Rare earth elements—critical to electric vehicles, defense systems, and advanced electronics—are once again at the center of geopolitical tensions. China, which controls more than 90 percent of the world's rare earth refining and processing capacity, continues to wield outsized influence over global supply.
On June 22, Tesla officially launched its first robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, inviting select passengers to participate in trial rides, marking what CEO Elon Musk called the company's entry into the commercial era of fully autonomous driving. The announcement quickly drew global media attention and was widely interpreted as a direct challenge to Waymo, the long-time leader in the US robotaxi market.
BMW is reviving buzz around its color-changing car concept, highlighting both the visual spectacle and potential use cases in thermal control and machine-human interaction. The German automaker has been exploring dynamic exterior finishes for years, with the iX Flow evolving from basic monochrome tones to a 32-color display powered by E Ink technology.
