TechCrunch Mobility serves as the primary source for information and analysis regarding the future of transportation. The publication has paused its “This week’s wheels” feature temporarily while exploring more electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid vehicles, e-bikes, and robotaxis.
In recent developments, Waymo has secured an agreement with the San Francisco Airport Commission, allowing the company to use its vehicles to map the airport’s roadways. This mapping, a manual process at this stage, has sparked widespread attention due to its implications, potentially paving the way for Waymo to expand its robotaxi services to the airport in the future.
According to sources, the terms of this agreement, considered as potential “concessions,” are expected to influence future agreements. Waymo has consented to a “data interface agreement” that necessitates data-sharing after each mapping session. This includes tracking vehicles as they enter and exit the airport and providing detailed information such as time, geographic location, identification, trip identifiers, transaction types, driver-based unique identifiers, and vehicle license plate numbers. Additionally, the agreement restricts Waymo from utilizing autonomous vehicles for commercial goods transportation, a clause of significance to groups such as the Teamsters.
In other financial dealings, several companies have secured funding recently. Coreshell, a battery materials startup, raised $24 million in Series A2 funding led by Ferroglobe, with participation from various venture and investment firms. Einride, the Swedish driverless truck startup, is considering an IPO, which could potentially value the company at over $5 billion. French EV subscription service Evera secured 2 million euros from multiple investors, including Groupe Magellim. Additionally, Leta, an African logistics software-as-a-service provider, raised $5 million in seed funding led by Speedinvest, with participation from Google’s Africa Investment Fund, among others. Pulsetrain received €6.1 million in seed funding led by Vsquared Ventures and Planet, while South Korea’s Seadronix raised $11.3 million in their Series B funding.
On the topic of autonomous vehicles, Nvidia’s commitment to self-driving cars can be traced back to earlier AI models, as shared by CEO Jensen Huang during a GTC keynote. Nvidia’s conference included announcements related to deals with companies such as Gatik, GM, and Torc. Meanwhile, Zoox has issued a voluntary recall for 258 vehicles due to a problem with the autonomous driving system that could lead to sudden, hard braking.
In the realm of electric vehicles and charging, BYD introduced a new EV charging technology promising to outperform rivals and rival the refueling time of gasoline vehicles. Honda and Acura vehicles will gain access to the Tesla Supercharger network in June, adding to a growing list of brands with such access. A Consumer Reports survey highlighted that Tesla and Rivian are excelling in providing a seamless EV-charging experience.
Despite these advancements, Tesla has faced issues with its Cybertruck, issuing a recall for approximately 46,000 units due to a defect on an exterior steel trim panel. Concurrently, analyst Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities urged Elon Musk to reduce his governmental engagement, stating Musk is at a “moment of truth” due to the crisis inadvertently created by his involvement with the Trump administration.
In the aviation sector, Joby Aviation has established a partnership with Virgin Atlantic to introduce electric air taxis in the U.K., marking the seventh country for potential commercialization.
Regarding in-car technology, GM and Nvidia announced an expanded collaboration at the GTC conference. The partnership aims to implement AI in GM’s manufacturing environments, robotics, and vehicles. Meanwhile, Tesla obtained a transportation charter permit from the California Public Utilities Commission, with details clarifying what the permit allows the company to pursue.
This summary reflects notable events and emerging trends within the transportation industry, highlighting significant technological advancements and financial movements across key players.
