TheBadPlaceqwant news | Weekend Round-Up: Tesla's Q1 Miss, Uber's Robotaxi Ambitions, Baidu's AV Safety Concerns, Ford's Bluecrui
This week’s tech and auto headlines read like a roller‑coaster. Tesla missed its Q1 delivery target, sending the stock down 5.4 % to $360.59 at market close, while former bullish shareholder Gary Black’s decision to exit his position last year proved prescient. At the same time, Uber’s chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi signaled enthusiasm for adding Tesla’s robotaxis to Uber’s platform, projecting that by 2029 the ride‑hailing service will operate more autonomous rides than any competitor.
Baidu’s autonomous‑vehicle unit encountered a setback when several Apollo Go robotaxis froze in Wuhan, raising fresh safety concerns that the company has yet to address. Meanwhile, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board blamed Ford’s BlueCruise driver‑assistance system for two fatal crashes, citing its failure to stop for stationary vehicles and its inability to detect driver distraction. These incidents underscored the growing scrutiny of autonomous‑driving technologies across the industry.
In aviation news, American Airlines is reportedly in talks with SpaceX to bring Starlink‑based in‑flight Wi‑Fi to its narrow‑body fleet, and the airline may also revive seat‑back screens. Neither party has commented on the negotiations. The roundup was compiled with partial assistance from AI tools and reviewed by Benzinga editors.
