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The Equity podcast crew rolls through Uber's AV partnership strategy, why Waabi's "simulation-first" approach might be different, IPO news, and more.

Peter Thiel enters the chat

Uber stock rises as Waabi robotaxi deal puts autonomy back in focus - TechStock²

Wie geht es Donald Trump gesundheitlich? Gerüchte um seinen Zustand kommen immer wieder auf. Nun spricht Kanzler Friedrich Merz über den US-Präsidenten.

Waabi, the Toronto-based autonomous trucking startup, is expanding its portfolio to include robotaxis. And it’s bringing Uber along for the ride. Raquel Urtasun, the former chief scientist at Uber’s now defunct Advanced Technologies Group, founded Waabi in 2021 to be a more “AI-centric approach” to autonomous vehicles. That approach initially focused on trucking, with Waabi using its proprietary software to automate driving on commercial delivery routes in Texas.

Waabi, the Toronto-based autonomous trucking startup, is expanding its portfolio to include robotaxis. And it’s bringing Uber along for the ride. Raquel Urtasun, the former chief scientist at Uber’s now defunct Advanced Technologies Group, founded Waabi in 2021 to be a more “AI-centric approach” to autonomous vehicles. That approach initially focused on trucking, with Waabi using its proprietary software to automate driving on commercial delivery routes in Texas. But with self-driving trucks turning out to be a way harder problem than originally thought, and robotaxis seemingly having their own moment, Waabi is now turning its focus to autonomous rideshare vehicles as a demonstration of its “physical AI” prowess.

CEO Raquel Urtasan says the funds, including $250 million from Uber, will help get 25,000 robotaxis on Uber’s platform and launch trucking operations with Volvo.

For investors watching Uber (NYSE:UBER), these updates span regulation, operations and technology at the same time. The Dutch court decision speaks directly

Uber has faced scrutiny with over 400,000 reports of sexual misconduct from 2017 to 2022, highlighting urgent safety issues needing reform.

<p><strong>Tesla’s robotaxis, although not fully driverless, are significantly cheaper than competitors like Waymo, Uber, and Lyft.</strong> A new report by Obi shows that Tesla’s prices are so low they remind of Uber’s early strategies funded by venture capital.</p><p>Despite their cost-effectiveness, Tesla’s robotaxis have the longest waiting times in the industry. On average, customers in San Francisco wait over 15 minutes for a ride.</p><p>Waymo, on the other hand, is narrowing its price gap with Uber and Lyft, becoming only marginally more expensive. They now offer more competitive rates, especially for longer trips.</p><p>Besides the cost and wait times, Tesla faces regulatory and operational hurdles in expanding its fully driverless services. They are still in the early stages of testing fully autonomous vehicles without safety monitors.</p><p>Customer confidence in autonomous vehicle safety is increasing, with a significant portion of survey respondents believing robotaxis will be safer than human-driven rides within five years. However, concerns about high costs and long wait times persist.</p><p>Obi plans to expand its analysis to include new entrants like Zoox, which has started offering free robotaxi services in San Francisco. This could further shake up the competitive landscape and consumer perceptions.</p><p> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/867934/tesla-waymo-robotaxi-price-comparison-uber-lyft-obi">#</a><br /><br />--<br /><br />Yoooo, this is a quick note on <a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/867934/tesla-waymo-robotaxi-price-comparison-uber-lyft-obi">a link</a> that made me go, WTF? Find all past links <a href="https://www.everydays.wtf/tag/links/">here</a>.</p>