TechCrunch Mobility at Disrupt 2025: Key Takeaways

TechCrunch Disrupt 2025: Key Takeaways on the Future of Mobility

This week’s focus shifts to the discussions and announcements stemming from TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, a significant event for the future of transportation. The conference proved to be highly impactful, featuring prominent leaders and innovators in the field.

Featured Executives and Founders

Several key figures participated in the event, sharing their insights and visions. These included Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo; Chris Barman, CEO of Slate; Dave Ferguson, co-CEO and founder of Nuro; Sachin Kansal, CPO of Uber; Alex Kendall, founder and CEO of Wayve; and Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak AI. Recordings of these interviews will be available on our YouTube channel in the coming days.

Slate Auto's Open Ecosystem Approach

The interview with Slate CEO Chris Barman, conducted by Sean O’Kane, is now accessible. A noteworthy aspect of Barman’s discussion centered on the customizable accessories available for Slate EVs. The company intends to not only design and sell these accessories but also to openly share the necessary data.

“We will provide complete data access, enabling anyone to 3D print their own accessories,” Barman stated. “Our goal is to empower individuals and foster a vibrant ecosystem hosted on the Slate marketplace.”

O’Kane inquired about potential fees for accessories sold through the Slate marketplace.

Barman confirmed a fee structure would be implemented, but emphasized creator flexibility. “Creators are free to sell their designs on other platforms, such as Etsy, without any fees imposed by Slate. We prioritize their autonomy and choice.”

Additional Highlights from Disrupt 2025

San Francisco mayor Daniel Lurie expressed his support for Waymo’s operations within the city and extended a welcome to other companies seeking to utilize San Francisco as a testing ground for autonomous vehicle technology.

Furthermore, Glīd was recognized as the winner of the Startup Battlefield 2025 competition. A demonstration ride in a Wayve vehicle was also conducted through the streets of San Francisco by Sean O’Kane and myself.

Waymo's Perspective on Safety and Data Privacy

Tekedra Mawakana of Waymo delivered several compelling statements during her onstage appearance. She asserted that companies developing autonomous vehicles must prioritize demonstrating the safety of their technology.

Mawakana also suggested that the public might be willing to accept an accident caused by a robotaxi, given the potential for overall improved safety. She further indicated that Waymo will pursue legal action against individuals who vandalize its vehicles.

Regarding data privacy, Waymo has consistently declined government requests for video footage captured by its vehicles, particularly those deemed “overly broad,” and will continue to do so.

Funding Highlights

i6, a company specializing in digital fuel management solutions for the aviation industry, has secured $20 million in Series B funding. The investment round was spearheaded by Yttrium, with participation from International Airlines Group, World Kinect, and Shell Ventures.

IntrCity SmartBus, a technology-driven intercity bus platform operating in India, announced a $30 million funding round. This Series D round, entirely equity-based, was led by A91 Partners and has resulted in a post-money valuation of $140 million for the Noida-based startup.

The initial trading performance of Navan, a corporate travel and expense management platform, saw a 20% decrease from its initial public offering price of $25 on the Nasdaq. This resulted in an approximate valuation of $4.7 billion for the company.

Pavewise, a startup focused on technology for road construction, successfully raised $2.5 million in a seed funding round. C2 Ventures led the investment, with contributions from Connectic, Service Provider Capital, Geoff Judge, Tom Stemm (former CEO of Ryvit), M25, gener8tor 1889, and Broadwater Capital.

Ridepanda, a company offering e-bike and scooter fleet subscriptions to businesses, completed a $12.6 million Series A funding round. Bikeleasing Group of Germany took the lead in this investment, alongside Blackhorn Ventures, Yamaha Motor Ventures, Proeza Ventures, and Somersault Ventures.

Key Investment Details

• i6: $20M Series B (Yttrium led)
• IntrCity SmartBus: $30M Series D (A91 Partners led, $140M post-money valuation)
• Navan: Initial Nasdaq trading down 20% (approx. $4.7B valuation)
• Pavewise: $2.5M Seed (C2 Ventures led)
• Ridepanda: $12.6M Series A (Bikeleasing Group led)

These recent funding rounds demonstrate continued investor interest in innovative companies across various sectors, including aviation, transportation, and infrastructure technology.

Key Developments and Insights

Aurora has expanded its autonomous trucking capabilities with the addition of a 600-mile driverless route. This route connects Fort Worth, Texas, and El Paso, representing the company’s second deployment of self-driving trucks.

Alongside this expansion, Aurora also unveiled specifications regarding its forthcoming generation of hardware components.

Interestingly, India, a market BlaBlaCar previously exited, has now become its largest operational territory.

General Motors is implementing workforce reductions, impacting thousands of employees across several facilities dedicated to electric vehicle production and battery technology within the United States.

Luminar is currently facing renewed challenges following the departure of its founder and former CEO, Austin Russell. Recent filings indicate a potential cash flow shortage by early 2026.

As a result, the company has announced a 25% decrease in its workforce and confirmed the resignation of its Chief Financial Officer.

Nvidia announced several transportation-related advancements this week, including a collaborative effort with Stellantis, Uber, and Foxconn. This partnership focuses on the joint development of autonomous vehicles.

This news accompanied the launch of Nvidia’s Drive AGX Hyperion 10 autonomous vehicle development platform and Nvidia Drive software.

Several automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and robotaxi firms, including Lucid, Mercedes, and Stellantis, are slated to utilize these technologies.

Uber aims to scale its autonomous vehicle fleet to 100,000 vehicles globally, with initial deployments planned for 2027, leveraging this platform.

Wayve’s Alex Kendall expressed enthusiasm for the Hyperion platform during TechCrunch Disrupt. He noted that both Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang are advocating for wider adoption by automakers.

Kendall stated, “Our objective is to see more manufacturers integrating the Hyperion architecture into their vehicles, as this will facilitate our ongoing efforts.”

Uber has selected San Francisco as the launch city for a premium robotaxi service. This service will utilize Lucid Motors’ Gravity SUVs, equipped with autonomous technology developed by Nuro, and is scheduled to begin in 2026.

This move positions Uber as a direct competitor to Waymo in the robotaxi market, despite existing partnerships with Waymo in other locations.

Waabi presented details of a new autonomous truck developed in collaboration with Volvo at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025.

A Further Consideration

Last week’s newsletter featured a survey exploring autonomous vehicle business models. The central question posed was: What represents the optimal business model for the implementation of autonomous vehicle technology in “longer haul” scenarios?

Two options were presented: Class 8 self-driving trucks operating over distances exceeding 500 miles on highways, or middle-mile delivery – utilizing autonomous trucks for transport between warehouses and distribution hubs.

The results indicated a strong preference for long-haul trucking, with 62.5% of respondents selecting this option. (Participation in our surveys is available to subscribers of the Mobility newsletter; sign up can be found here.)

Allow me to share a concluding observation. This image, depicting myself alongside senior reporter Sean O’Kane, represents a significant moment of completion for both of us.

O’Kane, with some contribution from myself, dedicated considerable time to uncovering a major story regarding Jeff Bezos’ investment in a relatively unknown startup, Slate. Subsequently, Slate unveiled its plans for a more affordable electric truck, garnering substantial media coverage.

Slate’s CEO, Chris Barman, not only participated in an interview on our stage but also showcased a truck branded with TechCrunch’s logo.