1. LDV D90 diesel returns to Australia after two-year hiatus
Diesel isn't dead in Australia — not by a long shot. The 2027 LDV D90 is on sale now with a 2.5-litre single-turbo diesel lifted from the Terron 9 ute, pushing 163kW and 520Nm through an eight-speed auto. It's a straight upgrade over the old 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel LDV dropped two years ago, and it brings 3.5-tonne braked towing with it. Prices start at $41,490 drive-away for the carryover petrol, and there's a $4,500 discount across the range until October 31 — the 4WD diesel lands from $46,990 drive-away for ABN holders. The new Luxe flagship grade (diesel-only) adds 20-inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof, surround-view camera, JBL sound, and heated, ventilated and massaging front seats. Why bother? Because 92% of body-on-frame large SUVs sold here last year were diesel, per GWM's figures. Aussie families vote with their right foot.
Source: Drive.com.au
2. Uber and Pony.ai plan London robotaxi launch
Uber's robotaxi empire keeps expanding. The ride-hailing giant has teamed up with Chinese autonomous outfit Pony.ai to launch a driverless service in London, with testing of Pony.ai's Gen-7 robotaxis starting in the coming weeks. It's the latest of more than 30 autonomous-vehicle partnerships Uber has struck, and the company wants AV trips running in up to 15 cities globally by the end of 2026 — the pair already run driverless rides in Zagreb with partner Verne, with 2,000 robotaxis planned across Europe. London won't be Uber's alone either: Uber is also backing British startup Wayve in the capital. Two rival robotaxi fleets on the same app, in the same city — just not ours yet.
Source: TechCrunch
3. Waymo locks in a US$5 billion loan to fuel robotaxi expansion
Waymo just took on its first-ever debt: a US$5 billion loan from lenders including Blackstone and PIMCO, with Goldman Sachs running the books. The Alphabet-owned robotaxi company says the money buys financial flexibility as it scales across the US, Europe and Japan — calling itself a "scaling commercial enterprise" rather than a moonshot. Some context: Waymo raised US$16 billion in equity back in February at a US$126 billion valuation. When a company worth more than most car makers is borrowing billions on top, the robotaxi business has officially moved from experiment to infrastructure.
Source: TechCrunch
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