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TechCrunch Mobility: Rivian's next act | TechCrunch. Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for the future of transportation and now, more than ever, the role AI is playing in it. To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free - just click TechCrunch Mobility! As I wrapped my TechCrunch Disrupt interview with Rivian CEO and founder RJ Scaringe, I kept circling back to one question: What does Scaringe want Rivian to become? If you look at Rivian's moves over the past year, it's clear that Scaringe wants the company to be much more than an EV maker. But he doesn't want to stray completely from that mission either. Rivian is far more vertically integrated than it was just a couple of years ago. It has developed its own AI models to power its in-vehicle assistant and is building an end-to-end automated driving stack for its passenger vehicles and future robotaxis through a partnership with Uber. It's even developing custom silicon, a 5 nm processor in collaboration with Arm and TSMC. And then there is its $5.8 billion joint technology venture with VW Group focused on electric architecture and software. Scaringe's ambitions extend beyond Rivian as well, although there is always a link back. He created a micromobility skunkworks program that has since spun out into a startup called Also. And he founded an industrial robotics startup called Mind Robotics, which is now 31% owned by Rivian and counts the automaker as a prospective customer. (Scaringe announced onstage that former Ford, Apple, and Tesla executive Doug Field has been hired as president of Mind Robotics.) Scaringe's aspirations were on display as he talked of not only expanding the joint venture with VW to cover AI and autonomy, but also licensing Rivian's tech to "many different brands." So what does Rivian look like at the end of the decade? Certainly not just a maker of electric trucks and SUVs. The term I kept coming back to was "tech supplier." Hear me out. Rivian is clearing a path toward licensing its electric architecture and software as well as its AI models and autonomy stack. Meanwhile, the Mind Robotics startup it partially owns is building industrial robots to not only be used in Rivian factories, but also sold to other companies. Then there's the robotaxi business. A successful launch with Uber could open the door to more deals. And Scaringe is already imagining how autonomy could reshape Rivian's own vehicles. "Where it gets really interesting is then you think beyond R2 and R3 and start to imagine the form factors that you want to build for a personally owned autonomous vehicle. You know, it opens up all kinds of design opportunities. It can create dramatically different experiences," he said in an interview with TechCrunch. "I'm wildly excited about what the next 10 years look like in transportation because of what this enables us to dream and think about." Deals! Bedrock Robotics, a startup developing autonomous driving tech for construction vehicles, is raising $600 million, Axios reported, citing sources. Dot Ai completed its acquisition of electric vehicle car-sharing business Envoy Technologies in a $65 million all-stock transaction, according to a regulatory filing. Evos, a startup that developed AI agents to automate work for industrial businesses, including freight brokerages, raised $9 million in a pre-seed round co-led by Uncork Capital and Field Ventures. Mana Battery, a Colorado-based startup developing anode-free sodium batteries, raised $10.15 million in a round led by Voyager Ventures. PlusAI, the autonomous trucking developer, and Texas Ventures Acquisition III filed a Form S-4 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission - advancing its previously announced agreement to go public via a merger with a blank-check company. Volvo is leveling up its automated driving system through an expansion of its nearly decade-long partnership with Nvidia. Neither company shared financial terms of the deal. The automaker plans to use a trio of Nvidia products to be able to offer hands-free, point-to-point driving on highways and surface streets. Waabi, a startup developing self-driving trucks, landed a commercial partnership with carrier Warrior Logistics. Under the deal, Waabi's self-driving trucks will move freight between Dallas and Houston. Notable reads and other tidbits. Electric vehicle sales in the United States are showing signs of life. Laplace Intelligence, one of 20 startups that competed in TechCrunch's Startup Battlefield 200, is building automated red-teaming that stress-tests robots and self-driving cars. MIT startup LNK Energies says it has created a way to convert existing heavy-duty trucks from diesel to hydrogen, slashing pollution and costs while shielding operators from price spikes. The Paris Auto Show puts Chinese cars on center stage. Tesla showcased its SpaceX-powered Roadster with a theatrical kickflip stunt. The Roadster used a mix of high-powered fans and thrusters to drive up an inverted ramp, spin around, and stick a landing on the pavement below. CEO Elon Musk claims the vehicle will be on the road by 2028. But will future owners be allowed to legally deploy these maneuvers on public streets? I don't see how. Waymo is expanding into Canada - specifically, Toronto - after receiving approval to participate in an automated vehicle pilot program. Waymo has also opened up its robotaxi service to everyone, meaning no more waitlists, in San Antonio, San Diego, and Tampa. One more thing... TechCrunch reporter Tim De Chant recently test drove the 2026Porsche Macan Turbo EV. His week with the EV has him questioning what a sports car is supposed to be. Read the full review. When you purchase through links in its articles, Egerin Inc. may earn a small commission. This doesn't affect its editorial independence. Kirsten Korosec is a reporter and editor who has covered the future of transportation from EVs and autonomous vehicles to urban air mobility and in-car tech for more than a decade. She is currently the transportation editor at TechCrunch and co-host of TechCrunch's Equity podcast. She is also co-founder and co-host of the podcast, "The Autonocast." She previously wrote for Fortune, The Verge, Bloomberg, MIT Technology Review and CBS Interactive. You can contact or verify outreach from Kirsten by emailing [email protected] or via encrypted message at kkorosec.07 on Signal.

Uber executive overseeing robotaxi expansion to depart. Sarfraz Maredia is pursuing a top executive role outside of the transportation industry. October 13, 2026 8:47 AM, EDT Key takeaways: An Uber Technologies Inc. executive overseeing the company's global autonomous efforts across ride-hailing and delivery will depart next month, the latest in a string of leadership departures in the division this year. Sarfraz Maredia, who has been with the company for more than 12 years, is leaving to pursue a top executive role at an undisclosed company outside of the transportation industry, according to an Uber spokesperson. His last day at Uber will be Nov. 16. During his stint as global head of autonomous mobility and delivery, Uber invested in new technology and infrastructure to support the commercialization of self-driving cars on its app, even though the company isn't building its own cars and is partnering with robotaxi manufacturers to offer rides. Those efforts include charging, fleet tooling and management, data collection, in-vehicle experience and remote assistance. Maredia's responsibilities will be split between Samarth Kejriwal, a senior director who currently oversees driverless vehicle operations and has been with Uber for more than a decade, and Aaron Emrich, who heads up autonomous delivery. Uber's autonomous division has seen a number of executive departures in a year when key partnerships with Alphabet Inc.'s Waymo and Serve Robotics Inc. unraveled. That's even as the company has committed $10 million to supporting the commercialization of self-driving technology over the next few years, and is working to offer driverless rides to more customers globally with more than a dozen other partners. Most of those efforts, which span several cities in the U.S., Middle East and in Europe, have been limited in scale as they rely on yet-to-be-produced robotaxis or local regulations. Uber has maintained it wants to operate a hybrid marketplace with autonomous vehicles, as well as human drivers and couriers, to meet varying demand throughout the day. Maredia's departure is the latest in a string of leadership departures in the division this year. (Uber) Guy Peterson, who was the head of business development for autonomous partnerships, joined Rivian Automotive Inc.'s bike spinoff, Also, as chief business officer this month. Lando Juarez, who was head of legal for Uber's autonomous unit, left for Bedrock Robotics Inc. in June. Uber also has conducted multiple rounds of job cuts to simplify operations and reallocate spending into the ride-sharing, delivery and robotaxi businesses. Last month, it axed about 3,300 jobs, 10% of its staff globally, after targeted cuts at its customer service and human resources departments earlier this year. Maredia, who held roles leading the core U.S. ride-hailing and delivery businesses during his tenure, signaled his confidence in Uber's autonomous strategy in a farewell memo to employees on Tuesday. "There's never been more momentum behind our AV efforts than there is today," he wrote. "Increasingly, our focus will be on scaling AVs in more cities and achieving higher supply density in those markets."