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The Cybercab is Tesla’s ‘fork in the road’ moment

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  Today could be the day Tesla changes forever.   In a couple of hours, Tesla will “launch” the Cybercab — a small, gold, two-seater sedan with no steering wheel or pedals that uses cameras and AI to navigate the world — in its hometown of Austin, Texas.  The company hasn’t said what the launch will entail, exactly. It could be a few cars offering rides in a small area downtown, or a far grander affair in both size and scope.  Tesla certainly wants you to believe it’s the latter.   In the runup to the event, Tesla staged dozens — perhaps more — of its Cybercabs around Austin and in many other U.S. cities. At the time this story was published, 420 autonomous vehicles were registered in Texas, according to the state’s automated vehicle tracker .   Ashok Elluswamy, the head of Tesla AI, recently said in a post on X that the “streets won’t be the same anymore.” When another user wrote that Tesla is “about to flood Austin,” CEO Elon Musk replied:...

Larry Page’s flying car company Pivotal loses its CEO

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  The CEO of a flying car company backed by Larry Page has left the company. Ken Karklin, who was Pivotal’s CEO for more than four years, left the role this week, according to a press release . Pivotal said Karklin is “pursuing new endeavors” but didn’t offer any other information about the executive’s departure from the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) firm. “Leading Pivotal has been the privilege of my career. Together, we’ve moved beyond the promise of light eVTOL and proved it out in practice,” Karklin said in a statement. “This industry has moved past prototypes and press releases; it’s now operating in the real world, under real constraints, with real consequences for the future of Advanced Air Mobility. As I turn to new endeavors, I do so knowing the foundation we built here will help carry this industry forward.” Karklin will be replaced on an interim basis by Mike Ross, an aviation executive who joined Pivotal’s board of directors in November 2025. Karklin did...

The Builders Stage brings practical strategies for scaling startups to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

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  The Builders Stage is returning to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 , bringing together founders, startup operators, and investors for practical conversations on what it takes to build and scale successful companies. Hear from startup and venture leaders shaping the tech ecosystem, including Grant Lee, CEO and co-founder of Gamma; Leah Solivan, founder and general partner at Precedent.vc; Robby Stein, VP of Product at Google; and more . Through candid conversations and real-world case studies, speakers will share actionable insights on fundraising, hiring, go-to-market strategy, AI, and the operational decisions that fuel startup growth. Join more than 10,000 founders, investors, startup operators, and technology leaders at Moscone Center in San Francisco on October 13-15. Register today and save before our next ticket price increase. Building a startup is one thing. Building a company that can scale is another challenge entirely. The Builders Stage is one of six industry-focused stages ...