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In recent days, we’ve seen more evidence of the vulnerability of our world to software bugs, exemplified by the CrowdStrike outage. Hopefully, you didn’t face any travel disruptions due to this over the weekend.
Beyond the technical glitches affecting airlines, suppliers, healthcare facilities, and banks, the ongoing earnings season brings more developments to discuss, including updates from Tesla, GM/Cruise, and Waymo. Additionally, we’ll be covering noteworthy startup deals in this week’s roundup.
So, let’s dive right in!
Also, don’t miss out on the latest episode of my podcast, the Autonocast, featuring an engaging conversation with Wayve founder and CEO Alex Kendall about their “AI-first” approach to autonomy.
A little bird
Insider information suggests that Waymo is making moves to expand its operations in the San Francisco area, particularly in gaining access to the San Francisco International Airport for their autonomous vehicles.
Disclosed email exchanges show Waymo’s ongoing discussions with SFO officials and City authorities to secure the necessary permits for airport pickups and drop-offs. However, navigating the permit process at SFO can be complex and time-consuming, similar to the challenges faced by Uber and Lyft in the past.
To read more about this story, click here.
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Deals!
The week saw Alphabet investing $5 billion in Waymo, a move that has been anticipated given the tough fundraising landscape for AV companies. What’s interesting about this investment is its multi-year nature and the absence of external investors, unlike previous rounds.
Also prompting attention this week were deals in the marine electric, dining reservation, agricultural tech, EV infrastructure, and defense tech sectors, with companies such as ACEL Power, Chope, Monarch Tractor, ReliON, and Saronic raising significant funding amounts for their growth.
Notable reads and other tidbits
Autonomous vehicles
While Cruise announced a shift in its plans to use the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt instead of the Origin robotaxi, raising tensions with GM, Tesla is gearing up to reveal its robotaxi on October 10, showcasing its future-focused strategies in the EV market.
Kodiak Robotics and Vayu Robotics also made significant advancements in self-driving technology, each addressing different aspects of the autonomous vehicle ecosystem.
Waymo is testing a new robotaxi built by Zeekr, indicating ongoing innovation in the field of autonomous vehicles.
Electric vehicles, charging & batteries
A comprehensive update on battery factory projects sheds light on the evolving landscape of EV technology. Additionally, Ford’s Q2 earnings revealed contrasting performances between its traditional and EV businesses, highlighting the shifting dynamics in the industry.
This week’s wheels
Stay tuned for our reviews on various transportation products, including electric vehicles, e-bikes, and more. Our upcoming features will cover the 2024 Fiat 500e, Lectric and Pedego e-bikes, and other exciting EVs hitting the market soon.
