Waymo

Nimble Robotics raises $50M for fulfillment automation

Nimble Robotics, an e-commerce warehouse automation company, announced a $50 million Series A financing round led by DNS Capital and GSR Ventures with participation from Accel and Reinvent Capital. Nimble plans to use the funds to deploy more robots to its customers and expedite hiring for further product and technology development. 

Nimble also announced the appointment of two new board members: Fei-Fei Li, a Sequoia professor of computer science at Stanford University, and Sebastian Thrun,...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/nimble-robotics-raises-$50m-for-fulfillment-automation

Are SPACs redirecting blank check love to self-driving truck startups?

As the special purpose acquisition companies’ (SPACs) love affair with electric vehicle startups cools, infatuation backed by blank check-writing investors may blossom for self-driving truck startups.

After several months of stock price run-ups in SPAC-sponsored electric vehicle and infrastructure companies, prices have fallen dramatically in recent weeks. In some cases, they are edging close to their original $10-per-share offering price.

One target in the shift from electrification appears to...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/are-spacs-redirecting-blank-check-love-to-self-driving-truck-startups?

9 questions with Daimler Trucks North America CEO Roger Nielsen

Freightliner dealers in the American Southwest should be on the lookout for Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) CEO Roger Nielsen. He is taking one final motor-home tour and playing secret shopper before officially retiring April 30.

“I usually just show up and go into the parts department, and usually something’s broken. Nothing major, like lost hub nut covers,” he said. “But, hey, you can always use DEF (diesel exhaust fluid).”

Freightliner Custom Chassis Corp. builds the chassis on which the...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/9-questions-with-daimler-trucks-north-america-ceo-roger-nielsen

Torc Robotics gets help to analyze self-driving Freightliner data

Torc Robotics generates millions of gigabytes of data testing self-driving Freightliner Cascadias for Daimler Truck AG. Now it is contracting with Amazon’s cloud business for faster analysis.

Amazon Web Services Inc. (AWS) will manage data transfer, storage and compute capacity as Torc prepares to deploy its second generation Class 8 self-driving trucks in New Mexico and Virginia. 

The size of the fleet is growing. More data is being created. Engineering teams in the U.S. and Germany need help...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/torc-robotics-gets-help-to-analyze-self-driving-freightliner-data

DOT lays out strategy for automated trucking

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released on Monday a strategy for integrating automated driving systems (ADS) into the commercial trucking and passenger vehicle sectors.

The 38-page Automated Vehicles Comprehensive Plan (AVCP), which will be published in the Federal Register for public review and comment, “lays out a vision for the safe integration of automated vehicles into America’s transportation system while ensuring that legitimate concerns about safety, security, and privacy...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/dot-lays-out-strategy-for-automated-trucking

News Alert: Is Daimler Trucks going to go it alone?

Daimler AG is planning an initial public offering (IPO) of Daimler Trucks in late 2021, the German newspaper Handelsblatt reported Tuesday. Stuttgart-based Daimler AG is the parent company of Daimler Trucks and Mercedes-Benz autos.

The newspaper said Daimler wanted to unlock the value of the truck unit. Daimler is a world market share leader in on-highway heavy- and medium-duty trucks. Its brands include Freightliner, Western Star, Fuso and Mercedes-Benz Trucks.

Mercedes-Benz has been under...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/news-alert-is-daimler-trucks-going-to-go-it-alone

Daimler partners with Luminar in autonomous truck pursuit

Daimler Truck AG is partnering with Luminar Technologies to integrate LiDAR sensing and perception software into Level 4 autonomous long-haul heavy-duty trucks. It is Daimler’s third move to acquire hardware and software expertise in driverless truck technology.

Earlier this week, Daimler announced a partnership with Alphabet’s Waymo autonomous vehicle unit to use Waymo Technology. Daimler purchased Torc Robotics, a Virginia-based automated driving technology company, in March 2019.

Daimler also...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/daimler-partners-with-luminar-in-autonomous-truck-pursuit

The Daily Dash: Drug test failures jump; TRATON puts forward best offer for Navistar

The Daily Dash is a quick look at what is happening in the freight ecosystem. In today’s edition, September saw an increase in truck driver drug test failures. Plus, TRATON makes a final offer in its bid to acquire Navistar and Waymo pulls back the curtain – a little bit – on its autonomous technology.

More drivers failing drug tests

Positive drug tests among truck drivers increased 8% in September, and most have not started the return-to-duty process to regain their eligible status to drive.

John...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/the-daily-dash-drug-test-failures-jump-traton-puts-forward-best-offer-for-navistar

Uber eyes ride-hailing business of $1.4 billion BMW-Daimler mobility venture

Uber eyes ride-hailing business of $1.4 billion BMW-Daimler mobility venture (Photo: FreeNow Spain)

Uber is in talks with German automakers Daimler AG and BMW AG to acquire their ride-hailing joint venture FreeNow, as reported by Bloomberg. If this deal goes through, Uber can significantly improve its market share in Europe, as FreeNow operates in more than 100 European cities.

A FreeNow buyout would be another high-profile deal for Uber, following its agreement to acquire Middle East-based ride-hailing company Careem for $1.7 billion, finalized earlier this year. 

This has been a major...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/uber-eyes-ride-hailing-business-of-1-4-billion-bmw-daimler-mobility-venture

The Daily Dash: Truckload sector shines bright; Amazon drones ready to fly

The Daily Dash is a quick look at what is happening in the freight ecosystem. In today’s edition, at least one analyst believes the truckload sector is ready to run in the second half of 2020. Plus, Amazon gets approval for drone delivery, Dallas is the new center of the autonomous world, and what to know to get through a visit from an insurance underwriter.

Truckload earnings shine bright

At least one analyst believes in the truckload market. An analyst with UBS (NYSE: UBS) has raised his...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-daily-dash-truckload-sector-shines-bright-amazon-drones-ready-to-fly

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