Surprise Move: Auto Tariffs May Still Be on the Agenda in Malaysia

by admin | Mar 25, 2025 | automotive industry, autos, cars, commerce, news

Additionally, the FBI has issued an advisory for Tesla drivers, and China’s plans for rolling out Full Self-Driving technology have been put on hold.

It appears that the one thing even less predictable than Tesla’s share price this month is which way the U.S. might head regarding automotive tariffs. Just as things seem calm for the carmakers, suddenly new duties could come into play again. Honestly, it feels like we’re caught in an endless cycle of uncertainty, and frankly, it’s draining.
we’re
fed up with this situation, executives like Jim Farley and Mary Barra might be prepared to take action.

Welcome back to

Critical Materials

, your daily roundup for all things electric and tech in the automotive space. Today, it’s more tariff talk, plus the FBI and ATF have formed a joint task force to fight vandalism against Teslas. Also, Tesla has halted its FSD rollout in China. Let’s jump in.

30%: Auto Tariffs Are Still On The Way, Assures Trump

Remember yesterday when the
The automotive sector was anticipated to receive some relief.
From the wider tariffs that come into play on April 2nd? While this statement holds some truth—it’s important to note that automobiles will not completely avoid these substantial duties.

US President Donald Trump disclosed late Monday that tariffs targeting the automotive sector have not been taken off his trade-war arsenal. These levies will be implemented apart from the April 2nd duties and are being adjusted to offer specific preferential treatments—such as potential exemptions—for particular unnamed countries exporting cars to the United States.

Here’s what
Bloomberg
knows:

President Donald Trump stated that he plans to unveil tariffs on car imports soon and suggested that countries will be granted exemptions from the ” reciprocal” duties set to take effect next week.

Trump’s comments at the White House Monday sowed further confusion about his plans for a sweeping tariff announcement scheduled for April 2. The president told reporters he planned to proceed with long-threatened auto import tariffs “fairly soon, over the next few days” ahead of the broader package.

Trump said his tariff rollout next Wednesday would focus on so-called “reciprocal” tariffs, featuring rates on a country-by-country basis. The president twice on Monday signaled trading partners would receive possible exemptions or reductions.

Trump’s timeline for imposing tariffs on the auto industry is rather inconclusive, but based on the president’s wording, it would seem that the administration is prepared to announce it ahead of next week’s tariff extravaganza, which Trump declared to be named
Liberation Day
.

We’ll be addressing the automobile sector, something many of you have been aware of for quite some time,” stated Trump at a press conference. “We plan to make this announcement shortly, likely within the coming days. Then, on April 2nd, reciprocal tariffs will come into play.

Once again, this situation has auto manufacturers puzzled about what lies ahead. For instance, Toyota finds itself uncertain whether merely continuing operations and importing parts from beyond U.S. borders might lead to repercussions, despite its efforts.
five car manufacturing facilities in the United States
and
donating $1 million
to Trump’s reelection campaign last year.

Moreover, we shouldn’t overlook the component aspect. Constructing automobiles requires numerous materials sourced globally through an intricate network of suppliers across different countries. Should the automotive sector avoid direct taxes on imported goods, the frequent international transactions involved in obtaining various car parts might still lead to increased expenses for vehicles manufactured within the United States.

Regardless of whether you’re a supplier, factory manager, or
simply someone wishing your upcoming car doesn’t come with an additional $12,000 price tag
, the ongoing discussions about tariffs are raising more queries than providing solutions. For an sector reliant on decades of unrestricted commerce, slim profit margins, and efficient production methods, nothing disrupts operations as much as stringent regulations do.
one that keeps changing
.

60%: FBI Alerts Tesla Owners and Showrooms About Potential Acts of Violence and Vandalism

Tesla is currently facing some challenges, and we’re not referring to their car models here.
tanking stock
,
slipping sales
, or even the critique of its FSD software failing to identify a
Looney Tunes-style fake wall
. Indeed, we’ve reached a stage in our cultural discussion where people are breaking windows and burning electric vehicles due to the political maneuvers of what Tesla calls their ”
absent CEO
And now, the authorities are so vigilant that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a memo to caution the public.

In a security notice labeled as
People across the country target Tesla vehicles and dealerships with arson, gunfire, and vandalism.
, the FBI—which recently formed a joint task force with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate the incidents—warns of attacks targeting Tesla vehicles, as well as Tesla-owned property (like dealerships and Supercharging stations).

Here’s more info
from the bulletin directly
:

The FBI is alerting the public about widespread events across the country aimed at Tesla electric cars (EVs), showrooms, parking areas, and recharge points since January 2025. In at least nine different states, attacks on Tesla EVs have taken place. Such acts include setting fires, shooting, and defacement with messages like graffiti that seem to target individuals perceived as racist, fascist, or political adversaries. The evidence suggests these illegal activities were carried out individually by single attackers, and every recorded incident happened after dark.

People might need minimal preparation to employ basic strategies like homemade fire bombs and guns, and they could view these assaults as harmless offenses against property rather than serious criminal acts.

The FBI advises people to stay alert and watch for unusual behavior in locations where Tesla dealerships or Tesla-associated organizations operate.

It could be said that Tesla underwent an unexpected cultural rebranding over the last year. The outspoken political stances of CEO Elon Musk have tarnished the company’s image, leading to a polarized customer base that is acting true to form—by dismissing brands whose values do not match their own political beliefs.

Activists have urged proprietors to divest their vehicles and shares as a form of protest against Tesla due to Musk’s ongoing engagement in international affairs. It appears the car owners heeded this call, as per industry statistics provided by Edmunds which indicate that
There has been an increase in Tesla trade-ins over the past few weeks.
Not only is an increasing number being traded in, but
Fewer purchasers are looking for pre-owned Teslas to acquire.
, causing used car prices to plummet.

For others, this is insufficient. Activists have assumed the responsibility of leveraging Musk’s political leanings as a pretext for carrying out harmful actions such as
torch setting fires at Tesla showrooms
or
damaging customer-owned Tesla vehicles
.

This entire scenario highlights the complexity surrounding electric vehicles (EVs), particularly Teslas. The discussion is no longer focused solely on software upgrades and charging infrastructure; instead, EVs have turned into highly personal and politically charged topics. As for Tesla, they’ve unfortunately become the central focus where much of this scrutiny is concentrated.

90%: Tesla Temporarily Suspends FSD Deployment in China

Tesla’s aggressive launch of its Full Self-Driving software in China has encountered an obstacle. Of course, not a literal one.
regardless of what you may believe
), but Tesla appears to have voluntarily halted the widespread rollout of its premium driver-assistance feature in China as of Monday.

The precise cause of the delay remains unclear. Although one could easily assume that the software is not yet prepared, it’s also feasible that recent guidelines from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) regarding remote software upgrades may be responsible.

Here’s the latest from
Automotive News
:

Tesla announced on March 24 that it plans to launch its advanced driving-assist function in China once it secures all necessary approvals from regulators. This comes after reports indicated that a temporary free-trial period for its Full Self-Driving service was halted due to some issues.

“All parties are diligently moving the related procedures forward, and once everything is set, we’ll promptly update you. We’re just as eager for this; your patience during this time would be greatly appreciated,” stated Tesla’s customer service on the social media platform Weibo.

The post appeared as a comment beneath the Weibo feed of Tesla Vice President Grace Tao.

Tesla states that it will restart delivering Full Self-Driving capabilities to clients after receiving approval from Chinese regulatory authorities.

Tesla’s deployment of Full Self-Driving in China has not gone smoothly. Users who tested the software discovered that the vehicle did not always adhere to local regulations. A Chinese automotive influencer succeeded in
accumulate seven distinct traffic offenses
on a single evening through unlawful lane switching, executing right turns from cycle paths, and committing various ticketable offenses.

This difficulty arises largely due to stringent Chinese data regulations, which pose significant challenges for training Tesla’s Full Self-Driving model within the local market. As CEO Elon Musk clarified earlier this year:

“We face certain challenges as the government does not permit us to export training videos from China, and the U.S. administration prevents us from conducting training within China itself. This creates quite a dilemma,” explained Musk during the firm’s recent quarterly earnings briefing. “To overcome this issue, we’ve been examining online footage of Chinese roads to grasp how they function. We use these public videos showcasing road signs and traffic regulations in China for our training purposes and integrate them into an extremely precise simulation.”

Chinese social media platforms displayed comparable problems, such as instances of vehicles running red lights and various other incidents that gained attention.
across global car blogs
.

Car News China
provides additional information about MIIT’s potential participation:

The potential causes for the suspension could involve the recent guidelines set forth by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). This inference stems from statements made by XPeng about postponing their scheduled March Over-The-Air (OTA) update for the P7 model. According to XPeng, this deferral was prompted by MIIT directives dated February 28th, mandating all significant upcoming software modifications to be pre-announced with sufficient notice before any filings can proceed post-publication.

It has likewise been suggested that the acceptance of Tesla’s FSD software
might serve as leverage for the Chinese government
As an approach in the continuing trade dispute between the U.S. and China.

Currently, Tesla hasn’t directly stated that the issues highlighted online led to halting the launch of the Chinese Full Self-Driving (FSD) test. Similarly, the Chinese authorities haven’t issued any official statements criticizing the software, so there’s no clear reason behind Tesla’s decision to suspend the roll-out. However, based on the phrasing used in Tao’s Weibo post, it appears that Tesla might believe the software isn’t quite “prepared” for what could be considered one of their key markets.

100%: What Will Become of All the Trade-in Teslas?

Last evening, I found myself endlessly scrolling through TikTok when someone shared an intriguing open-ended query regarding the numerous Teslas currently circulating. At present, the supply exceeds the demand, causing used car prices to drop significantly—a boon for potential purchasers.
if people really intended to purchase them
.

The journey down this path appears far from over. With Musk remaining politically engaged and steering Tesla, the decline seems set to continue. This leaves car dealers wondering about their next move: Should they offload vehicles at a loss? Opt for auctions instead? If enticing deals fail to draw customers, perhaps patience might prove to be their best strategy, waiting until conditions improve?

Share your opinions below in the comments section.

More Important Updates You Should Be Aware Of:

• Hyundai Electric Vehicle Owners: Your Tesla NACS Adapters Will Be Available Shortly
• Tesla Is Plunging in Europe Despite Rise in Electric Vehicle Sales in February
• A Die-Hard Tesla Fan Switched to a Rivian. Here’s His Impression
• Is Toyota Now Genuine About Electric Vehicles?
• Public EV Charging Was Already Deteriorating. Then Trump Eliminated Federal Funding
• How Tariffs and the Retreat from Electric Vehicles Affect All Americans