LYFT
- Lyft hires Google veteran to build out business platform LINK
- SeatGeek and Lyftwant to take the hassle out of going to concerts. Lyft drivers will drop you off and pick you up close to your seat through app integration.LINK
- Lyft will offer discounted rides to voters during midterm elections. Voters in underserved communities will get free rides. LINK
Aussie founder of $4.3 billion self-driving car startup Zoox “fired.” Sources say his strong convictions and uncompromising vision for Zoox were among the factors that contributed to his removal. Ironically, his strong convictions and uncompromising vision made Zoox a $4.3 billion self-driving car startup. Ah yes, life as a visionary entrepreneur. LINK
- FLASHBACK: First Look Inside Zoox’s Mysterious Robo-Taxi LINK
Volkswagen
- VW confirms 2019 launch of an all-electric car-share service in Berlin. LINK
- VW was reportedly an investor lined up to help Elon Musk take Tesla private. LINK
Tesla wins the case against the Ontario government over electric vehicle rebates. LINK
- FLASHBACK: Tesla buyers are asked to pay back €4,000 electric vehicle rebates in Germany, Tesla says it will cover cost and fight decision LINK
APPLE CAR PATENTS
- A ‘countdown’ clock. Apple’s patent hints at a self-driving car that will tell you every move it’s going to make. LINK
- A car seat that can ‘hug’ drivers to try and keep them safe if it detects an accident. LINK
- A sunroof for oddly shaped roofs that would slide down the rear of a vehicle. LINK
TRANSPORTATION AS POLITICAL ENTITLEMENT
New York Democratic Socialists of America Congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spends $4,000 on Uber. LINK
- FLASHBACK: New York Socialist Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticizes the “unregulated expansion of Uber” for financially ruining cab drivers and not providing “living wages” for their employees. LINK
- FLASHBACK: Reality television personality and former political aide to President Trump, Omarose Onee Manigault Newman was fired from White House for using executive car service like a personal Uber. LINK
VIDEO: The NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission has approved a new smartphone app for yellow and green taxis that will allow passengers to get fare pricing upfront… and you know how much I love reading app reviews … seems taxi drivers want no part of this … especially because the driver app immediately asks for their social security number. LINK
New York-based CARMERA, the provider of live mapping and navigation data for use in autonomous vehicles, has raised $20M in Series B funding led by Google. LINK
VIDEO: Here we go Canada!! Saskatoon City Council is moving forward with a bylaw that would allow cab drivers to issue a $100 cleaning fee for passengers who make a mess. LINK
- FLASHBACK: Uber drivers are pocketing $80by using stock vomit photos and fraudulently charging customers a cleaning fee. LINK
Americans are keeping their cars longer and longer. New research shows that cars are, on average, older than they were just nine years ago. LINK
VIDEO: A self-made Texas millionaire riding an electrically motorized horse is the new hero of this quiet N.J. town. Electric scooters sharing ✅ electric bikes sharing ✅ electric horse sharing LINK
