According to Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt), a coalition representing almost all major automakers, including Tesla, has formally requested the Trump administration not to impose tariffs on factory robots and industrial machinery essential for U.S. manufacturing. This move highlights the automotive industry's reliance on advanced robotics and AI-powered automation, which are critical for cost-efficient production, innovation, and maintaining global competitiveness. Imposing tariffs could increase operational expenses and slow the adoption of smart manufacturing technologies, affecting the growth of AI-driven industrial automation in the United States (source: Sawyer Merritt on X, Oct 22, 2025).