Trump Says China Deal Is Done, Tesla Robotaxi To Launch on June 22, Major Carplay Update

Automotive State of The Union

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Episode #1067: We’re covering how President Trump announced that China will provide rare earth minerals in a new trade deal. Plus Tesla’s push toward a robotaxi launch in Austin and what it means for the future of autonomy and Apple brings a major refresh to CarPlay in iOS26.

• President Trump just announced the deal is “done” regarding a sweeping trade agreement that positions China as the upfront supplier of rare earths to the U.S.—a major shift with big implications for auto and defense manufacturing.
  • Trump says China will supply magnets and rare earths “up front” under a trade deal.
  • U.S. to grant concessions like college access to Chinese students.
  • The deal still requires final sign-off by Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
  • Tensions had escalated after China restricted exports critical to auto and defense.
  • “WE ARE GETTING A TOTAL OF 55% TARIFFS, CHINA IS GETTING 10%,” Trump wrote on Truth Social

• Tesla’s long-awaited robotaxi service is almost here. Elon Musk says it could officially launch in Austin on June 22—with an emphasis on “tentatively.” It’s a make-or-break moment for Tesla’s autonomous ambitions.
  • Tesla is testing unmodified Model Ys with a new FSD system that has ~4x more parameters than the current version.
  • The service will launch in a geo-fenced area of Austin with a small internal fleet supported by human teleoperators.
  • A trailing car with a safety driver has been spotted following the autonomous vehicles during testing.
  • The company just started truly driverless tests in late May—weeks ahead of the projected launch.
  • "The vast majority of valuation upside looking ahead for Tesla is centered around the success of its autonomous vision," said Wedbush analyst Dan Ives.
• Apple is rolling out iOS26 with its biggest CarPlay update in years, bringing a sleek new look and features that aim to put your car’s native OS to shame.
  • CarPlay gets a new “Liquid Glass” design with glossy, semi-transparent icons and tabs.
  • Widgets come to the homepage, allowing real-time views of calendars, smart home tools, and weather.
  • Messaging gets streamlined with voice-activated emojis (Tapbacks) and pinned conversations for quicker access.
  • Incoming calls now appear in a compact banner, no longer hijacking your entire display during navigation.
  • Live Activities—real-time countdowns and status updates—are now embedded in CarPlay for things like food orders or airport pickups.

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.
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