Automotive News Daily Drive · Automotive News

March 4, 2026 | Does Toyota need a sixth U.S. plant?; More VW dealers sue Scout

·26 min·5 clips

Daily Drive frames the morning around the business consequences of a few major moves. It starts with Hyundai Motor Group’s $6 billion bet on a new robotics, AI, and hydrogen production complex in South Korea. The site will produce 30,000 robots annually, matching the capacity of Hyundai’s planned Georgia robotics plant. It also includes commercialization of the company’s mobile eccentric droid, a four wheeled autonomous logistics wagon, and an AI data center. From there, the show moves into the sales picture for Subaru and Mazda. Both brands are down for the seventh straight month. That gives the segment a quieter but important supply and demand backdrop. The biggest reporting block centers on Toyota. Larry Veloquette joins to walk through the clues behind a possible sixth U.S. assembly plant. He says Toyota is effectively maxed out globally. He says there is no unused production space anywhere in the world. He also points to the company running its U.S. plants near peak efficiency. The episode notes that Toyota has been relying on small amounts of redirected volume from China and Europe. Veloquette says that source of extra vehicles may not last. He frames Toyota dealers as happy but constrained. They are turning inventory fast. They are also looking for room to grow in demand. The discussion then points to land Toyota already owns in North Carolina. That land was bought for the battery plant, and the show treats the location as a clue because it may already leave room for expansion. After that, the episode shifts to the dealer rights fight around Scout Motors. Two more Volkswagen dealers sue to block Scout from selling directly to consumers. The story keeps the focus on franchise control and distribution rights. Throughout, the host keeps the pace moving with short resets and direct questions. The reporting style stays practical rather than theatrical. It is built for listeners who want to understand what the headlines mean for automakers, dealers, suppliers, and buyers. The episode ends by pointing listeners back to AutoNews.com for continued coverage and previews tomorrow’s conversation with Bill Berman, CEO of Pinewood AI, about the company’s plans in North America after a successful NADA launch.

As heard by us

A brisk auto industry briefing that turns plant strategy and dealer fights into clear business stakes.

Automotive News Daily Drive keeps its focus on the pressure points that shape the auto business: Hyundai's $6 billion robotics, AI, and hydrogen push in South Korea, Subaru and Mazda's seventh straight month of sales declines, two more VW dealers suing to block Scout Motors from…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want the latest auto-industry moves without the fluff?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Automotive News Daily Drive