Lithium-ion batteries have dropped in cost by 75% over the past decade, a marvel of research and development that isn’t the result of a singular breakthrough but of myriad incremental improvements. Few know that better than Chaitanya Sharma, founder of the stealthy Nascent Materials. Sharma spent a little over two years working at Tesla’s Gigafactory… Continue reading Nascent Materials emerges from stealth to make LFP batteries better and cheaper
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Kodiak is using Vay’s remote driving tech in its self-driving trucks
Self-driving trucks developed by Kodiak Robotics contain some remote-driving DNA courtesy of Vay, a driverless car-sharing startup out of Berlin. The two companies, which announced a partnership on Wednesday, have been working together since last year, when Kodiak’s self-driving trucks began making driverless deliveries for Atlas Energy Solutions in the oil-rich Permian Basin of West… Continue reading Kodiak is using Vay’s remote driving tech in its self-driving trucks
Feds question Ford in hands-free driving investigation
The top federal vehicle safety regulator has sent Ford an exhaustive list of questions about its hands-free driver-assistance system known as BlueCruise. It’s the latest development in an investigation that started more than one year ago following two fatal crashes involving the software. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)… Continue reading Feds question Ford in hands-free driving investigation
How a data processing problem at Lyft became the basis for Eventual
When Eventual founders Sammy Sidhu and Jay Chia were working as software engineers at Lyft’s autonomous vehicle program, they witnessed a brewing data infrastructure problem — and one that would only become larger with the rise of AI. Self-driving cars produce a ton of unstructured data from 3D scans and photos to text and audio.… Continue reading How a data processing problem at Lyft became the basis for Eventual
Uber and Waymo’s commercial robotaxi service is open for business in Atlanta
Waymo robotaxis can now be hailed in Atlanta via Uber. The two companies, which already offer the “Waymo on Uber” service in Austin, said on Tuesday the commercial service will initially cover about 65 square miles in Atlanta. The launch, if successful, is poised to propel the businesses of both companies. Uber, which has locked… Continue reading Uber and Waymo’s commercial robotaxi service is open for business in Atlanta
Tesla’s robotaxis have already caught the attention of federal safety regulators
Federal safety regulators have reached out to Tesla a day after the automaker began providing rides in its branded robotaxis in Austin. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration contacted Tesla after numerous videos posted online appear to show Tesla robotaxis violating traffic laws in South Austin, where the company is providing rides to invited… Continue reading Tesla’s robotaxis have already caught the attention of federal safety regulators
Tesla launches robotaxi rides in Austin with big promises and unanswered questions
Tesla has started giving rides in driverless Model Y SUVs in Austin, a decade after CEO Elon Musk began making — and breaking — myriad promises about his company’s ability to launch such a service. The rollout will become the first big test of Musk’s belief that it’s possible to safely deploy fully autonomous vehicles… Continue reading Tesla launches robotaxi rides in Austin with big promises and unanswered questions
TechCrunch Mobility: Applied Intuition’s eye-popping valuation, the new age of micromobility, and Waymo’s wild week
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Waymo might be the largest commercial robotaxi operator — offering 250,000 paid rides per week — but it is hardly smooth. The past seven days in Waymo’s… Continue reading TechCrunch Mobility: Applied Intuition’s eye-popping valuation, the new age of micromobility, and Waymo’s wild week
The startups rolling out of Europe’s early-stage micromobility scene
Early-stage micromobility has shifted over the last few years. The cowboy antics of e-scooter companies causing chaos in a bid to scale has faded along with those fat venture checks that are now flowing to AI startups. Tighter capital combined with an existential need to create sustainable business models has produced a new crop of… Continue reading The startups rolling out of Europe’s early-stage micromobility scene
VanMoof is back with a new custom e-bike and rebooted repair network
Dutch e-bike startup VanMoof is back two years after bankruptcy with its first model designed under new leadership. And despite past criticism that VanMoof’s over-reliance on custom parts led to the company’s downfall, the S6 sticks to the brand’s signature bespoke design. Today, VanMoof is betting that higher-quality custom parts, alongside a more robust servicing… Continue reading VanMoof is back with a new custom e-bike and rebooted repair network