Tech News from Simmons Systems (Page 339)

Tech News from Simmons Systems

Andreessen's $350M Flow Investment Sparks Privatization Concerns

Marc Andreessen's massive $350 million investment into Adam Neumann's new residential venture Flow raises serious concerns about the privatization of neighborhood life and the limits of venture capital in solving the housing crisis.

UK Shifts Crash Liability to Manufacturers in Self-Driving Vehicles

The UK unveils a new roadmap that holds manufacturers responsible for accidents when a vehicle is in autonomous mode, freeing human drivers from liability. The government backs this plan with $160 million in funding to safely rollout self-driving technology by 2025.

Polestar CEO Envisions Parked Electric Vehicles as Grid Energy Buffers

Polestar plans to expand its lineup with bidirectional charging, allowing parked EVs to feed energy back into the power grid. CEO Thomas Ingenlath views these stationary vehicles not as wasted assets, but as crucial components of future energy solutions.

Tesla Raises Full Self-Driving Software Price to $15,000 in North America

Tesla is hiking the cost of its Full Self-Driving beta software to $15,000 starting September 5, though current pricing is honored for orders placed before the deadline. The price increase arrives alongside a new software update that improves pedestrian detection and lane navigation.

YouTube Bans Tesla Safety Tests Using Real Children in Street

YouTube removes videos of Tesla drivers using their children to test the automaker's Full Self-Driving software. The platform states the content violates policies against showing minors in dangerous situations.

Adam Neumann's Billion-Dollar Return Highlights Startup World's Double Standards

Adam Neumann secures a massive seed round from Andreessen Horowitz while Kimberly Bryant is ousted from Black Girls Code, sparking vital conversations about equity and nuance in the tech industry.

Germany Unveils 30 Billion Euro Plan to Boost Domestic Startup Funding

German startups face a sharp decline in venture capital, falling behind France and the UK in total funding and per capita rankings. In response, the German government introduces a massive 30 billion euro plan to increase local investments and keep profits from homegrown successes within the country.

Android 13 Launches as Global App Spending Growth Stalls

Google releases Android 13 with deep personalization features while global app spending sees only marginal growth compared to last year.

Virtual Avatars Help Streamers Earn Millions on YouTube and Twitch

VTubers use motion-capture technology to embody animated personas and build massive, highly profitable audiences on major streaming platforms.

Legendary Game Developer John Carmack Raises $20M for AGI Startup Keen Technologies

Id Software co-founder John Carmack launches Keen Technologies, an artificial general intelligence startup backed by $20 million from Sequoia and prominent tech executives. Carmack aims to develop AI that functions as a universal remote worker.

Lucid Introduces Sapphire Brand With 1200-HP Three-Motor EV

Lucid unveils its new high-performance Sapphire brand with a $249,000 version of the Air sedan featuring a three-motor powertrain. The vehicle delivers over 1,200 horsepower and achieves zero to 60 mph in under two seconds.

Rivian Drops Entry-Level Explore Package Due to Weak Customer Demand

Rivian is discontinuing its cheapest Explore trim for the R1T and R1S after finding that most buyers prefer the higher-end Adventure package. Affected pre-order customers must reconfigure their vehicles by September 1 or face cancellation.

Stripe Cuts Dozens of TaxJar Employees Amid Fintech Downturn

Stripe dismisses up to 55 employees from its TaxJar division as it winds down the tax compliance startup's dedicated sales and marketing efforts. The reduction follows a 28% drop in Stripe's internal valuation.

Wayfair Cuts Nearly 900 Jobs to Reduce Costs Amid Slowing Growth

Online home goods retailer Wayfair lays off about 5% of its global workforce as pandemic-era e-commerce growth fails to materialize. The company expects to incur $30 to $40 million in severance costs during the current quarter.

US Targets EDA Software Exports in Escalating China Chip War

The US restricts China's access to critical electronic design automation software, a move that disrupts the complex chip design process. This export control targets a niche but powerful segment of the semiconductor supply chain.