Trump approves tiny ‘cars of the very near future’

The Hill ^ | 12/05/25 | Brett Samuels

[VAFreedom]

President Trump said Friday he had granted approval for “tiny cars” to be built in the United States, a move that would expand the availability of similar smaller vehicles that are popular in Asia.

“I have just approved TINY CARS to be built in America. Manufacturers have long wanted to do this, just like they are so successfully built in other countries,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “They can be propelled by gasoline, electric, or hybrid.

“These cars of the very near future are inexpensive, safe, fuel efficient and, quite simply, AMAZING!!! START BUILDING THEM NOW!”

[devane617]

“At a used car lot on the edge of town
A liberal guy and a liberal gal
Buy a Yugo

And they drive with pride”

So funny still...I miss Rush.

[The Duke]

I’d rather have a new “tiny car” as a backup vehicle for driving locally than, as I do now, having an older, high maintenance vehicle (but I do love my 2003 Expedition, even if it does need a new motor).

[Forward the Light Brigade]

I have always thought America needed a small three wheeled car that could get great mileage, be fun to drive and useful for daily drives. Like a Three wheeled Morgan supersport made in UK. A small electric might also be good for day by day driving—or for college kids—Can’t go far on a charge and slow enough to not get in trouble.

[Libloather]

https://youtu.be/pz2eCFoafXk?is=VIArIqxgbNmRKSyD

[mewzilla]

We were in a rollover a few years back.

Driving on a road with a 30 MPH speed limit and traffic control signs.

The driver who hit us ignored at least one of those, likely both.

Our car was totaled. I suffered a serious injury.

We own a small car, though we weren’t in it that day, thank God.

We will never buy another small car.

[Reddy]

What kind of traction do they get on snow and ice?

[Jane Long]

YUCK ... I hated the Tilt-a-Hurl ride!!

Barf inducing, for sure.

My fave amusement park/fair ride was The Scrambler.

I thought the bumper cars were fun if our group had all/most of the cars.

[Jane Long]

Dad had one of those ... a boat, for sure.

We saw an old Lincoln land yacht, the other day. Still hanging in there ... I wonder how many miles it had on it.

[sphinx]

There is a natural market for urban putt-putt cars: cheap, easy to park, suitable for short, low speed driving while running around the neighborhoods running errands.

One would want a bigger car as the family expands, for hauling lots of stuff, or for long road trips.

A lot of commuters would find them attractive if they’re not trapped on six lane, high speed commuter sewers. Even on the big arterial roads, there are far too many huge SUVs and battlehip sized pickups with a single occupant heading to his cubicle rat job in the city.

A lot of urban two car families would probably switch to one larger car for whatever and a tiny car for the local errands — which account for the majority of non-rush hour cars on the road.

[alloysteel]

Wouldn’t these be, like, quadcycle ATVs? Or maybe golf carts?

[ansel12]

We don’t need tiny cars, we just need simple cars like the Nash Rambler American, and Pinto, the VW Bug, the Ford Falcon, the Valiant, the Toyota Corolla of the 60s.

Cars that would be considered unsafe today without the $1000s, and $1000s, and $1000s of dollars and decades of accumulated add-ons of bells and whistles, and expensive safety features, but cheap and good.

[ridesthemiles]

MY 1979 BUICK WITH 403 OLDS ENGINE ===ORIGINAL ENGINE.

[stevio]

Life is a risk. I don’t need my full-sized pickup anymore and would love to have, something slightly bigger than, a mini-truck that Japan ships over here. Even Tacomas are bigger than they used to be.

[Dr. Sivana]

If we had tiny self-driving cars made of non-ferrous material and designed to be easily repaired at home, you might go through life owning only a single vehicle.

Only if you never got married, had small children to ferry about to baseball, camping, family trips, picking up their friends. Only if you never picked up "free" furniture on Craigslist. That's for the tiny part. Some of us don't fit comfortably in tiny cars.

The self-driving part doesn't work for those of us who cannot define the destination, or don't even know what it will be until we can see it.

Maybe as a second car, but for now, my 2004 Chevy Venture minivan does plenty of things a tiny self driving car cannot do.

[pops88]

My late husband referred to them as “rolling suitcases.” We considered them outrageously unsafe for highway use.

[Mr Rogers]

My first car was a 1975 Honda Civic. 53 horsepower. 1800 pounds. I loved it! Passing was tough. I had to plan in advance. Uphill meant using my manual transmission and sometimes going slower. But it was a fun little car.

It would also fail to meet modern safety standards, most of which I think are garbage meant to make people feel good but not worth the price.

[ConservativeMind]

That is AI slop.

[Sacajaweau]

Make them cheap to rent on a weekend. Older people might like this little bene.

[Sacajaweau]

Use steel...Period...

[UnwashedPeasant]

The following is inevitable if society does not collapse into an Islamofascist dark age in the very near future:

1. All cars will be required to be self-driving and part of a central navigation network.
2. This will virtually eliminate accidents.
3. Cars can drive fast and close together, with centrally optimized navigation.
4. This will mostly eliminate traffic. You will know to leave by 6:37 to be dropped at the stadium gate by 7:03.
5. Most cars will be pay-per-use or subscription. You will not have to own or maintain them.
6. Car insurance will be mostly unnecessary and archaic.
7. There will be minimal need for parking lots. Cars will rarely park and will continue circulating or can park in the excess lanes during low use.
8. Emergency vehicles will have priority navigation and will not use sirens. For a medical emergency, you can be routed to the facility with optimal wait time and resources for your issue. A mobile ambulance pod will meet you at the optimal point on the path to begin treatment.
9. Cars will contain advertising and entertainment specific to your profile.
10. Everywhere you go will be monitored, regulated, and restricted based on your profile.

What did I miss?