National Highway Traffic Safety Administration administrator Jonathan Morrison sent a directive to all autonomous vehicle developers, stating that AVs must be able to detect and appropriately respond to situations involving first responders and law enforcement. He said that failure to do so represents a functional insufficiency and that such incidents are not rare edge cases. The agency requested that developers submit solutions by the end of the month. The directive, issued under the Department of Transportation’s Standing General Order, was not targeted at any specific company but follows recent reports of interactions between Waymo robotaxis and emergency services. In San Francisco, local officials noted that several Waymo vehicles ran out of power during a July 4 fireworks traffic jam, requiring them to be towed. Supervisor Bilal Mahmood announced plans to submit a letter of inquiry examining how autonomous vehicles affect public transit and emergency response. The 2026 Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda, updated last week, proposes revisions to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards that could benefit companies developing vehicles without steering wheels or pedals, such as Tesla and Zoox. Other news included Rivian’s $1.32 billion private placement of 86.25 million Class A common shares at $15.50 each, including an over‑allotment, to fund production of its R2 SUV and support growth despite ongoing profitability challenges. Additional funding rounds were reported for Bidbus ($15 million Series A), Lyft’s undisclosed acquisition of Serveo’s Spanish bike‑share business, and TaiSan’s £4.65 million seed round. A data breach at AssuranceAmerica exposed driver’s license information of 6.9 million people, the largest such spill of its kind this year. Beta Technologies completed eVTOL test flights under the DOT and FAA’s Integration Pilot Program, covering about 275 nautical miles in Virginia and Maryland. Further items covered remarks on anti‑Elon exchange‑traded funds, GM’s Chevrolet EV truck sales performance, Manna Aero’s planned Tulsa facility, Slate Auto’s partnership with Crayola for vehicle wrap colors, and the launch of the third season of the TechCrunch “Build Mode” podcast.