Tesla has avoided a 30-day suspension in California after agreeing to stop using the term "Autopilot" in its marketing, according to TechCrunch. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) made the decision late Tuesday, effectively ending a nearly three-year-long case. This allows Tesla to continue selling its electric vehicles in California, its largest U.S. market, without interruption.
In November 2023, the DMV had accused Tesla of violating state law by deceptively marketing its Autopilot, an advanced driver assistance system, and its Full Self-Driving software. The state regulator argued that these terms misled customers about the capabilities of the technology.
In other news, Jack Altman is joining Benchmark as a general partner, TechCrunch reported. Altman, who has been running his own VC firm, Alt Capital, since at least 2024, announced the move. Alt Capital raised a $150 million Fund I in early 2024 and a $274 million Fund II last September. Altman described the past two years at Alt Capital as "the most rewarding of his life," adding that he loved new ideas and being part of a team with a mission, according to his LinkedIn post. Alt Capital invested in at least 52 companies, including Rippling and CompLabs, according to PitchBook. It remains unclear what will happen to Alt Capital or whether Benchmark has acquired its portfolio.
Ford is aiming to build a $30,000 electric truck next year, according to TechCrunch. The company plans to achieve this through a combination of 3D-printed parts, Formula 1 thinking, and a bounty program. Ford took a $19.5 billion hit in December and ended production of its battery-electric F-150 Lightning. Ford's affordable EV strategy began several years ago with a skunkworks team led by Alan Clarke, a 12-year Tesla veteran. Ford revealed last August that it would ditch its traditional moving assembly line and invest $2 billion in its Louisville factory to adopt a new production system.
Meanwhile, an internal Meta research study found that parental supervision and controls have little impact on teens' compulsive social media use, TechCrunch reported. The study, dubbed Project MYST and created in partnership with the University of Chicago, also found that kids experiencing stressful life events were more likely to struggle with moderating their social media use. This information was revealed during testimony at the social media addiction trial that began last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The plaintiff, identified as KGM or Kaley, along with her mother and others, is accusing social media companies of creating addictive and dangerous products.
Finally, Apple is reportedly developing a trio of AI wearables, according to TechCrunch. The Information reported late last month that Apple was working on an AI wearable, an AirTag-sized pendant with cameras. Bloomberg now reports that the development of this device, along with two other AI-powered items, is accelerating as Apple seeks to compete with other tech giants. Apple is also speeding up the development of its upcoming AI-powered smart glasses, code-named N50. Apple faces competition in this space from companies like Meta and Snap, which are working on similar products.
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