TechCrunch Mobility is hitting the road to SXSW, the annual tech, music, film, and culture conference in Austin, where our team will be keeping a close eye on the latest transportation news and trends. Senior reporter Rebecca Bellan and I will be moderating panels and interviewing industry leaders, including Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, who will take the stage for an onstage interview.

Our SXSW panels include a March 11 interview with Autodesk's chief marketing officer Dara Treseder, focusing on transforming urban spaces, and a March 12 discussion with execs from GM, Dolby, and Google about in-car entertainment. I will also be interviewing Wing CEO Adam Woodruff, Walmart VP of dedicated delivery Warren Moore, and University of North Texas professor Clinton Purtell about the future of drone delivery.

In other news, the Trump administration's tariffs on automobile imports from Canada and Mexico are expected to significantly impact the automotive industry. President Trump has delayed the tariffs for one month, but the administration is pushing for GM, Ford, and Stellantis to move their offshore operations to the United States by April 2. However, it's unlikely that this will happen.

Volkswagen has unveiled its cheapest EV yet, the ID. EVERY1, a small four-door hatchback that will start production in 2027 with a starting price of 20,000 euros ($21,500). The EV will be the first to roll out with software and architecture from Rivian, as part of a $5.8 billion joint venture between the German automaker and the U.S. EV maker. Another cheap EV, the ID.2all, will be based on the E3 1.1 architecture and software developed by VW's software unit Cariad.

In deal news, Chinese ride-hail firm Didi is seeking fresh funds for its autonomous vehicle technology unit, which could value it at $5 billion. Didi Autonomous Driving has raised $1.55 billion to date and is in talks with investors, including a Beijing-based fund, to gauge interest. Meanwhile, Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD has raised $5.6 billion in a primary share sale.

Other notable deals include AiDEN Auto, a connected vehicle technology and data privacy startup, raising $4.2 million in a seed funding round, and Canoo CEO Anthony Aquila buying nearly all of the defunct EV startup's assets out of bankruptcy for $4 million. CaPow, a company that developed in-motion electric charging systems for robotic fleets, has raised $15 million in a Series A funding round led by Toyota Ventures.

In autonomous vehicle news, Avride has partnered with Hyundai to jointly develop autonomous vehicles, focusing on AV technology designed for robotaxis. The companies will also expand Avride's fleet of Hyundai Ioniq 5 vehicles, which will be integrated with Avride's self-driving system. Politecnico di Milano has set a new autonomous speed record with the Indy Autonomous Challenge, reaching 197.7 mph with a Maserati MC20 Coupe. Uber CPO Sachin Kansal has spoken about the deployment of autonomous vehicles through Uber's 14 partnerships, which is the next big challenge for the new chief product officer.

The "Waymo on Uber" robotaxi service is now live in Austin, allowing Uber users to choose between a Waymo robotaxi and a human driver. Waymo is logging more than 200,000 paid robotaxi rides every week, doubling its weekly robotaxi rides in less than a year.

In electric vehicle news, Volvo has unveiled the ES90 sedan, its first mass-produced EV with an estimated 435 miles of range under Europe's WLTP rating system. The vehicle is equipped with Luminar's Iris lidar integrated into the roofline. Tesla has applied for a permit with the California Public Utilities Commission to operate a transportation service in the state, which could pave the way for a robotaxi service.

Finally, Uber is piloting its teenagers-focused Uber for Teens service in India, which is live in Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, and Mumbai. The company plans to expand the service to 35 cities in the coming weeks.