Week in Review: IoT, Security, Auto

Deals
Arm acquired Treasure Data, which offers a data management service. Financial terms weren’t revealed, although the transaction is reportedly worth $600 million. Joyce Kim, Arm’s chief marketing officer, told reporters that the purchase is “the largest cash deal we’ve done.” Along with the company’s introduction of Mbed Cloud (a device management service) last year and the acquisition of Stream Technologies in June, Treasure Data will provide key elements to Arm’s new Pelion IoT platform.

Cisco Systems agreed to acquire Duo Security of Ann Arbor, Mich., for $2.35 billion in cash and assumed equity awards. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of Cisco’s 2019 fiscal year, which runs from late July to late October. Buying the cybersecurity startup will augment the company’s security portfolio of products and services, which include firewalls, cloud security, and endpoint security.

Rambus worked with ScotRail, Scotland’s national rail operator, to develop a mobile ticketing solution for the railroad’s existing ticketing application, using the company’s HCE Ticket Wallet Service.

Infineon Technologies completed an agreement with Alibaba Group’s cloud computing unit to work together on Internet of Things technology. The chipmaker will collaborate with Alibaba Cloud, using the AliOS Things IoT operating system.

Automotive Tech
The Uber Advanced Technologies Group this week reported that it is ending its development program for self-driving trucks in order to focus on self-driving cars. The program began in 2016 with the acquisition of Otto, a move that generated Waymo’s litigation over LiDAR technology. The Uber Freight business unit, launched last year, will continue to help truck drivers to connect with shippers. Uber will also continue its development of LiDAR sensors.

Henry Claypool, a policy director for the Community Living Policy Center at the University of California, San Francisco, wants automotive manufacturers to factor in accessibility for disabled persons in their development of autonomous vehicles. “Now, as the vehicle design and development continues, the entire industry has a rare opportunity to create a cutting-edge product that can be used by everyone, including wheelchair users, without the unfair and exorbitant cost and effort now required for customization. Automakers should seize that opportunity,” he writes in this opinion piece.

Sonoma Clean Power resumed its Drive EV program, offering incentives of up to $4,000 for its energy customers to buy or lease an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a plug-in hybrid. The power company has budgeted $1.5 million for the program, which runs through Nov. 16, and it may allocate more funds if that amount is exhausted before the deadline.

Finance
Arlo Technologies went public this week, raising $163.2 million in its initial public offering. The Netgear spinoff sold 10.2 million shares at $16 a share, lower than a previously expected price range. The company’s stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange as ARLO.

Singapore-based Grab, a ride-hailing service, raised $2 billion in new funding, including $1 billion from Toyota Motor, and bringing its total private funding to $6 billion. The funds give Grab a post-money valuation of $11 billion. Also investing in the latest round are Vulcan Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Macquarie Capital, Oppenheimer Funds, and Ping An Capital, among others. The round remains open to more investors.

Xpeng Motors received about $587 million to continue development of its electric vehicle. Primavera Capital Group led the round, joined by Morningside Venture Capital, Hillhouse Capital Group, K11, and Eastern Bell Venture Capital. Xpeng is now valued at $3.6 billion.

Olive of Columbus, Ohio, raised $32.8 million in Series D funding led by Oak HC/FT and Ascension Ventures. The startup provides robotic process automation software for the health-care market, using artificial intelligence and machine learning technology. Previously known as CrossChx, Olive was founded in 2012 and shifted its product focus to AI-based software in the past two years.

San Francisco-based rideOS received $25 million in Series B funding led by next47, the Siemens venture capital fund. Also investing in the new round, which brings the year-old startup’s total private funding to $34 million, are ST Ventures, a new investor, and Sequoia Capital, an existing investor. RideOS is developing a cloud-based fleet-management platform for self-driving cars.

Pico Interactive of Beijing, China, raised $24.7 million in Series A funding co-led by GF Qianhe and GF Xinde Investment, with participation by Jufeng S&T Venture Investment and other investors. Pico markets a stand-alone virtual-reality headset.

Xwing of San Francisco received $4 million in seed funding led by Eniac Ventures, joined by Array Ventures and individual investors. Xwing is developing software for autonomous aviation.

San Francisco-based zecOps, a stealthy cybersecurity startup, raised $3.5 million in seed funding led by KPN Ventures.

Connectivity
AT&T is planning to roll out a narrowband Internet of Things network in 2019, complementing its existing LTE-M network. T-Mobile US last month launched an NB-IoT network. Verizon is also deploying an NB-IoT network, as are Sprint and DISH Network.

Tencent Holdings joined the LoRa Alliance to support the IoT market in China.

Cybersecurity
The Department of Homeland Security this week staged a National Cybersecurity Summit in New York City, using the occasion to announce formation of the National Risk Management Center, which will coordinate efforts to protect critical infrastructure in the U.S. The new organization will work with the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center. DHS also announced the creation of the Information and Communications Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force, which will be based at the NRMC.

Conferences
The Black Hat USA cybersecurity conference opens this weekend at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Products/Services
Synopsys announced a new release of its Seeker software, an interactive application security testing tool for continuous delivery of secure Web applications. “With 34% of developers saying they build multiple times per day or during check-in, application security testing must run in these same time frames or risk grinding the development machine to a halt,” said Amy DeMartine, principal analyst at Forrester Research.

Toronto-based Ecobee is working to develop the “helpful home” with its smart thermostats and other home automation technologies, this analysis notes. The Canadian company wants to compete better against Amazon, Apple and Nest Labs.

Microsoft filed a patent application for Glabella, an eyeglass monitor for measuring blood pressure. The company has developed a prototype device incorporating optical sensors, data processing and storage, and communication components.

Sierra Wireless introduced the AirLink LX40 compact cellular router, which can operate on LTE, LTE-M, and NB-IoT networks. The router can work with Internet protocol cameras, smart lockers, point-of-sale terminals, and industrial equipment.