Friday, October 4, 2024

Welcome to TC PM! Today we've got a scoop on some new autonomous tech being developed at GM; we look at the latest drama at bankrupt EV startup Fisker; and we noodle on Meta's attempt to make Facebook appealing for Gen Z. Happy Friday!

TechCrunch Top 3

Image Credits: GM

👀 Eyes-free driving: GM made a big splash seven years ago when it became the first company to offer hands-free driving. Now GM is working on a system that would allow drivers to take their eyes off the road. Read more

😬 More trouble for Fisker: EV startup Fisker can't seem to catch a break. The company is already bankrupt, and now it's under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC said it has sent the company multiple subpoenas, but the nature of the case is unknown. Read more

🧒 How do you do, fellow kids? Meta has realized that Facebook isn't that hip with kids these days, and it wants to change that. The company is rolling out a number of features to try to get Gen Z more interested in spending time on its platform. Read more

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Afternoon must-reads

Image Credits: TechCrunch

📲 Including iOS: Back in August, Google rolled out Google Q&A — a feature that allows users to ask the Gemini AI chatbot questions about the contents of their Gmail account — for Android users. Now the feature is coming to select iOS users too. Read more

🤦 Spam snafu: Today YouTube apologized after noticing its systems misfired last night and banned a number of accounts for "Spam & Deceptive Practices" that didn't deserve it. The company is rectifying the situation but did not comment on the cause. Read more

🎙️ Equity: The Equity crew had a lot to unpack on this week's episode. They dove into Toyota's recent investment into Joby Aviation; the drama surrounding YC and PearAI; what happens next with California's SB 1047; and more! Listen here

🚫 You can't do that: In 2022, Kenya passed new regulation meant to crack down on unethical digital lenders. Now Kenya's competition authority has fined Baltic lender Eleving's Kenyan subsidiary for misleading customers. Read more

🪐 Cash and a contract: Impulse Space, a company building in-space transportation, announced a $150 million raise on Tuesday. Now the company is announcing a new contract it landed with the U.S. Space Force for two ultra-mobile spacecraft missions. Read more

💨 Zippy Swiggy: Quick food delivery has proven it can't really work in the U.S., but what about in India? Food delivery unicorn Swiggy announced it has partnered with 2,700 businesses to deliver meals to customers in 10 minutes. Read more

🚙 Van life: There are many small businesses that transform commercial vans into mobile tiny homes for consumers. Detroit startup Grounded is looking to offer the same yassification but to electric vans for businesses. Read more

💵 Crowdfunding: It's not uncommon for a startup to raise capital through crowdfunding before raising a traditional VC round. But the other way around, less so. Tim De Chant talked to EnergyX on why it pursued the strategy despite VC money in the bank. Read more

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Around the web

✋ A pause on progress: For years it seemed like women were inching toward equality in the tech world. That doesn't seem to be the case anymore. The Information's Julia Black wrote about why it seems like the progress is starting to reverse. Read more

👋 Go away, AI: Today, the CEO of FilmPort AI posted an AI-generated live action version of Studio Ghibli's "Princess Mononoke." The Mary Sue reported that the clip ended up going viral because people hated it so much. Literally nobody wants that. Read more

Before you go

Image Credits: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images

💁 This guy: Meta announced its Movie Gen model today that will turn prompts into videos. Mark Zuckerberg posted a video of how it works that includes him using a leg press machine with a continuously changing background. That's one way to make an announcement. Read more