wearables, Infotainment, and Even Your Pets
00:00 Intro
03:55 - What happened?
06:16 - What's changing and what did Flock learn from this?
14:02 - Addressing the hundreds of millions of misreads a month
18:00 - What's the future look like?
21:21 - The 4th amendment and privacy concerns
24:28 - Congress members threatening anti-Flock bills
27:00 - Publish pushback on Flock
31:52 - Police misuse and abuse of Flock
35:26 - Addressing Garrett calling people "domestic terrorists"
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Flock tracked me
mercredi 22 juillet 2026 • Durée 43:12
Sometimes we report the news, and sometimes we ARE the news. That’s exactly what happened two weeks ago when Joel published his report about being mistakenly tracked by police via Flock license plate cameras and ambushed by the police in a strip mall parking lot. We can't make this stuff up.
This story hit so hard is because it landed in the middle of a heated debate around the country about Flock Safety’s growing network of AI-powered surveillance cameras, which police can use to track a lot more than just license plates. Every week, there are more headlines about one city entering a new partnership with Flock, another city ending theirs after residents pushed back, or people running around and cutting down every Flock camera they can find.
What happened? What have we learned since? And answers to people's questions that go beyond the stories we've published so far. The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha and Director Of Content And Product Joel Feder break it all down.
Stories mentioned in today's episode:
How Flock Cameras Wrongly Tracked Me for Days Over ‘Stolen’ Plates and Sent Police After Me
Flock Says Its Cameras Worked ‘Correctly’ When Police Tracked and Ambushed Me for No Reason
Cops Are Already Using License Plate Readers to Stalk People
License Plate Cameras Are Tracking Your Life Without a Warrant
License Plate Cameras Will Soon Track Phones, Wearables, Infotainment, and Even Your Pets
00:00 Intro
04:23 - What happened?
07:31 - Flock cameras tracked me
14:11 - Flock reached out
16:27 - What did we learn? How did this happen?
34:12 - Why four squad cars and four cops?
36:22 - Now what? Where do we go from here? What comes next?
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The curse of the concept car
mercredi 15 juillet 2026 • Durée 01:02:42
The business of concept cars is faltering. Every year, automakers spend many millions of dollars building full-size, one-off concept cars to market-test new ideas, flex design capabilities, experiment with new technologies, and just get people excited about what's next. They are a showcase of what a company can do when they're freed up from pesky things like crash regulations and mass production budgets. Most never make it to the showroom, at least not without a lot of compromises, but that's not the point. The point is to push, see what happens, and apply those findings to the cars of tomorrow.
The signal that a concept car is supposed to create for both sides, for companies and consumers, is getting weaker. When people are geared to greet concepts with suspicion because they represent anxieties about the future instead of hope, the market research aspect breaks down. When car companies can't get valid data from that response, their aim falters. And when companies build fewer ambitious concepts because it feels like a waste of money, the one window for both sides to have a conversation about what the cars of tomorrow should look like or do or represent gets smaller and smaller.
Are concept cars going to disappear? Why? What will happen? The Drive's Editor-In-Chief Kyle Cheromcha is joined by Jon Ikeda from Honda and Acura to break down the business of concept cars.
Stories mentioned in today's episode:
How Flock Cameras Wrongly Tracked Me for Days Over ‘Stolen’ Plates and Sent Police After Me
Do concept cars matter anymore? 5 top Designers explain
00:00 Intro
04:19 - Jon Ikeda and his background
5:40 - What's the ROI of concept cars?
11:39 - How expensive are concept cars to create?
15:53 - The Internet and digital consumption changed things
17:33 - Design studies vs. public concept cars
28:33 - Powertrains and proportions
37:38 - The Precision Concept
42:48 - Public reactions
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