Waymo expands robotaxi operations to Austin

Waymo – the self-driving technology firm under Google-owner Alphabet – is set to launch its Waymo One service in Austin, marking the latest expansion of its robotaxi operations.

Following successful ventures in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, Waymo's move into the Texas capital underscores its ambition to establish itself as a leader in autonomous transportation.

Announced in August 2023, Austin was designated as the fourth city for Waymo One and the company...

6 March 2024 | Applications

San Francisco mob sets fire to Waymo vehicle

An angry mob destroyed a Waymo self-driving taxi in San Francisco on Monday night. The incident occurred around 9pm local time when a group of approximately 20 individuals surrounded the stationary Waymo vehicle.

https://twitter.com/SFFDPIO/status/1756581720399520077

While footage of the event has surfaced online, it remains unclear what prompted the mob to destroy the vehicle. Speculation has arisen following a recent incident involving a Waymo vehicle colliding with a...

12 February 2024 | Connected Vehicles

Cruise is being investigated after robotaxi dragged pedestrian

General Motors’ driverless Cruise division is facing investigations by both the Department of Justice (DoJ) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) following an October 2023 incident in which a jaywalking pedestrian was struck by an autonomous Cruise vehicle and then dragged 20 feet, exacerbating her injuries.  

The probes come as Cruise itself released findings yesterday regarding the incident, which also involved another vehicle. The company acknowledged it "failed to...

26 January 2024 | Applications

Huawei forecasts growth in digital energy and smart car solutions

Chinese telecoms giant Huawei is targeting growth in 2024 for its newer business areas including digital energy and smart vehicle solutions, according to rotating chairman Hu Houkun. 

In an end-of-year memo, Hu said the company expects to surpass 700 billion yuan ($103 billion) in sales for 2023. While its core ICT infrastructure business "will remain robust," greater momentum is building behind the firm’s digital energy and smart vehicle solutions.

"The...

3 January 2024 | Applications

Key figures depart Cruise amid robotaxi incidents

Daniel Kan, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Cruise – the autonomous car firm backed by General Motors – has resigned. This development closely follows the departure of Cruise's CEO and fellow co-founder, Kyle Vogt, who made his resignation announcement just a day prior.

The departure of both key figures comes in the wake of a series of safety incidents involving Cruise's driverless cars on the streets of San Francisco, where the company is headquartered.

One...

21 November 2023 | Applications

Ru Roberts, Waze: On improving journeys using real-time data

IoT News caught up with Ru Roberts, UK Country Manager for Waze, to discuss how the popular navigation app uses real-time data from vehicles to improve journeys.

As a long-term user of Waze, I’ve seen first-hand the advancements the app has made over the years. Long gone are the days of directions to go the wrong way down one-way streets, across concrete barriers, or a large number of roads being unmapped.

While some improvements to Waze are down to enhancements to its...

17 February 2022 | Connected Vehicles

Hyundai-Aptiv joint venture Motional unveils its first Lyft robotaxi

Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv, has unveiled its first robotaxi that will be available via Lyft’s app.

The all-electric IONIQ 5 robotaxi is based on the same vehicle that launched worldwide earlier this year. As a Level 4 autonomous vehicle, it can safely operate without a driver.

Woongjun Jang, Head of the Autonomous Driving Center at Hyundai Motor Group, said:

“Hyundai Motor has evolved its IONIQ 5, a battery electric vehicle built on...

1 September 2021 | Applications

Hyundai confirms it’s in discussions to build Apple’s first car

The elusive Apple car is at least getting slightly closer to rolling off production lines as Hyundai confirms it’s in discussions to manufacture it.

While the Apple car is yet to be officially announced – and won’t be for some time yet – Hyundai has confirmed the existence of the project (which pretty much everyone and their dogs knew anyway at this point.)

Korean website Hankyung first reported the rumours of Hyundai’s involvement, before the automotive giant...

8 January 2021 | Connected Vehicles