A notable legal battle has emerged between Carma Technology and ride-sharing giant Uber over alleged patent infringement, posing potential significant ramifications for Uber’s core business model. The lawsuit, initiated earlier this year by Carma, founded in 2007 by entrepreneur Sean O’Sullivan, asserts that Uber violated five of Carma’s patents. These patents specifically address technologies fundamental to effectively matching passengers or packages to available vehicle capacity—a system central to modern ride-sharing concepts.
A critical complexity of the case, as highlighted by intellectual property attorney Larry Ashery, lies in the robust patenting strategy employed by Carma over almost two decades. Rather than a random collection of patents, Carma holds an interconnected family of around 30 patents, each descending from a common initial filing. The five patents under dispute encompass numerous distinct legal claims, each individually capable of impacting Uber’s defense strategy. Ashery observes that Uber is facing a complicated litigation process, as each claim within the patents will require separate attention and rebuttal.
Elsewhere in transportation news, Zoox has issued another voluntary recall related to the software governing its autonomous robotaxi service. The recall follows an incident in San Francisco, where a Zoox vehicle, after initially stopping to yield, continued to turn and indirectly contributed to a minor collision with an e-scooter rider who had fallen next to it. Fortunately, no further contact occurred, yet this represents the second software recall for Zoox within a single month, raising concerns among industry watchers.
Meanwhile, a recently surfaced startup called Bedrock Robotics has quietly attracted considerable investor interest, according to industry insiders. Led by CEO Boris Sofman—known for his earlier roles at Waymo, where he ran the autonomous trucking program and as a co-founder of consumer robotics firm Anki—Bedrock Robotics aims to retrofit existing construction and heavy machinery with autonomous driving capabilities. Details are sparse as Bedrock still operates in a stealth mode, but a recent patent filing hints at its strategic goals.
In electric vehicle developments, Tesla faces ongoing challenges with its Cybertruck line. Large inventories of unsold Cybertrucks have reportedly accumulated in a Detroit-area shopping center parking lot, and early buyers looking to trade their vehicles are encountering substantial depreciation, with residual values dropping by as much as 45%. Additionally, Tesla’s market position has weakened further in Europe and the U.K., with new registration figures showing sales declining nearly by half year-on-year.
The longstanding partnership between Stellantis and Amazon has come to an end, with Stellantis confirming its plans to pivot from Amazon-provided software solutions to Google’s Android platform. This move reflects Stellantis’ larger strategic objective—to harness its automotive software ecosystem toward realizing significant revenue targets.
In autonomous delivery, Rivr has launched a promising pilot in Austin, Texas, deploying its innovative, four-wheeled delivery robot described humorously by its creator as “a dog on roller skates.” These small autonomous robots are designed to seamlessly bridge the gap between delivery vans and consumers’ front doors, potentially streamlining the final phase of package delivery.
Finally, further investments continue to flow into mobility-focused startups. Aerospace firm Firefly received a $50 million boost from Northrop Grumman. Logistics software provider Pallet secured $27 million from investors led by General Catalyst, while London-based Volteras, an EV-grid connector startup, closed an $11.1 million funding round. Also noteworthy is Way Data Technologies, a fleet management startup from Lucid Motors and Wolt alumni, which raised approximately $2.95 million.
Collectively, these developments underscore ongoing dynamism—and considerable contention—in the transportation and mobility industries, spanning innovations, shifting alliances, legal battles, and emerging technologies.
