Week ending: 2026-02-27
Electric Vehicles
- Toyota's bZ series shows major improvement for 2026 - The updated model represents a significant step forward for Toyota's EV lineup Ars Technica
- China announces breakthrough battery technology promising 1,000+ km range - New solid-state battery development could double EV range capabilities Electrek
- Tesla China delivery times collapse to 1-3 weeks - Extended financing offers signal potential demand challenges in the market Electrek
- BYD to unveil 1,500kW charger adding 2km of range per second - Ultra-fast charging technology could dramatically reduce EV charging times Electrek
- Stellantis takes $26 billion loss due to EV strategy shift - Massive write-down reflects challenges in the automaker's electric transition The Drive
- Ford admits current EVs aren't truly software-defined - Automaker acknowledges technical limitations affecting customer experience The Drive
- Lucid cuts 12% of US workforce - Third round of layoffs as company pursues profitability ahead of $50,000 midsize EV launch Electrek
- Lamborghini cancels electric Lanzador supercar - Company abandons EV plans in favor of plug-in hybrids, citing buyer preferences Ars Technica
- Solid-state batteries rolling out in China with nearly 1,000 miles of range - Commercial deployment begins with breakthrough charging capabilities Electrek
- Volvo recalls over 40,000 EX30 EVs for battery fire risk - Major safety issue affects nearly a quarter of all EX30s ever sold EV Blog
- Nissan discontinues under-$30,000 LEAF for 2026 - Entry-level EV option eliminated from US market Electrek
- Used Tesla prices rise 4.3% while rest of EV market drops - Pricing divergence follows end of tax credit Electrek
Product Launches
- 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid priced at $48,035 - New hybrid variant of popular three-row SUV enters market The Drive
- Tesla launches 7-seat Model Y in Europe for €2,500 premium - New configuration available with April deliveries, though Model Y Long variant is what buyers prefer Electrek
- 2026 Subaru Uncharted debuts as affordable FWD EV - Badge-engineered model might find niche despite lack of AWD Ars Technica
- Rivian launches RAD performance division - New division focuses on extreme off-road capabilities rather than traditional performance The Drive
- XPeng launching Gen-3 X9 MPV in China on March 2 - Updated luxury electric minivan enters competitive market EV Blog
Autonomous Vehicles
- Waymo expands to 10 US cities with Chicago and Charlotte testing - Robotaxi service adds four new markets, accelerating deployment vs. Tesla's zero Electrek
- Archer Aviation to use Starlink internet in eVTOL air taxis - Partnership could enable autonomous rides in the future Electrek
- Research shows self-driving AI can be hijacked with ink and paper - Security vulnerability raises concerns about autonomous vehicle safety The Drive
- Uber unveils Autonomous Solutions business - Company invests over $100M in robotaxi infrastructure and support services Phocuswire
- Wayve raises $1.2B from Nvidia, Uber, and three automakers - Self-driving tech startup secures major funding for "generalisable" technology TechCrunch
- Einride raises $113M PIPE ahead of public debut - Self-driving truck startup prepares for market listing TechCrunch
- Tesla Cybercab program manager exits ahead of launch - Key departure raises questions about autonomous taxi rollout timeline Electrek
- Tesla must face lawsuit alleging H-1B visa worker replacement - Legal battle continues over alleged replacement of laid-off US workers Electrek
- Harbinger acquires autonomous driving company Phantom AI - Electric truck startup adds self-driving capabilities TechCrunch
Airline Industry
- IAG sees US rebound as even economy travel stabilizes - British Airways parent reports improving transatlantic demand Skift
- JetBlue's transatlantic growth may have hit a ceiling - Carrier faces challenges expanding European network Skift
- Blizzard forces airlines to cancel 10,000+ flights - Northeast storm causes major travel disruptions Skift
- Accor and Air France-KLM face higher debt costs after missing climate targets - Sustainability-linked financing penalties kick in Skift
- United Airlines changes loyalty program with "carrot, stick" approach - New policies aim to drive credit card usage and engagement CX Dive
Rental Car Industry
- Bandago launches AI agent via Model Context Protocol - Van rental company deploys advanced AI customer service technology Auto Rental News
- SIXT unveils Starting Five Los Angeles Lakers wrapped vehicles - Partnership brings branded fleet to Los Angeles market Auto Rental News
- Hertz reports Q4 and full year results - Company shows "meaningful progress" while staying disciplined Hertz LinkedIn
Customer Experience & AI
- Staffing identified as top barrier to exceptional customer service - Employees cite inadequate staffing as primary obstacle to quality service delivery CX Dive
- Walmart says speed and convenience boost trust in AI agent - Retailer reports customer confidence growing in automated assistance CX Dive
- Lowe's CEO credits AI for "dramatic improvements in customer service" - Home improvement retailer sees measurable gains from AI deployment CX Dive
- Booking slashes customer service costs with AI - CFO reports significant savings from automated support systems CX Dive
- Uber engineers built an AI version of their boss - Digital replica of CEO Dara Khosrowshahi created for internal use TechCrunch
- Skyscanner launches flights app in ChatGPT - Flight search integration brings travel booking to AI platform Phocuswire
- Wyndham working across AI platforms to drive direct bookings - Hotel chain pursues multi-platform AI strategy Phocuswire
- Walmart app connects suppliers with store-level data - New Scintilla platform provides real-time inventory and sales information Retail Dive
Travel & Hospitality Technology
- Hotels need new focus after chasing scale with too many brands - Industry consolidation leads to brand portfolio bloat Skift
- Bilt taps luxury hotels to build marketplace for top spenders - Loyalty program expands premium offerings Skift
- Trip.com Group points to massive inbound tourism opportunity in China - Platform sees growth potential as country opens up Skift
- Airbnb tests airport pickups - are flights next? - Platform experiments with transportation services beyond lodging Skift
- Amadeus acquires AI-driven corporate travel startup SkyLink - GDS giant adds corporate booking technology Phocuswire
- S4BT acquires HotelHub for integrated corporate hotel offering - TMC platform expands hotel booking capabilities Phocuswire
- Navan secures $465M investment amid IPO investigations - Corporate travel platform raises funding despite legal scrutiny Phocuswire
- OTAs' marketing spend exceeded $20B in 2025 - Online travel agencies maintain massive advertising budgets Phocuswire
Retail & E-commerce
- eBay cuts 6% of staff, axes 800 roles - Layoffs continue across tech sector Retail Dive
- Walmart agrees to $100M FTC settlement - Retailer settles delivery driver classification dispute Retail Dive
- US e-commerce sales forecast to reach $1.8 trillion by 2030 - Online retail continues rapid growth trajectory Retail Dive
- Saks Global says nearly 400 vendors have resumed shipments - Retailer stabilizes supply chain after bankruptcy concerns Retail Dive