Over 1,400 self-driving vehicles are now in testing by 80+ companies across the U.S.

In a talk at the Uber Elevate summit in Washington, D.C., today, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao shared a total overall figure for ongoing testing of autonomous vehicles on U.S roads: Over 1,400 self-driving cars, trucks and other vehicles are currently in testing by over 80 companies across 36 US states, plus DC… Continue reading Over 1,400 self-driving vehicles are now in testing by 80+ companies across the U.S.

Uber and AT&T team up for always-on connectivity for Uber Copter and Uber Air

Uber is partnering with mobile network operator AT&T on the always-on connectivity it’ll require for its aerial transportation service network. The on-demand mobility company announced the team-up at its annual Elevate Summit, which brings together a number of key players working toward making affordable, accessible in-city aerial transit a reality. Uber said that it’s already… Continue reading Uber and AT&T team up for always-on connectivity for Uber Copter and Uber Air

Uber envisions Uber Air will one day be cheaper than owning a car

Uber has big dreams for Uber Air, the flying taxi service it’s wanting to launch in 2023. At the third annual Uber Elevate, head of Elevate Eric Allison said the company expects Uber Air to be cheaper than driving a car. It surely won’t be that way on day one, but once Uber deploys fully… Continue reading Uber envisions Uber Air will one day be cheaper than owning a car

France’s Ucar offers new car service as competition intensifies

PARIS, June 11 (Reuters) – French car hire service Ucar on Tuesday said users can now hire a new car with prices starting from 49 euros ($55.5) a month, amid intense competition in the sector. Ucar is one of many car-hire firms looking to challenge the dominance of companies such as ride-hailing app Uber. In… Continue reading France’s Ucar offers new car service as competition intensifies

Uber rival Bolt returns to London 21 months after a TfL investigation shut it down

Bolt, the Uber rival formerly known as Taxify, is taking a significant step this week in its effort to build out its transportation-on-demand business across the biggest cities in Europe and Africa, which currently covers 25 million users in 30 countries and 100 cities: it’s finally opening for business again in London, the biggest ride-hailing… Continue reading Uber rival Bolt returns to London 21 months after a TfL investigation shut it down

Uber’s European rival Bolt enters London market, again

FILE PHOTO: A Bolt (formerly known as Taxify) sign is seen on the taxi car in Riga, Latvia April 9, 2019. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins TALLINN (Reuters) – Estonia’s Bolt, which until early 2019 was called Taxify, will on Tuesday re-enter the competitive London taxi market, promising cheaper rides to passengers and a better cut to drivers… Continue reading Uber’s European rival Bolt enters London market, again

Fiat Chrysler teams up with Amazon-backed driverless car start-up Aurora

Source: AuroraFiat Chrysler is joining forces with Silicon Valley-based technology upstart Aurora to build driverless cars.
The two companies said Monday they had signed an agreement that lays the groundwork for a “powerful partnership in self-driving commercial vehicles.”
The deal will enable Aurora to expand the scope of its self-driving software, the firm said, “allowing us to offer a variety of solutions to strategic customers in logistics, transit, and other use cases.”
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The news comes just under a week after the Italian-American automaker dropped its merger offer for French rival Renault.
The deal could have helped the two align their strategy on innovations like electric and self-driving cars, a space that has become a central battleground for major carmakers worldwide.
“As part of FCA's autonomous vehicle strategy we will continue to work with strategic partners in this space to address the needs of consumers in a rapidly changing industry,” Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley said in a statement Monday.
“Aurora brings a unique skillset combined with advanced and purposeful technology that complements and enhances our philosophy on self-driving.”
Aurora is already partnered with household names in the industry like Volkswagen and Hyundai. The firm boasts talent from founders who all previously worked at tech giants including Alphabet, Tesla and Uber.
The Palo Alto, California-based company raised $530 million earlier this year, in a round that was backed by leading venture capital firm Sequoia and e-commerce titan Amazon.
The race toward full self-driving capability has become a heated one, with tech firms and automakers alike looking to make waves in the field.
Just last week, it was reported that Apple was looking to buy driverless shuttle service Drive.ai. The firm's autonomous driving division, known as Project Titan, underwent a big restructuring earlier this year, laying off over 200 employees.

Taxi Aggregators To Be Required To Go Electric In India?

The idea is to go electric, but India still needs to figure out how to overcome major obstacles. According to the latest news, exclusively by Reuters, India intends to set electrification requirements on taxi aggregators like Uber and Ola. If the new rules are introduced, fleets would need to gradually switch to electric cars (40%… Continue reading Taxi Aggregators To Be Required To Go Electric In India?

Uber’s COO and CMO to step down as CEO Khosrowshahi takes on bigger role

Uber’s chief operating officer Barney Harford and CMO Rebecca Messina are stepping down. In a letter to employees, Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi explained the reasoning behind the departures, saying that recent organizational changes have lessened the significance of the COO and CMO positions. Primarily, Khosrowshahi said he will take on a more involved role… Continue reading Uber’s COO and CMO to step down as CEO Khosrowshahi takes on bigger role

UPDATE 1-Uber COO, marketing chief step down in leadership overhaul – memo

FILE PHOTO: Barney Harford, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Uber listens to a question during a news conference in New Delhi, India, April 18, 2018. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi (Reuters) – Uber Technologies Inc Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi wants to take more control of operations and is overhauling the ride-hailing company’s leadership to deal with brand… Continue reading UPDATE 1-Uber COO, marketing chief step down in leadership overhaul – memo