DETROIT — The reliability of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids has dramatically improved, narrowing a wide gap with gas-powered automobiles, according to the latest survey by Consumer Reports.

Cars on U.S. roads are as old as they’ve ever been, potentially complicating efforts to expand the use of new safety and emissions-reduction technologies.

AutoNation Inc., the biggest car dealership chain in the U.S., said consumers’ desire to travel again and do so in their own personal space is driving the industry’s rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.

For the auto industry, which saw U.S. sales plunge almost 40% in March, the coronavirus crisis has left cars gathering dust on dealer lots, dealerships shuttered, auction prices slipping and tens of thousands of workers laid off or furloughed.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg would push for all new cars to be electric by 2035 and new buildings to produce zero carbon emissions by 2025 as part of clean energy plans he released this week.

DETROIT — When it comes to buying a new car, the latest and greatest may not be the most dependable.

Sales at Canadian manufacturers declined for a second straight month, partly on shutdowns at auto and steel plants. Factory sales fell 1.3% in July, Statistics Canada reported Sept. 17 from Ottawa. That far exceeded the median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists, which called for a 0.1% decline. In volume terms, sales dropped 1.6%.

Major automakers said Oct. 2 that U.S. sales fell 7% in September and 4% for the June-through-September quarter, compared with the same periods last year.