The last great technological breakthrough in food was arguably the microwave, a product which has grown in use from only 1% of homes in 1971, to over 90% today. This transformative device not only made the food industry more efficient and effective, but also allowed the food-services industry to prosper from a growth in product categories.

The analogy of 3-D printing to the microwave in food production is very close. Developed in the 1980s, 3-D printing, or additive manufacturing, is following the same downward trajectory in pricing and unit size as the microwave. The process creates objects through the placement of materials, layer upon layer, until an object is fully formed. Food-industry incumbents should take careful note, as the 3-D printer could one day be the Uber of their industry, placing on-demand, customized food within everyone’s reach.

As part of its continued acknowledgement that mobility in the U.S. and elsewhere is changing, Ford Motor Co. is launching a car sharing program in six American cities and London. Called Peer-2-Peer Car Sharing, the Dearborn company is launching the program through its Ford Credit Company, starting with 14,000 customers.

Bugs Bunny and Scooby-Doo are coming off the bench later this year for a new mission: to make Time Warner Inc. a bigger competitor in the children’s television business. New cartoons featuring the characters are part of a larger agreement between Warner Bros. Animation and sister company Turner Broadcasting’s Boomerang Network.

Much more is highlighted in A Look Ahead.