What You Need to Know Today

When it comes to AVs, riding is believing. Consumer confidence in robotaxis is significantly higher for people who have used a self-driving cab (76%) than those who have not (20%), according to a new J.D. Power survey.

Waymo has struck a deal with Hyundai to integrate the IONIQ 5 EV into its robotaxi fleet by late next year. The addition of the IONIQ 5, which will be built in Ellabell, GA, will help Waymo scale up its fleet at a moment of rapid growth. The company currently relies on the Jaguar I-Pace, which is slated to end production in early 2025—and its backup plan, a long-gestating collaboration with Chinese automaker Zeekr, could run into tariff troubles.

Relatedly Waymo is nearing its commercial launch in Austin by early 2025, opening its robotaxi service to select members of the public this week as it prepares to partner with Uber next year.

Meanwhile Uber has bagged yet another AV partnership. This time the ride-hail giant is teaming up with Avride, the name given to Yandex’s self-driving project after divesting from its Russian parent company. Beginning this week, Uber customers in Austin will have the option to get their UberEats deliveries from Avride’s sidewalk robots. In the months ahead, the pair say they will expand the delivery pilot to new locations (including Dallas and Jersey City) and begin offering robotaxis together too.

Uber is also launching an OpenAI-powered voice assistant to answer drivers’ EV-related questions.

GM is “looking aggressively” to develop an L3 autonomous system. Building on the success of Super Cruise—the first advanced driver-assist system from an automaker—the company now turns its attention toward hands-free, eyes-free tech.

May Mobility is planning to launch its autonomous minivan-shuttle service in Peachtree Corners, GA.

Teleo, a company that develops autonomous technology for heavy construction equipment, announced plans to expand into several new verticals, including agriculture, port logistics, and airports.

Numa closed a $32M Series B round, led by Touring Capital and Mitsui, to accelerate AI and automation adoption in car dealerships.

According to new analysis from McKinsey, by 2035 the total cost of ownership for an autonomous heavy-duty truck will be 42% lower than a traditional heavy-duty truck on long distance routes.

All eyes will be on Tesla this Thursday when the company reveals its much-anticipated robotaxi at a flashy, potentially historic event in Burbank, CA, following two months of delays.

Until then, some Uber and Lyft drivers are turning their Teslas into “makeshift robotaxis,” relying (and in some cases, over-relying) on driver-assist features to compensate for working long hours.

Toyota announced it is going to inject $500M of fresh capital into Joby Aviation, bringing the automaker’s total commitment to the EVTOL startup to nearly $900M.

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