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Your regular host Kirsten has handed the reins to me, Rebecca Bellan, for the day, and I wish to discuss Aurora Innovation and its last-minute save.
Aurora had been promising to launch the U.S.’ first absolutely autonomous industrial trucking service in April this yr, after pushing again its authentic 2024 debut. With simply (proverbial) minutes to spare, Aurora pulled off the win.
Aurora says it has run over 1,200 miles of freight this week between Dallas and Houston with launch clients Hirschbach Motor Strains and Uber Freight. That’s with a single truck, for now. Aurora plans to construct as much as “tens of self-driving trucks” and develop to El Paso and Phoenix by the top of 2025 because it continues to run extra freight for purchasers with its fleet of supervised autonomous vans.
It’s an enormous step for Aurora, and for the trade. However as Trump’s tariffs grind many shipments to a halt, is Aurora properly positioned to grab the second, or may extended delays threaten its survival?
A bit of chook
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Offers!
AeroVironment, a drone maker, has accomplished its acquisition of house and protection engineering firm BlueHalo. The $4.1 billion all-stock deal will see the merged corporations develop into a brand new sort of protection tech known as AV that may construct tech throughout all warfighting domains: air, land, sea, house, and cyber.
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True Anomaly, a defense-focused aerospace startup constructing spacecraft and software program for U.S. nationwide safety missions, raised $260 million in a Collection C spherical led by VC agency Accel.
Notable reads and different tidbits
Autonomous autos
Could Mobility is the most recent to affix Uber’s roster of autonomous automobile collaborators. The 2 introduced this week plans to deploy Could’s autonomous autos on the Uber platform by the top of 2025, beginning in Arlington, Texas, as a part of a multi-year partnership.
Momenta, the Chinese language AV startup, can also be working with Uber. The 2 plan to launch Momenta robotaxis on the Uber platform beginning in Europe in 2026.
Waymo and Toyota are exploring a deal that might in the future result in a brand new self-driving automobile designed for ride-hailing and probably even private autonomous autos. It’s nonetheless early days, so consider it as extra of a soft-launch of their budding relationship.
Electrical autos, charging, & batteries
Canoo’s chapter proceedings are nonetheless happening, and now a mysterious London investor has requested the decide to cease the sale of the EV startup’s belongings to its CEO, calling it a “flawed process.” He’s throwing down a suggestion of $20 million for the belongings, which trumps Canoo CEO Anthony Aquila’s $4 million bid.
Rivian is sitting fairly on a stockpile of batteries for its vans, SUVs, and industrial vans that it constructed up earlier than and after Donald Trump’s election. That’ll soften the blow of the president’s tariffs, that are hitting the auto trade arduous.
Slate Auto, the buzzy new Jeff Bezos-backed EV startup that broke out of stealth final week, is eyeing a printing plant positioned in Warsaw, Indiana, as the long run place the place it’ll produce its low-cost electrical truck.
Tesla’s board reportedly started purchasing for a successor to CEO Elon Musk because the chief’s cavorting in Washington has devalued the model, and its margins, arduous. Tesla chair Robyn Denholm denied the reporting from The Wall Road Journal.
Whereas we’re with reference to Tesla’s board, let’s flip our consideration to board member Joe Gebbia (who can also be linked to DOGE). Gebbia acquired about 4,000 shares of Tesla inventory at a $1 million worth, which is notable as a result of it’s so uncommon to see board members straight up purchase inventory.
Miscellaneous
Ford has shut down its FNV4 software program structure initiative, a mission it had as soon as considered important to compete with EV leaders like Tesla. Closing the initiative means an finish to years of growth that might vertically combine automobile software program throughout Ford’s fuel and electrical lineups.
Joby Aviation transitioned its eVTOL from horizontal to vertical flight for the primary time with a pilot on board. It’s a obligatory step as the corporate works towards FAA certification.
Experience-hailing and supply
DoorDash needs a California decide to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Uber that accuses the supply firm of stifling competitors by intimidating restaurant house owners into unique offers. DoorDash stated the lawsuit was nothing however a scare tactic from Uber to keep away from “real competition.”
