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12 Recalls in 2 Years: The Tesla Cybertruck Is Breaking Records For All The Wrong Reasons

The most I’ve ever heard of a car being recalled is probably 2014 Jeep Cherokee, or the 2021 Chevy Silverado. Both cars (if I’m not mistaken), were famous for hitting as many as 7-9 recalls, but Tesla‘s Cybertruck is cruising past that number with its 12th recall since the car began rolling out to customers in November 2023. Issued just today, this latest round of recalls affects 6,197 vehicles, about 10 percent of all Cybertrucks sold. The problem? A Light Bar accessory that sits on the top of the car. Although optional, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning drivers that this off-road accessory (officially sold by Tesla) could detach and fall off, creating a road hazard for other drivers. The culprit? Weak glue.

I have to preface that a recall doesn’t imply a car is ‘bad’, it usually involves points of failures that can make driving dangerous if unchecked. Some of them are fairly benign, like this past week’s recall because the headlights were 20% too bright according to regulations (this got fixed with a mere software patch), but others are absolutely lethal, like the Cybertruck’s accelerator pedal getting stuck, which could turn your car into a speeding metallic meteor, threatening not just your life, but also the lives of others around you.

Designer: Tesla

That being said, 12 recalls is certainly worth noticing. In just under 2 years, the Cybertruck’s faced problems with the motor controlling the windshield wiper, the exterior stainless steel sheet literally peeling off because of weak glue, errors within the Tire Pressure Monitoring System, software and firmware issues, interior trim parts affecting the accelerator pedal, the headlights being too bright, the light bar accessory having faulty lighting, and even the bar itself not being glued on properly. Apart from the countless recalls, the Cybertruck’s also been plagued by problems like rust accumulating on its exterior panels. With its over-a-trillion-dollar valuation, you don’t expect the EV pioneer to operate with these ‘startup growth pains’.

That being said, Tesla will inspect the accessory and will either install an additional mechanical attachment or replace the old light bar with a new one using tape to adhere it to the windshield along with the necessary mechanical attachment, free of charge, according to the NHTSA. Owners should receive a mailed notification about the recall sometime after December 26.

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Dreamfarm’s Genius Measuring Cup Squeegees Itself Clean Every Time

You know that moment when you’re trying to measure out peanut butter and half of it stays stubbornly stuck to the measuring cup? Or when you’re spooning honey and it seems like no matter how much you scrape, there’s always that last bit clinging to the sides, taunting you? Yeah, we’ve all been there. It’s one of those tiny kitchen frustrations that feels like it should have been solved decades ago.

Well, Australian design company Dreamfarm finally decided to do something about it. Their UpCup is a 4-in-1 adjustable measuring cup that scrapes itself clean for wet, dry, and sticky ingredients. And honestly, it’s one of those designs that makes you wonder why nobody thought of it sooner.

Designer: Dreamfarm

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Here’s how it works. The UpCup’s adjustable base raises to create 1 cup, ½ cup, ⅓ cup, and ¼ cup measuring cups, all in a single cup. So instead of cluttering your kitchen drawer with four different measuring cups, you just need this one clever little device. You choose your measurement on the handle, fill it up, and then press the slider down to push everything out.

But here’s where it gets really clever. A watertight seal around the adjustable base squeegees the UpCup clean as it moves, making it perfect for peanut butter, mayonnaise, honey, and other sticky ingredients. As the base rises up through the cup, it acts like a built-in squeegee, pushing every last drop of whatever you’re measuring straight into your bowl. No waste, no scraping with a spatula, no wrestling with stubborn ingredients. Think about all those times you’ve measured sticky ingredients. Maple syrup that pools at the bottom. Tahini that refuses to let go. Coconut oil that somehow gets everywhere except where you want it. The UpCup handles all of it with the same simple push mechanism. The base extends fully to push out every last drop, and can be removed for thorough, dishwasher-safe cleaning.

The design is refreshingly straightforward. It’s made from clear, BPA-free Tritan plastic, so you can see exactly what you’re measuring. The measurements are both printed in red and embossed directly into the plastic, which means they’ll never wear off no matter how many times you run it through the dishwasher. And speaking of heat, it can handle temperatures up to 212°F, so you can use it for hot ingredients too.

What’s particularly smart about this design is how Dreamfarm thought about the entire user experience. Since it’s self-cleaning, you can use it for all your ingredients and then toss it in the dishwasher for an overall cleaning afterwards. Need to measure out flour, then peanut butter, then honey for the same recipe? Just push the slider between each ingredient and you’re good to go. No need to wash it three times in the middle of cooking. It’s also perfect for those recipes where precision matters. When you’re baking and need exactly a third of a cup of oil, you can actually get exactly that amount into your mixing bowl instead of losing some to the measuring cup. Those small losses add up, and they can actually affect your final results, especially in baking where ratios really matter.

The UpCup is one of those kitchen tools that feels obvious once you see it. It solves a problem we’ve all just accepted as part of cooking, and it does it in a way that’s simple, functional, and honestly pretty satisfying to use. There’s something deeply pleasing about watching that base rise up and push every single drop of sticky ingredient exactly where you want it. Dreamfarm has built a reputation for rethinking everyday kitchen tools, and the UpCup is a perfect example of their approach. They didn’t just make another measuring cup. They looked at how people actually use measuring cups, identified the frustrations, and designed a solution that makes the whole process better.

Is it revolutionary? Maybe not. But it’s the kind of thoughtful, problem-solving design that makes everyday tasks just a little bit easier. And in the kitchen, where we’re constantly juggling multiple ingredients and timing everything perfectly, those little improvements really do matter. No more scraping, no more waste, and no more measuring cup drawer overflowing with nested cups. Just one smart tool that actually works the way you wish all measuring cups did.

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This 1,388-Foot Tower Is NYC’s First Net-Zero Supertall Skyscraper

As Midtown Manhattan continues to evolve, 270 Park Avenue rises as a new titan of the New York skyline—a 1,388-foot, 60-story headquarters for JPMorgan Chase designed by Foster + Partners. Not just another addition to the city’s collection of supertalls, 270 Park Avenue redefines what a modern workplace can be, setting new benchmarks for sustainability, urban connectivity, and architectural innovation.

Located on the site of the former Union Carbide Building, the tower’s completion in 2025 marks a significant milestone. The previous SOM-designed structure, once a hallmark of midcentury modernism, was demolished to make way for a building capable of hosting 10,000 JPMorgan Chase employees and meeting the demands of a flexible, future-oriented workforce. What stands in its place is more than just a corporate headquarters; it is a city within a city, conceived to foster collaboration, wellness, and environmental responsibility.

Designer: Foster + Partners

Striking Architecture and Urban Connectivity

At first glance, 270 Park Avenue is instantly recognizable by its dramatic, stepped silhouette and bronze diagrid crown. The architects at Foster + Partners engineered the tower to be visually striking yet structurally daring: the main building mass is elevated nearly 80 feet above street level, supported by colossal fan-shaped columns that give the base a sense of lightness and openness. This not only creates a grand, welcoming entrance but also expands the public realm.

The project delivers 2.5 times more outdoor space at ground level than its predecessor, with a landscaped public plaza, widened sidewalks, and green terraces that encourage community interaction.

Interior Innovation for Human Wellbeing

Inside, the building is designed for adaptability. Large, open floorplates and a split elevator core maximize permeability and flexibility, while extensive use of glass floods the interior with daylight. Gensler, responsible for over 1.7 million square feet of interior space, has created environments focused on human wellbeing, with amenities like gyms, client centers, and communal terraces. Circadian lighting, advanced air filtration, and terrace gardens further support employee health and productivity.

Sustainability as a Defining Principle

Sustainability is a defining feature of 270 Park Avenue. As New York’s largest all-electric tower, it is powered entirely by renewable energy and is designed to achieve net-zero operational emissions. The building targets LEED Platinum and WELL Health-Safety certifications, with 97% of demolition materials from the old structure recycled or upcycled.

Triple-pane glazing, hydro-powered energy systems, and low-emission materials are all part of an integrated strategy to minimize environmental impact. Air ventilation rates are twice the city code, directly responding to research linking air quality to cognitive function, making the tower not just green but genuinely health-centric.

A Blueprint for Future Skyscrapers

The project is a collaboration between Foster + Partners, structural engineers Severud Associates, and Tishman Construction. Its completion signals an ambitious new chapter for both JPMorgan Chase and the city itself. 270 Park Avenue is not only a workplace for thousands; it’s a bold statement about the possibilities of skyscraper architecture in the 21st century, where technology, sustainability, and human experience are inextricably linked. In a city renowned for its architectural icons, 270 Park Avenue stands out—not just for its height, but for its vision of a healthier, more connected, and more sustainable urban future.

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Toyota Announces World’s First Self-Driving EV For Children

Would you trust AI to drive your child across town without you? Toyota is betting some parents will. At the Japan Mobility Show 2025, the automotive giant introduced Mobi, a fully autonomous electric bubble car that transports children on their own, with no adult supervision required. The pint-sized vehicle relies entirely on AI for navigation and safety, marking a radical departure from traditional ideas about child transportation.

This is the kind of concept that makes you simultaneously excited about the future and somewhat uncomfortable about it. The Mobi sits on display at the show between October 30th and November 9th, looking like someone crossbred a Pixar character with actual transportation infrastructure. And honestly, that seems intentional. Toyota positioned this as part of their “Mobility for All” project, which sounds noble until you realize they’re proposing to put elementary schoolers in autonomous pods and send them off into traffic.

Designer: Toyota

The design language here is fascinating because it has to do something incredibly difficult: make a vehicle feel safe enough for parents to trust while simultaneously feeling fun enough that kids actually want to use it. That bubble canopy swings upward like a gullwing door, revealing a single seat covered in fuzzy material that looks lifted straight from a particularly cozy bean bag chair. The exterior comes in aggressively cheerful colorways, lime green with black accents or blue-purple with orange trim, both loud enough to make sure nobody’s running this thing over in a parking lot. And then there are the LED eyes at the front, two circular lights that blink and animate to give the vehicle an almost sentient personality. It’s cute bordering on manipulative, which is probably exactly the emotional response Toyota wants from both kids and their hesitant parents. Up top, two ‘ears’ serve as the car’s advanced sensor array, allowing the EV to be spatially aware as it transports its tiny passenger around.

The AI system does all the heavy lifting here. Direction, speed, traffic navigation, obstacle detection, it’s all handled by the onboard intelligence while the kid just sits there like a particularly small passenger on the world’s shortest Uber ride. Toyota has equipped the Mobi with an AI assistant called UX Friend, which is either a stroke of genius or the beginning of a Black Mirror episode depending on your tolerance for letting algorithms raise your children. This virtual companion talks to kids throughout the journey, gives them instructions on how to “drive” the autonomous pod (which is really just letting them feel involved), and presumably keeps them entertained so they don’t try to open the door mid-trip. The system uses sensors and cameras positioned around the vehicle to detect motion and obstacles, creating a protective bubble of awareness that theoretically keeps the child safe from the chaos of real-world traffic.

The specs are still murky because Toyota hasn’t released the full technical breakdown yet. What we know is the outer shell likely uses lightweight plastic or composite materials to keep the weight down and the safety up. The vehicle is almost comically small, with a footprint that makes a Smart car look like an SUV. Single occupancy only, which makes sense given the target demographic isn’t carpooling to corporate meetings. The interior is deliberately spacious enough for a child to sit comfortably without feeling claustrophobic, and that textured seat material isn’t just aesthetic, it’s tactical design meant to make the space feel less like a vehicle and more like a safe cocoon. Toyota knows that if kids associate this thing with discomfort or fear, the whole concept dies on arrival.

Here’s where it gets interesting though. This isn’t a production vehicle, it’s a concept with a working prototype, and Toyota has been notably silent about when or if they plan to conduct real-world road tests with actual children inside. That’s a massive gap between “look at this cool thing we built” and “you can actually use this to send your kid to soccer practice.” The regulatory hurdles alone are staggering. What jurisdiction is going to greenlight unsupervised minors in autonomous vehicles? What happens when the AI encounters an edge case it wasn’t trained for? Who’s liable when something inevitably goes wrong? Toyota is playing in a sandbox that doesn’t have rules yet, and while that’s exciting from an innovation standpoint, it’s also deeply complicated from a practical one. The Mobi might be a genuine glimpse at future mobility, or it might be an elaborate design exercise that never leaves the auto show circuit. Only time will tell…

The post Toyota Announces World’s First Self-Driving EV For Children first appeared on Yanko Design.

S4 Honcho is a power-packed electric bike for city commutes and off-road excursions

LiveWire, the electric-motorcycle arm of Harley‑Davidson, has unveiled its upcoming S4 Honcho mini moto as a striking departure from the usual large-format electric bikes. Designed to fit into urban commutes and light off-road excursions, the S4 Honcho is set to launch in spring 2026 in two versions: a street-legal “Street” model and an off-road “Trail” variant.

The idea behind the S4 Honcho is to make electric motorcycling more accessible. It is sized and rated to match a 125-cc equivalent class in Europe and the UK, while in the U.S., it aligns with the M license threshold. That means a lightweight profile, intuitive performance, and a swappable-battery platform. The design uses a tubular frame with the removable battery pack mounted beneath, and the electric motor driving the rear wheel via a chain.

Designer: LiveWire

Beyond the dimensions and licensing implications, the S4 Honcho stands out for its adaptability. The Street version is equipped with full lighting, indicators, road tires, and a TFT display. The Trail version omits street-legal lighting, features knobbly tires, extends suspension travel, and increases ground clearance for off-road use. Both models reportedly include a combined braking system (CBS) rather than a traditional foot-brake lever.

Performance details remain light, but LiveWire has indicated that the S4 Honcho delivers brisk acceleration from 0 to 30 mph in about 3 seconds, matching the company’s prior figures for its small-format prototype. While exact power, torque, or range figures are not yet confirmed, early reporting suggests it will occupy a different market niche than higher-powered models such as the LiveWire ONE.

The swappable battery architecture is concealed under the seat that lifts to allow double-cell battery removal, enabling quick swap or convenient charging. For riders in cities or exploring light trails, this translates into flexibility and minimal downtime.

From a design and brand angle, the S4 Honcho signals LiveWire’s push into a broader rider base dominated by young riders, urban dwellers, adventure-light commuters and those seeking an electric bike with attitude but manageable scale and licensing. The dual‐variant approach ensures the brand appeals to both paved riders and those willing to stray off-road.

In terms of timing and availability, official production is slated for spring 2026, with the public debut likely at the 2025 EICMA show. Pricing has not yet been confirmed. The electric bike’s compact, dual-variant credentials reimagine what an accessible e-motorcycle can be.  combining city-friendly sizing, off-road capability, swappable battery convenience, and the electric-first architecture of LiveWire’s heritage. For riders seeking flexibility, fun, and ease of entry into electric two-wheels, this model is worth keeping an eye on.

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Lexus LS Van Concept is a future-ready motorhome for digital nomads

Lexus is retiring the LS sedan after 2026, marking more than three decades of trust and user convenience. The Japanese luxury brand has not, however, given up on the LS moniker as it debuts a trio of concepts at the Tokyo auto show that includes a six-wheeled van, a self-driving three-wheeled robotaxi concept for cities, a larger-than-life catamaran, and a more conventional coupe.

None of these concepts is slated for a production run anytime soon, and the idea here looks to preserve the legacy of the LS division, which has served the brand well all these years. Toyota’s luxury brand debuted these interesting creations at the mega auto show with positive response from automotive pundits and motorheads alike.

Designer: Lexus

LS Van Concept

Lexus sells vans in the Asian and European markets, but not yet in the American market. The LS Van Concept takes that idea to the next level with a design that reassures its usefulness for digital nomads. The LS here signifies the Large Space aesthetic of the van, complemented by the luxury amenities that’ll never leave anyone longing for more. The vehicle has six wheels courtesy of an extra axle, giving the van more room for increasing the interior space. That means the vehicle can easily accommodate four to six people on extended adventure trips. In the relaxed mode, the two front seats can be rotated to face the rear for a more socializing layout when parked.

Rather than being a four-door saloon, the van is stretched out to revive the charm of spacious vans. The sliding door opens to reveal the interior space that is unlike any Lexus before this one. The airy cabin has large windows and a couple of skylights that are adjacent to each other for a panoramic view outside and to enjoy the night sky in its full glory. The seating configuration inside can be done in multiple configurations, including the large captain-styled seats or the reclining bench layout that can double as a nighttime sleeper for an adult. Up front, the luxury van has a curved digital display behind the yoke steering, which shows all the vitals HUD elements.

LS Micro Concept

The LS Micro Concept is a single-seater, three-wheeled commuter tailored for tight spaces. To make the city travel a less stressful experience, the vehicle is self-driving and seems less likely to enter the production lines anytime in the future. The inside cabin can be opened up when there is more space freedom, but in the normal configuration, the vehicle seems quite claustrophobic.

It’s more like a moving pod that’s loaded with a business-class-seat layout, much like the other Lexus cars. Unlike the LS Van, this one has a very closed configuration, with blacked-out translucent windows that signify the privacy aesthetic of the car. The trike is more suited to individuals who like to move solo and prefer a private setup to not get disturbed by the bustle of the city.

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$500 Laptop Clones Microsoft’s $2,000 Surface Laptop Studio

Convertible laptops with creative, flexible hinges are usually reserved for the premium end of the market, where prices climb well beyond what most people can comfortably afford. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is a dream machine for designers and students. Still, its price tag puts it completely out of reach for anyone working with a tight budget or limited funds for technology investments that exceed a thousand dollars.

The NWNLAP H140S brings that unique pull-forward, 4-in-1 design to a much lower price point, around $500, depending on promotions and configurations you choose. It’s a laptop that looks the part and offers surprising versatility for everyday tasks, but also comes with a few trade-offs you’ll want to consider carefully before making a purchase. The design inspiration is clear, but so are the practical compromises.

Designer: NWNLAP

The H140S stands out with its 14-inch touchscreen and a 360-degree hinge that lets you use it as a traditional laptop, tablet, tent, or presentation stand during meetings and classes. The 16:10 aspect ratio at 1920×1200 resolution and slim aluminum profile give it a modern, premium vibe that’s genuinely hard to find in this price range for convertible designs.

The minimalist lines and overall aesthetic echo the Surface Studio’s distinctive appearance, making it a statement piece for classrooms, coffee shops, or home offices where visual presentation matters to you. For students or remote workers who want their tech to look professional without spending professional-level money on flagship devices, the visual appeal alone makes it worth considering despite its performance limitations.

Under the hood, the H140S runs on an Intel 12th Gen N95 processor with up to 32GB DDR4 RAM and SSD storage options reaching up to 2TB for extensive file storage needs. It’s more than enough for web browsing, note-taking, video calls, and office work throughout the day, but don’t expect smooth gaming, video editing, or heavy creative workloads that demand dedicated graphics processing power.

The 1920×1200 IPS LCD touchscreen is bright and responsive enough for reading, sketching with a stylus, or streaming video content during breaks, but it can’t match the color accuracy, contrast, or peak brightness of true premium panels found in laptops costing three times as much or more. The difference becomes noticeable when working with photos or design files that require precise color representation.

With two USB 3.0 ports, USB-C, mini HDMI, microSD card slot, and a 7-color RGB backlit keyboard, the H140S covers the basics for students and remote workers without requiring dongles for everything you need. Dual-band Wi-Fi and a 4500mAh battery promise several hours of use, though battery life will depend heavily on your workload and brightness settings throughout the day.

The H140S is fundamentally about trade-offs and knowing what you’re getting for your money before committing. You get a flexible, Surface Studio-inspired design and impressive specs for around $500, but you’ll notice compromises in display quality, trackpad precision, build refinement, and overall performance under demanding tasks. For those who want the look and versatility of a premium convertible without the premium price, it’s a smart option.

The post $500 Laptop Clones Microsoft’s $2,000 Surface Laptop Studio first appeared on Yanko Design.