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I spent a decade covering Tesla and CEO Elon MuskIt would therefore be natural for me to weigh here on the billionaire’s public benefits with President Donald Trump. Many other journalists, analysts of armchairs, influencers and bloggers have already done so. Some are intelligent, while some lack the brand – by kilometers.
Since I have the advantage of institutional knowledge and a good memory of Helluva, allow me to offer brief reminders and predictions. We have already been here – Musk has a long story well documented to create apparently strong alliances, then burn everything.
As noted by the main journalist Tim of singing, Elon obtains an introduction to politics. The problem here is that Musk also embraces risk and severity – which means that learning something is not equivalent to its behavior.
Expect a roller coaster of provisional peace mountains followed by public explosions. Rinse. Repeat.
The implications of these benefits promise to be wide and will probably receive all different Musk companies. I will monitor how Tesla EV sales numbers are revealed and how the “large and beautiful bill” will really affect the business of the automaker if it is adopted.
In the short term, I will be focused on the great experience of Robotaxi from Tesla to Austin, Texas, and how the complicated and increasingly toxic relationship of Musk with the Trump administration affects its relations with Ministry of Transport. Before his public rupture with Trump, Musk was legislator lobbying on legislation linked to autonomous vehicles – in particular on a bill presented on May 15 called the Acception law of autonomous vehicles.
A little bird
Since Rivian rotation AlsoA micromobility startup This also received the support of Eclipse Ventures, we pushed to find out more. Some small birds were in contact and helped us better understand how the Skunkworks program turned into an autonomous business; They also revealed a surprising detail: the creative firm by Jony Ive Lovefrom worked alongside the Rivian design team and the staff of the Skunkworks program. Senior journalist Sean O’kane and me have the full scoop here.
Do you have a tip for us? Send an email to Kirsten Korosec to kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com or my signal in Kkorosec.07, Sean O’kane at sean.okane@techcrunch.comor Rebecca Bellan at rebecca.bellan@techcrunch.com. Or discover These instructions To learn how to contact us via encrypted or securedrop messaging applications.
Offers!
Memorandaux of understanding rarely attract my attention. But the latter did it.
Aviation Joby and Saudi conglomerate Abdul Latif Jameel signed a memorandum of understanding to explore a distribution agreement to Up to 200 electric aircraft. The provisional agreement is notable because Abdul Latif Jameel is already a Joby investor.
If it is finalized, the partnership could provide Joby with a quick path to monetize its electric vertical takeoff and its landing vehicles in Saudi Arabia. Transforming an investor into a customer can also complicate the relationship (simply ask Amazon and Rivian.)
Other offers deserve to be noted …
ObviousA Startup based in California which combines AI with cameras placed in stop panels to eliminate dangerous driving behavior, lifted $ 22 million In a series, a round of funding led by Bain Capital Ventures. Obvio plans to use these funds to expand beyond the first five cities where he currently operates in Maryland.
GapAn execution and logistics startup of electronic commerce, lifted $ 18 million In a financing cycle led by Commerce Ventures, with the participation of Egateway Capital, Ventures Ground Up and FJ Labs. Portless uses a shein type commercial model and invoices brands tasks after the sale of an item, helping to postpone the cost of prices.
TomaAn AI voice startup that applies its tools to automotive dealerships, lifted $ 17 million Through a seed and a round series led by A16Z. Y Combinator (Toma was in the January 2024 cohort of YC), the Scale Angels Fund, and the influencer of the automotive industry Yossi Levi, also known as the automotive concessionaire, supported the startup.
What Uber’s executive mixture tells us
Recently executive mixture coupled to comments by CEO of Uber Dara Khosrowshahi Do not just refer to the company’s strategy. No, it is like a neon flashing sign and the word “autonomy” is at the center.
Earlier this week, Uber announced that he had appointed Andrew “Mac” Macdonald as president and chief of the farm. The company also announced the departure of Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, who directed Uber’s delivery activities.
Gore-Coty’s responsibilities are displayed under Macdonald, which has been working in the company since 2012 and has recently managed mobility and commercial operations. Another treat that deserves to be mentioned: he launched Uber’s operations in Toronto 13 years ago and managed his autonomous strategy.
Mac’s new role will combine mobility, delivery and autonomy.
At a Bloomberg conference, Khosrowshahi was asked about the AV. He spoke of the construction of the AV ecosystem and Uber challenges in companies (Aurora and Waabi) developing autonomous vehicle technology.
“We essentially want to support the AV ecosystem and continue to help this ecosystem develop, then enter the market,” he said. “AV, we think, represent a safer means of transport. In the end, we believe that it will expand the market because it sort of safe transport cities available to everyone. ”
In other news from Uber, the company has Adding a new type of account with a simpler user interface for the elderly.
Notable readings and other songs
Autonomous vehicles
Tesla Founded brand requests For the term “Tesla Robotaxi” after the previous attempts of the company to guarantee the brands for its service of autonomous vehicles planned has struck roadblocks.
Electric vehicles, batteries and charges
I missed This story Axios journalist, Katie Fehrenbacher, and wanted to mention it here. Last year, Sequoia materials quietly moved away from Energy department (DOE) Ready for which he had received conditional approval. To date, Redwood has never received federal funding.
I stretched my hand to Redwood to understand why. Redwood initially requested a DOE loan in 2021. The process dragged and at a considerable cost for Redwood. Companies that go through this process are responsible for paying third -party consultants and hired experts to check the business and technology. By 2024, the redwood was still on the limbo of conditional approval. During its wait, the company raised more than $ 2 billion in private funding and generated nearly $ 200 million in revenues last year.
In the end, Redwood determined that the costs and constraints of this loan won on its value.
Flight future
Walmart And the alphabet Wing Bring drone delivery to thousands of other customers. Wing, which already operates on 18 Walmart Supercenters in the Dallas-Ofth Worth area, sets in In five other American cities Through the partnership. In all, more than 100 stores will be added to Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando and Tampa.
People
Trevor Miltonthe founder recently forgiven Nikolahas been fight Creditors from his bankrupt electric trucking company. Milton owed Nikola nearly $ 100 million before paying for bankruptcy in February, which followed an arbitration case with the company in 2023 concerning his criminal conviction which he had lost.
