Fri. 08/11 – Unleash The Robotaxis!

A major regulatory breakthrough is going to open the floodgates for self-driving taxis in California. Two different stories about dealing with the China restrictions, including one US company that is directly benefiting, and Meta’s AR ambitions, which are not. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Robotaxis score a huge victory in California with approval to operate 24/7 (The Verge) Skydio closing consumer drone business (TechCrunch) Behind Meta’s ‘Made in USA’ AR Glasses: a Military-Grade Material (The Information) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Where have all the fitness bands gone? (The Verge) 4 Actual Use Cases for Blockchain and AI That Are More Than Just Hype (CoinDesk) The Looming Catalog Crisis (Vulture) Paul F. Tompkins Is Getting Back Into It (Vulture)