Over the last few weeks, the technology and automotive industries have undergone historic breakthroughs. Taken together, these changes could completely change the nature of the transportation and delivery industries. TuSimple, recently renamed CreateAI, is facing more than regulatory heat. The firm moved sensitive data to a Beijing-owned company, violating a 2017 national security agreement. Tesla is staring down the barrel of a fast-approaching cliff in its European sales. Meanwhile, Firefly Aerospace has raised a giant investment to ramp up its own operations. Other big stories this week are software recalls from Zoox, a delivery ecosystem for Stellantis, and Rivr’s tech that delivers cost savings to municipalities.
TuSimple’s Data Breach Raises Security Concerns
And that’s why TuSimple, now under the name of CreateAI, tripped alarms last week. It uploaded proprietary user data to a company run by the Chinese people’s liberation army. This is a short-sighted and dangerous move. It violates the commitment the company made to the U.S. government through a national security agreement known as CFIUS, to cease these data transfers.
The impacts of this violation go much farther than just corporate policy. It stops short of addressing the dangers to our national security and to the risk of potential adversaries reaching dangerous technological know-how through foreign intrusion. As federal authorities continue to investigate the situation, CreateAI’s future operations will likely come under greater scrutiny and regulation.
Tesla Faces Declining Sales and Inventory Issues
Tesla’s sales have dropped at almost 50% this year in both Europe and the United Kingdom. This shocking decline is based on recently published figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. Competition in the emerging electric vehicle market is heating up. Therefore, Tesla needs to review its game plan in these important markets.
View of unsold Cybertrucks stacked like cordwood in an Assembly Line at a Detroit-area shopping center. This build-up is a leading indicator of future issues with demand or production efficiency. The Los Angeles Times reports that analysts say Tesla is facing increased competition from other EV makers and more recently shifting consumer priorities.
“What’s important to understand here is, Carma isn’t just asserting five patents. They have had a very sophisticated strategy of patent procurement that they’ve been working on for the past 18 years.” – Larry Ashery
Innovations in Delivery Services
Against a backdrop of increasing challenges for legacy innovators such as Tesla and TuSimple, fresh entrants are leaping into the space with novel approaches. Firefly Aerospace, meanwhile, recently closed a $50 million investment from Northrop Grumman as part of its Series D funding round. This latest investment will strengthen Firefly’s position as a prime contender in the rapidly-expanding aerospace and defense space.
In addition, Rivr has introduced a dog-like, four-wheeled delivery robot designed to navigate stairs and deliver packages directly to customers’ front doors. This cutting edge solution is now being piloted in Austin, Texas, with private sector partner Veho. The robot’s stated intent is to improve the last-mile delivery efficiency, a grown-up version of this classic logistics wrinkle.
Zoox, another player in the transportation sector, has issued its second voluntary software recall within a month following a collision between one of its robotaxis and an e-scooter rider in San Francisco. Despite this setback, Zoox continues to expand its operations and has established a dedicated robotaxi pickup and drop-off location at Resorts World Las Vegas, positioning itself as the “official robotaxi partner of Resorts World Las Vegas.”
Partnerships and Legal Challenges
This collaboration represents Stellantis’ ongoing promise to infuse more technology into its vehicles and deliver a more unique and exciting customer experience through software-driven services.
Additionally, Carma Technology has already independently filed suit against Uber. The complaint (Carma v. Uber) charges that Uber violated five of Carma’s patents, which it describes as matching riders or delivery packages to unused capacity in vehicles. As this legal battle unfolds, it highlights the ongoing challenges companies face in protecting their intellectual property amidst rapid technological advancements.
