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Enough with my typical chatter. We immediately jump in the news this week. And there are many, including LyftEntrance to Europe, start AV As soon as heading to Japan, the first trip of the Lucid Gravity SUVsome New York International Auto Show Salient points and a space space.
Yes, the Spac is back. Or has this financial instrument ever vanished?
Let’s go.
A bird
A bird told us that some people hope to anticipate the many, many obstacles that EvTols must jump before there may be “highways in the skies”. This includes work with the owners of properties in rural areas to create verteports and charging infrastructures. The tone? The addition of this infrastructure has the potential to increase the value of property in the future.
We are digging in this to find out more!
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Offers!
I expected a few more ipo more in 2025 than the previous year, but Spacs? Dill it is not so. Still, here we are with a new fusion between the start of the technology of autonomous vehicles Kodiak Robotics and acquisition company for special purposes Ares Acquisition Corporation II.
The Kodiak values transaction, which has collected about $ 243 million to date, to around $ 2.5 billion pre-Money. The new and existing Kadiak institutional investors, such as Soros Fund Management, Ark Investments and Ares, have financed or engaged over 110 million dollars in funding to support the transaction, as well as about $ 551 million in charge held in trust.
I spoke with the founder and CEO of Kodiak Don Burnette And he asked the obvious question: an harshness? Now? Why?
“Kodiak, now that we have launched Driverless, we have our vehicles on the road, we have entrances without a driver on the way,” Burnette told me. “We think it is time for growth. We want to exploit the wind winds that we are seeing in the markets.”
Sighuntds? I asked him to explain, and Burnette meant queuing winds in the autonomy sector compared to the largest economic markets.
“Obviously, we are witnessing short-term volatility is an understatement,” he said. “But we are really thinking about it as a long -term thesis to transform transport markets, using artificial intelligence, the use of technology and through automation. It is something I have always believed in.”
Other business that attracted my attention …
ConiferA startup that develops electric hub engines without rare earth elements, has collected a round of $ 20 million seeds from investors, including True Ventures, Mac Ventures, MFV partners and others. Rohit Sharma of True Ventures joined the confer advice.
PoplarA used online car dealer based in Mexico has collected $ 127 million in an additional round, cutting its evaluation to $ 2.2 billion from $ 6.5 billion. The round was co-guided by SoftBank Group Corp and General Atlantic. The company has also obtained $ 400 million in new debts.
Lyft He agreed to acquire Freenow, a German multi-mobility app with the BMW mobility bin and Mercedes-Benz for about $ 197 million in cash. The acquisition opens for the first time the European market in Lyft.
NicheA startup charged by British EV has collected $ 30 million in funding, led by Qi Capital and Latitude. The strategic partners, including Scania Invest and Takasago, also participated.
Remarkable readings and other morsels
Adas
China He is repressing the way in which car manufacturers advertise assistance features to drivers, prohibiting terms such as “autonomous guide”, “autonomous guide” and “intelligent guide”. If you immediately thought about Tesla And its “autonomous” software, it is worth noting that the automotive manufacturer has changed the brand. But Tesla and others will be influenced by the rules on exaggerated software updates for Ada, which require the test and approval of the government.
Autonomous vehicles
As soon as The mapping and collection of data in Japan will begin using autonomous vehicles (car backfit of prius) from its American fleet.
Waymo AND Uber They are preparing to launch their robotaxi service joined to Atlanta this summer. Uber has opened a “list of interests” this week to Atlanta customers. The two companies launched the “Waymo On Uber” service in Austin in March. The data of the Yipitdata market analysis company show that Waymo Robotaxis constituted about 20% of the races offered by Uber in Austin in the last week of March.
Zamx He has collaborated with Stingray Music, which will offer a well -kept selection of 16 stations via the touchscreen inside the robotass. Another sign Zoox is preparing for the launch commercially.
Electric vehicles, charge and batteries
Lime He will send the batteries used in his scooters and e-bikes to the materials in sequoia, which extract and recycle critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper.
Every time He made his debut with his 2026 EV4 sedan at the New York International Auto Show. This is the first global electric sedan of the company and a designed for customers looking for an EV. Will Americans buy it?
Techcrunch collaborator Abigail Bassett I spent a day leading the new all electric Lucid Gravity SUV. Read the complete review and find out because he wrote that gravity is “best engineering”.
Rivian’s The first Amazon of the customer is Hellofresto.
Subaru He revealed his second EV, a SUV similar to a wagon called Trailseeker who, like his predecessor The Solterra, includes a little Toyota Hands work.
Future of flight
Archer Aviation He revealed the Air Taxi network proposal for New York City in collaboration with United Airlines, which would allow passengers to face a round of Archer for their traditional airlines tickets.
Ride
The India market regulator has started an investigation Gensol engineering After finding alleged improper use of loans for electric vehicles. BllusmartEven a racing startup connected to Gensol that was once seen as a rival Uber emerging in the southern Asia market, was swept away by the investigation. And now it seems that Blusmart has suspended services in some Indian cities.
Safety
Hertz Customers were informed of a violation of data that included their personal information and drivers’ licenses. Hertz attributed the violation to a supplier, a software manufacturer CleoThat last year was at the center of a mass hacking campaign by a prolific ransomware band linked to Russia.
