YooJung Ahn is Waymo’s head of design. She oversees the design of the Waymo “driver,” a complicated combination of hardware, software, and user experiences. She also helped designed the famous Firefly vehicle — the first clean-sheet self-driving Google car, which was unveiled in 2014. Ahn now works on Waymo’s vehicles, which are supplied by Fiat… Continue reading Waymo’s head of design explains the challenges of creating an autonomous robot ‘driver’ (GOOGL)
Author: Business Insider
Elon Musk contradicted a bold claim he made last year about Tesla’s self-driving capabilities (TSLA)
Last February, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he was “certain” the electric-car maker’s vehicles would be able to drive without human assistance by the end of 2019. On Wednesday, Musk said Tesla “got pretty close” to meeting his goal and could be a few months away from achieving it. But he suggested that some of… Continue reading Elon Musk contradicted a bold claim he made last year about Tesla’s self-driving capabilities (TSLA)
Lyft is planning to cut 90 jobs and make changes to its marketing and sales teams, ahead of its February earnings report (LYFT)
Lyft is planning to cut jobs and restructure teams, in news first reported by the New York Times Since its debut on the public market last April, Lyft has fended off investor concerns and questions on its ability to turn a profit. The report comes ahead of the company’s first fiscal quarter earnings report in… Continue reading Lyft is planning to cut 90 jobs and make changes to its marketing and sales teams, ahead of its February earnings report (LYFT)
Via’s CEO explains how the company is beating Uber and Lyft at shared rides — and building better public transit networks at the same time
Via CEO Daniel Ramot didn’t mince words when it came to the problems with Uber and Lyft, and the detrimental effects of personal vehicles on crowded cities. Ramot said he looks forward to taking the shared-rides provider public in the future, but stopped short of a timeline. In addition to a consumer service, Via provides… Continue reading Via’s CEO explains how the company is beating Uber and Lyft at shared rides — and building better public transit networks at the same time
A startup run by a Tesla veteran and backed by Bill Gates is promising to build a long-duration battery that’s 50 to 100 times cheaper than lithium-ion
There’s a reason lithium-ion batteries are in nearly every electronic device — they’re energy-dense, lightweight, and don’t degrade quickly. Where they fall short is in the storage of electricity on the grid for multiple days. At that duration, lithium-ion batteries are too expensive. Without cheaper long-duration batteries, it will be challenging to stop using carbon-emitting… Continue reading A startup run by a Tesla veteran and backed by Bill Gates is promising to build a long-duration battery that’s 50 to 100 times cheaper than lithium-ion
Kids can’t take Uber and Lyft rides alone. A startup thinks it found the perfect solution — and has backing from the US’s largest school-bus company
Uber and Lyft don’t allow unaccompanied minors under 18 years old, though the stipulation isn’t stopping some. To fill the gap, startups like Kango offer scheduled rides with trained caregivers in what they call “childcare as a service.” The startup’s backed by one of the world’s largest school-bus operators, founder Sara Schaer said in an… Continue reading Kids can’t take Uber and Lyft rides alone. A startup thinks it found the perfect solution — and has backing from the US’s largest school-bus company
Uber surges 6% after offloading its Indian food-delivery business (UBER)
Uber announced Monday that it had sold its Indian food-delivery service to competitor Zomato for a 9.99% stake. Shares of Uber surged as much as 6% Tuesday. Offloading parts of the business that are not profitable brings Uber closer to its goal of being profitable on an Ebitda basis by 2021. Watch Uber trade live… Continue reading Uber surges 6% after offloading its Indian food-delivery business (UBER)
Tesla reportedly made a significant change to its Supercharger pricing (TSLA)
Tesla has changed the way it bills customers for charging sessions at the electric-car maker’s Supercharger stations, Electrek’s Fred Lambert reported, citing an internal email sent to Tesla employees. Tesla owners now have to pay for the electricity used to power systems like the HVAC and battery heater when charging, in addition to the electricity… Continue reading Tesla reportedly made a significant change to its Supercharger pricing (TSLA)
Careem’s CEO ribbed Uber for making a rookie error in the Middle East. Uber just paid $3.1 billion to buy it.
Uber’s $3.1 billion acquisition of Careem, a major rival in the Middle East, closed on Friday after being announced in March. For Uber, it’s a way to buy dominance in a fiercely competitive region. Careem has built a moat to keep out Western competition, founder and CEO Mudassir Sheikha told Business Insider in a 2018… Continue reading Careem’s CEO ribbed Uber for making a rookie error in the Middle East. Uber just paid $3.1 billion to buy it.
NHTSA is investigating a Tesla crash in California that killed 2 people (TSLA)
A speeding Tesla Model S driver slammed into the back of a Honda Civic, killing both its occupants and prompting a federal investigations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday its special crash investigation team was responding. It’s not clear if Autopilot, a driver-assist function, was active at the time of the wreck. Several… Continue reading NHTSA is investigating a Tesla crash in California that killed 2 people (TSLA)