The Kia EV3 — the new all-electric compact SUV revealed Thursday — illustrates a growing appetite among global automakers to bring generative AI into their vehicles. The automaker said the Kia EV3 will feature a new voice assistant that is built off ChatGPT, the text-generating AI chatbot developed by OpenAI. The Kia EV3, and its… Continue reading The new Kia EV3 will have an AI assistant with ChatGPT DNA
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
India’s BluSmart is testing its ride-hailing service in Dubai
Indian ride-hailing startup BluSmart has started operating in Dubai, TechCrunch has exclusively learned and confirmed with its executive. The move to Dubai, which has been rumored for months, could help counter the likes of Careem, Uber and Hala in the United Arab Emirates’ most populous city. The Gurugram-based startup quietly enabled the new Dubai service… Continue reading India’s BluSmart is testing its ride-hailing service in Dubai
Uber’s and Lyft’s ride-hailing deal with Minnesota comes at a cost
Uber and Lyft drivers in Minnesota will see higher pay thanks to a deal between the state and the country’s two largest ride-hailing companies. The upshot: a new law that gives some protections to drivers while placing limits on state government. The bill, which Governor Tim Walz has supported publicly and is expected to sign,… Continue reading Uber’s and Lyft’s ride-hailing deal with Minnesota comes at a cost
Porsche Ventures invests in battery startup South 8 to boost cold-weather EV performance
All cars suffer when the mercury drops, but electric vehicles suffer more than most as heaters draw more power and batteries charge more slowly as the liquid electrolyte inside thickens. Drivers in Chicago found this out the hard way last January after many Teslas failed to charge during a deep freeze. One startup, South 8… Continue reading Porsche Ventures invests in battery startup South 8 to boost cold-weather EV performance
Aurora and Volvo unveil self-driving truck designed for a driverless future
A new self-driving truck — manufactured by Volvo and loaded with autonomous vehicle tech developed by Aurora Innovation — could be on public highways as early as this summer. The Volvo VNL Autonomous truck, which was revealed Monday evening at the ACT Expo in Las Vegas, is the product of a partnership between Aurora and… Continue reading Aurora and Volvo unveil self-driving truck designed for a driverless future
VinFast crash that killed family of four now under federal investigation
The top vehicle safety regulator in the U.S. has launched a formal probe into an April crash involving the all-electric VinFast VF8 SUV that claimed the lives of a family of four, TechCrunch has learned. The crash happened in Pleasanton, California at about 9 p.m. on April 24. Police told local news outlets at the… Continue reading VinFast crash that killed family of four now under federal investigation
UK’s autonomous vehicle legislation becomes law, paving the way for first driverless cars by 2026
The U.K.’s self-proclaimed “world-leading” regulations for self-driving cars are now official, after the Automated Vehicles (AV) Act received royal assent — the final rubber stamp any legislation must go through before becoming enshrined in law. The government says that fully self-driving vehicles could be on U.K. roads within two years. “While this doesn’t take away… Continue reading UK’s autonomous vehicle legislation becomes law, paving the way for first driverless cars by 2026
VCs and the military are fueling self-driving startups that don’t need roads
A new crop of early-stage startups — along with some recent VC investments — illustrates a niche emerging in the autonomous vehicle technology sector. Unlike the companies bringing robotaxis to city streets, these startups are taking their tech off-road. Two recent entrants — Seattle-based Overland AI and New Brunswick-based Potential — are poised to get… Continue reading VCs and the military are fueling self-driving startups that don’t need roads
Tesla keeps cutting jobs and the feds probe Waymo
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! What a wild week for transportation news! It was a smorgasbord of news that seemed to touch every sector and theme in transportation, including tariffs on Chinese… Continue reading Tesla keeps cutting jobs and the feds probe Waymo
Forget EVs: Why Bedrock Materials is targeting gas-powered cars for its first sodium-ion batteries
Spencer Gore has a battery startup. But he doesn’t want his batteries to end up in electric vehicles, at least not yet. “There are a lot of interesting downmarket segments of automotive that are underserved today that are faster to get into than, say, the traction battery in EVs,” he told TechCrunch. Take the traditional… Continue reading Forget EVs: Why Bedrock Materials is targeting gas-powered cars for its first sodium-ion batteries