TechCrunch Mobility: Tesla denied ‘Robotaxi’ trademark, Aurora loses a co-founder, and tariffs start to take a toll

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Remember when last week Aurora Have met a large milestone – simply pressing under its own timeframe – and Driverless self-driving truck has launched service? Welp, Aurora again this week, but for an amazing change in the leadership.

Co-founder Sterling AndersonWho was the chief product officer, he was His position and resign from the boardThe There is no truth about what was persuaded for his resignation beyond making some comments during the company’s Q1 earning call. “Leaving Aurora is one of the most difficult decisions in me, especially the exciting phase is given to Aurora,” he said. “It’s just the right time to me that it has given me confidence.”

He did not say exactly where he was going, but it would “be an exciting outward opportunity in the” Iconic Global Company’s senior leadership role. ”

I’ll let all of you keep your bat.

Aurora Anderson is pushing without. The company announced that it would start sending its self-driving trucks to send it to its earnings Out of the night and out of adverse weather Like rain or heavy winds in the second half of 2021. The company plans to extend its driverless trucking route to Houston and El Paso and Phoenix.

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Deal!

It is not every day that a public organization reverses the course and is personal. But again, these are not ordinary times. Especially for any organization, the US-China trade war has been caught.

Take ZealFor example. A year ago, the Chinese EV agency New York Stock Exchange debutThe Now, the original company Gilli Auto Desired Take Zicker Private In response to the concept of the Trump administration to kick Chinese companies by closing the American stock exchanges.

Other Deals that have attracted my attention …

Boschers There is a new $ 270 million funds that will continue to invest in Deep Tech startups. Managing director Ingo Remosoh The plan is kept in the Techchench More money in North American startupsThe

Investors who had previously supported the Indian Uber rivals Blasphemart The fighter has suggested plans to inject $ 30 million at the Cab-Hilling Startup, which has suddenly stopped the operation last month. However there is a catchThe

BreathA battery software startup, Has collected $ 21 million In a series B round led by AB, the company, the company, was exclusively informed TechCrunch. Lowercarbon Capital and Volvo Car Technology Funds participated.

Dord Two major acquisitions have been announced for expanding in Europe. The company has agreed to buy its rivals in the UK Delivery About £ 2.9 billion (About $ 3.87 billion) and said individually to buy it Sink – Which provides CRM, marketing and operation software to help restaurants, hotels and government places to help with guest management – $ 1.2 billion in cash.

In the me, Uber This week was busy, companies acquire and invest them.

Uber extended his investment to the Chinese autonomous vehicle company Warday By $ 100 million As part of an expanded partnership agreement to bring the service to more than 15 cities in the next five years. In a separate agreement, Ubero A 85% of the controlling part has acquired In TrendialIstanbul -based online food and grocery distribution business is about $ 700 million cash.

Significant lessons and other TDBITS

Autonomous vehicle

Here is a staff switch I don’t expect. ProcessCTO of former President and now-STARD Self-driving car company CruelWas simply named as the Chief Technology Officer of the Telethyeth and Wellness Company Hims and HimThe I talked to Hims and his co-founder and CEO Andrew DudumAnd he said he had focuses on the AV industry, especially to look for the next CTO. Why hereThe

Only Its AV Tech has begun to test Las Vegas stripThe I recently sat down with co-founder and President Dave Ferguson. Stay up to update why the company has shifted the model of its business.

TeslaIts “Robotuxi” and “Cybercab” trademarks blocked a few roads. The US Patent and Trademark Office Tesla has denied the attempt In the context of its vehicle, the word “robotuxi” is for trademark because it is very generic. Meanwhile, Tesla’s applications for trademarks were closed in the term “Cybercab” because companies follow the “cyber” trademarks similar.

Uber Locked partnership with three Chinese autonomous vehicles – From the pony, MomentAnd Whiride – To exceed the Robotaxy market share in the Middle East and Europe. Footnotes: These agreements will not work in China.

Wemo Declared that it has a new 239,000 square foot factory in the suburbs of Meser Phoenix through an agreement with Magna Make more than 2,000 autonomous Jaguar i-Pess vehiclesThe It certainly got a lot of attention. However, I am finally interested in learning the size of the existing commercial fleet of Wemor, which is now 1,500.

Wave Creating rounds on high-profile executive sets. You may remember the video of Bill Gates on the autonomous test vehicle of the Wave. Now it’s the founder of the Virgin Group Sir Richard Branson TurnThe PS Branson is a wave investor. BTW, Fate The AI ​​conference in London, and Wave’s CEO and co-founder Alex kendall Was there He was Some interesting comments About the company’s end to end approach and Tesla Elon Kasturi.

Jamex Has paused its driverless test program for more than a week and issued a Volunteer withdrawal of its software After the accident in Las Vegas.

Electric vehicles, charging and battery

The Cadillac Celestick Eve – yes, that monster – here is, and the contributors have thoughts after the hall To spend a day on the back of the wheelThe

This is the earning season, and the US-China trade war has begun to leave a scratch in the paint of automackers everywhere. And, well, I don’t think we’ll be able to bull it.

Ford And General motor Referring to Trump’s customs economic uncertainty, they directed them for the year. In the me, Rivian It is probably said Supply less vehicles This year (40,000 to 46,000 EV) was previously predicted due to tariffs and other regulatory changes. Reminder: The company is already tracking for its third year without increasing any volume before the guidance is cut. There was some good news for the revionists, though: it has made a total profit (yes I know, gross profit is not exactly my fave). However, it met a contract -based milestone that unlocked about $ 1 billion from the Volkswagen group as part of a joint venture with German Automaker.

Ford Its prices are being raised All electronic mustang mach-e sUV Mavarick pickup is about $ 2,000 due to the import tax on the vehicles made in Mexico.

Lucid motor Some have been working through The quality “hiccups” Its long -awaited electric gravity is in the early stages of SUV supply.

Mitsubishi Motors Is in the discussion with Foxcon From The source is an electric vehicle model Japanese Automaker plans to sell to Australia and New Zealand in the end of 2026.

Tesla Sale Run On an April EV sales across Europe.

Flight

Employer Its first commercial passenger service appears to be permanent at 2026 First-time reportThe The electric vertical texof and landing startup-torn-spack were targeting 2025, then the “early 2026” mentioned. Now it’s just 2026, which suggests that it may not be early next year.