For the next month, Bay Area riders of Waymo robotaxis can earn a $3 credit whenever they travel to and from certain public transit stations.Riders will be able to take advantage of the offer through November 15, and they can use the credits earned towards future robotaxi rides from now until December 31, the company said. The pilot program is the first of its kind among autonomous vehicle operators in the U.S. It comes after Waymo found in a recent survey that 36% of San Francisco riders have used Waymo’s ...

Group 1 - Meta confirmed layoffs affecting multiple teams, including Threads, recruiting, legal operations, and design, to reallocate resources [1] - A spokesperson stated that the changes align with long-term strategic goals and location strategy, involving role eliminations and relocations [1] - Affected employees received severance pay, with reports of over a dozen layoffs occurring via video calls [1] Group 2 - In recent years, Meta has significantly reduced its workforce after aggressive hiring during the pandemic, laying off approximately 13% of its workforce (11,000 employees) in 2022 [2] - In 2023, Meta laid off an additional 10,000 employees and withdrew 5,000 open roles [2]

In Brief Apple worked with a Chinese automaker for years to design a battery system for its now-canceled car project. That’s according to Bloomberg, which reports that Apple was collaborating with BYD Co., a Shenzhen-based car company, to develop batteries using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells. Apple contributed engineering expertise, specifically in areas like heat management and advanced battery packs, while BYD supplied its manufacturing resources and proprietary LFP technologies. The battery was in ...

Tesla's FSD and Robotaxi Plans - Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced plans to release an "unsupervised" version of Full Self-Driving (FSD) in Texas and California by 2025 for certain Model 3 and Model Y vehicles [1] - Tesla aims to begin production of robotaxis without steering wheels or pedals by 2026 or 2027 [1] - The term "unsupervised FSD" could refer to either a Level 4 fully autonomous system or a Level 3 "hands-off, eyes-off" system [2] - Tesla plans to launch the unsupervised FSD software in California and Texas in 2025, though it is unclear if it will require additional costs for customers [2] Regulatory Landscape for Autonomous Vehicles - Texas allows companies to deploy autonomous vehicles (AVs) with minimal regulatory oversight, provided they comply with traffic laws, have recording devices, and carry liability insurance [3] - California has stricter regulations, requiring permits for drivered testing, driverless testing, and deployment of AVs [3] - Tesla currently holds a drivered testing permit in California but has not applied for driverless testing or deployment permits [3] - To operate a Level 4 system, Tesla would need both driverless testing and deployment permits, while a Level 3 system would only require a deployment permit [3] - Tesla would need additional permits from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to enter the ride-hail business [3] Challenges in Robotaxi Production - Tesla faces regulatory hurdles in producing robotaxis without traditional driver controls, as federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) currently require exemptions for such vehicles [5] - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has only granted one exemption to date, for Nuro's low-speed delivery vehicles [5] - General Motors and Amazon's Zoox have faced delays or denials in obtaining similar exemptions for their autonomous vehicles [5] - NHTSA has delayed a rule-making process that could accommodate AVs without human controls, further complicating Tesla's timeline [5] Industry Comparisons - Mercedes is the only automaker with a permit to operate a Level 3 system (Drive Pilot) in California, but it is limited to highways, daytime use, and speeds of 40 mph [4] - Tesla's ambitious timeline for robotaxi production contrasts with its past missed deadlines, such as the 2020 claim of having 1 million robotaxis on the road [5] Market Reaction - Tesla's stock fell nearly 10% following the robotaxi reveal event, reflecting investor concerns over regulatory challenges and lack of clarity on Tesla's strategy [5]

In Brief The Biden administration has privately discussed capping sales of advanced AI chips from Nvidia and AMD to certain Persian Gulf countries in the interest of national security, Bloomberg reported on Monday. The restriction could put a ceiling on export licenses for certain countries, potentially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which are heavily investing in AI data centers.The White House increasingly views American AI chips as a key advantage on the global stage. Last year, the United St ...

In Brief Nvidia shares hit a record high on Monday, closing at $138.07 as Wall Street anticipates earnings updates from Microsoft, Meta, Google and Amazon on their AI infrastructure spending.The stock’s climb has been stupefying — surging nearly 180% this year, following a rapid climb last year; it’s also a reflection of Nvidia’s renowned stronghold on the AI chip market, 70% to 95% of which is controlled by the outfit, per estimates by Mizuho Securities. Indeed, with a market cap of $3.4 trillion, Nvidia i ...

In Brief Microsoft has lost an AI expert and OpenAI gained one, after the former’s VP of generative AI research Sebastian Bubeck left for the latter. The Information first reported the move, and Reuters also confirmed the departure with Microsoft.We know Bubeck as one of the main authors of papers describing Microsoft’s Phi models, a series of extra-small language and vision models intended to help push AI applications to edge devices. That kind of expertise is increasingly important as large, centralized m ...

Google announced today that it has signed a deal with nuclear startup Kairos Power to build seven small reactors to supply electricity to its data centers. The agreement promises to add around 500 megawatts of carbon-free electricity at a time when energy demand for data centers and AI is surging.The new power plants are scheduled to come online by the end of the decade, according to Google. It’s not clear whether the reactors would hook up to Google’s sites directly — an arrangement known as “behind the me ...

In Brief Apple’s Vision Pro hasn’t exactly reshaped the market, but the company isn’t giving up on headsets that combine the digital and real worlds.A new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says that Apple’s next big mixed reality release could come as early as next year, with the launch of a Vision headset costing around $2,000 — not exactly cheap, but more affordable than the $3,500 Vision Pro. To achieve this price, Apple would use cheaper materials and a less powerful processor, and it would not includ ...

Three Amazon executives in charge of developing new technologies for checking out of physical stores – including Just Walk Out, Dash Carts, and Amazon One – are leaving or have left the division, TechCrunch has learned. In addition, a former high-ranking advertising executive at Amazon, Colleen Aubrey, was recently put in charge of Just Walk Out as one many responsibilities in her newly assigned role as senior VP of AWS Solutions.Over the summer, Dilip Kumar, the co-creator of Amazon’s cashier-free Just Wal ...