New York, January 6, 2026, 09:46 EST — Regular session
Amazon.com shares were up 0.1% at $233.41 on Tuesday morning after its cloud unit said it would expand a partnership with German automotive hardware supplier Aumovio to support the commercial rollout of self-driving vehicles. The tools are set to be used for Aurora’s planned deployment of driverless trucks at scale from 2027, the companies said, and an Aumovio executive said AI helps surface rare “edge cases” during validation. The stock traded between $231.75 and $233.88 after opening at $232.39. 1
The tie-up keeps attention on AWS as investors look for signs that demand for AI-heavy cloud computing can hold up, even as Big Tech pours money into data centers. Markets are also bracing for a data-heavy week of U.S. labor reports, including December nonfarm payrolls on Friday, which can swing expectations for Federal Reserve policy and influence rate-sensitive growth stocks. 2
Legal risk is also back on the radar after a U.S. judge on Monday rejected Amazon’s bid to dismiss a proposed class action accusing the retailer of price gouging during the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik in Seattle said Amazon’s defense was “unpersuasive” and found it plausible that consumers had little choice but to buy from Amazon during shortages, Reuters reported. Plaintiffs’ lawyer Steve Berman called the ruling “an important win for consumers.” 3
In autonomous driving, “Level 4” refers to vehicles that can handle driving without a human in defined conditions, though the systems still need extensive testing for unusual situations. Generative AI broadly refers to software that can create or summarize content, while “agentic” AI is designed to plan and carry out multi-step tasks with less human prompting.
Amazon has also been using CES in Las Vegas to roll out consumer-facing updates, including a redesigned Fire TV interface, a Fire TV “lifestyle” set called Ember Artline, and an Alexa.com web experience for Alexa+ early-access customers, the company said. Devices news tends to move the stock most when it points to stronger engagement in shopping, media and advertising — or more demand for cloud services behind the scenes. 4
But the autonomous-driving partnership is geared to deployments years out, and it may take time to translate into meaningful AWS revenue. The lawsuit adds uncertainty: damages and potential changes to marketplace practices could weigh on sentiment even if Amazon ultimately prevails.
Amazon’s next results are forecast for Feb. 5 after market close, though the date has not been confirmed by the company, according to Wall Street Horizon. Investors will watch for guidance on AWS growth, retail margins and spending plans tied to AI. 5
