Waymo is pulling the human safety driver out of its recently expanded robotaxi operations in downtown Phoenix, Dmitri Dolgov, co-CEO of Waymo, announced on the TechCrunch Sessions: Mobility stage on Wednesday. “We will be starting fully autonomous, rider-only operations in the downtown Phoenix area that will…be on the fifth generation of our system on the… Continue reading Waymo is expanding its driverless program in Phoenix
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Luminar’s Austin Russell: ‘We probably shouldn’t have existed’ but lidar will drive next-gen safety anyway
At TC Sessions: Mobility, Luminar founder and CEO Austin Russell admitted that his now successful company was founded in hubris, but that a skeptical eye during peak lidar hype helped them focus on real markets. “It’s no longer about some theoretical promise — you actually have to show real results, real deliveries, real technology and… Continue reading Luminar’s Austin Russell: ‘We probably shouldn’t have existed’ but lidar will drive next-gen safety anyway
Hyundai to open $6.5B EV factory in Georgia
Hyundai is the latest automaker to announce plans to open an EV factory in Georgia, the same state where Rivian is preparing to break ground on its controversial plant. Hyundai’s $6.5 billion EV and battery manufacturing facility outside of Savannah will further the state’s goal of becoming a major regional hub for the EV industry.… Continue reading Hyundai to open $6.5B EV factory in Georgia
Arrival unveils prototype of dedicated ride-hail vehicle at TC Sessions: Mobility
Arrival, the U.K.-based commercial electric vehicle company, unveiled the first prototype of its purpose-built electric vehicle for ride-hailing on the TechCrunch Sessions: Mobility stage on Thursday. The company, which is perhaps best known for its potentially revolutionary goal of building multiple automated microfactories to produce vehicles regionally and locally rather than one big production line,… Continue reading Arrival unveils prototype of dedicated ride-hail vehicle at TC Sessions: Mobility
NHTSA probes Tesla Autopilot crash that killed three people
A U.S. federal agency is investigating a crash involving a 2022 Tesla Model S that may have been operating in Autopilot during a crash that killed three people. Autopilot is Tesla’s advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) that performs automated functions such as steering, accelerating and automatic braking. Bloomberg first reported on the news. The accident, which… Continue reading NHTSA probes Tesla Autopilot crash that killed three people
Aurora expands autonomous freight pilot with FedEx in Texas
Aurora Innovation, an autonomous vehicle technology company, has expanded its self-driving freight pilot with FedEx to include a new lane from Fort Worth to El Paso, Texas. The startup has been hauling freight for FedEx between Dallas and Houston since September 2021, which has involved making the 240-mile trip every night. The new lane challenges… Continue reading Aurora expands autonomous freight pilot with FedEx in Texas
Lithium-silicon batteries get vote of confidence with Sila’s Mercedes deal
For years, scientists and engineers predicted that lithium-ion batteries would get a boost if they could just add more silicon. In the lab, the prediction held, but only for a short period of time. The material had a downside — it became brittle after repeated charging. Sila seems to think it’s solved the problem. The… Continue reading Lithium-silicon batteries get vote of confidence with Sila’s Mercedes deal
Electric Mercedes G-Class will go the distance with Sila’s energy-dense silicon anodes
Mercedes-Benz announced today that Sila’s energy-dense silicon anode is slated for an extended-range version of the electric G-Class that’s due out in 2025. Sila said that its silicon anode material can boost energy density by 20% to 40% over existing cells, enabling a longer range from battery packs that occupy the same physical space. That… Continue reading Electric Mercedes G-Class will go the distance with Sila’s energy-dense silicon anodes
Argo AI launches driverless autonomous vehicle testing in Miami, Austin
Argo AI, the autonomous vehicle technology company backed by Ford and Volkswagen, is launching driverless testing operations in Miami and Austin, a significant milestone for the startup that illustrates its progress toward commercialization. Argo’s announcement Tuesday follows a period of consolidation within the industry that has left just a handful of large, capital-rich companies in… Continue reading Argo AI launches driverless autonomous vehicle testing in Miami, Austin
Bird changes course, drops vehicle sales in pursuit of profitability
Bird presented its first quarter 2022 earnings on Monday after the bell. Revenue has decreased consistently since the company went public via a special purpose acquisition merger in November last year. As a result, Bird is looking at streamlining resources so it can achieve profitability this year. Bird’s initiatives involve focusing on its most profitable… Continue reading Bird changes course, drops vehicle sales in pursuit of profitability