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Last week, I wrote about Uber again Waymo and how their relationship seems to be falling apart. I predicted that these two companies would end up on opposite sides of autonomous vehicle policy. That was not a guess.
A few weeks ago, I was talking to sources and digging through letters that Uber sent to DC Councilwhich analyzes a proposed bill that would allow autonomous vehicles to operate in Washington, DC
What I found: Uber and Waymo are already on opposite sides of the proposal, openly and publicly. Uber has made an interesting argument in its attempt to shape the rules governing autonomous vehicles.
Uber, which opposes the D.C. bill, says it will get rid of hired drivers and outsource to Waymo alone. Instead, it called for a system that would require robotaxis to operate in the ride-hailing network alongside human drivers.
Insiders told me that the “hybrid” approach has little chance of becoming law. But if it did, it would leave AV developers like Waymo with two basic choices: either put their robotaxis in ride-hailing systems like Uber or hire human drivers alongside a bunch of robots that have taken years and hundreds of millions of dollars to develop.
The DC Council hearing on Monday drew representatives Lyft, TeslaUber, and Waymo, as well as dozens of disability rights and accessibility advocates, local business and industry groups, highway safety organizations, government officials, labor unions, and think tanks.
My take — based on public testimony and calls and texts I received later — is that Waymo is one of the few companies that tend to like the bill. Most of the industry does not.
Tesla’s senior policy advisor, India Herdmanwe echo the concerns I’ve heard from many AV engineers, including opposition to the 180-day, 250,000-mile mandatory inspection requirement; $1 million application fee; $5 million concession fee; and a $0.15-per-mile tax. Tesla, along with other companies, argue that test miles accrued elsewhere should count toward the mileage limit.
Waymo, which has been testing its AVs with public safety officials in Washington, DC, has already exceeded the 180-day and 250,000-mile requirements. That means if the bill is passed as written today, Waymo will enter the market with at least six months head start.
Deals!
Uber it is considered a ride-hailing and delivery giant. Now it’s solidifying that position with a $14.8 billion deal to acquire Germany’s Delivery Hero.
If the deal closes — and it will take time to overcome regulatory hurdles — Uber will gain access to nearly 100 markets across Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia. Conclusion: Uber delivery measures will double.
Delivery Hero also struck a separate deal to sell its business in 14 markets, where Uber Eats already operates, to New York-based investment firm SSW Partners for $1.6 billion.
Some deals caught my attention…
Self-examinationa San Diego-based startup trying to disrupt the auto inspection process has raised $10 million in a round led by Sheryl Sandberg’s family office. Tire distributor US AutoForce and auto lender Westlake Financial made strategic investments. Early stage funds Costanoa Ventures, Rebellion Ventures, and BrightCap Ventures also invested.
Senra, cable modernization startup, raised $65 million in a Series B round co-led by Lowercarbon and Interlagos with participation from General Catalyst, Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and Founders Fund, among others.
Zeptothe Indian fast-food company, is seeking to weigh in an initial public offering below the peak of $7 billion, Bloomberg reported, citing anonymous sources.
Notable readings and other stories
Chip Motorsa Miami-based startup, has unveiled a small, low-speed EV designed for short errands and families, as well as some autonomous driving capabilities.
I Los Angeles Police Department is reportedly ending its deal with Flock Safety, a surveillance company that helps law enforcement track vehicles using its thousands of license plate cameras placed across the United States.
Lucid Motors is pushing back — and hard — on a report that the EV maker thought it would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company’s comms team, its CEO, and a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing all say the same thing: The rumors are false. The initial report sent the company’s stock down more than 50% on Tuesday, its biggest intraday drop. The stock has since recovered and is now trading about 28% higher than it was before the big drop.
Lyft CEO David Risher it’s “Uber Good,” according to the wire.
Manual, or conventional, vehicles they’re a dying breed, according to preliminary government data showing that 0.6% of new cars made in the US by 2025 will be convertibles, the Washington Post reports. I have two manual cars. Does that make me a driving unicorn?
I National Transportation Safety Board Said the driver of Tesla who crashed the house in June had pressed the accelerator to 100%, in addition to the company’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software.
San Francisco the mayor Daniel Lurie has urged federal regulators to tighten regulations on autonomous vehicles after Waymo’s robot axis stalled in July 4th traffic, ran out of power, and shut down highways, further compounding gridlock. In the letter (parts of which are excerpted here) Lurie outlined four key requirements he would like to see enacted to ensure robotics companies can “operate reliably” during extraordinary events.
SpaceX abruptly canceled the second launch attempt of its advanced Starship rocket system on Thursday, shortly after a booster exploded at the company’s South Texas facility.
Zoox issued a software recall after one of its robots was disabled by smoke from an emergency fire scene in June.
One thing…
Uber product officer Sachin Chancellor talks to TechCrunch EIC Connie Loizos about mobility, AI agents, and playing both sides of the robotaxi race, in the latest episode of the Strictly VC podcast. If you’d like to read the interview, check out the Q&A.
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