TechCrunch Mobility: How Jony Ive’s LoveFrom helped Rivian and what Uber’s next-generation playbook looks like

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I spent a decade Timing And CEO Elon MuskSo it will be normal for me to weigh here about the implications of public billionaire with president Donald Trump. Many other correspondents, chair analysts, influencers and bloggers already have done. Some are smart, while some miss the mark – miles away.

Since I benefit from institutional knowledge and the good memory of helluva, allow me to offer some brief reminders and predictions. We have been here before-Musk has a good documented history in apparently strong alliances and then burning them all.

As the first reporter, Tim de Cant, Elon gets an introduction to politics. The problem here is that Musk also embraces the risks and attractiveness – which means that learning something is not equivalent to changing its behavior.

Expect the legendary peace riding from the initial peace, followed by public explosions. rinse. Repeat.

The effects of this repercussions promised to be wide and may seek all the various musk institutions. I will monitor how Tesla EV sales numbers and how the “big and beautiful bill” will actually affect the car industry if they are transferred to the law.

In the short term, I will focus on the wonderful Robotaxi experience in Tesla in Austin, Texas, and how Musk’s complex and toxic relationship with increasingly with the Trump administration affects its dealings with Ministry of Transportation. Before his disintegration of the public with Trump, Musk was pressuring legislators on legislation related to autonomous vehicles – especially on a draft law submitted on May 15 called the law to accelerate independent vehicles.

birdie

since then Rural Attribute alsoStarting Micromobility, which also received support from Eclipse Ventures, we were entering to learn more. Some small birds were in touch and helped us better understand how SkungWorks turned into an independent company; They also revealed sudden details: Jony Ivefrom has worked alongside the Rivian Design and Employees for SkunkWorks. A big correspondent Sean Okan and I have a full scoop here.

Do you have advice to us? Email Kirsten Korosec in Kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com Or my signal in Kkorosec.07, Sean Okan on sean.okane@techcrunch.com, or Rebecca Billan in Ribecca.bellan@techcrunch.com. Or achieve These instructions To learn how to contact us via encryptive correspondence applications or secretrop.

Deals!

I rarely attract my attention notes. But this is an act.

Judy flight And the Saudi bloc Abdul Latif Jameel The Memorandum of Understanding was signed to explore a distribution agreement of up to 200 electric aircraft. The initial deal is noticeable because Abdel Latif Jameel is already an investor for Joby.

In the event of this, the partnership can provide Jobi a quick way to liquefy its vertical take -off and landing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Converting the investor into a customer can also complicate the relationship (just ask Amazon and Rivian.)

Other deals worth indicated …

ObvioA California -based emerging company that combines artificial intelligence and cameras in the stop signs to clarify the insecure driving behavior, which raised $ 22 million in a series of financing from the Bain Capital Ventures. Obvio plans to use this money to expand the first five cities where it currently operates in Maryland.

withoutE -Trading Electronic Trading Company and the start of logistical operating, $ 18 million in a financing tour led by trade projects, with the participation of Egateway Capital, Group Up Ventures and FJ Labs. Portless uses a shein -like business model and receives the duties of brands after selling an element, which helps to postpone the cost of definitions.

TomaAmnesty International Voice Company, whose tools are applied to auto agents, raised $ 17 million through a seed and chain tour led by A16Z. Y Combinator (TOMA was in the YC January 2024 group), the Scale Angels box, the automotive industry, Yossi Levi, also known as Guy Dealerse Guy, supported startup.

What is telling us to mix the executive Uber

Mix the last executive alongside the comments Opening CEO Dara Joshroshi Don’t only pursue the company’s strategy. No, this is similar to the sign of neon flashing and the word “autonomy” in the center.

Earlier this week, Uber announced that it was appointed Andrew “Mac” McDonald As a chief and chief operational officer. The company also announced the departure of Pierre Dimitri Gore-Kate, who was running Uber’s delivery.

The responsibilities of Gore-Coty will start under Macdonald, who has been with the company since 2012 and recently led the mobility and commercial. Another is worth noting: Uber operations were launched in Toronto 13 years ago and led its independent strategy.

The new Mac role will combine movement, delivery and independence.

At the Bloomberg Conference, Joshroshi He was asked about AVS. He talked about the construction of the AV and Uber ecosystem in companies (Aurora and Waabi) Development of autonomous vehicle technology.

He said: “We want to mainly support the Ecological System and continue to help the ecosystem to develop and then penetrate the market.” “We believe that AVS represents a safer way to transport. In the end, we believe it will expand the market because it provides a kind of transportation for all.”

In other Uber news, the company added a new type of account with a simpler user interface for the elderly.

Promise readings and other tales

Independent vehicles

Timing Trademark requests were submitted to the term “Tesla Robotaxi” after the previous company’s attempts to secure brands to serve its self -driving cars.

Electric cars, batteries and shipping

I missed this story from Axios Katie Fehrenbacher correspondent and I wanted to mention it here. Last year, Redwood materials You walk quietly away from Ministry of Energy (DOE) a loan had received conditional approval for. So far, Redwood has not received any federal financing.

I got to Redwood to understand the reason. Redwood initially applied for the Ministry of Energy loan in 2021. The process was operated at a large cost to Redwood. The companies that are going through this process are responsible for paying consultant and third -party experts who have been appointed to examine business and technology. By 2024, Redwood was still in the form of conditional approval. While it was waiting, the company raised more than two billion dollars in private financing and achieved nearly $ 200 million in revenue last year.

Ultimately, Redwood decided that the costs and restrictions of this loan outperformed their value.

The future of the trip

Wal Mart And the alphabet Wing They bring the delivery of drones to thousands of customers. WING, which already operates from 18 Walmart Supercenters in the Dallas Foreth Worth region, creates a store in five other American cities through partnership. In all, more than 100 stores will be added in Atlanta, Charlot, Houston, Orlando and Tamba.

the people

Trefor MiltonThe founder of the amnesty recently NicolasHe was fighting a summons from the creditors of the banking electric trucks. In debt to Milton Nikola, approximately $ 100 million before submitting bankruptcy in February, which followed the arbitration case with the company in 2023 regarding his criminal condemnation that he lost.