Lidar company Luminar has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after months of layoffs, executive departures, and a legal fight with its largest customer, Volvo. The company aims to sell off its lidar business during the bankruptcy proceeding, and has already reached a deal to sell its semiconductor subsidiary. While the company will continue to… Continue reading Lidar-maker Luminar files for bankruptcy
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Tesla starts testing robotaxis in Austin with no safety driver
Just about six months after Tesla started testing its fledgling Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, the company is now letting those cars drive around the city with no safety monitor onboard. The removal of the human safety monitors brings the company a critical step closer to its goal of launching a real commercial Robotaxi service,… Continue reading Tesla starts testing robotaxis in Austin with no safety driver
TechCrunch Mobility: Rivian’s survival plan involves more than cars
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Senior reporter Sean O’Kane popped over to Palo Alto to check out Rivian’s Autonomy & AI Day, which some insiders told… Continue reading TechCrunch Mobility: Rivian’s survival plan involves more than cars
Inside Rivian’s big bet on AI-powered self-driving
The robot swerved through the cafeteria of Rivian’s Palo Alto office, shelves adorned with chilled canned coffees — until it didn’t. Five minutes later, a man carefully pushed it out of everyone’s way, the words “I’m stuck” flashing yellow on the poor droid’s screen. It was an inauspicious start to Rivian’s “Autonomy & AI Day,”… Continue reading Inside Rivian’s big bet on AI-powered self-driving
Riding onboard with Rivian’s race to autonomy
The robot swerved through the cafeteria of Rivian’s Palo Alto office, shelves adorned with chilled canned coffees — until it didn’t. Five minutes later, a man carefully pushed it out of everyone’s way, the words “I’m stuck” flashing yellow on the poor droid’s screen. It was an inauspicious start to Rivian’s “Autonomy & AI Day,”… Continue reading Riding onboard with Rivian’s race to autonomy
Netflix growing up, data center jet engines, and the circular AI economy
A baby was born in a Waymo this week, and it wasn’t even the first one. What started as a novelty story quickly became a reminder of how autonomous vehicles are quietly becoming part of everyday life, complete with all the messiness that entails. The real coming-of-age story this week, however, wasn’t happening in San Francisco’s robotaxis. It was playing… Continue reading Netflix growing up, data center jet engines, and the circular AI economy
Zevo wants to add robotaxis to its car-share fleet, starting with newcomer Tensor
Driverless cars are no longer restricted to the realm of sci-fi thanks to companies like Waymo deploying commercial robotaxi services in multiple cities. And a number of automakers, big and small, are trying to bring that same level of autonomy to personally-owned vehicles over the next few years. If that happens, what kinds of things… Continue reading Zevo wants to add robotaxis to its car-share fleet, starting with newcomer Tensor
Rivian goes big on autonomy, with custom silicon, lidar, and a hint at robotaxis
Rivian detailed Thursday how it plans to make its electric vehicles increasingly autonomous — an ambitious effort that includes new hardware, including lidar and custom silicon, and eventually, a potential entry into the self-driving ride-hail market, according to CEO RJ Scaringe. The announcements at the company’s first “Autonomy & AI Day” event in Palo Alto,… Continue reading Rivian goes big on autonomy, with custom silicon, lidar, and a hint at robotaxis
Baby delivered in Waymo continues proud tradition of not making it to the hospital
A pregnant woman in San Francisco gave birth inside a Waymo robotaxi Monday night en route to UCSF Medical Center, marking the latest milestone in the driverless car saga that no one saw coming — except everyone with more than six months of experience behind the wheel of a ride-share vehicle. According to The SF… Continue reading Baby delivered in Waymo continues proud tradition of not making it to the hospital
Investor letter reveals skyrocketing growth of Waymo’s robotaxi rides
Six months ago, Waymo disclosed it was providing 250,000 robotaxi rides a week across its service areas, an ever-growing list that includes Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The Alphabet-owned self-driving company has been coy ever since, simply stating it is providing many hundreds of thousands of weekly rides. Now,… Continue reading Investor letter reveals skyrocketing growth of Waymo’s robotaxi rides