Over here at TechCrunch, our time is often spent finding and reporting on the next new new thing in mobility, from autonomous drones and electric air taxis to self-driving trucks and even batteries made of paper. While this tech, in theory, may someday help people and goods move from point A to B, much of… Continue reading The overlooked tech that kept cities moving in 2023
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Facing roadblocks, China’s robotaxi darlings apply the brakes
A few years ago, robotaxis were the darlings of venture capitalists in China. A cadre of audacious startups, including Deeproute.ai, WeRide.ai, Pony.ai and Momenta reeled in hundreds of millions of dollars to fuel their costly ambitions. With pockets overflowing, they spent generously on building self-driving vehicle fleets. Their geeky executives, swapping T-shirts for sharp suits,… Continue reading Facing roadblocks, China’s robotaxi darlings apply the brakes
May Mobility’s driverless microtransit might beat robotaxis to profitability
Autonomous vehicle company May Mobility has launched its first driverless on-demand microtransit service on public roads in Sun City, Arizona in partnership with transit tech company Via. The milestone is in line with May Mobility’s goal of launching rider-only operations by 2023. It also signals that the gentle onramp approach to commercializing autonomy could be… Continue reading May Mobility’s driverless microtransit might beat robotaxis to profitability
Waymo launches curbside robotaxi pickup at Phoenix airport
Select Waymo One riders can now get picked up or dropped off by the company’s robotaxis curbside at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Waymo became the first autonomous vehicle operator in the U.S. to launch a paid robotaxi service to and from the airport in November 2022. The service went to an airport shuttle stop… Continue reading Waymo launches curbside robotaxi pickup at Phoenix airport
Cruise slashes 24% of self-driving car workforce in sweeping layoffs
Cruise, the embattled GM self-driving car subsidiary, is laying off 900 employees, or about 24% of its workforce, TechCrunch has exclusively learned. The layoffs are part of a plan to slash costs and attempt to revamp the company following an October 2 incident that left a pedestrian stuck under and then dragged by one of… Continue reading Cruise slashes 24% of self-driving car workforce in sweeping layoffs
China’s autonomous vehicle regulation requires safety operators, in-car recordings
When it comes to spurring the development of cutting-edge technologies, the Chinese government is rather pragmatic in its policymaking process. In the field of autonomous driving, the country has made some big strides in defining the parameters and limitations for service providers, removing regulatory ambiguity and granting industry players the freedom to test and commercialize… Continue reading China’s autonomous vehicle regulation requires safety operators, in-car recordings
China’s WeRide tests autonomous buses in Singapore, accelerates global ambition
After years of aggressive expansion at home, China’s autonomous vehicle upstarts are now setting their gaze on overseas markets. WeRide, in particular, has been on a licensing spree. On Monday, WeRide announced it has obtained two licenses from Singapore that will allow its robobuses to test on public roads on a “larger” scale. The two… Continue reading China’s WeRide tests autonomous buses in Singapore, accelerates global ambition
Ex-Uber CSO Joe Sullivan on why he ‘had to get over’ shock data breach conviction
Before joining Uber as chief security officer in 2015, Joe Sullivan served for two years as a federal prosecutor with the United States Department of Justice, where he specialized in computer hacking and IP issues. He worked on a number of high-profile cases, from the first case in the U.S. of prosecution under the Digital Millennium… Continue reading Ex-Uber CSO Joe Sullivan on why he ‘had to get over’ shock data breach conviction
Kodiak’s military prototype AV is a Ford F-150 pickup
Kodiak Robotics has unveiled its first autonomous test vehicle for the U.S. Department of Defense, a Ford F-150 pickup truck that the startup has upfitted with its software and sensor stack. The DOD is using the vehicle to test autonomous surveillance and reconnaissance missions in off-road terrain, diverse operational conditions and GPS-challenged environments. Kodiak won… Continue reading Kodiak’s military prototype AV is a Ford F-150 pickup
Big wins for Latin America, climate tech momentum, and Rover’s $2.3B sale
Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines. This is our Friday show, and we’re talking about the week’s biggest startup and tech news. This week Mary Ann, Kirsten Korosec, and Alex Wilhelm were… Continue reading Big wins for Latin America, climate tech momentum, and Rover’s $2.3B sale