Waymo
26 analyses mentioning Waymo, newest first.
Uber's Expansion Strategy: From Rides to 'Super-App' Ecosystem and AV Data Moats
Uber is aggressively expanding into a 'super-app' ecosystem by integrating financial services, travel bookings, and a new data-collection layer for its AV efforts.
Tech Leadership at a Crossroads: The 'AI Psychosis' Debate and Market Clarity
The discussion among tech leaders highlights deep skepticism about AI's immediate job replacement capability, contrasting it with concrete market signals from major autonomous vehicle and venture funding deals.
DoorDash Leverages Couriers for AI Training Data
DoorDash announced the launch of a ‘Tasks’ app allowing delivery couriers to earn money by completing activities designed to train AI and robotic systems, including filming everyday tasks and documenting language interactions.
Pichai's Massive Paycheck: A Billionaire's Status Update
Sundar Pichai's latest compensation package, totaling $692 million, highlights the shifting wealth landscape among top tech executives, particularly in the context of California’s billionaire tax.
Google Intensifies Physical AI Push with Strategic Intrinsic Acquisition
Google is bolstering its foray into physical AI by acquiring Intrinsic, a robotics software company, leveraging Google DeepMind and Gemini AI models.
Uber Launches AI Grocery Assistant ‘Cart Assistant’
Uber Eats has introduced ‘Cart Assistant,’ an AI-powered feature that helps users build grocery lists and populate their carts through text or image prompts, initially launching with support for Albertsons, Aldi, CVS, Kroger, Safeway, Sprouts, Walgreens, Wegmans, and more.
Waymo Uses AI to Simulate Extreme 'Edge Cases' for Autonomous Vehicle Testing
Waymo is leveraging Google’s Genie world-building AI model to generate highly realistic simulated environments, including improbable scenarios like tornadoes and elephant encounters, to rigorously test its autonomous vehicle technology and prepare its ‘Waymo Driver’ for rare situations.
OpenClaw: The Wild West of Personal AI Takes a New Name
After a legal challenge, the viral open-source AI assistant formerly known as Clawdbot has rebranded as OpenClaw, reflecting its evolving community-driven development.
CES 2026: A Robotics and Innovation Showcase – Nvidia, Waymo, and Emerging Tech
CES 2026 is delivering a packed agenda of emerging technologies, with Nvidia, Waymo, and a diverse range of startups leading the charge. From robotics and AI-powered culinary solutions to innovative wearables and personalized beauty tech, the show floor is brimming with new advancements.
Equity Previews 2026: AI, IPOs, and VC Shifts
TechCrunch’s Equity crew forecasts 2026, predicting AI agent resurgence, potential Hollywood AI battles, and significant shifts in the venture capital landscape.
Waymo Secretly Testing Google Gemini AI Assistant in Robotaxis
Waymo is quietly integrating Google’s Gemini AI chatbot into its robotaxis, according to a leaked system prompt discovered by Jane Manchun Wong. The detailed specifications reveal the assistant’s capabilities, including answering rider queries and controlling in-cabin functions, showcasing a significant step towards personalized and interactive autonomous driving.
AI Air Traffic Control: Startup Akara Targets Hospital OR Chaos
Akara, a startup featured on Time’s Best Inventions of 2025, is developing an AI-powered system to optimize hospital operating room scheduling and coordination, aiming to reduce wasted time and improve efficiency.
Waymo Robotaxi Service Suspended in San Francisco Due to Blackout
A widespread power outage in San Francisco forced Waymo to temporarily suspend its robotaxi service, with numerous vehicles stalled on city streets, highlighting the vulnerabilities of autonomous systems to unpredictable events.
HyprLabs' Clever Approach to Autonomous Vehicle Training Sparks Debate
Startup HyprLabs is quietly revolutionizing autonomous vehicle software training with a novel approach using hacked Tesla Model 3s and a 'run-time learning' system, collecting a surprisingly small amount of data while demonstrating impressive driving capabilities.
Waymo Robotaxi Delivers Baby to Hospital – A Tradition Continues
A pregnant woman in San Francisco gave birth inside a Waymo robotaxi while en route to UCSF Medical Center, marking another unexpected milestone in the evolution of autonomous vehicle technology.
Waymo Under Federal Probe Over School Bus Near Misses
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Waymo following multiple reports of its robotaxis illegally passing stopped school buses in Austin, Texas.
Simular Raises $21.5M Series A with Novel Agentic Approach
Simular, a startup developing AI agents for Mac OS and Windows, has secured a $21.5 million Series A investment led by Felicis, leveraging a unique agentic architecture designed to mitigate hallucination issues in LLM-based task completion.
Waymo Expands Autonomous Operation Across California
Waymo has received official authorization to operate its robotaxis across a significantly expanded area of California, including much of the Bay Area and Southern California, paving the way for broader deployment and further testing.
Wayve’s Hesitant Robotaxi: A Human-Like Test in London's Chaos
Robert Hart reports on Wayve’s initial robotaxi trial in London, highlighting the company's cautiously human approach to autonomous driving in the city's notoriously complex streets, emphasizing its successes and the challenges of creating a truly adaptable AI.
Silicon Valley’s Spiritual Reboot: AI as the New Messiah?
Amidst technological and philosophical shifts, Silicon Valley figures are increasingly embracing religion, culminating in the rise of AI as a potential object of worship and a reflection of humanity’s own search for meaning.
GM Doubles Down on AI and Autonomous Driving with Escalade IQ
General Motors is shifting its focus to hands-free driving and AI-powered features, spearheaded by the upcoming Cadillac Escalade IQ in 2028, following setbacks in its EV and robotaxi initiatives.
Silicon Valley Shifts: AI Safety 'Uncool' as Innovation Prioritized
As OpenAI removes guardrails and Wall Street increasingly favors unburdened AI development, the tech industry is signaling a move away from prioritizing AI safety regulations, raising concerns about the balance between innovation and responsible development.
Waymo Extends NYC Robotaxi Testing, Signaling Expansion
Waymo has secured an extension of its autonomous vehicle testing permit in New York City, allowing continued operation of its Jaguar I-Pace robotaxis through the end of 2025, marking a significant step towards potential commercial robotaxi service launch in the challenging urban environment.
Meta’s AR Ambitions Face Reality, California Doubles Down on AI Safety
This week’s Equity podcast unpacks Meta’s ambitious AR/AI plans, including a troubled demo of their wristband-controlled smart glasses and Jack Altman’s significant funding round. Meanwhile, California is enacting new AI safety legislation, reflecting growing concerns about the technology's rapid advancement.
Live Demo Fails, AI Safety Wins: A 'Golden Age of Robotics' Emerges
This week's Equity podcast unpacks key AI developments, including Meta's unsuccessful AR/AI demos, Jack Altman’s significant funding round, and the emergence of robotaxis in Nashville, alongside new AI safety legislation impacting Big Tech.
Waymo CEO Tekedra Mawakana to Offer Reality Check on Autonomous Vehicles at TechCrunch Disrupt
Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana will discuss the realistic challenges and scaling efforts of autonomous vehicle deployment at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, offering a grounded perspective beyond the hype surrounding self-driving technology.