Waymo fills abroad cruise hole and honors icon Jean Jennings

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I have not met John Jennings lengthy after she had cemented her standing as an automotive journalism icon. At the moment, Jennings (previously Lindamood) was editor of Automobile and Driver and had helped discovered Vehicle Journal. – of which she would ultimately grow to be editor – and launched a web site known as Jean Is aware of Vehicles. Jennings died on December 16 at age 70 after dwelling with Alzheimer’s illness.

To say she was well-known within the trade is an understatement. To offer you an concept of ​​its impression, Ford CEO Jim Farley and Chairman Invoice Ford released an official statement upon his dying, and Stellantis designer Ralph Gilles and plenty of others within the trade posted their very own memorials in Jean’s honor on social media.

And for good motive. Jennings lived and breathed automobiles, first as a mechanic, then as a journalist and editor. His articles and travels are a part of vehicle historical past. I used to be dipping my toes within the automotive press pond when it was popping out, however I nonetheless knew of Jennings. It wasn’t simply his writing, which was witty and pleasant. It was the entire power, which generally made her a central character in different articles, like that of Brock Yates. Torture test of a 1983 Baja Mexico sedan article in C&D.

In fact, as soon as we met her (which I used to be fortunate sufficient to do), there was no forgetting her. Jean, hats off to you.

And earlier than shifting on to the remainder of the information, try TechCrunch 51 most disruptive startups of 2024 to study some attention-grabbing applied sciences and corporations exterior of transportation.

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A bit of chicken

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Gives!

THE Biden administration is speeding to approve a variety of initiatives earlier than President-elect Donald Trump takes over, together with clear power loans. Latest recipients of Division of Power (DOE) loans embody StarPlus Power (a battery three way partnership of Stellantis and Samsung) and Rivien.

This week, it was the flip of electrical car charging startup EVgo.

The DOE approved a $1.25 billion loan to EVgo to assist the startup set up 7,500 public chargers at 1,100 charging stations throughout america over the following 5 years. The primary deployments will embody 350 kW DC quick charging tools, able to charging two automobiles directly.

Different provides that caught my consideration…

Bikmoa British startup that gives insurance coverage for bicycles and cyclists, raised £4.75 million ($5.9 million) in a spherical led by Puma Progress Companions.

Honda And Nissan are reportedly in merger talks. If all of this involves go, the merger, which may additionally embody Mitsubishi, would create the world’s third-largest automaker. The intrigue across the potential deal grew to become much more attention-grabbing when Bloomberg reported that discussions accelerated after Foxconn, the Taiwan-based iPhone producer, contacted Nissan to acquire a stake in the company.

Nanoramicsa complicated battery expertise startup primarily based in Boston, raised $44 million in a spherical co-led by Basic Motors Ventures and Catalus Capital, with participation from Samsung Enterprise Funding Company, Prime Materials and present traders together with Fortistar Capital and WindSail Capital Group.

Againa Croatian developer of superior autonomous drone methods, 5.8 million euros raised ($6 million) in a funding spherical led by Lightspeed Enterprise Companions, with participation from Radius Capital, Decisive Level and present investor Day One Capital.

Sliding robotics raised $28 million in a Collection B funding spherical led by DCVC and with participation from present traders Eve Atlas, Tech Sq. Ventures, Hyde Park Enterprise Companions, Overline and Pathbreaker Ventures. James Hardiman of DCVC has joined the board of administrators.

Vaeridiona German aviation startup growing an electrical plane for short-haul industrial flights, has raised a €14 million Collection A funding spherical led by World Fund, with participation from Mission A Ventures, Vsquared Ventures, Andreas Kupke, Schwarz Holding and InnovationQuarter.

ZingbusIndian intercity bus service, raised $9 million from BP Ventures in a Collection A funding spherical.

Notable readings and different data

Autonomous autos

Waymo continues to ascertain itself in areas the place its earlier opponents have been contemplating establishing themselves. Newest instance: Waymo brings its robotaxi to Tokyo in 2025 with the GO taxi software and the taxi firm Nihon Kotsu as a part of its Japanese “highway journey”. Historical past lesson: Cruise deliberate to function in Japan in 2026 by way of a partnership with Honda.

Waymo could dominate, however its robotaxis nonetheless have challenges forward. One just lately I got caught in a roundabout.

Reuters received its fingers on a doc from the Trump transition crew that reveals deep curiosity in ending a federal rule that requires car manufacturers to report accidents when superior driver help or autonomous driving expertise is activated. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has lengthy opposed the federal accident reporting rule. The timing of that is exceptional. If profitable, federal security companies would lose the power to analyze and regulate the security of autos geared up with automated driving methods, simply as automation is growing on public roads.

Drama at YouSimple continues. This time, co-founder and former CEO Xiaodi Hou pushes shareholders to change table and change it with new members who would assist the liquidation of the corporate.

Zoox hired Zheng Gao as director of {hardware} engineering. Zheng was most just lately at Tesla, the place he spent eight years and was the top of Tesla’s Autopilot {hardware} engineering crew. Earlier than Tesla, Zheng labored at Apple for 9 years.

Electrical autos, charging and batteries

Canou East to hurt for money. The EV startup has idled its manufacturing unit and put its employees out of labor because it seeks emergency funding.

THE Environmental Safety Company (nonetheless underneath the Biden administration) will permit California to ban most sales new gasoline and diesel automobiles and lightweight vans beginning in 2035. Bear in mind, nonetheless, that this pattern will definitely be reversed by the brand new Trump administration.

Ram delayed his electric truck till 2026 and can as an alternative put the extended-range truck referred to as the Ramcharger on the entrance of the queue. Lagging demand for electrical autos is behind this determination.

Tesla brings again Free overfeeding to prospects buying a brand new Mannequin S. However that appears to be a little bit of a shell sport, since Tesla additionally raised the value of the Mannequin S by $5,000.

Embedded expertise

Rivien has launched a brand new software program replace for its autos that brings some long-awaited apps to its in-car expertise, together with YouTube, Google Cast and SiriusXM (with a subscription).

Different random transpo information!

Kakao Mobilitythe ride-sharing unit of Korean expertise firm Kakao, was fined $10.5 million (KRW 15.1 billion) for limiting opponents’ entry to its taxi app.

The alphabet Wing extends its partnership with DoorDash to supply drone supply to prospects within the Dallas-Fort Value Metroplex.

This week’s wheels

TechCrunch journalist Rebecca Bellan hung out within the 2025 Pure lucid air – twice! You may read the whole review here. However for many who need the necessities, right here it’s.

The Lucid Air Pure 2025 is dreamy, attractive and splendid – and has respectable tech as well – although it is the most cost effective model within the electrical car maker’s present lineup. As Bellan wrote: “I felt stylish and savvy whereas driving, however in a low-key manner – like I used to be carrying designer sweatpants. » I suppose this implies the Lucid Air Pure is the equal of an costly sport.

But, has this translated into worth? Bellan says sure, however provided that Lucid continues to enhance its software program by way of over-the-air updates.

As somebody who has pushed the Lucid Air a number of occasions, I used to be glad to be taught that a few of my largest complaints, just like the car ping-ponging when the lane centering characteristic is engaged, have been resolved.

What’s “This Week’s Wheels”? This is a chance to find the totally different transport merchandise that we’re testing, whether or not it’s an electrical or hybrid automobile, an electrical bicycle or perhaps a journey in an autonomous car. Future autos embody the brand new era Rivien R1S and the Volkswagen ID Buzz. Keep tuned.