Less than a month after rebranding as Canoo, the startup electric vehicle company formerly known as Evelozcity is on the hunt for $200 million in new capital. The startup, which is backed by a clutch of private individuals and family offices hailing from China, Germany and Taiwan, is hoping to line up the new capital… Continue reading Canoo, the electric vehicle startup formed from Faraday Future’s ashes, seeks $200 million
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
GV-backed KeepTruckin nabs $149M at $1.25B valuation
KeepTruckin, a developer of hardware and software that helps truck drivers manage their vehicles and cargo, has raised $149 million in Series D funding. Greenoaks Capital has led the round, with participation from existing backers GV, IVP, Index Ventures and Scale Venture Partners. The round values the business at $1.25 billion, according to KeepTruckin co-founder… Continue reading GV-backed KeepTruckin nabs $149M at $1.25B valuation
Smartcar accuses $50M-funded rival Otonomo of API plagiarism
Ruthless copying is common in tech. Just ask Snapchat. However, it’s typically more conceptual than literal. But car API startup Smartcar claims that its competitor Otonomo copy-and-pasted Smartcar’s API documentation, allegedly plagiarizing it extensively to the point of including the original’s typos and randomly generated strings of code. It’s published a series of side-by-side screenshots… Continue reading Smartcar accuses $50M-funded rival Otonomo of API plagiarism
Tesla’s full self-driving computer is now in all new cars and a next-gen chip is already ‘halfway done’
The Tesla computer, a new custom chip designed to enable full self-driving capabilities, is now in all new Model 3, X and S vehicles, CEO Elon Musk said during the company’s Autonomy Day. Tesla switched over from Nvidia’s Drive platform to its own custom chip for the Model S and X about a month ago and… Continue reading Tesla’s full self-driving computer is now in all new cars and a next-gen chip is already ‘halfway done’
Sony launches a taxi-hailing app to rival Uber in Tokyo
Sony last year announced it would enter Japan’s taxi-hailing space and, good to its word, the electronics giant has kicked off its S.Ride service in Tokyo. The service — which was first noted by CNET — is a joint venture between Sony, its payment services subsidiary and five licensed taxi companies. Since ride-hailing with civilian… Continue reading Sony launches a taxi-hailing app to rival Uber in Tokyo
Uber, Lyft implement new safety measures
Uber and Lyft instituted new safety features and policies this week. The move follows the death of Samantha Josephson, a student at the University of South Carolina, who was kidnapped and murdered in late March. She was found dead after getting into a vehicle that she believed to be her Uber ride. The murder, which… Continue reading Uber, Lyft implement new safety measures
Phantom Auto raises $13.5M to expand remote driving business to delivery bots and forklifts
Remote driving startup Phantom Auto has raised $13.5 million of financing in a Series A round led by Bessemer Venture Partners — capital used to expand a logistics business targeting sidewalks, warehouses and cargo yards, all the places where autonomy and teleoperation are being deployed today. The startup, founded in 2017, has raised about $19… Continue reading Phantom Auto raises $13.5M to expand remote driving business to delivery bots and forklifts
100 Car2go Mercedes hijacked in Chicago crime spree
Car2go, free-floating car-sharing service owned by Daimler, temporarily shut down its service in Chicago on Wednesday after dozens of Mercedes-Benz vehicles were stolen using the app. The Chicago Police Department was alerted by Car2Go that some of their vehicles may have been rented by deceptive or fraudulent means through a mobile app, a spokesperson wrote in… Continue reading 100 Car2go Mercedes hijacked in Chicago crime spree
Audi self-driving unit taps newcomer Aeva for its unique lidar
Audi’s self-driving unit has tapped a startup with a unique approach to lidar as it ramps up testing in Munich using a fleet of autonomous electric e-tron crossover vehicles. Audi subsidiary Autonomous Intelligent Driving, or AID, said Wednesday it’s using lidar sensors developed by Aeva, a startup founded just two years ago by veterans of… Continue reading Audi self-driving unit taps newcomer Aeva for its unique lidar
Dutch chipmaker NXP makes China push by backing radar company Hawkeye
Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors has come a long way since Qualcomm’s outsize $44 billion to acquire it fell through last year. In an announcement released on Tuesday, NXP said it’s agreed to back and partner with Hawkeye Technology, a Chinese company specializing in automotive radars, as part of an ambition to capture the rapid growth… Continue reading Dutch chipmaker NXP makes China push by backing radar company Hawkeye