*By Justin Chermol*
Uber is laying off more than 100 test drivers in its autonomous car division in Pittsburgh and San Francisco, replacing them with 55 highly-trained drivers known as "mission specialists".
It's an attempt by the ride-hailing company to prove it's serious about safety in its self-driving division after a fatal crash in Tempe, Ariz., last March.
But whether real progress has been made is another story.
"There's the public messaging and there is what is actually happening," said Mark Rechtin, Executive Editor at Motor Trend. "Uber is saying all the right things publicly, but the accident in Arizona has really set them back."
Uber initially suspended all testing of its autonomous driving program after a pedestrian was struck and killed on March 18, but restarted some tests earlier this month.
Former self-driving car operators are eligible to apply for the new roles, which must operate cars on both public roads and private tracks and are expected to give technical feedback to developers.
Rechtin is optimistic about the effort, but still raised concerns.
"We need to make sure whatever Uber does is something that is functional."
If you're looking to upgrade your home entertainment system, Vizio may have you covered, especially this holiday season. Phil Schneider, head of device sales with Vizio, spoke with Cheddar News about what's currently in demand.
There are reports that Warner Brothers Discovery and Paramount have held talks to join forces. Cheddar News breaks it down to discuss what this could mean for the media landscape and for viewers.
Thursday kicks off the busiest holiday travel period of the year.
SiriusXM is facing a new lawsuit for allegedly trapping customers into subscription plans.
IKEA says it expects shipping delays and other product availability issues due to ongoing attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
There are multiple reports that talks are underway for a potential merger of Warner Brothers Discovery and Paramount Global.
Stocks jumped after the opening bell on Thursday a day after Wall Street suffered its worst loss since October.
Dunkin said it's removing coconut milk from the menu.
Power Brands is recalling two of its air fryer models following reports of burns.
With only a few days until Christmas, people are still scrambling to buy gifts for friends and family. Claudia Lombana, consumer and shopping expert, joined Cheddar News to provide tips on how to budget for those gifts.
