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

Self-driving shuttle arrives in Sunderland

The debut of the self-driving Sunderland Advanced Mobility Shuttle (SAMS) aims to revolutionise urban mobility in the city.

SAMS, which arrived in Sunderland recently, promises to redefine how residents and visitors navigate the city streets. This autonomous shuttle, set to hit the roads this spring, represents a milestone in Sunderland's journey towards embracing self-driving technology.

Sunderland's Mayor, Councillor Dorothy Trueman, said: “We are thrilled to welcome...

4 March 2024 | 5G

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

San Francisco officials want the CPUC to slow robotaxi authorisations

San Francisco officials have sent letters to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) expressing their concerns over the pace of robotaxi deployments.

Driverless vehicle giants Cruise and Waymo have significant expansion plans for their respective operations in San Francisco. However, their existing deployments have been causing some problems for the city.

Some of the reported issues have included driverless vehicles stopping in the middle of the road for no...

31 January 2023 | Connected Vehicles

Uber launches hailing of Motional robotaxis in Las Vegas

Uber users in Las Vegas can now hail Motional’s robotaxis for autonomous trips around Sin City.

“Today, Motional becomes the first AV company to conduct all-electric autonomous rides on the Uber network for public passengers,” said Akshay Jaising, Motional’s VP of Commercialisation. 

The vehicles used for the rides will be adapted Hyundai IONIQ 5 electric cars. Motional, it’s worth noting, is a joint venture between Hyundai and...

7 December 2022 | Connected Vehicles

Waymo launches 24/7 autonomous ride-hailing service in San Francisco

Alphabet subsidiary Waymo has launched San Francisco’s first 24/7 fully-autonomous ride-hailing service.

Earlier this month, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) granted Waymo a permit to participate in the state’s pilot initiative to provide “driverless” autonomous vehicle (AV) passenger service to the public.

“We are seeing momentum build in this space and are working to assure the safe expansion of the driverless pilot program,” said CPUC...

21 November 2022 | AI

AutoX wins the race to build China’s first Level 4 robotaxi production line

Alibaba-backed AutoX has won the race to build the first Level 4 robotaxi production line in China.

Level 4 “mind off” driverless vehicles are fully autonomous and can handle complex urban driving situations. However, a human driver must be available and in a fit state to take control if required. If the human driver does not respond appropriately to a request to intervene, a Level 4 vehicle must be capable of pulling over safely.

AutoX has gained international...

22 December 2021 | Connected Vehicles

Road to Success: Ericsson’s connected car report highlights ‘significant’ opportunities

Ericsson has released a connected car report highlighting a number of “significant” monetisation opportunities for car manufacturers.

The report – Connected Cars: Succeeding in the midst of economic and societal transformation – also examines some of the challenges faced by automotive OEMs as they seek to secure their place in a world that’s rapidly changing.

Statista forecasts the connected car market to reach $166 billion by 2025 while some other...

2 September 2021 | 5G

AutoX’s driverless taxis reach 100 consecutive days of operation

Alibaba-backed autonomous vehicle firm AutoX has now operated a driverless taxi service for 100 consecutive days.

The service has been operating without a safety driver on the roads of Shenzhen, the most population-dense city in China.

Professor Jianxiong Xiao, Founder and CEO of AutoX, said:

“The first 100 days have been a huge step forward for us and for the entire industry in China.

We have learned so much from the feedback from our passengers...

7 May 2021 | AI

Nuro receives first permit to operate self-driving cars commercially in California

California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has awarded Nuro the state’s first commercial permit for self-driving cars.

The permit allows Nuro to operate its autonomous vehicles commercially on the roads of two counties near the company’s Bay Area headquarters.

Nuro says it will soon announce its first commercial deployment with an “established” partner. The company’s fleet of Prius cars will kick-off the deployment but will later be joined by Nuro’s...

24 December 2020 | Connected Vehicles