Welcome to Mobility Techcrach Techcrach – Your Central Hub for news and insight into the future of transportation. Want another reason to get freebies in your inbox? This version of the newsletter includes polls, including one this week that asks readers what they think are the best business models for autonomous vehicle technology. Have an opinion on this? Email me your opinion kirsten.korosec@stechCrunch.com with the subject line “polling av.”
Ok, back to the show. There is another twist on the road for the Lidar company shiningSee rank-. And yes, it includes some instructions in the room.
First, let’s catch up. You may remember Austin Russellbillionaire founder and billionaire CEO of Luminar, more or less rejected from the company on the spot after an ethical inquiry. But Russell wasn’t quiet that night.
He rose on the radar a few weeks ago with the launch of a new company called Russell Ai Labs. And now (deep content and son “Dum Dum Dum Duum Duuuummmmmmmmmmm”): They have made an offer to acquire Luminar.
Senior Journalist Sean O’Kane broke the story, which you can read hereSee rank-. He began to learn some other details beyond what was disclosed in the sec filing.
This may seem like a possible hostile move – it is, after all, disclosed in a filing from Russell, and Luminar did not comment on the proposal. But we’ve learned from sources that Luminar Board members approached the founders about the idea last month. (The word they say is “encourage”.)
The following implication is that some members of the nine luminaries really want him, even though three of them from the audit committee just a few months ago, headed for resignation.
TechCrunch events
San Francisco
I’m fat
October 27, 2025
The proposed takeover as detailed in the filing is vague, but it could save Russell Ai Lab acquiring a different automotive technology company and merging with the luminary. Since this morning, we have heard that Russell has been trained in several options as part of his due diligence with the RUSSELL AI lab, which is presented as an incubator of sorts.
Offer!
Two offers of the week this week took place in the sector Aviation electricity.
The first is that Beta Technologywho took advantage of the easy rules of sec when the US govt Price shares for public offeringSee rank-. The stock is priced between $27 and $33, with hopes of raising as much as $825 million. If the company attracts investors at the top, it will debut at a valuation of around $7.2 billion.
The guidelines issued by sec earlier this month that put companies in IPO Limbo allow statements in certain areas, including stock prices, to become prices automatically, so that staff cannot see them automatically. Some other companies, Including Navanhas been pressed with an IPO plan under this rule.
And there is Lilythat involved a completely different deal. The The electric plane startup may have ceased operations last year, but the technology lives on Aviation ArcherSee rank-.
Archer won a competitive bidding process – one of the ambitious air mobility groups and Joby aviation also participated – and buy all 300 lilium patentsSee rank-. The price, €18 million ($21 million), is a staggering number compared to the more than $1 billion paid from the defunct $1 billion.
The question is what does Archer plan to do with the patent? This company is not explicit, but there are some hints, which can be read in the story.
Another deal that got attention this week…
AirboundIndian drone startup to be established in 2020, Raised $8.65 million In the fund fund led by a group of district co-founders of physical inflammation. Ajuran Humba and Airbound’s existing investors, Lightspeed Venture Capital, as well as senior leaders at Tesla, Spacex, and Anduril, are joining.
Decisiona warehouse robotics startup based in London, Raised $165 Million in business and debt. $100 million series C led by Eurazeo with backer lts growth, dtcp, atomico, lakam, eromico, latir, wheat, and wave-x. The company also secured $65 million in debt financing from Bootstrap Europe.
FleetworksLogistics Startup Develops “Always-On” AI Dispatcher Raised $17 million In Equity and Debt, including the $15 million series led by Trenchard Modhi First Round. Y Combinator, Saga Ventures, and venture partner LFX also participated in the Fleetworks series A.
Pony.ai and Werid have received major approval From the Chinese securities regulator clearing the way for autonomous technology companies to pursue a secondary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Chinese companies are already publicly traded in the US on the NASDAQ Exchange.
Starship Technologiesthe introduction of autonomous pavements, Raised $50 million In the C series the circle is led by the plural. Karma.vcLatitude, capital, SmartCap, and Skaala also joined.
DownloadSmart City Software Company Based in Paris, Raised $20 million In a series of funds led by Notion Capital. Other investors include point nine and chalfen.
Zeptowholesale delivery company india, Raised $450 million To finance before the public listing set, Bloomberg reports.
Read the famous and other Tidbits
The National transportation safety board It has been weighed inside the room, the disaster that killed five people during a trip to see the destruction of the titanic. The NTSB issue a report who found the submersible titan did not meet safety standards.
Stellar and a Chinese autonomous vehicle company Pony.ai used together build robotaxis For use in Europe, it must be through a nonbinding agreement. The plan is to integrate Pony’s self-driving software into an electric medium-sized platform.
While Stellantis delves into autonomous vehicle technology, it is drawn back to electricity. The automaker says it will invested $ 13 billion For beef for US manufacturing over the next four years. (This plan has not been accepted by the labor union in Canada, in the way that five new vehicles will be developed and produced through factories in Aman, Ohican, and Indiana. Only one will be electric, a marked difference from the stellantis’ strategy a few years ago.
Uber they are offering new Type of work gig: Digital tasks like uploading photos to help train AI models.
Waymo that is Expand to LondonSee rank-. The company said it will offer commercial Robotaxi services in London in 2026, marking the company’s second international expansion after Tokyo.
As always, there is more than one waymo news section. The company is locked in a Agreement multiyear strategy with Doordash to deliver goods to customers in the Phoenix area with driverless vehicles. It’s been a while since Wayang has experimented with delivery. Is this a hint of what’s to come? I believe that.
One more…
Talking about Waymo and delivery, got me thinking about the best business model. In a few minutes, we have a poll, so we hope you will participate if you sign up for our newsletter. I will share the results next week.