Rivian vs Volkswagen Group

Lawmakers Approve AM Radio Mandate for US Automakers

The US House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which would require automakers to include AM radio in new vehicles at no extra cost. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it has bipartisan support with key sponsors including Senators Ed Markey and Ted Cruz. Proponents argue AM radio is crucial for emergency alerts, while automakers like Tesla, Rivian, and BMW have been dropping the feature, often citing electromagnetic interference from electric motors. This legislation could impact the automotive and broadcast industries by preserving AM radio's reach. The bill's future hinges on the Senate vote.

• House passed AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act with bipartisan support.
• Bill directs NHTSA to require AM radio in new vehicles as standard equipment.
• Senators Markey and Cruz co-sponsor Senate version with 60 co-sponsors.

8-K Financial Filing Analysis for Rivian (2026-08-27)

Rivian Automotive, Inc. announced that Chief Financial Officer Claire McDonough will resign effective October 30, 2026, to pursue a new opportunity and relocate to the East Coast. The company confirmed that her departure is amicable and involves no disagreements regarding financial reporting, internal controls, operations, or corporate policies. McDonough will remain in her current role through late October to facilitate an orderly transition. To maintain continuity in capital planning and execution, Derek Mulvey, Rivian's Vice President of Finance since 2021, is expected to step in as Interim CFO while the board conducts a comprehensive internal and external search for a permanent successor.

• CFO Claire McDonough submitted her resignation on August 24, 2026, effective October 30, 2026, with no reported accounting or operational disagreements.
• Derek Mulvey, Vice President of Finance since 2021, is designated to serve as Interim CFO upon McDonough's departure.
• Rivian has initiated a formal internal and external search process to identify a permanent Chief Financial Officer.

Investor Guide: TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

TechCrunch’s investor guide to Disrupt 2026 outlines how investors can use the October 13–15 conference at Moscone West to source startups, network, and gather market intelligence. Highlights include access to 200 vetted, pre-Series A startups in the Startup Battlefield 200 (competing for $100,000 in equity-free funding), curated investor programming across multiple stages (Smart Money, Smart Systems, AI), and Investor Pass perks such as the Deal Flow Café, an early founder list, and AI-assisted curated 1:1 meetings. The article notes past speakers and this year’s speaker lineup, the volume of curated meetings, and time-limited ticket discounts of up to $300 (discount period referenced in the article).

• TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 is scheduled for October 13–15, 2026 at Moscone West in San Francisco.
• Startup Battlefield 200 features 200 pre-Series A startups competing for $100,000 in equity-free funding.
• Startup Battlefield alumni have collectively raised over $32 billion and produced more than 250 exits.

Supervisory Board approves Future Plan 2030: A strong signal for Volkswagen Group

The Supervisory Board of the Volkswagen Group unanimously approved the Executive Board’s Future Plan 2030, enabling the Group to pave the way for sustainable long-term success.

Xpeng Aims High with Mainz 05 Sponsorship Deal

Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng is stepping up its brand campaign in Germany through a two-year sponsorship deal with Bundesliga club Mainz 05. At an event in the Mewa-Arena, Xpeng Central Europe Managing Director Markus Schrick said the partnership is intended to raise brand awareness and position Xpeng as a premium mobility brand associated with high-tech, reliability, and modesty. Xpeng, in which Volkswagen holds just under five percent since July 2023, launched in Germany in 2024 and tripled sales to nearly 3,000 vehicles last year. The company targets 8,000 EV sales in Germany this year and 15,000 next year, and more than 100,000 vehicles across international markets by 2026. The contract with Mainz 05 is initially for two years with an option to extend. Schrick also discussed agency discussions and advertising plans in the video interview.

• Xpeng signed a two-year sponsorship deal with Bundesliga club Mainz 05 as premium and mobility partner.
• Xpeng targets 8,000 EV sales in Germany this year, up from nearly 3,000 last year.
• Xpeng considers 15,000 German sales possible next year and over 100,000 international sales by 2026.

Salesforce: LLMs reshape automotive product search

In an interview, Jessica Geutner (Vice President Strategic Customers, Salesforce) discusses how large language models (LLMs) are changing product search in the automotive sector and shifting responsibilities for OEMs and dealers. She argues that manufacturers must be discoverable within LLM-driven systems and connect those AI-initiated journeys into their CRM, sales and dealer processes. Geutner emphasizes that probabilistic generative AI cannot replace deterministically collected, consented customer data and that consent management and integrated data infrastructures are critical. Salesforce cites work with the Volkswagen Group to centralize customer data as an example of improved service efficiency.

• Jessica Geutner is Vice President Strategic Customers at Salesforce and spoke about AI and the automotive customer journey.
• The article states 77% of commerce leaders expect LLMs will help with product search in the future.
• Salesforce helped the Volkswagen Group centralize customer data, improving service efficiency according to Stefanie Paetow.