By Titik Puspa 
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility – your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Waymo, the autonomous driving pioneer, is making significant strides in its ambitious expansion plans, and a key driver of this progress is its cutting-edge, sixth-generation self-driving system, recently integrated into its next-generation Ojai robotaxi. This move towards greater vertical integration, particularly in custom silicon development, underscores Waymo’s strategic push towards profitability by reducing operational and manufacturing costs.
The company, which recently opened its Ojai robotaxi service to all riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco, has consistently emphasized that this new vehicle is engineered for greater affordability in both its creation and ongoing operation. This focus on cost efficiency is crucial for Waymo’s long-term vision of achieving profitability in the competitive autonomous vehicle market. While the reduced cost of the Ojai has been a talking point, the extent of Waymo’s hands-on approach to achieving this goal has become clearer this week with the revelation of its custom silicon chip development.
Waymo has developed a proprietary 5nm ASIC chip, a critical component designed to efficiently process the massive volume of raw data generated by its vehicles before it reaches the central processing unit, or "brain," of the self-driving system. To illustrate the scale of data involved, the Waymo Ojai is equipped with 13 high-fidelity cameras. This custom chip delivers an impressive computational performance exceeding 1,000 TOPS (trillions of operations per second), placing it in direct competition with high-performance automotive processors like Nvidia’s DRIVE AGX Thor, a leading solution for automated driving applications. Waymo asserts that this custom silicon is instrumental in achieving "unmatched efficiency and performance," enabling the system to react swiftly and safely in complex, urban environments. This strategic move into custom silicon development not only optimizes performance but also reduces reliance on external suppliers, potentially leading to significant cost savings and greater control over its technological roadmap.
It’s important to note that Waymo isn’t operating in a vacuum regarding its compute strategy. The company has acknowledged a robust ecosystem of partners, including industry giants like AMD, Micron, Nvidia, Samsung, SanDisk, Socionext, and TSMC, underscoring the collaborative nature of advancing complex autonomous driving technology. This network of suppliers highlights the intricate supply chain and specialized expertise required for such advanced technological development.
A Lingering Question: National Security Concerns Over Chinese Lidar
In parallel to Waymo’s technological advancements, a more guarded investigation is underway that touches upon national security and the global supply chain for autonomous vehicle components. According to sources speaking with Sean O’Kane, senior reporter for TechCrunch’s special projects, the Idaho National Laboratory is reportedly conducting an evaluation to determine if Chinese-manufactured lidar sensors could pose a security risk if widely adopted in U.S. vehicles. This research, notably, is being funded by entities within the electric and autonomous vehicle industries, indicating a proactive concern among industry players regarding potential vulnerabilities.
Numerous companies, including prominent automakers and AV developers such as Rivian, General Motors, Ford, Kodiak, Lucid Motors, Nuro, and Uber, have stated they are unaware of this specific review. Aurora, Nvidia, and Zoox did not respond to inquiries regarding the matter. The potential implications of this investigation are significant, as lidar technology is a fundamental sensing component for autonomous driving systems. Any identified security vulnerabilities could necessitate costly re-engineering or a shift towards alternative suppliers, impacting production timelines and costs across the industry. This situation highlights the geopolitical complexities and security considerations inherent in the rapid global deployment of advanced automotive technologies. The full details of this ongoing story can be found here.
Deals Fueling the Mobility Ecosystem
The past week has been a flurry of significant financial activity and strategic partnerships across the mobility sector, signaling continued investor confidence and evolving business models.
Also, the startup that emerged from Rivian’s incubator, has secured another substantial funding round, raising $150 million in Series D financing. This round was led by Prysm Capital, with participation from existing investors Eclipse, Greenoaks, and MVP Ventures. Since its spin-off from Rivian in March 2025, Also has amassed a total of $455 million. This impressive funding trajectory, particularly reaching Series D within just over a year of its launch, is noteworthy.
Also’s mission has also undergone a significant evolution, which helps explain its continued need for capital. Initially launched in spring 2025 as a micromobility company focused on electric bikes and cargo quads, it has rebranded itself as a "Palo Alto-based technology company building the world’s most capable driven and autonomous small electric vehicles." The significant pivot towards autonomous driving capabilities became evident earlier this year when Also closed a $200 million round and announced a multiyear commercial agreement with DoorDash to develop and deploy autonomous delivery vehicles. This strategic shift positions Also to capitalize on the burgeoning market for last-mile autonomous logistics.
Serve Robotics, a company specializing in sidewalk delivery robots, has also finalized several key deals this week, particularly in the wake of recent shifts in its relationship with Uber. Earlier this month, Serve reported that Uber had reduced its utilization of Serve robots on the Uber app, with that partnership set to conclude next year. In a separate development, Uber also divested its entire stake in Serve Robotics.
Despite these changes, Serve has been proactively diversifying its partnerships. The company has now officially partnered with Grubhub to integrate its sidewalk robots into Grubhub’s delivery network, with initial deployments planned for Chicago, Los Angeles, and Alexandria, Virginia. Furthermore, Serve has expanded its existing partnership with DoorDash, extending its services to San Jose, California, and Washington, D.C. Uber’s strategic retreat from Serve serves as a potent reminder for companies in the scaling phase: diversification is paramount for resilience. Serve’s ability to secure new partnerships with Grubhub and expand its DoorDash collaboration demonstrates its adaptability and commitment to broadening its operational footprint.
Beyond these major developments, several other deals have captured attention:
- Einride, the Swedish electric and autonomous trucking company, has struck a significant deal with Tesla to acquire 500 of its electric Semis. These electric big rigs will be made available to Einride’s customer base, which includes major players like Amazon. The integration of these Tesla Semis into Einride’s fleet will occur in phases over the next 24 months, commencing in September. This agreement is particularly interesting given Tesla’s recent adjustments to its "volume production" targets for the Semi.
- Grounded, a Detroit-based startup specializing in customizing electric and gas-powered vans, has successfully raised a $5 million seed round. This funding was supported by repeat investments from existing backers Also Capital and Chicago-based early-stage firm The 81 Collection, alongside new contributions from Animal Capital, the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund, and a group of "various SpaceX alumni," according to founder and CEO Sam Shapiro.
- Uber has announced a strategic investment in and partnership with drone delivery company Zipline. While the exact investment amount remains undisclosed, the companies have set an ambitious goal: to achieve one million drone deliveries per day using Zipline’s technology by the end of 2029. This collaboration signals Uber’s continued exploration of diverse delivery modalities.
- Vessev, a New Zealand-based startup developing electric hydrofoil boats, has secured $19 million in a Series A funding round led by Blackbird Ventures. The round also saw participation from new investors GD1 and Rypples, alongside existing backers K1W1, Icehouse Ventures, Shasta Ventures, NZVC, and several angel investors. This funding will support Vessev’s expansion into the U.S. market and the launch of its multi-city U.S. showcase.
Notable Reads and Other Tidbits Shaping the Future of Mobility
The innovation landscape continues to be shaped by significant announcements and strategic moves across various companies:
- Amazon is aggressively expanding its drone delivery service, Prime Air, aiming to reach nearly 500 U.S. cities by the end of 2026. This represents a sixfold increase in its current operational footprint, indicating a strong commitment to aerial logistics.
- Bedrock Robotics, an autonomous vehicle technology startup founded by veterans from Waymo and Segment, has announced that its self-driving excavators are now operating fully autonomously at three major customer sites in Nevada and Texas. This milestone showcases the growing maturity of autonomous technology in heavy-duty industrial applications.
- Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury automotive brand, has unveiled the GV90, a seven-seater electric SUV designed to compete in the premium segment against rivals like the Cadillac Escalade IQ and Rivian R1S. This move signifies Hyundai’s continued push into the electric vehicle market with a focus on larger, family-oriented offerings.
- Tesla is among 11 car manufacturers in China recalling millions of vehicles due to issues with hidden emergency door releases. This recall affects vehicles across various brands, including Xiaomi, Xpeng, and Geely’s Zeekr and Lynk & Co., highlighting a widespread component safety concern in the Chinese automotive market.
- In a significant development for autonomous mobility in the U.S., Tesla, Uber, and Waymo have all received permits from Nevada regulators to operate commercial robotaxi services in Clark County, home to Las Vegas. These permits collectively authorize the deployment of up to 8,000 robotaxis over the next 12 months, a move that is expected to dramatically reshape urban transportation in the region, even if the full deployment takes time.
- Uber has been fined €825 million (approximately $966 million) by the Dutch Data Protection Authority. The penalty stems from the company’s use of automated systems to deactivate or suspend driver accounts without adequate notification, a violation of European data protection regulations.
- In addition to the Dutch fine, Uber has been active on multiple fronts in autonomous vehicle news. The company is conducting early rider testing in London with its partner Wayve. Furthermore, Uber has launched a robotaxi service in Zagreb, Croatia, in collaboration with Pony.ai and Verne, and has introduced driverless rides in Dubai with Baidu, establishing what it calls the first multi-partner autonomous network globally.
- Waymo has submitted documents to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as part of the regulator’s ongoing investigation into a low-speed collision involving one of its robotaxis and a child. The extent of the information provided in the released responses remains limited due to redactions, underscoring the sensitive nature of these investigations.
This week’s news paints a vivid picture of a rapidly evolving mobility landscape, characterized by technological innovation, strategic partnerships, and ongoing regulatory scrutiny. From Waymo’s deep dive into custom silicon to the intricate security concerns surrounding lidar, and the significant financial maneuvers across startups and established players, the future of transportation is being forged through a dynamic interplay of ambition, investment, and adaptation.
