Waymo recalls 1,200 robotaxis following low-speed collisions with gates and chains

Waymo issued a software recall on 1,200 self-driving vehicles after some of its robotaxis were involved in minor collisions with gates, chains, and other gate-like roadway objects. The software update, which was first reported by Reuters, was conducted late last year, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Alphabet-owned… Continue reading Waymo recalls 1,200 robotaxis following low-speed collisions with gates and chains

A new bipartisan bill aims to lift the 52-year ban on supersonic flight

U.S. lawmakers introduced Wednesday the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act in a bid to revise the FAA’s 52-year ban on supersonic flight over U.S. soil. The bipartisan legislation – introduced by Senator Ted Budd (R-NC), Aviation Subcommittee Chair Troy Nehls (R-TX), and Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS) – would allow supersonic travel, provided no audible sonic boom… Continue reading A new bipartisan bill aims to lift the 52-year ban on supersonic flight

Uber to introduce fixed-route shuttles in major US cities designed for commuters

Ride-hail and delivery giant Uber is introducing cheap, fixed-route rides along busy corridors during weekday commute hours in major U.S. cities — one solution to a world that feels, for most people, more expensive every day.  Starting Wednesday, riders in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York City, Philadelphia, and San Francisco will be able to… Continue reading Uber to introduce fixed-route shuttles in major US cities designed for commuters

The Amazonification of Uber: Part II

Three years ago, I wrote about the Amazonification of Uber, an evolution of the transportation company into a closed business loop that feeds customers back into other Uber channels. At the time, the focus was on how Uber creates customer stickiness by, for example, actively cross-selling food delivery customers into grocery, and grocery into alcohol,… Continue reading The Amazonification of Uber: Part II

GM taps Aurora co-founder for new chief product officer role

General Motors has turned to Sterling Anderson, a veteran of the autonomous vehicle industry, to oversee its entire product line of gas-powered and electric vehicles, in a newly created job that will touch nearly every department at the U.S. automaker. The new VP of global product and chief product officer position will cover the entire… Continue reading GM taps Aurora co-founder for new chief product officer role

TechCrunch Mobility: Tesla denied ‘Robotaxi’ trademark, Aurora loses a co-founder, and tariffs start to take a toll

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Remember last week when Aurora met a major milestone — just squeaking by under its own deadline — and launched a driverless self-driving truck service? Welp, this… Continue reading TechCrunch Mobility: Tesla denied ‘Robotaxi’ trademark, Aurora loses a co-founder, and tariffs start to take a toll

Meta’s speeding up the ‘Mad Men to Math Men’ pipeline

At Stripe’s Sessions conference this week, Mark Zuckerberg pitched what he calls the “ultimate business machine”: a fully automated, end-to-end AI ad engine promising to replace agencies, creatives, and media buyers with a single black box. You just need to connect your bank account first.  Zuckerberg claims this could be one of the most valuable… Continue reading Meta’s speeding up the ‘Mad Men to Math Men’ pipeline

Aurora co-founder Sterling Anderson is leaving the self-driving truck startup

Sterling Anderson, a veteran of the nascent autonomous vehicle sector and co-founder of Aurora, is resigning just a week after the company launched its commercial self-driving truck service in Texas. Anderson held the chief product officer position at Aurora. The resignation was posted in a regulatory filing along with the company’s first-quarter earnings report. His… Continue reading Aurora co-founder Sterling Anderson is leaving the self-driving truck startup

Why Hims & Hers turned to the autonomous vehicle industry to find an AI-savvy CTO

Hims & Hers, the telehealth and wellness company, has hired a veteran of the autonomous vehicle industry as its next chief technology officer. The move, according to Hims & Hers co-founder and CEO, Andrew Dudum, was intentional. Hims & Hers on Thursday said its next CTO would be Mo Elshenawy, the former president and CTO… Continue reading Why Hims & Hers turned to the autonomous vehicle industry to find an AI-savvy CTO

Bosch Ventures’ new $270M fund is turning its attention to North America

The venture arm of Bosch has a new $270 million fund that will continue in its tradition of investing in deep-tech startups. And this time, Bosch Ventures plans to put more of its money into North American startups. Bosch Ventures, which launched in 2007, is on its sixth fund. And while the corporate VC is… Continue reading Bosch Ventures’ new $270M fund is turning its attention to North America