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TechCrunch Mobility: Aurora Leadership Shift and Expansion Plans

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Last week saw Aurora achieve a significant accomplishment, narrowly meeting its target date with the launch of its driverless self-driving truck service. This week, Aurora is back in the news, but this time due to an unexpected alteration in its executive team.

Sterling Anderson's Departure

Sterling Anderson, a co-founder and currently serving as chief product officer, is stepping down from both his position and his role on the board of directors. The reasons behind his resignation remain largely undisclosed, though he alluded to certain points raised during the company’s first-quarter earnings report.

“The decision to leave Aurora was exceptionally challenging, particularly considering the company’s current progress,” Anderson stated. “However, it was this very progress that instilled in me the belief that the timing is right.”

He refrained from specifying his future endeavors, mentioning only that he will be pursuing “an exciting external opportunity in a senior leadership capacity at a globally recognized organization.”

Aurora's Continued Progress

Despite Anderson’s departure, Aurora remains focused on its core objectives. During the earnings call, the company revealed plans to deploy its autonomous trucks during nighttime hours and in challenging weather conditions, such as rain or strong winds, by the latter half of 2025.

Furthermore, Aurora intends to broaden the operational scope of its driverless trucking network. Beyond the initial Dallas route, expansion is planned to include Houston, El Paso, and Phoenix.

The company is committed to scaling its autonomous trucking capabilities and establishing a wider geographic presence.

Here’s a summary of Aurora’s key developments:

• Leadership Change: Co-founder Sterling Anderson resigns as chief product officer and board member.
• Deployment Timeline: Driverless trucks to operate at night and in adverse weather by H2 2025.
• Route Expansion: New routes planned for Houston, El Paso, and Phoenix, extending beyond Dallas.

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Tesla’s Trademark Setback

Tesla has recently been denied a trademark for the term “robotaxi.” This decision impacts the company’s branding efforts related to its autonomous vehicle services.

Aurora’s Leadership Change

Aurora, a prominent player in the autonomous driving sector, has experienced a departure within its leadership team. A co-founder has left the company.

Impact of Tariffs

The implementation of new tariffs is beginning to have a noticeable effect on the mobility industry. Costs are increasing as a result of these trade policies.

Further Details

These developments represent significant shifts within the tech mobility landscape. They highlight ongoing challenges and adjustments faced by companies in this rapidly evolving field.

The denial of the “robotaxi” trademark could necessitate a rebranding strategy for Tesla’s autonomous ride-hailing plans. Aurora’s leadership change may prompt internal restructuring and a re-evaluation of strategic priorities.

The rising costs associated with tariffs are likely to be passed on to consumers, potentially impacting the adoption rate of electric vehicles and other mobility solutions.

Recent Business Transactions

The decision of a publicly traded company to become private is relatively uncommon. However, current global economic conditions are far from typical, particularly for businesses involved in the trade relationship between the U.S. and China.

Zeekr serves as a prime example. Having launched on the New York Stock Exchange just a year ago, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer is now facing a potential delisting as its parent company, Geely Auto, seeks to take it private. This action is a direct response to proposals from the Trump administration regarding the removal of Chinese firms from U.S. stock markets.

Notable Investment and Acquisition Activity

Several other significant financial maneuvers have recently captured attention within the industry.

Bosch Ventures has unveiled a new $270 million investment fund. This fund will maintain the firm’s focus on supporting startups specializing in advanced technologies. According to managing director Ingo Ramesohl, a greater proportion of these funds will be allocated to North American-based startups.

Existing investors in Indian ride-hailing service BluSmart are considering a $30 million capital injection to revitalize the company. This comes after BluSmart unexpectedly suspended its operations last month, though the investment is contingent on certain conditions.

Breathe, a company developing battery software solutions, successfully secured $21 million in Series B funding. The round was spearheaded by Kinnevik Online AB, with participation from Lowercarbon Capital and Volvo Cars Tech Fund. This information was first shared exclusively with TechCrunch.

DoorDash is actively expanding its presence in Europe through a series of strategic acquisitions.

The company has reached an agreement to acquire its U.K. competitor, Deliveroo, for approximately £2.9 billion (equivalent to around $3.87 billion). Simultaneously, DoorDash is also purchasing SevenRooms, a provider of CRM, marketing, and operational software for restaurants, hotels, and event venues, for $1.2 billion in cash. This acquisition will enhance DoorDash’s capabilities in reservation and guest management.

Uber has also been actively engaged in both acquisitions and investments this week.

Uber has bolstered its investment in Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide by an additional $100 million. This increased investment is part of a broadened partnership aimed at deploying the service in 15 additional cities over the next five years. Separately, Uber finalized the acquisition of an 85% controlling interest in Trendyol Go, an Istanbul-based online meal and grocery delivery service, for approximately $700 million in cash.

Industry Updates and Emerging Trends

Developments in Autonomous Vehicle Technology

A surprising leadership change has occurred. Mo Elshenawy, previously president and CTO of the now-defunct autonomous driving firm Cruise, has been appointed as the new chief technology officer at Hims & Hers, a telehealth and wellness company.

The search for a new CTO at Hims & Hers deliberately focused on the autonomous vehicle sector, as stated by co-founder and CEO Andrew Dudum. This strategic decision highlights the value of expertise from the AV industry.

Nuro is currently conducting trials of its autonomous vehicle technology on the bustling Las Vegas Strip. A recent discussion with co-founder and president Dave Ferguson revealed insights into the company’s evolving business strategy; further details will be available soon.

Tesla encountered setbacks in its trademark applications for “Robotaxi” and “Cybercab.” The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected the “Robotaxi” trademark due to its overly generic nature.

Applications for the “Cybercab” trademark were suspended as other companies are pursuing trademarks with similar “Cyber” elements.

Uber has established partnerships with three Chinese autonomous vehicle companies – Pony AI, Momenta, and WeRide – to expand its robotaxi market presence in the Middle East and Europe.

It’s important to note that these agreements do not include operations within China itself.

Waymo has announced the opening of a new 239,000-square-foot factory in Mesa, Arizona, through a collaboration with Magna. This facility will be used to manufacture over 2,000 autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles.

The size of Waymo’s current commercial fleet has been revealed to be 1,500 vehicles.

Wayve continues to attract high-profile figures. Following a video featuring Bill Gates in one of their autonomous vehicles, Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, has now experienced Wayve’s technology firsthand.

Alex Kendall, CEO and co-founder of Wayve, participated in the Fortune Brainstorm AI conference in London, sharing perspectives on the company’s end-to-end approach and contrasting it with Tesla’s strategy.

Zoox temporarily halted its driverless testing program and issued a voluntary software recall after an incident occurred in Las Vegas.

Electric Vehicle Market and Battery Technology

The Cadillac Celestiq EV, a remarkable vehicle, has been released, and contributor Emme Hall has shared her impressions after a day of driving it.

The ongoing U.S.-China trade war is beginning to impact the automotive industry, and the effects are becoming increasingly noticeable.

Ford and General Motors have withdrawn their annual guidance, citing economic uncertainty stemming from the newly imposed tariffs.

Rivian anticipates delivering fewer vehicles this year – between 40,000 and 46,000 EVs – due to tariffs and regulatory changes.

Prior to this adjustment, the company was already projected to experience a third consecutive year without volume growth.

However, Rivian achieved a positive milestone by generating gross profit, which triggered the release of approximately $1 billion in funding from Volkswagen Group as part of their joint venture.

Ford is increasing the prices of the all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV and the Maverick pickup by up to $2,000, a direct response to the import taxes imposed by Trump on vehicles manufactured in Mexico.

Lucid Motors is addressing some initial quality issues encountered during the early stages of delivering its highly anticipated electric Gravity SUV.

Mitsubishi Motors is exploring a potential partnership with Foxconn to secure an electric car model for sale in Australia and New Zealand, planned for the latter half of 2026.

Despite an overall increase in EV sales in April, Tesla’s sales are declining across Europe.

The Future of Air Transportation

Joby Aviation is now targeting 2026 for the launch of its first commercial passenger service, as indicated in its first-quarter earnings report.

The company, which began as a startup and transitioned through a SPAC, had initially aimed for 2025, then suggested “early 2026.” The revised target of simply 2026 implies a potential delay beyond the beginning of the year.