Gig economy and autonomous vehicle analysis: Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Tesla, Waymo, and the race for autonomous mobility.
Gig economy developments, platforms, and worker dynamics.
Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash all reported Q3 earnings November 4-5. Uber missed estimates for the first time in quarters. DoorDash posted its first profit as a public company but stock dropped 17%. Lyft hit $1 billion free cash flow but missed EPS. Three companies, three completely different stories.
Lyft missed Q3 EPS by 60% but the stock jumped 7%. Wall Street cared about one thing: $1.03 billion in free cash flow for the first time ever. That's the metric that actually matters.
DoorDash beat Q3 revenue and showed continued profitability. The stock dropped 17%—worst day ever. CEO Tony Xu's plan to spend 'several hundred million dollars' in 2026 triggered the selloff. Classic conflict: investors want cash back, DoorDash wants growth.
Kroger just announced its expanded partnership with Uber Eats—2,600+ stores across all its banners starting early 2026. But here's what actually caught my eye: they're also deepening their DoorDash...
Uber's $4,000 EV driver grants reveal sophisticated strategy managing regulatory requirements, driver economics, and autonomous vehicle optionality. This isn't charity—it's mature business planning.
Uber's piloting a program letting drivers earn money through AI data labeling tasks when they're not on the road, tapping into the $6.5 billion data labeling market.
California's SB 371 just became law, slashing rideshare insurance costs by 95% and setting the stage for unprecedented growth in the gig economy.
California passed AB 1340, granting certain gig drivers the right to unionize, bargain collectively, and engage in concerted activities without being classified as employees. The law takes effect...
Uber is replacing Charter Communications in the S&P 100 index, marking another milestone in the company's transformation from cash-burning startup to blue-chip corporate heavyweight
DoorDash will join the S&P 500 on March 24, marking a major milestone for the food delivery platform as it transitions from mid-cap to large-cap status alongside quarterly index rebalancing