Welcome once again to *TechCrunch Mobility*, the definitive center for forward-thinking analysis and breaking developments shaping the rapidly evolving future of global transportation. This is your go-to destination for staying abreast of the most significant innovations in mobility, from electric vehicles to self-driving technology, and everything in between. If you prefer to have these comprehensive insights delivered straight to your inbox, you can easily sign up for free — simply click on *TechCrunch Mobility* and join our growing community of readers passionate about the next era of movement.
This week’s edition takes a slightly different direction. Rather than our usual news summary, we’re turning our attention to the fascinating conversations that unfolded both onstage and behind the scenes at *TechCrunch Disrupt 2025*. To put it succinctly, the event was nothing short of spectacular — an energetic convergence of industry leaders and bold innovators, all dedicated to redefining how humanity moves from place to place. The summit gathered several influential figures, including Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo; Chris Barman, CEO of Slate; Dave Ferguson, co-founder and co-CEO of Nuro; Sachin Kansal, Uber’s Chief Product Officer; Alex Kendall, founder and CEO of Wayve; and Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak AI. Over the next week, videos of their in-depth discussions will gradually appear on our official YouTube channel, giving audiences worldwide a chance to experience their insights firsthand.
Among these conversations, one standout moment occurred during the *Slate Auto* interview conducted by Sean O’Kane with Chris Barman. The full session is already posted online, and it holds plenty to unpack. Barman elaborated on an intriguing element of Slate’s business model: the company’s open approach to accessories for its electric vehicles. According to Barman, not only will Slate design, manufacture, and sell its own range of accessories, but it also plans to make related design data publicly accessible. This transparency will empower Slate’s customers to 3D print their accessories or even use that information to create and sell innovations to other Slate owners, fostering a genuinely collaborative ecosystem. As Barman put it, the intent is to ensure users never feel obligated to rely solely on Slate for any custom additions. Instead, the company aims to build a dynamic community marketplace — aptly called the *Slate Marketplace* — where users can exchange ideas and products freely.
When O’Kane pressed further, asking whether Slate would take a commission from third-party accessories listed on the marketplace, Barman acknowledged that a modest transaction fee would apply if Slate actively partnered with independent creators. However, she was quick to clarify that participation would be entirely optional. Designers and small businesses could just as readily choose to sell their innovations elsewhere — Etsy being one example — and Slate would not impose any exclusivity requirement. The philosophy, as she explained, is rooted in freedom of choice, empowering both creators and consumers to engage on their own terms without constraints.
The upcoming *TechCrunch* event in *San Francisco* — scheduled for October 13–15, 2026 — promises even more revelations at the intersection of technology and urban mobility. Reflecting on recent highlights from Disrupt, San Francisco’s mayor, Daniel Lurie, enthusiastically voiced support for the autonomous vehicle industry, praising Waymo’s presence on city streets and inviting other forward-looking companies to treat San Francisco as a living laboratory for real-world AV testing. Meanwhile, the transportation-focused startup *Glīd* captured the judges’ attention and was crowned the victor of *Startup Battlefield 2025*. And yes — journalist Sean O’Kane and I had the opportunity to take a hands-on demo ride through the winding streets of San Francisco in a Wayve autonomous car, offering us a visceral look at how far this technology has come.
From the main stage, Waymo’s Tekedra Mawakana offered a thought-provoking perspective on the ethical and regulatory challenges facing autonomous mobility. She argued that companies pursuing driverless technology bear a crucial responsibility to validate the safety of their systems beyond marketing claims. Mawakana also made a striking point: as the public begins to see genuine safety advantages from robotaxis, society will likely come to accept the rare fatal incident involving such vehicles — much as people currently tolerate human error in conventional driving. She further emphasized Waymo’s stance on two critical operational issues: first, the company’s commitment to prosecuting those who vandalize its autonomous cars; and second, its strong refusal to comply with overly broad governmental demands for onboard video footage. In her words, Waymo intends to safeguard both user privacy and technological integrity by rejecting such invasive requests.
Turning to funding and industry activity, several significant deals emerged this week. The aviation-technology firm *i6*, which specializes in advanced digital fuel management systems, announced a successful $20 million Series B round led by Yttrium, joined by International Airlines Group, World Kinect, and Shell Ventures. In India, *IntrCity SmartBus* — an intercity mobility platform integrating technology with efficient passenger transport — secured $30 million in Series D all-equity financing. Led by A91 Partners, this investment values the Noida-based firm at roughly $140 million post-money and will allow expansion into smaller Indian cities underserved by current transport infrastructure.
In the corporate travel domain, *Navan* debuted on the Nasdaq exchange, though its first day of trading concluded with a 20% drop from its initial $25 IPO price, settling the firm’s market cap at approximately $4.7 billion. Meanwhile, construction technology startup *Pavewise*, which develops digital solutions to improve road-building efficiency, closed a $2.5 million seed round spearheaded by C2 Ventures, with participation from Connectic, Service Provider Capital, and several notable angels including former Ryvit CEO Tom Stemm. Elsewhere, *Ridepanda*, known for providing e-bike and scooter fleets to corporate clients through flexible subscription models, raised $12.6 million in a Series A round led by Germany’s Bikeleasing Group, with Yamaha Motor Ventures, Proeza Ventures, Blackhorn Ventures, and Somersault Ventures contributing.
Beyond the startup ecosystem, notable industry developments abounded. *Aurora* expanded its driverless freight network by unveiling a new 600-mile autonomous trucking route between Fort Worth and El Paso, marking its second major corridor in Texas. The company also disclosed advancements in its next-generation sensing hardware, underscoring its growing competitive strength. In India, the carpooling platform *BlaBlaCar*, which had previously withdrawn from the market, astonishingly reemerged to find that the region has now become its largest and fastest-growing stronghold. By contrast, *General Motors* announced sizable layoffs across multiple U.S.-based EV and battery facilities, signaling cost concerns amid a shifting electric market. At *Luminar*, turbulence continues following the departure of its founder-CEO Austin Russell; new filings warn that without additional financing, the company could deplete its capital reserves by early 2026, prompting a 25% workforce reduction and the sudden exit of its CFO.
In other technology collaborations, *Nvidia* made waves by revealing partnerships with *Stellantis*, *Uber*, and *Foxconn* to jointly advance autonomous vehicle development. These ventures are linked to Nvidia’s newly introduced *Drive AGX Hyperion 10 platform*, which unites AI-based hardware and *Drive* software modules for seamless integration across automakers and robotaxi operators. Brands like *Lucid*, *Mercedes-Benz*, and *Stellantis* have already signed on. The initiative aligns closely with Uber’s long-term ambition to scale its self-driving vehicle fleet to 100,000 units by 2027. Backstage, Alex Kendall of Wayve expressed his excitement about the Hyperion collaboration, revealing that he, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi have all been rallying automakers to embrace the platform’s standardized architecture — an adoption that would accelerate the entire industry’s progress.
Coinciding with these announcements, Uber disclosed that San Francisco would serve as the launch site for its upcoming premium robotaxi service. Scheduled for 2026, the fleet will feature Lucid’s all-electric Gravity SUVs equipped with Nuro’s specialized autonomous systems — a move that positions Uber in direct competition with Waymo, even as the two companies maintain cooperative partnerships in other cities. Another notable unveiling came from *Waabi*, which revealed a new autonomous truck built in collaboration with *Volvo*, further strengthening the firm’s influence in the logistics automation space.
In last week’s newsletter, we engaged our readers through a poll exploring one of the industry’s most pressing strategic questions: what business model best suits long-haul applications of autonomous technology? The two proposed options were (1) fully self-driving Class 8 trucks operating long distances — typically over 500 miles — on major highways, or (2) middle-mile delivery vehicles handling shorter legs between warehouses and distribution hubs. By a decisive margin, 62.5% of respondents favored the long-haul trucking approach, highlighting widespread belief in the scalability and economic potential of that model. Remember, if you’d like to participate in our upcoming polls and lend your perspective to the conversation, subscribe to the *TechCrunch Mobility* newsletter.
To close on a more personal note, I’ll share a photograph that carries particular meaning for our team. In it, senior reporter Sean O’Kane and I stand beside one another in what feels like a full-circle moment. Years ago, Sean — with a bit of help from me — broke a major story about how Jeff Bezos had secretly invested in an obscure startup called *Slate*. Since then, Slate has stepped into the spotlight, unveiling a plan to manufacture a more affordable electric truck and garnering significant media attention. Seeing Slate’s CEO Chris Barman on stage at Disrupt 2025, accompanied by a TechCrunch-branded version of the company’s prototype vehicle, felt like symbolically closing a chapter while opening another in the narrative of modern mobility innovation.
Sourse: https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/02/techcrunch-mobility-everything-said-on-and-off-the-stage-at-techcrunch-disrupt-2025/
