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Andrew J. Hawkins

Andrew J. Hawkins

Transportation editor

Transportation editor

Andrew is transportation editor at The Verge, He covers electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles, ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft, public transit, policy, infrastructure, electric bikes, and the physical act of moving through space and time. Prior to this, he wrote about politics at City & State, Crain’s New York Business and the New York Daily News. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, two kids, and many different brands of peanut butter.

More From Andrew J. Hawkins

Andrew J. Hawkins
Andrew J. Hawkins
Joby completes first cross-country autonomous flight.

The flight covered 3,199 miles with “zero control inputs from onboard safety pilot,” including autonomous taxi, takeoff, cruise, and landing, the company said. The modified Cessna Caravan aircraft equipped with Joby’s Superpilot autonomous flight system took off from Buchanan Field Airport in Concorde, California, and landed at Dare County Regional Airport in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. In addition to the on-board safety pilot, Joby monitored the aircraft remotely from its headquarters in California, as well as from Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina, up to 2,323 miles away.

Image: Joby Aviation
Andrew J. Hawkins
Andrew J. Hawkins
Cat Frazier mattered.

Frazier, who died in June at age 35 after a heart emergency, was the creative force behind the “LOL nothing matters” rotating gif, among other certified bangers. Business Insiders’ Katie Notopolous calls her “probably one of the most influential people in internet culture of the 2010s and how things look now.”

Andrew J. Hawkins
Andrew J. Hawkins
Lucid scores another robotaxi deal.

The EV company announced plans to sell 25,000 vehicles to Estonia-based mobility company Bolt for a robotaxi service in Europe. The robotaxi will be based on Lucid’s upcoming midsized Cosmos vehicle and will be Level 4 capable. This is Lucid’s second major robotaxi deal, after announcing plans to deploy 20,000 vehicles with Uber and Nuro in the US. With Lucid burning cash and facing heavy market pressure, these types of deals are a possible bridge to a more secure financial future.

Andrew J. Hawkins
Andrew J. Hawkins
House approves AM radio requirement for new cars.

The bill would require all new cars, including electric vehicles like Tesla, to be capable of receiving AM radio broadcasts. It now advances to the Senate, where a companion bill has already racked up 60 cosponsors. The bill’s main sponsor Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) celebrated the House passage in a statement:

This vote sends a clear message to car manufacturers that AM Radio is a lifeline that must be protected in new vehicles. From emergency response to sports, entertainment, and news, AM radio is an essential communication tool for tens of millions of Americans.

Some automakers have dropped AM radio in recent years, citing dwindling audiences and possible interference with electric powertains.

Update September 16th: Cars would be required to receive AM broadcast, not send broadcasts.

Andrew J. Hawkins
Andrew J. Hawkins
NHTSA gives Tesla a deadline to respond to Cybercab queries.

The electric automaker has until September 30th to answer a series of questions about how its steering-wheel- and pedal-less Cybercab complies with federal safety standards.

Andrew J. Hawkins
Andrew J. Hawkins
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are going amphibious.

Two boat manufacturers, Crest Marine and Balise Pontoons (both owned by MasterCraft Boat Holdings), announced today their plans to enable smartphone projection in their upcoming models in 2027. The boats will feature a seven-inch “marine touchscreen” that will display CarPlay or Android Auto alongside marine-specific technology. The manufacturers are also working with marine navigation app Savvy Navvy to offer access to nautical charts, smart routing, GPS tracking, live weather, and tidal data — all displayed on the same screen as other apps. Avast!

Image: Crest Marine / Balise Pontoons
Andrew J. Hawkins
Andrew J. Hawkins
Waymo says it will launch in Japan in 2027.

The robotaxi company is partnering with taxi operator Nihon Kotsu and ride hailing app GO to offer on demand, 24/7 self-driving rides through both the Waymo and GO apps in 2027. Waymo has been testing its vehicles in Tokyo since 2025, but this is the first time it’s put an official date on the launch of its commercial robotaxi service. The company is eyeing additional overseas markets, including London and Munich.