Pour one out for Cruise and why autonomous vehicle test miles dropped 50%

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We knew this day was coming: Cruel Died – at least one robotuxi company. General motor GM Cruise Holdings has completed LLC’s acquisition; Cruise is now a full -owned assistant company of GM.

Upshot a Reduce 50% of employees – It’s about a thousand people. The next step is to integrate the remaining staff in the folds of the remaining staff, where they will work to improve the automaker’s advanced driver-helping system.

One of my questions about this is whether GM will successfully maintain the rest of the talent, most of whom I have been told to engineer. And will that new talent translate into the advanced driver-help system, marked as super cruise, and in the end personal autonomous vehicles?

I am not sure that the talent achieved-those who are now Cruz’s departure co-founder and CEO were inspired and loyal to Kyle-this is a good match. But hey, I’m wrong before.

Over the years, I have talked to a lot of cruise engineers, and every time I will go away, “Well, there are real believers.” I did not meet every cruise employee, but I expelled the belief on the autonomous vehicle missions and seemed to be thrilled to work for a long time to achieve it.

Reach, for any present and ex -cruisers there. I’d like to talk about the first days with you. Email me kersten.korosec@techcranch.comThe

A little bird

A few more small birds came to us Cruel In the recent days. Most of the communications centered on the impending trims, which I have addressed above. But I thought it was an interesting nugget of sources that they thought – for at least some time – Cruise could restart its robotaxi operations.

An index is from the source to this TDBET, who told us that the cruise was ready to implement a retrofit sensor solution, internally known as the project Rhino, which created additional visibility and awareness under the vehicle was resolved for the incident on October 2. “Fact” is in the context of an event in 2021 when a pedestrian, who first was hit in a human-driven car, was stuck under it and then dragged by a company’s robotaxis.

Have a tip for us? Email at Korstene Korosec kersten.korosec@techcranch.comShan O’Ken A. sean.okane@techcranch.comOr at Rebecca Belan rebecca.belalan@techcranch.comThe Or check out These instructions To learn how to contact us through encrypted messaging apps or security.

Deal!

Only one bunch of deals this week!

Insights Episis Science Inc.A company that has created autonomy software for national protection, including undefined airline, surface warfare, maritime tracking and war management commands and controls. Terms were not published. Applied intuition is probably the most known as a Autonomous vehicle software Organization; Lately it is pushing more deeply towards defense.

GenlogA startup that has created Freight Intelligence software, Has collected $ 14.6 million A fund in a series of Venors and a fund led by Hoff Capital. Steel Atlas, Autotech Ventures, Ventures 53, Teotlettach, Plug and Play Ventures and Heartland Ventures also participated in the rounds.

PrestoA startup that says it is creating the EV charging stripe, Raised $ 15 million In a seed round led by Union Square Venture, the company has exclusively informed TechCrunch. The rounds of initiatives, jetstream and power house venture were also included in the round.

Significant lessons and other TDBITS

Adas

We have left the covered Tesla In the last week’s version, however wanted to earn Flag this article on Shan O’CenWhich reminds us of our entire self-driving software and its recent admission to the promise that some of its vehicles will actually require a hardware upgrade.

Autonomous vehicle

The California Motor Vehicles Department Published data that shows A Drop 50% of the autonomous vehicle test milesThe Yes, the completion of the cruise is partly liable. However, there are other reasons to play. And what’s going on here.

Gauge Volvo has been partner with autonomous solutions for collective development and Place the autonomous truckThe Reminder: Volvor also has an agreement with Aurora.

Wemo Now The Uber app is being displayed in the app In Austin, it does not translate people to a wiomo. But it will be soon.

Electric vehicles, charging and battery

The Chicago Auto Show Running, and in most cases – eg Subaru Forester Hybrid -Helk hybrids or internal combustion engine -driven vehicles also had EVS. Stalantis All-in-the-Baidutin has revealed 2025 Zip Wagonia S Ltd Trim It starts from $ 66,995 and its estimated range is 294 miles.

Ford This week reports the earnings and, WELLP, its EV business lost about $ 5 billion in 2024. But it was not just my attention. Instead of, it was CEO Jim Farley’s comment on tariffsThe

Scout motorVolkswagen spinout that planned to produce all electrical and range electric trucks and SUVs, was it A group of VW and Audi dealers have been sued by With plans to sell directly to customers in Florida.

Ride-hilling and gig economy

Lift AI has been partner with startup Ethnographic From Create an AI Assistant It arranges for the initial receipt for the customer service search for both the rider and the driver.

The future of space and flight

This An interesting feature Called in a startup Notification fuelWhich will make diamonds on the way to make e-fuel on jet planes.

This week’s wheel

This week, we will listen to TechCrunch Reporter Rebecca Belan and her time driving 2024 will be NuriThe (Please note that the above image is of 2025 model.)

I rented 2024 ki nero on the weekend to drive a few hours north of New York City.

It’s a beautiful, Gippy SUV, but I fought in two cases needed to travel on the road: Battery Life and Volume button/knot position in winter.

The battery took about one and a half hours to get half an empty from the charge or took about 70 miles.

It kicked my anxiety in the gear because I wasn’t sure I would be able to find a charger in connecticut sticks. I finally got the solo Evigo Charger in a planet fitness parking lot. “Marsha” was advertised to charge at 50 kW but 17 kW finished my battery fed drip at a sparkling pace. Let’s just say, I was sitting in that park for a while.

The volume button or the knot was also obviously absent. This is my biggest pet’s prefere with software-defined vehicles: instead of touching noobs that you can make a fan with a touch screens that you may not have to shut the eyes off the road. None of my passengers were able to determine how to adjust the volume without using the button on the wheel.

I finally just “kiya nero volume” Google and surely sure I got one Reddit Post That I could write myself. Obviously, the orange fan should be tap “button” on the orange fan to change outside of climate control mode and then you can use the left temperature design to change the volume. Unbelievable.

What is the “wheel of this week”? The opportunity to learn about the different transport products we are examining, it is electronic or hybrid cars, an e-bike or even autonomous vehicle.