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OK, who made their bet General motors Being a landing spot for Arah Co -founder and chief product officer Sterling Anderson? Not me But we are here. A few days after Anderson’s resignation From his position and board in auroraHe talked to me about it Next Tam Tam As Chief Product Officer SPECIAL IN GM. , They will monitor the entire product line of GM gas-powered and electric vehicles-a position that will cover the entire life cycle of GM’s portfolio and will include hardware, software, services and user experience.
Anderson couldn’t say much. In addition, he has not started a job yet. Anderson had said that if Aurora had not yet started it, he would not take a new job Trade self -driving truck service In Texas
Let’s jump in the rest of the news.
A small bird
In the exact wild twist of events, LightFounder Austin Russell It seems that the CEO and the board have been kicked out. You can Read my coverage hereWhich offers an overview of how it opened, but I know that there is more in this story. Tl; Dr: If you only read Luminar’s Q1 income report, you would assume that Russell was still in helmet. As soon as the company’s income was over, a separate press release announced a change in the leadership, and Russell resigned after a moral inquiry from the board’s audit committee.
What am I listening to some small birds? The word “blindsed” came more than once, and the chaos did not end. Member of the luminar board June Hong HangWho is the founder and chief investment officer and patron of Russell at Crescent Koo Advisor, Resigned a day later. The Hang Audit was also in the committee.
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Deals!
Arah Several weeks of heights have been a strange task – Driver Les Commercial Service Wahoo! – and twist – oops, A co -founder goes. To stop things, Ober announced plans Offer $ 1 billion in exchange senior note In private placement in 2028. As you can be expected, stocks decreased after investors understand the potential weakness and what it means to the stock.
Other deals that are getting my attention …
AutomaticallyThe latest startup that has begun from the Lord up.labs-Porsche Contribute, Million collected 5 million In the badge money, the startup based in Santa Monica, California, who created dealership and service shops to allow manufacturers and software shopkeepers to interact in real -time, has been working quietly for almost nine months.
Chinese battery maker Kettle Startup is far away. But the banana is able to focus on the IPO plan. The company wants to collect at least HK $ 31.01 billion. It’s just a shy of $ 4 billion – In his Hong Kong list. This is the largest list globally in 2025.
Here is a Capability Dell that has raised some eyebrows. Are in conversation with Federal Railway Regulators Elon Musk‘ Tunnel firm, Boring companyMore than one Amtric project of multi -billion dollars.
Flock freightCalifornia -based combined truck load freight brokerage, Million collected 60 million In a series e -funding round headed by the Oil Strategic Capital. Suschenna Private Equity Investment, Signal Fire, GLP Capital Partners, and Brack Capital also participated.
Remarkable reading and other indicators
Autonomous vehicles
TeslaPlan to start a robotics service in Austin next month Received the attention of federal safety investigators. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office for the Investigation Investigation sent the company a detailed list of questions on its upcoming robotics service on how the company’s “full self -driving (monitoring)” software works in low display conditions.
Remembering more popups are starting to get more popups in the AV sector. It was last week Sensation. Now Vimo Is Released a software memory On 1,200 self -driving vehicles after joining a minor collision with some of its robotics gate, chains, and other roadway items like Gate.
Vereide It looks like trying to ramp in Guangzhou. The Chinese company said it had introduced Way of eight autonomous robotics pilot operation In the central part of the city. The company has also begun a fully driverless robotics test In Abu Dhabi.
Electric vehicles, charging, and batteries
General motors Is working on one New battery chemistry Which is called lithium manganese rich, which says costs should be reduced during the delivery of driving range. In particular, these LMR batteries dramatically reduce the amount of nickel and cobalt compared to the latest GM cells, two major minerals that are not readily available from domestic sources in the United States.
I a footnot note lucidRecent Q1 regulatory filing of its sales gives a bit more insight. EV maker’s record quarter got lift Sales of rent and lease company.
Slate auto Rick is up More than 100,000 reservations For its custom low -cost electric pickup truck.
Everyone, let’s give a gentleness Toyota To re -design – and even the most important thing is impossible – its Single electric vehicle for the US market. The EV, once called BZ4X, will now be BZ. The original BZ4X was not well received. I look forward to following the wheel to see what Toyota has made. Meanwhile, is to Toyota Brought back the C-H name plateBut this time as EV. Hopefully this time it is more successful. It arrives in the United States in 2026.
Jig economy
Three years ago, reporter Rebecca Belin noted that Digit Used to Undergoing a Amazonification. It was pitch that the company likes, likes AmazonCustomers formed a closed business loop to return to other Uber channels. The second part of this evolution has begunThis week he reported. It seems that Uber is moving focus on transportation and works to become a simple super app, a collector of services, a daily -lifestyle platform that offers his best behind paywill.
The future of flight
US lawmakers introduce the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act to revise this 52 -year -old ban on FAA’s supersonic flight Time for startups on American soil may be important Boom supersonicWhich has made progress in the development of the next -generation superstitis aircraft
Vertical aero space A Plan to Developed A Hybrid Electric Various Type Of its VX4, suggest that the company is looking for opportunities in defense and logistics.
Car Tech
appleThe next generation of its famous Corplay Infinity Software is eventually launching. Reminder: It was first announced three years ago. The new version, called Carpel UltraWill start your start from, new Austin Martin Vehicles in the United States and Canada.
Google In the next few months, all the Android auto -backed cars are bringing Gemini, its generative AI. Android VP Patrick Brady for cars said Gemini will come to the surface in Android auto experience In two important ways.