Welcome again to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for information and insights on the way forward for transportation. Enroll right here free of charge — simply click on TechCrunch Mobility!
The Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) introduced late this week that it plans to streamline the Half 555 exemption course of to make it quicker for automakers that need to deploy self-driving automobiles constructed with out human controls like a steering wheel or pedals.
The letter despatched to “stakeholders” (that means these corporations engaged on AVs) is pretty opaque nonetheless. And producers will nonetheless must display that automobiles with out conventional steering wheels, driver-operated brakes, or rearview mirrors present an equal security stage as compliant automobiles and that the exemption is within the public curiosity.
The primary gist right here is that the NHTSA contends the present Half 555 exemption course of just isn’t nicely suited to automated driving system-equipped automobiles and that it’s a prolonged and sophisticated course of. Briefly: The company needs to hurry issues up.
In different federal agency-related information, Trump issued a few executive orders associated to drones and fast-tracking supersonic journey.
Aspect word: I see that my predictions (from final version) that the Trump-Elon Musk fallout would flip into a type of on-again, off-again relationships was appropriate.
Let’s get into the remainder of the information.
A bit of chook
Final week, I shared our scoop about Jony Ive’s LoveFrom agency working alongside Rivian designers and a skunkworks workforce that may find yourself spinning out into Additionally, a micromobility startup.
Properly, a number of extra little birds have popped as much as share a bit extra and to make clear the connection. I realized that the venture was code-named Inder. Rivian truly utilized for a trademark of the name Inder however later deserted it. Sources additionally shared that whereas the LoveFrom workforce introduced its industrial design experience to the trouble — and apparently a cool motor design — it was not concerned in any UI/UX.
Acquired a tip for us? E-mail Kirsten Korosec at [email protected] or my Sign at kkorosec.07, Sean O’Kane at [email protected] or Rebecca Bellan at [email protected]. Or take a look at these instructions to learn to contact us by way of encrypted messaging apps or SecureDrop.
Offers!
JetZero, the Lengthy Seaside, California-based zero-emissions jet plane firm engaged on blended wing airplanes, plans to construct a manufacturing unit in Greensboro, North Carolina. The corporate, which has backing from quite a lot of enterprise capital (like Vans VC) and from strategic traders like United Airways and Alaska Airways, mentioned it should make investments $4.7 billion over the next decade on the venture, The Wall Road Journal reported. Development on the power is anticipated to start within the first half of 2026, with first buyer deliveries within the early 2030s, the corporate mentioned.
There is a vital element on this deal: It contains greater than $1.1 billion in state efficiency incentives that may be paid over practically 40 years and are contingent on JetZero creating over 14,000 jobs between 2027 and 2036, Reuters reported.
Different offers price noting …
Mitra Chem, a battery materials startup, raised $15.6 million of a deliberate $50 million funding spherical.
Notable reads and different tidbits
Autonomous automobiles
Waymo rides price greater than Uber or Lyft — and people are paying anyway, in accordance with Obi, an app that aggregates real-time pricing and pickup instances throughout a number of ride-hailing companies. The corporate printed what it’s calling the “first in-depth examination of Waymo’s pricing technique.” The TL;DR: Waymo’s self-driving automotive rides are persistently dearer than comparative choices from Uber and Lyft — and it doesn’t appear to matter.
Waymo robotaxis grew to become an emblem of the LA protests after imagery exhibiting a number of driverless automobiles — with anti-ICE graffiti and slashed tires — on hearth. Waymo eliminated its remaining automobiles from the downtown LA space and plans to pursue prison prosecution of and acquire damages from those that vandalized its robotaxis. The incident raises some important surveillance questions about how the quite a few cameras and sensors on Waymo automobiles are used and whether or not it’s offering digital camera footage to authorities to determine protesters. Waymo didn’t reply our questions on that.
June 22 is the large Tesla robotaxi launch day in Austin, Texas, no less than in accordance with Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Wayve and Uber introduced plans to launch a fully driverless robotaxi service in London. This isn’t taking place immediately, although, and the timing is notable right here: The U.Okay. authorities lately introduced an accelerated framework for self-driving industrial pilots to roll out in spring 2026, up from late 2027.
Electrical automobiles, batteries, & charging
Infinite Machine, the New York-based micromobility startup backed by a16z, revealed a seated scooter known as Olto that can price $3,495 when it begins transport later this yr. The Olto will characteristic 40 miles of vary, pulled from an simply swappable 48V lithium-ion battery.
In-car tech
Throughout Apple‘s WWDC 2025 occasion, a few car-related items had been revealed, together with that the corporate is including widgets and message tapbacks to CarPlay with iOS 26.
Source link
