DETROIT - Toyota Motor Corp will acquire Lyft Inc's self-driving technology unit for $550 million, the companies said Tuesday, as the Japanese auto company steps up its automation ambitions with the newly created Woven Planet division. The acquisition of Level 5 automation will also provide Toyota access to the U.S. ride-hailing firm's more than 300
NEW YORK - In the face of the pandemic, an economic crisis, mass layoffs, and high unemployment, the percent of employees reporting overall satisfaction with their jobs remained high in 2020, according to a new survey from The Conference Board. While some components of job satisfaction declined due to the recession and economic stress, companies
DETROIT – LIFT, the Department of Defense-supported national manufacturing innovation institute, announced it has hired Amberlee Haselhuhn, Ph.D., to its technology team as Senior Engineer. In this role, Haselhuhn will lead the institute’s state-of-the-art materials and joining development and evaluation work, delivering innovative solutions and manufacturing processes for LIFT’s customers and ecosystem. She will also
LANSING - The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) allows small and midsize employers, and certain governmental employers, to claim refundable tax credits that reimburse them for the cost of providing paid sick and family leave to their employees due to COVID-19, including leave taken by employees to receive or recover from COVID-19 vaccinations.
SEATTLE - Venture capital dealmaking started strong in the first quarter of 2021 with an uptick in mega-deals and increased participation of nontraditional investors, according to a new report. The proliferation of mega-deals ($100 million+), once considered to be anomalies a few years ago, have become commonplace. In fact, mega-deal value in the first quarter
DETROIT - WID-MI's monthly virtual program in May will feature Marion G. Whicker is the Chief of Supply, Production and Distribution for Operation Warp Speed - to develop, manufacture and distribute COVID-19 vaccines to 300 million Americans on an accelerated timeline. In her Operation Warp Speed role, Whicker oversees and coordinates efforts to expand and
ANN ARBOR—The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan will host its annual Positive Business Conference — an event aimed at informing and discussing topics related to improving workplace culture and delivering tangible business results — on May 13 and 14. The theme for this year’s virtual conference is “Meaningful Engagement in a Fragmented
DETROIT—Bedrock, Detroit’s largest real-estate developer, announced its continued commitment to reduce overall carbon emissions across its portfolio through an agreement with DTE Energy to acquire approximately 22 million kilowatt hours—or 22,000 megawatt hours—of Michigan-generated clean energy annually through DTE Energy’s MIGreenPower voluntary renewable energy program. “As the city’s largest real-estate operator, we believe that it
GRAND RAPIDS — The autonomous shuttle that runs through downtown could transition to an on-demand format with new vehicles under a proposal before city officials to renew the pilot program that’s set to expire on April 30. The Autonomous Vehicle Initiative led by Mobile GR, Ann Arbor-based May Mobility Inc. and various private sponsors started in July 2019.
DETROIT - In a world seemingly dominated by a few tech giants and closely kept company secrets, open-source software bucks the trend. Encouraging the sharing of knowledge and collaboration on tech projects, some companies are proving that giving everyone the opportunity to improve and innovate can accelerate progress. Open-source software is where users are able
