Episode #1380: Today we're talking about Amazon's Zoox gearing up for robotaxi production, an Indiana dealer crowdsourcing wholesale transparency with a new arbitration platform, and why Starbucks is investing in frontline leadership instead of just adding more labor.

Show Notes with links:

• Amazon-owned Zoox is moving from prototype to production, unveiling a redesigned robotaxi built for scale. The company says riders could start seeing the purpose-built autonomous vehicle in service later this year.

  • Zoox plans to ramp production to 100 robotaxis per week at its Hayward, California facility, pending regulatory approval.

  • Unlike retrofitted vehicles, the Zoox robotaxi was designed from the ground up for autonomous ride-hailing, with no steering wheel or driver's seat.

  • The updated model keeps its signature carriage-style cabin while adding a brighter interior, improved seating, and a more passenger-friendly layout.

  • Exterior refinements make the vehicle easier to identify and interact with, including clearer front/rear styling and upgraded door speakers and microphones.

  • CEO Aicha Evans: "This is our year of growth."

  
  

• Every dealer knows buying at auction comes with a few surprises. One Indiana dealer is turning that frustration into software, launching a platform designed to speed up arbitration, crowdsource vehicle histories, and warn dealers about fraud.

  • Best Auto Sales VP Travis Baldwin created Dealer Defender after managing arbitration across six dealerships sourcing 70% of their inventory from auctions.

  • The platform centralizes arbitration, provides real-time updates, and creates a dealer-powered vehicle history showing prior arbitration, repairs, and seller responses before the next dealer buys the vehicle.

  • Dealers can also share alerts about fake IDs, stolen identities, and other wholesale fraud to help protect the industry.

  • Baldwin: "We believe that transparency can exist in a wholesale environment."

  
  

• Starbucks is adding a new layer of in-store leadership, hiring thousands of "coffeehouse coaches" as it continues its turnaround strategy focused on better customer experiences and stronger frontline teams.

  • Starbucks is hiring 300 coffeehouse coaches this month, with thousands more planned across its 10,000 U.S. company-operated stores.

  • The new full-time role keeps experienced leaders on the floor throughout the day, giving baristas more support while freeing store managers to focus on coaching and operations.

  • Pilot stores reported better execution, more consistent customer experiences, and improved same-store performance. More than 90% of coach positions were filled through internal promotions.

  • The investment is part of Starbucks' broader turnaround, alongside store remodels, smarter mobile ordering, and increased staffing—all contributing to 7.1% same-store sales growth in early 2026.

  • Coffeehouse coach Tim L. says, "Creating opportunities for ongoing support and development has helped strengthen consistency across the team while also building trust and engagement."