TechCrunch Mobility: Two roads diverged — for robotaxis

Welcome to TechCrunch Mobility, your go-to source for the latest developments in the world of transportation, particularly focusing on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping the future. This week, the autonomous vehicle industry presented a mixed picture, with conflicting forces at play.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) made significant strides in autonomous vehicle technology by announcing a series of actions aimed at reducing regulatory barriers and accelerating the development and deployment of this technology. Among these actions, the agency granted Zoox, a robotaxi company, a temporary exemption from eight federal motor vehicle safety standards.

This decision allows Zoox to charge customers for rides in its custom-built robotaxis, with paid rides expected to commence first in Las Vegas.

On the other hand, Waymo and other robotaxi operators face increasing challenges as they grapple with regulatory scrutiny over their autonomous vehicles' interactions with emergency responders. This issue gained prominence after a high-profile incident involving Waymo robotaxis, which became immobile in heavy traffic, ran out of power, and blocked key streets.

Consequently, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie called for state regulators to strengthen rules for autonomous vehicles. Rep. Kevin Mullin proposed legislation to establish minimum national safety standards for autonomous vehicle operators, addressing concerns over incidents where autonomous vehicles have inadvertently interfered with emergency responders.

In unrelated news, Lucid Motors secured substantial investment from Saudi prince Prince Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud, acquiring a significant stake in the company. Meanwhile, The Boring Company, led by Elon Musk, is in talks to raise a $4 billion funding round, valuing the company at $20 billion. Meanwhile, Terminal, a Toronto-based telematics data infrastructure startup, raised $20 million in a Series A round led by Battery Ventures, with participation from Intact Private Capital, Penske, Y Combinator, and Wayfinder Ventures.

The drone delivery industry also made headlines this week, with Walmart and Alphabet's Wing beginning service in Central Florida. Flytrex announced a partnership with autonomic logistics platform Nash. However, the most significant development in this sector belongs to DoorDash, which announced it is developing a drone delivery business, including its own aircraft, as part of an initiative spearheaded by its robotics and autonomy team. This venture will eventually operate within DoorDash's delivery app.

Despite Ferrari's early setbacks with its all-electric Luce model, the car managed to meet its sales target within just two months. Florida's National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program allocated $200 million, which was redirected to build 32 landing pads with charging stations for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft instead of traditional electric car charging infrastructure.

London is emerging as the next battleground for robotaxis. Baidu, in partnership with Lyft and Freenow, began testing autonomous vehicles in the city, with plans to invite the public to hail their robotaxis in 2027. Waymo has also started testing its autonomous vehicles in London, alongside Uber and Wayve, who announced plans to launch robotaxi services in the city this year.

Additionally, Rivian's spinoff will commence delivering e-bikes to customers next week, following months of delays due to unspecified supply chain issues.

Finally, the automotive landscape has shifted, with Tesla announcing its intention to potentially sell off its China business ahead of a possible merger with SpaceX. Tesla reached an important milestone by building its 10 millionth electric vehicle.