Uber and Lyft have long argued that ride-hailing apps have the potential to make cities better by easing traffic and reducing personal car ownership. And every time a study emerges that counters that narrative by exposing ride-hailing’s worsening effects on congestion, the two companies respond by casting doubt on the studies’ findings. Well, this time… Continue reading Uber and Lyft finally admit they’re making traffic congestion worse in cities
Author: The Verge Online News
What is ‘Ultra Cruise’? GM teases mysterious autonomous technology to investors
Last year, General Motors filed a trademark for something called “Ultra Cruise.” The company has never explained what Ultra Cruise is, but it would seem to be a reference to the auto giant’s well-regarded advanced driver assist system, Super Cruise. Today, we got some more details courtesy of GM CEO Mary Barra — but not… Continue reading What is ‘Ultra Cruise’? GM teases mysterious autonomous technology to investors
Waze upgrades carpooling service to let drivers take multiple passengers
Google-owned navigation app Waze now lets drivers pick up more than one passenger at a time when using the app’s carpooling feature. VentureBeat notes that Waze now supports picking up a maximum of four passengers, which you can do by tapping the “+” icon after confirming an initial ride. The new feature will allow drivers… Continue reading Waze upgrades carpooling service to let drivers take multiple passengers
Ford’s scooter company launches aggressive expansion plan and next-gen scooter
Spin, the dockless scooter company acquired by Ford Motor Company last year, announced on Thursday that it will deploy 15,000 scooters in eight cities starting in August. The company also unveiled its latest model of electric scooter, with anti-theft technology and custom parts meant to deter vandalism. Spin has been expanding since it was bought… Continue reading Ford’s scooter company launches aggressive expansion plan and next-gen scooter
Pedestrian collision puts Vienna’s driverless bus trial on hold
A self-driving bus trial taking place in Vienna, Austria, has been paused after an incident occurred between a pedestrian and one of the vehicles, reports Bloomberg. On Thursday morning a 30-year-old woman collided with the bus, which is operated by the self-driving startup Navya, sustaining minor injuries. The city’s transit authority has paused the trials… Continue reading Pedestrian collision puts Vienna’s driverless bus trial on hold
Byar Volta is a shaft-driven e-bike that might never need charging
Think “bicycle” and most people imagine a handlebar, wheels, and pedals attached to a diamond frame. A chain converts the power generated by leg muscles into mechanical energy to drive the contraption forward. That’s been true for nearly 150 years. A new bike I’ve been testing from a small Dutch startup hopes to change your… Continue reading Byar Volta is a shaft-driven e-bike that might never need charging
Tesla workers say they had to cut corners to meet production goals
Over half a dozen current and former Tesla employees claim that aggressive production goals have forced workers to take shortcuts when manufacturing its cars in a new report from CNBC. They also accuse Tesla of creating harsh working conditions, especially for employees working in the “GA4” production tent where assembly is not fully automated. Employees… Continue reading Tesla workers say they had to cut corners to meet production goals
Chinese EV startup Seres halts US launch, lays off 90 people in Silicon Valley
Seres, the Chinese EV startup formerly known as SF Motors, is laying off 90 people in its Silicon Valley office, the company announced in a staff meeting held earlier today. The US launch of its first electric SUV, the SF5, is also now on hold, according to a recording of the meeting obtained by The… Continue reading Chinese EV startup Seres halts US launch, lays off 90 people in Silicon Valley
Former Tesla employee admits uploading Autopilot source code to his iCloud
Guangzhi Cao, a former engineer at Tesla, admitted in a court filing this week that he uploaded zip files containing Autopilot source code to his personal iCloud account in late 2018 while still working for the company. Tesla sued Cao earlier this year for allegedly stealing trade secrets related to Autopilot and bringing them to… Continue reading Former Tesla employee admits uploading Autopilot source code to his iCloud
Bird is making Paris its ‘second home,’ as city cracks down on scooter riding
Bird is planning to build a new hub in Paris and hire 1,000 people over two years to help spur the growth of its scooter-sharing service across the European continent. Bird CEO Travis VanderZanden said the hub will be the Santa Monica-based company’s “second European home.” Bird first launched its dockless, electric scooter rental business… Continue reading Bird is making Paris its ‘second home,’ as city cracks down on scooter riding