Data centres in seven major U.S. states may withdraw more freshwater each year than the total urban water supply used across California’s cities when cooling and power generation are included, an analysis showed. Non-profit think tank Ceres estimated annual withdrawals of about 10.4 million acre-feet. The report cautioned the figure measures withdrawals, not water ultimately consumed. Ceres also projected power generation could account for 72 percent of data centre water consumption by 2030.

Tesla’s driverless robotaxi, the Cybercab, has become the subject of a U.S. federal safety standards review shortly after it began carrying regular passengers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an audit query to examine Tesla’s basis and procedures for claiming the Cybercab meets current federal vehicle safety standards without a regulatory exemption. The review covers self-certification for up to 1,000 vehicles and related technical materials, and could lead to changes or enforcement actions.