*By Carlo Versano*
Avis Budget Group [announced](https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/avis-budget-group-fleet-expands-to-100-000-connected-cars-benefitting-customers-cities-and-the-company-bottom-line-1027453677) this week it has 100,000 connected cars in its global fleet, a milestone that the chief innovation officer said shows the company best-known for airport rentals is poised to become a next-generation mobility provider.
The car rental company that vows "We Try Harder" also announced recently it's adding Waymo, Lyft, and Airbnb to its slate of partners.
The expansion is all part of a strategic effort to appeal to Avis's customers who increasingly view mobility and transportation as a service, said the CIO Arthur Orduna.
"We need to understand how people want to consume their mobility," Orduna said Thursday in an interview on Cheddar.
He said he's divided future Avis customers into two camps: urban commuters, attracted to the company's on-demand services like Zipcar; and travelers who need access to rentals to get around a new place.
The main priorities for building a company that can service both types of customers, he said, are connected cars and the Avis app.
The ability to communicate with a vehicle creates a better experience for users ー finding and unlocking one's car via the app, for example ー Orduna said.
The app also helps Avis to streamline its fleet operations, and, as connected cars produce data on their own movements, Avis can use that data to partner with other companies and smart cities, "based on a digital ecosystem," Orduna said.
Avis, which operates in 11,000 locations in 180 countries, is also betting that the future of mobility means autonomy.
"AV \[autonomous vehicles]\ is not a matter of if ー it's really a matter of when," Orduna said.
To that end, Avis's partnership with Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving car unit, offers short-distance rides to a select group of residents in Arizona, where Waymo is testing its technology. This is in addition to an earlier deal for Avis to service Waymo's autonomous fleet.
For full interview, [click here] (https://cms.cheddar.com/videos/VmlkZW8tMjIyMjI=).
Markets opened lower this morning as investors rounded out a wild 2021. Jay Hatfield, CEO Infrastructure Capital Advisors, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss which sectors and industries to watch in the new year.
Markets opened higher as investors react to positive data on the labor front, with weekly jobless claims falling to 198,000 for the week ending December 25. Ross Mayfield, investment strategy analyst at Baird joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the market open.
Brian Jacobsen, Multi-Asset Solutions at Wells Fargo Asset Management, provides insight on the Financial sector as interest rates are expected to rise and discusses the factors impacting growth in consumer spending.
Greg Swenson, Founding Partner at Brigg Macadam, breaks down how government reaction is trickling down into the markets and why Fiannaials should be in focus in January.
Jay Pestrichelli, CEO of ZEGA Financial, discusses the industries seeing more volatility due to COVID-19 and areas investors can hedge rising inflation.
Dave Ellison, Portfolio Manager at Hennessy Funds, talks about the effect less liquidity in the market has on economic growth and breaks down how the financial sector and small businesses could grow during these conditions.
Sky Harbour, a company developing private aviation infrastructure, is gearing up to land on Wall Street. The company announced plans to go public through a SPAC deal with Yellowstone Acquisition Company, valuing the combined venture at $777 million. The company will trade on the New York Stock Exchange as $SKYH.
Dish Network is reportedly in discussions to merge with DirecTV. According to the NY Post, the two sides are currently 'trying to iron out the details.' The competitors have had talks in the past -- over the course of the past 20 years, but those talks been halted by the DOJ over antitrust concerns. Lydia Moynihan, Business Reporter, NY Post joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
