A central premise of robotaxis is that high usage and lower labor costs will ultimately make it a cheap transportation option. That is still far from true, but now there’s some data that gives us an idea of by how much. Obi, an app that aggregates real-time pricing and pick-up times across multiple ride-hailing services,… Continue reading Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft — and people are paying anyway
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Musk targets June 22 launch of Tesla’s long-promised robotaxi service
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said his company will start offering public rides in driverless vehicles in Austin, Texas, on June 22, which would mark the beginning of his long-promised robotaxi service. That date could shift because Musk claimed Tesla is “being super paranoid about safety.” Tesla Model Y SUVs have been spotted in recent days… Continue reading Musk targets June 22 launch of Tesla’s long-promised robotaxi service
Bedrock Ocean dredges up $25M to map the seafloor with robots
Oceans may cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface, but we have better maps of the moon than we do the seabed. There are good reasons for that: The ocean floor is obscured, and the harsh environment makes it hard to send humans down to get a closer look. But as robots improve, we… Continue reading Bedrock Ocean dredges up $25M to map the seafloor with robots
Wayve and Uber plan London robotaxi launch after UK speeds up autonomous vehicle rollout
U.K.-based autonomous vehicle technology company Wayve and Uber plan to launch a fully driverless robotaxi service in London in the coming years. The news comes soon after the U.K.’s announcement of an accelerated framework for self-driving commercial pilots. U.K. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed Tuesday that the U.K. government would fast-track pilots to spring 2026,… Continue reading Wayve and Uber plan London robotaxi launch after UK speeds up autonomous vehicle rollout
Mitra Chem is raising $50M for its cheaper, domestic battery materials
Battery material startup Mitra Chem has raised $15.6 million of a planned $50 million funding round, according to a regulatory filing seen by TechCrunch. Mitra Chem is developing materials to make lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries store more energy. Automakers have begun to turn to LFP in an attempt to trim costs from electric vehicle battery packs,… Continue reading Mitra Chem is raising $50M for its cheaper, domestic battery materials
Apple adds widgets and message tapbacks to CarPlay with iOS 26
Apple just announced iOS 26 at WWDC 2025, and along with a new “Liquid Glass” design language, the company revealed some new features coming to CarPlay. Three of the biggest additions: widgets and live activities are coming to CarPlay, and so is the ability to choose a “tapback” response to incoming messages. Users will now… Continue reading Apple adds widgets and message tapbacks to CarPlay with iOS 26
Waymo robotaxis, Lime e-scooters set ablaze during LA protests
Several Waymo robotaxis and Lime e-scooters were set on fire this weekend amid unrest in downtown Los Angeles spurred by groups protesting immigration raids in the city by the Trump administration. A group of protesters attacked five Waymo autonomous vehicles on Los Angeles Street early on Sunday evening, reports Los Angeles Times. They slashed tires,… Continue reading Waymo robotaxis, Lime e-scooters set ablaze during LA protests
Axiom Space prepares for its fourth mission to the ISS
Axiom Space plans to launch its fourth mission on Tuesday, June 10 — a mission that CEO Tejpaul Bhatia described as “a little bit of a victory lap.” In addition to being the private space company’s fourth mission to the International Space Station, Bhatia said Ax-4 will be Axiom Space’s second “fully national mission” where… Continue reading Axiom Space prepares for its fourth mission to the ISS
Trump fast-tracks supersonic travel, amid spate of flight-related executive orders
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday that directs the Federal Aviation Administration to lift the 52-year ban on supersonic flight over U.S. soil, marking a major policy shift that occurred just weeks after lawmakers introduced bipartisan legislation with the same aim. The order instructs the FAA to end the overland supersonic ban and… Continue reading Trump fast-tracks supersonic travel, amid spate of flight-related executive orders
TechCrunch Mobility: How Jony Ive’s LoveFrom helped Rivian and what Uber’s next-generation playbook looks like
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! I’ve spent a decade covering Tesla and CEO Elon Musk, so it would be natural for me to weigh in here about the billionaire’s public fallout with… Continue reading TechCrunch Mobility: How Jony Ive’s LoveFrom helped Rivian and what Uber’s next-generation playbook looks like