Autonomous excavation is the one physical AI problem that every prior generation of construction robots failed to solve — not because of weak sensors or cheap computers, but because an excavator actively destroys its own operating environment with every pass of the bucket. SoftBank's $200 million Series A investment in Gravis Robotics, announced on August 17 in what the Zurich-based startup describes as the largest such round in construction robotics history, is a bet that an ETH Zurich research team has now solved it — and that the timing could not be more commercially urgent. The construction industry sits at the center of two simultaneous crises. Global construction productivity grew 10 percent since 2000 — versus 90 percent for manufacturing over the same period through 2022, according to McKinsey. At the same time, the Associated Builders and Contractors estimates the US industry needs to attract 349,000 net new workers in 2026 alone simply to meet existing demand, a figure that rises to 456,000 in 2027. Those two numbers — a stagnant productivity record and a deepening labor shortage — describe the construction bottleneck that is now physically constraining the AI economy's ability to break ground fast enough. Solving the Hardest Sim-to-Real Problem in Robotics Autonomous vehicles navigate static roads. Warehouse robots move objects across fixed floors. An excavator does neither — it intentionally crashes into the earth, breaks apart varying soil containing hidden rocks, and reshapes the terrain with every operating cycle. This is why construction automation lagged decades behind automotive and warehouse robotics: the standard approach in physical AI is to train a model in simulation, then deploy it on real hardware. In a warehouse, the simulated floor and the real floor are effectively identical. On a construction site, the ground after ten minutes of digging shares almost nothing
Aug 20, 2026 · via techtimes.com
Unionized Delivery Drivers Vs. Deliveries Across the country, the Teamsters union is at war with companies trying to ship more things to your door for less money. One would think that delivery drivers would be natural supporters of delivery services. Not if you're the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Through lobbying efforts and lawsuits, the union has made itself the primary enemy of any business or industry that might ship goods or drop off packages without employing unionized drivers (or any drivers, for that matter). The Teamsters have come out in force to support New York City's Delivery Protection Act (DPA), which would require companies like Amazon to hire delivery drivers as full-time employees—an effective ban on the company's current practice of hiring out deliveries to smaller subcontracting firms. Proponents of the bill, including New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, allege that Amazon's use of subcontractors enables it to avoid various worker protections guaranteed to full-time employees. Amazon counters that contracted delivery workers are amply compensated and covered by a range of worker protections. Eliminating its subcontracting model, the company argues, would raise delivery costs for consumers and incentivize it to move more of its operations out of New York City. One study commissioned by a New York business advocacy group, partially funded by Amazon, found that the DPA would increase annual consumer costs by $664. The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board notes that federal labor law doesn't allow subcontractors and independent contractors to unionize. The Teamsters have been in a years-long effort to unionize Amazon contractors. Banning the company's subcontracting model would be a necessary step to bring its delivery drivers into its union. As one of the country's largest companies, Amazon makes for an easy populist target. But small businesses that contract out delivery services have not been spared from
Aug 19, 2026 · via reason.com
Autonomous trucking is becoming more mainstream on highways across the United States. To date, at least five states have deployed autonomous trucks on their roads. However, already there’s been growing opposition from labor groups and public safety officials. While some believe autonomous trucks could make roads safer and reduce shipping costs while addressing persistent driver shortages, others feel the technology threatens hundreds of thousands of jobs. There's also concerns that the technology has not yet demonstrated it can safely handle every real-world situation that will be encountered on American highways. “What will the liability look like when you have trucks autonomously driven across the country and the inevitable accident occurs? And how does this impact the independent drivers and operators who work on a contract basis?” Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. Why It Matters Commercial freight transportation is a critical part of the U.S. economy, with millions of deliveries moving across the country every day. If autonomous trucking becomes widespread, it could reshape supply chains and labor markets in addition to the trucking industry itself. What to Know Several states have become major hubs for autonomous truck testing and deployment, including: - Texas: Texas is potentially becoming the leading state for autonomous trucking deployment, and Aurora has operated commercial autonomous freight routes connecting cities including Dallas, Houston, El Paso, Fort Worth and Phoenix. - Arizona: The state is a longtime testing hub with permissive autonomous vehicle policies and freight routes connected to operations in Texas. - California: Recently opened the door to heavy-duty autonomous truck testing under new DMV regulations. Aurora and Kodiak AI have already received testing permits. - Colorado: Lawmakers have debated requiring human operators in autonomous trucks, but Governor Jared Polis vetoed legislation to prevent
Aug 19, 2026 · via newsweek.com
Wire California allows self-driving semi-trucks on public roads James Ward, USA TODAY NETWORK Aug 19, 2026 6 hrs ago Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Gift this article New subscriber benefit! Copied to clipboard Out of gifts for the month Unfortunately you've used all of your gifts this month. Your counter will reset on the first day of next month. Share this article paywall-free Email Copy Link California drivers may soon notice something new sharing the freeway: self-driving semi-trucks. California's updated DMV rules now allow autonomous trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds to test on public roads, and two companies have already secured the state's first permits.Our latest explainer breaks down what the new regulations mean, why supporters say autonomous trucking could improve freight movement tied to California ports and agriculture, and why labor groups are fighting the program in court over concerns about safety and job impacts. For now, every truck must carry a human safety driver, and companies face strict testing and reporting requirements before any driverless operations could be approved.We also cover what motorists need to know as testing expands, including how to safely share the road with large trucks, how to avoid blind spots, and how to stay informed as California considers the next steps in autonomous trucking.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: California allows self-driving semi-trucks on public roadsReporting by James Ward, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAYUSA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Latest e-Edition Most Popular Articles Images Videos Commented ArticlesTexas Rangers arrest former Pct. 2 JP Donnie Puckett on charge of abuse of official capacityAffidavit: Trio stole almost $3.5K from Lufkin Old Navy in shoplifting spree across multiple storesMotorist dies in two-vehicle crash
Aug 19, 2026 · via lufkindailynews.com
More Videos
Camarillo resident explains the power of advocacyArrest announced in 1994 robbery and rape case in Thousand OaksSee Fisherman's Wharf in Oxnard as it awaits much-needed upgradesSpaceX plans 1 rocket launch this week in California. Here's when
Aug 19, 2026 · via vcstar.com
California allows self-driving semi-trucks on public roads
California drivers may soon notice something new sharing the freeway: self-driving semi-trucks. California's updated DMV rules now allow autonomous trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds to test on public roads, and two companies have already secured the state's first permits.
Our latest explainer breaks down what the new regulations mean, why supporters say autonomous trucking could improve freight movement tied to California ports and agriculture, and why labor groups are fighting the program in court over concerns about safety and job impacts. For now, every truck must carry a human safety driver, and companies face strict testing and reporting requirements before any driverless operations could be approved.
We also cover what motorists need to know as testing expands, including how to safely share the road with large trucks, how to avoid blind spots, and how to stay informed as California considers the next steps in autonomous trucking.
Aug 19, 2026 · via usatoday.com
With less than a month to go, time is running out to submit speaker abstracts for ACT Expo 2027, with submissions closing Thursday, September 10, at 5:00 p.m. PT. The conference runs May 17-20, 2027, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Abstracts are scored on demonstrated real-world deployment and measurable outcomes, relevance to fleet operations and total cost of ownership, and scalability. Considered topics include funding strategies, infrastructure and maintenance planning, procurement decisions, cost of ownership, and operational lessons learned — one thing a fleet can supply but a spec sheet can’t. The ACT Expo team is looking for fleets of every size, sector, and region. A regional carrier running a dozen trucks has as much to offer as a national fleet, and so does a municipal fleet, a private shipper, or a school district. Presentations led by fleet operators, or with a fleet on the panel, receive priority consideration. Abstracts are being accepted across six topic areas: - Advanced vehicle and equipment deployment - Charging and fueling infrastructure - AI, automation, and digital fleet technologies - Low-carbon and renewable fuels - Fleet efficiency, safety, and performance - Public sector and specialized fleet applications Each area breaks into preferred case study categories, spanning the full fuel slate, as well as autonomous vehicles, advanced safety systems, telematics, and cargo handling equipment. Submissions must be one to two pages, filed as a PDF, and include the presentation title, a three-sentence summary, the technology or fuel focus, and the presenter’s name, title, and organization. Submitters will be notified of their status by the end of December 2026. Abstracts can be filed through the ACT Expo call for speakers page, and you can reach out to the agenda team with any questions at speakers@trccompanies.com.
Aug 19, 2026 · via act-news.com
Also has raised another $150 million as the micromobility startup that spun out of Rivian last year expands its business beyond pedal-assist electric bikes and commercial cargo quads to autonomous delivery vehicles. The Series D round was led by Prysm Capital and included existing backers Eclipse, Greenoaks, and MVP Ventures. Also has raised $455 million since its founding less than two years ago. The new capital will be used to “accelerate the development” of the company’s autonomous driving technology and the “simultaneous progression of multiple autonomous form factors,” according to the company. These future vehicles will use the same electric architecture developed for its consumer electric pedal-assist bike and commercial electric delivery quad. Prysm Capital co-founder and managing partner Jay Park said the firm is backing Also for the same reason it was an early investor in Rivian. “We backed Rivian early because we saw the potential behind wonderfully designed, vertically integrated electric trucks, vans, and SUVs,” Park said, adding that Also is applying that same approach to smaller-form-factor vehicles. The fresh funding comes a few months since Also raised $200 million in a round led by Greenoaks, with participation from Prysm Capital and a strategic investment from DoorDash. As part of that funding round, DoorDash struck a multiyear commercial agreement to develop and deploy autonomous delivery vehicles. While Also is increasingly focused on autonomous vehicle tech, that’s not where it started. Also began as a skunkworks project within Rivian, a pursuit driven by founder and CEO RJ Scaringe’s interest in micromobility. That team, which pulled in people from Apple, Google, Specialized, and Tesla, evolved into a startup, which spun out of Rivian in 2025 armed with the name Also and $150 million in funding. While Also is independent, Rivian is still very much tied to it. Rivian holds a
Aug 19, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
Electric vehicle specialist Voltempo is developing a cabless, autonomous rigid lorry that’s 15.6m long, exceeding the current maximum length for a non-articulated lorry, which the company claims will maximise space and payload. The prototype aims to extend a rigid truck’s proportions and capacity beyond the current maximums of 12m, 32 tonnes and four axles to 15.6m, 42 tonnes and five axles, making it the same length as a coach. Removing the cab frees up weight and space, creating what Voltempo founder and corporate development officer Michael Boxwell dubbed a “smart trailer”. Berkeley Coachworks is constructing the body and a prominent truck manufacturer is supplying the electric drivetrain. The prototype is scheduled for completion by September 2027 and testing is expected to start later that year at an autonomous vehicle test track in South Wales. The UK’s Automated Vehicles Act allows driverless vehicles to travel on public roads from this year, so trials could extend to the highway. Production is tipped to begin in late 2027, with first deliveries expected in mid-2028. “If you get rid of the cab, you’ve got a 15.6m-long, longer semi-trailer, in effect,” said Boxwell. “An articulated tractor and trailer unit is about 15-17 tonnes as a diesel vehicle, and as an electric vehicle, it’s maybe 19 tonnes. With this smart trailer, we can get the laden weight down to between 10 and 12 tonnes as an electric vehicle. That means you’ve got 15% more space compared to a standard-length trailer. “You’ve got a significant amount of extra payload – five to seven tonnes – and, bearing in mind the weight of a cab is two tonnes… we worked out that your typical HGV is carrying 16 tonnes on average. Now, we can make it 18.6 tonnes, because of the extra space. You’ve got something which is
Aug 19, 2026 · via autocar.co.uk
From：Internet Info Agency 2026-08-19 22:12:10 UK-based electric vehicle company Voltempo is developing a 15.6-meter-long, cab-less, fully autonomous heavy-duty truck. The vehicle features a rigid (non-articulated) design and aims to extend the current UK legal maximum length for rigid trucks from 12 meters to 15.6 meters, while increasing the permissible gross vehicle weight from 32 tonnes to 42 tonnes. It will utilize a five-axle configuration. By eliminating the driver’s cab, the truck’s curb weight can be reduced to 10–12 tonnes—significantly lighter than conventional diesel articulated combinations (15–17 tonnes) and even battery-electric versions (approximately 19 tonnes). This design also increases cargo space by 15% and boosts payload capacity by 5–7 tonnes, raising average freight capacity from 16 tonnes to 18.6 tonnes. The bodywork is being manufactured by Berkeley Coachworks, while the powertrain is supplied by “a major truck manufacturer.” A prototype is scheduled for completion by September 2027, with testing set to begin later that year at the South Wales autonomous vehicle test facility. Under the UK’s Automated Vehicles Act, which took effect in 2024, subsequent trials may expand onto public roads. Voltempo plans to commence mass production by the end of 2027, with initial deliveries expected in mid-2028. Production will initially take place in the UK, prioritizing British transport operators before expanding to mainland Europe. All major European truck manufacturers have expressed support for formally classifying this vehicle type and producing it according to these specifications.
Aug 19, 2026 · via english.news18a.com
Pony.ai announced a pipeline of more than 4,000 planned and potential robotaxi deployments outside China in its Q2 2026 results, as Chinese autonomous driving firms race to commercialise their technology abroad faster than US rivals. Chief Executive James Peng said the vehicles are already contracted across Europe, Southeast Asia and the MENA region, although rollout timing now depends on permits and other regulatory and operational requirements rather than manufacturing or demand. More than 2,000 of those vehicles are earmarked specifically for Europe, following an expanded partnership with Uber covering five European cities, which was announced earlier in August. As it stands, the company runs commercial services with Bolt and Stellantis in Luxembourg, a public launch in Singapore through ComfortDelGro, and a landmark service in Zagreb, Croatia that management has cited as a reference point in ongoing overseas partnership talks. Second-quarter results revealed substantial acceleration underpinning the expansion plans: revenue rose 68.8% year-on-year to US$36.2m, with robotaxi-specific revenue surging 691.2% to US$12.1m, its first quarter accounting for a third of total revenue. Meanwhile, robotruck revenue climbed 40% to $13.3m on freight growth alongside logistics partner Sinotrans. Now, Pony.ai is targeting global deployment of 100,000 autonomous trucks by 2030, an arrangement it believes it can accomplish by partnering with existing truckmakers rather than developing a model of its own. On the robotaxi side, the company’s China fleet reached 1,975 vehicles by June’s end, still tracking toward its unchanged year-end target of 3,500 across more than 20 domestic cities. That unchanged target, even as the overseas pipeline grows sharply, may say more about regulatory caution in China than about demand or capacity. The static 3,500-vehicle figure may indicate that Chinese commercial permit approvals, rather than technology readiness, remain the binding constraint on near-term fleet growth at home. A three-month pause on all new
Aug 19, 2026 · via automotiveworld.com
Einride is buying 500 Tesla Semis, and Amazon quietly owns a slice of the company that will run them. The Swedish electric-trucking firm said on Tuesday it will deploy the 500 electric big rigs for Amazon and other customers. It called the order the largest Tesla Semi deployment in the world to date. Einride announced the order through its Saga AI fleet platform. The stake is the part Einride did not put in the press release. Amazon holds warrants for 25.2 million Einride shares, about 12 percent of the company, GeekWire reported, citing regulatory filings. Those warrants vest as Amazon buys freight services. Todd Bishop wrote that the warrants appeared on Einride’s books for the first time in its half-year report. That report was its first since the June listing. The terms had been public but buried. Einride’s prospectuses refer to Amazon only as “the Specified Party,” GeekWire noted. That labelling is why no one had reported the holding before. What Einride actually sells Einride does not sell trucks. It buys and finances them instead. It hires the drivers or contracts carriers, builds the charging, and hauls a customer’s freight for a fee. Its Saga software coordinates all of it. The pitch to a shipper like Amazon is electric trucking capacity without owning the vehicles or the chargers. The company is still young and cash-hungry. It listed on Nasdaq in June at a $1.35bn valuation, down from the $5bn it once discussed with banks. It runs about 200 of its own electric trucks for customers such as Heineken and PepsiCo. It has also built cab-less autonomous trucks on the side. The deployment, and the money behind it The Tesla order is outsized for Einride. It will triple the size of its deployed electric fleet, the company said. The trucks will
Aug 19, 2026 · via thenextweb.com
Einride procures 500 Tesla Semi trucks Einride has announced a partnership with Tesla to prepare for the “world’s largest Tesla Semi deployment”. The model in question is Tesla’s battery-electric truck, which is set to be introduced in the US later this year following the launch of series production this spring at Gigafactory Nevada. Einride specifically announced that it will deploy “500 Tesla Semi trucks on its Saga AI platform for Amazon and other customers, converting signed contracts into revenue-generating freight capacity”. Einride has not specified how the vehicles will be added to its fleet. The Swedish company, which is listed on the US stock exchange, refers to a newly agreed collaboration with Tesla. Whether the vehicles will be purchased, leased, or acquired through another type of agreement remains unclear. However, the scale of the procurement is evident: the 500 Semi units will expand Einride’s battery-electric truck fleet in the USA to 750 vehicles. This procurement will thus account for two-thirds of the company’s future electric fleet. Regarding future deployment of the Semi fleet, Einride states that the electric trucks will operate across North America for its customers – with Amazon the only to be named explicitly. Specifically, new electric freight corridors are planned in California, Texas, New Jersey, Illinois, and Georgia. According to an accompanying statement, the procurement of the 500 units is set to begin in September 2026 and will be completed within two years. The financing is fully covered by third-party solutions, though Einride has not provided further details. For context: Einride was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Stockholm. The Swedish company initially aimed to deploy driverless commercial vehicles and has already developed a corresponding concept vehicle called the T-Pod. In recent years, however, the company’s core product has been the Saga AI software platform, which
Aug 19, 2026 · via electrive.com
Voltempo unveils ‘cabless, driverless’ electric truck Voltempo describes its concept as a “Smart Trailer”. The vehicle will feature a continuous, rigid structure and, at 15.6 metres in length, will significantly exceed the current UK maximum of twelve metres permitted for lorries with a fixed chassis. Autocar reports it is designed with five axles and a permissible gross weight of 42 tonnes. By eliminating the driver’s cab, Voltempo aims to save weight and space. According to company founder Michael Boxwell, the concept is expected to offer around 15 per cent more cargo volume than a conventional trailer and an additional five to seven tonnes of payload. Voltempo estimates the vehicle’s weight at ten to twelve tonnes, compared to around 19 tonnes for a conventional electric articulated lorry. The prototype is being built by Berkeley Coachworks, while the electric powertrain will be supplied by a major lorry manufacturer that has not yet been named. No further details about the battery, range, or charging capacity have been released so far. The prototype is scheduled for completion by September 2027, after which tests are planned on a route designated for autonomous vehicles in South Wales. Public road trials may follow at a later stage. Voltempo states that production could begin as early as late 2027, with deliveries expected by mid-2028. Initially, the vehicles will be manufactured in the UK, with production expanding to mainland Europe later. The company sees fixed logistics routes as the primary application for the vehicle. In addition to increased transport capacity, autonomous operation is intended to help address the driver shortage. Autonomous electric lorries edge closer Voltempo is not alone in this space. The Swedish startup Einride has also developed an autonomous electric lorry, the Gen 2 Rigid Large, which has since been renamed the eBot. However, its dimensions and
Aug 19, 2026 · via electrive.com
Trucking Tech Today: Freight Technologies, Geotab, and Kodiak address trucking finance, safety, and autonomy Key takeaways - Freight Technologies has added Mexico's CFDI invoicing and payment compliance directly into Fleet Rocket TMS. - Geotab Investigations centralizes incident evidence to support faster resolution, compliance, and liability decisions. - Kodiak AI’s California permit advances heavy-duty autonomous truck testing with a safety driver aboard. Freight Technologies adds native CFDI invoicing to Fleet Rocket TMS Freight Technologies recently launched native automated CFDI invoicing, or timbrado, within its Fleet Rocket TMS for brokers, shippers, and logistics operators in Mexico. The functionality is available to Pro and Enterprise level subscribers and handles CFDI stamping, invoice management, cancellations, and electronic payment receipt generation to support current SAT requirements. “Cross-border logistics in Mexico works best when execution and compliance live in the same system,” Javier Selgas, CEO of Freight Technologies, said. “By embedding CFDI invoicing directly into Fleet Rocket, we are turning a critical but manual and error-prone process that has traditionally existed outside the TMS into a simple, automated operation. This is another progression in our evolution into a solutions-focused, software-first logistics company.” Fleet Rocket automatically packages shipment and billing data for CFDI stamping and updates tax-document status in real time after invoices are issued, paid, or canceled. Read more… Geotab adds unified incident investigation tools for fleet safety and compliance Geotab recently launched Geotab Investigations, a unified solution designed to help safety, compliance, and operations teams resolve road incidents faster. The solution centralizes telematics data and supporting evidence to create structured, auditable records for collisions, complaints, property damage, and safety violations. “Fleet-related incidents have cost companies billions of dollars in litigation and reputational damage, largely because critical data remains siloed,” Sabina Martin, VP of product management at Geotab, said. “Geotab Investigations changes this by turning raw
Aug 19, 2026 · via fleetowner.com
Einride to add 500 Tesla Semis to autonomous electric fleet Key takeaways - Einride plans to add 500 Tesla Semis over 24 months, tripling its Saga AI-equipped fleet. - The trucks will serve Amazon and other customers across freight corridors in five states. - Einride expects a fleet of 1,500 to 2,000 trucks by 2028 while targeting cash-flow break-even. Autonomous and electric freight company Einride plans to buy 500 Tesla Semi trucks in the next 24 months and run them on its Saga AI fleet intelligence platform, a plan the companies say will be the biggest deployment of its kind so far. The leaders of Einride, headquartered in Stockholm and listed on Nasdaq in June, said the Semis will serve Amazon and other customers and run in freight corridors in California, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, and Texas. If completed as planned, the 500-unit deal will triple Einride’s fleet running on the Saga AI operating system, which has so far overseen more than 19 million miles driven. Einride will finance the purchase of the Tesla trucks through a four-year asset-backed loan arrangement that has an effective interest rate of about 14%, CFO Anubhav Verma told investors and analysts on an Aug. 18 conference call. Verma said bringing on the Semis, along with growth in Einride’s work at five Amazon locations, should grow the company’s revenues to a point where it will start 2027 at about $90 million annually versus a first-half pace of about $54 million. CEO Roozbeh Charli told analysts that his team’s 500-truck order with Tesla is important to Einride's ability to turn more of the roughly $800 million in potential sales with partners into real revenue. “The capacity of the vehicles and the specification of the vehicles also unlocks another realm of use cases for customers in terms
Aug 19, 2026 · via fleetowner.com
Austin Jenkins, Pluribus News/State Affairs//August 19, 2026// The push to swap human drivers in commercial trucks with artificial intelligence-powered systems is being met with public wariness, pushback and even litigation, as the technology moves from testing to deployment. The autonomous truck industry says driverless semis can save lives and help address a driver shortage. Critics counter that self-driving big rigs pose a danger and will supplant jobs. Tension is growing between the two sides as deployment quickly expands and as states write the rules of the road without federal regulations. Teamsters California sued the Department of Motor Vehicles this month, challenging new state regulations for light- and heavy-duty autonomous vehicles. The Teamsters say self-driving trucks are an “existential threat to the livelihoods” of its members and allege the DMV violated the law by not properly evaluating the economic impacts or allowing adequate public feedback. “Such a critical decision with life-and-death consequences must involve public input and transparency,” Peter Finn, Teamsters California co-chair, said in an Aug. 5 statement announcing the lawsuit. The DMV declined to comment on active litigation. Jeff Farrah, CEO of the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, criticized the lawsuit in a statement posted to X as a “last-ditch attempt to undermine the regulatory authority of the Department of Motor Vehicles, and it should be rejected.” The Teamsters have sought to pass laws in California and elsewhere requiring human drivers behind the wheel of autonomous trucks, which the industry views as a roadblock to deployment. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, both Democrats, have twice vetoed so-called driver-in bills. In a veto statement this year, Polis said the bill “risks preventing Coloradans from being on the cutting edge of innovation that would improve safety in the future.” Read more: Newsom vetoes autonomous truck bill Similar legislation
Aug 19, 2026 · via azcapitoltimes.com
Pony AI Plans to Deploy 1,000 Autonomous Heavy Trucks Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription, on Patreon, or on Stripe. Help us produce all of the high-quality, original content we publish week after week despite the challenges of content-scraping AI, antisocial media, inflation, and other hurdles. Just yesterday, I wrote about Einride and DAF Trucks partnering on a new, serious autonomous trucking initiative. There’s another recent autonomous trucking story that slipped through the cracks. Autonomous driving company Pony.AI is reportedly looking to deploy 1,000 autonomous heavy-duty electric trucks in the next two to three years. In particular, the company is trying to roll out 500 to 1,000 fourth-generation autonomous trucks. And it’s not a narrow minded focus. The company aims to deploy these trucks for long-haul freight, bulk commodity transportation, and port logistics. This is a serious deployment target for electric trucks, not to mention autonomous electric trucks, but it’s actually small potatoes compared to the company’s light-duty autonomous truck goals. Pony.AI (or Pony AI) plans to get 100,000 autonomous light-duty trucks onto the road by 2030. Naturally, a lot has to happen for this to come about. It’s not just one technological advance but several. “The targets rest on several developments maturing at the same time: a more capable autonomous driving system, lower hardware costs, automotive-grade redundant vehicle platforms, and deeper cooperation with vehicle manufacturers and logistics operators,” CnEVPost writes. “Pony AI entered the autonomous trucking business in 2018, when its early vehicles were largely hand-built prototypes. Subsequent generations moved progressively closer to automotive-grade production through partnerships with truck manufacturers. “Cost was the key factor in deciding when to scale. Autonomous driving hardware costs for the Gen-4 heavy truck are about 70% lower than the previous generation, and the vehicle is designed for a service life of 20,000
Aug 19, 2026 · via cleantechnica.com
RideFlux, a developer of autonomous driving AI software, has filed a preliminary listing application with the Korea Exchange (KRX) for a Kosdaq listing, the company said Tuesday. The company received A ratings from both technology evaluation agencies designated by the KRX in May, successfully passing the technology assessment required for a tech-based listing. RideFlux aims to become the country’s first Level 4 autonomous driving company to list on the Kosdaq market later this year, with Korea Investment & Securities and Woori Investment & Securities serving as joint underwriters. Founded in 2018, RideFlux develops full-stack Level 4 autonomous driving technology, including perception, localization, decision-making and control, high-definition mapping, and remote operations. Its proprietary RideFlux Driver software platform supports a wide range of vehicle types, including passenger cars, buses and heavy-duty trucks. The company has raised a cumulative 88.2 billion won ($63.7 million) in funding. RideFlux has also obtained a permit from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to operate unmanned autonomous vehicles without a safety driver in the driver’s seat, accumulating more than 3,300 hours of testing data in Seoul’s Sangam district. Based on those results, the company plans to launch a public robotaxi service in Sangam later this year with the driver’s seat left empty and a safety operator seated in the front passenger seat. In the freight sector, RideFlux became the first company in South Korea to obtain approval for paid hub-to-hub autonomous trucking services connecting highways and urban roads. Since July, it has operated regular paid freight services with Hanjin using 25-ton autonomous trucks on a 116-kilometer route linking Gunsan, Jeonju and Daejeon. The company said it is in discussions with more than 10 logistics and manufacturing companies and plans to expand robotruck routes nationwide, including Gangneung, North Chungcheong Province and Jeju Island. RideFlux is also participating
Aug 19, 2026 · via pulse.mk.co.kr
Fleets are tracking two separate regulatory deadlines this month, one federal and one from California, that could each reshape near-term compliance planning for different reasons. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s public comment period on proposed changes to its Model Year 2027 heavy-duty NOx rule closes Saturday, August 29, 2026. The proposal would amend the 2023 rule under Docket ID EPA-HQ-OAR-2026-0728, and EPA held virtual public hearings on the proposal July 29 and July 30. The changes under consideration would not alter the 2027 NOx emissions standard itself. Instead, they would roll back several compliance mechanisms EPA added in 2023. The proposal would rescind the extended emissions warranty, reverting from 10 years and 450,000 miles back to the current 5-year, 100,000-mile structure, and would delay the longer useful-life requirements until Model Year 2030. It would also eliminate the diesel exhaust fluid derate mechanism, which currently forces speed and power reductions when SCR systems are compromised, replacing it with visual and audible dashboard notifications instead. EPA estimates the warranty rollback alone could save up to $6,000 per diesel vehicle if manufacturers pass the savings to buyers. Separately, the California Air Resources Board is working through its own deadline sequence tied to SB 253, the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act. CARB released Modified Regulations for public comment on July 27, and that comment period closed August 11. The modifications would formally defer the first-year Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions reporting deadline from August 10 to November 10, 2026, for companies with more than $1 billion in annual revenue doing business in California. That November 10 date is not yet final. It remains contingent on the outcome of the comment period and subsequent approval by the state’s Office of Administrative Law. CARB also confirmed that Scope 3 emissions reporting will not
Aug 18, 2026 · via act-news.com