New Year's Warning: Don't Drink and Drive

  On The Road: Test Drives

  Automakers With The Most Recalls For 2025

In a year that will go down as one of the most active ever for auto safety actions, 2025 produced an extraordinary number of vehicle recall campaigns across the U.S. automotive industry. These are the 10 automakers with the most recalls for 2025:

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  Weekly Recalls 

• Ford (2) **CRASH RISK** →
• Hyundai **FIRE RISK WARNING/PARK OUTSIDE** →
• Toyota **FIRE RISK**→
  
• Takata Airbag Recall →

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  Kim Komando: Weekly Tech Tips & Information

🏀 Take a shot at Kim’s Quiz:

On Dec. 26, 1982, TIME magazine broke its own 55-year tradition. Instead of naming a “Man of the Year” or “Woman of the Year,” they chose an inanimate object for the first time in history. It was a big deal. 

🔌 Was it a: A) Microwave oven, B) Personal computer, C) Sony Walkman or D) VCR? You’ll find the answer under my closing message.

Here is some interesting info I picked up for you this week:

The great drone divorce: If you fly a drone for fun or for a living, pay attention. The U.S. has officially pulled the plug on new sales of Chinese drones and drone parts. Washington says drones from Chinese companies like DJI aren’t toys, they’re data-collection machines. Every flight log, video stream and location coordinate could be accessible by a foreign government. Here’s the catch. If you already own one, you’re safe to fly. But the supply chain for new drones and replacement parts is being cut off. Chinese drones are cheap and high-tech. American alternatives? They’re getting better, but they often cost triple and do half as much. The goal is to force U.S. drone manufacturing, but until that catches up, your next drone might be a lot more expensive and harder to find. 

Experiencing zero gravity: If you needed a don’t quit story that isn’t corny, here you go. Michaela Benthaus, an ESA engineer, flew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard, becoming the first person who uses a wheelchair to do a suborbital space trip. It lasted ~11 minutes, which she called the most remarkable experience of her life. She said it proved you don’t give up on a dream only because life gets unfair.

Data hostage: You know how your car makes you log in to do basic stuff, like it’s a laptop with wheels? Modern cars have an always-on cellular modem pulling data from sensors (location, speed, charging, diagnostics) and sending it back to the automaker through their app (FordPass, OnStar, etc.). Blockchain project DIMO (“Digital Infrastructure for Moving Objects”) is trying to pry the process open with an email-for-car-data standard where you can opt in, connect apps but cut them off anytime. Incredible if it happens.

3-second tech genius: Still have family staying over? Avoid handing out your main Wi-Fi password. It can give their potentially virus-filled devices access to your phones and computers. Instead, open your router’s app and turn on Guest Network. They get internet access, while their devices and any malware stay isolated from your main network.

Trade in your old tech: Got an extra tablet lying around after Christmas? Don’t let it gather dust. Amazon will take it off your hands. Tell them what you’re trading in and its condition, and they’ll offer a gift card based on its value. FYI, if you trade in Amazon gear like a Kindle, you’ll also get 20% off a new device.

The box blotter security tip: Before you put those big tech boxes out on the curb for recycling, stop and look at the shipping labels and the product

  Closing Message: Looking Down The Road To 2026 

Now we’re standing at the edge of a new year with a clearer view than we’ve had in a while. Not a perfect one — just a clearer one. And sometimes that’s enough.

In 2026, we’re likely to see a more balanced auto market than we’ve had in years. Inventories are healthier. Choices are improving. Automakers seem to be listening a little more closely to what buyers actually want instead of what they think they should want. That doesn’t mean the debates go away — EVs, hybrids, gas engines, pricing, interest rates — but it does mean the conversation is getting more realistic. That’s good for consumers, and frankly, it’s good for the industry.

For the Car Pro Show, 2026 means staying focused on what we’ve always promised: straight talk and honest answers. No hype. No agenda. Just helping you make smart decisions in a complicated market. We’ll keep calling balls and strikes, praising the good and calling out the bad — whether that comes from manufacturers, dealerships, lenders, or sometimes even ourselves.

I’m proud of what this show has become, but I’m even more grateful for why it exists. It exists because of you — the listeners who trust us enough to ask questions, share stories, and sometimes challenge what we say. That trust is never taken lightly. It’s earned every week, one conversation at a time.

As for me, 2026 marks another year doing something I never take for granted. I still get to talk about cars for a living, help people avoid mistakes, and occasionally save someone a lot of money or a lot of stress — sometimes both. After all these years, that still matters to me. Maybe more than ever.

I’ve learned that longevity isn’t about staying the same. It’s about adapting without losing your core. Cars will continue to change. The way we buy them will continue to evolve. But people don’t change nearly as much as the industry thinks they do. They still want fairness. They still want clarity. And they still want someone in their corner when the process feels overwhelming.

As we head into 2026, my hope for you is simple. I hope you find good health, steady ground, and a little joy along the way. I hope your car starts every morning and gets you where you need to go safely. I hope your big decisions are met with good advice and your small worries fade faster than expected.

Most of all, I hope you remember that the road ahead doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. You just have to keep moving forward with a clear head and good people around you.

From all of us at the Car Pro Show, thank you for letting us be part of your journey — whether you’ve been listening for years or you’re just finding us now. Here’s to a new year, a new road, and the promise of what’s ahead.

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2026.

Straight talk-always,

Kim Komando Answer:

✅ B) Personal computer. This is when technology officially moved into our homes and started changing everyday life. It was the first time the title went to something without a heartbeat, and it paved the way for every gadget we use today. If you’re setting up a new PC or Mac, do yourself a favor and run updates immediately. Brand-new computers are often months behind on security fixes.