Uber is piloting a bike-sharing service with JUMP

 Uber is launching a bike-sharing service next week in partnership with JUMP, a startup that recently received the first and only permit to operate dockless bike-sharing in San Francisco. JUMP’s contract with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency enables it to launch 250 of its dockless, electric bikes in San Francisco. After the first nine months… Continue reading Uber is piloting a bike-sharing service with JUMP

On-demand dog walking app Wag raises $300 million from SoftBank Vision Fund

 The SoftBank Vision Fund has struck again. This time, it’s investing $300 million in on-demand walking and dog care startup Wag. Wag has also brought on Hilary Schneider, formerly of identity theft protection company LifeLock, to serve as the company’s new chief executive officer. Last year, Wag was reportedly in talks with a handful of investors,… Continue reading On-demand dog walking app Wag raises $300 million from SoftBank Vision Fund

Ford files a patent for an autonomous police car

If the fourth season of Black Mirror didn’t throughly freak you out, buckle up! Ford has filed for a patent on an autonomous police car. While patent filings don’t always come to fruition, the mere fact that this idea is in development is mildly unnerving. The patent, first spotted by Motor1, describes an autonomous police… Continue reading Ford files a patent for an autonomous police car

Tesla responds to fresh reports of Model 3 production issues

Tesla’s Model 3 EV delays are well-known, including in the company’s own earnings report and quarterly delivery numbers. A fresh report from CNBC on Thursday claimed that Model 3 production was even more delayed than it appeared, with specific continued issues around battery manufacturing. CNBC also suggested that the company is “not close” to mass-production… Continue reading Tesla responds to fresh reports of Model 3 production issues

Apple grows fleet of self-driving test cars to 27

Apple has expanded its autonomous vehicle test fleet, according to Bloomberg, jumping from just three cars registered with the California DMV last year, to 27 vehicles in total now. The fleet consists entirely of Lexus RX450h SUVs, a popular choice for anyone working on autonomous car tech because they can be fairly easily retrofitted with… Continue reading Apple grows fleet of self-driving test cars to 27

Here acquires Micello to add indoor mapping as part of its IoT business unit

Here Technologies, the mapping company valued at around $3 billion that counts a consortium of car makers, Intel and others among its shareholder/owners, today announced a move that underscores its intention to focus on more than just the outdoor navigation business. The company has acquired Micello, a startup that offers a database of indoor maps… Continue reading Here acquires Micello to add indoor mapping as part of its IoT business unit

Nexar gets $30M Series B for its AI-based road safety dashcams and network

Nexar, a startup that makes an AI-based dashcam app to monitor road safety, announced today that it has raised a $30 million Series B led by Ibex Ventures. Participants included Alibaba Innovation Ventures (the venture capital investment arm of Alibaba Group), Nationwide Insurance and returning investors Aleph, Mosaic Ventures, Slow Ventures, True Ventures and Tusk… Continue reading Nexar gets $30M Series B for its AI-based road safety dashcams and network

Indonesia’s BeliMobilGue raises $3.7M to let consumers sell their cars quickly and easily

A new startup in Indonesia wants to car owners in Southeast Asia’s country sell their vehicle with more security and reliability. BeliMobilGue — meaning ‘Buy My Car’ — was quietly started last year as a joint venture from Berlin-based Frontier Car Group and Intudo Ventures. It acts as a middleman between Indonesia’s car dealers and consumers… Continue reading Indonesia’s BeliMobilGue raises $3.7M to let consumers sell their cars quickly and easily

Berlin’s Blacklane raises $40-45M for its high-end transport on demand service

Transportation-on-demand startups betting on growth by homing in on specific market segments continue to play strong with both investors and customers looking for alternatives to traditional taxis and Uber. Today, Blacklane, a Berlin-based business that offers limousines and other high-end cars for airport and other medium-length journeys, is announcing that it has raised a significant… Continue reading Berlin’s Blacklane raises $40-45M for its high-end transport on demand service

Uber CEO hopes to have self-driving cars in service in 18 months

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi was speaking to Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait today at the new outlet’s event #TheYearAhead event, and he shared some more information about Uber’s plans around autonomy, and autonomous ride-hailing service rollout. “True autonomy for every single use case, is some ways away,” Khosrowshahi began, acknowledging that the problem is a massive… Continue reading Uber CEO hopes to have self-driving cars in service in 18 months