Roads in a Chinese city have gotten much quieter in recent years. Shenzhen, widely called the Silicon Valley of hardware, has been pouring resources to phase out rattling diesel vehicles chugging through the city of 12 million people. All public buses in the city went electric by the end of 2017. Taxis soon followed suit.… Continue reading First buses, now Shenzhen has turned its taxis electric in green push
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Cruise and DoorDash to test food delivery using self-driving cars in San Francisco
Cruise is partnering with DoorDash to pilot food and grocery delivery in San Francisco using self-driving vehicles. The companies announced Thursday that the testing program will begin in early 2019 with an initial focus on the San Francisco market. “Delivery is a significant opportunity for Cruise as we prepare to commercialize our autonomous vehicle technology and… Continue reading Cruise and DoorDash to test food delivery using self-driving cars in San Francisco
Auto marketplace CarDekho grabs $110M to double down on insurance and financial services
CarDekho, an online marketplace for car sales in India, has pulled in a new $110 million Series C funding round from a clutch of existing investors to push deeper into financial services and insurance. Sequoia India, Hillhouse and Alphabet’s CapitalG led the round which also saw participation from Axis Bank, one of CarDekho’s financing partners.… Continue reading Auto marketplace CarDekho grabs $110M to double down on insurance and financial services
Didi launches lending and insurance as new regulation threatens to lower driver numbers
Didi Chuxing, China’s dominant ride-hailing firm, is rolling out a range of financial and insurance services as it looks to fortify its service against a range of challenges in 2019. The company announced today that it is adding “protection” insurance and credit services for both passengers and drivers who use its platform. The former is… Continue reading Didi launches lending and insurance as new regulation threatens to lower driver numbers
The end of China’s ride-sharing gig
Over the last few years, millions of Chinese workers managed to earn extra money by being ride-hailing drivers. Many picked the gig because of its flexible schedule. For those who could not otherwise afford to own a car in China’s pricy metropolises, driving around is also a status symbol, even if they are paying off… Continue reading The end of China’s ride-sharing gig
Go-Jek extends ride-hailing service to the rest of Singapore
After a limited rollout, Go-Jek said today that it will extend its ride-hailing service to all of Singapore tomorrow while continuing its beta phase. The Indonesian-based company began offering rides in Singapore at the end of November, but only for passengers riding to and from certain areas. It https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/gojek-introduces-dynamic-pricing-move-will-likely-attract-more-drivers-to-joinintroduced dynamic pricing there, which increases prices… Continue reading Go-Jek extends ride-hailing service to the rest of Singapore
My product launch wishlist for Instagram, Twitter, Uber and more
‘Twas the night before Xmas, and all through the house, not a feature was stirring from the designer’s mouse . . . Not Twitter! Not Uber, Not Apple or Pinterest! On Facebook! On Snapchat! On Lyft or on Insta! . . . From the sidelines I ask you to flex your code’s might. Happy Xmas… Continue reading My product launch wishlist for Instagram, Twitter, Uber and more
FlixBus is testing VR on certain routes to Las Vegas
FlixBus, the low-cost tech-forward bus service out of Europe that launched in U.S. this year, has added a VR experience to some long-distance routes to and from Las Vegas. For now, the FlixBus VR feature, which includes about 50 virtual reality games and travel experiences, is limited to routes from Tucson, Phoenix, Los Angeles and San… Continue reading FlixBus is testing VR on certain routes to Las Vegas
Alibaba-backed Hellobike bags new funds as it marches into ride-hailing
2018 has been a rough year for China’s bike-sharing giants. Alibaba-backed Ofo pulled out of dozens of international cities as it fought with a severe cash crunch. Tencent-backed Mobike puts a brake on expansion after it was sold to neighborhood services provider Meituan Dianping. But one newcomer is pedaling against the wind. Hellobike, currently the country’s… Continue reading Alibaba-backed Hellobike bags new funds as it marches into ride-hailing
A year’s worth of Porsche Taycans are already reserved, mostly by Tesla owners
Porsche’s first all-electric sports car might be the most hotly anticipated vehicle of 2019. Even Tesla owners are hooked. In a recent interview with CNET, Porsche North America president and CEO Klaus Zellmer said if everyone who has placed a deposit to pre-order the car actually buys it, the Taycan will be sold out in its… Continue reading A year’s worth of Porsche Taycans are already reserved, mostly by Tesla owners