Waymo Launches Driverless Ride-Hailing

A significant advancement occurs within Alphabet’s autonomous driving division, Apple TV+ provides an extension to its complimentary subscription period, and Affirm submits its initial public offering paperwork. This is your Daily Crunch for October 8, 2020.

Key development: Waymo launches fully driverless ride service

Waymo has reached a noteworthy achievement today: it is now providing completely driverless rides to select members of the public.

Previously, while the Alphabet subsidiary had offered numerous self-driving rides, a human driver was typically present as a safety precaution. Individuals participating in the early rider program, who had previously signed non-disclosure agreements, were able to experience fully autonomous rides – contingent upon signing those NDAs.

The company announced today that members of its broader Waymo One program in Phoenix will now have the ability to travel without a driver, and to include friends and family in their journeys. Over the coming weeks, this program will be expanded to accommodate even more riders.

Major technology companies

Apple is prolonging certain Apple TV+ subscriptions at no cost until February 2021 – Apple previously offered a complimentary year of Apple TV+ to purchasers of new devices last year; this extends those subscriptions to February.

Amazon introduces its first all-electric delivery vehicle, developed in collaboration with Rivian – The van incorporates unique features, including sensor-driven highway driving and traffic assistance capabilities.

IBM intends to separate its infrastructure services division into an independent $19 billion entity – The company stated this restructuring will enable a greater focus on emerging opportunities within hybrid cloud applications and artificial intelligence.

Startups, financing, and venture capital

Instacart secures an additional $200 million in funding, achieving a $17.7 billion valuation – The correlation between the COVID-19 pandemic and Instacart’s business performance is readily apparent.

Affirm confidentially files for an initial public offering – This news follows reports of the impending debut that surfaced in July.

Delivery service goPuff raises $380 million at a $3.9 billion valuation – GoPuff specializes in delivering products such as over-the-counter medications, baby supplies, and alcoholic beverages (essentially, items commonly found in convenience stores) within 30 minutes or less.

Insights and analysis from Extra Crunch

Investors and founders report a thriving market for API startups – Companies that deliver their services through an API are currently experiencing significant demand.

The role of technology in the COVID-19 response: providing support, not complete reinvention – Speakers at Disrupt highlighted how technology companies have adopted a supportive role alongside frontline workers, rather than attempting to independently “solve” the crisis.

Three key obstacles are hindering podcast monetization – Addressing these fundamental issues could unlock the channel’s full revenue potential.

(Please remember: Extra Crunch is our subscription-based membership program, designed to broaden access to information about startups. You can register here.)

Other news

General Motors is making a concerted effort to improve in-car technology, utilizing Unreal Engine for its next-generation interface – Matt Burns observes that GM’s current in-car user interfaces are among the least effective available.

Consumer spending on apps reached a record $28 billion in Q3, boosted by the pandemic – A recent report from App Annie indicates that consumers downloaded 33 billion new apps worldwide during the third quarter.

The U.S. Space Force is developing an immersive space simulation training tool, with contributions from the VFX studio behind ‘The Mandalorian’ – Recognizing the impracticality of training most personnel in actual space, the U.S. Space Force has commissioned Slingshot Aerospace to create a virtual reality space simulator.

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