Archive
All writing, page 6
The Waymo–Uber deal put fleet work inside the partnership
Waymo supplied the driverless system in Austin and Atlanta; Uber supplied demand and fleet operations. The work split was the story.
Rivian's R3 is the right size. The price is still a promise.
Rivian showed the compact R3 and R3X in 2024, but it had not published firm prices or production dates.
Uber and BYD promised 100,000 EVs. Driver costs decide whether it matters.
The 2024 Uber–BYD deal targeted 100,000 EVs across several markets. The test is drivers' cost after financing, charging, and downtime.
Motional paused robotaxis because a working demo was not a business
Motional's 2024 pause separated technical progress from the cost of running a paid, driverless fleet.
Bird's Chapter 11 made scooter uptime a financial question
Bird entered Chapter 11 in December 2023 with financing to keep operating. Useful scooters still needed a workable repair and fleet model.
Xfinity's breach exposed the time between a patch and protection
Attackers reached Xfinity systems after Citrix disclosed a vulnerability in October 2023. The response timeline matters as much as the patch.
Mercedes' turquoise lights signal a limited driving mode
Mercedes won California and Nevada approvals for turquoise automated-driving lights in 2023. A signal still needed people to understand its limits.
Bolt's layoffs left its checkout advantage unclear
Bolt's December 2023 staff cuts made me question its checkout advantage. A four-day workweek was a hiring perk, not a business case.
Lime's concert surge tested the fleet between busy nights
Lime saw a 2023 concert-ridership lift. The real operating test was handling the surge and retaining riders afterward.
Adobe lost the Figma deal. It kept the competitive problem.
Adobe and Figma ended their $20 billion merger plan in December 2023. Figma's collaboration advantage survived the failed deal.