China’s Didi beefs up its newly-independent car services business with an acquisition

A week after spinning out its driver services business and giving it $1 billion in investment capital, Didi Chuxing has added to it through an acquisition. Xiaoju Automobile Solutions (XAS), which the Didi spinout is called, announced today it has bought Hiservice, a three-year-old company that provides after-service care for car owners using a digital platform.… Continue reading China’s Didi beefs up its newly-independent car services business with an acquisition

FiveAI to start a trial of its shared autonomous car fleet in London in 2019

After raising $35 million to develop driverless car technology and a strategy to build a fleet of shared vehicles, UK startup FiveAI is announcing its first on-street trial: a service aimed at commuters in the London outer boroughs of Bromley and Croydon. Projected to begin in late 2019, it will kick off first with a… Continue reading FiveAI to start a trial of its shared autonomous car fleet in London in 2019

Scooter rental startup Vogo raises Series A funding from Ola, Hero MotoCorp

August 14, 2018 Vogo, a scooter and bike sharing start-up, has raised $6-7 million in a Series A funding round led by ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd and Hero MotoCorp chairman Pawan Munjal, according to a person familiar with the matter. Existing investors Matrix Partners India, Stellaris Venture and angel investors also participated in the funding… Continue reading Scooter rental startup Vogo raises Series A funding from Ola, Hero MotoCorp

New Uber feature uses machine learning to sort business and personal rides

Uber announced a new program today called Profile Recommendations that takes advantage of machine intelligence to reduce user error when switching between personal and business accounts. It’s not unusual for a person to have both types of accounts. When you’re out and about, it’s easy to forget to switch between them when appropriate. Uber wants to… Continue reading New Uber feature uses machine learning to sort business and personal rides

Self-Driving Truck Startup Kodiak Secures $40 Million in Series A

Even though Uber Technologies recently abandoned its self-driving truck program, a company started by individuals with ties to Otto, the self-driving technology company acquired by Uber, and Google’s self-driving car team, has received financial backing to continue the development of systems that will allow trucks to be retrofitted to drive autonomously. Kodiak Robotics, founded in… Continue reading Self-Driving Truck Startup Kodiak Secures $40 Million in Series A

Lime is expanding its low-income program

Lime, the electric scooter and bike-share startup, is expanding its program for people with low incomes. Called Lime Access, the program enables people who qualify for state or federal assistance programs to access Lime’s fleet of vehicles at a discount. Lime first launched the program in May. At the time and up until now, it… Continue reading Lime is expanding its low-income program

New York City Council votes to cap licenses for ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft

The New York City Council has approved legislation that will halt the issuing of new licenses for ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft. The stated goal of the policy is to give the city time to study the industry’s impact. During that time, ride-hailing companies would only be able to add new vehicles if they’re… Continue reading New York City Council votes to cap licenses for ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft

Uber Hit With Cap as New York City Takes Lead in Crackdown

New York is the latest city to grapple with questions over how to regulate the company. In London, Uber’s most lucrative European market, Uber recently regained its taxi license after the company agreed to stricter regulations, including providing the city with traffic data. Uber has also faced regulatory battles in American cities, like Austin, Tex.,… Continue reading Uber Hit With Cap as New York City Takes Lead in Crackdown

Saudi sovereign fund PIF has bought a below 5 percent stake in Tesla: source

DUBAI (Reuters) – Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, has bought a minority stake in Tesla (TSLA.O) at just below 5 percent, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. FILE PHOTO: A Tesla sales and service center is shown in Costa Mesa, California, U.S., June 28, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo PIF… Continue reading Saudi sovereign fund PIF has bought a below 5 percent stake in Tesla: source