American ride-hailing and mobility company
Several companies have announced expansion plans and new services for robotaxis. Mobileye has said it will operate a 100-vehicle robotaxi fleet in a US city in 2027 and aims to scale to about 17,000 within five years. Wayve is preparing to launch a small, supervised robotaxi service with Uber in London in the coming months. Autnmy AIs new Road to Autonomy indices rank Waymo top overall while Chinese players Apollo Go, Pony.ai and WeRide show rapid commercial growth.
Rising gas prices, driven by the Iran war, have increased costs for US, Canadian, and Australian drivers. Companies are offering incentives, but drivers face reduced earnings and higher expenses. The US IRS is urged to raise mileage deductions to offset costs.
Over 100 driverless Baidu robotaxis stopped due to system malfunctions in Wuhan, China, causing passengers to be stranded in traffic. No injuries reported. The incident marks the first mass shutdown of autonomous taxis in China, raising safety concerns for the technology's deployment.
Funds are flowing into India's AI and data infrastructure, with CPP Investments buying a stake in CtrlS and backing a joint venture to expand hyperscale data centers. Sarvam raises to push sovereign AI platforms; Coram and Neura Robotics show ongoing growth in physical AI and robotics. The wave signals India’s push to become a global AI infrastructure hub.
Waymo has launched Waymo Premier, a $29.99-per-month membership offering priority pickups, up to five free cancellations monthly, and 10% Waymo Cash back for trips. The program is initially invite-only in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix, with plans to broaden to additional cities as it presses expansion and pursues higher-value riders.