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In case you missed last week, there were some interesting developments, despite the holiday lull. The Fisker bankruptcy proceedings continue to make headlines, while the Rivian-Volkswagen Group partnership announcement sparked curiosity. Additionally, Uber inadvertently reignited the fingerprinting debate for drivers in California.
Stay updated on the latest in startups and catch my exclusive interview with Jon McNeill, co-founder of DVx Ventures. Listen to the Equity podcast episode to hear our discussion on various topics including Elon Musk’s pay package and the unconventional investment approach of DVx Ventures.
If that’s not enough, check out the latest episode of the Autonocast podcast featuring Ted Ryan from Ford, diving into the history of fueling and its impact on EV charging.
Let’s dive in!
A little bird
Following the Volkswagen Group and Rivian partnership, it has come to light that VW Group has been hiring talent from Rivian for its software arm, Cariad. Notably, Cariad’s Silicon Valley outpost, the SDV Hub, has onboarded several top employees from Rivian to work on software-defined vehicles.
Notable hires include Cariad’s top executives and software engineers from Rivian, indicating a focus on software development for future vehicles.
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Deals!
Several interesting deals caught our attention recently:
Altrove, focusing on AI models for rare earth metals alternatives, raised €3.7 million.
Cartken, known for autonomous vehicle technology, secured $22.5 million in funding, led by 468 Capital.
Phyron, a Swedish AI video startup, raised €10 million in a Series B round led by Round2 Capital.
The Lasso, an online car bidding platform, raised $9.8 million in early-stage funding.
Toyota invested in EV charging network IONNA, joining other automakers in the venture.
Zedify, a U.K.-based cargo bike delivery network, raised £4 million in funding to expand operations.
Notable reads and other tidbits
ADAS
Business Insider revealed details about Tesla’s full self-driving efforts, focusing on human data annotators analyzing Elon Musk’s driving data and VIP drivers’ data.
Autonomous vehicles
Serve Robotics expands its robot delivery service in Los Angeles, aiming to deploy 2,000 robots by 2025.
A Waymo robotaxi was pulled over after driving into the wrong lane, highlighting challenges in autonomous vehicle deployment.
Electric vehicles, charging & batteries
Fisker Inc. deals with bankruptcy as American Lease plans to purchase their remaining Ocean SUVs at a significantly reduced price.
Founders of Fisker Inc., Henrik Fisker and Geeta Gupta-Fisker, reduce their salaries to $1 to support the startup’s financial stability during proceedings.
Lucid Motors achieves a record delivery of EVs in the second quarter, signaling positive momentum in the EV market.
Chinese government workers can now purchase Tesla Model Y for official use, reflecting Tesla’s presence in the market.
Future of flight
Joby Aviation explores intercity flights powered by hydrogen, while Universal Hydrogen reportedly shuts down despite successful hydrogen-powered flight demonstrations.
Software, apps and in-car tech
Google Maps introduces new features including speedometer and speed limits on iOS and CarPlay platforms.
This week’s wheels
Stay tuned for reviews on the Lectric One e-bike, Fiat 500e, and the 2024 Nissan Ariya Empower+, as we test out various transportation products in the coming weeks.
