Tesla Robotaxis Under NHTSA Investigation; Snowcap Compute Secures $23M for AI Chip Development
Key Takeaways
- NHTSA probes Tesla robotaxis after videos show traffic violations in South Austin.
- Snowcap Compute raised $23M for superconducting AI chips; Pat Gelsinger joins board.
- DeepSeek aids China's military, raises privacy concerns due to Chinese data laws.
- Nvidia exits China data center market due to export controls, Huawei gains.
- SpaceX to launch seeds, DNA for radiation study in low Earth orbit.
Top Stories
NHTSA probes Tesla robotaxis after traffic violations
On June 23, 2025, the NHTSA contacted Tesla following online videos showing Tesla robotaxis in South Austin violating traffic laws after the launch of paid robotaxi rides on June 22, 2025. The videos showed instances of speeding, swerving, and unexpected braking near police vehicles.
Snowcap Compute raises $23M for AI chips
On June 23, 2025, Snowcap Compute raised $23 million to develop superconducting AI chips, with Pat Gelsinger, former CEO of Intel, joining its board. The company aims to create high-performance, low-energy computers using these chips and plans to have its first basic chip ready by the end of 2026.
DeepSeek aids China's military, raises privacy concerns
On June 23, 2025, reports surfaced that AI firm DeepSeek is assisting China's military and intelligence operations by circumventing U.S. export rules and sharing user data with Beijing. DeepSeek is also offered to customers by Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, raising privacy concerns due to Chinese data laws; Nvidia clarified that DeepSeek used H800 chips, not H100.
Nvidia exits China data center market
On June 23, 2025, Nvidia stated that current export controls have effectively removed them from the China data center market, which is now being served by competitors like Huawei.
SpaceX to launch seeds, DNA for radiation study
On June 23, 2025, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base, sending seeds, fungi, algae, and human DNA samples to a polar low Earth orbit to study the effects of radiation, housed in MayaSat-1. Božidar Radišič is also sending approximately 150 cannabis seeds to space, believing cannabis is suitable for space agriculture.
AI Infrastructure
Nvidia's Rubin Ultra server to consume 600kW
A report published on June 23, 2025, projects that Nvidia's upcoming "Rubin Ultra" AI data center server, expected in 2027, will consume approximately 600 kilowatts of power.
AI Governance
Malaysia investigates Chinese firm's Nvidia chip use
On June 23, 2025, it was reported that Malaysia's trade ministry is investigating whether a Chinese company in Malaysia is using servers equipped with Nvidia chips for large language model training and if any domestic laws have been breached.
Geopolitical Tech
Taiwan struggles to build drone industry
Reports from June 23, 2025, indicate Taiwan is rushing to establish a domestic drone industry amid threats from China, producing 8,000-10,000 UAVs in the past year but facing challenges competing with DJI and avoiding Chinese tech. DSET recommends US support for Taiwan's drone industry, though no Taiwanese manufacturer has accessed the Department of Defense’s “blue list.”
Market Watch
aedifion raises €17M in funding round
On June 23, 2025, Eurazeo, a French private equity firm, led a 17-million-euro ($20 million) fund-raising round for aedifion, a German property-focused AI tech company.
Tech in Motion
Xiaomi's factory tours see high demand
Xiaomi began offering one-hour factory tours in January 2025, and due to high demand, plans to offer tours every weekday and six tours most weekends in July 2025. The tours will accommodate over 1,100 visitors, with over 27,000 applications received overnight as of June 23, 2025.