Geek-Guy.com

Category: Transportation

Auto Added by WPeMatico

Stellantis pivots to Google’s Android as in-car partnership with Amazon ends

Three years ago, Stellantis announced it was pairing up with Amazon to create in-car software that would bring a slew of connected products and services to vehicles by 2024 as part of the automaker’s broader plan to generate $22.5 billion annually from software. That never happened. And now, the partnership is “winding down,” Reuters reported.…

Four VW execs found guilty in trial that transformed Europe’s auto market

Four former Volkswagen executives received prison sentences Monday for their role in the emissions-cheating scandal that fundamentally transformed Europe’s car market. The verdict, delivered after a three-year trial in Braunschweig, Germany, marked the latest chapter in a 10-year-long saga that reshaped the continent’s relationship with diesel technology. Jens Hadler, who oversaw diesel engine development, received…

Zoox issues second robotaxi software recall in a month following collision 

Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company Zoox has issued its second voluntary software recall in a month, following a collision between one of its robotaxis and an e-scooter rider in San Francisco on May 8. The latest incident involved an unoccupied Zoox vehicle operating at low speed, which the company says was struck by the e-scooter after…

Uber Freight’s AI bet, Tesla’s robotaxi caveat, and Nikola’s trucks hit the auction block

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! For those U.S.-based readers out there, enjoy the long Memorial Day weekend, and if you’re on the road, expect it to be crowded. AAA projects 45.1 million…

TechCrunch Mobility: Uber Freight’s AI bet, Tesla’s robotaxi caveat, and Nikola’s trucks hit the auction block

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! For those U.S.-based readers out there, enjoy the long Memorial Day weekend, and if you’re on the road, expect it to be crowded. AAA projects 45.1 million…

SpaceX’s Starship cleared to return to flight with expanded ‘hazard areas’

The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared SpaceX to perform the ninth test flight of its Starship rocket system, following back-to-back explosions earlier this year. The agency said Thursday it is “expanding the size of hazard areas both in the U.S. and other countries” for the flight based on an updated safety analysis provided by SpaceX.…

Luminar secures up to $200M following CEO departure and layoffs

Lidar company Luminar reached a deal with Yorkville Advisors Global and another unnamed investor that could bring another $200 million into its coffers through the sale of convertible preferred stock over an 18-month period. The agreement, which was announced in a regulatory filing Wednesday, follows an abrupt change in leadership and layoffs. Earlier this month,…

Multi-national warning issued over Russia’s targeting of logistics, tech firms

A joint advisory from intelligence and cybersecurity agencies in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and multiple European countries has detailed an ongoing Russian state-sponsored campaign targeting Western logistics organizations and technology companies, especially those supporting aid to Ukraine. The campaign, orchestrated by the group known as APT28 or Fancy Bear, has relied heavily…

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 Early Bird savings end on May 25

The early bird sees the future first — and saves the most. The old saying goes, “the early bird gets the worm.” But in tech — and in life — it’s not really about the worm. It’s about spotting what’s next before the crowd rushes in and the price goes up. TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 is…

Uber Freight bets big on AI tools to grow its business

Three years ago, as the pandemic caused chaos for companies big and small, Colgate-Palmolive’s chief supply chain officer Luciano Sieber orchestrated a “logistics blitz.”  The result gave Sieber a better understanding of how Colgate-Palmolive moves its products around the world. But it stuck Sieber with another problem: too much data.  About a year ago, Sieber…

Luminar kicks off another round of layoffs amid CEO’s sudden resignation

Luminar, the lidar company founded by recently replaced CEO Austin Russell, is going through another restructuring, according to a recent regulatory filing. This new round of layoffs, which the company did not provide figures for, follows extensive cuts to the workforce in 2024. Luminar cut about 30% of its workforce in 2024, a reduction that…

Musk says Tesla’s self-driving tests will be geofenced to ‘the safest’ parts of Austin

The first test of Tesla’s long-promised robotaxi service in Austin, Texas next month will initially be limited to specific areas the company deems “the safest,” CEO Elon Musk told CNBC in an interview Tuesday. Tesla’s cars are “not going to take intersections unless we are highly confident [they’re] going to do well with that intersection,…

You’ve got 6 days to save $900 on TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 tickets

Less than one week left to save big on TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 passes! Disrupt 2025 prices increase on May 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Grab your pass now and: The clock is ticking — lock in your massive savings here. Why attend TechCrunch Disrupt 2025? From October 27–29, join the ultimate gathering of startups, VCs,…

Amazon’s Zoox to start testing AVs in Atlanta, following Waymo

Amazon’s autonomous vehicle unit Zoox is about to start mapping and gathering data in Atlanta, Georgia, a precursor to testing its self-driving vehicles and eventually offering public rides in the city. Atlanta will become the seventh city in the U.S. where Zoox is testing its vehicles. The company announced its testing plans just one day…

Sylndr, with fresh $15.7M, allows users to buy, sell, finance, and service used cars in Egypt

Cairo-based Sylndr has raised $15.7 million as it expands beyond online used car sales into auto financing, servicing, and tools for dealers. The round was led by Development Partners International’s Nclude Fund and included follow-on investments from Algebra Ventures and Nclude. The company, which operates in Egypt’s fast-growing but under-digitized vehicle market, said the latest…

Billionaire founder of Luminar replaced as CEO following ethics inquiry

Austin Russell, who became a billionaire after his lidar startup Luminar went public, appears to be out as CEO, according to the company’s board. Luminar’s board announced Wednesday — the same day of its first-quarter earnings report — it had replaced Russell and appointed Paul Ricci to the role. Ricci is the former chairman and…

Nikola’s hydrogen trucks hit the auction block

Nikola’s hydrogen trucks are officially up for auction, one of the company’s last big steps in unloading all of its assets after filing for bankruptcy in February. Auction house Gordon Brothers reached an agreement with Nikola in Delaware bankruptcy court to purchase the hydrogen trucking assets late last week. Over the weekend, Gordon Brothers published…

Clock’s ticking: Save up to $900 on TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 tickets before prices rise

Tick-tock! Time’s almost up to save up to $900 on individual passes to TechCrunch Disrupt 2025! Or go big and grab an Early Bird ticket now and get a second for your +1 at 90% off — but only for a limited time. These unbeatable deals disappear May 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT — don’t…

Uber eyes B2B logistics push in India through state-backed open commerce network

Uber is entering India’s growing B2B logistics market by extending its partnership with the Indian government-backed nonprofit that aims to break the domination of the e-commerce duo Amazon and Walmart-backed Flipkart and widen digital commerce in the South Asian nation. On Monday, the ride-hailing giant announced it will soon launch its B2B logistics service through…

TechCrunch Mobility: Google’s Gemini is coming to your car, chaos comes for Luminar, and the Amazonification of Uber 2.0

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! OK, who placed their bet on General Motors being the landing spot for Aurora co-founder and chief product officer Sterling Anderson? Not me. But here we are.…

Mystery investor’s attempt to stop Canoo asset sale shot down by judge

The judge in Canoo’s bankruptcy case has blocked an attempt by a mysterious financier to disrupt the sale of the EV startup’s assets. In a hearing Tuesday, Judge Brendan Linehan Shannon ruled the financier, a UK-based man named Charles Garson, lacked standing to request the sale to Canoo’s own CEO be vacated. While Garson had…

Chipotle president Jack Hartung joins Tesla’s board ahead of Tesla Diner launch

Veteran Chipotle executive Jack Hartung was appointed a member of Tesla’s board of directors Thursday, according to a Tesla filing with the SEC. Hartung’s addition to the board comes as Tesla quietly works to finish its 1950s-style diner and charging station in Los Angeles.  Hartung brings over two decades of experience as a Chipotle CFO,…

Lucid’s record quarter got a lift from rental sales and company leases

Lucid Motors set a company record for deliveries in the first quarter of 2025, shipping 3,109 EVs to customers in North America, Europe, and Saudi Arabia. It appears that a new company car program and sales to rental fleets helped it get there.  According to a footnote in Lucid Motors’ latest regulatory filing, it sold…

Apple finally launches next-gen ‘CarPlay Ultra’ software, starting with Aston Martin

Apple’s next-generation version of its popular CarPlay infotainment software is finally launching three years after it was first announced. The company said Thursday that this new version of CarPlay — now known as “CarPlay Ultra” — will start rolling out on new Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada, roughly half a year late.…

Billionaire founder of Luminar replaced as CEO following ethics inquiry

Austin Russell, who became a billionaire after his lidar startup Luminar went public, appears to be out as CEO, according to the company’s board. Luminar’s board announced Wednesday — the same day of its first-quarter earnings report — it had replaced Russell and appointed Paul Ricci to the role. Ricci is the former Chairman and…

Waymo recalls 1,200 robotaxis following low-speed collisions with gates and chains

Waymo issued a software recall on 1,200 self-driving vehicles after some of its robotaxis were involved in minor collisions with gates, chains, and other gate-like roadway objects. The software update, which was first reported by Reuters, was conducted late last year, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Alphabet-owned company…

A new bipartisan bill aims to lift the 52-year ban on supersonic flight

U.S. lawmakers introduced Wednesday the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act in a bid to revise the FAA’s 52-year ban on supersonic flight over U.S. soil. The bipartisan legislation – introduced by Senator Ted Budd (R-NC), Aviation Subcommittee Chair Troy Nehls (R-TX), and Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS) – would allow supersonic travel, provided no audible sonic boom…

Uber to introduce fixed-route shuttles in major US cities designed for commuters

Ride-hail and delivery giant Uber is introducing cheap, fixed-route rides along busy corridors during weekday commute hours in major U.S. cities – one solution to a world that feels, for most people, more expensive everyday.  Starting Wednesday, riders in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York City, Philadelphia, and San Francisco will be able to save…

Elon Musk’s The Boring Company might be in line for an Amtrak contract

Federal railroad regulators are in talks with Elon Musk’s tunneling firm, The Boring Company (TBC), over a multi-billion Amtrak project, according to The New York Times.  Citing sources familiar with the matter, the NYT reports that Federal Railroad Administration officials have spoken with TBC to learn whether the Musk-owned company could save the agency money…

UP.Labs-Porsche’s newest startup wants to be the Plaid of automotive retail

As serial entrepreneur Joel Milne founded, scaled, and then successfully sold mobile auto repair service startup RepairSmith to AutoNation, he was plagued by a persistent problem.  The automotive retail industry has a communication problem. And it’s an expensive one. Thousands of dealerships and mechanic shops — each one with an array of software systems —…

Google’s bringing Gemini to your car with Android Auto

Google is bringing Gemini, its generative AI, to all cars that support Android Auto in the next few months, the company announced at its Android Show ahead of the company’s 2025 I/O developer conference. The company says adding Gemini functionality to Android Auto and, later this year, to cars that run Google’s built-in operating system,…

Vertical Aerospace has a plan to capitalize on Europe’s defense tech moment

Russia’s war in Ukraine and President Donald Trump’s reluctance to support NATO allies has led to a boost in funding for European defense tech. And across industries, startups are leveraging the opportunity. One such company could be UK-based startup Vertical Aerospace, which is developing eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft mainly for air taxi…

Tesla’s robotaxi plans have the attention of federal investigators

Federal safety investigators have sent Tesla a detailed list of questions on its upcoming robotaxi service as part of an investigation into how the company’s “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” software operates in low-visibility conditions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation wants the additional information about Full Self-Driving (Supervised) — or “FSD” —…

Slate Auto crosses 100,000 refundable reservations in two weeks

Buzzy new EV startup Slate Auto has racked up more than 100,000 reservations for its customizable low-cost electric pickup truck, the company has confirmed to TechCrunch. Slate crossed the milestone over the weekend, just a little more than two weeks after coming out of stealth mode and unveiling the truck at an event in Los…

TechCrunch Mobility: Tesla denied ‘Robotaxi’ trademark, Aurora loses a co-founder, and tariffs start to take a toll

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Remember last week when Aurora met a major milestone — just squeaking by under its own deadline — and launched a driverless self-driving truck service? Welp, this…

Aurora co-founder Sterling Anderson is leaving the self-driving truck startup

Sterling Anderson, a veteran of the nascent autonomous vehicle sector and co-founder of Aurora, is resigning just a week after the company launched its commercial self-driving truck service in Texas. Anderson held the chief product officer position at Aurora. The resignation was posted in a regulatory filing along with the company’s first-quarter earnings report. His…

Why Hims & Hers turned to the autonomous vehicle industry to find an AI-savvy CTO

Hims & Hers, the telehealth and wellness company, has hired a veteran of the autonomous vehicle industry as its next chief technology officer. The move, according to Hims & Hers co-founder and CEO, Andrew Dudum, was intentional. Hims & Hers on Thursday said its next CTO would be Mo Elshenawy, the former president and CTO…

Bosch Ventures’ new $270M fund is turning its attention to North America

The venture arm of Bosch has a new $270 million fund that will continue in its tradition of investing in deep-tech startups. And this time, Bosch Ventures plans to put more of its money into North American startups. Bosch Ventures, which launched in 2007, is on its sixth fund. And while the corporate VC is…

Tesla’s ‘Robotaxi’ and ‘Cybercab’ trademarks hit roadblocks ahead of June launch

Tesla’s attempt to trademark the term “Robotaxi” in reference to its vehicles has been refused by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for being too generic, according to a new filing. Another application by Tesla to trademark the term “Robotaxi” for its upcoming ride-hailing service is still under examination by the office. In addition, applications…

Lucid Motors’ Gravity SUV dealing with early ‘hiccups,’ interim CEO says

Lucid Motors has been working through some quality “hiccups” in the early stages of delivering its long-awaited electric SUV, according to interim CEO Marc Winterhoff. “It is true that we had some technical issues that we had to overcome around software” and the Gravity’s heads-up display, Winterhoff said on a conference call Tuesday. “There have…

SpaceX’s Starlink has become a big benefactor of Trump’s tariff trade war, leaked memos show

SpaceX’s satellite internet service, Starlink, is directly benefiting from the Trump administration’s tariff trade war, according to leaked State Department memos obtained by the Washington Post.   The memos show the U.S. pushing countries to adopt Starlink. Some show that countries believe that doing so could help lubricate their U.S. trade and tariff negotiations. One memo…

BluSmart investors propose $30M in new funding to revive the Uber rival

A group of investors are considering a plan to inject another $30 million into BluSmart in a bid to revive the Indian cab-hailing startup, which abruptly halted operations last month, TechCrunch has learned. The proposal from these existing investors has a catch: It’s contingent on BluSmart co-founder Anmol Singh Jaggi agreeing to resign. The proposed…

Rivian cuts delivery guidance because of Trump’s tariffs and trade wars

Rivian says it will likely deliver fewer vehicles this year than previously forecasted due to President Trump’s tariffs and other regulatory changes, making it the latest automaker to be affected by the new administration’s chaotic economic policies. The company said Tuesday it expects to deliver between 40,000 and 46,000 EVs by the end of 2025.…

Uber turns to Chinese companies to snap up robotaxi market share in Europe, Middle East

Uber announced its third partnership with a Chinese autonomous vehicle company this week, revealing the ride-hail and delivery giant’s appetite for global domination in the emerging robotaxi sector. Uber said Tuesday it would work with Guangzhou-based Pony AI, which late last year went public on the Nasdaq at a $5.25 billion valuation, to launch robotaxis…

Can the Cadillac Celestiq EV make GM’s luxury brand great again? Don’t rule it out

Nearly three years after unveiling the concept version of the flagship Cadillac Celestiq EV, GM has finally released the real thing: a $360,000 electric vehicle that oozes luxury and a come-gawk-at-me exterior designed to lure in passersby. But is this bespoke EV enough for Cadillac to regain its position as the “Standard of the World?”…

Can the Celestiq EV make Cadillac great again? Don’t rule it out

Nearly three years after unveiling the concept version of its flagship Celestiq EV, Cadillac has finally released the real thing: a $300,000 electric vehicle that oozes luxury and a come-gawk-at-me exterior designed to lure in passersby. But is this bespoke EV enough for Cadillac to regain its position as the “Standard of the World?” I…

Uber and WeRide set their robotaxi sights on 15 more cities

Uber and Chinese autonomous vehicle technology company WeRide plan to expand a commercial robotaxi partnership and bring the service to another 15 cities over the next five years. The expansion comes five months after the two companies launched a commercial robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi.  The companies said the expansion will include cities in Europe. Under…

Elon Musk took a chainsaw to the US government. Tesla is taking the hit.

Elon Musk has long been credited with turning Tesla into a beacon of innovation, the visionary who pushed the world into an era of electrification. But his slide into politics — specifically his alignment with President Trump and activities within the federal government — has dragged Tesla into uncertainty.  For many would-be Tesla buyers, the…

Aurora launches its driverless commercial trucking service, and a surprise bidder joins Canoo’s bankruptcy case

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Your usual host Kirsten has passed the reins to me, Rebecca Bellan, for the day, and I want to talk about Aurora Innovation and its last-minute save. …

Uber’s latest autonomous vehicle partner? Chinese startup Momenta

Uber announced Friday yet another autonomous vehicle partnership as it leverages its dominant ride-hail and delivery position while relying on partners to supply the self-driving tech it isn’t building in-house. Today, the lucky startup is Chinese self-driving firm Momenta. The tie-up comes a day after Uber added Ann Arbor-based May Mobility to its roster of…

May Mobility to launch robotaxis on Uber platform this year in Texas

Startup May Mobility plans to deploy its autonomous vehicles on the Uber platform by the end of 2025, starting in Arlington, Texas, as part of a multi-year partnership. The tie-up with Uber offers May a chance to grow beyond offering shuttles within campuses and planned communities, while Uber adds May Mobility to its growing roster…

Tesla’s board reportedly sought a successor while Musk wheeled around Washington

According to a new, brow-raising WSJ report, Tesla’s board quietly began searching for Elon Musk’s potential successor about a month ago, approaching executive search firms as the carmaker faced protests, plummeting sales, and shrinking profits while Musk waded into Washington to slash government spending. Board members reportedly met with Musk to express concerns about his…

Aurora launches commercial self-driving truck service in Texas

Autonomous vehicle technology startup Aurora Innovation says it has successfully launched a self-driving truck service in Texas, making it the first company to deploy driverless, heavy-duty trucks for commercial use on public roads in the U.S.  The launch comes just as Aurora hits its deadline: in October, the company delayed its planned 2024 debut to…

Tesla’s board reportedly sought a successor while Musk wheeled around Washington

According to a new, brow-raising WSJ report, Tesla’s board quietly began searching for Elon Musk’s potential successor about a month ago, approaching executive search firms as the carmaker faced protests, plummeting sales, and shrinking profits while Musk waded into Washington to slash government spending. Board members reportedly met with Musk to express concerns about his…

Rivian’s reportedly sitting on a stockpile of tariff-free batteries

Rivian built up a stockpile of batteries for its trucks, SUVs, and commercial vans before and after the election of Donald Trump, a strategy used to soften the blow of the president’s tariffs, according to Bloomberg News. The company apparently bought an undisclosed number of lithium iron phosphate batteries from Chinese firm Gotion before the…

Waymo and Toyota are dating. If they get serious, a new autonomous vehicle could be created.

Waymo and Toyota have agreed to explore a possible deal that could one day lead to a new vehicle designed for ride-hailing and even bring self-driving tech into consumer cars. The two companies have signed a preliminary agreement to look into developing and deploying an autonomous vehicle platform, according to a blog posted by Waymo.…

Near Space Labs nabs $20M to take its high-res imaging Swift robots into the stratosphere

When it comes to creating images of the earth from above, satellites, drones and planes are the air and spacecraft that tend to come to mind. But a startup called Near Space Labs is taking a very different approach to high-resolution photos from up high. It’s building aircraft that are raised by helium balloons and…

TechCrunch Mobility: Slate’s ‘transformer’ EV truck breaks cover and Tesla’s dueling realities

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Busy week, so let’s get to it. Starting with federal regulations! Woohoo. Exciting stuff.  I’m talking about the U.S. Department of Transportation’s new Automated Vehicle Framework, which…

Slate Auto eyes former Indiana printing plant for its EV truck production

Slate Auto, the buzzy new EV startup that broke stealth this week, is close to locking in a former printing plant located in Warsaw, Indiana as the future production site for its cheap electric truck, a review of public records shows. The company is expected to lease the 1.4 million-square-foot facility for an undisclosed sum.…

Bezos-backed Slate Auto debuts analog EV pickup truck that is decidedly anti-Tesla

A new American electric vehicle startup called Slate Auto has made its debut, and it’s about as anti-Tesla as it gets. It’s affordable, deeply customizable, and very analog. It has manual windows and it doesn’t come with a main infotainment screen. Heck, it isn’t even painted. It can also transform from a two-seater pickup to…

Faraday Future founder named co-CEO three years after being sidelined by internal probe

Troubled electric vehicle startup Faraday Future’s board of directors has appointed founder Jia Yueting as the company’s co-CEO, three years after he was sidelined following an internal probe into allegations of fraud — a probe that led to a investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission that remains ongoing. Jia will serve alongside current CEO…

Uber, Volkswagen pair up to launch robotaxi service in US with self-driving, electric microbuses

Volkswagen of America and Uber on Thursday unveiled an ambitious plan to launch a commercial robotaxi service — using autonomous electric VW ID. BUZZ vehicles — in multiple U.S. cities over the next decade. The companies expect to launch a commercial service in Los Angeles, the first city on the list, by late 2026. VW…

Tesla begins ‘FSD Supervised’ ride-hail tests with employees in Austin, Bay Area

Tesla has started testing its autonomous ride-hail service with employees in Austin and the Bay Area ahead of the company’s planned robotaxi launch this summer. “FSD Supervised ride-hailing service is live for an early set of employees in Austin & San Francisco Bay Area,” the company posted Wednesday on X. FSD stands for “Full Self-Driving,”…

Anti-Musk protests are now an official risk to Tesla’s business

Protests against Elon Musk and Tesla have been spreading around the world thanks to the CEO’s involvement in the Trump administration. Now those protests are listed in an official “risk factor” in paperwork Tesla is required to file with federal regulators. The new language, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday morning, shows…

Elon Musk says he may keep doing DOGE work for ‘the remainder’ of Trump’s term

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says he may keep doing work with the Department of Government Efficiency through the remainder of President Donald Trump’s second term, amid calls for him to step away from politics. Musk said he plans to reduce his role with DOGE to a “day or two” per week starting next month, “or…

Tesla profits drop 71% on weak sales and anti-Elon Musk sentiment

Tesla’s flailing sales figures have put the company closer to the red than it has been in years, according to financial results released Tuesday, threatening one of its biggest advantages over other EV players. The electric automaker reported $409 million in net income on $19.3 billion in revenue after delivering almost 337,000 EVs in the…

India’s EV startup Ather cuts IPO size to $308M, seeking $1.4B post-money valuation

Ather Energy, the Indian startup manufacturing electric two-wheelers, has cut the size of its initial public offer by 18% to 26.26 billion Indian rupees ($308.3M), according to a new draft prospectus filed Tuesday. The Bengaluru-based startup confirmed to TechCrunch it’s targeting a post-money valuation of $1.4 billion. Last September, the startup sought a valuation of…

Uber customers can now earn Delta SkyMiles from rides or deliveries

Delta SkyMiles members in the United States can now start earning points when they ride with Uber or order delivery through Uber Eats as part of a recently announced exclusive partnership between the two companies.  The tie-up with Delta is designed to further align the ride-hail giant with airport travel, which has historically been a…

Rivian elects Cohere’s CEO to its board in latest signal the EV maker is bullish on AI

Aidan Gomez, the co-founder and CEO of generative AI startup Cohere, has joined the board of EV maker Rivian, according to a regulatory filing. The appointment is the latest sign that Rivian sees promises in applying AI to its own venture while positioning itself as a software leader — and even provider — within the…

Feds accuse Uber of charging customers for subscriptions without consent

The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit Monday against Uber, alleging the ride-hail and delivery giant charged customers for its Uber One subscription service without their consent. The lawsuit also claims Uber failed to deliver the savings promised in its subscription service and made it unreasonably difficult for users to cancel despite its “cancel anytime”…

Bezos-backed EV startup pitched investors on ‘Transformer’-like customization

Jeff Bezos-backed Slate Auto has planted multiple concept versions of its EV on the streets of California. It’s a marketing tactic that teases the secretive startup’s strategy to sell a “Transformer”-like vehicle, people familiar with the company’s internal discussions told TechCrunch. This unconventional real-world tease comes days before Slate’s April 24 launch event at Long…

TechCrunch Mobility: Lyft buys its way into Europe, Kodiak SPACs, and how China’s new ADAS rules might affect Tesla

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Enough with my typical small talk. Let’s jump into the news right away this week. And there’s plenty of it, including Lyft’s entry into Europe, AV startup…