Do AVs need a learner’s permit?
Save the Date
Join us for CoMotion LA ‘26 this November 18-19: Cities on the Move: Mega-events, AI & Shaping What’s Next — featuring the OMF Summit Track.
This week’s headline comes from a provocative article in which MIT’s Bryan Reimer rejects the “binary” between a hands-off government or one that “writes broad rules that are obsolete before the ink dries.” AI-powered driving systems should prove their abilities and gradually earn greater rights in the public right of way.
Meanwhile Bolt and Lucid have a big robotaxi announcement in Europe, Joby conducts the first fully autonomous flight across the U.S., Zipline readies a $1 billion raise for drone delivery, and a San Francisco startup wants to automate one of the world’s least popular jobs: tire changer.
What you need to know
Bolt & Lucid’s big European robotaxi plan: The Estonian ride-hailing firm and American luxury EV maker announce a partnership to deploy “at least” 25,000 robotaxis in Europe, although they haven’t specified a timeline. Bolt CEO Markus Villig predicts there will eventually be “millions” of robotaxis on the road in Europe and that the main thing standing in the way are Europe’s slow-adapting regulations.
San Diego’s second chance with shared mobility: San Diego, America’s eighth largest city, incredibly has no shared mobility program. Its overbearing regulations prompted scooter and bikeshare operators to flee years ago. However, the city appears to be reconsidering the matter. Hopefully it will strike a better balance this time around.
Two Pitch Winners, Two Different Paths to Changing Mobility
We catch up with past CoMotion LA New Mobility Challenge* winners to learn what made them successful and how to pitch like a pro: Tiya Gordon, Co-Founder & COO, it’s electric — who won in 2022 and just announced NYC’s selection to build permanent curbside charging infrastructure (scaling from 88 to 700+ chargers) and Dan Lafferty, CEO of Variable Grid — the 2025 winner solving home EV charging for 50% of North American homes, securing major funding immediately after his win.
*This year the challenge moves to CoMotion NXT in Long Beach, connecting startups with growth and investment opportunities throughout the Gateway Cities. Learn more.
The first fully autonomous flight across America: A Joby Aviation aircraft completes a 3,199 mile fully autonomous journey from California to North Carolina with a few stops along the way in Arizona, Texas and South Carolina. The transcontinental journey shows that Joby has ambitions beyond eVTOL air taxis that offer short trips within urban areas.
Zipline wants a billion: The drone company has come a long way since it got its start delivering blood in Rwanda. It’s seeking to raise $1 billion at a $20 billion valuation after a year in which it dramatically increased commercial deliveries in the U.S. through partnerships with the likes of Walmart, Chipotle and Panera.
Whatever Moves, Moves First in LA
CoMotion LA ‘26, featuring the OMF Summit Track, kicks off in just 8 weeks time and brings together the whole mobility ecosystem this November — public and private sector leaders, agencies, innovators, investors, and companies to reshape mobility across land, sea, and air.
Be in the room with mayors, innovative policymakers, technology founders, VC investors — from top companies and organizations from across North America and around the world.
Latest confirmed Speakers:
- Eric Garcetti, Ambassador, Global Climate Diplomacy, C40 Cities; Former Mayor of Los Angeles
- Lee White, Deputy Administrator, NHTSA
- Trevor Thomas, Senior Transportation Planner, City of Santa Monica
- Ben Kemp, Head of Event & Venue Operations, Uber
- Annabel Chang, Director of U.S. State & Local Policy and Public Policy Campaigns, Waymo
- Phil Pierce, City Policy Lead, Zoox
Make it three days with a Mobility Leader Pass and gain VIP access to CoMotion NXT in Long Beach, a new gathering for senior mobility leaders focused on high-level conversation, connection and exchange.
A job they’ll never tire of: Changing even one tire is work that many of us pay to avoid, so it’s no surprise that auto repair shops have a hard time finding people to change hundreds of tires a day. So robots that can change four tires in 15 minutes without the risk of back injury are a potential game-changer. San Francisco-based PitPro is deploying its system for the first time at a shop in Calgary.
What we’re reading
AI needs a learner’s permit: In a thought-provoking essay, MIT’s Bryan Reimer writes that in the autonomous era, cars are no longer “finished at the factory,” and that their autonomous driving systems need to “earn” the right to operate, much like a 16-year-old human being.
