Technology

Bloomberg Since China banned fireworks across more than 400 cities to reduce pollution, a new entertainment has emerged to fill the skies: drone swarms. Shows featuring more than a thousand drones forming 3-D animated figures and other images are being booked for celebrations across the country. Among those cashing in on the technology is EHang Inc., which has been contracted ...

Bloomberg Uber Technologies Inc. announced it would roll out its on-demand electric-bicycle service to Europe, as it seeks to expand its international offerings to include more environmentally-friendly forms of transportation. Uber said it aims to bring its Jump bike rental service to Berlin before the end of this summer, with other European cities to follow soon after. “When you get ...

Bloomberg Kitty Hawk, the Mountain View, Calif.-based flying car company founded and backed by Larry Page, is offering a new glimpse of one its upcoming aircraft: a single-person recreational vehicle. The Kitty Hawk Flyer sports 10 battery-powered propellors and two control sticks, and looks like a human-sized drone, according to photos and videos of the final design posted to the ...

Bloomberg Forget autonomous cars — your next taxi might whiz you across town through the air. Volocopter GmbH, a German startup backed by Intel Corp. and Daimler AG, has built a drone-like electric helicopter to ferry travelers across city skies. The company expects to offer its first commercial trips in the next three to five years, after completing test flights ...

Bloomberg Daimler AG’s truck unit unveiled two battery-powered models for the US market, bolstering its bid to fend off Tesla Inc., Volvo AB and Volkswagen AG in the race to electrify big rigs. The German manufacturer’s Freightliner brand revealed the eCascadia, a highway hauler that can go as far as 400 kilometres between charges. The smaller eM2, with a range ...

Bloomberg Nintendo Co. is bringing together the magnetic appeal of Pokemon, smartphones and the Switch console into an interlinked gaming experience. Pokemon: Let’s Go Pikachu and Pokemon: Let’s Go Eevee were unveiled by the Kyoto-based video-game maker. They’re designed to capitalise on the blockbuster success of the Pokemon Go smartphone game and a solid year of sales for the Switch ...

Bloomberg Google decided not to renew its contract with a Pentagon drone programme once it expires, after extensive protests from employees of the internet giant. Diane Greene, head of the cloud business at Alphabet Inc.’s Google, told staff that the company will let the deal lapse when it runs out in March 2019, according to people familiar with the meeting. ...

Bloomberg Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo is expanding its partnership with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV by adding tens of thousands of minivans to its fleet of self-driving cars and the two said autonomous vehicles could eventually be sold to the public. The addition of 62,000 Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid minivans builds on a commitment announced in January to buy an unspecified number ...

Bloomberg In recent months, Apple Inc. has been criticised for the addictive nature of its devices. This week, the company plans to unveil software to help cure people of their iPhone habit. On Monday, Apple will hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, where it will lay out its software strategy for the next year and tease future ...

Bloomberg Boeing Co.-backed startup Zunum Aero plans to deliver its first hybrid-electric plane in 2022 to JetSuite Inc., setting the stage for a new era in regional flying. JetSuite, a small charter airline with plans to expand a commercial operation nationally, eventually will receive as many as 100 aircraft that seat up to 12 passengers each, Zunum co-founder Matt Knapp ...