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TechCrunch Mobility: A robotaxi ultimatum
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I am back from vacation. What did I miss? Turns out, quite a lot — including the end of the Uber-Waymo partnership in Phoenix. Uber and Waymo still have robotaxi service partnerships in Atlanta and Austin. The question is not if, but when will these agreements end? But that isn’t the most intriguing question, in my opinion. I am far more intrigued by how these two companies will behave once the remaining partnerships end.
There is already tension with Uber executives taking not-so-subtle shots at Waymo. I expect that once the partnerships end, these thinly veiled barbs will be replaced with more direct action. One battleground will be policy, specifically markets where robotaxi companies are angling to get access.
This week, we saw another interesting development in the autonomous vehicle industry on the federal stage. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration administrator Jonathan Morrison issued a directive to autonomous vehicle developers, stating that it is unacceptable for their vehicles to interfere with first responders or law enforcement.
The money quote: “Let me be clear: the inability to detect and appropriately respond to such situations represents a functional insufficiency. Emergency scenes are not rare or extreme ‘edge cases.’ As such, NHTSA is today issuing a call to action for AV developers and operators to immediately focus their resources on fixing this issue.”
Morrison’s letter never calls out any one robotaxi company and it was sent to every AV developer listed in the Department of Transportation’s Standing General Order. But it sure seems like Morrison is directing the agency’s ire at Waymo.
A previous TechCrunch investigation found that Waymo — which operates the largest robotaxi fleet in the United States, with vehicles in cities such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco — has had repeated run-ins with first responders. And just this week, San Francisco supervisor Bilal Mahmood said he plans to submit a letter of inquiry to examine how autonomous vehicles affected public transit services and emergency responders following a July 4 fireworks show that resulted in massive gridlock. Local news outlets reported that numerous Waymo robotaxis had to be towed after running out of power during the lengthy traffic jam.
Morrison’s letter has gravitas. But will there be substantive consequences for AV developers? It’s hard to tell at this point. For now, the NHTSA has demanded companies present the agency with “solutions” by the end of the month.
One more news item from the feds. Take a look at the new 2026 Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda, which was updated last week. It contains a long list of proposed changes to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) requirements, which govern vehicle design and equipment requirements. These proposed changes could help autonomous vehicle companies like Tesla and Zoox, which are developing vehicles without steering wheels, pedals, or other features required on human-driven cars.
A little bird
Got a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com or my Signal at kkorosec.07, or email Sean O’Kane at sean.okane@techcrunch.com.
Deals!
We usually focus on venture deals, but this week I wanted to highlight Rivian and the sale of 86.25 million Class A common shares priced at $15.50 each (that includes an added 11.25 million in additional shares that underwriters opted to buy).
In all, Rivian said it expects to raise $1.32 billion in new capital. The raise comes at a notable time for the EV maker. The company started delivering its new R2 SUV last month and recently raised its sales forecast for 2026. The company said it now expects to deliver between 65,000 and 70,000 vehicles after outperforming its own expectations in the second quarter due to robust growth quarter-over-quarter in EDV and R1, coupled with the introduction of R2 deliveries.
The company didn’t explain the reason for the raise. But as a reminder, Rivian is not yet profitable and scaling up production of the R2 — or any vehicle for that matter — isn’t cheap!
Other deals that got my attention …
Bidbus, a Los Angeles-based startup that built a digital marketplace where multiple dealers can bid on a car, raised $15 million in a Series A funding round led by Ibex Investors. Mucker Capital, FJ Labs, Motley Fool Ventures, Data Point Capital, Walter Ventures, and the Car Dealership Guy’s Yossi Levi also participated.
Lyft said it plans to acquire Serveo’s bike-share business in Spain. Terms weren’t disclosed, but the ride-hailing company said it is expected to close this year.
TaiSan, a U.K. battery startup, raised £4.65 million in a seed funding round co-led by Eos Advisory and the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II. InnoEnergy, AFI Ventures, EverQuest Capital Partners, Exergon, Heartfelt Ventures, Adeline Arts & Science, Techmind, angel investor François Badelon, and matched funding from Innovate UK also participated.
Notable reads and other tidbits
AssuranceAmerica, a U.S. insurance provider, confirmed a data breach that affected the personal information and driver’s license numbers of 6.9 million people, making it the largest known spill of Americans’ driver’s license information this year.
Beta Technologies, the electric vehicle takeoff and landing developer, completed operational flights conducted under the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration’s new eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. The flights covered about 275 nautical miles covering Virginia and Maryland.
Longtime followers of Tesla will remember the heady days when Elon Musk battled various short sellers of the company’s stock. Musk is more polarizing than ever, and one exchange-traded fund creator has found a way to tap into that negative sentiment with two new anti-Elon exchange-traded funds.
GM brand Chevrolet built an all-American EV truck. Senior reporter Tim De Chant asks, Why is nobody buying it?
Manna Aero, the Ireland-based autonomous drone delivery startup, is scaling up in the United States with a factory and operations center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that it says will employ 1,000 in the next few years.
Slate Auto teamed up with Crayola to offer its EV truck and SUV customers vehicle wraps in five crayon colors. (Reminder: The basic Slate EV vehicle isn’t painted. Instead, it comes in a gray composite material that can be customized with a vehicle wrap. The company has hundreds of options to choose from.)
One more thing …
TechCrunch podcast Build Mode just launched its third season, and it’s a banger. Build Mode is hosted by Isabelle Johannessen, who heads TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield program. Unlike Equity — the TC podcast I co-host along with Anthony Ha and Sean O’Kane — Build Mode is designed to help early-stage founders.
The new season kicks off with Precursor Ventures founder and managing partner Charles Hudson, who talks about what early-stage founders need to know before raising their first institutional round.
Check it out: The new rules of early-stage fundraising with Charles Hudson.
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.
The Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) has recorded a major milestone with the introduction of In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) service provision to restore hopes of childless couples.
The milestone was recorded by a team of the hospital’s assisted reproductive health technology and others.
The Chief Consultant Gynaecologist and IVF Specialist at AKTH, Dr Ibrahim Rais, disclosed this in a video shared on the hospital’s official Facebook page.
Mr Rais said the team collected eggs from two women, while semen samples were also collected from their husbands for the next stage of the IVF procedure.
“Today marks a great milestone in the history of AKTH and the IVF service provision in the institution.
“The hospital’s Chief Medical Director, CMD, Abdulrahman Sheshe and his team has been working assiduously and today we have achieved this great milestone of the first egg collection in this institution.
“We have collected eggs from two women and also collected semen samples from their husbands. The eggs collected will be fertilised with their husbands’ sperm and we hope to achieve success.
“We are going to continue the service provision with three more patients and then we cap it up on Sunday with the last patient,” he said.
Mr Rais said commencement of the service would bring the service close to the population and restore hope among couples suffering from infertility.
“It is also important to note that starting IVF services in AKTH has been a very important development because the center will form one of points for service provision to the teeming population needing IVF services.
“It will form a centre of excellence for training in the field of Obstetric and Gynaecologist and Reproductive medicine.
“We have extracted more than a dozen eggs for now. Embryologists are working assiduously to ensure that there is fertilisation by sperm of the patients that had the procedure.
“We will go on to get more eggs that will generate more embryos and translate to potential more Nigerians,” Mr Rais said.
Similarly, the hospital in a statement on its official handle, said the milestone was achieved through the collaborative efforts of AKTH staff, specialist reproductive health experts from Jos and Abuja, and two embryologists.
It described the development as a significant step towards expanding advanced fertility services and bringing hope closer to residents.
Meanwhile, the hospital congratulated the the AKTH team for attaining the feat.
(NAN)
Three promising Nigerian youngsters — Raheem Moyinoluwa Salaudeen, Fawas Ayomide Adeleke and Jacob Obiora Iyida — are taking another important step in their football development after being registered for trial opportunities in the United Kingdom.
The trio, who are associated with Buruj Football Club and Buruj Sports Academy, will have the opportunity to experience football in a different environment while testing themselves against talented players in the UK.
Read Also: “When We Honour Our Legends, We Invest in the Future” — SSA Adeboye Commends Ex-Internationals Cup
The registration is part of Buruj’s wider commitment to creating international pathways for young Nigerian footballers and providing them with opportunities to gain exposure beyond the domestic football system.
For Raheem, Fawas and Jacob, the UK opportunity represents more than simply a football trial. It is a chance to learn, adapt and understand the demands of playing in a different football culture.
The three youngsters have continued to show commitment and determination throughout their development, and their latest opportunity provides another platform to showcase the qualities they have developed through their time in Nigeria.
Speaking about the opportunity, Raheem Salaudeen said:
“This is a big opportunity for us and we are grateful to everyone who has supported our journey. We want to go there, learn as much as possible, compete with confidence and show what Nigerian young players can do.”
Fawas Adeleke also expressed his determination to make the most of the experience:
“I see this as an opportunity to improve myself and understand a different style of football. I want to work hard, listen to the coaches and make every opportunity count. Hopefully, this will open another door for my career.”
For Jacob Obiora Iyida, the focus is equally clear — continue learning, gaining experience and taking another step towards his professional ambitions.
“I’m excited about the opportunity because playing outside Nigeria has always been one of my goals. I know there is a lot to learn, so I want to stay focused, work hard and show my best whenever I get the chance.”
Buruj Football Club and Buruj Sports Academy believe international exposure can play a significant role in the development of young footballers, allowing them to experience different coaching philosophies, tactical approaches and football cultures.
The academy’s development philosophy also places emphasis on education and personal development, ensuring that young players are prepared not only for possible professional careers but also for life beyond football.
The UK trip therefore represents another stage in a broader development pathway designed to help Nigerian youngsters build confidence, experience and international connections.
For Raheem, Fawas and Jacob, the message is simple: the opportunity has arrived, and now it is time to make it count.
From Nigeria to the United Kingdom, another chapter begins—with bigger dreams ahead.
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