VIDEO: Pizza Hut develops fully-automated mobile kitchen on a zero-emissions truck. The robot cooks pizzas while a human is driving to the customer. LINK
PREDICTION: Amazon will acquire Lyft in the next 18 months thus crushing Uber’s IPO. LINK
- FLASHBACK: Uber introduces an Amazon Prime-style monthly subscription service.LINK
Uber driver lets high school student car surf to make an extra 40 bucks. Sadly, teen dies while making a video for Snap. LINK
Uber tests a driver loyalty program that pays top chauffeurs an extra 3% to 6%. The program also lets drivers get up to 5% cash back on gas when they use an Uber Visa Debit Card. LINK
- STUDY: 60% of drivers are no longer active on Uber six months after starting. LINK
Hyundai invests $250m in Grab. Hyundai historically has shied away from partnerships of this kind, preferring to develop its own technology in-house. The company is pushing for new revenue streams after disappointing financial results in Q2 2018, missing estimates by a substantial margin due to a slowdown in sales in the US and China. LINK
Addison Lee sued for mocking and firing an Italian-American Salesman. CEO told a salesman to get clients “laid” in order to get them to buy Addison’s business platform….allegedly. When he protested the CEO said, “We got a Guinea here with, what is that, a moral compass?”….allegedly. The CEO then fired him and called other car service companies in a bid to get him blackballed after he filed a complaint with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission….allegedly. An Addison spokesman “strenuously” denied the allegations. LINK
- FLASHBACK: Addison Lee bolsters the battle against Uber with an acquisition of US chauffeur Flyte Tyme LINK
China’s first self-driving taxis start trials in Guangzhou. In the test runs conducted by Guangzhou Public Transportation Group and state-backed Guangzhou Automobile Group, three taxis will shuttle between the main entrance of the Guangzhou University and a nearby subway station from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. LINK
GM to cancel it $1,800-a-Month Netflix-style Cadillac-subscription service. LINK
GM to begin selling electric bicycles beginning in 2019 and offers $10,000 grand prize to whoever comes up with the best name. LINK
Electric vehicles in Austria will now be allowed to drive 30 km/h (that’s 18 MPH for my fellow Americanos) faster than gasoline or diesel cars as part of an effort to encourage people to buy EVs. LINK
Yes. Avis Budget Group will offer car cleaning & maintenance as a service AKA ‘Fleet Management as a Service’ to Daimler’s ViaVan. ViaVan CEO, said: “Avis Budget Group’s ability to help us drive down the cost of fleet vehicle procurement and ongoing operational services enables us to focus on our core mission …. providing residents with a convenient, affordable and congestion-reducing mobility alternative.” LINK
- FLASHBACK: Will Avis Budget Group offer car cleaning & maintenance as a service for ride-hailing or autonomous vehicles? LINK
Chuck D calls out ride-sharing. The iconic Public Enemy rapper tweeted a photo of himself on the New York City subway Monday morning — along with the message, “Car Service Uber Cabs totally a dumb way to move through NYC.” LINK
