Waymo just popped up on the Uber app in Austin ahead of robotaxi launch

Uber customers in Austin may notice a new offer when they open the app and hail a ride: an invitation to signal their interest in a Waymo robotaxi. For now, this doesn’t translate into a Waymo picking them up. But it will soon. The “interest list,” which launched Wednesday, is part of a partnership between… Continue reading Waymo just popped up on the Uber app in Austin ahead of robotaxi launch

E-fuels startup will make diamonds before powering jet planes

September 11 left a lasting impression on Stephen Beaton, and like many others of his generation, he joined the military. But at the U.S. Air Force academy, his journey took a bit of a turn. There, his chemistry studies deepened his interest in liquid fuels. “As a product of September 11, seeing the spike in… Continue reading E-fuels startup will make diamonds before powering jet planes

Cruise to slash workforce by nearly 50% after GM cuts funding to robotaxi operations

Autonomous vehicle company Cruise is laying off “nearly” 50% of its workforce — cuts that extend to the CEO and several other top executives — as it prepares to shut down operations. What remains of Cruise will move under parent company General Motors as the automaker directs its resources towards improving its hands-free driver assistance… Continue reading Cruise to slash workforce by nearly 50% after GM cuts funding to robotaxi operations

Waabi and Volvo team up to build self-driving trucks at scale

Self-driving truck startup Waabi is partnering with Volvo Autonomous Solutions to jointly develop and deploy autonomous trucks, an important milestone as it gets closer to a commercial launch.  The tie up also marks Volvo’s second partnership to co-develop self-driving big rigs with a startup partner. In May 2024, Volvo teamed up with Aurora Innovation to… Continue reading Waabi and Volvo team up to build self-driving trucks at scale

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Secure your ticket at this year’s lowest rates

Missed the 2-for-1 deal for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025? No problem! Super Early Bird prices are still available, with savings of up to $1,130 on individual tickets and up to 30% on group passes. These savings are only good until the end of this month. Celebrate 20 years of TechCrunch Disrupt from October 27-29 at Moscone… Continue reading TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Secure your ticket at this year’s lowest rates

Autonomous vehicle testing in California dropped 50%. Here’s why.

Tech companies developing self-driving vehicle technology have tapped the brakes on testing on California’s public roads, according to new data from the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. The agency reported Friday a total of 4.5 million autonomous vehicle test miles were logged in 2024, a 50% drop from the previous year. That figure covers two… Continue reading Autonomous vehicle testing in California dropped 50%. Here’s why.

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Last 24 hours for 2-for-1 Pass

Final hours for 2-for-1 Passes! One of the best Super Early Bird Deals for TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 will be wrapping up in just 24 hours for the rest of the year. The 2-for-1 Pass lets you bring a friend, colleague, or business partner, for nearly free. Buy one pass at the Super Early Bird rate… Continue reading TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Last 24 hours for 2-for-1 Pass

Elon Musk reveals Elon Musk was wrong about Full Self-Driving

For nearly nine years, Elon Musk has promised Tesla vehicles had the hardware needed to support a self-driving car. This week, he made his latest admission that many are not. Musk said on a conference call Wednesday evening that Tesla cars equipped with so-called Hardware 3 will need an upgrade before they can support unsupervised… Continue reading Elon Musk reveals Elon Musk was wrong about Full Self-Driving

Boom goes supersonic and Elon promises a self-driving service by summer

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! In case you missed it, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company would launch a paid ride-hailing service with a fleet of driverless vehicles in Austin in… Continue reading Boom goes supersonic and Elon promises a self-driving service by summer

Waymo employees can hail fully autonomous rides in Atlanta now

Waymo said it is launching fully driverless robotaxi rides for employees in Atlanta, an important step before the company opens the service up to members of the public later in 2025. This is the latest signal of Waymo’s push into new markets, and it comes two months after the company closed a $5.6 billion Series… Continue reading Waymo employees can hail fully autonomous rides in Atlanta now