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Top 7 mobility companies of the future to watch for in 2017
A transformation is taking shape in the auto industry led by technology-focused companies looking to upend all facets of design, powertrains, vehicle ownership, and sales and distribution, as we know it. Tesla has spearheaded this movement towards the electrification of vehicles, while priming the market for a shared vehicle ownership model to come. Joining the Silicon Valley-based electric car maker is another technology company, Uber, looking to become the transportation of the future, sans vehicle ownership.
The automotive industry has just begun its transformation into the mobility industry, and it is important to understand who is leading the pack in innovation.
#1 Tesla
The future mobility industry is being led by Tesla through their fleet of long range electric vehicles – currently having the longest range electric car in the industry – and its Autopilot driver assistance technology. Having the most advanced battery and motor technology in the world, Tesla continues to do a land grab of market share in the automotive market. With planned introduction of Model 3 this year into consumer hands, Tesla is poised for massive growth as it ventures into mass market territory. The company also has billions of miles of data collected through its fleet of vehicles and looks to grow a self-driving market powered by Tesla innovation.
What to watch for in 2017: Fully autonomous vehicles, Model 3 production, improved Supercharger technology with faster charging speeds.
#2 Uber
Uber has grown rapidly in 2016 and is now one of the most recognized startups in the world. Uber’s software algorithms help move millions of people per day and provides a source of income to thousands of workers globally. With Uber’s recent movement into self-driving technology, Uber could emerge as a complete replacement to vehicle ownership. Additionally, Uber acquired Otto in 2016 for $680M, a company that has helped Uber with their self-driving efforts while looking to bring autonomous driving technology to the trucking industry.
What to watch for in 2017: More self-driving cities, entrance into the trucking industry, expanding delivery service.
#3 General Motors
Under Mary Barra’s leadership, GM has transformed itself over the past three years to expose itself to autonomous driving, electric vehicles, and the shift in car ownership. Just this month, GM shipped the Chevy Bolt, a low-cost, long-range electric vehicle. While it is still to be seen whether the Chevy Bolt will be successful, GM has been investing in a variety other innovative areas.
GM has asserted itself as a major player in the car-sharing and ride-sharing industry. In 2016, GM launched a “personal mobility” brand, Drive Maven, which allows people to rent a car on an hourly basis. GM has launched the brand in 12 cities across North America and is investing heavily in growing the brand. GM also invested $500M into Lyft and partnered with the company to provide easier access to vehicles on the platform. In addition to their investment in Lyft, GM also acquired self-driving start-up, Cruise Automation, for $1 Billion in cash and stock. Clearly, GM has been very busy in order to stay relevant and has asserted themselves as the leader of traditional automaker industry.
What to watch for in 2017: Chevy Bolt production, expansion of Maven, more advancements with Cruise’s self-driving technology.
#4 Lucid Motors
Lucid Motors has been hard at work for over ten years to develop their first production vehicle, the Lucid Air. The company promises a large luxury vehicle with 1,000 hp and 400 miles of range. While the claims might seem lofty, Lucid is poised to become a very dominant force within the new era of electrification. They are the most likely start-up automaker to make it to production in the next few years. The company has raised over $130M and has quietly begun construction of their factory in Arizona and aiming for a production run of 10,000 vehicles in 2019. Lucid’s CTO is the former vice president of vehicle engineering at Tesla Motors and was involved in the development of the Model S.
What to watch for in 2017: Factory development, more details, and pricing on the ‘Air’
#5 NextEV (NIO)
NextEV is the newest start-up automaker to enter the EV space and has developed advanced technology to assert themselves in the market. Founded in late 2014, NextEV has raised upwards of $500M and has brought on a veteran technology executive as their CEO, Padmasree Warrior, who’s the former CTO of Cisco and Motorola. The company participates in the Formula E electric car racing series. In November 2016, the company rebranded itself as NIO.
NIO has already built and tested its electric supercar the EP9 that broke the electric vehicle lap time at the famed Nürburgring course. The company is looking to launch a consumer electric car brand focused on a different style of ownership.
What to watch for in 2017: Advancements with the EP9, more details on the consumer vehicle, development of their factory in China.
#6 Volvo
Volvo surprised the automotive industry when they emerged in 2015 with the brand-new Volvo XC90 built on advanced engineering and technology. The XC90 went on to win Motortrend’s SUV of the year and numerous awards. Not only is the XC90 a fantastic refresh of the Volvo brand, but the vehicle also has a new powertrain combined with autonomous driving technology.
Uber self-driving pilot program in San Francisco
Volvo formed a partnership with Uber in August of 2016 to collaborate on self-driving technology. Volvo’s partnership with Uber is a major win for the brand as it moves forward to reinvent the aging brand.
What to watch for in 2017: New generation S60/XC60, full self-driving technology, electrification of vehicle lineup.
#7 Faraday Future
Faraday Future has entered 2017 swinging straight at Tesla with the FF91. The company claims a 0-60 time of 2.39 secs on the FF91 which is nothing short of impressive. Faraday has lofty goals to become a major transportation and entertainment ecosystem through a vast fleet of electric mobility vehicles. However, amid reports of financial issues taking place within the organization, the company is quickly adjusting its stated manufacturing plans and realigning its finances. Faraday Future seems to be back on track.
What to watch for in 2017: More details and pricing on the FF91, development efforts on the factory, advancements in self-driving technology.
News
Tesla expands Robotaxi in a way that was long anticipated
Instead, it has to do with the consumer base it offers Robotaxi to, because it has not offered it to everyone in the past.
Tesla has expanded Robotaxi in a way that was long anticipated, and it does not have to do with a new, larger geofence in a city where it already offered its partially autonomous ride-hailing suite, or a new city altogether.
Instead, it has to do with the consumer base it offers Robotaxi to, because it has not offered it to everyone in the past.
Tesla has taken a major step forward in its autonomous ride-hailing ambitions with the official launch of the Tesla Robotaxi app for Android users. Released on the Google Play Store on April 24. Titled simply “Tesla Robotaxi,” the app is now available to download directly from Tesla.
The @Tesla Robtoaxi App has just officially launched for Android users. Go get some rides y’all!
Download: https://t.co/D2jIONXc91 pic.twitter.com/rQ6TD14zkC
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) April 24, 2026
This rollout fulfills a long-anticipated expansion that opens the service to hundreds of millions of Android smartphone users who were previously unable to access it on iOS alone.
The app delivers a streamlined, driverless ride experience powered by Tesla’s automated driving technology.
Users sign in with a Tesla Account, view the current service area map within the app, enter a destination, and receive an estimated fare and arrival time before confirming the ride. When a Model Y from the Robotaxi fleet arrives, riders confirm the license plate, enter the vehicle, fasten their seatbelt, and tap “Start Ride” on either the app or the vehicle’s touchscreen.
During the trip, passengers have access to all the same controls that iOS users do, and can adjust climate settings, seat positions, and music while tracking progress on an in-app map. The interface also allows drop-off changes or support requests if needed. After the ride, users exit, close the doors, and submit feedback.
This Android availability directly broadens the rider base for Robotaxi in its initial service areas. Unfortunately, Android users are used to being subject to delayed launches of new features available to Tesla owners.
By removing the iOS-only barrier, Tesla instantly expands the addressable market, enabling far more people to summon and use the autonomous vehicles already operating on public roads.
The move is a foundational requirement for scaling ride volume and gathering the real-world data needed to refine the unsupervised Full Self-Driving system that powers every trip.
For the Robotaxi program itself, the launch signals steady operational progress. It prepares the service for higher utilization rates as the fleet grows and supports the transition from limited early deployments to a more robust network.
Tesla expands Unsupervised Robotaxi service to two new cities
Tesla has indicated that users outside current service areas can sign up at the company’s website for future notifications, pointing to a deliberate, phased geographic rollout.
Looking ahead, the company plans to incorporate Cybercab vehicles to increase fleet capacity and efficiency while continuing to expand service territories. With the Android app now live, Tesla has removed a key adoption hurdle and positioned Robotaxi for the next phase of growth in autonomous urban transportation.
The infrastructure is now in place to support significantly larger rider demand as production and deployment accelerate.
News
UPDATE: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy that launched a Tesla into space is back on a mission
SpaceX Falcon Heavy returns after 18 months away to deliver a satellite that only it could carry.
UPDATE: 10:29 a.m. et: SpaceX is standing down from today’s Falcon Heavy launch of the ViaSat-3 F3 mission due to unfavorable weather. A new target date will be shared once confirmed.
After an 18-month absence, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy is returning to mission on Monday morning when it’s scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center at 10:21 a.m. EDT.
The mission is called ViaSat-3 F3, and the heavy satellite payload needs to reach geostationary orbit, sitting 22,236 miles above Earth where its speed matches the planet’s rotation. Getting a satellite that heavy to that altitude demands more thrust than a single-core Falcon 9 can deliver.
This marks the Falcon Heavy’s 12th flight overall since its debut in February 2018, and its first since NASA’s Europa Clipper mission in October 2024.
Arguably, the most exciting element for spectators will be watching the booster recoveries in action when the two side boosters, B1072 and B1075, will attempt simultaneous landings at Landing Zone 2 and the newer Landing Zone 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, while the center core will be expended over the ocean.
SpaceX wins its first MARS contract but it comes with a catch
Following satellite deployment, expected roughly five hours after launch, ViaSat-3 F3 will spend several months traveling to its final orbital slot before undergoing in-orbit testing, with service entry expected by late summer 2026
As Teslarati reported, NASA awarded SpaceX a $175.7 million contract on April 16, 2026, to launch the ESA Rosalind Franklin Mars rover aboard a Falcon Heavy no earlier than late 2028, which would mark the first time SpaceX has ever sent a payload to Mars. That contract came on top of an already deep pipeline that includes the Roman Space Telescope, the Dragonfly Saturn mission, and multiple national security payloads.
SpaceX executed 165 missions in 2025 and now accounts for approximately 85% of all global orbital launches. With Starlink surpassing 10 million subscribers and an IPO targeting a $1.75 trillion valuation still ahead, Monday’s launch is one more data point in a company that has quietly become the backbone of both commercial and government space access worldwide.
Tesla is launching its solution to end Supercharger fights once and for all, eliminating any confusion on who is to charge next at a congested location.
Last year, a notable incident at a Tesla Supercharger led to a fight, and it all stemmed from a disagreement over who arrived at the location first.
Congestion at Tesla Superchargers is a pretty infrequent occurrence for most of us, but there are more congested and popular areas where wait times can be extensive. An unfortunate growing pain of EV ownership is the plain fact that chargers are not as available as gas pumps, and there are, at times, lines to charge.
This can cause tensions to flare and people to get entitled when visiting Superchargers. Nobody wants to spend hours at a Supercharger, but now, there will be no more confusion when there is a queue, and that’s thanks to Tesla’s new Virtual Queue for Superchargers.
Tesla is finally starting to build out the Virtual Supercharger Queue, according to Not a Tesla App, but it still relies on drivers to make it work.
When a driver is near a Supercharger that is full, a message will pop up on the Tesla App, using the driver’s location to determine their eligibility to join the virtual queue.
The app states:
“While the app is closed, Tesla uses your location to notify you of accurate wait times at Superchargers when you arrive.”
Another message within the app states:
“There is a waitlist to charge. Are you sure you want to start a charging session now?”
This sounds as if it will require drivers to act appropriately and only plug in when the app prompts them to do so, by letting them know it is their turn.
The app will notify the driver of their position in the queue, as well as how many vehicles are ahead of them.
Tesla launches first ‘true’ East Coast V4 Supercharger: here’s what that means
The company announced a while back that it would be working on a solution for this issue. Personally, I’ve only had to wait at a Supercharger for a charge on one occasion, and there was a line of between 3 and 10 cars during this singular occurrence.
I’m out at the Lancaster, PA Supercharger and showed up with a queue of three vehicles.
It’s now up to five and there have been several issues with order of arrival and confusion about who is first.
Any update on Supercharger queue? @elonmusk @aelluswamy @r_jegaa
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 31, 2026
There were no conflicts or arguments about who had arrived first, but there was some discussion between several drivers during my time there about who was to charge first. Throw a non-Tesla EV into the mix, one that can only charge at a pull-in spot, and that causes even more of a complication.
Tesla expands Robotaxi in a way that was long anticipated
UPDATE: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy that launched a Tesla into space is back on a mission
