Welcome to the Tech Weekly, NEO’s regular news monitoring of key developments in the food and mobility tech industries.
This week’s highlights:
- Some Uber and Lyft drivers believe it’s now more profitable to rent or buy a Tesla amid rising gas prices. The national average for a gallon of gas topped $5 this month, a record high since the American Automobile Association began collecting price data in 2000. The difference between gasoline cars and electric cars is becoming increasingly stark. (Bloomberg)
- AEHRA is a new name in electric vehicles. It aims to do things a little differently than other manufacturers, keeping an open platform for innovative developments and technologies. When it comes to production and assembly, instead of creating an individual production facility, the company will also work with selected partners. (Forbes)
- Mobility services, including rental cars, ridesharing and bike-sharing apps, are expected to generate $660 billion in annual revenue in 2030, according to a study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. That’s up nearly 40% from the $260 billion in revenue generated in 2020. (Bloomberg)
- Amazon unveiled its first fully autonomous mobile robot that will lift and move package carts through its facilities. It will first be deployed in offsite processing areas for GoCarts — non-automated wheeled vehicles used to move packages — in fulfillment centres and sorting centres. The robot moves autonomously around facilities and around employees using technology developed by Amazon. (Supply Chain Dive)
- Walmart is expanding its virtual fitting services for shoppers with plans to acquire Memomi, an augmented reality (AR) optical technology company and current Walmart partner offering a virtual eyewear fitting experience. (Tech Crunch)