GoKawiil
Tech News
Rivian plans to roll out a point-to-point hands-free driving feature to employees in 2026 and to customers in 2027, followed by a robotaxi launch with Uber in 2028. Rivian finance VP Derek Mulvey called autonomy a key product differentiator and long-term value driver during an earnings call. The company's R2 vehicle has meanwhile become Rivian's best-selling model by volume.
Uber has started mapping Manchester streets using self-driving technology from partners Pony and Verne, with a safety driver present but no passengers onboard. The companies previously launched Europe's first autonomous taxi service in Zagreb, and Uber already runs limited passenger robotaxi trials in London using Wayve vehicles under TfL licensing rules.
Uber began operating self-driving minicabs in London on Thursday, becoming the first company to offer such a service in the UK. The initial rollout includes just 15 autonomous vehicles, each requiring a human safety driver ready to intervene, with fares matching standard UberX, Electric or Comfort rides shown upfront in the app.
Uber is eliminating roughly 3,300 positions worldwide, around 10% of its total staff, as part of a broader restructuring effort announced by CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in an internal memo. The plan includes cutting management ranks by 20%, shrinking small teams, merging engineering and delivery units, and ending remote work for nearly all employees.