May 26th, 2026 | Honda pauses Ridgeline; Nuro COO Andrew Chapin
About this episode
Honda is pausing Ridgeline production because “the truck can't meet tougher emission standards,” with production ending and not restarting until 2028. The refresh is tied to revised components and an updated V6, and Honda plans to reallocate capacity to other models in the interim. The show also pivots to Nuro COO Andrew Chapin, who explains how RoboTaxi partnerships split autonomy, vehicle platform, and fleet operations—plus what it takes to scale safely.
Honda will pause Ridgeline pickup production until 2028 due to tougher emissions standards. Ferrari just unveiled its first electric car. Plus, Nuro COO Andrew Chapin discusses scaling robotaxis safely.
Toyota GR Corolla
"...00 vehicles here last year. Now, Toyota is moving GR Corolla production to the UK, which could push everyone o..."
The Toyota GR Corolla is a sporty compact hatchback made by Toyota. It’s built for drivers who want more performance than a typical small car. The podcast mentions it because Toyota is changing where it’s made, which can affect how many cars are available.
The Toyota GR Corolla is a performance-focused compact hatchback from Toyota’s GR (Gazoo Racing) line. It’s discussed in the context of production changes—specifically moving GR Corolla production to the UK—which can affect supply and availability. That kind of manufacturing shift is often covered because it can influence how quickly demand is met.
EV
"And Ferrari just unveiled its first EV, and it looks like nothing you'd expect from Ferrari."
EV means electric vehicle. It’s a car that runs on electricity from a battery instead of burning gasoline.
EV stands for electric vehicle, meaning the car is powered by electric motors and a battery rather than a gasoline engine. In this segment, the hosts use EV to frame why Ferrari’s Luce can change packaging versus a traditional gas supercar.
Ferrari Luce
"...looks like nothing you'd expect from Ferrari. The Luce was styled by Johnny Ivey, the guy who designed t..."
The Ferrari Luce is a Ferrari model. It’s being talked about because its design looks very different from what many people expect. The podcast also notes that it was styled by a specific designer, Johnny Ivey.
The Ferrari Luce is a model from Ferrari that’s notable for its distinctive styling—so distinctive that it’s described as looking unlike what you might expect from the brand. It’s also discussed because it was styled by Johnny Ivey, which ties the design to a specific creative lead. In a podcast, that kind of design and authorship detail is often used to explain why the car stands out.
Johnny Ivey
"The Luce was styled by Johnny Ivey, the guy who designed the iPhone."
Johnny Ivey is the person the hosts say designed the Ferrari Luce. They mention he also designed the iPhone, to show he’s a well-known designer outside of cars.
Johnny Ivey is credited here as the designer of the Ferrari Luce. The episode connects him to consumer tech design by noting he also designed the iPhone, highlighting how design talent can cross over from electronics to automotive styling.
gearbox
"Without a gearbox taking up space in the back, they finally have room for five seats instead of four."
A gearbox is the part that changes gears so the engine can work efficiently at different speeds. The hosts say an electric layout doesn’t need the same rear gearbox space, which helps the car fit more seats.
A gearbox is the transmission’s gear-changing unit that helps match engine output to wheel speed. The hosts argue that removing the need for a rear gearbox (common in many gas layouts) frees up space in the back of the Ferrari Luce for an extra seat.
horsepower
"The Luce starts at around $640,000 and has over a thousand horsepower."
Horsepower is a number that tells you how powerful the car’s motor is. The hosts are saying this electric Ferrari is aiming for extremely high power.
Horsepower is a measure of engine (or motor) power—how much work the vehicle can do over time. The segment claims the Ferrari Luce has “over a thousand horsepower,” using that figure to emphasize its performance intent.
Lamborghini
"This is a big bet, especially since competitors like Lamborghini have backed away from electric supercars."
Lamborghini is another famous supercar brand. The hosts mention it because they say Lamborghini has pulled back from electric supercars, while Ferrari is going all-in.
Lamborghini is referenced as a competitor in the electric supercar space. The hosts say Lamborghini has “backed away” from electric supercars, which sets up Ferrari’s Luce as a contrasting strategy.
Honda Ridgeline production pause
"You can find more details on all those stories at AutoNews.com. Joining me now to talk more about the Honda Ridgeline production pause is our own Ervash Karkaria, who got the scoop for us at Automotive News."
The hosts are about to talk about Honda pausing production of the Ridgeline pickup. It’s part of the day’s automotive news.
This segment transitions to a discussion about Honda pausing Ridgeline pickup production. It’s a headline topic in the show’s news roundup, separate from the Ferrari EV discussion.
Ridgeline
"Yeah, so Honda is basically hitting pause on the current generation Ridgeline production. According to sources, production will end in December of this year. It will restart in the third quarter of 2028."
The Honda Ridgeline is Honda’s pickup truck. In this story, Honda is stopping production for a while and planning to bring it back later with changes, mostly because of emissions rules and planning for future electric vehicles.
The Honda Ridgeline is Honda’s midsize pickup, and this segment is about Honda pausing production of the current generation. The key point is that Honda is timing the stop and restart around regulatory pressure and product planning, then planning a major refresh before the next production run.
tightened emission standards
"Sort of the most urgent reason is that the Ridgeline is not meeting the tightened emission standards. Honda does not want to keep selling this vehicle if it's in default,"
“Tightened emission standards” means the government is requiring cars to pollute less than before. If a truck can’t meet the new limits, the company may have to stop selling it or fix it so it complies.
“Tightened emission standards” are stricter legal limits on how much pollution a vehicle can produce, especially from exhaust gases. If a model can’t meet the updated rules, automakers may have to stop selling it or redesign it to comply.
default
"Honda does not want to keep selling this vehicle if it's in default, because even though the Trump administration has sort of turned a blind eye"
Here, “default” means the truck isn’t meeting the rules it’s supposed to meet. If it’s not compliant, the company risks enforcement or penalties.
In this context, “default” means the vehicle is not in compliance with the regulatory requirements—so it’s effectively failing to meet the legal obligations tied to emissions rules. Automakers try to avoid being in that situation because it can trigger enforcement actions or penalties.
V6 engine
"It's not technically a next generation, but it will have essentially a new design. It will have revised new components, and it will also have an updated V6 engine,"
A V6 engine is a gasoline engine with six cylinders arranged in a V shape. Saying it gets an “updated V6” means Honda plans to change the engine as part of the truck’s refresh.
A V6 engine is an internal-combustion engine with six cylinders arranged in a “V” shape. The “updated V6 engine” here implies Honda is revising the powerplant to support the refresh and (likely) emissions compliance and drivability improvements.
compliance
"which is the current engine, and then that updated engine will likely bring the Ridgeline back in compliance."
Here, “compliance” means the vehicle has to meet government rules to be sold. The hosts are saying the updated engine should help the Ridgeline meet those rules again.
In this context, “compliance” refers to meeting regulatory requirements—most likely emissions and/or fuel-economy rules—so the updated Ridgeline can be sold legally. The hosts connect the updated engine to getting the truck back into compliance.
Passport
"The Ridgeline is built alongside the Odyssey minivan on the same assembly line... expand production of the Passport, which is on another assembly line in the plant, but which is at capacity. So they're going to basically start building some Passports on that Odyssey Ridgeline line in the interim."
The Honda Passport is Honda’s midsize SUV. In this segment, they say Honda can’t make enough Passports at the plant, so it will temporarily build some Passports on the same production line used for the Ridgeline and Odyssey.
The Honda Passport is a midsize SUV that Honda builds at the same Alabama plant mentioned in this segment. The hosts explain that Passport production is at capacity, so Honda plans to temporarily build some Passports on the Ridgeline/Odyssey line while Ridgeline isn’t being produced.
Odyssey
"The Ridgeline is built alongside the Odyssey minivan on the same assembly line. So what Honda's going to do is crank up production of Odyssey by about 20% over the next couple of years..."
The Honda Odyssey is a minivan built on the same assembly line as the Ridgeline at the Alabama plant discussed here. The segment describes a production rebalancing: Honda plans to increase Odyssey output by about 20% to use capacity while Ridgeline production is paused.
pivot from EVs to hybrids and ICE vehicles
"And again, this comes back to the pivot, the last minute pivot from EVs to hybrids and ICE vehicles... they are basically extending these life cycles while they develop next generation hybrids for the Ridgeline as well as other models."
The hosts are saying Honda changed direction. Instead of focusing mainly on fully electric cars, they’re putting more effort into hybrid cars and regular gas-engine cars while they work on the next hybrid versions.
This describes a strategic shift in vehicle development: moving away from an all-electric focus toward hybrids and internal-combustion-engine (ICE) vehicles. The hosts say Honda’s EV plan didn’t “materialize,” so it’s extending current model lifecycles while developing next-generation hybrids.
V6 hybrid powertrain
"So for example, the next generation Ridgeline is going to get a new V6 hybrid powertrain that's currently in development."
A V6 hybrid powertrain is a setup where a V6 gas engine works together with an electric motor and battery. The idea is to improve efficiency while still using a traditional engine, and the hosts say Honda is planning this for the next Ridgeline.
A V6 hybrid powertrain combines a V6 gasoline engine with an electric motor and battery system. The segment says the next-generation Ridgeline is expected to get a new V6 hybrid powertrain currently in development, which is central to why Honda is extending the model’s lifecycle.
up refreshes
"they're going to now start investing in up refreshes. In some cases, very heavy refreshes like the Ridgeline."
A refresh is when a car gets updated during its model run—like new styling, features, or powertrain changes—before the next all-new generation. Here, they’re saying Honda will refresh the Ridgeline heavily so it can keep selling while the hybrid version is developed.
An “update” or “refresh” is a mid-cycle redesign that keeps a model selling while a newer generation is developed. The hosts say Honda will invest in “up refreshes,” including heavy refreshes for the Ridgeline, rather than leaving the line idle.
RoboTaxi
"RoboTaxi is a service that is starting to proliferate. I think the public is starting to get more acquainted with it."
A RoboTaxi is a self-driving taxi service. Instead of a human driver, the car handles the driving, and you request a ride through a service like a rideshare app.
RoboTaxi refers to a self-driving ride-hailing service where autonomous vehicles operate like a taxi for passengers. In the segment, it’s framed as a service that’s “starting to proliferate,” with multiple companies splitting responsibilities for autonomy, the vehicle, and fleet operations.
L4
"It's very easily compatible with our L4 system. And then Uber, of course, is bringing the marketplace together."
L4 means the car can do the driving by itself in certain situations. In those conditions, you’re not expected to constantly monitor or take over like you would with lower automation levels.
L4 is an autonomy level (from the SAE driving automation scale) where the vehicle can drive itself in specific conditions without a human driver expected to take over. The speaker says the Lucid Gravity is compatible with Nero’s L4 system, implying the self-driving stack is designed for that higher, more capable automation tier.
Lucid Gravity
"Lucid is providing this vehicle, the Lucid Gravity, that is not only great to ride in, but really it just has a phenomenal experience for the user. It's very easily compatible with our L4 system."
Lucid Gravity is an electric SUV made by Lucid. In this story, it’s the car that Nero’s self-driving system is meant to work with, so the vehicle and the tech are designed to fit together.
Lucid Gravity is Lucid’s electric SUV, and it’s being used as the vehicle platform for Nero’s RoboTaxi service. The key point here is that the car is described as being “easily compatible” with Nero’s autonomy system, meaning the vehicle and the self-driving hardware/software are integrated for L4 operation.
fleet operations and logistics
"They are also owning all of the fleet operations and logistics. And so behind the scenes, three different parties doing three very different things."
Fleet operations and logistics are the behind-the-scenes tasks of running a lot of cars for a ride service. It includes things like getting the right car to the right place and coordinating how the vehicles are managed over time.
Fleet operations and logistics are the day-to-day activities required to run many autonomous vehicles as a service, including dispatching, routing, vehicle scheduling, maintenance coordination, and managing where cars are located. The speaker credits Uber with owning these responsibilities for the RoboTaxi rollout.
superhuman safety bar
"And as we think about safety, we are really trying to achieve a superhuman safety bar over the long term. That is the expectation of the public."
“Superhuman safety bar” means aiming for safety that’s better than what most human drivers can consistently achieve. The speaker is saying the public will expect extremely high safety from self-driving cars over time.
“Superhuman safety bar” is a phrase used to describe an extremely high safety target for autonomous driving—aiming for performance that exceeds what humans typically achieve. In context, it sets the expectation that the public will demand very low risk over the long term, and it ties to Nero’s development of its driver/autonomy stack.
AV provider
"And so at some point, yes, there will be competition within the Uber app, within other marketplaces in terms of AV provider A versus B."
An AV provider is a company that supplies the self-driving technology. The question is which company can make it work reliably for real customers at scale.
AV provider means an autonomous-vehicle company supplying the self-driving capability for a service. In this context, the discussion is about which company’s autonomy stack and operations can reach “scaled, safe, commercialized” service first.
autonomy system
"it's something that can integrate into our autonomy system and reach scale at a rate that is faster than perhaps some other vehicle platforms might just because of the redundancy built in from the factory with respect to steering, braking, and some of the other controls."
An autonomy system is the car’s self-driving “brain” and sensing setup. It’s what lets the vehicle make driving decisions without a human doing the driving.
An autonomy system is the combination of sensors, computers, and control software that enables a vehicle to drive itself. Here, the speaker is saying the vehicle platform can integrate with that system and operate safely at scale.
redundancy built in from the factory
"might just because of the redundancy built in from the factory with respect to steering, braking, and some of the other controls."
Redundancy means the car has backup systems. If something goes wrong with steering or braking, the design aims to keep the vehicle safe and controllable.
Factory-built redundancy means the vehicle is designed with backup capability so that if one system fails, another can take over or keep the car controllable. The speaker specifically ties this to steering, braking, and other controls—important for safety in autonomous operations.
capital intensive
"given the capital intensive nature of auto manufacturing, some of Lucid's ongoing challenges, what contingency plans does Nero have if Lucid faces production interruptions or delays or a change in direction?"
Capital intensive means the business needs a lot of money up front. For EV and self-driving projects, that’s because building vehicles and systems for a fleet costs a lot.
Capital intensive describes businesses that require large upfront spending to build and operate—like manufacturing vehicles, developing autonomy, and scaling fleets. The speaker uses it to explain why EV startups and RoboTaxi efforts need careful planning for delays, interruptions, and production changes.
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