In a whirlwind week for the transportation sector, several stories emerged, including another recall for Zoox, developments in the Stellantis-Amazon collaboration, and notable startup investments.
Carma Technology has made headlines with its patent infringement lawsuit against Uber, a case that experts suggest will pose significant challenges for the ride-hailing giant. Founded in 2007 by Sean O’Sullivan, who is also the creator of SOSV Ventures, Carma claims Uber violated five of its patents concerning the methods of matching riders and vehicles in the ride-sharing context. According to intellectual property attorney Larry Ashery, this is not a frivolous lawsuit, saying, “What’s important to understand here is, Carma isn’t just asserting five patents. They have had a very sophisticated strategy of patent procurement that they’ve been working on for the past 18 years.”
The lawsuit is rooted in a broader family of 30 interconnected patents, adding complexity to the case, as each asserted claim will require Uber to mount a separate defense.
Meanwhile, an intriguing startup, Bedrock Robotics, is quietly advancing in the autonomous vehicle space. Founded by Boris Sofman, who previously spearheaded Waymo’s self-driving truck initiative, Bedrock Robotics aims to develop a self-driving kit specifically designed for construction and heavy machinery. The company is still in stealth mode but has reportedly secured significant venture funding.
In funding news, several companies have successfully raised capital: Firefly Aerospace obtained a $50 million investment from Northrop Grumman as part of its Series D funding round aimed at enhancing its medium launch vehicle, Eclipse. Logistics software firm Pallet brought in $27 million in a Series B round led by General Catalyst, while Volteras, a London-based startup focused on connecting electric vehicles to the grid, secured $11.1 million in a Series A round led by Union Square Ventures. Additionally, Way Data Technologies, founded by alumni from Lucid Motors and Wolt, raised €2.6 million ($2.95 million) in pre-seed funding.
Among the notable developments, Rivr has launched a pilot program in Austin, Texas, featuring its four-wheeled delivery robot, likened by CEO Marko Bjelonic to “a dog on roller skates.” This initiative aims to facilitate direct package deliveries from Veho vans to customers’ doorsteps.
In other news, TuSimple, now known as CreateAI, reportedly sent sensitive data regarding American autonomous vehicle technology to a company based in Beijing, an action that contradicts its prior commitment to the U.S. government regarding national security. This revelation has sparked industry skepticism and concern.
Zoox has faced scrutiny following its second voluntary software recall within a month, prompted by an incident where one of its robotaxis collided with an e-scooter in San Francisco. The robotaxi, which was moving at low speed, had yielded at an intersection but was still struck. Fortunately, the vehicle did not further contact the e-scooter rider, who fell nearby.
On the EV front, Tesla continues to grapple with challenges, particularly seeing a buildup of unsold Cybertrucks in Detroit and a significant drop in sales within Europe and the UK. Reports suggest that Cybertruck owners will now be permitted to trade in their vehicles, albeit with potential depreciation losses of up to 45%, as indicated by CarGurus.
In a shifting landscape for in-car technology, Amazon has discontinued its partnership with Stellantis to develop in-vehicle software. The original collaboration, announced in January 2022, was part of Stellantis’ ambitious goal to produce $22.5 billion annually through software offerings, but the automaker has decided to pivot towards an Android-based system.