Aurora and Continental pass first major hurdle in commercial self-driving trucks deal

Aurora and automotive supplier Continental have wrapped up the first phase of a more than $300 million project to mass produce autonomous vehicle hardware for commercial self-driving trucks. The two companies said Friday that the design and system architecture of an autonomous vehicle hardware kit is now complete. The blueprint for a secondary computer that… Continue reading Aurora and Continental pass first major hurdle in commercial self-driving trucks deal

Autonomous delivery startup Nuro taps simulation company Foretellix to cut R&D costs

Autonomous delivery startup Nuro has struck a deal with safety-focused software company Foretellix to help with virtual testing of its automated driving system, in a bid to cut R&D costs while still pushing the technology forward. The partnership, which the companies are set to announce later Thursday, comes in the wake of a tumultuous stretch… Continue reading Autonomous delivery startup Nuro taps simulation company Foretellix to cut R&D costs

The overlooked tech that kept cities moving in 2023

Over here at TechCrunch, our time is often spent finding and reporting on the next new new thing in mobility, from autonomous drones and electric air taxis to self-driving trucks and even batteries made of paper. While this tech, in theory, may someday help people and goods move from point A to B, much of… Continue reading The overlooked tech that kept cities moving in 2023

Facing roadblocks, China’s robotaxi darlings apply the brakes

A few years ago, robotaxis were the darlings of venture capitalists in China. A cadre of audacious startups, including Deeproute.ai, WeRide.ai, Pony.ai and Momenta reeled in hundreds of millions of dollars to fuel their costly ambitions. With pockets overflowing, they spent generously on building self-driving vehicle fleets. Their geeky executives, swapping T-shirts for sharp suits,… Continue reading Facing roadblocks, China’s robotaxi darlings apply the brakes

May Mobility’s driverless microtransit might beat robotaxis to profitability

Autonomous vehicle company May Mobility has launched its first driverless on-demand microtransit service on public roads in Sun City, Arizona in partnership with transit tech company Via. The milestone is in line with May Mobility’s goal of launching rider-only operations by 2023. It also signals that the gentle onramp approach to commercializing autonomy could be… Continue reading May Mobility’s driverless microtransit might beat robotaxis to profitability

Waymo launches curbside robotaxi pickup at Phoenix airport

Select Waymo One riders can now get picked up or dropped off by the company’s robotaxis curbside at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Waymo became the first autonomous vehicle operator in the U.S. to launch a paid robotaxi service to and from the airport in November 2022. The service went to an airport shuttle stop… Continue reading Waymo launches curbside robotaxi pickup at Phoenix airport

Cruise slashes 24% of self-driving car workforce in sweeping layoffs

Cruise, the embattled GM self-driving car subsidiary, is laying off 900 employees, or about 24% of its workforce, TechCrunch has exclusively learned. The layoffs are part of a plan to slash costs and attempt to revamp the company following an October 2 incident that left a pedestrian stuck under and then dragged by one of… Continue reading Cruise slashes 24% of self-driving car workforce in sweeping layoffs

China’s autonomous vehicle regulation requires safety operators, in-car recordings

When it comes to spurring the development of cutting-edge technologies, the Chinese government is rather pragmatic in its policymaking process. In the field of autonomous driving, the country has made some big strides in defining the parameters and limitations for service providers, removing regulatory ambiguity and granting industry players the freedom to test and commercialize… Continue reading China’s autonomous vehicle regulation requires safety operators, in-car recordings

China’s WeRide tests autonomous buses in Singapore, accelerates global ambition

After years of aggressive expansion at home, China’s autonomous vehicle upstarts are now setting their gaze on overseas markets. WeRide, in particular, has been on a licensing spree. On Monday, WeRide announced it has obtained two licenses from Singapore that will allow its robobuses to test on public roads on a “larger” scale. The two… Continue reading China’s WeRide tests autonomous buses in Singapore, accelerates global ambition

Ex-Uber CSO Joe Sullivan on why he ‘had to get over’ shock data breach conviction

Before joining Uber as chief security officer in 2015, Joe Sullivan served for two years as a federal prosecutor with the United States Department of Justice, where he specialized in computer hacking and IP issues. He worked on a number of high-profile cases, from the first case in the U.S. of prosecution under the Digital Millennium… Continue reading Ex-Uber CSO Joe Sullivan on why he ‘had to get over’ shock data breach conviction