Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. If you’re in the U.S., enjoy the long Memorial Day weekend, and brace yourself for the crowds on the road. AAA predicts that a whopping 45.1 million people will be traveling at least 50 miles from home during the Memorial Day holiday period from Thursday to Monday, with about 39.4 million opting for a car.
Let’s dive into the latest edition, featuring updates on various companies like Aurora, Uber, Tesla, and Waymo, along with some intriguing startups that might catch your eye. If you have any tips for us, feel free to reach out to Kirsten Korosec, Sean O’Kane, or Rebecca Bellan. We’re all ears!
Deals are happening left and right, with Luminar, the lidar startup, striking a deal with Yorkville Advisors Global to potentially bring in another $200 million through the sale of convertible preferred stock. Meanwhile, SparkCharge secured $15.5 million in a Series A-1 round, and Sylndr, a Cairo-based startup, raised a significant amount for its expansion. And let’s not forget about Nikola’s hydrogen trucks going up for auction as part of the company’s bankruptcy proceedings.
In the realm of autonomous vehicles, Aurora is making headlines by placing human “observers” in its self-driving trucks, leaving many puzzled about the reasoning behind this move. Einride’s founder is stepping down as CEO, while Reliable Robotics brings in a new CFO with an impressive background. Tesla is changing its strategy by limiting the areas where its robotaxis will operate in Austin, Texas, a notable shift from Elon Musk’s previous claims. And in the electric vehicle sector, Arc introduces a new electric boat, and Senate Republicans vote to overturn a waiver allowing California to set stricter air pollution standards.
On the gig economy front, Uber has plans to launch a B2B logistics service in India, and Uber Freight is incorporating AI features into its supply chain software. And for those looking for some wheels, Rebecca Bellan shares her experience with the Heybike Alpha e-bike, highlighting both its strengths and shortcomings. There’s a lot happening in the world of transportation, so buckle up and stay tuned for more updates!
