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MOVE 2026 WIM Awards: Meet the women forging the future of automotive and tech
After a record number of nominees, voting is now open to crown the winner of MOVE 2026’s WIM Awards. The winner of this year’s award will be announced at MOVE 2026, June 17 at London’s ExCeL.
We are shouting out a handful of the inspiring female voices who are forging the future of automotive and tech, through their hard work, creativity and determination.
Spain becomes key testbed for Stellantis and Leapmotor’s expanded alliance
Stellantis and Chinese electric vehicle brand Leapmotor are preparing to deepen their allegiance as both companies angle to expand their electric vehicle footprint across Europe.
The partnership began in 2023 when Stellantis purchased an approximately 21% stake in Leapmotor and launched a joint venture focused on selling and manufacturing Leapmotor vehicles outside of China. The companies now say they are exploring new ways to increase production efficiency while reducing manufacturing costs.
Speakers in the news: Meet the companies making headlines ahead of MOVE 2026
The world’s #1 auto tech event is returning to London, June 17–18. MOVE focuses on the technology that sits behind the automotive sector, specialising in autonomous, electric and software-defined mobility. MOVE is all about showcasing the leading agents of innovation and progress, from automotive OEMs, fleets, CPOs, transport operators, investors, start-ups and battery manufacturers, across 15 conference stages. Existing in a fast-paced and dynamic sector, industry change is an expectation rather than an anomaly when it comes to automotive and tech. To help you keep abreast of the latest developments, we have put together a shortlist of current news updates from some of the biggest disruptors speaking at the event this year.
UK new car market grows by almost a quarter in best April since pre-pandemic levels
The UK’s new car market registered unprecedented growth last month, expanding by almost a quarter, up 24%.
According to new data from the SMMT (the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders), the UK recorded 149,247 vehicles in April, the strongest growth in the sector since before the pandemic.
WeRide and Lenovo announce expanded partnership to deliver 200,000 autonomous vehicles by 2031
Announced at Auto China 2026, Chinese tech firms WeRide and Lenovo have revealed an expanded partnership to develop 200,000 autonomous vehicles over the next five years. Of these 200,000 vehicles, many will be robotaxis operating at Level 4 autonomous capability, or “driver-out.”
Based in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, WeRide has already been a leader in China’s autonomous push, with established R&D and pilot projects in 40 cities across 12 countries globally.
The world’s #1 auto tech event is back…what’s new for MOVE 2026?
We are back for our eighth edition… so what’s new for MOVE 2026?
This year’s agenda brings together 250+ speakers, 75+ sponsors and 75+ start-ups for two days of dynamic discussion. From an exciting refocus, to a wave of influential new speakers, expect some big changes at our 2026 event. So what’s new this year?
Lotus joins luxury automakers pivoting to hybrids, forecasting “long-term trend”
The luxury automotive segment has long struggled to decouple itself from petrol. In 2026 alone, several major automakers walked back their EV targets or revised their electrification timelines: Lamborghini axed plans for its fully electric model, Lanzador, whilst Rolls-Royce pledged to continue selling petrol vehicles beyond 2030.
In an interview with the Financial Times, chief executive of Lotus Group, Qingfeng Feng, said that EVs would account for under half of their entire lineup—the rest coming from hybrids. This is a much more conservative estimate than previously predicted by the company, now owned by Chinese conglomerate Geely, which had banked on a lineup of 90% EV sales by 2028.
Tesla grapples with self-driving shortfall, promising “micro factory” upgrade plan
Tesla has found itself in hot water again as it recalibrates its long-promised path to full autonomy. The electric vehicle giant recently acknowledged that millions of its older cars, equipped with what it calls Hardware 3, won’t be able to achieve fully self-driving capability, despite earlier assurances.
The statement marks a notable shift for Tesla, which had long maintained that its earlier vehicles already contained the necessary cameras and computing power pending the inevitable software advancements.
Rivian begins production of first mass-market EV, the R2
Rivian Motors has officially begun customer production of the long-awaited R2, its mid-size all-electric SUV. Originally revealed in March 2024, it has taken two years and reportedly “thousands of hands” before the first R2 rolled off the production line yesterday at Rivian’s Normal, Illinois plant.
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the company was “on track” to deliver the first of its five-seater EVs later this spring.
CATL unveils 1,500 km EV battery with record-breaking range
Last month, BYD made headlines with its updated Blade battery, a lithium iron EV battery boasting super-fast charging times and ranges of up to 1,000 km in a single charge.
As of Tuesday, BYD’s battery supremacy was toppled by Chinese battery manufacturer and technology company CATL, which announced its latest Qilin battery, capable of delivering a range of 1,500 km in a single charge.
Voting opens for MOVE 2026’s Women in Mobility Award
Across the mobility industry, women play a vital role in driving innovation, shaping policy and inspiring transformative change. MOVE’s Women in Mobility Award recognises the leaders, visionaries and change-makers who are accelerating innovation in automotive and technology.
Vote for your winner of the Women in Mobility Award and help us honour the women who are transforming the auto tech industry with their expertise, leadership and determination.
BMW and Mercedes scrap plans for Level 3 autonomy, citing lack of consumer demand
Two multinational OEMs, Mercedes and BMW, have decided to postpone, and likely cancel, plans for Level 3 autonomy in personal vehicles, citing regulatory challenges and a lack of consumer demand as the reasons.
Both automakers have been in the process of developing Level 3 autonomy in their vehicles, a level of assisted driving that allows consumers to take their hands and eyes off the road while remaining ready to resume control at a moment’s notice. Achieving this level of autonomy is a lengthy and expensive project that requires cars to be fitted with costly LiDAR sensors.
Wayve receives fresh backing from chipmakers Qualcomm, AMD and Arm
British autonomous driving firm Wayve is strengthening its position in the race toward driverless vehicles, announcing fresh backing from chip giants Qualcomm, AMD, and Arm. The trio contributed $60 million in a follow-on investment, adding momentum to the company’s earlier $1.2 billion raise revealed in February.
Although modest compared to that larger round, the latest funding carries strategic weight, bolstering Wayve’s tech-forward, end-to-end AI approach. Wayve is building a distinct autonomous strategy that is rooted in AI and avoids reliance on high-definition maps or hyper-localized geomapping.
Rolls Royce develops 100 highly bespoke EVs for super-rich clientele
In the world of the super-wealthy, hyper-personalisation ensures ultimate exclusivity, promising a completely unique driving experience that sometimes even money cannot buy. This is the strategy that Rolls-Royce is banking on when it comes to its luxury EV segment, pledging to produce just 100 highly bespoke vehicles for a small number of super-rich customers.
These custom-built, two-seater vehicles will be developed alongside clients in a four-year-long process that began back in 2024.
UK automotive industry expects £4.6 billion uplift by 2030, new predictions suggest
According to the latest report from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the UK automotive industry could deliver a £4.6 billion injection to the UK economy by 2030.
The uplift is driven by the UK’s commitment to ban the sale of all new petrol vehicles by 2035, a decision that is pushing automotive manufacturers towards electric vehicles with prescriptive rule of origin laws. Much like EU content laws, the UK government will offer preferential trade conditions for cars that exceed a threshold for UK or EU manufactured content.
The SMMT forecasts that this strategy will increase demand for UK-made parts by 80% by 2030, providing considerable opportunities for investment and a healthy boost to domestic supply chains.
Government backs 8 projects to drive UK autonomous mobility sector
Eight autonomous projects have received funding from a UK government-backed initiative aimed at driving the progress of autonomous solutions in the emerging UK market.
The eight projects, announced yesterday, will receive financial backing from the government-backed £150 million CAM Pathfinder programme, as part of the Feasibility Studies 2 competition. The funding marks a significant step in advancing the country’s Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) industry—already valued at £3.7 billion.
GM’s electrification long game: The Detroit automaker still banking on EVs
As many U.S. automakers walk back on their ambitious EV targets, General Motors Co. is remaining steadfast in its commitment to expand its electric segment. Since the end of the federal EV tax credit and the rollback of fuel economy regulations, the U.S. EV industry has been clouded by uncertainty.
More recently, soaring gas prices , driven in part by the Iran War, have exposed the vulnerability of an economy built on fuel-intensive ICE engines. Against this backdrop, many automakers are turning to hybrid powertrains in an effort to meet market demands and remain profitable in an unpredictable market.
Trump administration denies Ford tariff relief despite aluminium supply disruption
It has been over a year since President Trump announced a sweeping suite of country-by-country tariffs on imported foreign goods. After many reversals, walk-backs, and changes of mind, some industries have emerged largely untouched by these unpredictable and, at times, erratic shifts in trade and foreign policy.
For industries that rely on steel, aluminium, or semiconductors—of which automotive is one—the story is different. Owing to Section 232, materials deemed critical to matters of national security are subject to Trump’s high and unwavering tariffs.
A year after “liberation day,” many OEMs are calling for a reappraisal of Trump’s stringent tariffs due to mounting pressure caused by aluminium supply disruptions. Among these is legacy automaker Ford, which, under the leadership of CEO Jim Farley, has been vocal in its opposition to import tariffs.
NHTSA drops investigation into Tesla’s “Actually Smart Summon” autonomy
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has closed its investigation into Tesla’s divisive “Actually Smart Summon” feature, an autonomous system that allows vehicles to collect passengers from parking lots or garages remotely using an app.
The feature requires the passenger to select a location within a short radius and claims to be able to navigate out of tight parking spaces or from the other side of a busy car park to collect waiting riders.
Volvo begins testing hydrogen-powered long haul trucks in multipronged decarbonization effort
Volvo Trucks is making headway in its mission to decarbonize the heavy transport segment, beginning on-road testing of its hydrogen combustion engine trucks. Rather than relying on a single solution, the company aims to reduce emissions across its operations through a combination of electrification, green hydrogen technology and other renewable fuels.
Baidu robotaxi malfunction causes disruption on the streets of Wuhan
On Tuesday, disruption was reported on the streets of Wuhan following a malfunction in Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxi fleet.
Videos on social media captured the vehicles as they stopped in the middle of lanes of traffic, with passengers trapped inside. Some of the footage appears to show a vehicle involved in a highway collision, although police reports suggest no one was injured during the incident.
Wayve rolls out autonomous robotaxi trails in the UK capital and MOVEmnt is invited
Earlier this month, the MOVE team had the opportunity to test drive one of Wayve’s autonomous vehicles and experience their Level 3 autonomous technology in real time.
Following their landmark $1.5 billion investment round, we caught up with the Wayve team to learn how the UK start-up is positioning itself as a serious contender in London’s robotaxi race.
Will surging oil prices reignite EV demand amid the Iran conflict?
Since war broke out in Iran on 28 February, global oil prices have soared to unprecedented highs. The spike follows disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s busiest shipping channel for crude oil.
As the global conflict unravels and the oil crisis intensifies, analysts are recognising a renewed interest in electric vehicles (EVs) as consumers attempt to shield themselves from the impact of rising energy costs.
Jaguar Land Rover shuts UK plant due to fire at supplier site in Norway
Jaguar Land Rover is once again grappling with disruption, as production at one of its key UK facilities is set to pause following a fire at a supplier site in Norway. The interruption will affect output of its flagship Range Rover and Range Rover Sport vehicles at the Solihull plant, with operations halted until April 8. This latest grievance represents a significant setback for the automaker in a two year period punctuated by disruption.
Uber, Pony.ai and autonomous start-up Verne launch robotaxi trials in Croatia’s capital
As autonomous pilots accelerate across Europe, Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, represents the latest test bed for robotaxi trials, thanks to a partnership between Uber, Pony.ai, and autonomous technology start-up Verne.
The partnership brings together the autonomous driving technology of Chinese robotaxi developer Pony.ai with Verne’s fleet management expertise.
Automakers scale back on “luxury” EV plans as global appetite wanes
Just this week Honda and Sony have announced they are among dozens of companies scaling back plans to develop luxury EVs. The news follows recent walk backs from automotive manufacturers in the luxury segment including Bentley and Rolls-Royce.
Honda and Sony’s strategic partnership should have delivered a flagship Afeela EV with a premium price tag of $90,000 but the Japanese groups have changed course, abandoning the model altogether. Honda announced an eye-watering $16bn in EV write downs over the last two years following fluctuations in the global market, forcing the company to rethink its global EV strategy.
General Motors begins testing “hands-free, eyes-off” personal autonomy on public highways
General Motors may have taken a back seat in the robotaxi race after the collapse of autonomous robotaxi venture Cruise back in 2024, but the company is not resting on its self-driving laurels.
Since then, the Detroit automaker has turned its attention to developing autonomy in personal vehicles, announcing yesterday that it would begin testing its hands-free, eyes-off driving system on public highways this week.
Uber partners with Rivian in $1.25bn robotaxi deal, promising 50,000 vehicles by 2031
Uber is forging ahead with its vision for a driverless future through a new partnership with American EV maker Rivian Motors.
The agreement outlines plans for Uber to invest an initial $300mn, potentially rising to $1.25bn by 2031, contingent on Rivian hitting key autonomy milestones. Alongside the investment, Uber intends to purchase up to 50,000 autonomous vehicles, beginning with 10,000 robotaxi-ready versions of Rivian’s upcoming R2 SUV. The remaining 40,000 could follow from 2030.
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