Elon Musk was sued for 0.00037313432835821% of his net worth by Thai-cave rescue volunteer he called a ‘child rapist’. Attorney said in a statement that Musk’s wealth “cannot convert his lies into truth or protect him from accountability for his wrongdoing in a court of law.” LINK
Uber is in talks to buy Dubai ride-hailing rival Careem LINK
- FLASHBACK: Spain’s Cabify‘categorically denies’ that it is in negotiations for a full or partial sale to Lyft LINK
IKEA is trying to future-proof itself as it launches a self-driving car project. As cars go autonomous, their interiors can resemble living spaces. Ikea wants to capitalize on that. LINK
- FLASHBACK: The Volvo 360c concept is an office-bed-living room mashup to disrupt domestic air travel. Volvo, as the Geely-owned Swedish company races, to meet an ambitious target for driverless vehicle sales with its Uber supply deal on hold. LINK
Baskin-Robbins debuts self-driving ice cream truck in Moscow. LINK
In a surprise move, Audi has partnered with Amazon to launch the E-Tron SUV both technically (Alexa integration) as well as for the installation of home charging stations. LINK
- FLASHBACK: Alibaba plans to launch “car vending machine.” Users can browse car models on an app before picking them up for a test drive. LINK
Chinese automaker Geely agrees to buy a Danish investment bank Saxo Bank. The acquisition was driven by Geely’s recognition of a shift away from car ownership toward car sharing. Geely sees cashless payments, authentication, and other fintech advances as crucial to the auto industry’s evolution. LINK
Florida town is first in the world to test self-driving “school buses”. The shuttles will carry 12 children at a “no running in the halls” 8 mph. Buses will have safety assistant on board. LINK
Porsche picks Turo for official peer-to-peer car sharing partner pilot. Volkswagen-owned Porsche is trying to reach millennials and even Generation Z drivers whose habits have been shaped by the transient economy built by Lyft, Uber, and Airbnb. LINK
Saudi Arabia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund to invest $1 billion in Tesla’s most credible rival Lucid Motors. LINK
- FLASHBACK: Elon Musk confirms his bid to take Tesla private, backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund LINK
Indian ride-hailing company Ola announced its exclusive partnership with India’s Chennai International Airport. Travelers to book cabs with the help of Ola representatives at kiosks located outside of arrival terminals, enabling a convenient booking experience without the use of a smartphone or the Ola app. LINK
A 45-year-old American woman pedals a bike 184 mph, smashing record held by men for more than 100 years. LINK
