When the Biden administration set new auto emissions standards, it was a landmark climate move; passenger vehicles currently account for more than a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. But the new standards also included fuel efficiency elements that would save drivers money.President Trump has said he wants to roll back both emissions and fuel economy standards, calling the regulations an EV mandate. If he does roll those back, drivers of new models may end up spending thousands more just to fill their gas tanks.Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office this week, Trump reiterated his plan to roll back the regulations, saying Were going to go back, probably, to a 2020 standard. Doing so could result in consumers paying at least $8,000 more to fuel a vehicle in 2029, than they would have if the standards stayed in place, says Chris Harto, a senior policy analyst at Consumer Reports who focuses on energy efficiency.Under Biden, the EPA enacted the emissions standards and and the Department of Transportation enacted the fuel economy standards. Both help clean up combustion vehiclesand both are in Trumps crosshairs, as the standards were created in coordination with each other. Making vehicles more efficient, Harto explains, comes with the very fortunate side benefit of making the vehicle cheaper to fuel. Biden announced the newest standards in 2024; they phase in over model years 2027 to 2032. They built on standards the EPA put in place in 2021 that cover model years 2023 to 2026. The standards established a 50.4 miles per gallon average for light-duty vehicles by model year 2031. Those combined rules, a Consumer Reports analysis found, would deliver more than $2 trillion in consumer fuel savings by 2050. Thats a massive amount of money thats at stake, Harto says.In the past three years, the new standards have already delivered $2,200 in fuel savings for new vehicles (and over the next five years, theyre on track to deliver another $6,000 in savings). Thats a stark difference from the four years prior, 2018 to 2021, when standards were being rolled back during Trumps first term. Over those four years, consumers saw less than $500 in savings delivered per vehicle.Though Trump says the standards promote EVs, Harto says they help drive all sorts of efficiency technology, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids, that can save consumers a lot of money without having to change the way they drive their vehicle. If those standards get frozen in the past, he adds theres a strong chance well see a pull back [from automakers] in some of those newer technologies across the board.Speaking to reporters, Trump said that the new auto emissions standards dont mean a damn bit of difference for the environment but make it impossible for people to build cars. Harto contests both those claims. The Consumer Reports analysis also found that by 2050, the auto emissions standards would reduce pollution by 12 billion tons. Its the single most impactful piece of climate regulation that the U.S. has ever put in place, he says.As for how difficult it is for automakers to comply, Harto says research shows that over the past two decades, automakers have been able to deliver $9,000 in consumer fuel savings for the average new vehicle, without an increase to that vehicle price, once adjusted for inflation. Every time regulation is on the table, the industry screams that its going to drive up costs for consumers, he says. In the end, they deliver significant savings to consumers with very little or no detectable cost. . . . It really is a win-win in terms of consumer and climate benefits. Though Harto said he couldnt speak for automakers about the future of these rules, he said most industries tend to like fewer regulations.Consumers broadly dont support a roll back in emissions standards. In a January 2025 Consumer Reports survey, 96% of American drivers said fuel economy is at least somewhat important to them when considering a new vehicle, and nearly two-thirds agree that the government should continue to increase fuel-economy standards.The Big Three U.S. automakers didnt respond to requests for comment about whether they support the rolling back of standards. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation said in a statement that the current emissions rules are extremely challenging to achieve and that a balanced approach to emission in the U.S. is key to preserving vehicle choice. Since not all model years that the standards cover are in full production yet, carmakers could also adapt to regulatory changes by canceling upcoming vehicles or adjusting production volumes. Some U.S. automakers have already pulled back on EV plans, canceling some future models, and the U.S. significantly lags behind markets like China that have accelerated EV technologies.Whether the standards are rolled back or not, Harto says Consumer Reports will continue to test vehicles for fuel economy and environmental impact and include those predominantly in their ratings. At a time when consumers pocketbooks are already stretched, basically locking in larger fuel bills for consumers for decades to come is a really bad idea, he adds.

Apple, Amazon, and other tech companies reliant on global supply chains stand to lose the most from Trump's trade policies, but some software firms expect more demand for their services.

President Trump says the tariffs will encourage investment in U.S. factories, but analysts say car buyers will have to pay thousands more.

The Nintendo Switch 2 plays Switch games courtesy of backwards compatibility, which applies to physical and digital games. In a new update, Nintendo has revealed the extent of support, confirming a small percentage of first-party titles arent compatible.These include titles that require the original Joy-Con to play, like Ring Fit Adventure, 1-2-Switch, Everybody 1-2-Switch, Game Builder Garage, Nintendo Switch Sports, WarioWare: Move It! and Nintendo Labo: Toy-Con 01-03. As for the 15,000 partner titles on the platform, a little over 20 percent have no issues during basic testing.Over 75 percent can be started, but further tests are ongoing. A small percentage, which includes Alan Wake Remastered, Alien: Isolation, Factorio, and Fall Guys, have compatibility issues but are otherwise bootable. Then theres the percentage of titles with start-up problems, including big names like Final Fantasy 1, DOOM Eternal, NBA 2K25, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, and more.These issues are still under investigation, and Nintendo promises another update later this month, so stay tuned. The Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5th for $449.99 (though region-locked consoles will be available for cheaper in Japan). A bundle containing Mario Kart World will also be available for $499.99.

After rumors emerged in February, Square Enix has finally announced that Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is coming to Nintendo Switch 2. Theres no release date, and director Naoki Hamaguchi didnt confirm whether its follow-up, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, would also arrive on the platform.Released in June 2021 for PS5 before coming to PC, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade features numerous visual improvements and quality-of-life features over the base game. It also includes Episode INTERmission, a separate side story with Yuffie as the protagonist with unique combat mechanics. Check out our review of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade here.You can also learn more about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth here. Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 is also in the works, and though it lacks a release date, producer Yoshinori Kitase confirmed last January that the story is complete. He also confirmed that it wont be PlayStation-exclusive, but it remains to be seen if Xbox will receive any entry in the series anytime soon.

Smartphone apps that track our driving behavior may be the key to safer road conditions. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety just published a study that found that using smartphone apps to monitor driver behavior, and then providing summaries of that behavior via text message or a data dashboard, leads to safer driving. Researchers borrowed techniques from usage-based insurance (UBI) programs, in which insurance companies use smartphone apps to measure dangerous driving behaviors, like hard braking, sudden acceleration, and speeding. Rather than rely on actuarial data, like driving records and vehicle type, UBI programs use real-time data from app trackers to determine premiums. These are typically opt-in programs, marketed as a way to lower premiums. But if your driving isnt as safe as you think, it can lead to higher monthly payments. Most people have an aversion to being tracked in real-time by their insurance company. But the AAA group was able to show that these methods can lead to safer driving even after the tracking apps are turned off. Participants were told their data was being reviewed as part of a research study, and not being used by insurance companies to lower or raise their rates. Most people have an aversion to being tracked in real-time by their insurance company.The research team corralled 1,400 participants and split them into four groups: a control group; a standard feedback group, which were given weekly feedback via text on all behaviors monitored; an assigned goal group, which were given weekly text feedback on one behavior; and a chosen goal group, which selected their own behavior on which to receive feedback. Among the three feedback groups, 13 percent of participants showed a reduction in speeding, 21 percent showed a reduction in hard braking, and 25 percent experienced less rapid acceleration. Participants also gave their own feedback on tactics for changing their driving behavior: 67.4 percent said they would be persuaded by the potential to earn extra money; 53.9 percent liked weekly feedback via text message; and 45.8 percent preferred a weekly dashboard that provided detailed driving information for the week. The research team also monitored the groups use of smartphones while driving, and were surprised to find that terrible behavior remained mostly unchanged. They theorized that providing baseline safety scores at the start of the study led drivers to believe they were being safer than they actually were and therefore, less in need for improvement. 13 percent of participants showed a reduction in speedingAfter the 12-week study, participants were monitored for an additional six weeks without any feedback to determine whether their improved driving would persist. The study found that generally they continued to drive more safely. Its encouraging to see that many individuals stuck with safer habits even after the study, said Jake Nelson, AAAs director of traffic safety advocacy, in a statement. This shows that positive reinforcement, not just punitive measures, can lead to safer driving habits that can save lives.In 2023, over 40,000 people died in vehicle crashes in the US. AAA says the research results point to the need for innovative approaches to educating people about safer driving behavior. Most people have an aversion to being tracked while they drive especially when you consider that most drivers have an overinflated sense of their own behavior. But UBI programs are growing. In 2020, 16 percent of auto insurance shoppers were offered UBI and 12 percent of them enrolled, according to USA Today. In 2024, 15 percent of buyers were offered UBI, but a almost a fifth of them signed up.We already use our phones to monitor a lot of our behavior, including our steps, our sleep, and our eating habits. Why not driving?See More:

The full extent of the U.S. governments impeding tariffs were revealed by the Trump administration today in a press conference. The hefty tariffs threaten economic trade on a massive scale with implications on almost all big US companies, including Apple.The Apple supply chain relies on manufacturing and assembly of its devices in countries like China, India, Malaysia and Vietnam. All of these regions are now facing huge tariffs, which ultimately increases the cost of production and undermines Apples margins and potential profitability.Trump announced a base rate of 10 percent tariffs on all imports to the United States, a move that will have significant economic impact on its own. The 10% levy goes into effect on Saturday, April 5.However, the story only gets bleaker as the Trump administration is also instating what it calls reciprocal tariffs on select nations where the prices of US exports are said to be inflated by international government measures. These higher rates are set to go into effect next week, April 9.Some of the heftiest reciprocal tariffs announced today directly target major geographic regions of the Apple supply chain. Most iPhones sold today are made in China, and those imports now face a tariff rate of up to 54 percent, a combination of the 34 percent reciprocal tariff announced today on top of the 20 percent levy the President launched in January.Following the 2018 trade war and COVID disruptions, Apple has accelerated the diversification of its supply chain away from China as much as it can. But these other regions are also now facing the ire of Trump. For instance, Vietnam is a big manufacturer of AirPods, Apple Watch and MacBook models. These imports are now facing a 46 percent tariff rate. Similarly, Apple suppliers in India will be hit with 26 percent tariffs, and Malaysia operations will also tariffs as high as 24 percent. Other parts of the Apple supply chain in other countries are now subject to at least a 10% tariff they never had to contend with before. Trump believes these measures will bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.But if everything goes ahead as announced today, this will have a devastating impact on Apples business. The increased cost of production will either see Apples margins curbed substantially, or the company will be forced to increase the price of its products to compensate, likely lowering demand as customers are turned away by the resultant sticker shock.These fears have seen investors ditch Apple stock, with a sell-off in after hours trading of more than 7%. In absolute terms, $AAPL closed at $223 today, and is currently sitting at about $207 in the volatile after-hours market. Many other big tech names are also significantly down, amid a market-wide selloff.Some believe this is all bluster, and Trump will carve out exceptions and pull back on some of these measures in short order. Indeed, during the China-US trade war of 2018, Apple secured tariff exemptions on many of its products, notably avoiding any impact on the iPhone, its biggest business segment. However, so far, Apple has been unsuccessful at securing exemptions from Trump, since he began his second term in office this January.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 3.

Image: NintendoThis isn't exactly a surprise, but it's been confirmed the game engine Unity will be providing developers with official support for Nintendo Switch 2.Here's some PR about how this platform will be "made available soon" in Unity 6 for approved Switch 2 developers targeting the launch of the platform:"Support for this platform will be made available soon in Unity 6, as an add-on, for approved Nintendo developers - further expanding Unitys commitment to enabling creators to bring their visions to life on the widest range of platforms."Developers can expect to seamlessly build, port, optimize, and deploy projects" for Switch 2 with its suite of tools and technologies. Here's what else this platform will include for Switch 2 development:Rendering and Performance Optimization Scale your games graphical fidelity with the Universal Render Pipeline (URP), Spatial-Temporal Post-Processing (STP), and GPU Resident Drawer enabling developers to push the power of Nintendo Switch 2 while maximizing performance.End-to-end Multiplayer solutions Improvements to our multiplayer capabilities extending our existing Nintendo Switch support, launching on Nintendo Switch 2 soon.Enhanced Developer Documentation Unitys developer documentation for Nintendo Switch 2 will make it easier for developers to build and optimize their games on the platform.One other detail is how Unity will apparently make it easier for developers to port existing Switch titles across to the Switch 2. For developers wanting to get to work on Switch 2 development on Unity, they must first be approved. As seen in Arcade Archives 2 Ridge RacerSo soon![source businesswire.com]See AlsoShare:03 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesWhere To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2Pre-orders open 8th/9th AprilSwitch 2 Pre-Orders Expected To Sell Out "Day One" Due To Limited Unit AllocationAccording to a "large US retailer"Rumour: Switch 2's Pre-Order Date Might Have Been Accidentally LeakedUpdate: Pre-orders expected to follow Direct

Sonic and much more is on the way.Nintendo overloaded fans during the Switch 2 Direct with all sorts of game announcements, and if you didn't catch it - Sega will actually be bringing five titles to the system during its "launch window".Read the full article on nintendolife.com