transport – Product Management Confabulation

September 12, 2022

Ford, Lincoln to offer hands-free highway driving

Ford is beefing up its suite of highway safety features with the ability to change lanes, stay within lane markings and adjust speed around curves – sans driver input.

The 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E and 2023 Lincoln Corsair SUVs will be the automaker’s first vehicles available with the new safety features. The features, called Ford BlueCruise 1.2 and Lincoln ActiveGlide 1.2, are part of an upgraded package and will eventually be available in other models.

Together, these features play a crucial role in the evolution of autonomous driving. Ford said it has been upgrading its map system so that the advanced driver assistance features works on more than 130,000 miles of divided highways.

The driver can activate hands-free lane change assist by tapping the turn signal. The system can also suggest when the vehicle should change lanes in slow-moving traffic, according to Ford.

In-lane repositioning helps the car stay within its lane “while subtly shifting it away from vehicles in adjacent lanes,” the automaker said in a statement.

The third element, predictive speed assist, adjusts the vehicle’s speed when approaching sharp curves. Ford said the system will signal the driver beforehand, avoiding abrupt changes in speed.

The next-generation Lincoln Corsair, which will make its debut at the Detroit Auto Show this week, adds blind spot assist to alert the driver when a person or object may not be visible. The SUV gets a larger, 13.2-inch touch screen and the automaker’s SYNC 4 infotainment system as part of its 2023 model year makeover.

Ford, Lincoln to offer hands-free highway driving by Jaclyn Trop originally published on TechCrunch

September 8, 2022

Mullen acquires controlling interest in EV startup Bollinger Motors

Mullen Automotive has acquired a controlling interest in Bollinger Motors, a move intended to strengthen the two EV companies’ positions within the fast-growing electric sport utility and commercial vehicle markets.

The $148.2 million acquisition announced Thursday gives Mullen a 60% controlling interest in Bollinger, as well as an opportunity to expand into the “high-demand commercial EV space,” David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive, said in a statement.

Bollinger Motors, a Michigan-based startup, launched in 2015 to make all-electric commercial vehicles for classes 3 through 6. The company planned to produce the Bollinger B1 and B2 off-road electric pickup trucks, but postponed development earlier this year.

Mullen, which went public last year in a merger with Net Element, has not yet launched a car. It plans to launch its first electric crossover, the Mullen FIVE, in 2024.

The investment will help fast-track the development of Bollinger’s class commercial electric trucks, including a Class 4 vehicle expected next year, and resume its consumer truck program, according to the startup.

Mullen and Bollinger will continue to grow the team and develop all-electric commercial platforms, leveraging each other’s resources, including Mullen’s solid-state battery technology. Robert Bollinger will remain as CEO.

“Combining Bollinger’s vehicles with our existing class 1 and class 2 EV cargo van programs gives us the chance to dominate the entire class 1-6 commercial light and medium duty truck segments,” Michery said.

Mullen acquires controlling interest in EV startup Bollinger Motors by Jaclyn Trop originally published on TechCrunch

September 8, 2022

Why this Californian founder moved to Minneapolis to build a B2B fintech

Minneapolis-based Branch was founded in 2015, and it’s now one of the fastest-growing companies in the Midwest. Its founder, Atif Siddiqi, is a Southern California transplant who first relocated to the Twin Cities to participate in the Target Techstars accelerator program. He hasn’t looked back since.

Siddiqi has spent the past seven years building up Branch from its roots as a Midwestern upstart focused on earned-wage access into a formidable Series C-stage business with $75 million in funding from investors such as Addition and General Atlantic and clients including Uber and Walmart.

Branch, which has seen over 2,000% revenue growth in the last three years, helps contractors get paid faster through a wide range of product offerings today. Siddiqi and early Branch investor Ryan Broshar of Minneapolis-based Matchstick Ventures explain how the city’s venture ecosystem has evolved over the years and share their tips for founders outside coastal tech hubs looking to raise capital, bring in customers and make an impact on their industries far beyond their immediate locales.

Why this Californian founder moved to Minneapolis to build a B2B fintech by Anita Ramaswamy originally published on TechCrunch

September 8, 2022

Mercedes-Benz and Rivian partner to jointly build electric vans in Europe

Mercedes-Benz and Rivian are partnering to produce electric vans at scale in Europe.

The joint venture announced Thursday will help each automaker scale its bespoke large battery-electric van businesses as Mercedes-Benz plans to phase out gas-engine vans by 2025.

The news sent Rivian shares up 9% in morning trading.

Together, the companies plan to build and operate a factory in Europe that produces vans for both brands as Rivian, which has a contract to supply Amazon with 100,000 electric delivery vans (EDVs), begins to seek other commercial customers.

The partnership will enter production in a few years, according to Mercedes-Benz. The new EV factory will be located near one of Mercedes-Benz’s existing plants in Europe and serve as Rivian’s first international presence. Mercedes wouldn’t disclose the exact location, except to say it is in Central or Eastern Europe.

Mercedes-Benz, which is gearing up to launch its next-generation electric Sprinter van next year, makes four electric vans – the eVito Panel Van, the eSprinter, the eVito Tourer and the EQV – in addition to its upcoming eCitan and EQT.

Rivian currently makes electric vans for Amazon, which holds an 18% stake in the startup and has a contract for 100,000. The automaker plans to start selling the commercial van to other customers next year.

The partnership will help each company leverage investments and costs. The vans will be based on Mercedes-Benz’s electric van platform, VAN.EA, and on Rivian’s second-generation Rivian Light Van (RLV) platform.

However, the agreement is currently only a memorandum of understanding and subject to regulatory approval. Ford dissolved a partnership to build an EV with Rivian last year.

“Mercedes‑Benz is one of the world’s best known and respected automotive companies, and we believe that together we will produce truly remarkable electric vans which will not only benefit our customers, but the planet,” Rivian CEO R.J. Scaringe said in a statement.

Mercedes-Benz and Rivian partner to jointly build electric vans in Europe by Jaclyn Trop originally published on TechCrunch

September 8, 2022

Jeep unveils the first three EVs coming to market, starting in 2023

Jeep revealed Wednesday the first steps in a plan to reshape its portfolio, starting with the launch of two EVs in North America by 2025 and one in Europe next year.

The Jeep Recon and Wagoneer S will be the first fully electric Jeeps for the U.S. market when they enter production in 2024. Two more will be announced later, as the automaker charges ahead in electrifying its lineup.

The 80-year-old rugged Detroit brand, which aims to become the global leader in electrified SUVs, plans for EVs to compose half of its sales in North America – and all of its sales in Europe – by 2030.

Until now, the brand had focused on creating plug-in hybrid versions of its popular Jeep models, planning to offer an electrified version for each of its models by 2025. The Jeep Wrangler 4xe is the top-selling plug-in hybrid for both North America and Europe. The Grand Cherokee 4xe will go on sale in the U.S. later this year.

Leveraging the global scale of Jeep’s parent company is crucial to the brand’s electrification, said Jeep CEO Christian Meunier. Amsterdam-based Stellantis has poured more than $35 billion into developing batteries, software, and technology through 2025, and expects to launch more than 75 new battery-electric models, including 25 nameplates in North America, by 2030.

“Stellantis gives us that scale to capitalize on the resources for engineering, design, software, and all the horsepower that we need to accelerate the electrification and keep the Jeep DNA intact,” Meunier said.

Here is a preview of what’s coming:

Jeep Recon

All-electric Jeep Recon

The Jeep Recon will be robust and efficient enough to cross the 22-mile off-road Rubicon Trail located outside of Lake Tahoe, with enough battery range left to drive back to town and recharge, according to the company.

The EV will come with traditional Jeep features, including the brand’s Selec-Terrain traction management system, e-locker axle technology, under-body protection, tow hooks and off-road tires. Its one-touch powertop and removable doors expose the EV to the elements, while the latest generation of Jeep’s Uconnect infotainment system provides detailed guides for off-road trails.

Both the Recon and the Wagoneer S open for customer orders early next year. They’ll be built on STLA Large, the automaker’s full-size EV platform. Though the SUVs are targeted toward different customers, they share several common elements, according to Meunier.

“The underpinnings are pretty much common,” he said. “The platform is the same, the battery packs are the same, but then the suspension, the top hat and all of the capabilities are going to be quite different.”

Jeep Wagoneer S

All-electric Wagoneer S

The all-electric Wagoneer, codenamed Wagoneer S, will produce nearly 600 horsepower and travel roughly 400 miles on a fully charged battery. The performance-oriented SUV will zip from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.

It’s designed to appeal to a different customer than the Jeep Recon.

“One is really an adventure machine, and the other one is more of a reinvention of the American modern icon: high performance, very fast, and very premium,” Meunier said.

Jeep Avenger

All-electric Jeep Avenger

The Wagoneer S and Recon won’t be Jeep’s first battery-electric models worldwide. That distinction goes to the Jeep Avenger, arriving in European showrooms early next year.

The Jeep Avenger will be smaller than the Jeep Renegade – the brand’s smallest U.S. model – and won’t make its way stateside.

“There is no real market potential in North America” for SUVs of that size, according to Meunier.

Jeep said the Avenger, which will be built in Tychy, Poland, will feature roughly 250 miles of range, as well as “impressive ground clearance, breakover and approach angles for its segment.”

The Avenger will debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. Meanwhile, the European market has demonstrated an appetite for electrified Jeeps.

In addition to the Wrangler 4xe, Jeep also sells plug-in hybrid versions of its smaller Renegade and Compass SUVs. Half of the brand’s European sales derive from its 4xe lineup.

China

Jeep did not detail its plans for the Chinese market, but Meunier said that the EVs will make their way to the local market eventually.

“The strategy in China is a little bit in flux, but that’s the goal,” he said.

Stellantis said in July it planned to pull out of a long-running joint venture with China Guangzhou Automobile (GAC).

Jeep unveils the first three EVs coming to market, starting in 2023 by Jaclyn Trop originally published on TechCrunch

August 30, 2022

Nikola, Lucid latest EV SPACs trying to raise cash

Two EV manufacturers are seeking cash infusions this week to bring their delayed vehicles to market.

Nikola, a Phoenix-based electric truck maker, said in a securities filing Tuesday that it plans to raise funds through a $400 million stock offering. Luxury EV company Lucid filed a day prior for the right to issue up to $8 billion in new stock over the next three years.

The filings underscore the current struggle among EV makers that went public via mergers with special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). Both Lucid and Nikola went public in SPAC deals that analysts say overvalued the now-struggling startups.

The SPAC merger boom provided a cash infusion to a number of EV startups. However, those capitally rich days have disappeared as companies grapple with production bottlenecks, inflationary pressures and supply chain constraints. Downward pressure on shares have eviscerated valuations, making liquidity even more challenging.

Arrival, Canoo, Faraday Future and Lordstown are just a few of the EV SPAC companies to face a cash crunch. For instance, Faraday Future has issued several warnings this year that it needs more money to execute plans to launch three models in the coming years. The company, which went public in a 2021 SPAC deal, has delayed the launch of its first vehicle, the FF91, for years but said it will arrive by the end of the year.

Some, like Arrival, have turned to cost cutting measures and layoffs. Others, including now Lucid and Nikola are turning back to the market.

Nikola said earlier this month that it remains on track to deliver between 300 and 500 of the trucks by the end of the year. So far, it has produced 50 Nikola Tre BEVs in its Coolidge, Arizona, factory.

Lucid has lowered its annual production target several times this year, from 20,000 units to less than 7,000. Still, the company launched a $249,000 high-end version of its luxury Lucid Air sedan at Monterey Car Week in August. The Lucid Sapphire Air uses a three-motor powertrain to boost the car’s performance.

August 30, 2022

Uber partners with ADT to let riders get in touch with a life safety agent

Uber is introducing a new option to its safety toolkit, a section of Uber’s app where users can contact emergency services, report a safety issue to the company, verify rides with a one-of-a-kind PIN code, share trip status, and more. Now, Uber has partnered with security company ADT to let riders contact an ADT agent during trips. Uber is also extending its 911 text feature to more U.S. customers across all 50 states. The safety toolkit has been revamped as well to give users easier access to the tools.

With the new “Live Help” feature, users have access to a life safety agent from ADT via call or text. The agent helps riders with issues that aren’t considered an emergency but still make them feel unsafe. The ADT agent will work with the rider throughout the trip, staying on the phone with them to monitor the situation or call 911 if the situation escalates.

Last year, DoorDash partnered with ADT to launch a similar feature to its in-app security toolkit “SafeDash,” letting users contact a live ADT agent.

With Uber’s new partnership with ADT, riders may feel safer knowing that a third party is there when extra guidance or assistance is needed.

“We hope this new feature will give users additional peace of mind knowing that help is available right in the app for any safety situation,” Rebecca Payne, Lead Safety Product Manager, Uber, wrote in an official blog.

The company has expanded the ability to text 911, making the safety feature available to almost 60% of the United States, including New York City and all of California. The feature is not available in Milwaukee due to “local ordinance requirements.” Initially, when the feature launched in 2019, it was only for riders in Los Angeles, Minnesota, and Indiana. Riders can text information to emergency dispatchers, allowing users to request help quicker and more discreetly.

Uber is adding the ability to text 911 in-app

Uber’s upgraded safety toolkit will also get a new look, allowing more direct access to the in-app feature. When tapping on the blue shield icon, riders will see a group of essential safety tools as four large blocks. The company claims it wants to “streamline access to and visibility” of the transportation app’s most important safety features in case the rider needs immediate emergency assistance. This includes “Contact 911,” “Contact safety agent,” “Share trip status,” and “Report safety issue.” Users can swipe to find more of Uber’s safety tools.

Image Credits: Uber

After facing criticism for mishandling sexual assault incidents, Uber has been reworking its safety toolkit to help users address more safety concerns. The company also claims its rides are getting safer. According to its 2019-2020 U.S. Safety Report, 99.9% of trips had no incidents, and there was a 38% decrease in sexual assaults compared to the 2017-2018 report.

Uber rolled out its safety toolkit in 2018. Since the launch, the company has added an audio recording feature, on-trip reporting, a RideCheck feature that checks in with both rider and driver if the system suspects there was a crash, and more.

August 28, 2022

Aston Martin Valhalla plug-in hybrid to shape future EVs

Aston Martin is using its upcoming Valhalla high-performance plug-in hybrid to develop a playbook for its future EVs.

Executives said that the 937-horsepower Valhalla supercar exhibited at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday showcases lessons in driver engagement, visual effects and sound that could surface in its first EV in 2025.

“If we get that performance hybrid recipe right, it’s something we could see elsewhere later on in the range,” said Alex Long, head of Product & Market Strategy for Aston Martin Lagonda.

The Valhalla’s engineers were especially concerned with retaining the brand’s racetrack-ready driving dynamics when developing the mid-engine two seater, he said. Electric vehicles can feel less engaging as the driver cedes control to the electrical systems and advanced driver assistance functions that govern them.

“EVs are more like daily drivers and less of a weekend thrill,” Long said.

Engineers strived to put the driver back in control of the Valhalla’s hybrid powertrain, which combines a twin-turbo V8 with two e-motors, by dialing in “a little bit of oversteer and lots of feedback from the front end” among other tweaks.

“One thing we’ve been very careful to do is with tuning the responses of the car back to the driver,” he said. “If you over assist the drive, then there’s a level of disengagement.”

Electric motors provide quicker acceleration, hybrids and EVs are heavier and tend to be less nimble than their gas-engine counterparts. The additional weight from the battery powertrain presented several challenges, including figuring out how to change direction quickly without overloading the brake system.

The Valhalla is also pioneering the exterior design for the brand’s electrified portfolio, said Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman. Its body displays both painted and carbon surfaces to create shadows that help make the car appear to be in motion when standing still.

“There has to be a great visual balance, so how do you break up the car, whether it’s the carbon or the body color, or paint it to give a vernacular to electrification? I think it has to have its own language.”

Sound, too, came in to play. Historically, engine noise has been crucial to the perception of a sports car’s performance. “It’s a big challenge with EVs because you lose a lot of the emotion with the sound quality, and you don’t have that step process of gearing up,” Long said.

The Valhalla is “a nearly silent operation” in EV mode, he added. “All of the noise will come from the V8, which is going to be loud.”

August 23, 2022

EVs reigned during Monterey Car Week

Monterey Car Week — still the most exclusive automotive event on the calendar — concluded Sunday with the 71^st running of its pinnacle display, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

But as antique Duesenbergs and Jaguars, backlit by the Pacific Ocean, rolled onto the famed course’s 18^th fairway to vie for “Best of Show,” the Concept Lawn hosted on the terrace above felt like a land of make believe.

Futuristic EVs from Acura, Lincoln, Lucid, Polestar Rimac, DeLorean and other startups, dueled it out on the green.

More car companies are opting out of the traditional auto event circuit in Detroit, New York and the fourth-time cancelled Geneva shows and instead using the annual gathering in Northern California to bring media, well-heeled customers and their forthcoming models in one place.

This year, 19 companies hosted press conferences at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, the Friday prelude to the main event, making Monterey the place to glimpse where the industry is heading.

Here’s are some of the highlights:

Acura

Image Credits: Roberto Baldwin

Acura revealed its vision for future EVs with the Acura Precision EV Concept, a sleek SUV inspired by luxury Italian boats and F1.

The design language of the Acura Precision EV Concept does give us a good glimpse of what to expect in 2024 when Acura begins building its production electric SUV.

Acura, the brand under Honda, also revealed that its future production EV — so the electric vehicle that will actually make it to market — will be called the ZDX (the Z stands for Zero Emissions). In addition to a regular version, Acura will release a Type S variant.

Notably, the first production EV from Acura will use GM’s Ultium platform beginning in 2026.

Aston Martin

Aston Martin joined the electrified fray at Monterey Car Week with an updated version of its forthcoming Valhalla supercar, the brand’s first plug-in hybrid performance vehicle. Limited to 999 units, the mid-engine two-seater will feature significant infotainment upgrades and seating ergonomics inspired by the brand’s Formula 1 learnings when it reaches customers in 2024.

The Valhalla is a precursor to the brand’s first fully electric vehicle expected in 2025 as it strives to electrify its core portfolio by 2030. Executives said its 937-horsepower hybrid powertrain, which combines a twin-turbo V8 with two e-motors, is designed for racetrack-ready performance that can challenge any contender.

Audi

Image Credits: Roberto Baldwin

Audi brought to The Quail its trio of electric, autonomous “sphere” concepts for future metropolitan mobility. The Audi skysphere, grandsphere and urbansphere concepts represent the brand’s solution to traveling within congested megacities.

The urbansphere concept features a long wheelbase, 24-inch wheels and Audi’s largest ever interior, with a four plus two seating configuration. The private jet-like grandsphere concept showcases Audi’s vision for the executive sedan of the future. The smallest of the three is the skysphere roadster concept, a self-driving grand tourer with a retractable steering wheel.

The brand announced on Friday a fourth concept, the “activesphere,” set to debut early next year.

Bentley Motors

Image Credits: Bentley

Bentley Motors unveiled the Bentley Mulliner Batur, a hello and goodbye for the automaker. The Bentley Mulliner Batur is a new two-door grand touring coupe limited that marks the last of its vehicles to be equipped with a W12 engine. It is also meant to “embody the start of a design revolution at Bentley,” the company said.

Cadillac

Image Credits: Cadillac

Cadillac revealed a prototype of the eagerly-anticipated Celestiq, the $300,000 halo car designed to take on the Tesla Model X Plaid, as well as other high-performance all-electric variants such as the Lucid Air Dream Edition and Porsche Taycan Turbo S. The brand hasn’t provided details on its battery range or performance but showed an interior featuring four red leather-upholstered seats resembling gaming chairs and several high-definition screens.

Built by hand, the Celestiq is scheduled to enter production late next year and go on sale in 2025. Cadillac said the sedan will offer Ultra Cruise, General Motors’ latest hands-free driver assistance technology.

Czinger

Image Credits: Jaclyn Trop

Czinger Vehicles revealed the 21C V Max, the second body style of the startup’s first 3D printed production hypercar. The vehicle is equipped with a hybrid powertrain that features a 2.88 liter, twin turbo V8 that delivers a combined output of 932kW (1,250hp).

Czinger also showed off the next vehicle that may join its portfolio, a coupe with gullwing doors called the Hyper GT.

Delorean

The DeLorean Alpha5 EV Images credits: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The DeLorean Alpha5 also attracted throngs of onlookers to the Concept Lawn at the Lodge at Pebble Beach. Sleeker than the gull-winged coupe featured in the “Back to the Future” trilogy, the Alpha 5 represents the brand’s intentions for a battery-electric revival under new ownership. The curvy red car no doubt appealed to a sense of nostalgia among a crowd who came of age watching the trilogy in theatres.

The Texas restorer who bought the rights to the brand said that the all-wheel-drive four-seater, expected to go on sale in 2024, will cruise from 0 to 60 mph in less than three seconds and reach a top speed of 155.

Kia

Image Credits: Jaclyn Trop

Kia used Monterey Car Week to show off a new powerful version of its new EV6 vehicle. The EV6 GT — not to be confused with its existing GT-Line trim — is a dual-motor performance crossover aimed at consumers who simply want a more than a zippy EV.

The all-wheel drive powertrain with a front-mounted 160kW motor and a rear-mounted 270kW motor produce a combined power output of 430 kW (or 576 hp) and 546 pound-feet of torque.

The EV6 GT can accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 161 mph.

The EV6 GT is outfitted with 21-inch wheels and has a dedicated sport suspension with electronically controlled dampers and front suspension performance components. There’s even drift mode, which allows drivers to distribute power to the rear wheels. Two additional sounds unique to the EV6 GT join the roster of customizable “Active Sound Design options.”

The EV6 GT will go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2022 and like all EV6 vehicles it is part of the Kia “Plan S” strategy to launch at least two battery-electric vehicles (BEV) per year and build a full line-up of 14 BEVs by 2027.

Kindred Motorworks

Image Credits: Roberto Baldwin

Kindred Motorworks, a new restomod startup based in Northern California that takes sought-after old vehicles and infuses them with new powertrains, safety features and other modern-day touches, made its public debut at Monterey Car Week.

So far, the company has three vehicles that it will be offering to customers: a Volkswagen microbus that starts at $199,000, a vintage Ford Bronco, which is available with either a V8 or electric powertrain and starts at $169,000, as well as the late 1960s Camaro, which is also available with a V8 or electric powertrain. The Camaro will start at $149,00 for the LS and $199,000 for the LT.

The Northern California-based startup has raised more than $20 million through its first two funding rounds. It raised $5 million at the end of 2020 and another $15.6 million at the end of 2021. It has attracted a number of high-profile investors, including Hagerty, a company known for vintage vehicles and one of the country’s largest insurance providers for those vehicles, and Robert Downey, Jr’s Footprint Coalition. Other backers include CPMG, Goldcrest and Fifth Down Capital.

Those funds will support the company as it works towards full production in 2024.

Lincoln

Image Credits: Jaclyn Trop

Some of the largest crowds flocked to the Lincoln Model L 100 concept, an autonomous, battery-electric grand tourer that pays homage to the brand’s first luxury vehicle, the 1922 Model L. Mammoth, 14-foot, reverse-hinged doors swung open to reveal a chessboard-motif center console controlled by a crystal chess piece in lieu of a steering wheel, a dashboard that disappears in autonomous mode, and couch-like seating for five passengers. A digital floor furnished the discomfiting sensation of stepping onto a computer screen.

The Model L 100 is not headed for production but serves as an emblem of Lincoln’s long-term vision for its electric vehicle lineup.

Lucid

Image Credits: Lucid Group

Lucid Group used Monterey Car Week to launch a new high-performance luxury brand called Sapphire that pushes the bounds of performance and price.

As part of the public debut, the Lucid Air sedan got the Sapphire treatment. This new Lucid Sapphire Air is more than just a new paint color, interior theme with highly bolstered 18-way power sport seats upholstered in black leather and a Sapphire-themed on-screen display — although those are all in the new EV that is priced at $249,000 (excluding taxes and destination fees).

The big notable improvement is a three-motor powertrain with a new twin motor rear-drive unit and a single motor front-drive unit that boosts all-around performance.

Deliveries of the new Lucid Air Sapphire EV sedan are expected to begin next year for customers in the U.S. and Canada.

Maserati

Image Credits: Roberto Baldwin

Maserati is known for its beautiful Italian vehicles. The future though is a bit tougher to navigate for those hoping to get by on looks alone. Fortunately, thanks to an influx of investment from the Stellantis merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the French PSA Group, Maserati has the money and vehicles needed to not just survive, but also potentially thrive over the next decade.

Maserati Americas CEO Bill Peffer told TechCrunch at this year’s Quail Automotive Gathering, that last year was about getting the business in order.

This year, they’ve invested in R&D and plan to introduce three new models (which will double their lineup) over the next 18 months. The latest vehicles from the automaker are outfitted with their own engines (previously they were using Ferrari powerplants) and are part of an architecture that supports both gas and electric powertrains.

“We’re excited to introduce the internal combustion engine variants quickly,” Peffer said and noted that the fully electric variants will follow closely behind.

Polestar

Image Credits: Roberto Baldwin

The big news with Polestar was the announcement that it will expand its lineup to include a 884-horsepower hard-top convertible with recycled polyester upholstery.

The Polestar 6 electric performance roadster will go into production in 2026 based on the Polestar O₂ Concept the company revealed in March. Customers can now begin reserving build slots online.

Contributor Roberto Baldwin talked with Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath on the sidelines of Quail, the motorsports gathering during Monterey Car Week, and he had some interesting views on how the company can provide value to customers even when their EV is parked.

Rimac

Image Credits: Jaclyn Trop

Rimac brought to The Quail the production version of its $2.5 million Nevera electric hypercar, a curvy, 1,914-horsepower grand tourer hand-built built in Croatia. Rimac said the Nevera can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 1.85 seconds — faster than any other production car — and that its 50-unit first-year production run is sold out.

August 19, 2022

Otter.ai challenger Airgram raises $10M to transcribe and time your video calls

There’re plenty of tools out there competing to help people make their video calls breezier. Some, like voice transcription service Otter.ai, have been getting a boost from the COVID-19 pandemic and pulling in handsome investments. Now a brave new player called Airgram is charging into the race.

Aside from transcribing Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams calls into sharable and editable text, Airgram also wants to help people keep their meetings on track by letting users project their meeting agenda onto the screen with a timer that reminds them not to run over time.

“Bosses don’t realize how much more costs they incur by having long meetings,” said Airgram’s co-founder and CEO Zhang Yan, previously an early employee at China’s ride-sharing giant Didi and bike sharing pioneer Mobike.

The founder is a true productivity geek. When we chatted, he showed me a suite of utility tools that he uses and admires, from the work collaboration platform Notion, which hit $2 billion in valuation in 2020, to the no-code relational database tool Airtable which was valued at $5.77 billion last year.

Airgram has just closed its Series A funding round of $10 million as it gears up for an entry into North America. A year after launching in Japan, the company has amassed 500,000 unique users, including both free and paid ones, in the country where it brands itself as Notta, the Japanese transliteration of “note”.

Customers from all facets of society are using Notta, including tech companies, airlines, universities, hospitals, insurers, law firms, and some “unexpected” customers like religious organizations, according to Zhang.

Airgram, which is targeting English-speaking countries, is like a souped-up version of Notta. It has a convenient Chrome extension that lets users start capturing and transcribing whatever audio output from the browser with one click. Like most transcription tools, Airgram also works by sending an audio recording bot into meetings as a participant.

The company keeps a development force in Shenzhen and is headquartered in Singapore. Its platform hosts customer data in their destination countries and “strictly follows compliance rules,” as the founder is well aware that privacy is key to getting users to trust a voice transcription service.

Airgram’s latest round was led by GL Ventures, the venture capital arm of the Asia-focused investment giant Hillhouse, with participation from Linear Capital, CDH Capital, and PKSHA SPARX Algorithm Fund, which was founded by publicly traded Japanese AI firm PKSHA and asset management company SPARX Group.

Boosted by the pandemic, meeting transcription service Otter.ai raises $50M