The Station is a weekly newsletter focused on the world of transportation. Subscribe here — simply select The Station — to have it delivered to your inbox each weekend.

Hello readers, both returning and new, and welcome to The Station, a newsletter exploring the current and developing methods of moving people and goods from one location to another.

Before getting into this week’s updates, I want to address a scheduling note. You may have observed that The Station arrived in your email on Sunday instead of Saturday.

I’ve received comments indicating that many of you generally read the newsletter on Sundays. However, I’m interested in hearing your preferences. What are your thoughts on this?

What day of the week would you prefer to receive The Station? Additionally, I welcome your feedback regarding what you enjoy and what you would like to see improved in the newsletter.

Finally, I’m pleased to announce that I am now the transportation editor at TechCrunch. This new role includes increased responsibilities and a broadened focus. To enhance our coverage of the “future of transportation,” I will be working with additional freelance contributors. Mark Harris, an experienced investigative journalist who has already contributed excellent reporting for us, will be a frequent contributor. Harris excels at uncovering information within legal documentation and filings, as demonstrated by his 2019 article on Tesla tariffs and his analysis of the passenger capacity of Elon Musk’s Las Vegas Loop.

I anticipate expanding the transportation team further in the coming weeks and months.

Please feel free to contact me at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com with any feedback, suggestions, or information you would like to share. You can also reach out to me directly on Twitter — @kirstenkorosec.

CES roundup

Perhaps due to the all-virtual format, self-driving car innovations weren’t as prominently featured at this year’s CES as in previous years.

Instead, the event highlighted several other key areas, primarily focusing on vehicle infotainment systems and advanced driver assistance technologies. Continuing a trend observed in 2020, numerous manufacturers showcased exceptionally large displays, exemplified by the Mercedes Hyperscreen pictured above.

Pioneer, Harman, and Panasonic each introduced upcoming products designed to integrate more sophisticated audio and visual capabilities into the automotive experience. Harman, for example, presented three novel “experience concepts” capable of transforming a vehicle’s infotainment system into a concert venue, a professional recording studio, or an immersive gaming environment.

Panasonic also announced a collaborative effort with U.K.-based startup Envisics to jointly develop and launch a new generation of head-up displays for cars, trucks, and SUVs. Head-up displays, or HUDs, were a common sight throughout the show. While not a new technology, recent advancements are significantly expanding the functionality of these systems, which project vital information onto the windshield to assist drivers with navigation and provide important alerts.

General Motors arguably had the most substantial presence at the virtual 2021 CES, particularly within the transportation sector. The automaker utilized the technology trade show to unveil BrightDrop, a new business division dedicated to electric vans and related products and services for commercial applications. However, their announcements didn’t stop there.

GM took the opportunity to preview the forthcoming Chevrolet Bolt EUV—a vehicle that will incorporate GM’s hands-free highway driving assistance technology, Super Cruise—along with the Cadillac Celestiq dashboard and even a redesigned company logo. This comprehensive series of announcements underscored GM’s commitment to both electrification and connected car technologies, a message intended for both the public and investors.

GM’s extensive announcements were difficult to overlook—they even included an eVTOL concept. In contrast, Mobileye’s presentations received somewhat less attention, though they are potentially just as significant. 

Mobileye communicated its plans to broaden its autonomous vehicle testing program to include additional cities, as previously indicated by the company.

Particularly noteworthy was a presentation delivered by Mobileye president and CEO Amnon Shashua, which detailed the company’s strategic vision and ongoing progress.

In summary, Mobileye is pursuing a three-part strategy for the development and deployment of automated vehicle technology, combining a complete self-driving system—incorporating redundant sensing subsystems utilizing cameras, radar, and lidar—with its REM mapping system and a rules-based Responsibility-Sensitive Safety (RSS) driving policy.

Mobileye’s REM mapping system leverages crowdsourced data from approximately one million vehicles equipped with its technology to create high-definition maps that can support both ADAS and autonomous driving systems. Shashua stated that Mobileye’s technology is now capable of automatically mapping the world, tracking nearly eight million kilometers daily and accumulating almost one billion kilometers of data to date.

The company shared further details at CES regarding a new lidar system-on-a-chip product currently in development, slated for release in 2025. This lidar system, which will utilize Intel’s specialized silicon photonics fabrication facilities, is significant because Mobileye is primarily recognized for its camera-based technology. To clarify, Mobileye is not abandoning its camera-first approach. Shashua explained that Mobileye believes the most effective technological and business strategy involves developing a camera-first system and integrating lidar and radar as supplementary components for enhanced redundancy.

In essence: Mobileye possesses the financial resources and established network necessary to commercialize automated vehicle technology and make it widely accessible.

Below is a selection of our transportation-focused CES coverage:

Mercedes introduces Hyperscreen, a 56-inch display for its flagship EQS electric vehicle

GM expands into delivery services with the new EV business unit BrightDrop

Mobileye will expand its autonomous vehicle testing to at least four additional cities in 2021

Sony shares more information about its Vision S sedan project

Holographic technology company Envisics partners with Panasonic to accelerate in-car AR technology

Startups explore alternatives to lidar for autonomous vehicle perception

BMW previews its next-generation iDrive infotainment system

Sono Motor intends to license the technology powering its solar electric car

Air taxi developer Archer collaborates with FCA

A New Company is Emerging from Uber

I previously suggested that self-governed delivery services would increase in activity during 2021, and it appears my assessment was accurate.

Postmates X, the robotics branch of the delivery service acquired by Uber for $2.65 billion last year, is looking for funding as it prepares to operate as an independent entity named Serve Robotics.

Serve, the autonomous sidewalk delivery robot distinguished by its yellow and black markings and initially developed and tested by Postmates X, will likely be central to the operations of this new company. It recently began a partnership with Pink Dot Stores to handle deliveries in West Hollywood.

I have obtained some key information regarding this plan, which is still under development. Uber will continue to hold ownership in the new venture. Initially, Uber’s ownership share was small, but it has reportedly increased to approximately 25%, according to individuals with knowledge of the arrangement.

Ali Kashani, currently leading Postmates X and the Serve program, will oversee the new company. Anthony Armenta will direct the startup’s software development, and Aaron Leiba will manage hardware – maintaining their current roles from Postmates X.

I will share additional information as it becomes available.