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Your regular host, Kirsten, handed me the reins for the day, Rebecca Veran, and I would like to talk about Aurora’s innovation and its last minute saves.
Aurora had pledged to launch the first fully autonomous trucking service in the United States this April after pushing back its original 2024 debut. Just a few minutes (proverbs) Aurora removed the victory.
Aurora operates more than 1,200 miles of cargo between Dallas and Houston this week, with launch customers Hirschbach Motor Lines and Uber Freight running. It’s using a single track for now. The Aurora will even build “dozens of self-driving trucks” and will expand to El Paso and Phoenix by the end of 2025.
This is a huge step for the Aurora and the industry. But is Aurora well located to grab that moment, as Trump’s tariffs stop many shipments, or is it possible that a long delay could threaten its survival?
Little bird
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Great deal!
Drone manufacturer Aerovironment has completed the acquisition of space and defense engineering company Bluehalo. With a $4.1 billion-all-share deal, the merged company will become a new kind of defense technology called AV, which allows it to build technology in all combat domains: air, land, sea, space, cyber and more.
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True Anomaly, an aerospace startup focused on defense building spacecraft and software for US national security missions, has raised $260 million in the Series C round led by VC Firm Accel.
Notable readings and other information
Self-driving cars
May Mobility is the latest to join Uber’s roster of autonomous vehicle collaborators. The two plan this week to deploy self-driving cars in May on the Uber platform by the end of 2025.
Chinese AV startup Momenta is also working with Uber. Two plans to launch Momenta Robotaxis on Uber platforms that will begin in Europe in 2026.
Waymo and Toyota are exploring transactions that could lead to new self-driving cars designed for passenger compartments and perhaps personal self-driving cars. It’s still in the early days, so think of it like a soft launch of their budding relationship.
Electric cars, charging, batteries
Canoo’s bankruptcy proceedings are still ongoing, with a mysterious London investor now calling on the judge to halt the CEO of EV Startup’s assets, calling it a “flawed process.” He has dumped a $20 million offer for assets that win a $4 million bid by Canoe CEO Anthony Aquila.
Libian has been sitting quite a bit in a battery stockpile due to trucks, SUVs and commercial vans that accumulated before and after Donald Trump’s election. This eases the hit on the president’s tariffs and is stricken at the automotive industry.
Slate Auto, a buzzy new Jeff Bezos-backed EV startup that broke out from stealth last week, has turned its eye to a printing factory in Warsaw, Indiana, where it looks to the future locations where it will produce cheap electric trucks of the future.
Tesla’s board reportedly began shopping for CEO Elon Musk’s successor after the chief cavalry in Washington underestimated the brand and its margins. Tesla Chairman Robin Denholm denied the report from the Wall Street Journal.
While we’re in charge of Tesla’s board, let’s focus on board member Joe Gebvia (who is also connected to Doge). Gebbia acquired approximately 4,000 Tesla shares at a value of $1 million.
others
Ford has closed its FNV4 Software Architecture Initiative. This is a project I thought was important to compete with EV leaders like Tesla. Close the initiative means finishing the long-standing development of vertically integrating vehicle software between Ford’s gas and electricity lineup.
Joby Aviation moved EVTOL from horizontal to vertical flight for the first time, with pilots mounted. This is a necessary step as the company is working towards FAA certification.
Ride comfort and delivery
Doordash hopes a California judge will dismiss a lawsuit filed by Uber accusing delivery companies of stifling competition by threatening restaurant owners to exclusive deals. Doordash said the lawsuit is nothing more than a scary tactic from Uber to avoid “real competition.”