Tech News Roundup: Waymo Secures $16 Billion, China Bans Hidden Door Handles, Adobe Animate Sunset, and More
Waymo, the autonomous driving technology company, announced a $16 billion investment round aimed at expanding its robotaxi business both in the United States and overseas, according to a blog post by the company's co-CEOs. The funding round was led by Dragoneer Investment Group, known for investing in late-stage tech companies before they go public, The Verge reported on Friday.
In other news, China is set to ban hidden, electronically actuated door handles on vehicles sold in the country, effective January 1, 2027, according to new safety rules published by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, TechCrunch reported. The new regulations mandate that each door, excluding the tailgate, must be equipped with a mechanically released external door handle, as well as a mechanical release on the interior of the vehicle. This decision effectively prohibits the design popularized by Tesla and now found on numerous other electric vehicles in China. Bloomberg previously reported on the new safety policy.
Meanwhile, Adobe announced it will discontinue its 2D animation software, Adobe Animate, on March 1, 2026, as the company focuses on artificial intelligence investments, TechCrunch reported Monday. Existing enterprise customers will receive technical support through March 1, 2029, to ease the transition, while other customers will have support through March of next year, according to Adobe. The decision has been met with disappointment and concern from Adobe Animate users, with some pleading for the company to open source the software.
In the realm of student entrepreneurship, two Stanford students announced the launch of Breakthrough Ventures, a $2 million accelerator program aimed at funding businesses founded by college students and recent graduates nationwide, TechCrunch reported Monday. Roman Scott and Itbaan Nafi, the founders, began building the accelerator program after hosting a series of Demo Days at Stanford starting in 2024. "This fundraise turns Breakthrough from just being a seasonal accelerator into a lifelong partnership with our founders," Nafi, a masters candidate at Stanford, told TechCrunch. Raihan Ahmed was tapped early last year to lead the accelerator.
Finally, for consumers looking for deals on Apple products, the Apple Watch SE 3 is currently on sale starting at $219, a $30 discount, for a limited time, according to The Verge. The Series 11 and SE 3 are receiving the biggest discounts, but consumers can still save 25% on the higher-end Apple Watch Ultra 3. Apple launched its latest fleet of smartwatches, including the Apple Watch Series 11, the SE 3, and the Ultra 3, in September.
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