Big Self-Driving Players Move Forward as Consumers Reconsider Shared Mobility

Yesterday, Waymo announced roughly $750 million in new external investment, bringing the total amount raised to $3 billion. The Alphabet self-driving unit is resuming limited testing in Arizona this week. And GM said it's still on track to mass produce the Cruise Origin robotaxi in late 2021/early 2022.

That's about it for positive industry news, as COVID-related obstacles pop up left and right for self-driving companies. Some startups may not have enough runway to ride out the storm. And testing cars in simulators isn't a perfect substitute for real-world driving, execs told the NYT.

What about consumers?

Half of Americans plan to reduce or eliminate their use of ride-hailing and public transit after the pandemic, according to a recent IBM survey. Most companies’ go-to-market strategies focus on autonomous ride-hail services, rather than personally owned vehicles. GM and Ford have both recently said they will research consumers' changing mobility preferences.

My takeaway: The self-driving field will likely consolidate as well-capitalized players push forward. Rather than people, packaged goods could be the first to hitch a ride with larger fleets.