Evan Robinson-Johnson

New York

Business Reporter at The Information

Photographer, journalist, fan of unusual transit. @theinformation ✍️@NorthwesternU 💟 @jacksonholenews ⛰️ Write me [email protected] or signal @evanr.17

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Articles

Tesla Launches Its Robotaxi Service In Austin

1 week ago | theinformation.com | Evan Robinson-Johnson

Source: The InformationTesla’s long awaited robotaxi launch took off Sunday in Austin, Texas—with essentially a babysitter in the passenger seat keeping an eye on the vehicle. In invitations to early testers of the service, Tesla noted that initial rides of the autonomous Model Y cars would include a “safety monitor.” While the invitation didn’t say what role the monitors will play, they will likely be able to stop the ride or take control of the vehicle if it gets into trouble.
SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas explodes, but no injuries reported

1 week ago | post-gazette.com | Evan Robinson-Johnson

A SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas exploded Wednesday night, sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky. The company said the Starship “experienced a major anomaly” at about 11 p.m. while on the test stand preparing for the tenth flight test at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas. “A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” SpaceX said in a statement on the social media platform X.
Musk’s xAI Is Burning $1 Billion a Month

1 week ago | theinformation.com | Evan Robinson-Johnson

Source: BloombergElon Musk’s xAI is burning $1 billion a month as it spends heavily on building its AI models, Bloomberg reported, citing people briefed on the company’s financials. The company is trying to raise $9.3 billion in debt and equity, according to the report, and plans to spend more than half of that sum in the next three months. Meanwhile, the company has told investors to expect just $500 million in revenue this year, Bloomberg reported.
SpaceX Begins Work on Second Launch Site for Starship

2 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Evan Robinson-Johnson

Source: The InformationElon Musk’s SpaceX demolished a former United Launch Alliance tower in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Thursday, paving the way for a new complex that will provide a second launch site for its largest rocket, Starship. SpaceX is planning to launch Starship up to 76 times a year from the complex, according to an environmental review prepared by the Air Force.
Tesla Sues Former Optimus Engineer, Alleging Trade Secret Theft

2 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Evan Robinson-Johnson

Source: The InformationTesla sued a former robotics engineer who launched his own robotics startup shortly after leaving the company last year, accusing him of stealing confidential information about Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot.
Neuralink Co-founder Tapped by Rival Precision Neuroscience

2 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Evan Robinson-Johnson

Source: The InformationAs competition intensifies in the nascent brain-computer interface market, Precision Neuroscience has tapped Neuralink co-founder Vanessa Tolosa to be senior vice president of research and development. The company also added Vivek Pinto, a former FDA device official, as director of medical affairs. Precision received an initial clearance from the FDA in April to install its brain implants for up to 30 days.
Musk Says He Regrets Lashing Out at Trump

2 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Evan Robinson-Johnson

Source: The InformationElon Musk walked back some of his incendiary comments about President Donald Trump, suggesting a further mending of their relationship, which grew close during the campaign and Musk’s time overseeing cost-cutting efforts in Washington but exploded last week into a war of words. “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week,” Musk wrote on his social media platform X.
Tesla Robotaxi Spotted on Austin Streets

2 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Evan Robinson-Johnson

Source: The InformationTesla still has not given a public launch date for its robotaxi service in Austin, but an observer on Tuesday posted a video of a Model Y on city streets without a human driver behind the wheel, prompting some early celebrations from Tesla’s workers and fanbase. “Beautifully simple design,” CEO Elon Musk wrote on X. “Its go time,” a Tesla engineer added. “Slowly slowly at first, then …” wrote Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s vice president of AI software.
Blue Origin Delays Second New Glenn Launch

2 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Evan Robinson-Johnson

Source: The InformationJeff Bezos’ rocket company Blue Origin delayed the second launch of its premier rocket New Glenn from late spring to August 15, showing the difficulty in building an alternative to Elon Musk’s SpaceX as questions swirl in Washington about the government’s reliance on the mercurial billionaire.
Tesla’s Optimus Humanoid Leader Leaves Company

3 weeks ago | theinformation.com | Evan Robinson-Johnson

Source: The InformationThe leader of Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robotics program, Milan Kovac, is leaving the company, a setback for what CEO Elon Musk has said will eventually become a core part of the business. Kovac, who first joined the company in 2016 and took over Optimus in 2022, confirmed his departure on X saying he wanted to spend time with his family. “My support for @elonmusk and the team is ironclad - Tesla team forever,” he wrote.