Thu March 19, 2026 | Mobility Monitor

Airline Industry

Delta sees surging demand from premium travelers helping offset higher fuel prices, while travelers reroute from UAE during Middle East crisis Skift
India's government directs airlines to implement pet policies and cheaper seat reservations, potentially making flying more affordable Skift
Gulf carriers Emirates and Qatar ease loyalty program requirements as Iran war disrupts travel patterns in the region Skift
Middle East destination brands face uncertain recovery timeline with questions about demand sources, yield, and brand equity through 2028 Skift

Hyatt pushes into midscale brands and smaller U.S. markets to expand beyond its traditional luxury footprint Skift
China's H World hotel group sees results from small-city expansion strategy as demand shifts beyond major cities like Beijing and Shanghai Skift
Spanish hospitality company Room00 targets Italy and London expansion, adapting property selection to match each market Skift
U.S. travel breaks 9-month losing streak but recovery remains fragile Skift

Sixt opens operations at LAX's new Consolidated Rent-A-Car Facility, now the world's largest rental car facility Sixt LinkedIn
Hertz expands premium fleet with INEOS Grenadier 4X4 vehicles at select U.S. airport locations this spring Hertz LinkedIn

Uber for Business promotes low-barrier rideshare implementation for auto service departments, suggesting dealers start small with single advisors Uber for Business LinkedIn
Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick says Waymo is "obviously" ahead of Tesla in robotaxi race, calls for Tesla "ChatGPT moment" Electrek
Amazon plans major reduction in USPS partnership as it expands its own delivery network including Rivian electric vans EV Blog

BMW launches new i3 EV with 440 miles of range, 800V ultra-fast charging, and Neue Klasse platform Electrek
Audi Q9 SUV to launch in U.S. first, marking company's first product ever launched in America ahead of rest of world The Drive
Toyota unveils Tundra TRD Hammer with hybrid power and 37-inch tires, targeting V6 F-150 Raptor segment The Drive
Washington state passes bill allowing Rivian and Lucid direct EV sales, ending Tesla's 12-year exclusive access Electrek
Buick launches luxury electric seven-seat van in China priced at $70,000 Electrek
Range Rover electric Velar spotted with sleek fastback design and larger infotainment screen ahead of debut Electrek
Solid-state EV batteries moving from lab to reality with claims of over 800 miles driving range Electrek
Hyundai launches Casper Electric Lounge as top-tier luxury trim of its most affordable EV Electrek
States and federal lawmakers push $200-$250 annual EV fees, charging owners 2-3x what gas drivers pay in federal fuel tax Electrek
Geely Holding Group CEO confirms Canadian market entry with local production plans EV Blog
GM targets end of Q2 to settle $4.2 billion in EV restructuring costs EV Blog
Ontario Premier Doug Ford urges Quebec and BC to drop EV sales mandates, citing threat to auto workers EV Blog
GM-LG joint venture Ultium Cells shifts part of U.S. battery production from EVs to energy storage systems Electrek

NHTSA opens engineering analysis into Tesla's Full Self-Driving software covering 3.2 million vehicles EV Blog
Tesla claims Cybertruck driver disengaged FSD 4 seconds before Houston crash, but dashcam video shows more nuanced story Electrek
Hyundai Motor Group deepens partnership with NVIDIA to accelerate Level 4 robotaxi development through Motional venture MoveMnt
Pardoned Nikola founder Trevor Milton attempts to raise $1B for AI-powered autonomous planes TechCrunch

Williams-Sonoma infuses product authority into AI experiences for customer service, product discovery, and last mile delivery CX Dive
El Pollo Loco adds experiential rewards to loyalty program including MLS All-Star Game access and personalized offers CX Dive
Half of consumers prefer brands that don't use generative AI, with ambivalent users willing to walk away if forced to use it Retail Dive

Velotric launches Tempo lightweight e-bike designed for urban commuting at affordable price point Electrek
Candela raises new funding round to scale electric hydrofoiling ferries amid surging global demand Electrek

Travel industry's celebration of loyalty member counts questioned as most meaningless metric Skift
Aven Hospitality partners with Hovr to integrate dynamic video technology into hotel booking engines Phocuswire
APAC startup funding tightens as travel market matures with structural shifts in innovation Phocuswire
Go With Rosie launches free travel planning tool aimed at simplifying family trip planning Phocuswire