Transportation

An early Joby Aviation backer might soon be its biggest distributor in Saudi Arabia

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Joby Aviation has reached a tentative deal with investor and Saudi Arabian conglomerate Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ) to distribute up to 200 electric aircraft valued at about $1 billion over the coming years.  If finalized, the partnership could provide Joby with a fast path to monetizing its electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles in Saudi […]

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Tesla files new ‘Robotaxi’ trademark applications after prior attempt stalls

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Tesla has filed trademark applications for the term “Tesla Robotaxi,” after the company’s previous attempts to secure trademarks for its planned self-driving vehicle service hit roadblocks. The company originally applied in October 2024 for the trademark of the words “Robotaxi” and “Cybercab.” The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) told the company last month

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Elon Musk is lobbying lawmakers on driverless vehicle rules

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Elon Musk may have stepped away from his duties as the lead of the Department of Government Efficiency and adviser to President Trump, but he’s still active in D.C. circles. This time, he’s on the other side, lobbying lawmakers on legislation related to autonomous vehicles, according to a report by Bloomberg that cited unnamed sources.

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TechCrunch Mobility: A ride-sharing pioneer comes for Uber, Tesla loses more ground, and dog-like delivery robots land in Texas

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Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! It might have been a short week, but there was still plenty of news, including another Zoox recall, an update on the Stellantis-Amazon partnership, and a few

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How a decade-old patent dispute could upend Uber’s business

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A little-known patent infringement lawsuit could have big implications for Uber — and potentially dozens of other companies. Carma Technology, a company formed in 2007 by serial entrepreneur and SOSV founder Sean O’Sullivan, filed a lawsuit earlier this year against Uber alleging the company infringed on five of its patents that are related to the

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Stellantis pivots to Google’s Android as in-car partnership with Amazon ends

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Three years ago, Stellantis announced it was pairing up with Amazon to create in-car software that would bring a slew of connected products and services to vehicles by 2024 as part of the automaker’s broader plan to generate $22.5 billion annually from software. That never happened. And now, the partnership is “winding down,” Reuters reported.

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Dozens of unsold Tesla Cybertrucks are piling up at Detroit parking lot

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Tesla’s Cybertruck sales dropped significantly in recent quarters, leading to a rapid buildup of unsold inventory. And it looks like the company is resorting to unconventional storage sites for the excess vehicles. One such location, per Crains Detroit Business, is a Detroit shopping center that is now in violation of city code for storing dozens

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Rivr’s dog-like robots join Veho vans to solve ‘last-100-yards’ parcel delivery in Austin

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Most delivery automation stops at the curb. But for Veho and Zurich-based robotics startup Rivr, the real challenge — and opportunity — lies in those final 100 yards from van to doorstep.  In a pilot program launching Tuesday in Austin, Rivr’s four-wheeled, stair-climbing delivery robot, which CEO and founder Marko Bjelonic describes as “a dog

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Report: TuSimple sent sensitive self-driving data to China after US national security agreement

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Self-driving truck startup TuSimple (now CreateAI) sent a trove of sensitive data – effectively the blueprint of an American-made autonomous vehicle system – to a Beijing-owned firm after committing to the U.S. government that it would cease such transfers under a national security agreement, according to The Wall Street Journal.  The transfers to Chinese truck

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Tesla loses more ground in Europe, while BYD makes gains

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Tesla sales in Europe and the U.K. have fallen by nearly half, according to data released Tuesday by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. In April, Tesla sold 7,261 vehicles in the European Union, European Free Trade Association, and U.K., a 49% year-over-year decline. The fall in sales is particularly alarming considering Tesla recently launched a

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