Latest news with #BeckAndrewSalgado
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
APD: Pair of Waymo vehicles behind traffic obstruction in Austin on Sunday; here's why
Waymo and Uber may have been leading the pack in the self-driving space with launches in major cities, including Austin. However, a recent weather occurrence briefly stopped two Waymo vehicles from going the distance, literally. According to the Austin Police Department, just after 10:15 p.m. Sunday, two Waymo self-driving vehicles were found blocking part of a ramp on the West 15th Street Bridge, near the intersection of North Lamar Boulevard and eastbound West 15th Street. According to information from Waymo, the cars stopped due to the severe storm conditions over the weekend, prompting the company to pause the ability for Waymo vehicles to accept new trips. "Waymo's system is designed to respond proactively to extreme weather, and due to the conditions last night, a number of our vehicles pulled over and stopped on the side of the road," read a statement from the company. "Operations resumed once conditions improved. We appreciate the community's understanding and remain committed to safe and reliable transportation." More: Waymo and Uber's pre-SXSW collaboration launch highlights their commitment to future tech Beyond a brief traffic imposition, the event caused no harm or damage. Since Uber and Waymo launched the self-driving vehicle service in Austin this month, there have been no major incidents. Moreover, there was an instance last December where a Waymo car was able to swerve around a civilian who suddenly crashed on an electric scooter in front of the self-driving vehicle. Waymo rides available through Uber are able to serve riders across an area of 37 square miles in Austin. The collaboration between Uber and Waymo became official in 2023, and since then, the duo has created a first-to-market autonomous transportation tool. Ride services from the collaboration are now being administered in Phoenix and Austin, with plans to expand to Atlanta later this year. Opinion: Austinites should have a say in Waymo driverless robotaxis taking to our streets | Opinion Austinites, or those visiting the city, are able to change settings in the Uber app to enhance or remove their chances of being matched with a Waymo. Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@ This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Here's why two Waymos abruptly pulled over causing traffic in Austin
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Yahoo
Texas REAL ID deadline looming. How, why to get one if you want to fly within US in 2025
If you don't already have a REAL ID, you are likely to become a lot more familiar with the nomenclature in the coming months. This is because after May 7 of this year, possessing a REAL ID will be mandatory in order to fly domestically. As a result of the REAL ID Act, passed in 2005 in response to 9/11, the new ID variant will be made mandatory in an effort to maintain security and thwart fraudulent identification. As the deadline to obtain this class of ID approaches quickly, here's how to know if you already have one, how to get one and what happens if you do not acquire one. REAL IDs have been in distribution since 2016, so if you have recently replaced or renewed your ID, you likely already have one. Texans can see if they already have the correct ID credentials by looking into the top right-hand corner of their current ID. If there is a gold circle with a white star in the middle, this is an indication that you have already received REAL ID status on your driver's license. If this symbol is missing, then you will need to renew your ID before the May deadline. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, you can apply for a new REAL ID-compliant Texas driver's license or ID at any DPS office. Be warned: Texans have had to endure frustratingly long waits for driver's licenses and state IDs due to a backlog of services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a staffing shortage. Additionally, you may also be eligible to renew your existing Texas driver's license or ID online, which will result in being given a new license with the REAL ID signifier. It is also important to note that you can still use your current, unexpired Texas driver's license or ID to drive and for non-federal ID purposes. Yes, starting May 7, it will be mandatory to have a REAL ID in order to fly domestically in the United States. If you do not have a driver's license, using a passport or an enhanced driver's license is also acceptable. A REAL ID driver's license is simply an updated one with the REAL ID signifier on the card. An enhanced driver's license is a more involved version of a driver's license that also provides information similar to that of a passport, and thus can be used as proof of citizenship. Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@ This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas REAL ID vs. driver's license: How to check, why you need one
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
After Wetzel's Pretzels and Starbucks, what else is coming to Barton Creek Square?
Barton Creek Square has long been a premier shopping destination in the Austin area. And despite turbulence in the shopping center space, the mall continues to add new stores. From retail classics to local food vendors, Barton Creek Square is filling its spaces. Recently, the mall announced six new offerings, ranging from a salty staple to a new arcade. Here's everything you need to know about the six new stores and other recent additions. Purificación García describes itself as a Spanish design store specializing in accessories, womenswear, and menswear is a Chinese variety store chain that specializes in Japanese household and consumer goods including cosmetics, stationery, toys, and kitchenware. Pastissimo serves made-to-order pasta through a five-step ordering process, allowing customers to choose from a variety of pasta, sauces, and proteins to personalize their dishes. Claw & Fun features a large collection of claw machines filled with prizes like plush toys and trendy collectibles. Wetzel's Pretzels, a shopping center staple, offers hand-rolled, freshly baked pretzels, along with beef hot dogs and specialty pretzels popular as shopping snacks. Starbucks, the largest coffee chain in the U.S., reopened at Barton Creek Square with a location on the lower level. Two of these stores, Wetzel's Pretzels and Starbucks, have already opened and can be found next to and across from Foot Locker. The remaining stores will open throughout the first half of the year, starting with MINISO, which is expected to open this month next to Abercrombie & Fitch. In March, Pastissimo is expected to open next to AMC Theaters. Mall representatives have also announced that Purificación García will open next to Michael Kors sometime during the spring. Lastly, Claw & Fun is expected to open this summer on the lower level next to Old Navy. The addition of these six stores follows the opening of five stores last year. These include Chubby Cattle on the upper level near Nordstrom, Casper on the lower level next to Warby Parker, Fan Outfitters on the lower level across from Men's Wearhouse, Journeys Kidz on the upper level next to the Lego store, and Perfume Gallery on the upper level across from JD Sports. Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@ This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Barton Creek Square to see six new stores, including Wetzel's Pretzels
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Uber opens waitlist for Waymo robotaxi rides in Austin. Here's how to sign up
The days of being forced to have awkward interactions with Uber drivers may be coming to an end in Austin. Starting this week, residents will have access to driverless cars on the ride-hailing app as part of its partnership with the autonomous vehicle technology company Waymo. Uber, which already offers the "Waymo One" experience in three other U.S. cities, announced last September that it would begin offering driverless rides in the Live Music Capital in early 2025. But the expansion has been years in the making: Waymo's fleet of fully autonomous, all-electric Jaguar SUVS have long roamed the streets of Austin in preparation for such a partnership. More: Tesla announces robotaxi ride-hailing service just weeks before Waymo launches with Uber 'We're excited to partner with Waymo as we build the future of transportation, which will combine the best of both autonomous and human drivers in the years ahead," Andrew Macdonald, Uber's senior vice president of Mobility and Business Operations, said in a statement. Now that the service is available to the public, here is everything you need to know about when it is coming, how to sign up and what to expect. Starting on Wednesday, but you'll need to opt in to be eligible. To do so, download the latest software update for the Uber app, launch it and open your account settings. Under 'ride preferences,' select the autonomous vehicle option. While this won't guarantee a Waymo match every time, it will increase your odds. During the initial launch, Uber says Waymo rides will be available within a 37-square-mile contiguous portion of Austin that spans downtown, Hyde Park and Montopolis. The company plans to expand its operating territory at some point in the future with the addition of hundreds of vehicles to its fleet. Once the Waymo vehicle arrives, riders can unlock the vehicle and start the trip — all from the familiar Uber app. There will be no upcharge to use the service. Riders will pay the same rate they would for UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort and Uber Comfort Electric with the prices listed for each option. Once the Waymo vehicle arrives, riders will be able to unlock the vehicle and start the trip — all from the Uber app. No, according to Uber. More: The state of self-driving taxi cars in Austin: Tesla and Waymo battle as GM shifts focus The company hopes that driverless cars will function more efficiently, leading to better experiences and increased demand. However, it has also stated that human drivers will still play an important role in its operations and that it sees Waymo as a complement rather than a competitor. Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@ This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Uber and Waymo launch 'interest list' for Austin robotaxi service
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chinese AI DeepSeek challenges ChatGPT and causes tech stocks to fall, including Tesla
A relatively small Chinese lab, DeepSeek, is making waves in the international Artificial Intelligence race after debuting advancements on its new large language model. Last week, DeepSeek released its R1 model which has since gone viral. This is causing concerns in the U.S. market, generally seen as the leader in the space, as Chinese prominence is expected to grow. Moreover, DeepSeek was able to make these advancements despite U.S. export controls that have limited chip availability and, until now, stymied AI advancements in China." As users flock to the app, financial markets are showing signs of uncertainty as a new phase of the AI gold rush begins to develop. Here's everything you need to know about DeepSeek. Many across the tech landscape are left both fascinated and startled as a relatively unknown AI company, DeepSeek, has become one of the most talked about companies in the world overnight. The company, based in Hangzhou, China, is funded and completely owned by the Chinese hedge fund High-Flyer. DeepSeek's flagship product is the R1 model, which has gone viral over the past weekend. The Chinese company has struck a nerve with U.S. regulators, AI leaders, and stockholders as its rapid progress threatens U.S. dominance in the space. Moreover, it is hard not to draw a connection between potential regulatory concerns and the ongoing social and political debate surrounding Chinese-owned TikTok. DeepSeek only heightens concerns that technology advancements in the internet and AI era could lead to national security risks. As of right now, DeepSeek is completely open-source and free to use, unlike U.S. companies like OpenAI, which require subscriptions to access the best models. According to a statement released by DeepSeek, the R1 model matches or beats similar products from competitors like ChatGPT on most math and reasoning-related tasks. Since DeepSeek dropped its R1 model, the company's app has become the top free app in the Apple app store — narrowly ahead of ChatGPT and Threads. Due to tariffs, DeepSeek has been forced to make its models do more with less, enabling the company to create a model that is both less expensive and more efficient. Bedrocks of bountiful investment portfolios are currently the biggest losers, with Nvidia down 16% at the time of writing. Nvidia has been thriving, consistently capitalizing on the AI boom to become one of the world's most valuable companies. Additionally, Tesla is down more than 2% today following a month of fluctuating stock prices, with consistent dips over the last 10 days. This is likely due to Tesla positioning itself as a leader in practical AI innovation with products like self-driving cars and robots. Elon Musk, one of the original founders of OpenAI, may well have cause for concern over his AI startup, xAI. In addition to individual companies, Nasdaq futures are down 4% and the S&P 500 is down 2%. Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@ This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Chinese AI DeepSeek challenges ChatGPT and causes tech stocks to fall
