Our 6 favorite robots from IFA 2016 will mow, vacuum, and even sketch for you

By Dyllan Furness September 6, 2016

This story is part of our coverage of IFA Berlin 2024

Robots have been a staple of tech trade shows for decades at this point, and IFA 2016 was no different. As we made our way through the show floor this year, we encountered a wide variety of both old and new bots — some that mesmerized with their dance moves, others that tantalized with their industrial potential, and a few that left us wondering why they even existed. There were even some that weren’t being displayed as consumer products; they were just there doing crazy robotic things to attract people to a company’s booth. So to give you a taste of what this year’s robot roster looked like at IFA, here’s a quick roundup of the most amazing androids we saw in Berlin.

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Dyllan Furness

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Dyllan Furness is a freelance writer from Florida. He covers strange science and emerging tech for Digital Trends, focusing…

Cars

Rivian offers $3,000 off select EVs to gasoline, hybrid vehicle drivers

Early November typically kicks off the run-up to the Black Friday sales season, and this year, Rivian is betting it’s the perfect time to lure gasoline drivers toward its EVs.
If you own or lease a vehicle that runs on gasoline, which means even a hybrid vehicle, Rivian is ready to give you $3,000 off the purchase of one of its select fully electric vehicles -- no trade-in required.
The offer from the Irvine, California-based automaker extends to customers in the U.S. and Canada and runs through November 30, 2024. The program applies to Rivian 2025 R1S or R1T Dual Large, Dual Max, or Tri Max models purchased from R1 Shop.
Rivian’s new All-Electric Upgrade offer marks a change from a previous trade-in program that ran between April and June. There, owners of select 2018 gas-powered vehicles from Ford, Toyota, Jeep, Audi, and BMW could trade in their vehicle and receive up to $5,000 toward the purchase of a new Rivian.
This time, buyers of the R1S or R1T Rivian just need to provide proof of ownership or lease of a gas-powered or hybrid vehicle to receive the discount when they place their order.
Rivian is not going to be the only car maker offering discounts in November. Sluggish car sales from giants such as Stellantis and rising inventories of new cars due to improving supply chains suggest automakers and dealerships will be competing to offer big incentives through the year's end.
This follows several years of constrained supply following the COVID pandemic, which led to higher prices in North America.
According to CarEdge Insights, average selling prices for cars remain above what would be called affordable. But prices should continue improving along with rising inventories.
Stellantis brands are entering November with the most inventory, followed by GM and Ford, according to CarEdge. Toyota and Honda, meanwhile, have the least inventory, meaning they probably won’t be under pressure to offer big incentives.

Cars

AT&T, Voltpost bring internet connectivity to EV charging lampposts

att voltpost streetlight charging newlabdetroit 63

Move over, Supercharger network.

EV charging networks have been fast expanding across U.S. roads and highways over the past year, led by the likes of Electrify America, Tesla, and Chargescape, to name a few.

Cars

Volvo’s much-anticipated EX30 EV to reach U.S. before year end

Front three quarter view of the 2025 Volvo EX30.

Volvo is switching gears again, this time to accelerate deliveries of its much-anticipated EX30 subcompact electric SUV so that it reaches the U.S. before the end of 2024.

The Swedish automaker last summer had postponed the U.S. launch of the EX30 to 2025, citing “changes in the global automotive landscape." The move followed the Biden administration’s 100% import tariff on electric vehicles made in China.