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! The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced late this week that it plans to streamline the Part 555 exemption process to make it faster for automakers… Continue reading TechCrunch Mobility: The cost of Waymo
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Zevo’s EV-only car-share fleet is helping Tesla owners make money
Hebron Sher remembers daydreaming in 2019 when Elon Musk promised Tesla’s cars would become robotaxis, capable of going out in the world to make money for owners. Sher was already a user of the car-sharing platform Turo, and the idea of turning a Tesla into an even bigger moneymaker was an attractive proposition. But as… Continue reading Zevo’s EV-only car-share fleet is helping Tesla owners make money
a16z-backed Infinite Machine shows off cheaper, modular electric scooter
New York-based micromobility startup Infinite Machine has revealed a seated scooter called Olto that will cost $3,495 when it starts shipping later this year. The Olto will feature 40 miles of range, pulled from an easily swappable 48V lithium-ion battery. Infinite Machine says the Olto will have a top speed of 20 miles per hour… Continue reading a16z-backed Infinite Machine shows off cheaper, modular electric scooter
Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft — and people are paying anyway
A central premise of robotaxis is that high usage and lower labor costs will ultimately make it a cheap transportation option. That is still far from true, but now there’s some data that gives us an idea of by how much. Obi, an app that aggregates real-time pricing and pick-up times across multiple ride-hailing services,… Continue reading Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft — and people are paying anyway
Musk targets June 22 launch of Tesla’s long-promised robotaxi service
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said his company will start offering public rides in driverless vehicles in Austin, Texas, on June 22, which would mark the beginning of his long-promised robotaxi service. That date could shift because Musk claimed Tesla is “being super paranoid about safety.” Tesla Model Y SUVs have been spotted in recent days… Continue reading Musk targets June 22 launch of Tesla’s long-promised robotaxi service
Bedrock Ocean dredges up $25M to map the seafloor with robots
Oceans may cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, but we have better maps of the moon than we do the seabed. There are good reasons for that: The ocean floor is obscured, and the harsh environment makes it hard to send humans down to get a closer look. But as robots improve, we… Continue reading Bedrock Ocean dredges up $25M to map the seafloor with robots
Wayve and Uber plan London robotaxi launch after UK speeds up autonomous vehicle rollout
U.K.-based autonomous vehicle technology company Wayve and Uber plan to launch a fully driverless robotaxi service in London in the coming years. The news comes soon after the U.K.’s announcement of an accelerated framework for self-driving commercial pilots. U.K. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed Tuesday that the U.K. government would fast-track pilots to spring 2026,… Continue reading Wayve and Uber plan London robotaxi launch after UK speeds up autonomous vehicle rollout
Mitra Chem is raising $50M for its cheaper, domestic battery materials
Battery material startup Mitra Chem has raised $15.6 million of a planned $50 million funding round, according to a regulatory filing seen by TechCrunch. Mitra Chem is developing materials to make lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries store more energy. Automakers have begun to turn to LFP in an attempt to trim costs from electric vehicle battery packs,… Continue reading Mitra Chem is raising $50M for its cheaper, domestic battery materials
Apple adds widgets and message tapbacks to CarPlay with iOS 26
Apple just announced iOS 26 at WWDC 2025, and along with a new “Liquid Glass” design language, the company revealed some new features coming to CarPlay. Three of the biggest additions: widgets and live activities are coming to CarPlay, and so is the ability to choose a “tapback” response to incoming messages. Users will now… Continue reading Apple adds widgets and message tapbacks to CarPlay with iOS 26
Waymo robotaxis, Lime e-scooters set ablaze during LA protests
Several Waymo robotaxis and Lime e-scooters were set on fire this weekend amid unrest in downtown Los Angeles spurred by groups protesting immigration raids in the city by the Trump administration. A group of protesters attacked five Waymo autonomous vehicles on Los Angeles Street early on Sunday evening, reports Los Angeles Times. They slashed tires,… Continue reading Waymo robotaxis, Lime e-scooters set ablaze during LA protests