The Era of Autonomous Nurburgring Records Has Begun, and It's Slow: TDS

The Era of Autonomous Nurburgring Records Has Begun, and It's Slow: TDS focuses on Xiaomi’s milestone for fully autonomous driving on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Xiaomi’s YU7 GT, an electric SUV, reportedly set the first-ever record for an autonomous lap, completing it in 10:29.483. Despite the achievement, the run was not described as fast by racing standards: the SUV reached a top speed of 130 mph on the back straight, and it previously recorded a 7-minute, 22-second lap when driven by a human. The newsletter notes the gap of roughly three minutes between man and machine, suggesting it may take time for automakers to close it. The June 22, 2026 roundup also mentions Toyota assembling RAV4s in Kentucky, Porsche planning to build fewer than 280,000 cars and considering bringing back the 718 Boxster and Cayman, and BYD expanding in Europe with a second planned factory and fast-charging network. It also includes a Ferrari auction result and weekend race winners across multiple series.