Maybe We Need To Recall Recalls

Ford issued a recall on Thursday for more than 4 million vehicles in the US, and 600,000 vehicles in Canada, including some of its top-selling F-series pickup trucks, over a software defect that auto regulators said could increase the risk of a crash, marking one of the largest single-manufacturer recalls in recent years.

It is fair to say that Ford has been on a bit of a recall binge as of late, issuing 152 recall notices in 2025, nearly double the previous record set by GM in 2014, according to NHTSA data.

GM’s 2014 recalls impacted over 30 million vehicles. Ford’s recent recall rally affected less than half that number of vehicles.

But still, what’s up, Ford Motor Company? I thought you were built all tough and stuff.

While I was writing this newsletter, I had a thought.

How many recall notices were issued for my 1980 Oakville-built vintage F-150? Does that data even exist?

And sure enough, it does. Thank you, Internet!

There were six recall notices issued for my 1980 F-150, most of which don’t affect my truck because I don’t have a SuperCab, and my beast wasn’t built at Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant.

Automakers issue recalls when a vehicle or component is found to have a safety-related defect or fails to meet federal safety standards, often triggered by dealer complaints, internal investigations, warranty claims, or high-tech malfunctions.

No OEM is immune; recalls happen all the time.

Think of recalls like preventive medicine, inconvenient, but far better than waiting for a crisis.

As of today, airbag and safety systems company Takata is responsible for the world’s largest automotive recall.

Since 2013, over 67 million vehicles have been recalled due to a critical airbag design flaw that can propel metal shards outward when the airbag is deployed.

Yikes, note to self, learn to dodge metal shards!

Some vehicles are more likely to propel metal into your face than others.

More than 30 car brands are implicated in Takata’s recall, including Volkswagen, Honda, and Ford.

Also, it’s not over.

Last June, France ordered another 800,000 cars with Takata airbags off the road, after a woman died in the northeastern town of Reims from injuries related to a faulty airbag.

Two weeks ago, Stellantis issued a rare “Do Not Drive” warning to owners of over 225,000 cars, trucks, and SUVs. These vehicles, from the 2003 through 2016 model years, should not be driven until owners complete a Takata airbag recall repair.

The Takata recall is still ongoing.

Increasingly, recalls are not mechanical in nature; they’re code defects.

Software is increasingly responsible for recall notices. In 2025, there were over 150 software recalls that affected a variety of automakers. And the number doubles nearly every year.

Looking at 2024-2025 together, Tesla has the largest number of vehicles impacted (5,777,605), Ford has the most recall actions (73), and Stellantis has the highest cost per vehicle sold due to software recalls.

“We are watching a pivotal moment in history,” asserts Todd Warren, an adjunct professor of Computer Science at Northwestern University who tracks the NHTSA-reported software recalls, along with various statistics, including the percentage of over-the-air fixes by manufacturer.

“Automakers will either fold under the weight of their own technical debt or emerge with a significant, competitive edge given better quality and methods of dealing with issues in the field,” said Warren.

Software-related recalls are new territory for OEMs, and Ford is at the forefront of learning how to manage vehicles that are as much software platforms as mechanical machines.

Ford’s recall activity over the past two years isn’t exactly a “problem”; it’s a snapshot of an industry in transition. The pace of vehicle complexity is accelerating faster than at any time in automotive history, and recalls are a necessary growing pain rather than a signal of downhill momentum.

We are literally watching the automotive world learn how to patch, update, monitor, and maintain vehicles like software applications in real time, under public scrutiny.

And that’s not just accountability, that’s progress.

Xiaomi confirmed its Vision Gran Turismo concept car on Weibo, marking the first Vision Gran Turismo vehicle designed by a Chinese automaker in the program’s 28-year history. carnewschina.com

Xiaomi will set up an advisory committee to assess the safety of its cars, as it moves to address rising criticism following a recent spate of accidents. reuters.com

BYD’s new Denza Z9 GT becomes the world’s longest-range EV at 1,036 km. electrek.co

Chinese auto giant BYD logged a nearly threefold increase in European sales last month, a glittering start to the year as its electric and hybrid vehicles remain in high demand on the continent. wsj.com

Elon has repeatedly said Tesla is months away from launching a driverless robotaxi service in California. However, Tesla did nothing to secure that approval in 2025. Tesla logged zero miles of autonomous test driving on California roads last year for the sixth year in a row, the Department of Motor Vehicles records show. reuters.com

Tesla launches Model Y 7-seater in Europe. electrek.co

Tesla’s new car registrations in Europe fell 17% year-on-year in January, marking the 13th consecutive month in which sales have shrunk across the continent. cnbc.com

Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think? Tesla must face a lawsuit alleging it replaced laid-off US workers with H-1B visa holders. electrek.co

Sam Altman says Elon’s idea of putting data centers in space is ridiculous. businessinsider.com

Uber is working with Irish drone company Manna to launch a commercial drone delivery service in Ireland. theverge.com

Unitree’s AI-powered robot dog can carry 143 pounds and run at 11 mph with AI and LiDAR. interestingengineering.com

The US-Israeli war on Iran has ignited fears that escalating military aggression in the Middle East could send oil prices soaring, push up prices at the pump and drive a global economic downturn. theguardian.com

US crude oil is on track to rise by 9% when trading resumes, according to data from the broker IG, after Tehran said on Saturday it had in effect closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil choke point, reportedly prompting the halt of some oil shipments. theguardian.com

The owners want to close this coal plant in Colorado. The Donald’s administration says no. npr.org

Donut Lab’s solid-state battery gets its first test result. And yeah, it’s fast. theverge.com

Forget solid-state batteries, researchers have made a lithium-ion breakthrough that could boost range and drastically lower costs. techradar.com

Electra Battery Materials is spending $100M to get its stalled Ontario cobalt refinery back on track. autonews.com

Lyten completes takeover of Northvolt battery sites in Sweden. electrek.co

With the first SMR in North America being built at the Darlington nuclear site, Ontario is testing new ground to meet future power demand. thenarwhal.ca

We’re witnessing the beginning of the end of baseload power as we know and understand it. oilprice.com

Waymo announced that it will start accepting its first public riders in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Orlando. Expansion of their service into Chicago and Charlotte is coming next. theverge.com, theverge.com

The Canadian government will begin issuing import permits for China-built electric vehicles as early as March 1, 2026. autonews.com

CarGurus’ data breach affects 12.5 million accounts. techcrunch.com

Jeep maker Stellantis posts first annual loss in company history after EV write-downs. cnbc.com

Ford plans to charge you for your frunk. motortrend.com

Toyota plans a large-scale unwinding of strategic shareholdings that would involve banks and insurance firms selling around $19 billion in shares, two sources said, which could be a turning point in Japan’s efforts to reform corporate governance. reuters.com

VW has received bids valuing its diesel engine division, Everllence, at around 8 billion euros ($9.4 billion) including debt, according to three people familiar with the discussions. reuters.com

Kia has a seatback frame issue. reuters.com

Lamborghini scraps its EV plans. thetimes.com

50 mpg in a Nissan crossover? Testing the new E-Power hybrid system. arstechnica.com

Lucid reported mixed fourth-quarter results amid ongoing market challenges and internal struggles. cnbc.com

A German company and another from Korea are vying to build a fleet of up to 12 diesel-powered submarines for Canada at an estimated cost of $12 billion. To win the contract, a new auto assembly plant must be part of the deal. autonews.com

Einride has secured an oversubscribed $113 million PIPE (private investment in public equity) ahead of its public debut, expected in the first half of 2026. techcrunch.com

Harbinger acquires autonomous driving company Phantom AI. techcrunch.com

Wayve’s self-driving tech has attracted a diverse set of investors in the company’s latest $1.2 billion funding round, including three automakers, top venture and institutional firms, and returning backers Microsoft, Nvidia, and Uber. techcrunch.com

Sonic Auto Group’s president is warning that tariff costs are becoming unsustainable for automakers. As a result, prices will rise, or automakers will start cutting features to stabilize costs. cnbc.com

The British luxury carmaker Aston Martin will cut 20% of its global workforce as tariffs have eaten into its profitability, the company said on Wednesday. nytimes.com

The effect on the Canadian automotive market after Trump’s first year in office. theglobeandmail.com

Pierre Poilievre calls for the creation of an all-party working group to renegotiate the Canada-US-Mexico Trade Agreement. thecanadianpressnews.ca

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