2022 is the year that makes us think “a good time to be alive and report on traffic.” This year has been absolutely dominated by conversations surrounding the realities of bringing self-driving cars to market, the potential upheaval of the gig economy, the micromobility drama, and of course, all things Tesla.
We reviewed our top performing traffic stories to determine what matters most to you, our dear readers.
Image credits: Argo artificial intelligence
Self-driving car startup Argo AI debuted in 2017 with a $1 billion investment. Today, the company is defunct after Ford and Volkswagen pulled their capital.
This shocked the AV world, especially since Argo has been running a robotaxi pilot Lyft in Austin with Testing fully driverless technology in MiamiThe company’s demise shows two things: (1) a new round of consolidation among self-driving technology companies is on the horizon; and (2) mass deployment of Level 4 autonomous driving technology is far away.
Both Ford and VW have decided to use their investments for more near-term avenues to profitability, specifically level 2 and 3 autonomous driving, or advanced driver assistance systems. Ford CEO Jim Farley also said He believes automakers don’t need to develop L4 technology themselves, but can outsource it.
Image credits: Bolt Mobility
This is the traffic mystery of the year. What happened to Bolt Mobility, the Miami-based micromobility startup co-founded by Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt? Back in August, we reported on the company pulling out and disappearing in several of its US markets, leaving behind abandoned devices, unanswered calls and emails, and a host of problem cities. It also left unpaid fees for at least one city, Portland.
No one — neither TechCrunch nor many city officials — was able to get in touch with the company to ask what happened and what it planned to do with all the equipment the company had left on the ground.
The company appears to have collapsed — it has been inactive on social media since July — despite gaining momentum the year before. Bolt’s acquisition of Last Mile Holdings’ assets starting in 2021 opens up 48 new markets for the startup. It just goes to show that micromobility is a tough game to win, even when it looks like the odds are in your favor.
If anyone knows anything about Bolt Mobility, I’d still love to know what’s going on there.
Image credits: chrysler
Because who doesn’t like a roundup? At the New York Auto Show in April, traditional automakers and startups came together to showcase their electric vehicle offerings. Here are the issues that caught our attention this year:
- Alfa Romeo’s first compact crossover, the 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale.
- this Chrysler Airflow Graphite Concept Cara stylish crossover with Level 3 capabilities.
- Jeep’s Grand Cherokee High Altitude 4xe, a full-size hybrid SUV.
- Deus Automobiles’ curvy sports car, the Vayanne EV supercar.
- Indi EV’s Indi One, a “lifestyle-focused” crossover with a built-in gaming computer.
- Kia’s subcompact SUV, the 2023 Niro, is available with a hybrid, PHEV or EV powertrain.
- Kia also showed off its EV9 concept, a boxy SUV expected to hit the U.S. market in 2023.
- Genesis X Speedium Concept, a coupe with a bold design.
- Two SUVs from Vinfast, VF8 and VF9.
Image credits: Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images
A day before Tesla opens its Berlin Gigafactory in March, CEO Elon Musk teased the release of Tesla’s “Master Plan Part 3,” which largely Themes of reliance on artificial intelligence and scaling operations to “extreme scale”.
“Tesla’s main theme will be scaling to the extreme scale necessary to wean humans off fossil fuels and artificial intelligence,” Musk said. tweets then. “But I’ll also include sections on SpaceX, Tesla, and The Boring Company.”
Part 3 of Tesla’s master plan starts with mentions of Musk’s other companies. Note: This was posted before Musk bought Twitter.
Quick review of Parts 1 and 2. The first part was published in a 2006 blog post outlining Tesla’s proof-of-concept involving building a sports car and using the funds to make a more affordable car while providing zero-emissions electricity generation. the second partComing out a decade later, plans to develop battery storage and launch new models, including pickup trucks and SUVs, were discussed.
Later this year, Musk revealed more details about the third part of his master plan. In a company-wide meeting, the program’s raison d’être was: “How do you get to a scale enough to really change the entire energy infrastructure on the planet?”
Image credits: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Russia’s war in Ukraine sent global gas prices surging earlier this year. In March, when the war started, Uber and Lyft responded: temporary fuel surcharge Charge riders a fee to help drivers cover rising fuel costs.
Rideshare Guy, a blog and podcast dedicated to helping rideshare drivers earn more and keep up with industry news, surveyed its Uber and Lyft driver community in the U.S. and found that 43% quit or Reduced driving time is due to high gas prices. That figure was 53 percent before the fuel surcharge was announced.
Many drivers say the surcharge is not enough and would like to see a per-mile surcharge to account for increased fuel costs on longer trips rather than a flat fee.
One Lyft driver told TechCrunch that the surcharge is “an insult to drivers.”
This article is relevant today because it encapsulates a number of themes — our ability as a species to panic when prices of hot items rise; the continued deterioration of gig workers; It never seems to work in a meaningful way.
Another big story this year is Department of Labor’s Proposed Ruling on Gig Worker Status, And the subsequent plunge in share prices of app-based companies. If passed, the rule would make it easier for gig workers to apply for employment status if they can prove they are financially dependent on a company. Drivers who feel they have not only been impacted by macroeconomic events, but have little protection from Uber and Lyft may be praying for real change at the federal level.
