TechCrunch Mobility: Uber bets on its former CEO

AI Summary

Tesla's Q2 earnings revealed concerning robotaxi data, with paid miles dropping 36% quarter-over-quarter despite cumulative figures appearing to show growth. Elon Musk disclosed that Tesla must collect Cybercab-specific driving data using retrofitted vehicles with manual controls, contradicting previous claims that its existing 10-million-car fleet data would be sufficient. Financially, Tesla's CapEx doubled, free cash flow turned negative, and net income fell 5% year-over-year. Travis Kalanick's holding company Atoms secured a major funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, with notable participation from Uber — which reportedly invested $100 million six months prior. Atoms plans to focus on industrial AI and physical automation, particularly through its Pronto subsidiary in mining and transport. Other notable developments include Aurora launching next-generation driverless trucks on its Dallas-Houston route, Ford integrating Apple Maps into its upcoming EVs, a new IIHS study showing Waymo's crash rate is 68% lower than human drivers, Mobileye's CEO Amnon Shashua announcing plans to step down, Rivian suing the U.S. government over unconstitutional tariffs, and reports of internal Waymo-Uber discussions about expanding their partnership beyond their current contract expiring in May 2028.