TechCrunch Mobility: Everything said on, and off, the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

Welcome to this week’s edition of TechCrunch Mobility, your go-to source for the latest developments in transportation technology. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, industry leaders and innovators gathered for a vibrant discussion about the future of mobility, featuring prominent figures such as Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana, Nuro co-founder Dave Ferguson, and Uber’s Chief Product Officer Sachin Kansal. One of the standout moments was the interview with Slate CEO Chris Barman, who discussed the company’s plans to create customizable accessories for their electric vehicles (EVs). Barman emphasized their commitment to an open ecosystem, stating, "We will release all of the data information on that, and anybody can 3D print their own. We want to empower users to create without feeling obligated to come back to us." San Francisco's Mayor Daniel Lurie expressed enthusiasm for Waymo’s presence on city streets, inviting more companies to test their autonomous technologies within the city. The event also celebrated Glīd, a transportation-focused startup, which was crowned the winner of Startup Battlefield 2025. During a hands-on demonstration, I had the opportunity to ride in a Wayve vehicle through San Francisco’s bustling streets. Mawakana made several notable comments during her onstage appearance, including the need for autonomous vehicle companies to demonstrate the safety of their technologies. She highlighted the public’s potential acceptance of robotaxi-related incidents if overall safety could be assured. Furthermore, Waymo intends to take firm action against vandalism of its vehicles and has resisted broad government requests for video footage captured by its systems. In funding news, i6, a startup focused on digital fuel management in aviation, secured $20 million in Series B funding, while India's IntrCity SmartBus raised $30 million to expand its network. Navan, a corporate travel platform, saw its Nasdaq debut result in a 20% drop from its IPO price, leading to a valuation of approximately $4.7 billion. Meanwhile, Pavewise, specializing in road construction technology, raised $2.5 million in seed funding. In the electric vehicle sector, General Motors announced significant layoffs across its electric vehicle and battery production facilities, while Luminar is grappling with internal challenges after leadership changes, warning of potential cash flow issues in the near future. Nvidia also made waves this week by announcing partnerships with automakers like Stellantis and Uber to advance autonomous vehicle development, highlighting their new Drive AGX Hyperion 10 platform. This collaboration aims to support Uber’s plans to scale its autonomous fleet to 100,000 vehicles by 2027. In an exciting development, Uber will launch a premium robotaxi service in San Francisco in 2026 using Lucid Motors’ electric SUVs, directly competing with Waymo while continuing their partnership in other regions. Lastly, Waabi revealed a new autonomous truck in collaboration with Volvo, reflecting the ongoing evolution of business models in the autonomous vehicle sector. Don’t forget to subscribe to our Mobility newsletter for more insights and to participate in future polls! This week, readers overwhelmingly favored self-driving Class 8 trucks for long-haul applications, with 62.5% voting for that option. As a final note, our team has come full circle since covering Jeff Bezos' backing of Slate, which is now making headlines for its ambitious plans to produce more affordable electric trucks. Keep an eye on this innovative startup as it continues to make strides in the EV market.