Autonomous vehicles have long been touted as “just around the corner,” but the reality of bringing self-driving cars to the streets is far from simple. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 — October 27–29 at Moscone West in San Francisco — Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana joins the Disrupt Stage for a wide-ranging conversation on the true state of AVs and where the industry goes from here. Inside the self-driving reality checkWhile headlines often highlight crashes, controversies, or overblown promises, Mawakana has sp ...

Core Points - Waymo has received a permit to test its autonomous vehicles at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), marking a significant step towards launching a commercial service [1][2] - The permit allows Waymo to conduct testing in three phases, starting with autonomous mode tests, followed by passenger service trials, and ultimately offering paid rides [3] - Waymo's expansion includes operations at Phoenix's Sky Harbor airport since 2023 and plans to explore additional locations at SFO in the future [2][4] Summary by Sections Testing and Operations - Waymo has signed a "Testing and Operations Pilot Permit" with SFO after extensive negotiations, allowing the company to begin testing its autonomous vehicles [1] - The relationship between Waymo and SFO has improved since initial rejections in 2023, leading to the current permit for mapping the airport [2] Phased Approach - The testing will occur in three phases: 1. Testing in autonomous mode with a trained specialist [3] 2. Testing passenger service with employees and airport staff [3] 3. Offering paid rides at the airport's "Kiss & Fly area" [4] Future Plans and Expansion - Waymo aims to provide rides to and from SFO, which is a strategic location given its proximity to Silicon Valley [4] - The company has been expanding its service area and partnerships, indicating a growing presence in the autonomous vehicle market [4]

Core Points - Samsung has addressed a zero-day security vulnerability that allowed hackers to remotely install malicious code on devices running Android 13 to Android 16 [1][2] - The vulnerability was reported to Samsung by security teams from Meta and WhatsApp on August 13, indicating that the exploit was already being used in the wild [2] - Samsung has not disclosed which specific devices were affected by this vulnerability [2] Security Context - The security patches from Samsung come in the wake of similar updates from Apple and WhatsApp, which also addressed vulnerabilities exploited in a broader spyware campaign [4] - Apple has acknowledged that its patched vulnerabilities were part of an "extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals" [5] - The ongoing spyware campaign has prompted multiple software vendors to issue security updates to protect their users [3][4]

Core Viewpoint - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated an investigation into Tesla Model Y SUVs due to reports of inoperable door handles, particularly affecting parents trying to access rear doors to retrieve children [1][2]. Group 1: Investigation Details - The NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received nine reports from Tesla owners regarding the inability to enter their vehicles, with four instances requiring owners to break a window to regain access [1][2]. - Preliminary findings suggest that the door handles may fail to operate if the electronic locks do not receive sufficient voltage from the vehicle's battery system, although no owners reported low-voltage battery warnings [3]. Group 2: Safety Features and Owner Awareness - Tesla vehicles are equipped with manual door releases located inside the car, which may be difficult for children to access, and some owners may not be aware of their existence [4]. - Restoring power to the electronic door locks is possible according to Tesla's owner manuals, but it involves a multi-step process requiring an external power source [4].

Core Viewpoint - Salesforce is enhancing its focus on national security by establishing a new business unit called Missionforce, aimed at integrating AI into defense workflows across personnel, logistics, and decision-making [1][3]. Group 1: Missionforce Overview - Missionforce will be led by Kendall Collins, who joined Salesforce in 2023 and serves as the chief business officer and chief of staff to CEO Marc Benioff [2]. - The initiative aims to leverage AI, cloud, and platform technology from the private sector to modernize critical areas for military operations, emphasizing the need for smarter, faster, and more efficient support for warfighters [3]. Group 2: Government Contracts and Industry Context - Salesforce has a history of contracts with the U.S. government, spanning various federal agencies and military branches, although the company does not disclose the number of contracts or revenue generated from them [3]. - The establishment of Missionforce aligns with a broader trend of tech companies developing services specifically for the U.S. government, with notable examples including OpenAI and Google, which have also introduced AI solutions at low costs for federal agencies [4][6].

Group 1 - Alphabet's market capitalization surpassed $3 trillion as investors reacted positively to a federal judge's decision not to break up the company [1] - U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta proposed softer remedies regarding Google's alleged illegal monopoly in search, rejecting stronger measures suggested by the DOJ [2] - Alphabet's cloud computing business is experiencing rapid growth, bolstered by its AI offerings, positioning the company among the top tech giants [3] Group 2 - The current market capitalizations of major tech companies include Nvidia at $4.3 trillion, Microsoft at $3.8 trillion, and Apple at $3.5 trillion, with Alphabet now joining this elite group [3] - Amazon follows with a market cap of $2.5 trillion, indicating a competitive landscape among leading technology firms [3]

Group 1 - Robinhood has filed an application with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to launch a new publicly traded fund called "Robinhood Ventures Fund I," aimed at providing retail investors access to shares of startups before they go public [1] - The application is currently public, but lacks detailed information such as the number of shares to be sold and the management fee [2] - The fund is expected to invest in sectors including aerospace and defense, AI, fintech, robotics, and software for consumers and enterprises [2] Group 2 - The initiative addresses the gap where retail investors are often excluded from the gains made by startup investors like venture capitalists [3] - Accredited investors have more options for investing in startups, while non-accredited retail investors have limited choices [4] - Previous efforts by Robinhood, such as the launch of private "tokenized" stocks in the EU, faced controversy due to misleading implications about ownership of shares [5] Group 3 - The new "Ventures Fund I" represents a more traditional mutual fund approach compared to Robinhood's earlier initiatives [6]

Core Viewpoint - Trade tensions between China and the U.S. regarding semiconductors have intensified, particularly following China's antitrust ruling against Nvidia related to its acquisition of Mellanox Technologies for $7 billion [1][2]. Group 1: Regulatory Actions - China's State Administration for Market Regulation found Nvidia in violation of antitrust regulations concerning its 2020 acquisition of Mellanox Technologies [1]. - Nvidia stated its commitment to comply with laws and cooperate with government agencies regarding the impact of export controls on competition [2]. Group 2: Trade Negotiations - The ruling against Nvidia is expected to negatively impact ongoing tariff negotiations between the U.S. and China, which are currently taking place in Madrid [2]. - Access to Nvidia chips remains a significant point of contention in U.S.-China relations, despite the trade discussions not being specifically focused on semiconductors [2]. Group 3: Export Controls and Licensing - The Biden administration's AI Diffusion Rule aimed to restrict U.S.-made AI chips to various countries, with specific limitations for China and other adversaries [3]. - Although the U.S. Department of Commerce repealed the AI rule in May, the future of AI chip exports to China remains uncertain due to previous licensing agreements imposed by the Trump administration [4]. - A recent deal requires companies selling chips to China to remit 15% of their revenue to the U.S., while China has discouraged purchases of Nvidia chips, resulting in none of Nvidia's chips passing through the new export process [5].

Core Insights - PayPal is launching a new feature called PayPal Links for peer-to-peer payments, which allows users to send money through personalized, one-time links, enhancing the existing PayPal Me feature [1][2] - The new PayPal Links enable users to request or make payments by selecting the link option and inputting the amount, streamlining the payment process and reducing the steps involved [2][4] - PayPal Links will support cryptocurrency transactions in the U.S., allowing users to send Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital currencies to various wallets, with plans for expansion to other markets [3] Group 1 - PayPal Links are designed for one-time payments and requests, making it easier for users to transact without needing to verify account information [2][4] - Users can create a PayPal Link by entering payment details in the app, generating a unique link that is private and transaction-specific [4][7] - Unclaimed PayPal Links will expire after 10 days, but users can send reminders or cancel the links if necessary [4] Group 2 - The recipient can complete the payment request by tapping the link in the PayPal app, with funds transferred instantly [7] - Personal payments made through PayPal remain exempt from 1099-K reporting requirements, which may appeal to users concerned about tax implications [7]

Core Insights - Spotify has launched new features for free users, allowing them to search and play any song, as well as play songs shared by friends or artists on social media [1][2][3] Group 1: New Features for Free Users - The new features are named "Pick & Play," "Search & Play," and "Share & Play," enabling free users to select and play any song or search for specific tracks [2] - The "Share & Play" feature encourages users to engage with Spotify when they encounter music on social media platforms like Instagram [2][3] - Previously, free users could only shuffle songs with limited skips, but the new features enhance their listening experience [3] Group 2: Impact on Advertising Revenue - Spotify's ad business has faced challenges, with CEO Daniel Ek acknowledging that the company has been "moving too slowly" in this area [4] - The goal is for ad revenue to constitute 20% of overall revenue, but it only reached 11% as of June [4] - By introducing new features for free users, Spotify aims to increase user engagement, which could lead to higher ad exposure [4] Group 3: User Base Statistics - As of the most recent quarter, Spotify has 696 million monthly active users, with 433 million being free, ad-supported customers and 276 million being Premium subscribers [7]