Carolyn Marvin was arrested and charged after blocking an Uber delivery robot

Carolyn Marvin was arrested and charged after blocking an Uber delivery robot

1 min read•Oct 20, 2026•
David Kim
David Kim

Carolyn Marvin was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after blocking an Uber delivery robot in Philadelphia, first reported by The Verge. Police responded and asked her to move out of the robot’s way; when she refused, officers placed her in cuffs, and the incident has drawn considerable media attention.

Marvin told Philadelphia’s ABC13 the robots were “taking the jobs of human delivery workers.” She said she had been protesting whenever she saw them by standing in front of them and preventing them from going forward.

The incident was captured on video. Delivery robots have become a common sight on downtown Philadelphia streets and have sparked backlash. Marvin’s stated concern was human delivery jobs; broader concern has grown over how autonomous systems, including robotaxis, delivery robots and AI agents, affect jobs, especially for lower-skill workers.

Marvin had encountered delivery robots before. Earlier this year, one was kicked over in Center City.

Plug-in vehicles reach 32% of global registrations in September

Plug-in vehicles reached 32% of global registrations in September, first reported by Cleantechnica. Battery-electric vehicles accounted for 23% of registrations and set a record at 1.54 million, up 8% year over year, while plug-in hybrids fell 9%; year to date in 2026, BEVs were up 12% and PHEVs down 10%.

Global plug-in registrations rose 3% year over year to around 2.16 million in September, close to the all-time record of 2.17 million set last December.

Year to date, plug-in registrations were up 4% year over year: BEVs grew 12%, while PHEVs fell 10%. Their combined share for 2026 stood at 25%, with BEVs at 18% and PHEVs at 7%. The overall growth rate therefore hides a clear split between the two categories.

The Tesla Model Y led the model rankings with a record 165,000 registrations, up 17% year over year. Tesla Model 3 came second with 65,000, enough to move ahead of Geely Xingyuan and BYD Song despite a 4% annual decline.

BYD Song finished fourth at 54,519 registrations, up 19% and the fastest growth rate among the top five. An export push and the new-generation Ultra body helped lift the model.

At the make level, Tesla had a record 232,000 registrations, up 9% year over year. Toyota reached 61,332 for its fourth record in a row, finishing ahead of Volkswagen’s year-best 58,000 to become September’s best-selling legacy make.