LG Unveils CLOiD Home Robot, Ford Shifts $4.1B to Electric Minivan

TL;DR

• SANY and Pony.ai Launch Fourth-Generation Autonomous Electric Semi-Truck for Smart-Port Platooning, Cutting Freight Costs by 29%
• LG Unveils CLOiD AI-Powered Home Robot at CES 2026 with Dual Articulated Arms for Laundry, Dishwashing, and Meal Preparation
• Uber Partners with Autonomous Vehicle Firms to Scale Robotaxi Network, Leveraging 3.5B Annual Trips and AI Integration for Mobility-as-a-Service
• Waymo and JAMA Surgery Study Project Over 1 Million Traffic Injuries Prevented by 10% Autonomous Vehicle Adoption in U.S. by 2035
• Ford and Stellantis Shift Focus to Electric Minivans as Dodge Muscle Cars Fade; Leapmotor D99 EREV with 800V Platform Targets U.S. Market in 2026

LG CLOiD Robot Brings Dual-Arm Automation to Household Chores at CES 2026

LG’s CLOiD robot, unveiled at CES 2026, features two 7-degree-of-freedom arms with five-fingered hands capable of folding clothes, loading dishwashers, retrieving items from refrigerators, and placing food in ovens. The system operates via an on-device NPU delivering 80 TOPS of AI inference, eliminating cloud dependency for privacy-sensitive tasks.

What makes CLOiD different from prior home robots?

Unlike single-task devices like vacuum bots, CLOiD executes five distinct household chores using integrated sensors and LG ThinQ/ThinQ ON AI. Its architecture prioritizes dexterity over total degrees of freedom, distinguishing it from competitors like SwitchBot Onero H1, which distributes 22 DoF across a broader frame but lacks appliance integration.

How is CLOiD connected to the smart home?

CLOiD functions as a Matter-compatible hub, controlling LG’s ecosystem of smart appliances including washers, fridges, and ovens. Voice commands and facial-expression feedback enable personalized task adaptation, such as adjusting dishwashing cycles based on user habits.

What is the pricing and production timeline?

While LG has not disclosed a final price, analysts project a retail range of $300–$400 if mass production succeeds. Pilot units will be deployed in 2,000 South Korean households in January 2026. Limited production begins Q3 2026, with global rollout targeted for Q1 2027.

What are the technical and regulatory advantages?

On-device AI processing complies with EU and U.S. AI ethics guidelines by avoiding cloud transmission of visual or audio data. The custom DQ-C2 SoC, co-developed with TSMC, reduces reliance on external semiconductors, mitigating supply-chain risks. However, dual-arm actuators and high-torque servomotors remain cost-sensitive components.

What future developments are anticipated?

• Late 2026: Voice-only task scheduling via OTA updates.
• 2027–2028: Third-party accessory ecosystem via Matter SDK (e.g., detachable utensil kits).
• 2029: Hybrid cloud-edge inference for complex tasks like recipe generation.
• Beyond 2030: Shared robot fleets in apartment complexes under pay-per-use models.

CLOiD represents a shift from appliance-specific automation to a unified, AI-driven home manager. Its success hinges on manufacturing scalability, user trust in reliability, and ecosystem expansion.

Ford and Stellantis Pivot to Affordable Electric Minivans as Muscle Cars Decline and Leapmotor D99 Prepares for U.S. Launch

Ford has redirected $4.1 billion in EV plant investments from low-margin crossovers to a three-row electric minivan, following a $19.5 billion EV writedown and the 2025 cancellation of the F-150 Lightning. The vehicle, slated for 2027 launch, will leverage existing Explorer platform tooling to reduce engineering costs by 30% and target a price under $48,000.

Stellantis has officially retired its Dodge muscle-car lineup as outdated, replacing it with the Leapmotor D99 EREV. The vehicle, launching in the U.S. in Q3 2026 at a price of $44,000–$45,000, features an 800V charging architecture, 500 km pure-electric range, and a 115 kWh BEV variant with 720 km range. It is the first high-voltage family EV from a Chinese-origin brand to enter the U.S. market.

What Drives This Strategic Shift?

The termination of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit in September 2025 removed a key pricing lever, triggering a 15–16% drop in Q4 2025 EV sales. Both manufacturers responded with aggressive cost reductions: Ford cut average EV prices by $13,271; Stellantis priced the D99 to compete directly with the $38,000 Chrysler Pacifica.

High inventory levels—3.0 million vehicles in November 2025, with 82% of 2024 models unsold—have intensified pressure to prioritize volume over premium segments. The minivan segment, though representing less than 5% of U.S. family vehicle sales in 2025, is projected to grow at a 12% CAGR through 2030, driven by suburban demand and fleet electrification mandates.

How Is Leapmotor Enabling This Transition?

Leapmotor’s 800V platform enables 10–80% charging in approximately 20 minutes, outperforming legacy 400V systems. The D99 includes a Snapdragon 8797 ADAS chip (1,280 TOPS), aligning with Stellantis’ digital-first strategy. FAW’s $534 million investment and 5% equity stake in Leapmotor funded U.S. certification, bypassing the typical 24-month regulatory delay for Chinese EVs.

What Are the Market Projections?

Key risks include persistent inventory gluts, 800V component supply constraints, and potential regulatory reversal of tax credits. The minivan EV segment is no longer speculative—it is becoming a core volume driver for legacy automakers.