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This publication was wrapped and prepared to go after which Travis Kalanick introduced me again to 2016 by making an eyebrow-raising announcement.
Uber’s co-founder and former CEO who resigned in 2017 after a string of controversies is again and building a robotics company referred to as Atoms. And, anticipate it, he is on the precipice of buying Pronto, the autonomous car startup targeted on industrial and mining websites that was created by his former Uber colleague, Anthony Levandowski. Kalanick revealed he is already the “largest investor” in Pronto.
That is loads to digest and the last signal that, sure, we actually are again in 2016. For many who could not keep in mind, 2016 was a hyped 12 months for AVs. Uber acquired Levandowski’s startup Otto — a deal that went sideways nearly instantly and resulted in Waymo suing the ride-hailing firm for commerce secret theft.
Now, again to our unique programming.
Simply final week I waxed on about Rivian and the EV maker’s bid to make the upcoming R2 SUV certainly one of the quickest car launches in historical past. ICYMI, here it is.
This week, I’m in Austin for SXSW — the annual tech meets music meets movie, TV, and comedy competition. Rivian, the headline sponsor of SXSW, used the occasion to share pricing and different specs of its R2. There is nonetheless loads to unpack and I’m nonetheless interviewing of us as I write this (together with CEO RJ Scaringe later as we speak), however right here is what we all know.
Techcrunch occasion
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October 13-15, 2026
The efficiency launch version, which shall be the first model of R2 on the line, will begin at $57,990. My preliminary article digs into what you get for that worth. And senior reporter Sean O’Kane targeted on the long-promised $45,000 model and why it received’t be coming until late 2027.
My time at SXSW with the Rivian of us has begun to reveal a few of their R2 technique. The corporate is leaning closely into experiential advertising and marketing focused instantly at its core market. SXSW attendees in Austin, who embrace well-heeled tech and artistic of us from throughout world, are about as shut as you will get to a Rivian buyer archetype.
However will it work? The EV itself is much more approachable IMO than the a lot bigger and costly flagship R1 truck and SUV. The R2 additionally has a number of gadgets, together with a brand new working system, that is extra highly effective and succesful than its dear peer. The working system software program, which admittedly I haven’t examined at size, is a standout enchancment from the R1 when it comes to computing and person interface. For example, the R2 has one SoC (system on chip) that runs the infotainment and handles 200 TOPS (tera operations per second) of computing on the edge. The subsequent-gen R1 autos have 4 SoC and do most of the computing in the cloud.
Rivian’s head of software program, Wassym Bensaid, advised me this edge computing issues as a result of it permits the firm to run giant language fashions domestically, which is able to present a lot decrease latency and higher efficiency.
One other massive change that I’ll briefly point out are the “halo wheels” on the steering wheel, which are pictured above. These wheels give haptic suggestions and let the driver rapidly change the temperature, fan pace, and speaker quantity with out transferring their palms or eyes over to the central display. Chief designer Jeff Hammoud advised me this addressed a few of the greatest requests from prospects with out including a bunch of buttons. Notably, software program permits the firm to add extra functionality to these halo wheels over time.
A little bit chook
Lucid Motors tried to make a splash at its investor day when it confirmed a robotaxi concept designed to be constructed on the firm’s “midsize” EV platform. Interim CEO Marc Winterhoff sounded declarative onstage, saying the firm is “working on a devoted Lucid Robotaxi” that may come after the midsize EVs debut.
The corporate later clarified to TechCrunch that there is no energetic improvement occurring and that the car is only a idea. A little bit chook tells us the venture is very new, having began solely in the final two to three months, a timeline that leaves us questioning how lengthy it will actually take for Lucid Motors to put one thing like this on the street.
Acquired a tip for us? E mail Kirsten Korosec at [email protected] or my Sign at kkorosec.07, or e mail Sean O’Kane at [email protected].
Offers!
I assume this is the Rivian situation! As a result of the firm has spun ANOTHER startup and raised a bunch of cash to scale it up. I’m referring to Thoughts Robotics, an industrial robotics lab, and its $500 million Series A funding round that was co-led by enterprise companies Accel and Andreessen Horowitz.
As Sean O’Kane wrote, the financing follows a $115 million seed spherical that was led by Eclipse (this VC actually appears to be in every single place these days) in late 2025. Thoughts Robotics is now valued at round $2 billion.
Robotics was a spotlight of a few of Rivian’s programming at SXSW, together with a panel with engineer and YouTuber Mark Rober and Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe. I interviewed Scaringe on the sidelines of the occasion and requested him about Thoughts Robotics and what was behind the effort. I additionally requested if he plans to spin out any extra firms. Let’s simply say there was a really lengthy pause before he in the end stated, “Most likely not.”
I’ll have an extended story about the interview quickly, however one merchandise price mentioning is that Scaringe mainly believes firms are desirous about the future of commercial robotics all unsuitable.
“There has been a shocking emphasis on mimicking human biomechanics, or in some instances even going additional, making much more advanced mechatronics. I believe what’s missed in industrial [settings] and this is certainly one of the issues we actually see clearly, is the work occurs with the palms,” Scaringe advised me. “So the palms are very, essential. Every part else, from a robotic system standpoint, is to get the palms to the proper place. And so the capacity for the robots to do actually advanced motions, like, let’s say, a again flip, that truly simply means the robotic has numerous pointless complexity in it for the overwhelming majority of duties and understanding.”
Different offers that obtained my consideration this week …
World ride-hailing firm inDrive acquired Pakistan-based quick-commerce startup Krave Mart. The all-stock deal acquired approval from the Competitors Fee of Pakistan, permitting the firms to proceed with the transaction, two sources accustomed to the matter advised TechCrunch. inDrive confirmed the acquisition however declined to disclose its monetary phrases.
Mirai Robotics, an Italy-based firm growing autonomous maritime programs, raised $4.2 million from Primo Capital, Techshop, and 40Jemz Ventures.
Surf Air placed an order for 25 of Beta Applied sciences’ all-electric ALIA plane and purchased choices for up to 75 extra.
Notable reads and different tidbits
Bryan Reimer, an MIT analysis scientist who was just lately on my Autonocast podcast, poses an fascinating query in a column revealed this month: Are automated autos headed for the similar political divide as electrical vehicles?
Archer Aviation responded to a lawsuit with its personal counterclaims that rival Joby Aviation allegedly defrauded the U.S. authorities and its rivals by falsely presenting itself as an American-made firm. The electrical air sector is getting litigious, which may be mighty distracting and costly on this early stage of improvement.
Group14 has began manufacturing of silicon battery materials at its BAM-3 manufacturing unit in South Korea. The manufacturing unit is able to producing up to 2,000 metric tons yearly, sufficient for 10 gigawatt-hours of vitality storage, or about 100,000 long-range EVs.
Hayden AI, a startup primarily based in San Francisco, has sued its co-founder and former CEO over allegations of significant misconduct and misuse of funds.
The Federal Aviation Administration OK’d eight pilot programs that can permit a handful of firms, together with Archer Aviation, Beta Applied sciences, Joby Aviation, and Wisk, to begin widespread electrical plane testing as early as this summer season. The three-year program will span 26 states!
Harbinger, a Los Angeles-based EV startup, revealed its second car: a smaller, medium-duty work truck.
Lucid Motors is transport Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to Gravity SUV homeowners.
The Nationwide Transportation Security Board launched information that exhibits two drivers concerned in deadly crashes in 2024 whereas utilizing Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free driving system had been seemingly distracted in the moments before affect.
Nuro, the Silicon Valley-based startup backed by Nvidia, Uber, and SoftBank, is testing its autonomous vehicle technology in Japan.
Slate Auto, the EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos, has a new CEO forward of its manufacturing launch. Former Amazon Market vice chairman Peter Faricy now leads the firm, whereas former CEO Christine Barman is now president of autos.
Tesla is now an formally licensed utility in the United Kingdom.
Wayve is teaming up with Uber and Nissan to launch a robotaxi service in Tokyo, with a pilot scheduled for late 2026.
Uber added Hyundai-owned Motional to its growing robotaxi network. Motional’s self-driving Hyundai Ioniq 5 autos now present up on the Uber app in Las Vegas. These autos have human security screens in the automotive, for now.
Zoox had a few bulletins this week that present a roadmap of kinds of the place the Amazon-owned firm desires to go. The corporate has began to map the streets of Dallas and Phoenix, the first step before testing its autonomous autos in the Solar Belt cities.
It is additionally partnering with Uber and can make its robotaxis obtainable to hail on the ride-hailing app in Las Vegas later this 12 months. That Uber tie-up deserves an vital caveat, although. Zoox can’t deploy commercially till it will get an exemption from the Federal Motor Car Security Requirements for its custom-built robotaxis, which don’t have a steering wheel or different conventional controls. That course of has began. The Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration stated it will start taking public remark on Zoox’s software for these exemptions. Zoox solely has an exemption to exhibit its autos.
Yet another factor …
The Chevrolet Bolt EV is coming again — a real EV deep minimize. And senior reporter Tim De Chant went to a company-sponsored press drive and got here again with an fascinating concept that I’ve grow to be increasingly more fixated on as an EV gross sales ploy. The Chevy Bolt is the McRib of the automotive world. Want I say extra? De Chant additionally dug into the economics of GM bringing back the Bolt.
Disclaimer: This article is sourced from external platforms. OverBeta has not independently verified the information. Readers are advised to verify details before relying on them.
