This week’s stories are about tech, startup and sustainability, coming from the EU and the USA
Uber robotaxis, now, in Las Vegas
Uber began offering robotaxi rides to passengers in Las Vegas, with autonomous vehicles appearing as a selectable option in the Uber app.
The service uses self-driving versions of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 developed by autonomous driving firm Motional. Riders requesting UberX, Uber Electric, Uber Comfort or Uber Comfort Electric trips may be matched with a Motional robotaxi.
I saw this story at Engadget and passengers are not required to take the autonomous vehicle. If matched with one, they receive a notification and can decline and choose a traditional ride instead. Those interested in trying the service can increase their chances of receiving a robotaxi by opting in through the Ride Preferences section in the app’s settings.(By the way I have a story here about Uber, acquiring Getir, the Turkish delivery startup)
Riders using the autonomous vehicles can unlock the car through the Uber app. Once inside, audio prompts instruct passengers to close the doors and fasten their seatbelts. Human support is also available through the app if assistance is needed.
Uber and Motional began testing the robotaxi program in Las Vegas in 2022 as part of a 10-year partnership, according to the story.
Initial rides will still include safety drivers behind the wheel to monitor conditions. For now, the service is limited to specific pickup points along the Las Vegas Strip, including rideshare zones at Resorts World Las Vegas and Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, as well as Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino and curbside locations in downtown Las Vegas and the Town Square Las Vegas near the airport, the story noted.
Uber also said it plans to launch a robotaxi pilot in Tokyo in late 2026 with self-driving startup Wayve and automaker Nissan. Meanwhile, autonomous vehicle company Nuro, which is backed by Uber, is preparing to test its own driverless vehicles in the Japanese capital.
Uber robotaxis, now, in Las Vegas
OECD launched tool to track global startups
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) introduced a new global database tracking nearly 4.5 million start-ups, offering what it says is one of the most comprehensive views yet of how innovation-driven companies form, grow and secure funding.
The newly introduced OECD Start-ups Database merges several international datasets to provide a detailed picture of entrepreneurial activity across countries, industries and funding sources. I saw this story at ioplus and by combining information on founders, investment rounds, patents, trademarks and company performance, the initiative aims to help policymakers and researchers better understand how startup ecosystems operate.
At the center of the database are two major startup intelligence platforms: Crunchbase and Dealroom. Crunchbase, launched in 2007, has strong coverage of startups in the United States but also tracks companies globally, while Dealroom, founded in 2013, provides deeper data on European startups. Combining the two allows the OECD to expand geographic coverage.
The dataset includes detailed information on founders, investment rounds, investors, technologies, company descriptions, locations and founding dates. The OECD then enriches this information with additional sources such as global patent records from PATSTAT, trademark registrations in the United States, the European Union and Japan, financial data from Moody’s Orbis database, and records of exit events including acquisitions and initial public offerings, per the story.
Early analysis of the data highlights several global trends. North America and Europe still dominate the startup ecosystem in both company numbers and funding levels. However, startups from other regions now account for roughly 30% of the total sample and are expanding faster than those in traditional innovation hubs, the story noted.
OECD launched tool to track global startups
EU introduced AI tool to detect food safety controls
The European Commission launched an artificial intelligence (AI) platform designed to strengthen food safety monitoring across the European Union.
The tool, called TraceMap, is intended to help national authorities detect food fraud, track contaminated products and respond more quickly to foodborne disease outbreaks. The platform is now available to regulators in all EU member states to support food safety inspections and investigations.
I saw this story at Euronews and the AI-based system analyzes large volumes of data already generated within agricultural and food supply chains to map trade flows and production patterns in near real time.
TraceMap has already been tested in real-world situations. A pilot version was used during recent recalls of baby formula products in Europe linked to contaminated ingredients originating from China.
Food safety alerts in the EU have been rising. Notifications through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed increased 12% in 2024 to 5,250 cases, according to the European Commission.
Roughly one-third of those alerts involved border rejections, mainly related to pesticide residues found in fruit and vegetable imports from Türkiye, Egypt and India.
The countries submitting the largest number of notifications were Germany with 1,907 cases, followed by Netherlands with 1,155 and Italy with 965.
Separate data from the European Food Safety Authority shows that European countries reported 6,558 foodborne disease outbreaks in 2024, a 14.5% increase from the previous year.
The most commonly reported foodborne illnesses in Europe include Campylobacteriosis, Salmonellosis, infections caused by Escherichia coli and Listeriosis.
EU introduced AI tool to detect food safety controls
