Mon March 16, 2026 | Mobility Monitor

Autonomous Vehicles

Uber partners with Motional to launch robotaxis in Las Vegas, with riders matched to Motional's robotaxis at no extra cost when requesting UberX, Uber Electric or Uber Comfort. The 2022 10-year framework agreement between the companies is back on track after being paused in 2024. Source
Uber partners with Zoox to add Zoox's robotaxis to Uber's network beginning in Las Vegas this summer - Zoox's first partnership with a third-party demand platform. Source
Uber, Wayve and Nissan collaborate on robotaxis in Japan, aiming to launch a pilot in Tokyo toward the end of 2026 using Nissan Leaf vehicles with Wayve AV technology and Uber's booking platform. Source
Zoox expanding to Dallas and Phoenix as its ninth and tenth testing locations, currently operating robotaxis only in Las Vegas. Source
Nuro testing in Japan using Toyota Prius vehicles, marking the company's first international market. Source
Waymo driving incidents include stopping past train guard gates in Austin, a safety driver cited after ignoring barricades at a San Antonio house fire, and a vehicle stopping in front of highway traffic in Arizona. Source
VW producing the ID.Buzz at larger scale, with 500 units expected from Hanover plant this year. Source

Uber launches Elite - a new luxury ride category with chauffeur drivers in vehicles like Cadillac Escalade, Lucid Air and Lincoln Navigator, now live in Los Angeles and San Francisco with NYC coming soon. Source
Uber expands women preferences across 60 US cities, allowing women riders to match with women drivers for regular rides and Uber Teens. Source
Rapido raising approximately $600M at a $3 billion valuation led by Prosus, with 74 million monthly active users ahead of Uber's 39 million and Ola's 28.1 million in India. Source
InDrive acquires Krave Mart, Pakistani grocery delivery platform, in an all-stock deal after initial investment in December 2024. Source
Vay reaches 50,000 trips with its teledriving service. Source

GM admits it's possible to extend Chevy Bolt production past the currently planned 18 months using the same resurrection process for the 2027 model year. Source
Honda Prologue EV will continue in its lineup after Honda canceled plans to launch three new EVs in the US this year. Source
Honda killing its EVs - canceling three EV models planned for the U.S. market, potentially eliminating its chance to compete in the future EV market. Source
Volkswagen's first custom-tailored EV rolls out in China as VW overtakes BYD and Toyota with over 100,000 vehicles sold last month, planning to launch a new EV every two weeks. Source
Pennsylvania funding 12 new EV charging stations with $9 million in federal funds along major roadways. Source
800V EV architecture explained - Ars Technica publishes a detailed breakdown of what doubling the voltage really changes in electric vehicles. Source
Workhorse electric van fleet hits 20 million mile mark, demonstrating real-world commercial EV viability. Source
Lucid executive confident the Cosmos SUV will avoid Gravity's software mistakes after overhauling software development and release processes. Source
Nio shares jump 34% over eight trading sessions following Q4 results and Wall Street upgrades. Source

Uber and Apollo launch AV insurance facility to support Uber's autonomous vehicle expansion, covering technology developers, fleet operators and manufacturers. Source
BMW deploying humanoid robots at its Leipzig iFACTORY after successful pilot at Spartanburg plant. Source
Travis Kalanick launches Atoms - a new robotics company focused on food, mining and transportation using Physical AI with specialized robots, rolling CloudKitchens into the new venture. Source
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe shares thoughts on robots and Mind Robotics, arguing the industry is approaching robotics incorrectly. Source
Google Maps adds Gemini-powered conversational interface with "Ask Maps" feature and revamped Immersive Navigation. Source

Travel industry crisis response shows AI disappeared from the narrative during Middle East chaos, with companies relying on humans instead of the AI technology pitched as the fix after Covid. Source
Travel industry faces stress test as Iran war exposes infrastructure gaps, showing the industry wasn't ready for major disruption despite post-Covid improvements. Source
OTA rebooking challenges during Iran war crisis show customers sometimes don't get deserved assistance despite flexible policies. Source
F1 cancels Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races due to regional conflict, resuming in Miami on May 1. Source

Ulta sees AI as personalization tool fueled by its loyalty program, with CEO stating AI will deliver relevance seamlessly across the customer journey. Source
E-commerce retailers planning hefty investments in agentic commerce, with top applications including AI-powered product discovery, chatbots and personalized recommendations. Source
Dick's pulls back on Foot Locker closures amid store pilot success, planning to expand new format to 250 locations by fall. Source