Jaguar Land Rover

The Case for Autonomous Private Vehicles and the Software Market

IDTechEx, along with many other industry experts, are expecting robotaxis to become a common sight in major cities over the next twenty years. The business case for robotaxis, although not without its obstacles, is compelling. However, in the meantime, there will still be billions of privately owned vehicles on the roads. This article considers the case for autonomous private vehicles and the software market: from adaptive cruise control to true autonomy, everywhere.

The Robotaxi Race is Heating Up Globally in 2025

2025 has yielded massive jumps in autonomous vehicle technology, both in hardware and software. IDTechEx's report, Autonomous Driving Software and AI in Automotive 2026-2046: Technologies, Markets, Players, forecasts a more than 1,000 times increase in software-related revenue for autonomous vehicles from 2026 to 2046.

Ilika

Ilika plc, a UK-based company specializing in solid-state battery technology, has evolved significantly since its inception in 2004. Founded as a spin-out from the University of Southampton, Ilika initially focused on combinatorial materials development, leveraging high-throughput techniques to rapidly discover and optimize new materials. This approach gained attention from major corporations, including Toyota, which partnered with Ilika in 2008 to develop safer and more efficient battery materials for electric vehicles (EVs).

Cyclic Materials

Cyclic Materials is a rare earth magnet recycler founded in 2021 and based in Ontario, Canada. Cyclic Materials recovers rare earth oxides from end-of-life magnets using patented Mag-Cycle™and REEPure™ technologies - a hydrometallurgical extraction process. Rare earth magnets are sourced from manufacturing scrap (swarf), EV motors, wind turbine generators, and electronics waste. IDTechEx spoke with Patrick Nee, Co-Founder and SVP of Strategic Partnerships at the E-Waste, Metal, Battery Recycling show in Frankfurt, Germany.

Waymo

IDTechEx analyzes the market developments with Waymo, including developments to its new generation vehicle platform, AI, collaborations, and funding.

Emerging Recyclable Materials for PCBs

Conventional printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing is wasteful, harmful to the environment and energy intensive. This can be mitigated by the implementation of new recyclable materials and technologies, which have the potential to revolutionize electronics manufacturing.