China – Intelligent electric vehicle start-up BYTON has earmarked late 2019 for its first autonomous vehicle (AV) to hit the road.

Speaking at Web Summit in Lisbon, the company’s CEO and co-founder Dr Carsten Breitfeld said the vehicles will launch first in China before landing in the US and Europe in 2020. ‘Our first car will have level three autonomy, which means the passengers must still be prepared to take over [the wheel] in some instances,’ Breitfeld explained. ‘This is not because of the technology, but because of legislation and the environment in which the car will be driving. Certain conditions will be… enough to operate an entirely autonomous journey.’

At present, BYTON is working on three concept cars built around the same platform, beginning with the seven-seater M-BYTE SUV, and the five-seater K-BYTE sedan. The company, which debuted its intuitive, biometric Shared Experience Display interior at CES 2018, is also exploring how to create a ‘first class, plane-style experience’ for single passengers using AVs for ride-sharing. ‘What if we could create a product for shared mobility that looks different? It’s about breaking the UX of ride sharing, which we’re working on in LA at the moment, and will show more of in the next year,’ Breitfeld told the audience at Web Summit.

US – In addition to the closing all of its stores on Black Friday, the outdoor retailer will fund a study that aims to show the link between nature and health.

For the fourth year in a row, REI will take a Righteous Retail approach to Black Friday by refusing to operate during the retail event. To back up its #OptOutside campaign, which encourages its employees and customers to spend more time with nature, the retailer is partnering with the University of Washington and investing $1m (£760,000, €870,000) to fund an inititative called Nature for Health.

A new center for academic excellence within the university will study how time spent outdoors affects our health, including whether nature could be prescribed for those suffering from anxiety and depression.

By working to close the knowledge gap, REI is showing how brands can move beyond media campaigns to take real stands on societal issues.

In 2017, Muslim consumers spent $2.1 trillion (£1.6tn, €1.8tn) on lifestyle products and services such as modest fashion, travel and halal goods, according to a report from Thompson Reuters.

With spending due to soar in the next five years, there is huge potential for luxury brands to cater to this market through halal foods, separate prayer rooms and modestwear. The report also found that Indonesia is a crucial market in driving this growth – the country represents 10% of global Muslim spend.

Although many brands have catered to Islamic woman with modest wear collections, they are missing out on opportunities to target these consumers with travel experiences and halal cuisine.