February 12, 2025
Google brings up that cheap flight data and the Feds investigate Elon's glass house. techcrunch

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Welcome back to The Station, your central hub for moving all people and packages from Point A to Point B, past, present and future. Kirsten is away, so I’ll be your host this week.

another week of testing Tesla It appears to be coming from all sides:

First, let’s start with Autopilot, Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). As part of an ongoing investigation into ADAS following a series of Tesla crashes involving emergency vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is requesting more information from the automaker. This time, it’s about a software change that allows drivers to use the system for longer periods without being prompted to put their hands on the wheel. NHTSA said this “could lead to increased driver inattentiveness and a driver’s failure to properly monitor Autopilot.”

Meanwhile, in Tesla’s battery department, federal prosecutors are investigating Tesla’s performance claims after Reuters reported that the EV maker exaggerated the potential driving distance of its vehicles.

And finally, the Elon Musk-owned automaker is reportedly under the microscope of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for using company funds to – *checks notes* – Musk Builds a giant glass house near Tesla’s Austin headquarters.

Have I missed something?

Before we get to the news, a small update about TechCrunch Disrupt. Kyle Vogt, CEO & Co-Founder cruiseJoin us on the Disrupt Stage on September 20th for a session titled “The Robotaxi Revolution.”

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Micromobin’

If you’re an e-bike enthusiast, you’ve probably noticed that new bikes are being made with GPS tracking enabled, ostensibly so that if someone steals your bike, you can find it. But most people aren’t going to trace their bike and confront a potentially dangerous thief, and the police probably have more important things to do.

enter turn on previous, a UK-based startup that is building a business model around e-bike recovery. Using a network of on-the-ground recovery agents, good relations with the police and GPS tracking, the company will get your stolen e-bike back to you.

The business model is a monthly subscription service, starting from £8.99 per month, which also includes insurance in case the startup cannot retrieve the bike. But so far, Backpedal claims a 90% success rate and is working on improving that rate as it expands across the UK.

deal of the week

Chinese EV startup XPeng will acquire the ride-hailing giant’s smart EV assets Sister for $744 million. Didi Assets will become a new sub-brand called “Mona” under XPeng and is scheduled to launch in 2024. There are many reasons for my interest in this.

This deal is a symbol of Didi’s dedication to her dream of making cars. The company is slowly coming out from under the dark clouds following a series of regulatory actions from the Chinese government, so selling the money-strapped EV business was a good way for Didi to focus on ride-hailing .

The deal could also help Tesla’s competitor XPeng expand its market reach, especially if Didi continues to position the Mona vehicles as the preferred option for riders.

A partnership between the two companies could boost both XPeng’s autonomous driving technology and Didi’s robotaxi activities. In April, Didi said it is working with Chinese carmakers to deploy self-developed robotaxis to the public by 2025. And while XPeng has primarily focused on ADAS, the automaker is taking steps to test its G9 SUV as a commercial autonomous vehicle.,

Way too soon before we get to the other deals. , ,

Chinese startups are starting to be allowed to sell shares overseas – but they must comply with China’s tough new rules. Two startups that have come up recently are zikra young but well-financed EV brand under Chinese auto giant Geely, and we rode, an autonomous driving startup that has raised over $1 billion in funding. Zeeker has been given the go-ahead to issue 926 million common shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and WeRide has been given permission to issue 159 million shares on the NYSE or Nasdaq.

An agreement by the US to accept guidance set by Beijing and auditing of Chinese companies by Chinese accounting firms means there is now a path for IPOs abroad. This has led to a slight spurt in Chinese IPOs.

Other deals that caught my attention. , ,

Biden Administration is offering $15.5 billion in funding and loans to encourage the EV transformation. The money will be spent on retrofitting existing auto factories for electric, hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, as well as promoting battery manufacturing domestically.

BOSCHstruck a deal to acquire TSI Semiconductors has gone through but it is facing some hurdles. The company said that it needs subsidy from the US government to meet its full expansion plans. California has approved a $25 million tax credit for the factory.

lift Lead independent director Sean Agarwal bought more than $1 million in Lyft shares. The company’s share price rose nearly 11% in the days that followed.

redwood material, The battery recycling and materials startup founded by Tesla co-founder JB Straubel raised $1 billion to expand America’s battery supply chain.

vanmoofThe flashy e-bike startup that declared bankruptcy this summer has found a lifeline. British e-scooter company lavoi has acquired the business, with plans to invest in the brand and relaunch the business. Sources told TechCrunch that Lavoie paid “tens of millions” of euros for VanMoof.

Notable news and other news

ADAS

fordK Bluecruz Hands-Off ADAS has been approved for use in Germany.

Tesla has reduced the price of its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) beta software from $15,000 to $12,000. The EV maker didn’t say why, but I have my suspicions. As other ADAS debuts, such as Ford’s BlueCruise, Tesla may try to implement dynamic pricing to stay ahead of the game. But I think it’s more about the data. Musk has made no complaints about the importance of achieving true full self-driving, and that doing so with only cameras and no lidar or radar will require all the data Tesla can get. The cheaper FSD cost may encourage more buyers to install the controversial software.

autonomous vehicle

AB316A California bill that would completely ban driverless heavy-duty AVs in the state is inching closer to being introduced in the state senate. The California DMV has stated that the ban will not increase safety and instead will adversely affect the development of technology in California that aims to increase safety on the roads.

cruise introducing manual data collection in Seattle; Washington DC; and Las Vegas, while its technology is under scrutiny in its hometown of San Francisco. This article explains what it means and lists all the markets that Cruz is trading today.

Volvo Autonomous Solutions has successfully removed its safety driver in an active commercial mining operation in Norway.

Electric Vehicles, Charging and Batteries

Freewire TechnologiesThe EV charging tech company, unveiled an AI-enabled forecasting tool to help business and c-store retailer customers determine the optimal location to place EV charging stations. The tool will be available across the US and four Canadian provinces in the first quarter of 2024.

Fisker More details emerged about its peered crossover EV, but what we found most interesting was the automaker’s confirmation Foxconn In fact the EV will be manufactured at its Lordstown, Ohio factory. CEO Henrik Fisker told TechCrunch in August that the deal is still not finalized, and in fact we still have some questions. Like, what other details do Foxconn and Fisker need to work out? And what makes Fisker think it’ll be able to build an EV for under $30,000 at a profit?

Mercedes Benz Atlanta is opening its first EV DC fast-charging hubs in China and Germany in the fourth quarter of 2023. This is the automaker’s first step towards setting up 2,000 charging hubs worldwide by the end of 2024 and 10,000 chargers by 2030.

Tesla The refreshed Model 3 also adds high-end Model S and Model X features – such as ambient lighting and ventilated seats.

miscellaneous

Apple has filed a patent for an augmented reality head-up display. Whether Apple is actually working on its legendary Apple Car or not, this product would make good use of the company’s XR technology.

General Motors is using GoogleIts AI chatbot, Dialogflow, to power its OnStar in-car concierge service. The AI ​​will be able to respond to non-emergency requests, such as routing, navigation and questions about GM vehicles, in an immersive way.

lyrics of GoogleGoogle Flights has released a new feature that will help travelers find the cheapest time to book. The new Insights tool will rely on historical trend data to show consumers when prices have typically been lowest at their selected destinations on their selected dates.

Toyota Motor Europe is introduced Toyota Open Labs, an innovation platform designed to bring together startups with business units in the Toyota ecosystem. The goal is to help Toyota transform into a mobility company specializing in energy, circular economy, carbon-neutral technology, smart communities and other areas.

People

Rivian Dr. Kjell Gruner has been brought on as Chief Commercial Officer and President of Business Development. Gruner brings to this position over 25 years of automotive experience, most recently serving as CEO of Porsche Cars North America. He also served as Strategy Director at Mercedes-Benz for six years.

Get your pass for TC Disrupt 2023

We’re covering all of sustainable mobility at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023, taking place September 19-21 in San Francisco. Still available until last minute. Save 15% with the code STATION. register now,

Source: techcrunch.com

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