Chariot, the commuter bus service Ford acquired in 2016 for a reported $65 million, is shutting down over the next month, the automaker announced in a blog post.
Why it matters: Chariot's acquisition was hailed as part of Ford's expansion beyond making and selling cars to keep up with consumer appetite for private transportation services. However, operating Chariot "is not going to be a sustainable business moving forward," the company told the SF Examiner.
The European Court of Justice's advocate general said Thursday that Google should not be required to remove links under the EU's "right to be forgotten" policy in searches outside of the bloc. A French regulator has been pushing the search giant to remove links to EU citizens in results on its U.S. domain.
Why it matters: The opinion from the court adviser, which is different from an official ruling on the matter, is a boon to Google's effort not to expand one of Europe's most sweeping internet rules to searches in other jurisdictions.
Kim Hart gives you this bonus edition of "Pro Rata" as she looks at how Amazon could be under scrutiny for its own private-label products with Axios tech reporter David McCabe. Plus, in the "Final Two," another casualty in the government shutdown and a self-driving car startup is getting quite the cash infusion.
40% of the world’s jobs could be done by machines as soon as 15 years from now, one of the world’s foremost experts on artificial intelligence, venture capitalist Kai-Fu Lee, tells Scott Pelley on the upcoming Jan. 13 edition of "60 Minutes."
What he's saying: "AI will increasingly replace repetitive jobs, not just for blue collar work, but a lot of white collar work. ... Chauffeurs, truck drivers — anyone who does driving for a living — their jobs will be disrupted ... in the 15- to 25-year time frame."
By selling more of its own products, Amazon is becoming a competitor to the outside manufacturers it hosts on its platform — and that's worrying regulators around the world.
Why it matters: Governments have rarely tried to rein in Amazon's ambitions, allowing it to avoid most of the recent scrutiny directed at other large tech platforms. But the increased focus on Amazon's house-brand offerings suggests it may now be Amazon's turn.
There is a ton of tech news coming out of Las Vegas this week, but Axios has you covered with all the big news in one place — here.
The big picture: The big story — so far — is just how much the big tech companies are partnering with one another. Apple's AirPlay is finding its way onto TVs from Samsung, LG and Vizio, while Google's Assistant and Amazon's Alexa are also landing on a wide range of new hardware.
With all the TV maker partnerships Apple announced at CES, plus its earlier content deals, it's clear that video service is Apple's next big thing. But as Apple CEO Tim Cook made clear in a CNBC interview Tuesday, transforming consumer health is Apple's next really big thing.
Why it matters: Apple desperately needs its next act, as its recent earnings warning makes clear. The smartphone market has matured to the point where the innovations are more incremental and that isn't where Apple shines.
Today's AVs aren't ready to drive themselves in all situations, but they could be enlisted to make traditional car-sharing services more efficient.
Why it matters: Companies like Zipcar and Car2Go could lower their operating costs and edge into the autonomous driving world by using early-stage AVs to navigate between rental customers. And every mile driven by a person would still be a mile the AV learns, helping to map roadways.
Ford will continue its push toward "mobility" to position itself as a key player in autonomous vehicles, even as the traditional car industry seems headed for a down cycle and the realistic timeframe for AVs is being adjusted to later, several company executives tell Axios.
Why it matters: Though Ford still gets most of its revenue selling personal vehicles, the company sees a world where people rely on a much wider mix of transportation modes. To transform itself for its AV goals, Ford has made a range of acquisitions and has brought more of its technology development in-house.
For automated vehicles to succeed, drivers will need to be able to trust them. But it'll be just as important for cars to understand who's driving, and how they're doing, so they can share control at the right times.
Why it matters: Lack of trust is one of the biggest obstacles to the adoption of automated vehicles.But trust is a relationship — a shared acknowledgement of risk. So it’s important for both cars and drivers to understand one another’s skills and limitations.
Ford plans to "unwind" its sponsorship of a bike-sharing service in the San Francisco area, now owned by Lyft, Ford executive VP Marcy Klevorn told Axios.
Why it matters: Ford's involvement in the deal that saw Motivate's bikes branded as Ford GoBike was part of a larger effort on the company's part to transform itself into more than just a carmaker, especially as alternate transportation services have flourished and autonomous vehicles enter the equation.
Apple CEO Tim Cook told CNBC on Tuesday that the company will roll out more services to its growing healthcare footprint this year, adding that health will be the tech giant’s "greatest contribution to mankind."
The big picture: Though Cook didn't offer any specifics, the company has recently been investing in health and wellness programs through the Apple Watch, adding features that can monitor users' heart rates and detect falls. Apple has also hired dozens of doctors, an indication of its broader health care aspirations.
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