AI chip maker Kneron raises $25M for autonomous driving push

AI chips, which are semiconductors designed to accelerate machine learning, have many applications. One of the promising use cases, according to Albert Liu, is using AI chips in autonomous driving vehicles. That’s why Liu’s AI chipmaking startup Kneron has been quietly racking up investments to march into smart transportation. It recently closed a new round […]

India’s Cars24, a used-vehicle sales platform, raises $400M, now at a $3.3B valuation, to double down on growth

With supply chains in the automotive industry continuing to be disrupted due to Covid-19, demand has surged in the used-car market. Today, one of the startups that’s seeing a lot of growth as a result of that is announcing a big round of funding to further tap the opportunity. Cars24, a startup out of India […]

Waymo says self-driving car that struck pedestrian in San Francisco was in manual mode

A Waymo self-driving Jaguar I-Pace that struck a pedestrian in San Francisco on Wednesday evening was in manual mode, the company told TechCrunch in response to an initial report posted on Reddit. Waymo says the vehicle was in manual mode at the time, meaning the human safety driver who was behind wheel was actually driving. […]

Aurora self-driving trucks are using Uber Freight to haul goods for customers

Aurora’s self-driving trucks are hauling goods for Uber Freight customers in Texas as part of a multiphase commercial pilot that aims to more closely integrate the two companies.  While the pilot was officially announced Wednesday, Aurora’s self-driving trucks, which always have two vehicle safety operators on board, have been working with Uber Freight for about […]

How Volvo plans to maintain its safety rep while staying in the fast lane

Safety in modern cars is no longer simply a question of engineering. It’s a technology and design challenge that is dependent on sensors and software and hinges on a user experience that is clear and intuitive for drivers. So how does Volvo, a company synonymous with safety, convince customers that it’s innovative, forward thinking and […]

Ford to triple production capacity for the all-electric Mustang Mach E by 2023

Ford plans to increase production of the all-electric Mustang Mach E next year with the goal of tripling its current capacity by 2023 to meet “incredible demand,” CEO Jim Farley tweeted late Friday. This is the first time the automaker has provided specific outlook for the Mustang Mach E. Ford said in November that it […]

Volvo had some R&D data stolen in security breach

Volvo Cars is investigating a cybersecurity breach and theft of a limited amount of the company’s research and development data. The data breach was reported Friday by the Swedish automaker. The company said one of its file repositories had been illegally accessed by a third party. Investigations have revealed that a “limited amount of the […]

Solid Power ramps up solid-state battery race with public market debut

Solid Power, the solid-state battery developer backed by Ford and BMW, is hitting the public markets running with a spike in stock price shortly after trading opened Thursday. The company is one of a handful in the electric mobility space to have gone public via a merger with a blank-check firm. Solid Power announced the […]