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GM CEO Mary Barra urges UAW leadership to bargain a deal now

Credit: Mary Barra/X

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The UAW’s strike is still ongoing, and analysts such as Barclays’ Dan Levy estimate that the profit impact of lost production for the Detroit Big Three is about $40-$60 million per week per automaker. With the UAW seemingly putting its foot down and escalating its strike, General Motors CEO Mary Barra has posted a statement outlining her thoughts on the protests. 

Posted on GM’s official website, Barra’s message showed a pervading frustration with the union’s leadership, which the CEO stated was simply raising the rhetoric and theatrics. She also noted that the UAW’s leadership seems intent on dragging its members into an unnecessarily long strike to further their personal and political agenda. 

Barra highlighted something that analysts have been emphasizing over the past weeks: the UAW’s ongoing strike is ultimately helping non-union automakers like Tesla. Thus, the GM CEO said, it is pertinent for UAW leadership to come to the bargaining table now so that an agreement can be reached. 

Following is Mary Barra’s statement in full. 

As we saw this week, UAW leadership continues to expand the strike while upping the rhetoric and the theatrics. It’s clear that there is no real intent to get to an agreement.

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Since negotiations started this summer, we’ve been available to bargain 24/7 on behalf of our represented team members and our company. They’ve demanded a record contract – and that’s exactly what we’ve offered for weeks now: a historic contract with record wage increases, record job security and world-class healthcare. It’s an offer that rewards our team members but does not put our company and their jobs at risk. Jeopardizing our future is something I will not do.  

By their own admission, the UAW leadership’s plan from the beginning has been to drag their membership into a long, unnecessary strike to further their own personal and political agendas. Their leaked text messages from last week stated their plan to keep us “wounded for months” and cause “recurring reputations [sic] damage and operational chaos.”

It is clear Shawn Fain wants to make history for himself, but it can’t be to the detriment of our represented team members and the industry. Serious bargaining happens at the table, not in public, with two parties who are willing to roll up their sleeves to get a deal done. The UAW is pitting the companies against one another, but it’s a strategy that ultimately only helps the non-union competition.

We need the UAW leadership at the bargaining table with the clear intent of reaching an agreement now. For them to do otherwise is putting our collective future at stake. My job is to build a thriving and successful company for decades to come – one with great products for our consumers built by the best manufacturing team on the planet and supported by an ecosystem of dealers and suppliers, all of whom contribute meaningfully to the economy.

Mary T. Barra

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 Chair & CEO

 General Motors

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla reiterates FSD’s biggest advantage, even if it’s still Supervised

Even in its current Supervised state, FSD is already pretty life-changing.

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Tesla FSD Unsupervised Giga Texas
Credit: Tesla AI/X

Tesla Full Self Driving (FSD) has a ton of potential. Once it is rolled out as an Unsupervised system, it could change the transportation sector. But even in its current Supervised state, FSD is already pretty life-changing.

This was highlighted recently by the electric vehicle maker through its official Tesla account on social media platform X.

Tesla FSD Unsupervised

Tesla’s self-driving aspirations are expected to come to fruition with the release of FSD Unsupervised, which is currently already being used in the Fremont Factory and Giga Texas. With FSD Unsupervised, Teslas are able to navigate from the end of their production lines to the facilities’ outbound lots without a human driver.

Tesla has previously noted that FSD Unsupervised should see its initial release in Texas and California this year. As noted by Tesla in a post on X, autonomy, when deployed at scale, does not just make cities more livable. It also gives back time to people. This is what makes autonomous driving systems potentially world-changing. 

Still Supervised, But Already Useful

FSD today, however, is still Supervised, which means that it still requires constant attention from the driver. This is one of the main points of criticism from Tesla skeptics, as FSD’s current Supervised nature is typically used to argue that it is no better than other adaptive cruise control systems that other carmakers offer. As per Tesla in a follow-up post, however, FSD Supervised already makes life easier. 

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This is because FSD Supervised works on inner city roads, and while the driver is still observing the car to ensure that it operates well, trips could easily become a lot less tiring. This is especially true for long trips, which could take a toll on the driver if vehicles are driven manually.

“You can get a glimpse of that today: although FSD Supervised currently does require your supervision, you will still notice that your commute or long drives are suddenly so much less taxing. No constant micro-adjustments in rush hour traffic. No frustration. Car does it all for you,” Tesla wrote in its post on X.

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Hyundai protects buyers from Trump’s tariffs with assurance program

Hyundai’s new Assurance Program will absorb Trump’s auto tariff costs, keeping prices flat for U.S. buyers. 

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(Credit: Hyundai USA)

Hyundai is protecting buyers from U.S. President Trump’s auto tariffs through its new Assurance Program.

The South Korean automaker’s U.S. COO Claudia Marquez launched the Assurance Program at the 2025 New York International Auto Show. The initiative addresses the impact of President Trump’s 25% tariffs on the auto sector, a dominant topic at the event.

Marquez emphasized Hyundai’s commitment to price stability during his announcement. The Assurance Program absorbs tariff-related costs, leveraging Hyundai’s robust U.S. production to mitigate impacts.

“When it comes to the customers, which again is tough and even for us just for planning purposes, what we wanted to make sure is that we have a plan, so we launched our Hyundai Assurance Program, which is confirming and assuring to customers that [prices] are not going to go up, at least this next couple of months,” she told Yahoo Finance.

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Hyundai of America produces 40% of its vehicles in the U.S. through its Alabama factory and the newly opened Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Savannah, Georgia. The Georgia plant began Ioniq 5 production in October 2024 and plans to start Ioniq 9 output by Q1 2025.

“We have a strong representation in the US. We have a factory in Alabama, and just recently, two weeks ago, we opened our new Metaplant in Savannah, Georgia, where we produce our EVs Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9,” Marquez said.

As President and CEO Jose Muñoz noted, Hyundai’s localization strategy strengthens its tariff resilience. Initially focused on EVs, HMGMA will also produce hybrids following a 2024 dip in EV sales.

“We are looking forward to officially opening Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia. Our localization strategy in the important U.S. market will help mitigate the impact of any potential policy change,” Muñoz said at the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting.

While Hyundai’s U.S. plants provide a buffer, building such facilities is costly and time-intensive, with potential policy shifts looming by 2028. For now, the Assurance Program and localized production help Hyundai navigate Trump’s tariff, ensuring customer affordability amid trade uncertainties.

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Starlink executives meet with India’s Commerce Minister

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(Credit: Starlink)

Starlink is advancing its India entry plans, with senior executives meeting Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.

Starlink senior executives and Minister Goyal discussed investments and partnerships in India. The talks are pivotal for Starlink’s entry into the Indian market. Starlink’s delegation, including Vice President Chad Gibbs and Senior Director Ryan Goodnight, met Goyal on Wednesday.

“Discussions covered Starlink’s cutting-edge technology platform, their existing partnerships & future investment plans in India,” Goyal posted on X.

The meeting with Starlink executives marked the first official engagement with an Indian Minister and underscores SpaceX’s commitment to the region, reported ET. As of this writing, Starlink has not announced future meetings with Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

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SpaceX has already started preparing to bring its satellite internet service to the Indian market. The aerospace company has secured deals with India’s top wireless carriers, Bharti Airtel and Jio Platforms, to distribute Starlink equipment and services through their outlets.

Bharti Airtel announced its partnership with Starlink first, followed by Jio Platforms. Both wireless carriers aim to leverage Starlink’s technology to expand internet access in India and their customer base. SpaceX is also in discussions with Vodafone Idea Ltd.

“We are in exploratory talks with various Satcom providers, including Starlink,” commented Vodafone.  

These partnerships position Starlink to tap India’s vast telecom market, with potential for further collaboration. Despite these strides, Starlink still awaits regulatory approval to operate in India.

As of November 2024, the company must fully comply with the government’s security regulations, particularly on data storage, to secure its license. The pending approval highlights the complexities of entering India’s tightly regulated telecom sector, where compliance is critical.

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Starlink’s push into India aligns with its global expansion strategy, leveraging its satellite constellation to deliver high-speed internet to underserved regions. The partnerships with Bharti Airtel and Jio Platforms, combined with ongoing talks with Vodafone Idea, signal strong local support for SpaceX’s technology.

However, regulatory hurdles remain a key challenge. As Starlink navigates India’s security requirements, its investments and carrier tie-ups could reshape the nation’s internet landscape, offering a new era of connectivity if approval is granted.

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