TechCrunch Mobility is a weekly newsletter dedicated to all things transportation. Sign up here \u2014\u00a0just click TechCrunch Mobility<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 to receive the newsletter every weekend in your inbox. Subscribe for free.<\/em><\/p>\n Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility \u2013 your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation.<\/p>\n This week, read about autonomous vehicle company Motional<\/strong>, why the Tesla<\/strong> board is likely having discussions about Elon Musk\u2019s<\/strong> 2018 $56 billion pay package, a new unicorn focused on student transportation, and more.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s go!<\/em><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s a fun one for y\u2019all. Amid all the layoffs and startup failures, there is also hiring going on.<\/p>\n A little bird pointed us to one particularly interesting hire over at Elon Musk\u2019s The Boring Company<\/strong>. Vignesh Swaminathan<\/a> \u2014 who is also known as Mr. Barricade<\/strong> to his 1.8 million TikTok<\/a> followers \u2014 recently took a position as a senior civil engineer. Why so noteworthy? Swaminathan is a well-known urban planner (and TikToker) who spent the better part of a decade focused on designing bikeways and pedestrian paths as CEO and president of Crossroad Labs.<\/p>\n It appears that Crossroad Labs, a Cupertino, California-based civil engineering design firm, shut down in January. Swaminathan took the job at The Boring Company a couple of weeks later. We wonder if his previous urban planner and bike-focused experience will be put to work at The Boring Company?<\/p>\n Got a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec<\/strong>\u00a0at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com<\/a> or Sean O\u2019Kane<\/strong> sean.okane@techcrunch.com<\/a>.<\/em>\u00a0If you prefer to remain anonymous<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/em>click here to contact us<\/em><\/a>, which includes SecureDrop (<\/em>instructions here<\/em><\/a>) and various encrypted messaging apps.<\/em><\/p>\n A new unicorn<\/a> has been born. I\u2019m talk about Z\u016bm<\/strong>, a student transportation startup that uses a mix of buses, vans and other vehicles combined with software to provide efficient and safe routes to and from school for kids.<\/p>\n The startup, founded and run by Ritu Narayan<\/strong>, raised $140 million in a Series E funding round led by global investment firm GIC. Other investors included Climate Investment, Sequoia and SoftBank Vision Fund 2. The funding pushed its valuation to $1.3 billion<\/p>\n Z\u016bm has made headway in the past several years, locking in school district customers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, Nashville and Maryland. Now it\u2019s focused on converting its fleet of vehicles to all EVs by 2027 while continuing to grow its footprint.<\/p>\n Other deals that got my attention \u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n BluSmart<\/strong>, an Indian ride-hailing startup that competes with Uber and homegrown rival Ola, raised $25 million<\/a> from Switzerland-headquartered impact fund ResponsAbility in a mezzanine structure, including partial equity dilution and debt.<\/p>\n OK so this isn\u2019t so much a deal, as a dealbreaker. Cake<\/strong>, the Swedish electric motorcycle startup, filed for bankruptcy<\/a> February 1 after failing to secure enough investment. Cake joins a growing list of micromobility companies that have run into financial trouble over the past year, most recently VanMoof<\/strong>, Superpedestrian<\/strong> and Bird<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Kura<\/strong>, a UK startup that combined a school bus service with a software platform to safeguard pupils, was acquired<\/a> by \u201csmart buses\u201d startup Zeelo<\/strong>.<\/p>\n XPeng<\/strong>, Tesla\u2019s challenger from China, is making plans to bring its advanced driving assistance tech to international markets<\/a>.<\/p>\n Motional<\/strong>\u00a0is the product of a joint venture between Hyundai<\/strong> and automotive supplier Aptiv<\/strong>. But that relationship is changing. Aptiv said it will no longer allocate capital toward the endeavor. We explain why<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrival<\/strong>, the commercial EV startup, is being removed from the Nasdaq stock exchange<\/a> as it speeds toward dissolution.<\/p>\n Tesla<\/strong> was sued by 25 California counties alleging the automaker has repeatedly mishandled hazardous waste<\/a> at facilities throughout the state. Two days later, the parties settled<\/a> with Tesla agreeing to $1.5 million in fines and a five-year injunction that requires inspections.<\/p>\n Hesai<\/strong>, a Chinese company that makes lidar sensors, was added to the U.S. Department of Defense\u2019s list of \u201cChinese Military Companies.\u201d Hesai called the inclusion \u201cunjust, capricious and meritless\u201d and said that the sensors are for civilian use only. Hesai also emphasized the company doesn\u2019t have ties of any kind to any military in any country.<\/p>\n Elon Musk\u2019s<\/strong> $56 billion pay package<\/a> is unfair, a Delaware judge ruled. If the decision stands (many expect an appeal) it will void the largest compensation deal in corporate history.<\/p>\nA little bird<\/h2>\n
Deal of the week<\/h2>\n
![\"money](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/money-the-station.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nNotable reads and other tidbits<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/the-station-ride-hailing1.png\")
<\/a><\/h3>\nADAS<\/h3>\n
Autonomous vehicles<\/h3>\n
Electric vehicles, batteries & charging<\/h3>\n
In-car tech<\/h3>\n
People<\/h3>\n
This week\u2019s wheels<\/h2>\n
![\"genesis](\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/genesis-gv60-exterior-ksk.jpg\")
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