Nevada approves Mercedes-Benz's Level 3 system / Toyota selects new CEO

Hey readers – It's been a busy week in the transportation space. Here's the latest on Mercedes-Benz's autonomous systems, Lightyear solar cars, and Boom's supersonic planes: Nicolas 1. Mercedes-Benz revealed the Drive Pilot became the first Level 3 autonomous driving system approved for public roads in Nevada. Unlike L1 and L2 systems, the Drive Pilot does not require any input from the driver while activated.  Q: The automaker is also applying for a permit in California. How long do you think it will take to see Mercedes' Level 3 approved in all 50 states? Share your thoughts on Inside.com.  2. Toyota selected Koji Sato, head of Lexus, to replace Akio Toyoda as CEO. Toyoda is stepping into a chairman role, as he said the move would seek to "advance change." Q: The automaker received criticism over Toyoda's skepticism over consumer demand for electric vehicles while maintaining a focus on hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. Do you think the change will accelerate Toyota's electrification? Share your thoughts. 3. Atlas Technologies, the manufacturing contractor for the Lightyear solar car, was declared insolvent by a court in the Netherlands. The future of the Lightyear 2 model is unclear, as Atlas Technologies' parent company, Atlas Holdings, owns the intellectual property for the vehicle.  Q: Another solar vehicle company, Aptera, revealed its production model earlier this week. Do you think solar vehicle companies will pick up traction despite roadblocks? Comment on Inside.com. 4. Boom Supersonic began construction of a factory for its Overture aircraft in Greensboro, North Carolina. The company has an order book for 130 supersonic planes, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. 5. JetBlue reported a net income of $24M for Q4, up from a $129M loss the year prior. The company generated $2.4B in operating revenue, driven partially by a capacity increase of 2.4% versus 2019. 6. BMW led a $13M Series A for Bulgarian EV charger management company Ampeco. The company plans to expand its presence in North America and launch in the U.K., Germany, and France. 7. German trade association VDA Auto is projecting a 20% decline in the global production of cars by 2026 due to a shortage in semiconductors if measures are not implemented. The group estimates a 3x growth in demand driven by EVs and driver-assist systems. Nicolas is a Sr. Analyst at Inside, covering transportation and IT trends. He is an avid map maker and data nerd. Nicolas has worked in the shared-scooter space, as well as advised e-bike and moped startups.  Editor Aaron Crutchfield is based in the high desert of California. Over the last two decades, he has spent time writing and editing at various local newspapers and defense contractors in California. When he's not working, he can often be found looking at the latest memes with his kids or working on his 1962 and 1972 Fords. If your company would like to sponsor an Inside.com newsletter, please take a look at our sponsor page here.

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