What’s the biggest motivating factor behind automakers embracing autonomous vehicles and self-driving? You might think ‘safety’ or maybe even consumer demand, but in truth the biggest driver might be China and its incentivization programs for automakers. Much like China’s rules for qualifying for subsidies and restrictions on selling vehicles in market have led to automakers… Continue reading Volkswagen’s head of electric mobility says China will drive autonomy roll-out
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Carsome raises $19M for its used-car sales platform in Southeast Asia
Funding for Southeast Asia’s car trading platforms is like buses. After a long wait without news, a third startup has raised funding in the space of a month. Carsome, a Malaysia-based company that also operates in Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, announced today it has raised a $19 million Series B round just weeks after smaller… Continue reading Carsome raises $19M for its used-car sales platform in Southeast Asia
Audi gets in on the flying car action with Airbus and Italdesign
The Geneva Motor Show is home to many supercars and outlandish apparitions, but the collaboration between Italdesign, Audi and Airbus on the Pop.Up Next flying car concept is one of the more out there. It’s an updated version fo the Pop.Up that Italdesign and Airbus brought to the show last year, this time including an… Continue reading Audi gets in on the flying car action with Airbus and Italdesign
Uber self-driving trucks are now moving cargo for Uber Freight customers
Uber’s autonomous trucks are now doing actual work for customers via Uber Freight, Uber’s commercial cargo shipping on-demand app. The first runs are being done in Arizona, with regular hauls operating with both human drivers and autonomous trucks working in tandem. How it works is that Uber will load up the freight on a conventional,… Continue reading Uber self-driving trucks are now moving cargo for Uber Freight customers
Renault’s EZ-GO envisions walk-on, walk-off urban EV mobility
Renault’s EZ-GO is less concept car than a full transportation service concept design. The vehicle revealed at the Geneva Motor Show this week is a fully autonomous electric car that can’t travel fast, but that does fit as many as six passengers through a big, almost garage-like door that opens up to load people and… Continue reading Renault’s EZ-GO envisions walk-on, walk-off urban EV mobility
Take a look at the production version of the PAL-V Liberty flying car
Flying cars aren’t as out of reach as you might think – the PAL-V Liberty, for instance, is a real physical thing you can see and touch at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. The production version of the aerocar is on display for the first time ever at the show, and we got a… Continue reading Take a look at the production version of the PAL-V Liberty flying car
Used car site Vroom lays off staff, 25%-50% says source, as it halts Dallas and Indiana operations
Vroom, an on-demand car buying and selling startup that has raised over $300 million in venture funding, has hit a bump in the road. TechCrunch has learned and confirmed that the company has laid off a sizeable proportion of its staff — in line with a strategy of “sharpening our focus on profitability,” according to… Continue reading Used car site Vroom lays off staff, 25%-50% says source, as it halts Dallas and Indiana operations
Toyota creates a new advanced research company fo focus on self-driving
Toyota has an existing think tank, research organization and long-term development wing courtesy of Toyota Research Institute (TRI), but now it’s expanding TRI with a new sub-company of its own: Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development (TRI-AD), which I have to assume was so named just so they could have the really cool acronym. The new company… Continue reading Toyota creates a new advanced research company fo focus on self-driving
Maven brings its Maven Gig service for on-demand economy workers to Austin
Maven has launched its Maven Gig offering in Austin, just ahead of SXSW when there will probably be a fair amount of ride-hailing and on-demand food delivery activity. Maven Gig is the arm of GM’s Maven mobility brand that caters specifically to gig economy workers, with cars available to freelancers who drive only occasionally, and… Continue reading Maven brings its Maven Gig service for on-demand economy workers to Austin
Harley-Davidson and Alta Motors to co-develop electric motorcycles
Motorcycle giant Harley-Davidson is now a stakeholder in Alta Motors, the electric motorcycle and light vehicle EV drivetrain maker based in Brisbane, California. Harley-Davidson and Alta made the investment public today, and also announced that Alta Motors will collaborate with the legendary motorbike maker on building future electric motorcycles as part of the deal. This… Continue reading Harley-Davidson and Alta Motors to co-develop electric motorcycles