Kodiak Robotics has unveiled its first autonomous test vehicle for the U.S. Department of Defense, a Ford F-150 pickup truck that the startup has upfitted with its software and sensor stack. The DOD is using the vehicle to test autonomous surveillance and reconnaissance missions in off-road terrain, diverse operational conditions and GPS-challenged environments. Kodiak won… Continue reading Kodiak’s military prototype AV is a Ford F-150 pickup
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Big wins for Latin America, climate tech momentum, and Rover’s $2.3B sale
Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. This is our Friday show, and we’re talking about the week’s biggest startup and tech news. This week Mary Ann, Kirsten Korosec, and Alex Wilhelm were… Continue reading Big wins for Latin America, climate tech momentum, and Rover’s $2.3B sale
London’s iconic black cabs can soon be hailed on Uber
Uber has secured another win over the struggling taxi industry. Soon, riders in London will be able to hail an iconic black cab in the city. London cabbies can now start signing up for Uber trip referrals, but the service won’t roll out until early 2024. Uber says some drivers have already begun showing interest… Continue reading London’s iconic black cabs can soon be hailed on Uber
Nvidia taps China talent for autonomous driving endeavors
Nvidia has long been involved in the development of autonomous vehicle technologies, providing the industry with graphic processing units that can perform millions of calculations simultaneously. Now the semiconductor powerhouse is stepping up its AV game by seeking a talent boost in China. The firm is recruiting two dozen roles for an autonomous driving team… Continue reading Nvidia taps China talent for autonomous driving endeavors
The Wild West of robotaxis: Will Texas be a regulatory haven or chaos unleashed?
All eyes might be on the California robotaxi market, but Texas is the one shaping up to be the next hot testbed of the technology — and regulatory fights that could follow. The Lone Star State has been home to autonomous vehicle testing, particularly with trucks, for years now. However, Texas, a state with negligible… Continue reading The Wild West of robotaxis: Will Texas be a regulatory haven or chaos unleashed?
Uber takes steps to combat unfair driver deactivations
Uber is introducing new features geared toward addressing the issues of unfair deactivations that ride-hail and delivery drivers often face. Starting Monday across the U.S., Uber will roll out a technology that identifies riders or Uber Eats customers who consistently give bad ratings or feedback with the intent of getting a refund. Allegations by those… Continue reading Uber takes steps to combat unfair driver deactivations
Lyft picks comfort over sharing in bid to compete with Uber
Lyft is introducing a “more affordable sort of higher-end ride” in an attempt to offer ride-hail products that customers actually want, CEO David Risher said Wednesday during the company’s third-quarter earnings call. The move comes after Lyft has been successful, by some metrics, in regaining market share from Uber by slashing its ride-hail fares. In… Continue reading Lyft picks comfort over sharing in bid to compete with Uber
Lyft’s price war with Uber yields mixed results
Lyft’s strategy of slashing ride-hail fares to compete with Uber has resulted in slow and steady gains for the company, but competition remains fierce. According to Lyft’s third-quarter earnings, reported Wednesday, Lyft’s active ridership numbers have increased sequentially quarter-over-quarter this year. In the three months ending September 30, Lyft recorded 22.4 million active riders, up… Continue reading Lyft’s price war with Uber yields mixed results
May Mobility rides the AV wave while Cruise and Waymo feel the heat
May Mobility has raised hundreds of millions from some of the biggest names in the auto industry, but if you haven’t heard of the autonomous vehicle startup yet, that’s apparently by design. The Toyota- and BMW-backed company builds autonomous vehicle systems like Cruise and Waymo. Yet, it’s dodging the fire those companies are under by… Continue reading May Mobility rides the AV wave while Cruise and Waymo feel the heat
Uber’s Q3 numbers include impressive profitability gains, slower-than-expected growth
Uber reported third-quarter earnings on Tuesday that show a profitable ride-hail and delivery company that’s chugging along in spite of slowing growth in some sectors. The company reported revenue of $9.3 billion, an 11% increase year over year. Investors had expected Uber to report revenues of around $9.5 billion (FactSet, Refinitiv), meaning that despite the… Continue reading Uber’s Q3 numbers include impressive profitability gains, slower-than-expected growth