Waymo, the self-driving car company, is facing unexpected challenges as its autonomous vehicles are experiencing issues that require human intervention, including a recent incident where DoorDash drivers were paid to close car doors. In other news, Pinterest is highlighting its search volume in an attempt to compete with ChatGPT, Rivian's software and services revenue surged in 2025, and Ring has canceled its partnership with Flock Safety due to surveillance concerns.
According to a Reddit post, a DoorDash driver was offered $6.25 to drive less than a mile to a Waymo vehicle and close its door, with an extra $5 upon completion. This unusual request highlights a potential vulnerability in Waymo's technology, where the vehicles can become inoperable if a passenger accidentally leaves a door open. The incident underscores the complexities of deploying autonomous vehicles in real-world scenarios.
Pinterest CEO Bill Ready attempted to highlight the platform's potential as a search destination, claiming that Pinterest sees a larger search volume than ChatGPT. Ready stated that Pinterest sees 80 billion searches per month and generates 1.7 billion monthly clicks, compared to ChatGPT's 75 billion searches per month. He added that more than half of Pinterest's searches are commercial in nature. This comparison came after Pinterest reported disappointing fourth-quarter earnings, missing expectations on both revenue and earnings per share.
Rivian, the electric vehicle manufacturer, saw its software and services revenue grow significantly in 2025. The company reported $5.38 billion in total revenue for the year, up from $4.97 billion the previous year. While automotive revenue fell, software and services revenue more than tripled to $1.55 billion, with the joint venture with Volkswagen Group playing a significant role in this growth.
In other news, Ring, the Amazon-owned company, canceled its partnership with Flock Safety after facing mounting pressure and criticism over a Super Bowl ad. The decision to end the integration with the controversial law-enforcement technology company was made due to surveillance concerns.
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