CoMotion GLOBAL highlights! And are AVs a 'public health imperative'?

CoMotion GLOBAL 2025 concluded today after three transformative days in Riyadh that brought together global decision-makers, industry leaders, city executives, innovators, and investors to chart the future of mobility in Saudi Arabia and worldwide. If you couldn’t make it, we hope to see you next year — or perhaps at CoMotion MIAMI in the spring.

Big cars are one of the big reasons Americans are far more likely than those in other wealthy countries to die in car crashes. Last week, the case for smaller cars got an unlikely champion: President Donald Trump, who in a social media post announced his support for the kind of “tiny cars” that are common in Japan. To make matters stranger, Trump’s proclaimed support for tiny cars comes the same week that his administration also proposed slashing fuel efficiency standards.

Meanwhile, a neurosurgeon argues in the New York Times that expanding access to self-driving cars is a “public health imperative,” prompting rebukes from mobility advocates who wonder why similar arguments aren’t being made about expanding alternatives to driving. The debate comes during the same week that Waymo acknowledged its issues with school buses, federal regulators raised more concerns about Tesla’s FSD, and California took a step towards legalizing self-driving trucks.

What you need to know

Highlights from CoMotion GLOBAL in Riyadh: We were delighted to witness major announcements at our event, including:

• Archer Aviation signing an MOU with the General Authority of Civil Aviation to deploy electric air taxis across the kingdom.
• inDrive signing an MOU with Ai Driver to begin autonomous ride-hailing services in Saudi Arabia.
• The unveiling of a new study by MIT Mobility Initiative and the Kearney Advanced Mobility Initiative: Envisioning the Future of Mobility Powered by AI, which calls for unprecedented public–private collaboration, shared data ecosystems, and integrated national strategies to fully unlock AI’s mobility potential.

Trump endorses tiny cars: In perhaps one of his most surprising social media posts, the U.S. president says he has “approved TINY CARS to be built in America.” It’s not clear exactly what he means by “approved,” but experts say it is a long regulatory road before we see vehicles like the Japanese Kei car on U.S. roads. It is an encouraging sign, nevertheless, from an administration that has otherwise shown nothing but contempt for efforts to make transportation safer or greener. This happened the same week that Trump said Americans should join the rest of the world in calling soccer “football.” What heresy against the Heartland is coming next?

…and lower fuel economy standards: The Trump administration proposes reducing the target fuel economy standard for 2031 from 50.4 miles per gallon to 34.5 miles per gallon.

Are self-driving cars a “public health imperative”? Neurosurgeon Jonathan Slotkin argues in the New York Times that the data are clear: self-driving cars are far safer than human-driven cars. Therefore, he says, expanding access to AVs is a “public health imperative.” His claims prompt pushback from transit advocates like David Zipper and Jarrett Walker, who express skepticism at the data reported by companies like Waymo and say that if reducing America’s shamefully high rate of road deaths is a moral imperative, then shouldn’t that mean prioritizing alternatives to driving, notably public transit?

…and lower fuel economy standards: The Trump administration proposes reducing the target fuel economy standard for 2031 from 50.4 miles per gallon to 34.5 miles per gallon.

CoMotion GLOBAL 2025 in Riyadh

Are self-driving cars a “public health imperative”? Neurosurgeon Jonathan Slotkin argues in the New York Times that the data are clear: self-driving cars are far safer than human-driven cars. Therefore, he says, expanding access to AVs is a “public health imperative.” His claims prompt pushback from transit advocates like David Zipper and Jarrett Walker, who express skepticism at the data reported by companies like Waymo and say that if reducing America’s shamefully high rate of road deaths is a moral imperative, then shouldn’t that mean prioritizing alternatives to driving, notably public transit?

Waymo acknowledges school bus issues: The robotaxi company announces a software update (officially a recall) to improve the way its vehicles behave around school buses, which have proven to be an issue in Austin.

More Tesla FSD issues: In a letter to Tesla, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 80 instances of Teslas operating on Full Self Driving violating traffic laws — running red lights, illegal lane switches and the like. Elon Musk, meanwhile, casually mentions on X that the latest software update allows drivers to text while driving.

California takes step towards self-driving trucks: The Golden State’s ban on self-driving trucks appears endangered. A draft proposal from the state DMV sets up a system for companies to test and eventually deploy fully autonomous freight trucks. The Teamsters are not happy. We’ll see if opposition from labor groups and AV skeptics will prompt Gov. Gavin Newsom or state legislators to intervene.

Amazon might ditch the Postal Service: Although Amazon delivers billions of packages to American doorsteps, it remains one of the Postal Service’s biggest customers, usually allowing the government carrier to do “last mile” delivery. Now, however, it is considering ending its relationship with USPS entirely. That could be a devastating blow to USPS, which is already operating at a multi-billion dollar deficit.

The case for killing “Green Waves”: Cities are increasingly changing their management of traffic lights to promote safety, rather than vehicle speed. Practices aimed at maximizing vehicle throughput also tend to put pedestrians and bicyclists at greatest risk. For instance, that satisfying feeling of hitting a series of green lights (a “Green Wave”) as a driver is no accident — but it probably is bad for overall safety.

What we’re reading

The rise and stall of CAKE: Stefan Ytterborn, the founder of electric motorcycle startup CAKE, reflects on the company’s rise and fall. CAKE’s collapse under structural financial issues didn’t erase the positive impact: the company delivered thousands of electric motorbikes worldwide and helped push electric mobility and sustainable two-wheeler design forward.