From Luminar’s founder’s takeover bid to Beta Technologies’ IPO and Waymo’s global expansion, this week in mobility brings major moves shaping the future of AI, EVs, and autonomous driving.

In a week packed with high-stakes mobility drama, billionaire Austin Russell, founder of Luminar, is making headlines again — and not just for past controversies.

After being pushed out of his lidar company following an ethics inquiry, Russell is back in the spotlight with a takeover bid for Luminar, filed through his new venture, Russell AI Labs. What first appeared as a hostile move might not be so hostile after all — sources suggest that Luminar’s board actually encouraged the proposal last month.

If the deal goes through, Russell AI Labs could merge with Luminar or even bring in another automotive tech company, creating a powerful hybrid between lidar innovation and AI-driven mobility. The plan remains vague, but insiders say Russell has already been doing due diligence, scouting potential acquisition targets under his new AI incubator.

Electric Aviation Takes Off

Two major stories took flight this week in electric aviation.

Beta Technologies, a rising star in the eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) space, priced shares for its long-awaited IPO between $27 and $33, aiming to raise up to $825 million. If successful, it will debut at an impressive $7.2 billion valuation.

Thanks to eased SEC rules during the U.S. government shutdown, Beta and others like Navan have been able to fast-track their IPO plans — a sign of renewed investor confidence in the clean mobility sector.

Meanwhile, Lilium, once a promising eVTOL startup that shuttered last year, has found new life. Archer Aviation acquired all 300 of Lilium’s patents for just €18 million ($21 million) — a jaw-dropping price given Lilium’s $1 billion in lifetime funding. Archer isn’t saying exactly how it’ll use the patents, but insiders hint they could strengthen its next-gen aircraft lineup.

Funding Frenzy in Robotics, AI, and Delivery

The mobility and logistics sectors continue to attract capital at record speed:

  • Airbound, an Indian drone startup, raised $8.65 million in seed funding led by Physical Intelligence co-founder Lachy Groom, with backing from Lightspeed and top executives at Tesla, SpaceX, and Anduril.
  • Dexory, a London-based warehouse robotics company, secured $165 million in equity and debt, including a $100 million Series C led by Eurazeo.
  • FleetWorks, building an AI-powered logistics dispatcher, landed $17 million in new funding led by First Round Capital.
  • Starship Technologies, the autonomous delivery robot pioneer, raised $50 million in a Series C led by Plural.
  • Upciti, a smart city software firm in Paris, closed a $20 million Series A led by Notion Capital.
  • Zepto, India’s lightning-fast grocery delivery startup, raised $450 million ahead of an upcoming IPO, according to Bloomberg.

And from China, Pony.ai and WeRide have received regulatory clearance to pursue secondary listings in Hong Kong, expanding their public reach beyond the U.S. Nasdaq exchange.

Industry Insights: From Robotaxis to Safety Scandals

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a damning report on OceanGate’s Titan submersible, confirming that it failed to meet manufacturing safety standards.

Meanwhile, Stellantis is striking an intriguing balance — partnering with Pony.ai on robotaxis for Europe while scaling back EV investments in the U.S. The automaker plans to invest $13 billion across four states to produce five new vehicles by 2029 — only one of which will be electric.

Uber is entering new gig territory, offering AI training tasks like image labeling to its workers. And Waymo, Alphabet’s autonomous driving division, announced two big moves:

  1. A commercial robotaxi launch in London by 2026, its second international expansion after Tokyo.
  2. A multiyear partnership with DoorDash to power driverless deliveries in Phoenix.

Could this mark Waymo’s next big pivot toward autonomous delivery services? Time — and data — will tell.

The Bottom Line

From AI-driven takeovers to electric aviation IPOs and robotaxi expansion, this week proves that the mobility sector is evolving faster than ever. Whether it’s Austin Russell’s comeback, Archer’s smart acquisitions, or Waymo’s strategic shifts, one thing is clear — the race toward a fully autonomous and electrified future is only just beginning.