1. Another Chinese brand is coming: Huawei-linked Aito bound for Australia
Another Chinese badge is headed for Australia. Aito — owned by Seres, with ties to tech giant Huawei — has told Drive it plans to land here late next year, after launching in Europe. The brand claims it sits a rung above Zeekr and Denza, and it's aiming straight at Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Four large SUVs are earmarked for Australia — the Aito 6, 7, 8 and 9 — all between about 5.0 and 5.4 metres long, with three-row six-seat layouts on everything but the five-seat-only Aito 6. The flagship M9 is claimed to be the top seller in its price and size class in China, and Aito reportedly sold more cars in China in August than Zeekr. Watch this one.
Source: Drive.com.au
2. Range Rover Sport SV recalled: 94 in Australia over subframe cracks
If you drive a Range Rover Sport SV, check your VIN. Jaguar Land Rover Australia has recalled 94 of the flagship SUVs built between 2023 and 2026 over possible cracks in their rear subframes — cracks that can worsen over time and weaken the car in a rear-end crash, raising the risk of serious injury or death. It's recall campaign D166: JLR will contact owners and repair any cracks free of charge, and you can check whether your vehicle is affected on the federal government's vehicle recalls website. It follows a recent recall of 5,925 Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrids over a fault that could cause a loss of power while driving.
Source: YourLifeChoices
3. Baidu opens Hong Kong's first large-scale public robotaxi trial
Robotaxis are having a big week. Baidu's Apollo Go will open Hong Kong's first large-scale public trial of self-driving cars from 21 October to 3 November in Tung Chung. A media preview loop ran 5.1 kilometres in about 15 minutes — through construction zones, traffic cones and a roundabout, smooth and steady at a capped 50 km/h, with a backup operator riding aboard. The RT-6 electric test cars carry two rear passengers for now, with the front passenger seat staying closed. Elsewhere: Uber and Pony.ai have started mapping Manchester for UK testing, and Waymo has picked Toronto as its first Canadian market, targeting public riders in 2028.
Source: Dim Sum Daily
4. Tesla unveils the new Roadster 2 — and says it 'can fly'
Tesla has finally unveiled the next-generation Roadster in Texas, nearly nine years after the prototype first broke cover. The big claim: it 'can fly' — alongside promised 0-60 mph times ranging from under 1.6 seconds to under 0.59 seconds across three versions, built with lightweight magnesium, titanium and carbon-fibre construction. Production is slated for 2028, and reservations have reportedly reopened with a US$50,000 deposit for the Performance version. Musk has called it a "small potato situation" for Tesla's finances, but it's a halo car — the point is getting people talking, and it's working.
Source: Canadian Trends
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