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I’ve returned from my break. What news did I miss? Quite a lot, actually — notably, the conclusion of the Uber-Waymo alliance in Phoenix. However, Uber and Waymo continue to offer robotaxi services in Atlanta and Austin. The real question isn’t if, but when will these associations come to an end? Yet, I find the more fascinating inquiry to be how the two firms will respond once the remaining partnerships dissolve. 

Tensions are already apparent, with Uber leaders making subtle jabs at Waymo. I anticipate that when the partnerships cease, these thinly disguised insults will evolve into more overt actions. One area of contention will be policy, focusing on the markets where robotaxi companies are seeking entry. 

This week brought another noteworthy twist in the self-driving vehicle landscape at the federal level. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration administrator Jonathan Morrison issued a message to autonomous vehicle manufacturers, declaring it intolerable for their cars to obstruct first responders or police forces.

The key statement: “To be clear: the failure to recognize and respond suitably to these situations represents a significant shortcoming. Emergency scenarios are not unusual or extreme ‘edge cases.’ Consequently, NHTSA is today calling on AV developers and operators to urgently direct their efforts towards addressing this issue.”

Morrison’s letter refrains from naming any specific robotaxi company, as it was dispatched to all AV developers specified in the Department of Transportation’s Standing General Order. However, it certainly appears that Morrison is targeting Waymo’s operations.

An earlier TechCrunch investigation revealed that Waymo — which manages the largest robotaxi fleet in the U.S., with vehicles operating in cities like Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco — has had numerous encounters with first responders. This week, San Francisco supervisor Bilal Mahmood announced intentions to submit an inquiry letter to investigate how autonomous vehicles impacted public transport and emergency services after a July 4th fireworks event that led to severe traffic congestion. Local media noted that several Waymo robotaxis had to be towed after exhausting their batteries during the long traffic pile-up.

Morrison’s letter carries weight. But will it yield real repercussions for AV developers? It’s difficult to say at this juncture. For now, the NHTSA has mandated that companies present the agency with “solutions” by the month’s end.

Another piece of news from federal authorities. Check out the new 2026 Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda, which was refreshed last week. It includes a lengthy list of proposed modifications to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), covering vehicle design and equipment stipulations. These proposed alterations could benefit autonomous vehicle firms like Tesla and Zoox, which are working on vehicles lacking steering wheels, pedals, or other features expected on traditionally-manipulated cars.

A little bird

Have a tip for us? Reach out to Kirsten Korosec at [email protected] or via Signal at kkorosec.07, or contact Sean O’Kane at [email protected].

Deals!

While we typically focus on venture transactions, this week I wanted to shine a light on Rivian and its sale of 86.25 million Class A common shares priced at $15.50 each (this includes an extra 11.25 million in additional shares that underwriters opted to purchase).

In total, Rivian anticipates raising $1.32 billion in fresh capital. This fundraising comes at a significant moment for the electric vehicle manufacturer. The company recently started delivering its new R2 SUV and has increased its sales forecast for 2026. Rivian now expects to deliver between 65,000 and 70,000 vehicles after exceeding its own projections in the second quarter due to strong quarter-over-quarter growth in EDV and R1, along with the arrival of R2 deliveries. 

The company did not clarify the reason for this capital raise. However, it’s worth noting that Rivian is not yet profitable, and ramping up production for the R2 — or any vehicle, for that matter — is costly!

Other deals that caught my eye …

Bidbus, a startup from Los Angeles that has developed a digital marketplace for multiple dealers to submit bids on a car, raised $15 million in a Series A funding round led by Ibex Investors. Mucker Capital, FJ Labs, Motley Fool Ventures, Data Point Capital, Walter Ventures, and the Car Dealership Guy’s Yossi Levi also contributed.

Lyft announced plans to acquire Serveo’s bike-share division in Spain. The terms were not disclosed, but the ride-hailing firm stated it expects to finalize the deal this year.

TaiSan, a battery startup based in the U.K., secured £4.65 million in a seed funding round co-led by Eos Advisory and the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II. Participants also included InnoEnergy, AFI Ventures, EverQuest Capital Partners, Exergon, Heartfelt Ventures, Adeline Arts & Science, Techmind, angel investor François Badelon, and matched funding from Innovate UK.

Notable reads and other tidbits

AssuranceAmerica, a U.S.-based insurance firm, confirmed a data breach affecting the personal information and driver’s license numbers of 6.9 million individuals, marking it as the largest known leak of Americans’ driver’s license data this year.

Beta Technologies, a developer of electric vehicles capable of takeoff and landing, completed operational flights conducted under the new eVTOL Integration Pilot Program from the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration. The flights covered approximately 275 nautical miles across Virginia and Maryland. 

Longtime observers of Tesla will recall the exciting times when Elon Musk faced off against various short sellers of the company’s stock. Musk remains a divisive figure, and one creator of an exchange-traded fund has found a means to capitalize on that negative sentiment with two innovative anti-Elon exchange-traded funds. 

GM brand Chevrolet developed a fully American EV truck. Senior reporter Tim De Chant questions, Why is there such low demand for it? 

Manna Aero, the Dublin-based autonomous drone delivery startup, is expanding its presence in the U.S. with a manufacturing plant and operations center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which it states will create 1,000 jobs in the coming years. 

Slate Auto partnered with Crayola to provide vehicle wraps in five crayon colors for customers of its EV truck and SUV. (Note: The standard Slate EV vehicle isn’t painted. Instead, it features a gray composite material that can be customized with a vehicle wrap. The company offers numerous design choices.)

One more thing …

TechCrunch podcast Build Mode has officially kicked off its third season, and it’s a hit. Build Mode is hosted by Isabelle Johannessen, who leads TechCrunch’s Startup Battlefield program. Unlike Equity — the TC podcast that I co-host with Anthony Ha and Sean O’Kane — Build Mode aims to assist early-stage founders. 

The new season begins with Precursor Ventures founder and managing partner Charles Hudson, who discusses what early-stage entrepreneurs should know before seeking their initial institutional funding.

Be sure to check it out: The new strategies for early-stage fundraising with Charles Hudson.