As Tesla Crumbles, Elon Musk Just Fired One of His Top Supporters at the Company

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has fired the automaker’s vice president of manufacturing and operations Omead Fashar, Forbes reports, amid plummeting sales and public backlash against the company. Fashar was one of Musk’s closest confidants and a powerful executive at the company, according to Bloomberg, which reported that Fashar had departed but didn’t say that Musk… Continue reading As Tesla Crumbles, Elon Musk Just Fired One of His Top Supporters at the Company

OpenAI’s Unreleased AGI Paper Could Complicate Microsoft Negotiations

A small clause inside OpenAI’s contract with Microsoft, once considered a distant hypothetical, has now become a flashpoint in one of the biggest partnerships in tech. The clause states that if OpenAI’s board ever declares it has developed artificial general intelligence (AGI), it would limit Microsoft’s contracted access to the startup’s future technologies. Microsoft, which… Continue reading OpenAI’s Unreleased AGI Paper Could Complicate Microsoft Negotiations

Prolific cybercrime gang now targeting airlines and the transportation sector

Cybersecurity firms are warning that the prolific hacking group known as Scattered Spider is now targeting airlines and the transportation sector. Executives from Google’s cybersecurity unit Mandiant and Palo Alto Networks’ security research division Unit 42 say they have observed cyberattacks targeting the aviation industry resembling Scattered Spider. Scattered Spider is a collective of mostly… Continue reading Prolific cybercrime gang now targeting airlines and the transportation sector

TechCrunch Mobility: The Tesla robotaxi Rorschach test and Redwood’s next big act

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! Less than a week ago, Tesla robotaxis began rolling out and giving rides to invited customers in Austin. As Sean O’Kane and I wrote this week, the… Continue reading TechCrunch Mobility: The Tesla robotaxi Rorschach test and Redwood’s next big act

Toyota breaks ground on the first independent Lexus EV plant in China, but there’s more

Toyota is finally getting into the game in the world’s largest EV market. On Friday, Toyota officially broke ground on the new Lexus EV plant in Shanghai, its first fully owned manufacturing facility in China and the second in the region, following Tesla. Toyota is building a new Lexus EV plant in China After officially… Continue reading Toyota breaks ground on the first independent Lexus EV plant in China, but there’s more

Tesla hires Head of Autonomy from GM’s failed self-driving startup (Update: Tesla denies)

Tesla has hired Henry Kuang, the former ‘Head of Autonomy’ at GM’s failed self-driving startup, Cruise. Update: Tesla denied hiring Kuang for the role listed in his LinkedIn profile. The automaker has had difficulties with turnover in its Autopilot and self-driving division. Tesla has lost many leaders over the years and the departures have ramped… Continue reading Tesla hires Head of Autonomy from GM’s failed self-driving startup (Update: Tesla denies)

Google’s carbon emissions just went up again

The tech giant’s planet-heating pollution grew 51 percent compared to 2019 as it continues its push into AI. The tech giant’s planet-heating pollution grew 51 percent compared to 2019 as it continues its push into AI. Google’s carbon emissions jumped yet again as the company continues to push ahead in AI. The company’s 2025 sustainability… Continue reading Google’s carbon emissions just went up again

While Tesla’s Robotaxi Program Crumbles, Its Sales Are Falling Apart

Tesla’s sales in Europe have officially plummeted for the fifth month in a row in May, delivering a staggering blow to its investors. Per ABC, Tesla’s automotive sales dropped a further 28 percent last month across 30 European countries, despite a booming demand for EVs from other manufacturers. As Elon Musk’s pet company falters, other companies… Continue reading While Tesla’s Robotaxi Program Crumbles, Its Sales Are Falling Apart

The First Week of Tesla’s Robotaxis Has Been a Disaster

While autonomous vehicle companies like Waymo and Baidu clock hundreds of thousands of self-driving taxi trips, Tesla is lagging far behind. We’re now one week into the EV giant’s robotaxi pilot in Austin — a program Elon Musk has teased for over a decade — and it’s going about as horribly as expected. Citizens who’ve… Continue reading The First Week of Tesla’s Robotaxis Has Been a Disaster

Elon Musk’s Latest Rocket Crash Allegedly Killed Innocent Dolphins and Sea Turtles

This month’s Starship explosion has politicians and environmentalists in an uproar due to the serious impact it allegedly had on the surrounding land and waters. As the New York Times reports, this month’s Starship explosion resulted not only in a ton of debris raining down across the border into Mexico, but also, apparently, in mass marine wildlife… Continue reading Elon Musk’s Latest Rocket Crash Allegedly Killed Innocent Dolphins and Sea Turtles