TechCrunch Mobility: Uber Challenger, Tesla News & Delivery Robots

TechCrunch Mobility: This Week's Updates

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your primary source for the latest news and perspectives on the evolving world of transportation. Registration is free – simply click TechCrunch Mobility to subscribe!

Despite being a shorter week, significant developments occurred, including a further Zoox vehicle recall, progress regarding the Stellantis-Amazon collaboration, and several startup funding announcements.

Carma Technology's Lawsuit Against Uber

This week featured an article detailing Carma Technology and its ongoing patent infringement lawsuit against Uber. Legal experts indicate this is a legitimate case, not a typical "patent troll" scenario, and will present a substantial challenge for Uber's legal team.

The core of the dispute centers on Carma’s claim that Uber has infringed upon five of its patents. These patents cover the fundamental system of connecting passengers (or goods) with available vehicle space. Essentially, this pertains to the core functionality of ride-sharing services.

Larry Ashery, an intellectual property attorney, succinctly explained the complexity of the case.

“The crucial point is that Carma isn't simply asserting five patents. They’ve implemented a highly refined patent strategy, developed over the last 18 years.”

The Significance of Carma's Patent Portfolio

These five patents are part of a larger family of 30 interconnected patents, all stemming from an initial filing date. This lineage is important because each of the asserted patents contains numerous individual patent claims.

These claims specifically define the legal scope of the invention. Carma is asserting these individual claims – not just the patents themselves – against Uber.

Ashery highlighted that Uber will be required to address and defend against each individual claim, significantly increasing the complexity and difficulty of the litigation.

Other Mobility News

Now, let's review the remaining news items from the week. 

Bedrock Robotics: A New Player in Autonomous Vehicles

For several months, information regarding a novel autonomous vehicle technology company has been surfacing. This startup, operating under the name Bedrock Robotics, has been diligently developing its technology for approximately one year.

A particularly noteworthy aspect of this venture lies in its leadership. Boris Sofman, formerly in charge of Waymo’s autonomous trucking initiative and a co-founder of the robotics firm Anki, is at the helm.

Focus on Retrofitting Heavy Machinery

Currently operating in stealth mode from its base in San Francisco, Bedrock Robotics has reportedly secured substantial venture capital funding. The company’s primary focus is the creation of a self-driving system designed for integration with existing construction equipment and other types of heavy machinery.

Details regarding this technology were revealed in a filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

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Funding Rounds and Industry Updates

Firefly Aerospace has secured a $50 million investment from Northrop Grumman, representing a key component of its Series D funding. These funds are earmarked to accelerate the manufacturing process of their collaboratively developed medium launch vehicle, officially designated as Eclipse.

A Series B funding round saw Pallet, a warehouse logistics software company headquartered in Fremont, California, receive $27 million. General Catalyst spearheaded the investment, with additional participation from Bain Capital Ventures, Activant Capital, and Bessemer Venture Partners.

Volteras, a startup operating out of London, has successfully completed an $11.1 million Series A funding round. The company is focused on creating a virtual network enabling electric vehicles to contribute their battery capacity to grid stabilization. Union Square Ventures led the round, with contributions from Edenred, Exor, Long Journey Ventures, and Wex.

Way Data Technologies, a fleet management startup established by former employees of Lucid Motors and Wolt, has raised €2.6 million (equivalent to $2.95 million) in a pre-seed funding round. Pale Blue Dot took the lead in this investment, supported by 10x Founders and Greens Ventures.

Recent Developments in Automotive Technology

Advancements in Autonomous Vehicle Technology

Rivr is initiating a pilot program in Austin, Texas, utilizing its unique four-wheeled delivery robots. These robots, capable of navigating stairs, are described by CEO Marko Bjelonic as resembling “a dog on roller skates.”

The robots will transport packages from Veho vans directly to customers’ residences. Both companies view this initial trial as a crucial step in refining the complete autonomous delivery process.

Concerns have been raised regarding data security within the autonomous vehicle sector. It has been revealed that TuSimple (now CreateAI) transferred sensitive data, essentially the design specifications for an American autonomous vehicle system, to a company based in Beijing.

This transfer occurred despite a prior commitment to the U.S. government to halt such data exchanges under a national security agreement. The disclosure prompted reactions of skepticism from industry insiders.

Zoox recently issued its second voluntary software recall within a month. This followed an incident in San Francisco on May 8th, where a Zoox robotaxi collided with an e-scooter rider.

The robotaxi, operating at a low speed, braked to yield at an intersection and was subsequently struck by the e-scooter. According to Zoox, the vehicle briefly moved after the impact but did not cause further harm to the rider.

Furthermore, Zoox has announced a partnership with Resorts World Las Vegas, becoming their “official robotaxi partner.” A dedicated pickup and drop-off location, branded for Zoox, will be established at the resort.

Updates on Electric Vehicles, Charging Infrastructure, and Batteries

The Tesla Cybertruck is currently facing challenges in the market. A significant number of unsold Cybertrucks are accumulating in a parking lot at a Detroit shopping center.

Tesla is now permitting owners to trade in their Cybertrucks, but these vehicles are experiencing substantial depreciation. Recent data from CarGurus indicates depreciation rates reaching as high as 45%.

Sales of Tesla vehicles in Europe and the United Kingdom have decreased by approximately half, as reported by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.

The Volkswagen emissions scandal of 2015 instigated a major shift within the automotive industry. This led Volkswagen, and subsequently other manufacturers, to move away from diesel engines and focus on hybrid and electric vehicle technologies.

Four former Volkswagen executives have now been sentenced to prison for their involvement in the scandal.

Developments in In-Car Technology

Amazon has discontinued its collaboration with Stellantis regarding the development of in-car software for Stellantis vehicles. The partnership, initially announced in January 2022, was intended to generate $22.5 billion annually in software revenue.

Stellantis has indicated that it will now be adopting an Android-based system for its in-car software solutions.