Google Goes with Lyft Elon Digs

Investment arm of Google's Alphabet invests $1 billion in Lyft

Google also an investor in Uber

Autonomous vehicles are making strange bedfellows. Or maybe it's just a Silicon Valley family feud - or maybe a little corporate espionage exposed?

Google subsidiary CapitalG is investing $1 billion into Lyft. A bit awkward considering Google is a big Uber investor and has had a presence on the company's board.

Lyft partnered with Google's self-driving unit Waymo earlier this year. Lyft has grown and become available to 95%  of riders. But Google has become disenchanted with Uber after its partner Waymo accused Uber of stealing its AV technology.

But it also seems there is a bit more to the story. Maybe Google's investment into Uber was a cloak and danger ploy to spy?

Google's Larry Page 

Googles' David Drummond sat on the Uber board, following a dank investment of  $250 million into the number one ride-sharing company. Drummond left in 2014, however, citing the fact that Google was intending to compete with Uber in the ride-sharing platform.

Drummond is now the head of CapitalG, the firm now heavily investing in Lyft. In the Waymo lawsuit against Uber, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said he believed Google Alphabet's Larry Page was gathering intel on Uber.

What really went on? It's up to anybody to decide. Was it a case of corporate espionage, or did some relationships go bad and egos get involved? Regardless, as an $11 billion dollar company compared to a $70 billion for Uber when it comes to self-driving future, Google is giving Lyft, a lift.  From CNBC

Meanwhile, Elon keeps digging 

Elon Musk announced today that his second boring device is ready to get started digging. 

Musk's Boring company is at the cutting edge - literally of a large project to dig long-distance tunnels for an underground system of vehicle shuttling in an effort to avoid congestion. 

His first digging machine, Godot, is already busy working underground in the LA area. His new device, Line-Storm will soon join it. From CNBC

More digging this time it comes from Google

A new startup from an ex-Googler is on the path to change the way construction excavation is done. As AI has entered autonomous vehicles and farm equipment, how long could excavators and bulldozers be ignored? 

Not very long it turns out. Noah Ready-Campbell of Built Robotics, a former Google engineer, has created a robotic system software that operates construction equipment autonomously. And the benefits being that it goes and goes without a break and won't be telling you any bad jokes while waiting for the cement truck. 

With the elimination of an operators salary of  $60,000 to $80,000, it would cut costs down considerably on projects. But it will also do away with dangerous and boring work for those in the construction field. 

The software puts in place a geofence, lays out the map of the exact area that the equipment needs to work on, and the equipment does the rest. All the operator has to do is mind the computer software. What's even more appealing is that the technology is designed to be retrofitted, sparing customers the cost of a new expensive piece of equipment.