Advanced Air Mobility
JoeBen Bevirt, founder of Joby Aviation, discusses the development of its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which is in the process of being certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. Bevirt explains that a key challenge in their aircraft design was developing propellers that spin relatively slowly to reduce their noise. In addition, Bevirt describes the importance of in-house production and vertical integration, given the lack of a supply chain for eVTOL aircraft. See the full story on Joby Aviation here.
Driverless Vehicles
Waymo and Waze announce a partnership to pilot pothole data sharing with cities, states, and Waze users. Initially, the pothole data will only be available in Austin, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Los Angeles and San Francisco, California; and Phoenix, Arizona. Waymo explains that it has already identified about 500 potholes through the sensors on its vehicles, and they plan to expand the data sharing to other cities to fill data gaps and support safer streets. See the full story on Waymo and Waze here.
Driverless Vehicles
Zoox partners with Uber to bring Zoox driverless vehicles onto the Uber platform in Los Angeles, California. Zoox has been mapping Los Angeles with their Toyota Highlander vehicles since April 2025 and plans to replace them with their purpose-built driverless vehicle in mid-2027. Meanwhile, Zoox is preparing to launch more widespread operations in San Francisco and Austin in 2026. See the full story on Zoox here.
Electric Vehicles
PowerStation Charging installs its first four electric vehicle (EV) chargers near Interstate 15 in Baker, California. The EV chargers are powered by over 1,000 solar panels and a 3.4 megawatt-hour battery pack. PowerStation plans to install six additional chargers and build a lounge at this site, as well as expand its network by adding three new locations along California interstates. See the full story on PowerStation here.
TNCs/Ridehailing
Uber and Rivian announce a $1.25 billion agreement to bring the autonomous R2 vehicles to the Uber platform. Initially, Rivian will receive $300 million to provide 10,000 R2 vehicles for deployment in San Francisco, California and Miami, Florida. Uber has the option to purchase up to 40,000 additional R2 vehicles in 2030 and may provide capital funding to support operations in 25 cities across the U.S., Canada, and Europe by 2031. See the full story on Uber and Rivian here.
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