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| Here is a look at today's 🦃 Thanksgiving 🍁 Transportation Briefing: - Berlin has proposed reintroducing Maglev trains🚄 for its public transport system.
- 🚗 Cruise announced plans to refocus its self-driving efforts solely on one city, signaling a strategic shift.
- 🚲 Forest secured additional capital for its micro-mobility e-bike platform.
Thanks for reading! Robel
p/Robel-Kelkile | |
| 1 | | A Florida judge ruled that Tesla and its executives knew about Autopilot defects yet allowed unsafe usage, giving the go-ahead to a trial seeking punitive damages for intentional misconduct and negligence. The lawsuit stems from a 2019 crash in Florida, where a Tesla Model 3 drove under a trailer, resulting in the driver's death. More: - Judge Reid Scott's ruling allows the family of the driver, who crashed while Autopilot was engaged, to seek punitive damages for intentional misconduct and gross negligence.
- In a recent verdict in California, a jury ruled in favor of Tesla, dismissing claims that Autopilot was responsible for the 2019 death of Tesla driver Micah Lee.
- Concerns emerged about Tesla's marketing portraying products as autonomous and Elon Musk's public statements affecting perceptions of Autopilot's capabilities.
- The judge's findings suggest top managers at Tesla were aware of Autopilot defects, possibly implicating Musk's involvement in the system's development.
- Tesla's stance could revolve around human error, mirroring successful defenses in previous cases, emphasizing human responsibility rather than Autopilot flaws.
- The ongoing case in the Circuit Court for Palm Beach County, Florida, signifies a pivotal moment for Tesla's Autopilot safety and potential liability.
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| 2 | | HumanForest, the parent company of micro-mobility e-bike startup Forest, raised an additional £5M in funding for their Series A round. Investors included Güil Mobility Ventures, Fen Ventures, Cabify executives, and Triodos Bank UK. More: - The funding brought the total Series A funding to £17M.
- Forest has completed over 2 million rides and reduced 250+ tonnes of CO2 in London.
- Forest has averaged a 35% average monthly growth, reaching half a million users and securing licenses in twelve London Boroughs.
- The company offers 50% more affordable trips than competitors over a 20-minute period, which has attracted a strong commuter user base, with over 50% of users taking multiple daily trips.
- The funding is earmarked for new advertising technology and parking compliance software to aid further growth.
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| 3 | | Cruise, the autonomous vehicle unit of GM, plans to focus its robotaxi efforts in just one city following safety concerns. Cruise did not name the city in which it plans to focus. More: - The decision to scale back resulted from safety incidents and regulatory issues, mainly in San Francisco, and follows the departure of former CEO Kyle Vogt, who resigned this week.
- A pedestrian in October was stuck under a Cruise vehicle following a hit-and-run incident, which triggered a police investigation.
- In August the company reduced the number of vehicles it had in San Francisco after a Cruise robotaxi collided with a fire truck.
- Despite setbacks, GM and Honda still plan to launch a ride-hailing service in Japan in 2026.
- Cruise is still waiting for federal approval to manufacture 5,000 Origins for public road deployment over two years.
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| 4 | | Berlin's ruling party, Christian Democrats, have proposed an €80M test track for driverless maglev trains. The plan aims to reintroduce maglev, which stands for "magnetic levitation," technology for urban transit despite its historically limited use in cities. More: - Despite skepticism from passenger groups and sustainability advocates, proponents argue that maglev tracks offer cost-effective and swift construction compared to other transit alternatives.
- The maglev technology employs electromagnets to elevate trains, allowing for high-speed travel and potential energy efficiency benefits.
- Berlin had a brief stint with maglev technology in the late 1980s with the M-Bahn, a mile-long line serving three stations along the Berlin Wall's western side.
- The M-Bahn was constructed to bridge a service gap caused by the wall but was dismantled after reunification, rendering it unnecessary for transit purposes.
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| 5 | | Pakistan-based ridesharing startup BusCaro secured $1.5M in pre-seed funding. Orbit Startups led the round with additional participation from Wahed Ventures and angel investors from the mobility sectors. More: - The platform facilitates ride bookings through an app with a unique B2B2C model catering to universities and factories for student and worker transportation.
- Safety measures encompass driver background checks, vehicle inspections, and real-time tracking, complemented by an emergency response team and 24/7 customer support.
- Specific safety features cater to women, such as using a masked name, and upcoming features like a panic/SOS button for direct contact with BusCaro's safety partner.
- BusCaro has operations in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, operating over 300 vehicles, handling 20,000+ daily bookings, and targeting profitability by early 2024.
- The startup's business model focuses on leveraging partnerships with corporate and academic institutions, significantly reducing customer acquisition costs and ensuring affordability for a wider demographic.
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| 6 | | Glencore announced it is scrapping plans for an EV battery recycling plant in Sardinia, Italy. The move comes amid authorization delays, specifically pertaining to the environmental impact assessment by Sardinia's regional government. More: - Glencore and Li-Cycle intended to build a pilot plant to extract lithium and other valuable metals from used car batteries.
- In a statement, several labor unions said the cancellation was due to the lack of clear deadlines for permitting.
- Glencore and Li-Cycle have indicated that they still plan to build the facility elsewhere but have not said where.
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- The mayor of Paris indicated that transportation and homeless shelter infrastructure won't be ready on time for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics games.
- The Seattle City Council narrowly declined the introduction of development fees to raise funds for transportation purposes.
- Cargo volumes at the Port of Oakland experienced a 12% year-over-year decrease in October.
- Walmart will implement parcel stations to enhance delivery speed and increase delivery density.
- Experience exciting new stories of innovation from prominent brands like LEGO, Ben and Jerry's, Delta, and VMware on Adobe's The Power of Teamwork podcast.*
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 | Writer | | Born and raised in the Bay Area, Robel Kelkile is passionate about all things tech, venture, and financial education. He has previously served both universities and state governments in their engagement strategy and tracking legislation. | | This newsletter was edited by Eduardo Garcia | |
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