autonomous vehicles

Today’s Pickup: Saudi Arabia and Russia push for extending oil output cuts

Saudi Arabia and Russia push for extending oil output cuts (Photo: Shutterstock)

Good day,

OPEC and non-OPEC countries are looking to convene and decide the extension of their oil output cuts, which will help strengthen oil prices that have been climbing steadily since their April lows. Major oil powers Saudi Arabia and Russia are reportedly supporting a one-month extension of the current level of output cuts. 

Oil prices have shown a sustained recovery over the last few weeks, after the industry saw WTI oil futures crash below zero, and Brent crude futures nearly touch their...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/todays-pickup-saudi-arabia-and-russia-push-for-extending-oil-output-cuts

Self-driving startup partners with CVS on autonomous medical delivery

Nuro CVS

The coronavirus pandemic is accelerating a shakeout in the autonomous vehicle industry, but that doesn’t mean well-capitalized companies aren’t moving full speed ahead with new ventures. To wit, self-driving company Nuro has announced a pilot project with CVS Pharmacy, in which the Silicon Valley startup will deliver medications via autonomous robotic vehicles in several Houston neighborhoods.

The pilot will launch this month. Deliveries will be free to customers for orders through CVS.com or...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/self-driving-startup-partners-with-cvs-on-autonomous-medical-delive

OTTO Motors secures $29M to scale self-driving robot platform globally

An OTTO Motors self-driving robot

Clearpath Robotics’ OTTO Motors has closed on $29 million in Series C funding to place more of its self-driving robots into warehouses and manufacturing facilities across the world.

Ontario-based OTTO announced the new funding today, June 1. Investors include Kensington Private Equity Investors, BMO Capital Partners, Export Development Canada (EDC) iNovia Capital and RRE Ventures. 

OTTO produces three models of autonomous robots that operate on a proprietary platform for warehouses and...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/otto-motors-secures-29m-to-scale-self-driving-robot-platform-globally

Amazon is serious about self-driving technology, eyeing multi-billion dollar acquisition

Amazon is serious about self-driving technology, eyeing multi-billion dollar acquisition (Photo: Zoox)

Amazon is under discussion with self-driving technology startup Zoox in an acquisition attempt that would value the company at less than the $3.2 billion it had when it raised funding in 2018. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the companies are still in talks, and a finalized agreement might not be reached for several weeks. 

Zoox was founded to develop software and hardware needed to create an ecosystem of electric-powered self-driving taxis, which users can call on via a smartphone...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/amazon-is-serious-about-self-driving-technology-eyeing-multi-billion-dollar-acquisition

Another fundraise, as self-driving startup Waymo’s investment hits $3 billion in 2020

Waymo raises another $750 million for self-driving technology development (Photo: Waymo)

Waymo, the autonomous driving unit of Alphabet, announced Tuesday that it has raised a further $750 million in external investment. This investment is right behind the $2.25 billion financing the company raised in March — its first-ever non-Alphabet investment. 

Waymo’s idea of raising $3 billion in external investment when its parent company is cash-rich Alphabet might raise some eyebrows. However, companies like Waymo and Cruise, the autonomous vehicle (AV) unit of General Motors, going for...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/another-fundraise-as-self-driving-startup-waymos-investment-hits-3-billion-in-2020

Gatik puts autonomous box trucks on the road (with video)

Gatik, a Palo Alto, California-based autonomous vehicle startup, on Wednesday unveiled its fleet of autonomous box trucks aimed at servicing the so-called “middle mile,” the leg of the delivery that connects distribution centers and retail stores.

The trucks range from 11 to 20 feet long, and are capable of delivering ambient, cold and frozen products.

Founded in 2017, Gatik has been using roobovans to move groceries for Walmart and other retailers since last summer. The startup deployed the box...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/gatik-unveils-autonomous-box-truck-fleet

TuSimple taps UPS and Walmart execs to head strategy and fleet operations

TuSimple, an autonomous trucking technology company, has hired UPS (NYSE: UPS) and Walmart (NYSE: WMT) leaders to head its strategy and fleet operations, as the China- and San Diego-based company apparently staves off the economic carnage that has hit other startups in the self-driving industry.

Lee White, who spent 35 years at UPS in various leadership roles, will serve as TuSimple’s vice president of strategy. Conrad Miller, who spent 15 years as an executive in Walmart’s technology and...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/tusimple-taps-ups-and-walmart-execs-to-head-strategy-and-fleet-operations

Major changes programmed for logistics: threats or opportunities?

Environmental change is not the only key trend which will significantly shape business models, but it is important to look at coming change together to see how businesses will need to progress.
“The changes we know are coming are digitalisation, emissions reduction, constraints of labour and changing consumer behaviour driven by e-commerce,” said Frank Verhoeven, chief executive of Vos Logistics.
“The questions then are how will they affect us; when; are they …

The post Major changes programmed...

https://theloadstar.com/major-changes-programmed-for-logistics-threats-or-opportunities/

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