Tesla is open to licensing its software, including its Autopilot highly-automated driving technology, and the neural network training it has built to improve its autonomous driving technology. Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed those considerations on the company’s Q4 earnings call on Wednesday, adding that the company has in fact already “had some preliminary discussions about… Continue reading Tesla is willing to license Autopilot and has already had “preliminary discussions” about it with other automakers
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Starship Technologies raises $17M to roll out more delivery bots
A year ago, Starship Technologies had a couple hundred autonomous bots delivering burritos and pizzas to students on college campuses and residents in a few neighborhoods. The company — with $17 million of new capital in its coffers — has expanded its fleet five-fold since COVID-19 swept through the European and North American markets that… Continue reading Starship Technologies raises $17M to roll out more delivery bots
Lime adds shared electric mopeds to the mix
Lime is adding electric mopeds — painted in the company’s signature green — to its micromobility platform as the startup aims to own the spectrum of inner city travel from jaunts to the corner store to longer distance trips up to five miles. Lime said Wednesday it plans to launch as many as 600 electric… Continue reading Lime adds shared electric mopeds to the mix
Sila Nanotechnologies raises $590M to fund battery materials factory
Sila Nanotechnologies, a Silicon Valley battery materials company, has spent years developing technology designed to pack more energy into a cell at a lower cost — an end game that has helped it lock in partnerships with Amperex Technology Limited as well as automakers BMW and Daimler. Now, Sila Nano, flush with a fresh injection… Continue reading Sila Nanotechnologies raises $590M to fund battery materials factory
Ex-Uber team raises $6M seed for geospatial analytics platform Unfolded.ai
Years ago, Uber had a problem. With millions of users and tens of thousands of drivers scattered across a widening expanse of the globe, the fast-growing mobility startup wanted to display more accurate maps to users about where their ride was coming from and where it was intending to go to reach its destination. The… Continue reading Ex-Uber team raises $6M seed for geospatial analytics platform Unfolded.ai
A look at the soaring valuations of Rivian and Cruise with transportation VC Reilly Brennan
Perhaps more than most, Reilly Brennan loves cars and trucks. The native Michigander happily did grunt work for an automotive magazine as an undergrad at the University of Michigan before landing a gig as a trackside communications manager at General Motors, spending a few years as an editor and a general manager with an automotive… Continue reading A look at the soaring valuations of Rivian and Cruise with transportation VC Reilly Brennan
Startups look beyond lidar for autonomous vehicle perception
Last CES was a time of reckoning for lidar companies, many of which were cratering due to a lack of demand from a (still) nonexistent autonomous vehicle industry. The few that excelled did so by specializing, and this year the trend has pushed beyond lidar, with new sensing and imaging methods pushing to both compete… Continue reading Startups look beyond lidar for autonomous vehicle perception
Autonomous driving startup Uisee attracts Chinese state investor in $150M round
There is no lack of state funding for China’s smart driving startups nowadays as the country advances its goal to become a global leader in artificial intelligence in a decade’s time. The latest to get a financial boost is Uisee, a Beijing-based company founded by a group of tech veterans including the former head of… Continue reading Autonomous driving startup Uisee attracts Chinese state investor in $150M round
End-to-end operators are the next generation of consumer business
Roger Lee Contributor Roger Lee is a general partner at Battery Ventures, based in Menlo Park, CA, who focuses on investments in software and consumer tech, including online marketplaces. More posts by this contributor Keys to ascending the consumer-internet throne How to communicate with your board in tough times Justin Da Rosa Contributor Justin Da… Continue reading End-to-end operators are the next generation of consumer business
EVgo to go public via SPAC in bid to power EV charging expansion
EVgo, the wholly owned subsidiary of LS Power that owns and operates public fast chargers for electric vehicles, has reached a deal to become a publicly traded company through a merger with special-purpose acquisition company Climate Change Crisis Real Impact I Acquisition Corporation. The combined company, which will be listed under the new ticker symbol… Continue reading EVgo to go public via SPAC in bid to power EV charging expansion