Waymo has had a remarkable and turbulent week, underscoring the volatility of the rapidly evolving robotaxi industry. Already operating the largest commercial robotaxi fleet, providing approximately 250,000 paid trips weekly, the company faced significant hurdles last week when it temporarily scaled back nationwide service on June 13 in anticipation of widespread “No Kings” protests against policies promoted by President Donald Trump.
Just days later, Waymo shifted gears again, boldly expanding its service area by 80 additional square miles across the San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley, and Los Angeles. Moreover, the ambitious Alphabet subsidiary has set its sights on one of the most challenging markets yet: New York City. However, Waymo faces significant regulatory obstacles there. Currently, the company is seeking permits to begin testing autonomous vehicles in the city, but even if granted, these permis will still necessitate a human driver onboard. Fully driverless testing remains dependent upon future amendments to state legislation, an effort that is expected to prompt increased lobbying over the months ahead.
In other notable developments, Applied Intuition secured a massive $600 million Series F funding round led jointly by funds managed by BlackRock and Kleiner Perkins. The impressive funding news propelled the autonomous vehicle software startup’s valuation to an eye-watering $15 billion, marking rapid growth from its $6 billion valuation just a year ago. Prominent institutions including Qatar Investment Authority, Abu Dhabi Investment Council, Greycroft, General Catalyst, Lux Capital, and Mary Meeker’s Bond fund also participated in the highly competitive round.
Meanwhile, the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) startup Archer Aviation raised an additional $850 million through a registered direct offering, coinciding with a recent White House executive order promoting an eVTOL integration pilot program in the U.S.
Furthermore, California-based aerospace startup Senra Systems attracted substantial attention with a $25 million funding round co-led by Figma’s CEO Dylan Field and venture firm CIV. Additional investors included General Catalyst, Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, and Joe Lonsdale’s 8VC.
The micromobility industry, meanwhile, is experiencing renewed growth after a period of industry consolidation and tighter capital environments. At Micromobility Europe in Brussels, executives from Voi, Bird, and Dott/Tier discussed promising industry trends, emphasizing significant market maturation and advancement toward profitability. The leaders noted Europe’s growing acceptance of shared scooters and e-bikes as efficient public transport alternatives, optimistically suggesting that U.S. cities might follow suit within two years.
One notable player, Bird, estimates achieving positive cash flow within 12 to 18 months, while Voi is employing advanced large-language-model technology to convert user feedback quickly into actionable improvements. Micromobility operators collectively voiced desires for cities to enforce scooter volume limits, impose stricter rider-behavior enforcement, and build out robust cycling infrastructure.
In related news, Honda introduced its new last-mile delivery vehicle, the Fastport eQuad. Honda intends the compact, pedal-assisted electric vehicle to function effectively within existing bike lane frameworks, providing transport solutions for payloads of up to 650 pounds at restricted speeds of 12 mph.
Meanwhile, VanMoof, newly recovered from bankruptcy, has returned to the e-bike market, launching its first e-bike post-restructuring alongside a revamped network for customer service and maintenance support.
Elsewhere, concerns around data security resurfaced after India-based car-sharing giant Zoomcar confirmed that a hacker accessed personal information from more than 8.4 million customers.
The Paris Air Show highlighted continuous innovation in aviation, particularly surrounding advanced air mobility (AAM). Among the event’s highlights: Zoox opened the doors of its first major robotaxi plant aiming for eventual annual production of 10,000 autonomous vehicles, and notable showcases such as Archer Aviation’s Midnight aircraft drew attention from international delegations. Additionally, Beta Technologies celebrated a pioneering milestone by flying its Alia electric aircraft at the event—the first all-electric aircraft to take to the skies over the prestigious Paris Air Show.
Finally, Tesla has opted for a new approach in customer outreach, announcing a partnership with Electrify Expo, hosting sustained weekend-long test-drive opportunities—a strategic shift for the automaker, which has traditionally favored more controlled, proprietary promotional methods.
