H-E-B has acquired Favor, the on-demand delivery service out of Texas. Favor will continue to operate as an independent wholly owned subsidiary of the grocery chain. The company first in 2013, bringing a Texas-tailored approach to on-demand delivery. While many on-demand services, such as Postmates, focus on high-density areas like NYC and San Francisco, Favor… Continue reading H-E-B acquires Texas-based on-demand company Favor
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
London sets out safety-first plan for regulating ride-sharing
After London sent ripple’s of shock through Silicon Valley last year by denying Uber a renewal of its private hire vehicle license, the city’s transport regulator is doubling down on its scrutiny of the impact of app-based ride operators. Today it’s published a policy statement setting out its intentions for adopting transport regulations to fit the… Continue reading London sets out safety-first plan for regulating ride-sharing
Bike-sharing startup Spin is getting into scooter-sharing
Because there are not enough ways to get around major cities and campuses, Spin is working to launch stationless electric scooter-sharing. These aren’t the electric scooters you see in San Francisco, operated by Scoot Networks. These are essentially electrified Razor-like scooters that can go up to 15 mph and cover 18 miles on a single… Continue reading Bike-sharing startup Spin is getting into scooter-sharing
Spin wants to bring dock-less bike sharing to the US
Bikeshare programs in the US have mostly consisted of kiosks, or stations, where users can unlock a bike, take it off the rack, use it and return it once their errand or joy ride is done. Some only allow subscribers others charge by the hour. Meanwhile in China, bikeshare programs have evolved from kiosk-based systems… Continue reading Spin wants to bring dock-less bike sharing to the US
Aurora will power Byton EV’s autonomous driving features
Aurora, the self-driving startup founded by Google self-driving car project alum Chris Urmson, along with Tesla Autopilot developer Sterling Anderson, CMU robotics expert and Uber vet Drew Bagnell, and a team of industry experts, will be making the autonomous smarts for Byton’s forthcoming electric vehicle. Byton, a startup that had a splashy debut at CES… Continue reading Aurora will power Byton EV’s autonomous driving features
Elon Musk’s self-driving strategy still doesn’t include LiDAR
Elon Musk’s vision of autonomous driving differs from a lot of Tesla’s competitors in that he’s been adamant that LiDAR isn’t a core component of his approach. It’s a stance that provokes a lot of debate among experts in the field, many of whom, including former Tesla employees, disagree that full autonomy can be managed… Continue reading Elon Musk’s self-driving strategy still doesn’t include LiDAR
Mobility services platform Stratim, formerly known as Zirx, sells to KAR
On the heels of its rebrand in November, mobility service STRATIM has sold itself to KAR Auction Services, a car remarketing company. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. STRATIM, formerly known as on-demand valet and car services startup ZIRX, powers fleet management for more than 50 companies, including BMW (DriveNow), General Motors (Maven), Ford… Continue reading Mobility services platform Stratim, formerly known as Zirx, sells to KAR
Nuro’s self-driving vehicle is a grocery-getter and errand-runner
Not every self-driving car has to be able to move passengers from point A to point B. Take, for example, Nuro: The startup just revealed their unique autonomous vehicle platform, which is more of a mobile small logistics platform than a self-driving car. The company, which has been working away in stealth mode in Mountain… Continue reading Nuro’s self-driving vehicle is a grocery-getter and errand-runner
Uber is piloting a bike-sharing service with JUMP
Uber is launching a bike-sharing service next week in partnership with JUMP, a startup that recently received the first and only permit to operate dockless bike-sharing in San Francisco. JUMP’s contract with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency enables it to launch 250 of its dockless, electric bikes in San Francisco. After the first nine months… Continue reading Uber is piloting a bike-sharing service with JUMP
On-demand dog walking app Wag raises $300 million from SoftBank Vision Fund
The SoftBank Vision Fund has struck again. This time, it’s investing $300 million in on-demand walking and dog care startup Wag. Wag has also brought on Hilary Schneider, formerly of identity theft protection company LifeLock, to serve as the company’s new chief executive officer. Last year, Wag was reportedly in talks with a handful of investors,… Continue reading On-demand dog walking app Wag raises $300 million from SoftBank Vision Fund