Articles by Michael Liedtke

AP Technology Writer

PG&E to Pay $150M for Botched Outages, California Wildfires

Pacific Gas & Electric is getting hit with a nearly $150 million bill for neglect that caused Northern California wildfires during the past two years and mismanagement of blackouts designed to prevent the utility’s crumbling power grid from causing more …

PG&E to Pay $43.4M in 3 California Counties Burned by Fraying Grid

Pacific Gas & Electric will pay $43.4 million to government agencies in three Northern California counties to cover bills left behind from wildfires ignited during the past two years by the beleaguered utility’s long-neglected power grid. The settlements announced Wednesday …

Automakers Support Guidelines for Advertising Partially Automated Vehicles

DETROIT —The trade association representing most major automakers is offering guidelines for manufacturers to advertise partially automated driving systems and to make sure drivers are paying attention while using them. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation says its members support the …

Judge Considering Requiring PG&E in California to Turn off Power More Often

A federal judge overseeing Pacific Gas & Electric’s criminal probation said Tuesday that he is considering requiring the utility to be more aggressive about turning off its electricity lines near tall trees, a plan that could double the number of …

As States Ease Mask Rules, Essential Workers Worry About Safety and Jobs

Leo Carney worries that bigger crowds and mask-less diners could endanger workers at the Biloxi, Mississippi, seafood restaurant where he manages the kitchen. Maribel Cornejo, who earns $9.85 an hour as a McDonald’s cook in Houston, can’t afford to get …

Google Paying $2.6M to Settle California, Washington Discrimination Case

Google will pay $2.6 million to more than 5,500 employees and past job applicants to resolve allegations that the internet giant discriminated against female engineers and Asians in California and Washington state. The settlement announced Monday closes a 4-year-old case …

Pardon for Ex-Google Exec Who Took Self-Driving Car Secrets to Uber

A long-running Silicon Valley soap opera took an unexpected twist on Wednesday after outgoing President Donald Trump pardoned a former Google engineer for stealing self-driving car secrets shortly before joining Uber. Trump’s surprise pardon of Anthony Levandowski enables him to …

Cruise Rolling out Fully Autonomous Cars in San Francisco

General Motors’ self-driving car company is sending vehicles without anybody behind the wheel in San Francisco as it navigates its way toward launching a robotic taxi service that would compete against Uber and Lyft in the hometown of the leading …

Pandemic-Stricken Uber Sells Its Robot-Vehicle Division

Uber is selling off its autonomous vehicles development arm as the ride-hailing company slims down after its revenues were pummeled by the coronavirus pandemic. Self-driving vehicle technology company Aurora will acquire the employees and technology behind Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group …

PG&E Rate Hike in California Aimed at Easing Wildfire Risk

Pacific Gas & Electric’s household customers will be hit with an average rate increase of 8% to help the once-bankrupt utility pay for improvements designed to reduce the risks that its outdated equipment will ignite deadly wildfires in its Northern …