Tesla is issuing a recall for around 46,000 Cybertrucks sold to date because of an exterior steel trim panel on the side of the windshield that can peel off. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a filing that the piece can come off while in motion, which can create a hazard for the driver and other people on the road. The filing states that Tesla became aware of the problem in early January and has identified 151 warranty claims related to this panel coming off since then. The ...

Amid an ongoing regulatory battle with European privacy authorities, Meta announced on Thursday that its AI-powered virtual assistant, Meta AI, is finally launching in the European Union. The chatbot-like tool will be rolled out across Meta’s portfolio of social platforms, albeit with a more limited feature set compared to what it offers in its domestic U.S. market.Separately, Meta also confirmed to TechCrunch that Meta AI will be arriving in WhatsApp in the U.K., having so far been limited to Facebook, Ins ...

Core Insights - Nvidia has acquired Gretel, a startup specializing in synthetic AI training data, for a price reportedly in the nine figures, exceeding Gretel's last valuation of $320 million [1][2] - Gretel, founded in 2019, has raised over $67 million in venture capital from notable investors and will integrate its technology into Nvidia's generative AI services [2] - The acquisition is strategically timed as major tech companies are increasingly utilizing synthetic data to train AI models due to the depletion of real-world data sources [3] Company Overview - Gretel was established by a team including Alex Watson, Laszlo Bock, John Myers, and CEO Ali Golshan, focusing on fine-tuning AI models and adding proprietary technology [2] - The startup has a workforce of approximately 80 employees, who will be incorporated into Nvidia following the acquisition [1] Industry Context - The acquisition aligns with a broader trend in the tech industry where companies like Microsoft, Meta, OpenAI, and Anthropic are leveraging synthetic data for AI model training [3]

Google Search and its Play Store app marketplace are suspected of breaching the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), per preliminary findings announced Wednesday by EU Commission enforcers of the bloc’s flagship market contestability law, who have been investigating the company for months.The DMA applies to a handful of tech giants, Alphabet (Google’s parent) included. Aspects of Google’s business have been under investigation by the EU since March 2024, shortly after the regime came into force. Co ...

Core Perspective - The European Union has issued preliminary instructions to Apple regarding compliance with interoperability provisions under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), aimed at enhancing market contestability [1] Group 1: Interoperability Requirements - Device manufacturers and app developers are expected to access nine previously restricted iOS connectivity features, improving compatibility with non-Apple devices such as Bluetooth headphones and smartwatches [2] - The EU is concerned that Apple is not providing a level playing field for third-party devices to integrate with its platforms, affecting functionalities like notifications on non-Apple devices [5] - The Commission has opened two specification proceedings against Apple, focusing on ensuring compliance with interoperability requirements and improving access to technical documentation for third-party developers [3][4] Group 2: Apple's Response - Apple has criticized the DMA and the interoperability mandates, claiming they could limit the technologies and features available in the EU and require immediate sharing of innovations with competitors [7] - The company argues that the interoperability requirements could expose sensitive user data to third-party developers, raising privacy and security concerns [9][10] - Apple has expressed dissatisfaction with the EU's approach, framing it as anti-innovation and accusing the Commission of micromanagement [6][13] Group 3: Industry Reactions - Smaller companies have voiced complaints about Apple's lack of interoperability, arguing that it stifles competition and innovation [14][16] - The creator of Pebble smartwatches highlighted the challenges faced by third-party devices due to Apple's restrictions, emphasizing the need for a level playing field [15][18] - Many startup founders agree that Apple should allocate resources to create fair competition, allowing others to innovate alongside the tech giant [19]

Nearly 10 years after filing to go public on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Toronto Stock Exchange, Canadian e-commerce platform Shopify has announced that it’s transitioning its U.S. listing to the Nasdaq.In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday, Shopify said it is removing its Class A shares from the NYSE at the close of trading on Friday, March 28, with trading recommencing on the Nasdaq starting Monday, March 31. The company added that its existing listing on th ...

Core Insights - Tesla has received a transportation charter permit (TCP) from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), marking a step towards potentially operating a robotaxi service in California [1][2] - The TCP allows Tesla to own the vehicles and use employees as drivers, differentiating it from the transportation network company (TNC) permits held by Uber and Lyft [2][3] - Tesla plans to initially use the TCP for transporting employees on a pre-arranged basis, with a commitment to notify the CPUC when it begins transporting the public [3] Regulatory Context - The TCP permit does not cover autonomous vehicle testing or deployment, and Tesla has not applied for participation in the CPUC's Autonomous Vehicle Passenger Programs [4] - To operate a driverless service, Tesla would need to obtain additional permits from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) [4][5] - Currently, Tesla lacks authority from the DMV to offer driverless rides for testing or deployment purposes [5] Future Plans - Tesla is planning to launch a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, with expectations to begin in June using its fleet vehicles equipped with the upcoming "unsupervised" version of its Full Self-Driving software [5]

Core Insights - Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang highlighted the company's commitment to autonomous vehicles during his keynote at GTC 2025, linking it to the historical impact of AlexNet on deep learning and computer vision [1][3][4] Automotive Industry Impact - The introduction of AlexNet in 2012, which achieved 84.7% accuracy in the ImageNET competition, inspired Nvidia to invest heavily in self-driving technology, marking over a decade of development in this area [2][3][4] - Nvidia has established partnerships with various automakers and tech companies, including a recent expanded collaboration with GM, to enhance the development of autonomous vehicles [4] - Major automotive companies such as Tesla, Wayve, and Waymo utilize Nvidia GPUs for their data centers, while others leverage Nvidia's Omniverse for creating digital twins of factories [5] Technology Utilization - Nvidia's Drive Orin system-on-chip, based on the Ampere architecture, is employed by companies like Mercedes, Volvo, and Toyota for their automated driving systems [5] - The safety-focused operating system, DriveOS, is also being adopted by Toyota and other manufacturers, further embedding Nvidia's technology in the automotive sector [5][6]

Core Viewpoint - Apple has lost an appeal against a special abuse control regime imposed by Germany's competition watchdog, which will continue to affect its operations in a significant European market [1][2]. Group 1: Regulatory Environment - Germany's Federal Court of Justice has upheld a five-year regulatory designation on Apple, which was applied by the Federal Cartel Office (FCO) in April 2023, aimed at leveling the competitive playing field against digital giants [2]. - The FCO suspects that Apple's App Tracking Transparency framework may constitute self-preferencing, which is prohibited under the special abuse controls regime [3]. Group 2: Company Response - In response to the court's decision, Apple expressed disagreement, emphasizing its role in innovation and competition, while asserting that it faces "fierce competition in Germany" [4]. - Apple highlighted the importance of its business model that prioritizes user privacy and security, which it believes is undervalued by the court's ruling [4]. Group 3: Industry Context - Other major tech companies, including Google, Meta, and Microsoft, are also subject to the FCO's special abuse controls, indicating a broader regulatory scrutiny within the industry [4].

Google is making the biggest acquisition in its history. The company’s parent company Alphabet is acquiring Wiz, the cloud security startup, for $32 billion, our sources say.The deal will still need regulatory and other approvals before closing. From what we can see Google and Wiz have yet to confirm anything official. The deal has been on-again off-again for nearly part of a year and appeared to revive again this week, with Thomas Kurian — the CEO of Google Cloud — in Europe at the moment. (Assaf Rappaor ...