Didi Chuxing Launches DiDi Labs in Toronto

Didi Chuxing, a mobile transportation platform, officially launched its DiDi Labs in Toronto, Canada. This marks the second major research facility founded by DiDi in North America, following the establishment of DiDi Labs in Mountain View, California, in March 2017. Since its inception, DiDi Labs in Mountain View has invested in product development and safety… Continue reading Didi Chuxing Launches DiDi Labs in Toronto

VW-backed ride-hailing app Gett seeks buyers to compete with bigger rivals

November 19, 2018 Gett Inc., the ride-hailing app valued at more than $1 billion and backed by Volkswagen AG, is looking for buyers in a bid to compete with larger rivals, people familiar with the matter said. The Israeli tech company has approached potential bidders including other car-hire firms, the people said, asking not to… Continue reading VW-backed ride-hailing app Gett seeks buyers to compete with bigger rivals

Lyft launches default tipping, rating protections and more to keep drivers happy

Until autonomous vehicles are here, ride-hailing companies like Lyft and Uber have to attract and retain human drivers if they hope to sustain their businesses. Lyft announced Thursday a half dozen new driver-friendly features, from default tipping and in-trip tipping to ways to protect their ratings and an events planner. Lyft also committed to rolling… Continue reading Lyft launches default tipping, rating protections and more to keep drivers happy

UPDATE 1-Uber posts $1 bln loss in quarter as growth in bookings slows

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Uber Technologies Inc said on Wednesday that growth in bookings for its ride-hailing and delivery services rose 6 percent in the latest quarter, the third quarter in a row that growth has remained in the single digits after double-digit growth for all of last year. FILE PHOTO: The Uber application is… Continue reading UPDATE 1-Uber posts $1 bln loss in quarter as growth in bookings slows

Lime launches its first car-sharing service in Seattle

Lime It’s true: after a long time focusing on scooters, Lime is ready to delve into four-wheeled transportation. The startup is launching a car-sharing service, LimePod, that will be available in Seattle as of this week. As with scooters, it’ll cost just $1 to unlock a car that you can park wherever you need it… Continue reading Lime launches its first car-sharing service in Seattle

GM is going to allow Ford vehicles and other competitors on its Maven car-sharing platform

GM’s car-sharing subsidiary Maven is undergoing another expansion. This time, it’s not just to a new city. Maven plans to open up its new peer-to-peer car rental service to allow owners to rent out non-GM vehicles. It is also setting its sights on bigger changes in the future, according to Julia Steyn, vice president of GM Urban… Continue reading GM is going to allow Ford vehicles and other competitors on its Maven car-sharing platform

Idelic Raises $2M in Funding

Idelic, a Pittsburgh, PA-based data and analytics platform for improving safety in the transportation industry, raised $2m in funding. The round was led by Bain Capital Ventures, with participation from TDF Ventures and SaaS Venture Capital and current investors Birchmere Ventures and M25 Group. In conjunction with the financing, Kevin Zhang of Bain Capital Ventures… Continue reading Idelic Raises $2M in Funding

Bird launches electric scooter pilot in London as part of ongoing European drive

Electric scooter hire company Bird is dipping a first toe into the murky waters of London as part of an ongoing expansion into Europe. The company is launching its hire vehicles on a single route in the city’s Olympic Park — the only way to get around a longstanding legal ban of electric scooters on… Continue reading Bird launches electric scooter pilot in London as part of ongoing European drive

DeepMap, a maker of HD maps for self-driving, raised at least $60M at a $450M valuation

As car and tech companies continue to make inroads on vehicles and services to build autonomous driving systems, a startup that is creating high-definition maps to help these vehicles move around has quietly picked up a significant round of funding. DeepMap — a Palo Alto startup co-founded by James Wu and Mark Wheeler, who previously… Continue reading DeepMap, a maker of HD maps for self-driving, raised at least $60M at a $450M valuation

Carpooling startup Scoop partners with Lyft

Lyft is partnering with carpooling service Scoop to supplement Scoop’s offering to its customers from companies like LinkedIn, Workday, Samsung T-Mobile and Symantec. With Scoop, trips are pre-scheduled, so you can select from one or more times you’d be willing to leave in the morning and afternoon, and have up until 9pm the night before for… Continue reading Carpooling startup Scoop partners with Lyft