Volume 25
| Aurora acquires a second lidar company in push to bring self-driving trucks to the road Tech Crunch, February 26th Aurora, the autonomous vehicle company that recently closed its acquisition of Uber’s self-driving subsidiary, has snapped up another startup. This time, Aurora is buying OURS Technology, the second lidar startup it has acquired in less than two years. |
| Motional is now testing fully autonomous vehicles in Las Vegas The Verge, February 22nd Add Motional to the very short list of companies that have tested fully autonomous vehicles on public roads. The Hyundai-Aptiv joint venture announced that it has tested its vehicles without safety drivers behind the steering wheel on public streets in Las Vegas. |
| 10 investors predict MaaS, on-demand delivery and EVs will dominate mobility’s post-pandemic future Tech Crunch, February 19th The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t just upend the transportation industry. It laid bare its weaknesses, and conversely, uncovered potential opportunities. |
| Gig companies prepare to bring their fight for independent work nationwide under a more skeptical Biden administration CNBC, February 27th Still fresh off of a landmark victory in California, companies like DoorDash, Instacart, Lyft and Uber are preparing to bring their message supporting an independent workforce nationwide. |
| Amazon is putting cameras in its delivery vans and some drivers aren’t happy CNN Business, February 26th For Kamille Elizabeth, delivering Amazon packages in Wilmington, Delaware feels carefree and comfortable. She has deliveries to make and rules to follow, but says she enjoys being on the road by herself with what she calls a “limited freedom.” |
| Tech giants are moving in on the electric car industry The Driven, March 1st Foxconn and Fisker, Apple and Hyundai, Huawei and…? Tech giants are increasingly being named, or rumoured, in partnerships with automakers, underlining a transformation in the auto industry that accompanies the shift to electric vehicles. |
| All-electric Kombi will be VW’s first autonomous vehicle The Driven, March 1st The ID. Buzz – essentially an all-electric, updated version of what we in Australia know as the Volkswagen Kombi – will be the first VW vehicle to feature self-driving technology, and will be used for “robo-taxi” services. |
| What brands offer the best car subscriptions? South Florida Reporter, February 22nd Like almost anything else these days, cars are expensive. Buying brand-new is no longer a feasible option for many people because of the costs involved. Especially with the pandemic, many are experiencing financial problems. Despite this, it does not mean that you cannot be driving a good car. Car subscriptions have you covered! |
| Minnesota car-share program seeks to boost EV access in diverse neighborhoods Energy News, February 25th In Minneapolis and St. Paul, HourCar’s plan includes 150 shared electric cars, 70 charging stations, subsidized rentals, and translation services. |
| Toyota Mobility Foundation designates first mobility pilot technologies and collaborators for Indiana Future Mobility District initiative Mass Transit Mag, March 1st May Mobility and Udelv have been designated by the Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) and Energy Systems Network (ESN) to be the first two deployments of the Future Mobility District initiative. |
| No driver needed: Waymo rolls out fully autonomous vehicles in Chandler, Tempe, Mesa areas Fox 10 Phoenix, February 27th You can now be a passenger in a fully autonomous Waymo car, right here in the Valley. Odds are you’ve probably seen these vans if you frequent the Chandler, Tempe or Mesa areas — but you probably saw someone sitting in the front seat. |
