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<br />
<br /> Ashish Kumar, an <keyword id="57604" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="iit-delhi">IIT Delhi</keyword> alumnus based in the US is all set to develop <keyword id="4386546" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="hybrid-planes">hybrid planes</keyword>, with hopes to sell the same in India. The planes would be suited for about 1,100-<br />
km-long regional flights by early 2020s, while this range will go up to 1,600 km by 2030. <br />
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Also read:  <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/India-to-launch-regional-flights-at-Rs-2500-to-boost-air-travel/articleshow/54975550.cms">India to launch regional flights at Rs 2,500 to boost air travel</a><br />
<br /> Kumar is the CEO and founder of Kirkland (Washington)-based <keyword id="4384224" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="zunum-aero">Zunum Aero</keyword>, founded in 2013.<br />
<br />
"<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/tech/boeing-and-jetblue-just-invested-in-an-tiny-electric-jet-startup-that-could-revolutionize-air-travel/articleshow/58026248.cms">Boeing and JetBlue </a>(via JetBlue Technology Ventures subsidiary) are backing us. We will first come out with a sub-20 seater hybrid aircraft. We hope to have the first prototype flying in two years and begin commercial production in early 2020s," Kumar told TOI. After IIT-D, Kumar secured a PhD in mechanical and aerospace engineering from <keyword id="31781" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cornell-University">Cornell University</keyword>.<br />
<br />
"Our planes will be way cheaper for airlines to operate. They will not go as high as commercial aircraft due to the distances they will be covering. While they will be slower than other planes, their ability to land at airstrips closer to final destination will significantly reduce door-to-door time for flyers," Kumar added.<br />
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Also read:  <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/new-airports-in-india/articleshow/49673619.cms">50 new airports coming up in India in the next 10 yrs!</a><br />
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His company, Zunum Aero, is building a family of commercial hybrid-to-electric aircraft especially for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/transportation/planes/Air-India-SpiceJet-to-fly-first-on-regional-routes/articleshow/53957129.cms">regional flights</a>, which would be powered by quiet range-optimized powertrain and propulsion technologies.<br />
<br />
These hybrid planes will have 80% lower emissions, and their low operating cost will allow airlines to offer cheap fares.<br />
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Also read:   <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/strategy/Soon-Rs-2500/hr-flights-No-fuel-charges-ortax-added/articleshow/49659225.cms">Soon, Rs 2500/hr flights. No fuel charges or tax added</a><br />
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"The shift of the industry to large aircraft and long ranges driven by gas turbines has concentrated almost all air traffic to just one percent of our airports, creating a massive transport gap over regional distances where there is no high-speed alternative. Hybrid propulsion is an industry-changing solution, enabling mid-sized aircraft on regional routes to have better cost efficiencies than airliners," he said.<br />
<br />
(Image source The Verge)

US based IIT alumnus developing hybrid plane for regional flights

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Zunum Aero</span></p><p class="caption">A rendering of Zunum Aero's hybrid-electric aircraft.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/zunum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zunum</a> Aero is a Kirkland, Washington-based electric plane start-up.</strong></li><li><strong>The company's two most prominent backers are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/boeing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boeing</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/jetblue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JetBlue</a>.</strong></li><li><strong>Zunum is working with both of its major backers to get their plane flying.</strong></li><li><strong>Zunum's ZA10 12-seat regional plane will debut with a hybrid-electric drive system before moving to a fully-electric layout as battery technology improves.</strong></li><li><strong>Safran's Ardiden 3 turboshaft engine has been selected to power the ZA10 hybrid system's power generator.</strong></li></ul><p>Zunum Aero's mission is simple, revolutionize regional travel with small, efficient electric-powered passenger planes. </p><p>The Kirkland, Washington-based start-up claims its upcoming ZA10 12-seat regional aircraft can cut door-to-door travel times for trips of less than 1,000 miles by more than half. To achieve this, Zunum aims to take <span>advantage of a network of more than 5,000 secondary and general aviation airports around the country.<strong> </strong></span></p><p>The company is determined to start flying as soon as possible. </p><p>On Thursday, Zunum took another step towards taking to the skies as it announced that Safran's Ardiden 3 turboshaft engine has been selected to power the ZA10 hybrid drive system's electric generator. Zunum's <span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-jetblue-zunum-electric-jet-will-change-flying-2017-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">planes will debut with a hybrid-electric drive system</a> before moving to a fully-electric layout as battery technology improves.</span></p><p><span>"The selection of the powerplant is one of the most critical milestones and it anchors the program," Zunum Aero CEO Ashish Kumar told Business Insider.</span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Zunum</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>The company is on track to begin flight testing of its innovative drive system on existing airframes in 2019 with certification of the technology expected in 2021 or early 2022, Kumar said. The full airframe with the hybrid electric drive system won't fly until 2020 or 2021.</p><p>To help get the ball rolling, Zunum has enlisted the help of its two biggest investors, Boeing and Jetblue Airways. </p><p>The four-year-old start-up burst onto the scene in April 2017 when it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-jetblue-invest-zunum-electric-jet-startup-2017-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced funding from their respective venture capital arms; Boeing HorizonX and JetBlue Technology Ventures</a>.</p><p><span>"I consider us very fortunate to have backers like JetBlue and Boeing," Kumar told Business Insider at the time of the launch. "We have been engaged with both companies for about a year, and both are as passionate as we are in this opportunity to reinvent regional air travel."</span></p><p>In a recent interview, the Zunum CEO gave Business Insider an update on the role Boeing and JetBlue are playing in his company's development.</p><p>"JetBlue, as an airline, is very helpful downstream from a marketing standpoint as well as engaging with other airlines," Kumar said in a recent interview.</p><p>Kumar also credits <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jetblue-boeing-backed-zunum-sells-first-electric-plane-2018-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JetBlue with helping his firm land JetSuite as the ZA10's launch customer</a>. In October 2017, JetSuite placed an order for 100 aircraft for its JetSuiteX regional airline. </p><p>"Out JetSuite launch customer is an example of the value we get from working with JetBlue," he said. </p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Zunum Aero</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>JetSuite was founded by former JetBlue executive Alex Wilcox. Since 2016, JetBlue has also been an investor in JetSuiteX.</span></p><p><span>And then there's Boeing. According to Kumar, the Chicago-based aviation giant has been helpful in getting the start-up off the ground.</span></p><p><span>"Boeing is very helpful around the development of the airframe itself," he said. "A</span><span>s we now are moving towards our key airframe milestones, we are engaging with them much more directly in the areas of expertise Boeing has which is around metal structure, composite structure, aircraft systems, and the aircraft program overall."</span></p><p><span>In addition, Boeing has helped Zunum assemble the right people to make its innovative plane happen.</span></p><p><span>"They've helped us in very targeted ways even in things like hiring and building our teams, attracting the right talent," Kumar told us.</span></p><p class="tagline">Get the latest Boeing stock price <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/BA-Quote">here.</a></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/monster-jam-truck-driver-brianna-mahon-tom-meents-gravedigger-transportation-2018-10">INSIDE MONSTER JAM: What it takes to be a monster truck driver</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Boeing and JetBlue are betting big on the electric plane startup Zunum Aero. Here's how the aviation giants are helping the company take off.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>James Robart, a federal judge, just threw out a $72 million verdict against Boeing.</li><li>He disclosed trades of up to $15,000 in Boeing stock in his wife's IRA last year, while the case was ongoing.</li></ul><p>A federal judge in Seattle who just threw out a $72 million verdict against Boeing disclosed that he bought and sold between $1,000 and $15,000 of the company's stock last year while he was overseeing the case, records show.</p><p>Judge James Robart told Business Insider a bank that managed his wife's IRA purchased Boeing stock in April 2023. He said as soon as he learned about it, he had the stocks sold; his financial disclosures said the shares were sold on two dates in May and June.</p><p>It's not clear whether Robart's wife made money on the trades overall. Based on the prices that Boeing shares traded at on the days her IRA bought and sold the shares, at least one of the two sales was a money-loser, while the second could have potentially been profitable.</p><p>Zunum Aero, an electric aircraft startup, sued Boeing in 2020 and expanded its lawsuit in 2021 to accuse the company and its suppliers of conspiring to deprive Zunum of funding and steal its plans for an electric short-haul airplane.</p><p>Robart described the trades to BI as an error and said he immediately took steps to correct it by selling the stocks. Still, he said, he did not notify the lawyers for either side and made no public acknowledgment of the trades aside from financial disclosures he is required by law to file.</p><p>"There could be some market movement, but it's not going to influence my decision," he said.</p><h2 id="1fe27ef3-6128-4f68-802e-93fc73949c12">Judges' finances in focus</h2><p>The financial lives of federal judges have been under a microscope, with Supreme Court justices <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/clarence-thomas">Clarence Thomas</a>'s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trips-justice-clarence-thomas-took-with-harlan-crow-2024-6">luxury trips</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/supreme-court-sonia-sotomayor-pressured-library-books-ethics-2023-7">Sonia Sotomayor's book</a> sales the subject of critical stories.</p><p>In 2021, the <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/federal-judges-broke-us-law-court-cases-family-stock-holdings-2021-9">Wall Street Journal reported</a> that 131 federal judges had broken an ethics law by not recusing themselves in cases where they or their family members bought or held stock. Some of the judges faulted clerks, some said they weren't aware of holding the assets that created the conflict, and others admitted errors, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/131-federal-judges-broke-the-law-by-hearing-cases-where-they-had-a-financial-interest-11632834421">the Journal reported</a>.</p><p>Robart — who wasn't among the judges in the Journal's story — said he was aware of the report and was cautious about his trading. He said he didn't realize that his wife's IRA was in a pooled fund that traded individual stocks until receiving a monthly report on its trading activity.</p><p>A jury awarded Zunum a whopping $72 million in June and found Boeing's theft of its trade secrets had been "willful." Boeing argued that the jury had erred. Robart threw out the verdict earlier this month after concluding that testimony wasn't detailed enough to establish what Zunum's trade secrets were. He and his family disposed of their Boeing shares more than a year before that decision.</p><p>Bill Hodes, a retired law professor who focused on legal ethics, said as long as the trades were accidental, quickly fixed, and not repeated, he didn't think it was more than a technical violation.</p><p>"Whether the remedy would be that — after he quickly did it, and did the 'oops' — whether he should announce it to the parties," he said, "I don't know."</p><p>Gabe Roth, whose group Fix The Court focuses on Supreme Court and judicial ethics, said the level of care Robart said he took was what judges are supposed to do. He said the law allows judges to sell shares so that they can hear a case.</p><p>Zunum could bring up the issue on appeal, Roth said, but it probably wouldn't change anything. He said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/455">the law</a> doesn't require disqualification if a judge has already sunk significant time into a case when issues like this arise.</p><p>"I think he probably should've mentioned this to the parties," Roth said.</p><p>The amount of Boeing stock traded isn't much compared to Robart's total wealth. According to his 2021 annual disclosure, the most recent available, Robart owns several million dollars' worth of financial assets, largely diversified funds.</p><p>Robart told BI he believed his wife's retirement account would be managed like a mutual fund, which judges frequently hold because they reduce the need for recusals. It was only after he received a statement that he realized the pooled fund was trading individual stocks.</p><p>"I'm trying pretty hard to abide by the rules," he said.</p><p>He said his wife eventually transferred the retirement account back to Charles Schwab and hasn't had issues since.</p><p>Boeing and Zunum didn't respond to requests for comment.</p>

A judge who overturned a $72 million verdict against Boeing disclosed he bought and sold Boeing stock while hearing the case — but says his wife's IRA was to blame

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Zunum</span></p><p class="caption">A rendering of Zunum's new electric plane in JetSuite livery.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/zunum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zunum</a> Aero announced that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/jetsuite" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JetSuite</a> will be the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/electric-plane" target="_blank" rel="noopener">electric plane</a> maker's launch customer.</strong></li><li><strong>JetSuite will take up to 100 planes from Zunum with delivery expected to start in 2022.</strong></li><li><strong>Zunum is backed by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/jetblue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JetBlue Technology Ventures</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/boeing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boeing HorizonX</a> venture capital funds.</strong></li><li><strong>Zunum Aero wants its electric planes to make air travel cheaper, quicker, and more convenient for small communities around the US.</strong></li></ul><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-jetblue-zunum-electric-jet-will-change-flying-2017-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zunum Aero</a> announced on Monday that jet charter company JetSuite will become its launch customer. </p><p>"We are thrilled to announce that JetSuite is going to be our launch customer," Zunum Aero CEO Ashish Kumar told us in an interview.</p><p>Zunum, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-jetblue-invest-zunum-electric-jet-startup-2017-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the electric plane startup backed by JetBlue Technology Ventures and Boeing HorizonX</a>, revealed that JetSuite will take up to 100 planes with deliveries expected to commence in 2022. The financial terms of the deal have not been released.</p><p>The planes are expected to be used for JetSuite's private jet charter business as well as its JetSuiteX regional airline.</p><p>JetSuite's operations in smaller, regional airports falls in line with Zunum's commitment to drastically cutting door-to-door trip times by avoiding large hubs, Kumar said.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Zunum</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Over the past few decades, major US airlines built a complex hub-and-spoke operation that is optimized for moving massive numbers of people through its major airports using larger aircraft. A consequence of this is that many smaller communities have found itself underserved with direct flights, forcing people to drive long distances to catch a flight in nearby cities. </p><p>"We see electric as a way to level the playing field," Kumar said. "By having smaller aircraft fly economically against airliners, we can really blow open the air system to every community."</p><p>"We can offer higher frequency of flights to airfields closer to your home or to your final destination without having to deal with baggage belts and TSA lines," the Zunum CEO added.</p><p>Zunum's planes are expected to debut with a hybrid-electric drive system before moving to a fully-electric layout as battery technology improves. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Zunum Aero</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>The planes will have room for up to 12 passengers and are optimized for flights up to 1,000 miles. The Kirkland, Washington-based startup also claims its planes will be able to cruise at speeds up to 340 mph and require just 2,200 feet of runway to take off. </p><p>According to Kumar, his company is on track to begin flight testing of its innovative drive system on existing airframes in 2019 with certification of the technology expected in 2021 or early 2022. The full airframe with the hybrid electric drive system won't fly until 2020 or 2021. </p><p>JetSuite was founded by former JetBlue executive Alex Wilcox. Since 2016, both JetBlue and Qatar Airways have invested in the company's JetSuiteX regional service. </p><p class="tagline">Get the latest Boeing stock price <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/BA-Quote">here.</a></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/socially-responsible-investing-esg-risk-management-tool-2018-5">How socially responsible investing can help you avoid catastrophic drops within your portfolio</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

The electric plane startup backed by Boeing and JetBlue just sold 100 planes and the deal could spark a new era of air travel in the US

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Zunum</span></p><p class="caption">The Zunum Aero jet.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>Zunum Aero's will build a 12-seat hybrid-to-electric jet.</strong></li><li><strong>It will hit the market in 2022.</strong></li><li><strong>Zunum's jet will have a range of 700 miles.</strong></li><li><strong>Zunum is backed by JetBlue Technology Ventures and Boeing HorizonX.</strong></li></ul><p>On Thursday, electric aircraft start-up Zunum Aero announced its plans to introduce a 12-seat hybrid-to-electric jet by 2022.</p><p>"With this announcement, we are coming out and saying our initial product will be a nine to 12 seat airplane," Zunum CTO, Matt Knapp told Business Insider in an interview. "It flies at about 300 mph and is really optimized for regional flights."</p><p>That means everything from short "puddle jumper" flights to longer routes of as much as 700 miles between cities such Boston and Washington D.C, Knapp said.</p><p>In April, the three-year-old company made news by earning <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-jetblue-invest-zunum-electric-jet-startup-2017-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">financial backing from Boeing HorizonX fund and JetBlue Technology Ventures</a>.</p><p><span>"We believe that the regional <keyword id="34991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="transportation">transportation</keyword> industry is ripe for disruption and we're excited to support Zunum and its efforts to help introduce a new era of aviation," JetBlue Technology Ventures president Bonny Simi said in a statement. </span></p><p><span>Zunum believes its aircraft will be able to cut door-to-door travels on trips of less than 1,000 miles by more than half. For instance, the company claims a trip from San Jose, California to Los Angeles could be completed in just 2 hours and 15 minutes door-to-door instead of the four hours and 40 minutes it takes now. </span></p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Zunum Aero</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>According to Knapp, Zunum will be able to do this by taking advantage of a network of more than 5,000 secondary and general aviation airports around the country. Many of these airports have strict noise and pollution requirements that keep larger conventional aircraft out. However, Zunum's hybrid-electric propulsion system runs virtually silents and with very low emissions. As a result, passengers avoid the long drive to major hubs as well as the long wait times associated with a trip to those airports.</span></p><p><span>Later on, the company will release a larger 30 to 50 seat jet that will be able to serve larger markets and make longer flights. </span></p><h2><span>Hybrid-to-electric flying</span></h2><p><span>Zunum's upcoming jet won't be a pure electric aircraft when it arrives in 2022, but one day it could transform into one, Knapp told us. </span></p><p><span>That's because Zunum's jet will arrive initially as a hybrid-electric aircraft. The plane's serial hybrid system will feature both an internal combustion generator as well as multiple lithium-ion battery packs. </span></p><p><span>Knapp believes this setup will not only help allay the range anxiety that has plagued road-going electric vehicles but also provide operational flexibility for owners. Operators will be able to adjust the size and number of the plane's onboard battery packs to optimize performance. In some instances, less battery and more generator will be called upon, while ultra-short range flights could be made without a generator at all. </span></p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Zunum Aero</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Zunum's customizable propulsion system takes into account the ever-changing tech landscape. Since the aircraft are designed to have a service life of as much as three decades, the company incorporated the possibility that major advancements in technology may be around the corner. As a result, the plane's battery packs can be easily swapped out for more advanced units and its generator can be removed when advanced battery tech no longer requires its services. </span></p><p><span>Even though the Kirkland, Washington-based company has a plan in place to go at it on its own if necessary, it is currently in talks with partners to help build and assemble the aircraft. </span></p><p>In addition, Knapp believes Zunum also has a future as a technology exporter with the possibility that its propulsion system could be licensed to other domestic and international airplane makers looking to enter the space.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-you-cant-fly-plane-space-2017-9">Why you can't fly a plane to space</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

A real electric jet is just around the corner and it will change flying forever

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>On Wednesday, hybrid electric aircraft startup Zunum Aero announced that it has received an undisclosed amount of investment from Boeing and JetBlue.</p><p>"I consider us very fortunate to have backers like JetBlue and Boeing," Zunum Aero founder and CEO Ashish Kumar told Business Insider. "We have been engaged with both companies for about a year and both are as passionate as we are in this opportunity to reinvent regional air travel."</p><p>JetBlue's investment in the three-year-old startup was made through its <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jetblue-technology-ventures-silicon-valley-2016-2" target="_blank">Silicon Valley-based venture capital fund</a> led by former Olympian-turned-pilot-turned-airline-executive, Bonny Simi.</p><p>"At JetBlue Technology Ventures, our goal is to be part of a disruptive force rather than the one being disrupted and we seek new technologies that look to change the game," Simi said in a statement. "As a company that is also deeply committed to innovation in sustainable travel, we believe that Zunum and its quiet, environmentally-friendly aircraft will light up a vast network of underutilized airports and reinvent regional travel."</p><p>In a statement, Boeing vice president of strategy Steve Nordlund echoed Simi's sentiments, while adding that Zunum's hybrid-electric technology is leading the way in the up-and-coming segment.</p><p>Zunum's proposed regional aircraft will hold anywhere from 10 to 50 passengers with a range of up to 1,000 miles. According to Kumar - whose resume includes leadership stints at Dell, Google, and McKinsey and a Cornell PhD in mechanical and aerospace engineering - the jet will be powered by a battery first series hybrid propulsion system. This calls for the aircraft to be primarily run on battery power with an aviation diesel or turbine range-extending power generator on call if necessary.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Since the aircraft isn't expected to fly until the next decade and will have a service life of roughly 20 years, Zunum is designing its aircraft to be "future-proof" - meaning the aircraft will be designed in a way that will allow for it to adapt to new technology. For instance, the aircraft will initially feature hybrid propulsion which delivers 80% lower emissions than comparable traditional aircraft. However, with advancements in battery technology, the range-extending internal combustion engine can be replaced with an extra battery pack thereby lowering emissions to zero, Kumar said.</p><p>In addition, Zunum's propulsor technology is expected to reduce the aircraft's noise emissions by 75% - important for operations into airports with stern noise restrictions.</p><p>Zunum's CEO believes his company's nature-friendly electric jet also makes a whole lot of economic sense for airlines and their passengers.</p><p>In recent years, many carriers have moved away from operating small 50-seat regional jets in favor larger aircraft that offer lower unit costs. By cutting out the need for large volumes of jet fuel, Zunum claims its aircraft can cut an airline's operating costs by 40% to 80% per flight. Even though airlines will have to swap out battery packs once or twice a year, Kumar, believes his electric jets can deliver better unit costs than the latest jumbo jets from Airbus and Boeing.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>In addition, the Zunum jets are designed for operation out of small general aviation or regional airports. This cuts down on passenger commute times, time spent in long security lines, and the need to connect through a larger hub. In fact, by taking advantage of general aviation airports, Kumar claims the planes can deliver two to four-times better door-to-door speeds than highways, high-speed rail or conventional aircraft.</p><p>According to Simi, JetBlue Technology Ventures, which launched in early 2016, targets investments that it believes can help JetBlue function better as an airline or provide its passengers with a better experience.</p><p>With Zunum, they may have found an investment that can do both.</p><p>It should be noted, oddly enough, that JetBlue operates an all Airbus and Embraer fleet. If Zunum Aero works out, it may finally be time for JetBlue to acquire aircraft with Boeing's fingerprints on it.</p><p class="tagline">Get the latest Boeing stock price<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/BA-Quote"> here.</a></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hacker-explains-importance-password-managers-online-security-privacy-2017-3">A hacker reveals the most secure thing you can do to your passwords</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="o1eWNiYTE6ttbubCYfBwiA5wjRang_VP" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Boeing and JetBlue just invested in an tiny electric-jet startup that could revolutionize air travel

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Jet Blue</span></p><p class="caption">JetBlue Technology Ventures President Bonny Simi in the captain's seat of an Embraer E190 airliner.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Bonny Simi is the president of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/jetblue-technology-ventures" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JetBlue Technology Ventures</a>. It's the venture capital arm of New York-based <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/jetblue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JetBlue</a> Airways. </strong></li><li><strong>Simi is a former Olympic luger who gave up a career as a television sportscaster to become a pilot at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/united-airlines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Airlines</a>. </strong></li><li><strong>Simi joined JetBlue in 2003 a pilot and eventually became the airline's head of HR.</strong></li><li><strong>In 2016, Simi became the founding president of JetBlue's VC arm that invests in early-stage start-ups.</strong></li></ul><p>Bonny Simi is the president of JetBlue Technology Ventures - the venture capital arm of JetBlue Airways. </p><p>Founded in 2016, Simi's JetBlue team is an unlikely presence in Silicon Valley's start-up scene. Airlines usually don't spend much time investing in early-stage tech start-ups. And, yet, here they are.</p><p>In many ways, it's only fitting that the leader of this unorthodox firm is someone who took such an unorthodox route to get here. </p><h2>A to-do list for life </h2><p>The Mt. Baldy, California native told Business Insider there was one point in her youth that helped her determine what she wanted to achieve. </p><p>During a high school assembly, the motivational speaker John Goddard challenged the students to make a list of 100 things they wanted to accomplish in life.</p><p>"I thought to myself, I can't think of 100 things to do, but I can think of five," she said. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>AP</span></p><p class="caption">A JetBlue Embraer E190 airliner.</p></div><p></p></div></div>It's common for people to come up with to-do lists. It happens every day. But Simi's list is special. If not only for its varied interests and sheer ambition but also for the verve with which she tackled each entry - to go to a good college, to work in television, to become a pilot, to compete in the Olympics, and to build a log cabin. </p><p>After high school, Simi, then known as Bonny Warner, ticked off the first entry on the list. She attended Stanford University on a field hockey scholarship.</p><p>Simi noted that the financial challenges faced by her family meant a scholarship was really the key to her being able to attend college. </p><p>"We didn't have a lot of money," Simi said. "My mom was a single mom with two kids and was a disabled school teacher." </p><h2>From Stanford to the Olympics</h2><p>Simi thrived at Stanford where she was the goalie of the field hockey team. However, it was her victory in an essay writing contest that propelled her into the next chapter of her life. </p><p><em><strong>Read more</strong>: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jetblue-fly-to-london-from-new-york-boston-2021-2019-4" data-analytics-position="2">JetBlue is going to London in 2021</a></em>.</p><p>The contest was to serve as a torch bearer for the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York. </p><p>It was during this experience when Simi was first told that women were not allowed to participate in the bobsled competition. </p><p>"You can't tell me I can't do something," she said of her reaction."So I said 'I want to bobsled!'"</p><p>Since the women's bobsled event was not added to the Olympics until the 2002 Salt Lake City games, a change for which Simi helped lobby, she chose the next best thing by becoming a luger. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Leo Mason/Popperfoto/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Bonny Simi (Warner) of the United States prior to competing in the women's single luge event in Innsbruck, Austria, circa 1987.</p></div><p></p></div></div>So she took time off Stanford and entered a training program to become an Olympic luger all the while cleaning hotel rooms to pay the bills. By 1984, Simi was considered America's best female luger and went on to compete in the 1984, the 1988, and the 1992 Winter Olympic games. </p><p>In between her Olympic appearances, Simi graduated from college and went to work as a sportscaster with ABC in the San Francisco Bay area 1988. </p><p>She also earned her pilot's license. </p><p>Even though Simi would continue to work as a television commentator during the Olympics until 2002, she would leave her full-time TV career behind in 1990 to join United Airlines as a pilot. </p><p>"I was so excited to become an airline pilot. To me, it was equal or even potentially greater than becoming an Olympian," Simi said.</p><p>She spent 13 years at United Airlines where she flew a range of aircraft including the Boeing 727, 737, and 777. Eventually, she was promoted to Captain on United's 727 and 737 fleets.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Reuters/Stringer</span></p><p class="caption">A United Airlines Boeing 777-200 in pre-merger livery.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>Betting big on JetBlue</h2><p>But in 2003, Simi gave it all up to join David Neeleman's New York-based start-up JetBlue Airways.</p><p><span>"I decided I wanted to work for a startup, I loved flying and I didn't want to leave aviation," Simi said of her decision to join JetBlue. "I wanted to work for an entrepreneur, I wanted to work for a company that had a caring culture, and a great brand." </span></p><p>"People thought I was crazy, I left United as a very senior captain to go to JetBlue to be junior first officer," she added. "It was a huge pay cut. It was a sort of leap of faith."</p><p>Simi compared her departure from United to entrepreneurs who quit their jobs to pursue their endeavors because they have the feeling there's more out there to accomplish.</p><p>Her gamble paid off. </p><p>Simi quickly moved into managerial positions within the airline - eventually becoming its head of human resources. </p><p>Which brings us back to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jetblue-technology-ventures-silicon-valley-2016-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JetBlue Technology Ventures</a>. </p><p>The idea for the VC firm came from JetBlue's board of directors as a way to keep the company at the forefront of innovation in the airline industry.</p><p>"Innovation is only innovative for that snapshot in time, if you don't continue to work on it and continue to find new ideas, you're not innovative anymore," Simi said. </p><p>According to Simi, JetBlue's goal is to be become "ambidextrous" in that it wants to not only achieve everyday operational excellence but also remain an innovator. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Zunum</span></p><p class="caption">Zunum Aero.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Two of Simi's most high-profile investments offer a glimpse into the firm's ambitions.</p><p>First, there's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-jetblue-invest-zunum-electric-jet-startup-2017-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zunum Aero</a>. It's a Kirkland, Washington start-up that is working on a new electric-powered regional airliner. According to Zunum, it's small regional aircraft could help bring affordable and environmental air travel to the masses while cutting travel time for many American's by utilizing smaller airports. </p><p>And then there's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jetblue-invest-gladly-technology-customer-service-2017-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gladly</a>. It's an integrated customer service software system that allows customer service agents to have a holistic view of customers' communication with the airline. That way, an airline's social media team knows what a customer has communicated by telephone while its phone operators now know what the passenger has included in emails. </p><p>This cuts down on the likelihood of miscommunications and reduces the level of frustration for everyone involved. Gladly software is already in use at JetBlue. While decidedly less ambitious than electric airliners, Gladly's technology could still greatly change the way airlines and its customers communicate.</p><p>If you've been following along, you probably noticed there's one item on Simi's list that hasn't been able to tackle - that is to build a log cabin. </p><p>Based on her track record, I wouldn't bet against this renaissance woman. </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goodyear-blimp-nascar-daytona-flying-aviation-2019-4">I rode the world-famous Goodyear Blimp as it flew above the Daytona International Speedway - here's what it's like to fly</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

The president of JetBlue's venture capital firm is a renaissance woman who just might transform air travel

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Greenpoint Technologies</span></p><p class="caption">The dining room on board a Boeing 747-8I private jet.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>Private jet makers like Gulfstream, Bombardier, and Embraer are taking their flagship offerings to new levels of luxury, technology, and performance.</strong></li><li><strong>But some customers have decided to convert commercial airliners from Airbus and Boeing for private use.</strong></li><li><strong>The cost of these aircraft ranges from tens of millions of dollars to hundreds of millions of dollars.</strong></li></ul><p>When it comes to private jets there are some that are a cut above the rest. These days, a select lucky few are taking luxury air travel to new heights with state-of-the-art ultra-long-range executive jets from manufacturers such as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/we-went-inside-the-665-million-gulfstream-g650er-private-jet-2016-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gulfstream</a>, and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bombardier-debuts-global-7000-private-jet-photos-details-2017-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bombardier</a>. And then there are those bold enough to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-747-8-vip-private-jet-2016-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convert commercial airliners</a> into opulent flying palaces.</p><p>It's all very impressive.</p><p>So we here at Business Insider have assembled what we believe to be a collection of the most luxurious private aircraft in the world. Naturally, this list is fluid and subject to change. After all, Elon Musk might surprise us all one day with a "pimped out" SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule mounted atop a Falcon Heavy rocket or if a company like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-jetblue-zunum-electric-jet-will-change-flying-2017-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zunum Aero</a> gives us an electric private jet. </p><p>But for now, at least, here are the seven most luxurious private jets in the world according to Business Insider. </p> <p class="tagline">Get the latest Boeing stock price <a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/BA-Quote">here.</a></p>

The 7 most luxurious private jets in the world

<p></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Zunum Aero</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>Air travel is in a period of great change. With the rapid pace of innovation, airlines and airplane makers are working hard to keep up.</p><p>For the most part, the airlines and the companies that make their planes are not all that well equipped to react quickly to change. A new plane takes more than a decade to put into service and its designed to keep flying for several subsequent decades.</p><p>Usually, a major industry-wide overhaul to passenger experience happens once every decade or two. We are currently in such a generational shift. Innovations such as new composite-bodied airliners liked the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-787-dreamliner-private-jet-kestrel-2016-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Boeing 787</a> and the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/delta-airbus-a350-arrive-2017-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Airbus A350</a>, as well as technologies like satellite-based internet and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/bombardier-cseries-boeing-delta-us-canada-trade-war-2017-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">geared turbofan engines</a>, come to mind.</p><p>But that doesn't mean the industry is fresh out of cool stuff. In fact, the pace of development and innovation is only quickening in its pace.</p><p>Like the automotive industry, airplane makers and the people who fly their planes understand the need to unpeg the development of aircraft hardware and software.</p><p>An industry once bound by the limits of flying metal is heading towards a future where software is growing in importance.</p><p>Currently, the industry is working on many potentially game-changing innovations that could find their way into common airline use over the next couple of decades.</p><p class="tagline">Get the latest Boeing stock price<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/BA-Quote"> here.</a></p>

6 ways the future of flying will be amazing

<p class="source"><span>AP</span></p><p class="caption">An analyst at Lux Research says small, fix-winged aircrafts will be the first planes to go all-electric.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Large segments of the $840 billion airline industry are ripe for electrification, according to an analyst at the research firm Lux Research. </li><li>Small, fixed-wing planes that carry 1 to 19 passengers will be the first to electrify. Those include private jets. </li><li>It will be much harder to bring futuristic-looking air taxis to market because they rely on new aircraft designs and technologies.</li><li>Norway announced in 2018 that it plans to electrify all domestic flights by 2040, and in the US the FFA already certifies some electric planes.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime?module=article&amp;area=summary">Click here for more BI Prime stories</a>.</li></ul><p>Right now, few people are getting on planes, let alone ones powered by batteries.</p><p>But electric aircraft are coming - and they'll be here sooner than you think. </p><p>"We expect to see that market really start to take off this year," Chloe Holzinger, an analyst at the research firm Lux Research, told Business Insider. (She apologized for the pun.) </p><p>Holzinger tracks the battery industry and predicts that demand from the aviation sector is among the most powerful forces fueling the emerging <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-6-industries-driving-explosive-growth-in-battery-market-2020-2">$550 billion market for energy storage</a>. </p><p><strong><em>Read more: </em></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-6-industries-driving-explosive-growth-in-battery-market-2020-2"><em>The battery market is set to break half a trillion dollars by 2035. These are the top 6 industries that will fuel that eye-popping growth. </em></a></p><p>That's a good thing, too - not just because a quiet flight, free of the scent of jet fuel sounds delightful, but because the aviation industry is a big polluter. </p><p>The industry, which generated nearly <a href="https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/pr/2019-12-11-01/">$840 billion in revenue last year</a>, currently contributes up to 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions. And those emissions are<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/06/climate/covid-19-climate-change.html"> expected to triple by 2050</a>.</p><p>Meanwhile, airlines like Delta and JetBlue are pledging to slash their emissions in the coming years. </p><p class="source"><span>NASA</span></p><p class="caption">NASA's X-57, an all-electric experimental plane</p><h2><strong>Small planes will electrify 'much more aggressively' </strong></h2><p>The first aircraft to go all-electric will be small, fix-winged planes, Holzinger said. Those include things like puddle jumpers, crop dusters, and planes used in flight schools - basically, winged aircraft that hold up to 19 people. </p><p>"I get most excited about small, fix-winged aircraft," she said. "We expect those to electrify much more aggressively."</p><p>Using today's lithium-ion batteries - commonly found in electric cars and personal electronics, such as laptops - engineers can retrofit winged aircraft to make them electric, without relying on any new technologies.</p><p>"It's pretty simple," she said. You just have to swap out the engine for one that runs on batteries and replace the powertrain. </p><p><strong><em><a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/power-line">Click here to subscribe to Power Line</a>, Business Insider's weekly clean-energy newsletter.</em></strong></p><p>"All of these different types of small, fixed-wing aircraft are really ripe for electrification using today's lithium-ion batteries," she said. </p><p>And while the planes are small, the market isn't. Using Li-ion batteries available today, small airplanes could travel up to 550 kilometers (340 miles) on one charge - about the distance from San Francisco to LA. </p><p>"Many of the most-often-flown routes are under 550 kilometers," she said. "<a href="https://www.oag.com/reports/busiest-routes-2019">The most frequent flight route in the world</a> is between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, and that's a distance of about 300 kilometers."  </p><p>"A wide variety of different routes, globally, would benefit from using these types of electric planes."  </p><p class="source"><span>Uber</span></p><p class="caption">Uber's flying taxi</p><h2><strong>Futuristic-looking air taxis remain stuck in the future </strong></h2><p>What about those neat-looking electric air taxis? </p><p>Several large companies including Uber and Boeing are pursuing electric flight technologies that fall within the category of "vertical take-off and landing," or VTOL. They're like oversized drones built to carry people. </p><p>But while the VTOL industry has attracted more than $30 billion in investment, per PitchBook, Holzinger says she's "bearish" on these technologies. </p><p>Unlike small winged aircraft, VTOLs rely on new designs, and perhaps even new battery chemistries. </p><p>"They're looking to make an entirely new transportation segment," she said. "This doesn't exist today."</p><p>Another downside, she said, is that these aircrafts will require strong and reliable 5G networks because VTOLs need to be autonomous to be profitable. And 5G itself is still a developing technology. </p><h2><strong>Large commercial flights may never be all-electric </strong></h2><p>VTOLs will eventually hit the market, but the same can't be said for large commercial planes, Holzinger said, like what you might take to fly from New York to LA. </p><p>"I don't think batteries will ever get to the point of being able to power a commercial flight alone," she said. "That battery size would be literally tons." </p><p>The added weight would quickly cut into revenue, she said. Even if the plane could lift off the ground, the airline would have to limit the amount of cargo it could transport.</p><h2><strong>An entire country committed to electric flight</strong></h2><p>For signs that aviation is electrifying, look to Norway. In January of 2018, the country - a trailblazer in transportation, with one of the world's largest fleets of electric cars - <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/18/norway-aims-for-all-short-haul-flights-to-be-100-electric-by-2040">said it plans to make all short-haul flights electric by 2040</a>. </p><p>"We think that all flights lasting up to 1.5 hours can be flown by aircraft that are entirely electric," Dag Falk-Petersen, the CEO of Avinor, a state-owned company that operates Norwegian airports, told Agence-France Presse (AFP) back in 2018. </p><p>That includes all domestic flights, he added. </p><p>The US is also making headway. Holzinger said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allows for the certification of some electric versions of winged planes - meaning, the agency deems them safe to fly. </p><p>And there are a handful of startups working on these technologies today, from Zunum Aero, based in Washington and valued at $200 million, per PitchBook, to Bye Aerospace, located in Colorado, which was the first e-plane used in training to apply for FFA certification, <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2019/06/20/electric-plane-bye-aerospace/">according to the Denver Post</a>.  </p><p>"I'm expecting Norway will be a leader in this front," Holzinger said. "But I do expect these types of aircraft to be in broader use around the world by 2040."</p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vets-veterinarians-debunk-common-dog-myths-2020-2">Veterinarians debunk 15 dog myths</a></h3>

The electric plane revolution is finally here, and it promises to shake up the $840 billion airline industry

<p><em>Welcome to <keyword id="34991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="transportation">Transportation</keyword> &amp; Logistics Briefing, a new morning email providing the latest news, data, and insight on how digital technology is disrupting transportation and delivery, produced by BI Intelligence.</em></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/top-5-disruptive-trends-shaping-transportation-and-logistics?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=content_marketing&amp;utm_term=content_marketing_subscription_text_link_transportation-and-logistics-briefing-gms-first-self-driving-car-model-new-regulatory-guidelines-for-self-driving-cars-thermal-sensors-for-fully-driverless-vehicles-2017-9&amp;utm_content=content_marketing_subscription_text_link&amp;utm_campaign=content_marketing_subscription_link&amp;vertical=transportation">Get the free Top 5 Disruptive Trends Shaping Transportation &amp; Logistics report and start receiving our brand new Transportation &amp; Logistics newsletter.</a></p><p><em>Have feedback? We'd like to hear from you. Write me at:<span> </span><a href="mailto:jcamhi@businessinsider.com">jcamhi@businessinsider.com</a>.</em></p><p><strong>DAIMLER UPDATES MOBLITY, R&amp;D EFFORTS:</strong> German auto giant Daimler <a href="https://www.daimler.com/documents/investors/reports/interim-reports/q3/daimler-ir-interimreport-q3-2017.pdf">released</a> its Q3 2017 earnings, and reported that it grew spending on research and development (R&amp;D) efforts to 2.3 billion euros ($2.7 billion), up from 1.9 billion euros ($2.2 billion) in Q3 2016. </p><p><strong>The company expects its R&amp;D spending in 2017 to be significantly higher than last year's record of 7.9 billion euros ($9.3 billion)</strong>, according to Bloomberg. That's being driven by a number of initiatives. The company is accelerating investments in electric vehicles as demand for diesel vehicles drops in Europe. Some large European cities are considering <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-emissions-eu/eus-car-regulator-warns-against-car-diesel-ban-in-cities-idUSKBN1A70G8">banning</a> diesel-powered vehicles altogether over air quality concerns. In Germany, sales of diesel vehicles fell 21% during the month of September, according to the country's motor vehicle department. </p><p><strong>The auto giant is also investing heavily in connected and autonomous technologies across its car and truck businesses.</strong> Last week, Daimler <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/17/daimler-shows-off-what-its-automated-mercedes-benz-arocs-trucks-can-do/">demonstrated</a> its Arocs autonomous trucks that can drive autonomously in pre-defined areas, such as a college campus or airport. It also <a href="http://www.ttnews.com/articles/daimler-takes-steps-separate-car-truck-units">confirmed</a> that it will be splitting up its car and truck units into separate businesses to give them more flexibility in pursuing new technologies, partnerships, and business models.</p><p><strong>Daimler provided updates on its portfolio of mobility services, which increased their total users by 116% YoY to 15.9 million. </strong></p><ul><li><strong>Daimler's Moovel Group, which houses all of its mobility services, counted 16.4 million transactions across its various apps in Q3, up from 10 million in Q2.</strong> </li><li><strong>Car-sharing service Car2Go, the largest car-sharing service in the world, grew its user base to 2.8 million in Q3, up from 2.6 million in Q2.</strong> The automaker said that it is continuing to invest in deploying new models to Car2Go's fleet to give users more choices, as it <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-18/forget-the-g-train-rent-a-mercedes-in-nyc-for-47-cents-a-minute">transitions</a> the fleet from two-seater Smart cars in favor of Mercedes sedans and SUVs.</li><li><strong>Additionally, Daimler's MyTaxi ride-hailing app increased its user base from "more than 8 million" at the end of Q2 to 9.7 million by the end of September,</strong> and is testing a ride-sharing service, called MyTaxi Match, similar to UberPOOL.</li><li><strong>Daimler also <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/transportation-and-logistics-briefing-daimler-and-via-launch-on-demand-shuttles-in-europe-ride-hailings-impact-on-urban-transportation-google-improves-mapping-capabilities-2017-9">invested</a> in US ride-sharing service Via, and plans to bring Via's app to Europe, starting in London. </strong></li></ul><p><strong>Daimler hopes all of these mobility investments will help shield its business from shifts in car ownership rates over the coming decades,</strong> as mobility services take an increasing share of auto industry profits at the expense of new car sales to consumers. Shared mobility services will grow to account for 20% of the auto industry's annual profits by 2030, while the share of industry profits resulting from new car sales will drop from 41% in 2015 to 29% in 2030, <a href="https://www.strategyand.pwc.com/reports/connected-car-2016-study">according to</a> PwC and Strategy&amp;.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="BI Intelligence" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/59ea5493ddd0631d008b6327-960/us eu china mobility markets.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>BI Intelligence</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><strong>BOEING INVESTS IN AUTONOMOUS FLYING STARTUP: </strong>Boeing's HorizonX venture arm has invested an undisclosed amount in Pittsburgh-based aerospace startup Near Earth Autonomy, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-19/boeing-invests-in-drone-startup-in-push-for-automated-technology">reports</a>. HorizonX typically "makes investments that span the single millions up to the low double-digit millions, and this investment is at the higher end of that range," a Boeing spokesperson told <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2017/boeing-horizonx-invests-near-earth-autonomy-boosting-self-flying-tech/">GeekWire</a>. As part of the investment, Boeing VP of Research &amp; Technology Charles Toups will join the company's board. </p><p><strong>Near Earth Autonomy is developing software and sensors to enable drones and other aircraft to fly themselves autonomously. </strong>The company was founded by a handful of former members of Carnegie Mellon's robotics institute back in 2011. Shortly thereafter, it worked with the US Army to <a href="https://www.cs.cmu.edu/news/piasecki-carnegie-mellon-team-demonstrates-autonomous-helicopter-operations">develop and trial</a> one of the world's first full-size, self-flying helicopters.</p><p><strong>The investment will allow the 50-person company to move into a larger facility, make about a dozen new hires, and explore potential new products and technologies, </strong>CEO Sanjiv Singh told <a href="http://triblive.com/business/technology/12847617-74/boeing-to-partner-with-invest-in-near-earth-autonomy-on-next-gen">The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review</a>. In addition, Singh noted that it will help the company accelerate its time frame for getting the products it's currently working on to market.</p><p><strong>This deal is part of Boeing's larger multi-pronged approach to exploring the autonomous flight space. </strong>The aerospace giant <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-05/boeing-bets-on-robot-pilots-self-flying-taxis-with-acquisition">purchased</a> Aurora Flight Services, the company working with Uber to develop autonomous flying taxis, earlier this month. In addition, HorizonX <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2017/zunum-aero-stealth-hybrid-electric-planes/">invested</a> in Zunum Aero, a startup working on electric and autonomous plane technologies, and <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2017/boeings-horizonx-gets-32-5m-funding-round-sparkcognition-ai-venture/">Spark Cognition</a>, which is building artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that could be used in such aircraft. Autonomous aircraft could open up new business opportunities for Boeing, including selling autonomous flight systems to aircraft operators and providing new transportation services like flying taxis.</p><p><strong>OTA UPDATES WILL HURT CAR DEALERS' BOTTOM LINES:</strong> Tesla has pioneered over-the-air (OTA) software updates in the auto industry, and other legacy automakers and suppliers are starting to incorporate them into their own software capabilities. That trend will cut into the revenue auto dealerships collect from performing software fixes, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-20/tesla-like-software-updates-put-dealers-profit-center-at-risk">according to</a> Bloomberg.</p><p><strong>OTA updates that fix software bugs with a simple download will become more prevalent across the auto industry in the next few years.</strong> GM has said that it will enable OTA updates for its infotainment and electronics systems by 2020, and major auto supplier Delphi is integrating them into its own electronics products as well.</p><p><strong>Increasing use of OTA updates will result in less visits to auto dealerships by automating software fixes.</strong> That will lead to a decline in the amount automakers pay auto dealers to cover the costs of fixes under warranty. About half of the $40-50 billion per year that auto manufacturers spend on warranty costs stems from software bugs, according to Delphi. This year, OTA updates will save automakers $7 billion, mostly from reduced labor costs associated with repairs, according to IHS Markit projections cited by Bloomberg.   </p><p><strong>However, it will take a long time for OTA updates to become prevalent throughout the industry.</strong> For now, auto OTA updates are mostly limited to infotainment systems. Eventually, a major shift will happen when OTA updates are integrated into cars' electronic control units (ECUs) - mini-computers that control individual car components like airbags and windows. Only 0.17% of cars have OTA-enabled ECUs right now, but that figure is projected to rise to 19% by 2023, according to IHS Markit. As that percentage climbs, it will lead to steeper cuts in auto dealers' revenue and greater warranty savings for auto manufacturers. While auto dealers will still be needed for repairs to physical car components that wear down over time - like tires and shock absorbers - adoption of OTA updates will gradually erode auto dealers' parts and services businesses.</p><p><strong>In other news…</strong></p><ul><li><strong>FedEx announced that it has <a href="http://about.van.fedex.com/newsroom/fedex-expanding-capabilities-acquisition-northwest-research/">acquired</a> inventory research and management provider Northwest Research for an undisclosed sum. </strong>The company, which was founded in 1996 and is based in Salt Lake City, provides inventory management services to logistics companies like UPS, and had a prior relationship with FedEx. The company will integrate Northwest's technologies and services into its own operations to improve its logistics offerings.</li><li><strong>Tesla has registered about 1,000 Model 3 VINs with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), hinting that it may be starting to overcome its recent production bottlenecks, </strong>according to <a href="https://electrek.co/2017/10/20/tesla-model-3-vins-nhsta/">Electrek</a>. The automaker has received hundreds of thousands of pre-orders for the sedan, but thus far has only delivered 260 of the cars that have been ordered. While VIN registrations are an imperfect measurement of how soon vehicles will ultimately get into the hands of consumers, this may suggest that Tesla is preparing to increase Model 3 deliveries soon.</li><li><strong>XPO Logistics, a Connecticut-based logistics service provider that specializes in transporting heavy goods, will hire about six thousand new employees ahead of the busy US holiday shopping season, </strong>according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-xpo-logistics-vacancies/xpo-logistics-adding-6000-holiday-workers-on-e-commerce-outlook-idUSKBN1CP1LB">Reuters</a>. This is about 20% more employees than it hired last year for the same period, which starts a day after Thanksgiving and runs through early January. The company hopes this will help it meet the expected rise in purchase volume this holiday season, which could reach $1.5 trillion in total brick-and-mortar and online retail sales, according to <a href="http://multichannelmerchant.com/ecommerce/holiday-sales-expected-to-reach-1-5-trillion/#_">Deloitte</a>.</li></ul><p class="tagline"><div id="categorypromo"><p><h2><span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/top-5-disruptive-trends-shaping-transportation-and-logistics">Click here to receive a FREE download of <em>The Top 5 Disruptive Trends Shaping Transportation and Logistics</em> from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service.</a></span></h2></p></div></p>

TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS BRIEFING:  Daimler updates mobility and R&D efforts - Boeing invests in startup working on self-flying taxis - OTA updates will cut into auto dealers' revenue

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