Need to Know
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Sweden – Start-up Einride wants to transform urban and long-haul freight with a series of eco-conscious driverless trucks.

The Autonomous Electric Transport (AET) vehicles – also known as Pods – are said to be the first fully electric, totally autonomous transport vehicle to operate on a public roads. With four models ranging from small city truck to haulage, each boasts cameras and radar technology to provide 360-degree remote monitoring at all times.

With a focus on cutting costs and environmental footprints for companies, Einride's AETs aim to reduce carbon emissions by 90% in comparison to diesel trucks. It's also transparent with its pricing, stating that Pods can cut fuel costs for companies by 70%. 'The Pod is just one piece of a much larger transport system that we are developing to make the transition to sustainable freight,’ clarifies Robert Falk, co-founder of Einride.

While we have recently explored mobility innovations in urban settings, Einride is thinking bigger, wanting to overhaul and future-proof long-haul transport systems.

Global – Lifestyle platform Highsnobiety and Newport Jazz Festival have teamed for a digital event to support musicians impacted by Covid-19.

Described as a 'three day content experience,' Jazz TV took over Highsnobiety's platforms, transforming it into a tv station dedicated to jazz, with global performances, DJ sets and panels featuring Virgil Abloh, Alex Da Kid, Tremaine Emory and Ali Shaheed Muhammad.

Adding a charitable aspect, Highsnobiety is selling branded Jazz TV merchandise, including t-shirts, hoodies and tote bags, with a portion of proceeds all proceeds going to the Newport Festival Musician Relief Fund. ‘The aim was to give back even just a tiny fraction of that void we feel without having live music in the world,' says Thom Bettridge, Highsnobiety’s editor-in-chief. 'Especially at such a politically charged time ... we wanted Jazz TV to create a global living room where the creative community could enjoy and share the music that inspires us.’

The combination of livestreaming entertainment and retail opportunities presents a larger shift to multi-channel brands, especially in the luxury sector, find out more in our upcoming micro trend Luxtainment.

According to data by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), department stores have experienced a boost thanks to shoppers heading online.

During September 2020, online sales in the UK climbed 53% year-on-year, yet department stores – which have struggled to retain footfall both pre- and inter-Covid – have enjoyed a boost in online sales. In particular, the ONS reports that, in February 2020, department stores accounted for 16% of online sales in the UK, rising to 30.8% in September.

Potentially due to pre-orders of gaming consoles ahead of the holiday period – September was the month pre-orders opened for the PlayStation 5 and XBox Series X – this has led to an 88% boost in department stores’ online sales in September year-on-year, compared to 2019.

Due to the pandemic, many British consumers are opting to shop online. To stay relevant, however, amid this upswing in online spending, brick-and-mortar stores will need to innovate the in-store experience to draw customers in.