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

Tesla names Oracle’s Larry Ellison, Walgreens executive to board as part of SEC settlement

Tesla has added two independent directors to its board, Oracle founder and executive chairman Larry Ellison and Walgreens executive Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, as part of a settlement with U.S. securities regulators over CEO Elon Musk’s infamous tweets about taking the company private. The pair joined the board as of December 27, Tesla said in an announcement early… Continue reading Tesla names Oracle’s Larry Ellison, Walgreens executive to board as part of SEC settlement

Grab raises fundraising target to $5B as Southeast Asia’s ride-hailing war heats up

Southeast Asian ride-hailing firm Grab is aiming to start the new year with a bang and an awful load of bucks. The company, which acquired Uber’s local business earlier this year, is planning to raise as much as $5 billion from its ongoing Series H round, up from an original target of $3 billion, a source with… Continue reading Grab raises fundraising target to $5B as Southeast Asia’s ride-hailing war heats up