The Week in Numbers: EV pledge, Tesla bot

An American pledge to go electric, and Tesla's humanoid robot, this is the week numbers.

50% of cars on American roads to be electric by the end of the decade. That's the goal of an executive order from President Joe Biden. Top U.S. automakers liked the move, putting out a joint statement of a “shared aspiration” to hit Biden’s target. But internal production forecasts viewed by Reuters paint a different picture: one ruled by large gas-guzzling trucks for years to come. It poses a challenge both to the industry and efforts by lawmakers to cut emissions.

40 million people had personal data stolen during a big data breach at T-Mobile U.S. The mobile carrier said its probe revealed hackers stole data including social security numbers, birth dates, and driver’s license information, but said no financial details were compromised. T-Mobile disclosed the hack on Sunday after media outlet Vice reported that a seller offered private data for sale on an underground forum.

$1.6 billion is how much debt FC Barcelona is in. Its woes were laid bare this week by the club's president Joan Laporta. And despite the eye watering debt, of which 792 million dollars is owed to banks, he says the club will get back on its feet:

"Time? ....Well, we are all tightening our belt, we are all ready to work. We have now caught a breather for a year and a half, but I reckon that in a couple of years the club will be healthy."

2022 is the year Tesla could launch its first prototype humanoid robot. Known as the Tesla Bot, CEO Elon Musk says it will "eliminate dangerous, repetitive, boring tasks" now performed by humans. He says the human-like AI will carry out the physical work that people like to do the least, with "profound implications for the economy."

40 percent of production at the world's biggest automaker by sales volumes will be slashed in September. Toyota wasn't alone with its grim warnings for the car industry. Volkswagen also offered fresh evidence that the sector remains firmly in the grip of a semiconductor chip shortage.