Auto Industry Sees Major Shakeups: GM, Luminar, Uber & More

The automotive industry experienced significant changes this week, with leadership shifts, funding announcements, and technological advancements across autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, and mobility services.

GM Appoints Aurora Co-Founder as Chief Product Officer

Sterling Anderson, co-founder and former chief product officer of Aurora, has joined General Motors (GM) as its new chief product officer. Anderson will oversee GM's entire product line, encompassing both gas-powered and electric vehicles, including hardware, software, services, and user experience. This move follows Anderson's recent resignation from Aurora after the successful launch of their commercial self-driving truck service in Texas.

Luminar CEO Ousted After Ethics Inquiry

Luminar founder Austin Russell has been replaced as CEO and board chair following an ethics inquiry. The announcement came as a surprise alongside the company's Q1 earnings report. Further adding to the turmoil, board member Jun Hong Heng also resigned shortly after.

Uber Expands Services, Aims to Become Super App

Uber announced a $1 billion private placement of exchangeable senior notes, signaling its ambition to expand beyond transportation and become a comprehensive super app. This move follows a previous trend of integrating various services into its platform.

Funding and Investment News

  • AutoUnify, a startup focused on improving communication between dealerships and manufacturers, raised $5 million in seed funding.
  • Chinese battery manufacturer CATL plans a nearly $4 billion IPO in Hong Kong.
  • The Boring Company, Elon Musk's tunneling firm, is reportedly in talks with Amtrak for a multibillion-dollar project.
  • Flock Freight secured $60 million in Series E funding.

Autonomous Vehicle Developments

  • Tesla's robotaxi plans in Austin are under scrutiny by federal safety investigators.
  • Waymo issued a software recall for 1,200 robotaxis after minor collisions.
  • WeRide expands its robotaxi operations in Guangzhou and Abu Dhabi.

Electric Vehicle and Battery News

  • GM is developing a new manganese-rich battery chemistry to reduce EV costs.
  • Lucid's record Q1 sales were partially driven by rental sales and company leases.
  • Slate Auto received over 100,000 reservations for its electric pickup truck.
  • Toyota redesigned and renamed its bZ4X electric vehicle to simply "bZ," and introduced a new electric C-HR model.

In-Car Technology Updates

  • Apple's next-generation CarPlay, CarPlay Ultra, will debut in Aston Martin vehicles.
  • Google is integrating its Gemini generative AI into Android Auto.

These developments highlight the rapid pace of innovation and change within the automotive and mobility sectors.