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A fast little bit of breaking information that hit simply as we had been about to ship this article out. The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into Waymo after its robotaxis have been noticed illegally passing stopped faculty buses quite a few occasions in no less than two states. Read the full story right here.
Now onto our common programming …
Tesla made a few strikes this week — and simply earlier than its quarterly earnings drops — designed to indicate its progress, and even dominance, in automated driving know-how. But, maintain up, there’s extra to it than mere optics.
The week began with Tesla providing passengers robotaxi rides in Austin with out a human security driver in the entrance seat. If you recall, Tesla launched a restricted service in Austin final 12 months with a fleet of modified Tesla Model Y automobiles working a extra superior model of the firm’s driving software program often known as Full Self-Driving Supervised (this one being “unsupervised”). Human security operators have been driving in the entrance passenger seat as a precaution since the rollout.
Not all of Tesla’s fleet in Austin will likely be absolutely driverless, and there’s apparently a chase car behind these which might be. Still, it’s notable and suggests Tesla is transferring towards a broader ramp-up.
Meanwhile, Tesla has killed Autopilot, the superior driver-assistance system that was initially launched to its automobiles in 2014. Autopilot has gone via a number of software program and {hardware} iterations over the years with new capabilities.
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Autopilot was immediately standard and controversial, partially as a result of the identify implied the system was extra succesful than it really was. (Drivers are accountable and are presupposed to have their palms on the wheel when Autopilot is engaged.)
Tesla finally made a fundamental Autopilot system commonplace in all of its automobiles, whereas launching and charging for a extra sturdy system identified now as Full Self-Driving (Supervised). The fundamental model, which is now useless, included traffic-aware cruise management, by which the car maintains a set distance with vehicles forward, and Autosteer, a characteristic that facilities the car in the lane and steers it.
Its resolution to kill what was commonplace ADAS comes one week after Tesla mentioned it could cease charging a one-time $8,000 price for the FSD software program and transfer all prospects to a month-to-month subscription.
These choices when taken collectively provide a easy sufficient clarification: Tesla needs to acknowledge extra income from FSD because it positions itself as an AI and robotics firm.
But there’s one other potential purpose. The firm is going through a 30-day suspension of its manufacturing and seller licenses in California after a choose dominated in December that Tesla engaged in misleading advertising by overstating the capabilities of Autopilot and FSD.
The ruling has been stayed for 60 days to permit Tesla to conform. Dropping the Autopilot identify whereas cashing in on FSD is a somewhat daring transfer. But maybe Tesla believes this is sufficient to satiate the DMV.
Deals!
Image Credits:Bryce Durbin
Zipline, the autonomous drone-delivery and logistics startup, has been round for greater than a decade, beginning in Rwanda delivering blood. Its progress has been sluggish and regular, notching wins in different African nations and increasing to the United States. That trajectory sped up after it launched a brand new drone platform in 2025 known as P2 that focuses on residence supply of meals and different items.
Now, fueled with $600 million in new funding, its enlargement ambitions have grown. The firm, which is now valued at $7.6 billion, is bringing its service to Houston and Phoenix and plans to broaden to no less than 4 extra U.S. states in 2026.
Fidelity Management & Research Company, Baillie Gifford, Valor Equity Partners, and Tiger Global participated in the funding spherical.
Other offers that obtained my consideration …
ABZ Innovation, a Europe-based maker of industrial quality agricultural and industrial drones, raised $8.2 million in a funding spherical led by Vsquared Ventures, with participation from Assembly Ventures and Day One Capital.
Ethernovia, a San Jose, California-based startup that makes Ethernet-based techniques for autonomous automobiles, raised $90 million in a Series B funding spherical led by Maverick Silicon — an AI-focused fund created in 2024 by hedge fund Maverick Capital.
Serve Robotics, the sidewalk supply robotic firm backed by Nvidia and Uber, acquired Diligent Robotics in a deal that values the widespread inventory at $29 million. Diligent builds robots named Moxi which might be designed to help in hospitals by delivering lab samples, provides, and different duties. Note: Watch for extra autonomous car tech-robotics crossovers in the coming 12 months.
Terralayr, a German grid-scale battery storage firm, raised €192 million in a spherical led by Eurazeo. RIVE Private Investment, Creandum, Earlybird, Norrsken VC, and Picus Capital additionally participated.
TrueCar founder Scott Painter reacquired the firm in a $227 million deal via his agency Fair Holdings, and companions AutoNation, PenFed Credit Union, Zurich North America, and others. TrueCar will not be publicly traded, and Painter has returned to the CEO spot.
Notable reads and different tidbits
Image Credits:Bryce Durbin
Austin Russell, the founder and former CEO of bankrupt lidar firm Luminar, agreed to simply accept an digital subpoena for info on his telephone pertaining to the firm. The subpoena is said to Luminar’s ongoing chapter continuing.
Chinese automaker Geely Holding Group launched its five-year blueprint, and amongst its many targets is a piece on robotaxis. The firm mentioned that by 2030 its Cao Cao Mobility ride-hailing unit will function a fleet of 100,000 robotaxis overlaying main cities in China. It additionally hinted at plans to broaden past China “in the future.”
Tesla goals to restart work on Dojo3, the firm’s beforehand deserted third-generation AI chip. Dojo3 gained’t be aimed toward coaching self-driving fashions. Instead, CEO Elon Musk says will probably be devoted to “space-based AI compute.”
Waymo has opened its robotaxi service in Miami. Riders will likely be accepted on a rolling foundation, to the almost 10,000 native residents on its waitlist.
One thing more …
Alex Roy, who co-hosts the Autonocast with me and Ed Niedermeyer, simply traveled from Los Angeles to New York in a Tesla Model S, by which the car’s Full Self-Driving Supervised software program dealt with all of the driving. This “Cannonball Run” route is one Roy is accustomed to; he set the transcontinental driving report in 2007 when he traveled the route in 31 hours and 4 minutes. He has gone on to make different Cannonball Run data in EVs. Others have adopted and since crushed these data.
According to Roy, who captured the complete run on video, the FSD (model 14.2.2.3) drove 100% of the 3,081-mile journey. That included exiting the freeway and parking at EV chargers. The time was 58 hours, 22 minutes.
