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

HARMAN looks to ‘democratise automotive connectivity’ with new telematics unit

MWC HARMAN, the Samsung-owned connected vehicle software provider, has announced the launch of a new telematics control unit (TCU) which leverages Qualcomm connected car technology to ‘democratise the automotive connectivity landscape.’

The HARMAN Ready Connect 5G TCU, which is being showcased this week at MWC 2024, is based on the Snapdragon Auto 5G Modem-RF Gen 2 and promises strong performance across connectivity, scalability and usability. Consumers will get ‘rich...

26 February 2024 | 5G

Samsung wants to connect smart homes with vehicles

Samsung is collaborating with Hyundai to expand its SmartThings platform to support connected vehicles. The goal is to develop solutions that fully integrate the smart home and connected vehicles for future lifestyles.

The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 3 January to work together over the next few years. The partnership will connect Samsung’s SmartThings platform with Hyundai and Kia connected vehicles to develop “Home-to-Car” and...

4 January 2024 | Applications

TomTom and Microsoft unveil generative AI for connected vehicles

TomTom has joined forces with Microsoft to bring generative AI to the automotive industry. 

This collaboration has resulted in the development of a fully-integrated AI-powered conversational assistant that enhances voice interaction with infotainment, location search, and vehicle command systems.

The AI-powered assistant – a product of TomTom's expertise combined with Microsoft's advancements in AI – allows drivers to engage in natural conversations with their...

19 December 2023 | AI

Mozilla: Cars are ‘the worst product category’ for data collection

In an era where technology permeates every facet of our lives, even our trusty automobiles have not been spared from the invasive reach of data collection.

A recent study conducted by Mozilla, the renowned nonprofit organisation dedicated to internet privacy, has shed light on the alarming privacy concerns associated with modern cars.

Car manufacturers have long touted their vehicles as "computers on wheels," emphasising their advanced features and connectivity. However,...

6 September 2023 | Connected Vehicles

San Francisco robotaxis get the green light to operate 24/7

Google's Waymo and General Motors' Cruise have both received the green light from California's regulatory body to implement 24/7 fare-based services for fully driverless rides in San Francisco.

The pivotal decision was made by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which voted 3 to 1 in favour of granting the expansion of driverless services for the two tech giants. The CPUC says it meticulously evaluated the companies' adherence to licensing requisites and considered...

11 August 2023 | Connected Vehicles

Waymo announces Austin as its fourth major city

Waymo, the self-driving technology company under Google’s parent company Alphabet, has officially announced Austin as its fourth major ride-hail city.

Austin will be joining the ranks of Metro Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles as Waymo continues to expand and accelerate its business.

Over the past few months, Waymo's team has been conducting extensive testing in and around downtown Austin, utilising their all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles.

The goal of...

4 August 2023 | Connected Vehicles

Cruise robotaxis now run 24/7 in San Francisco

Cruise has announced that it’s now operating 24/7 in San Francisco, marking a significant milestone in its journey.

However, the wider public is currently only able to use the service in around one-third of the city between 10pm and 5:30am. Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt has promised that this will soon change as Cruise moves closer to launching a fully-fledged robotaxi service open to the public around the clock.

Vogt said the systems that power the robotaxi network in San...

27 April 2023 | Connected Vehicles

DiDi is di-veloping its own robotaxis

Chinese ride-hailing company DiDi Global is collaborating with Chinese carmakers to develop robotaxis.

DiDi is developing the robotaxis with multiple car manufacturers, including electric vehicle makers, and is aiming to begin putting them into service by 2025.

The company plans for the new vehicles to be domestically produced, with controllable supply chains and key components that are produced nationally.

A robotaxi concept was showcased by DiDi called Neuron...

14 April 2023 | Connected Vehicles

Waymo’s vehicles are confused by San Francisco’s fog

The latest challenge that autonomous vehicles are struggling with is driving in fog.

Five of Waymo's fully driverless vehicles had to pull over by the side of a residential street in San Francisco on Tuesday when they encountered the city’s notoriously dense fog.

The incident caused significant traffic issues, as motorists were unable to pass the parked vehicles.

In a blog post a couple of years ago, Waymo highlighted the difficulties that fog...

13 April 2023 | AI