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Waymo pauses robotaxi service in San Francisco after blackout chaos — Musk says Tesla car service unaffected
CNBC· 2025-12-21 18:42
Core Points - A significant power outage affected approximately 130,000 residents in San Francisco, leading to the suspension of Waymo's ride-hailing services in the area [2][4][5] - The outage was caused by a fire at a substation, resulting in extensive damage and leaving around 21,000 customers without power as of Sunday morning [4][5] - Tesla's CEO noted that Tesla's Robotaxis were unaffected by the power outage, although Tesla does not currently operate a driverless service in San Francisco [6][8] Company Impact - Waymo has temporarily halted its driverless ride-hail service due to the blackout, with no specified timeline for resuming operations [2][8] - Videos on social media showed multiple Waymo vehicles stalled in traffic during the outage, indicating operational challenges [3][8] - Tesla is positioning itself to compete in the robotaxi market but currently requires human drivers for its ride-hailing service, as it lacks permits for driverless operations in California [7][8] Industry Context - The incident highlights the vulnerabilities of autonomous vehicle services during infrastructure failures, with Waymo being a leading player in the West and Tesla as a key competitor [8] - Regulatory challenges remain for Tesla, as it has not obtained necessary permits for fully driverless services in California [7][8]
Waymo suspends service in San Francisco as robotaxis stall during blackout
TechCrunch· 2025-12-21 15:46
Core Viewpoint - Waymo has temporarily suspended its robotaxi service in San Francisco due to a significant power outage that left many of its vehicles stalled on city streets [1][2][3]. Group 1: Service Suspension - The suspension of ride-hailing services was confirmed by Waymo spokesperson Suzanne Philion, who stated that the company is working closely with city officials to monitor infrastructure stability and aims to restore services soon [2][3]. - The blackout affected the operation of Waymo's vehicles, which were reportedly stalled at various locations, causing traffic disruptions [1][3]. Group 2: Cause of Blackout - The blackout was attributed to a fire at a Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) substation, impacting around 120,000 customers, with 35,000 still without power as of Sunday morning [4]. - The outage also affected traffic lights and public transit, prompting warnings from San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie for residents to avoid unnecessary travel [3][4]. Group 3: Operational Impact - Waymo's robotaxi service had been experiencing significant growth, providing approximately 450,000 rides per week, nearly double the amount reported earlier in the year [6].
San Francisco power outage: Thousands without electricity, Waymo self-driving services halted — what's the issue?
MINT· 2025-12-21 14:25
The city of San Francisco plunged into darkness on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, with nearly a third of the city being affected by a power outage.As the outage hit, more than 130,000 houses and businesses were left without power, mostly in the northwest part of San Francisco, while transportation in the city, including self-driving cars, grinded to a halt.Some parts of the city, such as Richmond, Sunset, Presidio, and Golden Gate Park, were among the worst hit.As of early Sunday morning, nea ...
Should You Buy UBER Stock Following Its AV Expansion in the UAE?
ZACKS· 2025-12-19 16:16
Key Takeaways UBER launched commercial robotaxi rides in Dubai via a partnership with WeRide and local authorities.This marks UBER's second AV rollout in the UAE and expands its global autonomous transport footprint. UBER posted 21% growth in total gross bookings in 3Q25, with strong gains in the Mobility and Delivery units. Earlier this month, Uber Technologies (UBER) launched robotaxi passenger rides in Dubai on the Uber app, teaming up with WeRide (WRD) , a Chinese autonomous vehicle company, for the pur ...
Pony AI (PONY) Climbs 7% as Macquarie Issues ‘Outperform’ Rating
Yahoo Finance· 2025-12-17 17:00
Core Viewpoint - Pony AI Inc. (NASDAQ:PONY) is experiencing positive momentum following a bullish rating from Macquarie, which highlights its leadership in the robotaxi sector and ambitious expansion plans [1][2]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Pony AI's stock rose by 7.28% to close at $14.59 after two days of losses, driven by investor optimism from Macquarie's rating [1]. - The investment firm has issued an "outperform" rating, indicating strong confidence in Pony AI's future performance [2]. Group 2: Business Strategy - Pony AI announced an "asset-light" strategy aimed at achieving profitability by 2030, which involves collaborating with third-party companies for fleet deployment [3]. - The company plans to sell its driverless cars to operators and license its autonomous driving technology, rather than owning and operating the fleet itself [4]. Group 3: Growth Projections - Macquarie expects Pony AI's fleet to triple in size next year, which will be supported by a projected 20% decline in hardware costs, enhancing profitability [2].
Alphabet's Waymo reportedly in talks to raise $15B at $100B valuation
Proactiveinvestors NA· 2025-12-17 15:38
Group 1 - Proactive provides fast, accessible, informative, and actionable business and finance news content to a global investment audience [2] - The news team covers medium and small-cap markets, as well as blue-chip companies, commodities, and broader investment stories [3] - Proactive's content includes insights across various sectors such as biotech, pharma, mining, natural resources, battery metals, oil and gas, crypto, and emerging technologies [3] Group 2 - Proactive adopts technology enthusiastically, equipping its content creators with valuable expertise and experience [4] - The company utilizes automation and software tools, including generative AI, while ensuring all content is edited and authored by humans [5]
深圳无人车单月主责事故首度清零
Shen Zhen Shang Bao· 2025-12-16 23:35
在规模化、安全化的基础上,无人车的商业价值持续显现。据统计,11月,深圳无人车完成配送订单约 129万单,其中包括快递108万单、生鲜约21万单,配送总量保持高位。据估算,当月无人配送创造的直 接商业化价值约1110万元,预计为社会综合节约成本超120万元。 月交通事故率降至0.17次/万公里 截至11月底,深圳无人车运行总里程已突破5534公里。(深圳市智能网联交通协会供图) 值得关注的是,数据显示,11月,深圳无人物流车运营效率与安全水平双双跃升。当月,全市无人物流 车总运行里程达到24万公里,环比大幅上升50%。车辆日均作业时长提升至8.7小时,同比增长6%,反 映出车辆利用效率的持续优化。与此同时,11月全市无人车仅发生交通事故4起,环比下降64%,并实 现了单月主责事故清零。 "月交通事故率降至0.17次/万公里,环比大幅下降75%,标志着技术改进与规范管理已取得实质性成 效。"深圳市智能网联交通协会相关负责人向记者表示。同时,车辆规范率提升至99.4%,运行合规率 达94%,代表着行业规范化运营水平稳步提高。 【深圳商报讯】(记者 肖晗)记者近日从深圳市智能网联交通协会获悉,11月份,深圳市物流无 ...
Recent Market Analysis Highlights Top Losers
Financial Modeling Prep· 2025-12-16 00:00
Company Analysis - iRobot Corporation (IRBT) experienced a significant decline in share price to $1.29, down by $3.02 or 70.02%, potentially due to competitive pressures and global supply chain issues [2] - iRobot filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, indicating that under the Picea Robotics acquisition plan, current shareholders will be completely wiped out, which could lead to a 'Zombie Squeeze' scenario for the stock [2] - Luminar Technologies, Inc. (LAZR) saw its share price decrease to $0.38, a decline of $0.51 or 57.03%, as it operates in the highly speculative and competitive autonomous vehicle market [3] - Luminar also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection following layoffs, executive departures, and a legal dispute with its largest customer, Volvo [3] Industry Overview - The market movements reflect a combination of industry-specific challenges and broader economic conditions affecting investor confidence and stock valuations [4] - Significant price changes underscore the volatility and risks inherent in the stock market, particularly for companies in rapidly evolving industries or those facing unique operational challenges [4] - Investors and stakeholders in these companies will likely be closely monitoring for any developments that could influence future performance and market positions [4]
Tesla Starts Driverless Robotaxi Tests: Time to Bet on TSLA Stock?
ZACKS· 2025-12-15 14:25
Core Insights - Tesla has made significant progress in its robotaxi initiative by testing vehicles without human oversight, marking a crucial milestone in its long-term growth strategy [1][10] - CEO Elon Musk indicated that the company is close to eliminating safety monitors, with the potential for fully driverless Teslas operating on public roads by the end of the year [2][5] - The robotaxi program, launched in June, is currently operational in Austin and San Francisco, with plans for expansion to other cities contingent on regulatory approvals [4][10] Robotaxi Program - The robotaxi service began in Austin on June 22 and is set to expand to Phoenix, Las Vegas, Dallas, Houston, and Miami, depending on regulatory clearance [4] - Currently, human supervision is still required, with safety monitors present in the vehicles during operation [5] - Despite logging over 550,000 robotaxi miles, the program's reach remains limited compared to earlier projections [6] Competitive Landscape - Alphabet's Waymo leads the autonomous ride-hailing sector, operating without safety drivers and achieving over 450,000 weekly paid rides [7] - Tesla claims advantages in scalability and cost, but closing the gap with competitors will take time [7] Automotive Business Challenges - Tesla's automotive segment has faced challenges, reporting its first annual decline in vehicle deliveries in 2024, with a 13% year-over-year drop in Q1 and another 13.4% in Q2 [8][10] - The decline is attributed to weakening demand, particularly in Europe, and increased competition from companies like BYD [9] Energy Segment Performance - Tesla's Energy Generation and Storage segment has shown strong growth, achieving record deployments and becoming the highest-margin division [12] - Energy storage deployments have increased by approximately 180% over the past three years, positioning the segment for continued growth [12] Future Growth Drivers - Tesla's humanoid robot, Optimus, is seen as a potential long-term growth driver, with pilot production underway and plans for mass production by late 2026 [13][14] - CEO Musk believes Optimus could become Tesla's largest product, although its commercialization timeline remains uncertain [15] Financial Outlook - Tesla shares have gained 13% year-to-date but have underperformed the industry [18] - The company trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 14.48, significantly above the industry average, with projected declines in revenues and EPS for 2025 [19][21] - The consensus estimates for 2026 suggest a recovery with expected growth in revenues and EPS [21]