Impact

EXPLAINER: China prepares space station core module launch

China plans to launch the core module for its first permanent space station this week in the latest big step forward for the country’s space exploration program. The Tianhe, or “Heavenly Harmony” module is set to be hurtled into space aboard a Long March 5B rocket from the Wenchang Launch Center on the southern island […]

Auto group backs guidelines for partially automated vehicles

The trade association representing most major automakers is offering guidelines for manufacturers to advertise partially automated driving systems and to make sure drivers are paying attention while using them. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation says its members support the voluntary principles, which come as two federal agencies increase scrutiny of Tesla’s Autopilot diver-assist system after […]

3D printing's new challenge: Solving the US housing shortage

A new generation of startups wants to disrupt the way houses are built by automating production with industrial 3D printers. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, uses machines to deposit thin layers of plastic, metal, concrete and other materials atop one another, eventually producing three-dimensional objects from the bottom up. In recent years, 3D […]

Tesla posts $438M 1Q profit on strong electric vehicle sales

Charged up by strong sales of its electric cars and SUVs, Tesla on Monday posted its seventh-straight profitable quarter. The company made $438 million in the three-month period that ended March 31, as sales more than doubled the same period last year to nearly 185,000 vehicles. Tesla said adjusted net income, excluding stock-based compensation, passed […]

Summit shows Biden's big vision on fighting climate change

What did the world learn at Joe Biden’s global summit about his vision of the battle to save the world’s climate? For two days, Biden and his team of climate experts pressed his case that tackling global warming not only can avert an existential threat, but also benefit the U.S. economy — and the world’s […]

EU outlines ambitious AI regulations focused on risky uses

Risky uses of artificial intelligence that threaten people’s safety or rights such as live facial scanning should be banned or tightly controlled, European Union officials said Wednesday as they outlined an ambitious package of proposed regulations to rein in the rapidly expanding technology. The draft regulations from the EU’s executive commission include rules for applications […]

Consumer confidence hitting record high, but with hangovers left from pandemic

Global consumer confidence soared to record heights in the first quarter of 2021, according to The Conference Board: Global Consumer Confidence Survey, as vaccination campaigns broadened, travel restrictions loosened, and governments and central banks continued to provide robust economic stimulus. These factors are contributing to various geographic regions returning to a “state of normalcy sooner” including increased spending […]

Biden sees `win' for US in electric vehicle battery deal

Two big South Korean electric vehicle battery makers said Sunday they have settled a long-running trade dispute that will allow one company to move ahead with plans to manufacture batteries in Georgia. President Joe Biden called it “a win for American workers and the American auto industry.” The agreement between LG Energy Solution and SK […]

EXPLAINER Courtroom technology on display in Chauvin trial

The foundation of the case against the former Minneapolis police officer charged with killing George Floyd is a mountain of video evidence, but presenting that to jurors isn’t as easy as pushing play. Over and over, prosecutors have shown video from surveillance cameras, bystanders’ cellphones and police body and dash cameras, and have asked witnesses […]

Electric Chevy pickup to get estimated 400 miles per charge

An electric version of the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck will get an estimated 400 miles of range per charge, General Motors says. The company announced the range in a webcast on Tuesday and said the truck would be built at a factory straddling the border of Detroit and the enclave of Hamtramck. It also announced […]