Aurora launches commercial self-driving truck service in Texas

Autonomous vehicle technology startup Aurora Innovation says it has successfully launched a self-driving truck service in Texas, making it the first company to deploy driverless, heavy-duty trucks for commercial use on public roads in the U.S.  The launch comes just as Aurora hits its deadline; in October, the company delayed its planned 2024 debut to… Continue reading Aurora launches commercial self-driving truck service in Texas

Tesla’s board reportedly sought a successor while Musk wheeled around Washington

According to a new, brow-raising WSJ report, Tesla’s board quietly began searching for Elon Musk’s potential successor about a month ago, approaching executive search firms as the carmaker faced protests, plummeting sales, and shrinking profits while Musk waded into Washington to slash government spending. Board members reportedly met with Musk to express concerns about his… Continue reading Tesla’s board reportedly sought a successor while Musk wheeled around Washington

Rivian’s reportedly sitting on a stockpile of tariff-free batteries

Rivian built up a stockpile of batteries for its trucks, SUVs, and commercial vans before and after the election of Donald Trump, a strategy used to soften the blow of the president’s tariffs, according to Bloomberg News. The company apparently bought an undisclosed number of lithium iron phosphate batteries from Chinese firm Gotion before the… Continue reading Rivian’s reportedly sitting on a stockpile of tariff-free batteries

Waymo and Toyota are dating — if they get serious, a new autonomous vehicle could be created

Waymo and Toyota have agreed to explore a possible deal that could one day lead to a new vehicle designed for ride-hailing and even bring self-driving tech into consumer cars. The two companies have signed a preliminary agreement to look into developing and deploying an autonomous vehicle platform, according to a blog posted by Waymo.… Continue reading Waymo and Toyota are dating — if they get serious, a new autonomous vehicle could be created

Tesla board member Joe Gebbia actually bought some stock

Tesla board member and Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia acquired about 4,000 shares of the automaker’s stock, a purchase that has a value of about $1 million and change, according to a regulatory filing. That’s not a significant stock purchase, and certainly not for the billionaire board member, as Electrek noted in its reporting. It’s notable… Continue reading Tesla board member Joe Gebbia actually bought some stock

Near Space Labs nabs $20M to take its high-res imaging Swift robots into the stratosphere

When it comes to creating images of the earth from above, satellites, drones, planes and spacecraft are what tend to come to mind. But a startup called Near Space Labs is taking a very different approach to taking high-resolution photos from up high. Near Space Labs is building aircraft that are raised by helium balloons… Continue reading Near Space Labs nabs $20M to take its high-res imaging Swift robots into the stratosphere

Mysterious financier asks judge to stop Canoo asset sale

A mysterious investor out of London has asked a bankruptcy judge in Delaware to stop the sale of EV startup Canoo’s assets to its CEO, calling it a “flawed” process. Charles Garson, a U.K.-based investor with no obvious ties to the EV startup, offered $20 million for Canoo’s assets, according to a filing. A lawyer… Continue reading Mysterious financier asks judge to stop Canoo asset sale

DoorDash seeks dismissal of Uber lawsuit

DoorDash has asked a California Superior Court judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Uber that accuses the food delivery company of stifling competition by intimidating restaurant owners into exclusive deals. DoorDash argues in its motion that Uber’s claim lacks merit on all fronts. On a post on its website on Friday, DoorDash said, “the… Continue reading DoorDash seeks dismissal of Uber lawsuit

Slate Auto eyes former Indiana printing plant for its EV truck production

Slate Auto, the buzzy new EV startup that broke stealth this week, is close to locking in a former printing plant located in Warsaw, Indiana as the future production site for its cheap electric truck, a review of public records shows. The company is expected to lease the 1.4 million-square-foot facility for an undisclosed sum.… Continue reading Slate Auto eyes former Indiana printing plant for its EV truck production

Bezos-backed Slate Auto debuts analog EV pickup truck that is decidedly anti-Tesla

A new American electric vehicle startup called Slate Auto has made its debut, and it’s about as anti-Tesla as it gets. It’s affordable, deeply customizable, and very analog. It has manual windows and it doesn’t come with a main infotainment screen. Heck, it isn’t even painted. It can also transform from a two-seater pickup to… Continue reading Bezos-backed Slate Auto debuts analog EV pickup truck that is decidedly anti-Tesla