Autonomous Vehicles — Sep 28 – Oct 2, 2026 (Wk 40): Autonomous Vehicle News: Uber’s Robotaxi Ambitions, Tesla’s 2026 Performance

TL;DR — This week, Uber's interest in Rivian for robotaxis and its autonomous vehicle rollout were noted, suggesting a potential shift in focus for EV makers towards self-driving applications. Meanwhile, Tesla's stock performance in 2026 was highlighted as underperforming compared to other major tech companies, with other EV makers also facing challenges.

What moved

• Uber's potential order for 50,000 Rivian vehicles suggests a strategic move towards robotaxis, indicating that autonomous vehicle technology, rather than just electric vehicles, could be a significant opportunity for companies like Rivian. This highlights the growing importance of self-driving capabilities in the automotive sector. (src: [7]) [aol.com]
• Uber Technologies is back in the spotlight, with Bernstein reiterating its stock rating due to the company's autonomous vehicle rollout. This suggests that progress in self-driving technology is a key factor influencing market perception and analyst ratings for ride-sharing platforms. (src: [10, 11]) [Simply Wall Street] [Investing.com]
• Tesla's stock is down 20% in 2026, making it the only 'Magnificent Seven' stock in the red for the year, with two other EV makers performing even worse. This indicates broader challenges within the electric vehicle market, which can impact companies also developing autonomous driving features. (src: [1, 4]) [The Motley Fool] [24/7 Wall St.]
• Cathie Wood has increased her holdings in Elon Musk-linked stocks, which could be interpreted as a continued belief in the long-term potential of companies associated with autonomous vehicle development, despite current market performance. (src: [5]) [TradingView]
• Mobileye Global and other AI driving stocks are being watched, underscoring the market's focus on companies providing the underlying technology for autonomous vehicles. This suggests that advancements in AI for driving are critical for the growth of the theme. (src: [8, 9]) [Simply Wall Street] [Investor's Business Daily]

The why behind the week

• The focus on Uber's autonomous vehicle rollout and its potential large order for Rivian vehicles for robotaxis indicates a strategic shift in the automotive industry. Companies are increasingly viewing self-driving technology as a significant growth driver, potentially transforming ride-sharing and vehicle manufacturing business models. (src: [7, 10, 11]) [aol.com] [Simply Wall Street] [Investing.com]
• The underperformance of Tesla and other EV makers in 2026 suggests that while electric vehicles are a foundational technology, the market may be facing headwinds or re-evaluating growth prospects. This can influence the capital available for autonomous vehicle development within these companies. (src: [1, 4]) [The Motley Fool] [24/7 Wall St.]
• The attention on AI driving stocks like Mobileye Global highlights the importance of the technological components and software that enable autonomous capabilities. These companies provide the 'brains' for self-driving cars, making their performance and innovation crucial for the broader theme. (src: [8, 9]) [Simply Wall Street] [Investor's Business Daily]

The macro backdrop

Every theme swims in this tide — judge the week’s moves against it.

📅 On the calendar — and why it matters here

• Fri Oct 2 — FOMC (Fed rate decision / minutes). the single biggest scheduled market mover — a rate surprise in either direction repriced everything, hardest on rate-sensitive names (growth, REITs, utilities, homebuilders). Watch for a surprise vs expectations — that gap, not the number itself, is what moves markets.
• Fri Oct 2 — Jobs report (payrolls + unemployment). sets the growth-vs-recession narrative — a weak number lifts recession odds (hits cyclicals, consumer, financials); a strong one can paradoxically pressure rates. Watch for a surprise vs expectations — that gap, not the number itself, is what moves markets.
• Wed Oct 14 — CPI (inflation). a hot print pushes rate-cut odds out (pressuring long-duration assets); a soft print does the reverse — one of the highest-impact releases. Watch for a surprise vs expectations — that gap, not the number itself, is what moves markets.
• Thu Oct 15 — Retail sales. the consumer's pulse — matters most to consumer/retail names. Watch for a surprise vs expectations — that gap, not the number itself, is what moves markets.
• Thu Oct 15 — PPI (wholesale inflation). wholesale inflation — an early tell on where CPI heads next. Watch for a surprise vs expectations — that gap, not the number itself, is what moves markets.

What to watch next

• The 10-year Treasury yield at 5.29% and a high-yield credit spread of 3.12% indicate a higher cost of capital. This can impact the financing costs for autonomous vehicle developers, many of which are still in growth phases and rely on external funding for research, development, and scaling operations. (src: ["macro"]) [macro data]
• The VIX at 15.55 suggests a moderate level of market volatility. While not extremely high, sustained volatility can lead to investor caution, potentially affecting capital flows into growth-oriented sectors like autonomous vehicles, which often require long-term investment horizons. (src: ["macro"]) [macro data]
• The Shiller CAPE ratio at 41.07 indicates that the broader market is trading at a historically high valuation. This could imply a more discerning environment for investors, potentially leading to increased scrutiny of profitability and clear pathways to commercialization for autonomous vehicle companies. (src: ["macro"]) [macro data]
• The median price-to-model-value across 9 stocks in this theme is 1.49x. This metric provides a general indication of how these stocks are valued relative to their intrinsic models, which can be a point of reference for understanding market sentiment towards the sector. (src: ["own"]) [SAVNG data]

This week’s headlines (sources)

• Best AI Stocks to Buy in 2026: 10 Top Picks & How to Invest — The Motley Fool, Oct 2
• Tesla Is the Only Magnificent Seven Stock in the Red for 2026 — The Motley Fool, Oct 2
• KTOS Stock Hits Two-Month High As Clear Growth Prospects Spur Piper Sandler Ratings Upgrade — Stocktwits, Oct 2
• 3 Export Oriented Industrial Stocks With Trade Exposure Investors Should Watch — Simply Wall Street, Oct 2
• Tesla Is Down 20% in 2026. These Two Other EV Makers Are Doing Even Worse. — 24/7 Wall St., Oct 1
• Cathie Wood Doubles Down on Elon Musk-Linked Stocks — TradingView, Oct 1
• Micron's Next Big AI Opportunity Could Have 2 Legs — The Globe and Mail, Oct 1
• Uber Wants 50,000 Rivians. Here's Why Robotaxis, Not EVs, Might Be Rivian's Biggest Opportunity. — aol.com, Oct 1
• Mobileye Global And 2 AI Driving Stocks To Watch — Simply Wall Street, Sep 30
• Automotive Industry News, Self-Driving Cars And EV Stocks To Watch — Investor's Business Daily, Sep 30
• Why Uber Technologies (UBER) Is Back In The Spotlight — Simply Wall Street, Sep 30
• Bernstein reiterates Uber stock rating on autonomous vehicle rollout — Investing.com, Sep 30
• How Investors Are Reacting To Lucid Stock Air UX 3.0 Launch — Simply Wall Street, Sep 30
• Ouster And 2 Other Top Of Class Automation Stocks — Simply Wall Street, Sep 30
• 3 Absurdly Cheap Growth Stocks That Are Trading Below $100 — The Motley Fool, Sep 29
• ETFs Investing in Tianqi Lithium Corp. Class H Stocks — TradingView, Sep 29

Every claim above cites its source — headlines link to the original outlet; [SAVNG data] marks our own EDGAR-computed figures. Where our sources don’t explain a move, we say so rather than guess. All weekly roundups →