Waymo hearing, remote assistance, Lucid layoffs — Mobility

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility

Your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility.

Waymo testimony, remote assistance and the Senate hearing

Earlier this month, Waymo chief safety officer Mauricio Peña testified before the Senate Commerce Committee about autonomous vehicles. Much of the hearing aimed to educate the public about self-driving technology. But one exchange stood out.

Remote workers in the Philippines

Sen. Ed Markey pressed Peña on the use of overseas workers to assist Waymo vehicles. Peña said Waymo employs remote guidance workers based in the Philippines. The revelation drew criticism from lawmakers who questioned how people without U.S. driver's licenses could help vehicles operating on U.S. roads.

Waymo's response

Waymo posted a blog by Ryan McNamara, head of global operations, and shared a letter to Sen. Markey's office. The company clarified how its remote-assistance operations work:

• Waymo's self-driving system remains in control at all times; remote workers do not "remotely drive" vehicles.
• Remote Assistance (RA) agents respond to specific system requests for information.
• Event Response Teams (ERTs), certified for complex tasks, are based exclusively in the United States. Their duties include responding to collisions, coordinating with law enforcement and riders, collecting regulatory data, and arranging towing.

"Waymo has about 70 Remote Assistance agents on duty worldwide at any given time," the company said.

Those agents are located in Arizona, Michigan and two cities in the Philippines — a detail that fueled further debate. Put in context: Waymo operates roughly 3,000 vehicles, drives over 4 million miles each week, and provides more than 400,000 rides weekly. By those metrics, relatively few people monitor many vehicles.

For years, I've argued that autonomous vehicle companies must better explain behind-the-scenes operations like remote guidance. Avoiding the topic breeds mystery and mistrust.

Waymo expansion — except in New York state

Waymo continues to expand into new markets, but New York state stalled progress. Governor Kathy Hochul withdrew a proposal that would have amended traffic laws to legalize robotaxis outside New York City. A spokesperson said stakeholder conversations showed insufficient support to advance the proposal.

Mobility newsletter poll

Readers doubt Rivian's promised R2 price. In a recent poll asking the starting price of the Rivian R2 launch edition, 54% chose "above $60,000." The remaining votes split between under $50,000 and above $70,000. To join future polls, sign up for the Mobility newsletter.

News roundup: layoffs, funding and notable reads

Lucid layoffs

Senior reporter Sean O'Kane reports Lucid is cutting about 12% of its workforce. The company hasn't filed its 2025 annual earnings yet, which will reveal exact employee counts. Lucid previously reported 6,800 full-time employees at the end of 2024. Affected employees apparently learned early on a Friday and some lost access to Microsoft Teams. They'll be placed on a 60-day administrative leave before official layoffs in late April.

Have tips? Email Kirsten Korosec at [email protected] or reach her on Signal at kkorosec.07. You can also contact Sean O'Kane at [email protected].

Deals and funding highlights

• Amari AI raised $4.5M to modernize customs brokerage with AI. Early investors include First Round Capital and Pear VC.
• Kavak raised $300M in equity, led by Andreessen Horowitz ($200M) to expand its used-car marketplace in Latin America.
• LanzaJet closed $47M in the first tranche of a targeted $135M raise; pre-money valuation at $650M. Investors: IAG, Shell, Groupe ADP, LanzaTech and Mitsui.
• Metafuels of Switzerland raised $24M in Series A led by UVC Partners to scale sustainable aviation fuels.

Notable reads and industry tidbits

• Ford is pitching a tech-forward turnaround after a $19.5B hit. It promises an EV truck starting at $30,000 and details plans that include modular parts, F1-inspired thinking and incentive programs.
• Redwood Materials' new energy arm, Redwood Energy, is growing fast by targeting AI data centers. The move shows how battery-material companies pivot into energy storage and cloud-infrastructure markets.
• Rivian launched an Apple Watch companion app for basic vehicle controls and released a software update with additional features.
• Tesla lost a bid to overturn a $243M verdict tied to an Autopilot crash. The company did avoid a temporary suspension of sales and manufacturing licenses in California after agreeing to stop using the "Autopilot" term in state marketing.

One more thing: road test — Lucid Air Touring

I periodically test vehicles to track the latest in-car tech, EVs and driver-assistance software. This week I drove a Lucid Air Touring sedan.

Past experience with Lucid's DreamDrive hands-free system left me unimpressed: lane-centering often failed, and the car hugged lane edges too closely. This time, Lucid appears to have improved the system. Engaging hands-free was straightforward and safety controls prevented misuse. For example, placing a phone in front of my face triggered an immediate warning.

Why this matters — transparency, safety and public trust

Remote-assistance operations, regulatory clarity and clear communication matter for public acceptance of robotaxis and advanced driver assistance systems. Clear disclosure about how systems work, where humans fit in, and what contingency teams do will help reduce mistrust and inform policy debates.

For readers interested in related sectors like gaming news, AI and mobility crossovers are growing. Game engines, simulation tools and real-time graphics increasingly support AV development and testing.

Thanks for reading TechCrunch Mobility. To keep up with news, funding and vehicle tests, subscribe to the Mobility newsletter.