What happened in Miami?
If you made it to CoMotion MIAMI, we hope you had a great time! If you missed out, you should know that you missed out on gorgeous weather and a fascinating glimpse at the mobility future, including a demonstration of Walmart and Alphabet Wing’s drone delivery system. But it’s OK –– there’s always next year.
Plus we’ve got some interesting stories to share on making robotaxis pay for parking, Rivian’s revamped plans for its new EV factory, the economic development lessons U.S. cities should learn from Jane Jacobs, and another formidable Chinese AV startup going public.
What you need to know
Making AVs pay for parking: Two Pittsburgh startups are developing a way for autonomous vehicles to pay parking meters. Mapless AI, which delivers AVs to customers for one-way trips, has teamed up with Meter Feeder, a parking payment platform, to make what they say is the first autonomous parking payment. It’s a big issue — Waymo alone racked up more than $65,000 in parking fines in San Francisco in 2024.
Robovan startup eyes IPO: Zelos Technology, a Chinese company that has built a fleet of 25,000 autonomous delivery trucks, is seeking to raise $600 million in a public listing in Hong Kong.
Miami was a blast! 😎☀️
Thank you for to all our partners and attendees that joined us and for all the unforgettable moments and new memories. We're already very excited for LA in November. Register Now and Save 50%.
Here are some of the key takeaways and highlights:
Mayor Eileen Higgins: Welcomed global leaders and innovators to Miami.
“For Miami, this is an important conversation. As our city continues to grow, how we move people, invest in infrastructure, and build resilience will define our future. Being part of this global dialogue ensures we are learning, leading, and implementing solutions that keep Miami moving forward.”
Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's Keynote on the rapid growth of Miami-Dade County's public transit, Miami's vibrant culture, initiatives and pilots that are providing a more equitable transportation system for the county and all its residents.
Live Drone Delivery: Wing demonstrating their system in action and sharing their latest expansion plans with Walmart.
2026 Mobility Champion Awards: Miami-Dade County DTPW’s CEO & Director, Stacy Miller awarded: The Florida Department of Transportation for playing a critical role advancing transportation projects and The TREO Group for their development of Vox Miami, transforming South Miami metro station into a true mixed use connected hub.
Announcement by Mayor Marlese Sifre, City of Ponce, Puerto Rico, unveiled a major initiative advancing the city’s transit system with new technologies and service enhancements.
Spain Showcase: Featuring 10 Spanish leaders advancing sustainable infrastructure and accessible mobility.
Rivian downsizes its government loan: The EV maker has negotiated new loan terms with the Department of Energy to finance a factory in Georgia to make both its upcoming R2 electric truck and, eventually, autonomous electric vehicles for Uber. The new terms provide the automaker with $4.5 billion (down from the $6.6 billion negotiated with the Biden administration) but allow the company to draw on the loan sooner. Rivian’s original target was to produce 400,000 vehicles at the new plant; now it’s aiming for 300,000.
The inescapable burden of gas prices: The Brookings Institute looks at the political implications of rapidly rising gas prices, including a fascinating map that shows the average vehicle miles driven in every Congressional district. As you might expect, rural Republican districts are hit hardest by high gas prices, both due to the extreme dependence on cars and, in many cases, relatively low incomes.
What we’re reading
Did cities lose the economic development plot? In Common Edge, Daniel Wortel-London and Lisa Chamberlain argue that American cities have focused too much on recruiting and retaining large companies (with tax breaks, subsidies, infrastructure) instead of on fostering an ecosystem that supports small businesses and startups. They point to an oft-overlooked book by Jane Jacobs, The Economy of Cities, in which Jacobs argued that the chaotic mix of uses in an urban neighborhood (residential, retail, restaurants, office) is precisely what makes cities economically resilient. The impulse from mid-20th century planners to segregate all of those uses went hand-in-hand with a political focus on promoting major employers.
