Nvidia the Latest to Get Off the Self-Driving Bandwagon
Shares of Nvidia plunged Tuesday after the chipmaker said it would suspend testing of its autonomous vehicle technology globally.
But the Verge’s Andrew Hawkins doesn’t think the company will exit the industry entirely.
“I think that they’re trying to be cautious,” the transportation reporter said. “Nvidia has obviously been in this space for a number of years. They claim to have over 300 clients that they’re working with...so they’re still looking to stay very active in this space.”
Nvidia creates the artificial intelligence systems on which self-driving cars are built. The company has been testing its platform in New Jersey and California, as well as overseas in Japan and Germany.
One of its clients is Uber, which last week halted its own tests in the wake of a fatal crash in Arizona.
That state’s governor, Republican Doug Ducey, on Monday took the decision out of Uber’s hands, suspending the ride-hailing company himself.
Hawkins said the move marked a sharp reversal in Arizona’s attitude towards the technology.
“Up until this point, Arizona has been very welcoming of autonomous vehicle testing. It has a very light regulatory touch,” he said. “There’s really...nothing in the way of requirements for companies.
“At the same time, it seems like Governor Ducey...has a delicate balance to strike here -- being strict with Uber because they killed somebody [and] at the same time not looking like he’s looking to shut down the entire industry.”
Uber’s accident -- the first known death involving a self-driving car -- has thrown the entire autonomous vehicle industry into a soul-searching tailspin.
But it hasn’t irked rival Waymo.
The unit of Google parent Alphabet unveiled a partnership with Jaguar Tuesday, which will outfit 20,000 of its SUVs with its self-driving technology, aiming to roll out a fleet by 2020.
Elon Musk on Tuesday dismissed speculation that he might step down as Tesla's CEO and told the company’s annual shareholders meeting that the electric car and solar panel company would start doing some advertising.
Disney on Tuesday asked a state judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a governing board appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to oversee Disney World, claiming the company has been the victim of the “weaponizing” powers of government aimed at punishing it for opposing a law dubbed “Don't Say Gay” by critics.
Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes appears to be soon bound for prison after an appeals court Tuesday rejected her bid to remain free while she tries to overturn her conviction in a blood-testing hoax that brought her fleeting fame and fortune.
Cheddar News checks in on what to look out for on The Day Ahead as earnings season continues with TJX Cos., Target and Take Two Interactive among those reporting on Wednesday. April housing starts data is also set to be released while Netflix will hold its upfront presentation virtually amid a continued writers' strike.
Billy McFarland, who served four years in prison for the failed Fyre Festival in the Bahamas that saw investors lose millions, is back. McFarland joined Cheddar News to explain a new Fyre Festival he is planning along with a Broadway musical, both in the works.
Retail sales saw a modest uptick in April as inflation eased somewhat as consumers look toward the summer season to spend some more. Mario Payne, financial planner for Toams Financial, joined Cheddar News to provide some guidance on how to work up a responsible summer budget plan.
