A South Korean software company is pushing AI-powered kiosks that could eventually replace human sales representatives at your local dealership. While industry experts speaking to Automotive News have expressed skepticism, noting that businesses are often hesitant to embrace change, it likewise suggested the next vehicle you purchase may indeed be bought from artificial intelligence. The company is called Epikar and the system has been dubbed the "Pikar Genie." Customers can walk up to the screen, browse the vehicles they're interested in, and even speak with the AI to get additional information. Epikar is basically trying to replicate a humanoid sales representative using software and internet connectivity. Pikar Genie can allegedly handle inventory management across multiple dealerships and even help schedule test drives. However, it does seem like buyers will still need to finalize everything with a living, breathing finance person while they oversee the final steps (and document signing) before anyone is handed the keys. According to the report, numerous brands are already using the kiosks to a limited degree in South Korea. In most cases, Epikar noted that their staffing needs were effectively halved. It also wants to see the business expand into Europe and the United States - with reducing overhead being the primary sales pitch. In fact, they are already being tested in the United States in very small numbers. But Fleming Ford, Director of Strategic Growth at NCM Associates, told Automotive News that it might take a while before they go mainstream. "The showroom isn't just where you buy a car," he told the outlet. "It's where you decide who to trust to help you to choose the right car." It's an interesting statement. Salespeople, especially those working for automotive dealerships, often don't have the most sterling reputations. Your author has certainly caught more than a
Apr 10, 2026 · via autos.yahoo.com
Plus One Robotics Surpasses 2 Billion Picks and Celebrates 10 Years of AI-Powered Warehouse Innovation Decade milestone underscores company’s leadership in scalable, human-centric robotic automation SAN ANTONIO — April 9, 2026 - Plus One Robotics, a leader in AI-powered robotic vision for material handling, announced today it has surpassed 2 billion successful picks across its global fleet of parcel induction and depalletization robots. The milestone coincides with the company's recent 10th anniversary, marking a decade of advancing intelligent automation for the world's leading logistics and e-commerce operators. Doubling its pick count in just two years, Plus One continues to demonstrate that AI-powered robotics can deliver measurable, repeatable results at scale. What began as a vision to combine artificial intelligence with practical warehouse applications has evolved into a proven platform driving speed, accuracy and resilience across modern supply chains. "Reaching 2 billion picks during our 10th anniversary year is both humbling and energizing," said Erik Nieves, co-founder and CEO of Plus One Robotics. "From day one, our goal has been simple: Build robots that work in real warehouses reliably, safely and at scale. Two billion picks represent billions of real-world decisions made in live production environments. Most importantly, that's 2 billion tasks people didn't have to perform manually, allowing them to focus on higher-value work." The achievement comes amid sustained growth in global e-commerce and ongoing labor pressures within logistics operations. As warehouses contend with increasing parcel variety, faster delivery expectations and workforce constraints, automation has shifted from optional to essential. Plus One's AI-driven solutions are designed specifically to handle the variability and unpredictability of parcel operations — from mixed SKU induction to complex depalletization. Over the past decade, the company has built one of the industry's most extensive real-world parcel datasets. Combined with its human-in-the-loop architecture, this foundation enables continuous
Apr 10, 2026 · via roboticstomorrow.com
Waymo, Waze team up to help fix Seattle's potholes SEATTLE - Waymo and Waze are testing a new program to help fix Seattle's dreaded potholes. What we know: Waymo, the self-driving rideshare service, will detect and collect data on pothole locations through their autonomous vehicles. That data is then shared with city and state transportation departments using Waze's GPS software. 11 May 2023, USA, San Francisco: A self-driving car from Googles sister company Waymo is on the road in San Francisco. Waymo vehicles will first become available this year in the U.S. city of Phoenix with ride service provider Uber. (to dpa: "Robot c Waze also includes user-reported pothole information, giving officials a better view of street and highway conditions to plan repairs. Additionally, Waze users will be alerted on the app if they are approaching a pothole. The pothole-detecting program is launching in the five U.S. cities Waymo currently operates in: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta. Seattle is expected to be added in the future, though a timeline has not been announced. What they're saying: "Waymo is already making roads safer where we operate. We want to build on the safety benefits of our service by partnering with organizations and city officials to help improve the infrastructure we all depend on," said Arielle Fleisher, Waymo's policy development and research manager. "Waymo’s mission is to be the world’s most trusted driver; we’re also committed to becoming a trusted partner to the cities we serve." The Seattle Department of Transportation fills between 15,000 and 25,000 potholes each year, reaching a five-year high of 25,000 in 2023. Washington has previously been ranked as the worst state for potholes in the U.S. What's next: Waymo has not established a launch date for when the ride-hailing service will become available in
Apr 10, 2026 · via fox13seattle.com
Tesla Model 2 Plans Reportedly Back on Track After Abrupt Cancellation Tesla is reengaging with plans to enter the affordable EV space with a smaller, more accessible SUV. According to a new report citing multiple sources familiar with the matter, Tesla is in the early stages of developing a compact electric crossover that would sit below the Model Y in size and price. According to Reuters, the project has not been officially confirmed yet, with Tesla declining to comment on the report. The proposed SUV will be an all-new vehicle, not a repackaged version of the Model 3 or Model Y. The sources claim the new vehicle will be about 14 feet in length, which is nearly two feet shorter than the Model Y. The report claims Tesla has already begun discussions with suppliers around component specifications and manufacturing processes. Initial plans reportedly call for production in China, likely at Tesla’s Shanghai facility, with plans for potential expansion to its North America and European facilities later. The goal, according to sources, is to offer a vehicle priced well below the Model 3, which currently starts in the mid-$30,000 range in key markets. Tesla is expected to make a few key changes to the new model's hardware compared to its current lineup. Look for a smaller battery pack, resulting in reduced driving range, and a single-motor setup is likely instead of dual motors. That should make for an overall lighter vehicle, with the report calling out a target of roughly 1.5 metric tons, compared to about two tons for the Model Y. AutoGuide's Take: The sources caution that Tesla's new project is still in its early stages—the automaker has a history of delaying or canceling vehicles after initial development. In fact, this project has already been cancelled once before. In 2024,
Apr 10, 2026 · via autoguide.com
SEA, part of Cohort plc Group, is supporting marine autonomy specialist OSHEN on a ZeroUSV-led project, which is exploring the deployment and development of an autonomous underwater acoustic sensing network to enhance communications with subsurface assets. SEA press release The project is led by USV specialists – ZeroUSV, with OSHEN, MarineAI and MSubs as project partners, and supported by UK Defence Innovation (previously DASA) and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). As part of the collaboration, SEA will provide hydrophones for use on OSHEN’s C-STARS uncrewed surface system to provide low-power acoustic listening capability. The project will see OSHEN deploy its rugged sail-powered C-STARS micro-drones from Zero USV’s Oceanus12 uncrewed surface vessel to act as a distributed acoustic network, monitoring for communication signals from underwater assets. SEA’s hydrophones will provide the acoustic sensing capability, with the technology already deployed in various applications including maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations. SEA’s collaboration with OSHEN for the DASA programme reflects growing international demand for scalable acoustic and monitoring capabilities, that can be deployed from both crewed and uncrewed platforms. It also builds on SEA’s wider contribution to UK and international wide-area ASW and ISR programmes and operations, where its sensing and processing technologies – such as KraitSense – deliver underwater surveillance capabilities across complex operational environments. Guy Hope, Business Development Executive at SEA said, “Autonomous systems are reshaping how navies think about surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and communications. By integrating SEA hydrophones into OSHEN’s C-STARS platforms, this exciting project aims to demonstrate a novel approach to the deployment of scalable, affordable, low-signature sensor and communication networks.” Operations for the DASA project are centred at Turnchapel Wharf in Plymouth, where OSHEN and ZeroUSV are based, and is a tech cluster for marine autonomy in the Southwest, with Plymouth
Apr 10, 2026 · via navalnews.com
Verne has launched Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service, starting in Zagreb, according to the Croatia-based firm. Autonomous robotaxi Verne is developed by a company with the same name. Passengers can now book and pay for Pony.ai-powered autonomous rides through the Verne app, Verne said. The initial commercial deployment is with electric vehicles featuring Pony.ai’s seventh-generation autonomous driving system. These vehicles will operate autonomously, with trained autonomous vehicle (AV) operators onboard during the early phase of the rollout, the company explained. The service will soon also be available through the Uber app Verne was established by Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of Rimac Automobili and Rimac Group, and two of his colleagues and friends from Rimac Group – Marko Pejković, now CEO of Verne, and Adriano Mudri, the designer of Nevera and Chief Design Officer at Verne. “For the first time in Europe, there is a real commercial robotaxi service. People can use it and take real autonomous rides,” Marko Pejković said. He noted that they promised to launch in Zagreb in 2026. This is just the start, he added. The initial service zone covers key districts of the Croatian capital, with plans to expand coverage across the city. The service will soon also be available through the Uber app, following a recently forged strategic partnership between the three companies. Verne, Pony AI (Pony.ai), and Uber Technologies, have agreed to launch the first commercial robotaxi service in Europe. Verne has begun permitting discussions with 11 cities across the EU, UK, and Middle East The companies aim to transition to fully driverless operations as soon as possible, subject to regulatory approvals and the service meeting the required safety and reliability standards, Verne underscored. Beyond Zagreb, Verne has begun permitting discussions with 11 cities across the EU, UK, and Middle East, with more
Apr 10, 2026 · via balkangreenenergynews.com
The stock market has had its fair share of down days recently, but April 2 was not one of them -- the S&P 500 ended that session essentially flat. However, shares of Tesla (TSLA +0.63%) plunged by more than 5% on the day after the company announced a disappointing set of electric vehicle (EV) delivery numbers for the first quarter. And then they kept falling. Tesla is coming off two consecutive years of declining passenger EV sales, and another decline in 2026 looks possible. Many investors own its stock because they are enthusiastic about future products like the Cybercab autonomous robotaxi and the Optimus humanoid robot, but 73% of the company's revenue still comes from selling passenger cars. On that note, sluggish EV sales have led to poor financial results, which could drive its stock sharply lower from here. Pulling back from passenger EVs The company delivered 1.79 million EVs in 2024, which was down 1% from the prior year. The decline worsened in 2025, with deliveries sinking by 9% to 1.63 million cars. As a result, the company's automotive revenue sank by 10% last year, with its earnings per share (EPS) plummeting 47%. Tesla delivered 358,023 EVs during the first quarter of 2026, which was actually a 6% increase from the prior-year quarter. However, it was well below Wall Street's consensus estimate of around 370,000 -- hence the sharp decline in the stock on April 2, and in the sessions that followed. As of midday on April 7, the shares were down by more than 10% from where they closed April 1. Management said it manufactured over 408,000 cars during the first quarter, suggesting that its inventories may have grown. That could place downward pressure on prices (and profit margins) in the current quarter. Rising competition has been a
Apr 10, 2026 · via fool.com
A duck became the unlikely flashpoint in one of tech's biggest debates, and a quiet Austin neighborhood has not been the same since. What started as a Facebook post from a concerned resident has snowballed into a public reckoning over whether autonomous vehicles truly belong on neighborhood streets. The incident is raising uncomfortable questions that no amount of simulation data can easily answer. The duck in question was not just any duck. It had been nesting in a planter pot outside a local Italian restaurant in the Mueller Lake neighborhood, a planned urban community in east Austin known for its walkable streets, green spaces, and tight-knit community feel. Neighbors had grown attached to the bird, making its death at the wheels of a self-driving vehicle feel especially personal. For a community that prides itself on looking out for one another, the loss stung. The company behind the vehicle, Avride, has since confirmed the incident and responded with a mix of acknowledgment and data review. But for many residents, the corporate response has done little to ease concerns about what it means to live alongside technology that is still very much a work in progress. What Actually Happened on That Austin Street According to a post shared in a Mueller neighborhood Facebook group, an Avride autonomous vehicle, which had a human safety operator seated behind the wheel, struck and killed the duck without slowing down or stopping. The original post, which was picked up and reported on by local outlet KXAN, described the vehicle as having "just steamrolled through" without any hesitation whatsoever. Avride confirmed to TechCrunch that the vehicle was operating in autonomous mode at the time of the incident. The company said it reviewed the vehicle's data and replayed the scene multiple times in simulation to understand what happened.
Apr 10, 2026 · via autos.yahoo.com
Publication Legaltech News Reporting, and expert analysis of legal technology with a focus onwhat legal departments, law firms, and tech companies need to know The Cooper Firm partner Rebekah Cooper and ALM Media Senior Litigation Reporter and Legal Speak Podcast Co-Host Cedra Mayfield talk shop after riding in a self-driving Waymo rideshare in Atlanta. Already a subscriber? Log In. Questions about group subscriptions? Contact an Account Specialist at [email protected] | 1-855-808-4530 (Americas) | 44(0) 800 098 386009 (UK & Europe) NOT FOR REPRINT © 2026 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing. Runners-up this week include litigators at Gibson Dunn and Sidley Austin. Runners-up for the cycle that closed on April 1 include teams at Shook, Hardy & Bacon, Foley Hoag, Gibson Dunn and Kirkland. “A lot of times our clients are globally trying to manage timing and strategy related to patents—not only litigation, but patent filings and potential litigations. That requires looking across jurisdictions for each of our individual clients.” Gibson Dunn’s Ted Boutrous, Katie Townsend and of counsel Susan Pelletier made the case that the new policy, which led to an exodus of journalists from the Pentagon, failed to provide notice of what routine newsgathering practices would result in the revocation of press credentials. Runners-up this week include teams that represented plaintiffs in the first two trials in cases seeking to hold social media companies liable for harms to adolescent users.
Apr 9, 2026 · via law.com
- Indicative Price Range Set at KRW 12,400–14,800 per Share SEOUL, South Korea, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- STRADVISION, a global provider of AI-based vision perception software for the automotive industry, announced today that it has filed a registration statement with Korea's Financial Services Commission (FSC) for its planned initial public offering (IPO) on the KOSDAQ market. The company intends to offer 7 million shares at an indicative price range of KRW 12,400 to KRW 14,800 per share, implying a total offering size of approximately KRW 86.8 billion to KRW 103.6 billion. STRADVISION previously received preliminary approval from the Korea Exchange (KRX) on April 2 and will proceed with institutional book-building followed by a public offering ahead of its KOSDAQ listing. KB Securities will serve as the lead underwriter. STRADVISION develops AI-based vision perception software for automotive applications. Its flagship solution, SVNet, has been adopted in mass production programs with global automotive OEMs, supporting the company's expanding footprint in the global mobility market. SVNet is a camera-based perception solution that processes visual data in real time to accurately detect and recognize road objects, including pedestrians, vehicles, and lane markings. It serves as a core enabling technology for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving. Built on a lightweight architecture, SVNet delivers reliable performance even in resource-constrained environments while maintaining compatibility across a broad range of hardware platforms. In addition, STRADVISION has developed its proprietary integrated data pipeline, SVDataFlow, which automates key data processing tasks such as auto-labeling. This enables faster model development cycles while enhancing data-driven performance improvements and responsiveness to customer deployment requirements. Leveraging technology designed to meet global vehicle safety assessment frameworks such as EURONCAP and regulatory requirements, including FMVSS, STRADVISION's solutions have been deployed across multiple OEM production programs. The company's software is compatible with more
Apr 9, 2026 · via prnewswire.com
ATLANTA — Waymo and Waze are launching a new pilot program aimed at helping cities identify and repair potholes more efficiently using data collected from autonomous vehicles and drivers. The program is launching in five areas where Waymo currently operates: the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin and most importantly, right here in metro Atlanta. Company officials said approximately 500 potholes have already been identified in those locations. The program will use Waymo’s onboard perception systems and vehicle feedback to detect potholes in real time where its vehicles operate. That information will then be shared with local governments through the Waze for Cities platform, a free tool that provides transportation data to municipalities and state departments of transportation. Officials said the data will supplement existing reports from residents and manual inspections, which many cities rely on to track road conditions. “Waymo is already making roads safer where we operate,” said Arielle Fleisher, a policy development and research manager at Waymo. “We want to build on the safety benefits of our service by partnering with organizations and city officials to help improve the infrastructure we all depend on.” Potholes are a common issue for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, and, as many of you Atlantans might well know, can lead to vehicle damage and crashes. Transportation officials said identifying and repairing them quickly remains a challenge, particularly when relying on public reports that may not capture the full scope of road conditions. Under the pilot, pothole data collected by Waymo vehicles will be combined with user-reported information on Waze. The alerts will also be visible to drivers using the app, who can confirm or dispute reports to improve accuracy. Transportation experts said the initiative could help fill gaps in how cities monitor road conditions. Sarah Kaufman, the director of the
Apr 9, 2026 · via 11alive.com
The technology behind a parking deck slated to be built near downtown Raleigh could someday open the door for driverless vehicles and taxis in the Triangle, as autonomous vehicles prepare to hit city streets in Charlotte. A short walk south of downtown Raleigh sits an empty field at 130 Kindley Street, adjacent to the recently constructed Mira Apartments. There, the city has approved the permitting for a 228-space parking deck that will add to the greater Gateway Corridor project, a section of land poised for redevelopment near the Martin Marietta Center and Martin Luther King Boulevard. Other WRAL Top Stories What makes the garage different, though, is its autonomous technology that doesn't require operators to park or retrieve vehicles. The garage runs on automatic, "robotic" technology using industrial automation company Siemens. Drivers enter their cars into a loading bay, then onto a pallet, and operate a kiosk where the the garage system parks the car for the driver by itself. The system works for all cars, including ones without a driver. Robbie Ferris, one of the developers behind the project at SfL+a Architects, touted the benefits of the garage's environmental and sustainability impacts. "Every space in the 228-space facility will be capable of providing EV charging, creating a significant concentration of charging capacity in the city’s urban core. This directly supports the City’s Community Climate Action Plan, which identifies transportation as the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and calls for expanded EV infrastructure," Ferris says. Funding for the garage incorporated C-PACE financing, which according to the EDPNC, allows property owners to finance eligible energy, water, and resiliency improvements Ferris also acknowledged the technology for the garage is "adaptable to future autonomous vehicle technologies." "We've had talks on the perimeter" AUTOParkit, the technology company implementing the mechanical system for the
Apr 9, 2026 · via wral.com
California’s state Senate transportation committee on Tuesday passed a bill 7-2 that would require autonomous vehicle companies to employ their own technicians — one for every three self-driving cars — capable of responding to emergencies within 10 minutes. The legislation was introduced by state Sen. Dave Cortese, D-San Jose, after San Francisco experienced a large-scale multi-day power outage that left Waymos and other autonomous vehicles frozen in place across the city, blocking intersections and streets on Dec. 20. “It was the start of an absolutely catastrophic, multi-day blackout, a complete disaster,” said Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco. The four-part bill would require autonomous vehicles to: - Require anyone overseeing or responding to a commercial autonomous vehicle on California roads to be U.S.-based and hold a valid California driver’s license - Employ autonomous vehicle technicians at a minimum 3-to-1 ratio, on call with no more than a 10-minute response time - Give emergency service workers the ability to operate autonomous vehicles in emergency situations - Collect and submit data to the DMV on technicians employed, incidents, emergency moves and related activity. Present to support the bill was a broad coalition, including California Professional Firefighters, Service Employees International Union California, California Federation of Labor, California Police Chiefs Association, California Gig Workers Union, and more than a dozen rideshare drivers. Representatives from Waymo also attended the meeting but they did not address the committee. During the blackout, first responders and city workers could not move the vehicles without help from the companies — which meant waiting on hold for an offshore call center to remotely move the vehicle or grant instructions for the first responder to do so. Robotaxis could see ‘public backlash’ amid job loss fears, San Diego study says One first responder waited on hold for an operator for 53 minutes,
Apr 9, 2026 · via sandiegouniontribune.com
Waymo’s self-driving cars have been mapping Chicago city streets and traffic patterns, but they’re not giving rides—yet. While the company gears up to deploy in the Windy City, critics are closely watching how the technology handles real-world conditions. Stream NBC 5 for free, 24/7, wherever you are. Waymo vehicles have made headlines in recent months following several incidents. In December 2025, the vehicles shut down in the middle of traffic in San Francisco. One month prior, a Waymo vehicle drove into an active crime scene in Los Angeles. And in December 2024, a Phoenix man was trapped inside of a Waymo that was apparently driving in circles. After these scenarios, Waymo issued software updates and in some cases, said it used the unusual event to improve road safety. Waymo is operating 3,000 cars in 10 U.S. cities, but Chicago may present a unique challenge, according to Dr. Missy Cummings, the director of George Mason University’s Autonomy and Robotics Center and a nationally recognized expert in self-driving vehicle technology. “These cars struggle around pedestrians, struggle around people on bicycles and scooters, for example, they do not do well around potholes,” said Cummings. There are currently three active Federal Investigations into Waymo over incidents involving failure to stop for school buses and an incident where a child was struck in a school zone. Waymo said it takes these investigations “very seriously" and has taken "significant steps to improve performance." The company has pledged to cooperate fully with investigators. Local Cummings said incidents like those “suggest that the computer vision systems on board the cars are still extremely immature. Immature to the point that they have to call remote operators." Help from Waymo’s remote operators isn’t always immediate. During a power outage in San Francisco last December, dozens of Waymo vehicles were effectively
Apr 9, 2026 · via nbcchicago.com
Key Points EV stocks have the potential to lead the autonomous driving revolution. Two stocks in particular are poised to benefit despite recent pullbacks. By the end of the decade, we should see huge numbers of robotaxis roaming the streets of America, as well as other major countries. At least that's the consensus opinion among experts, whose opinions were compiled in a recent research report from global consultancy firm McKinsey & Co. "[T]he global rollout of robo-taxis is now expected to become reality at a large scale in 2030," the report concludes. "Overall, experts expect that robo-taxis will be the first commercial application for L4 in mobility -- not privately owned cars." Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » It's likely that electric vehicle (EV) companies will be the leaders when it comes to the self-driving car revolution. Electric vehicles are already software heavy, often designed with autonomy at their core. And yet the EV sector largely remains out of favor, allowing investors to find surprising bargains. The two stocks below are your best bets for betting on the coming autonomous driving future. 1. Rivian stock is now surprisingly cheap Earlier this year, I named Rivian(NASDAQ: RIVN) my top growth stock for 2026. There are two primary factors spurring my optimism. First, Rivian expects to begin shipping its R2 SUV this month. This will be the company's first vehicle priced under $50,000. Roughly 70% of prospective car buyers want their next vehicle to cost less than $50,000. And yet the average price of a new vehicle recently surpassed $50,000. Automakers that can offer new models -- especially within high-demand categories like SUVs and crossovers
Apr 8, 2026 · via theglobeandmail.com
The death of a duck in the Austin, Texas enclave of Mueller Lake has neighbors raising concerns about autonomous vehicles and whether they belong there. While humans are responsible for killing animals with their cars all the time, this incident has brought negative attention to the new technology. Local media picked up on the duck incident after a resident posted in a Mueller neighborhood Facebook group that an Avride autonomous vehicle (with a human safety operator behind the wheel) ran over and killed a duck, and did not stop afterwards. “It didn’t slow down or hesitate at all, just steamrolled through,” the post, which KXAN reported on, reads. Residents’ familiarity with this particular duck, which was nesting in a pot located outside of a local Italian eatery, has added to the outrage and mistrust of the autonomous vehicle technology. For those concerned about the future of the duck’s eggs, local residents have them in an incubator, Axios’ Austin reports. An Avride spokesperson confirmed with TechCrunch that the vehicle was in autonomous mode at the time. Avride hasn’t paused testing on public roads altogether. However, the company has adjusted its area of operations by excluding certain streets around the lake in the neighborhood where the incident with the duck occurred, according to spokesperson Yulia Shveyko. The resident also claimed in their post that the vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign. Avride told TechCrunch it did not find evidence to support that claim. The vehicle came to complete and appropriate stops at all relevant stop signs. Shveyko said the team has reviewed vehicle data and behavior, including replaying the scene multiple times in simulation. Avride is now evaluating potential improvements to the technology to help avoid similar situations in the future, she said. Notably, this includes running a series of
Apr 8, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
Labor, driving unions are raising concerns over safety, job loss Article Summary Autonomous vehicles, known as AVs, currently are being tested on the streets of Chicago. A bill in the legislature would eventually allow such driverless vehicles to operate in Illinois counties that have more than 1 million residents, plus Sangamon and three downstate jurisdictions. They could replace rideshare and taxi drivers. The bill has a long road ahead before legalization can occur and currently is held up in committee. By JACQUES ABOU-RIZK Medill Illinois News Bureau news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – In downtown Chicago, people have been spotting Google’s Waymo automated vehicles testing and mapping the Windy City’s streets. For now, the autonomous vehicles must be driven by a human, as the industry seeks the endorsement of state lawmakers. For the last year, legislators in Springfield have been trying to work through a variety of issues raised by skeptics of the autonomous vehicles, known as AVs. Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, said AV legislation has a long road ahead to address constituent concerns over safety, insurance and job losses for rideshare and cab drivers. In January, he introduced the Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Project Act, which would open counties in Illinois with over 1 million residents, as well as the counties of Sangamon, Madison, St. Clair, and Monroe, to automated commercial vehicles. But the bill has since been held up in the Rules Committee, an early step in the process that means it’s far from passage, especially in the current legislative session. Other bills supporting the industry also have yet to get the necessary support. While Waymo has started testing its vehicles with safety drivers in Chicago, the company has not yet announced plans to bring the robotaxis to counties other than Cook, according to Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli. Automated Vehicle legislation in
Apr 8, 2026 · via wsjd.fm
A self-driving car in Texas hit and killed a mother duck, sparking neighborhood outrage The death of a duck in the Austin, Texas enclave of Mueller Lake has neighbors raising concerns about autonomous vehicles and whether they belong there. While humans are responsible for killing animals with their cars all the time, this incident has brought negative attention to the new technology. Local media picked up on the duck incident after a resident posted in a Mueller neighborhood Facebook group that an Avride autonomous vehicle (with a human safety operator behind the wheel) ran over and killed a duck, and did not stop afterwards. “It didn’t slow down or hesitate at all, just steamrolled through,” the post, which KXAN reported on, reads. Residents’ familiarity with this particular duck, which was nesting in a pot located outside of a local Italian eatery, has added to the outrage and mistrust of the autonomous vehicle technology. For those concerned about the future of the duck’s eggs, local residents have them in an incubator, Axios’ Austin reports. An Avride spokesperson confirmed with TechCrunch that the vehicle was in autonomous mode at the time. Avride hasn’t paused testing on public roads altogether. However, the company has adjusted its area of operations by excluding certain streets around the lake in the neighborhood where the incident with the duck occurred, according to spokesperson Yulia Shveyko. The resident also claimed in their post that the vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign. Avride told TechCrunch it did not find evidence to support that claim. The vehicle came to complete and appropriate stops at all relevant stop signs. Shveyko said the team has reviewed vehicle data and behavior, including replaying the scene multiple times in simulation. Avride is now evaluating potential improvements to the technology to help avoid
Apr 8, 2026 · via autos.yahoo.com
Uber and Volkswagen are now testing autonomous ID. Buzz vehicles on the road and will debut a shared carpooling service in Los Angeles later this year. The two companies announced their partnership last year, with Volkswagen operating via its MOIA America brand. They have since opened a joint fleet operations facility in Los Angeles and plan to deploy more than 100 electric VW ID. Buzz buses during the testing phase, with human operators behind the wheel to start. “Los Angeles is a natural market to introduce MOIA’s autonomous vehicles for ride experiences, given its long history of shaping car culture and embracing new mobility technologies," says Paul DeLong, President of Commercialization at MOIA America. "Together with Uber, we’re bringing MOIA’s autonomous vehicles and expertise onto a platform millions of riders already use and trust." Ultimately, MOIA America and Uber plan to have a fleet of thousands of autonomous ID. Buzz vehicles in multiple US markets. We first got a look at Volkswagen's vintage revival microbus in 2024, when it was one of the few 7-seat electric cars available. There were rumors that VW was planning to discontinue the ID. Buzz AV, but the company’s US head clarified earlier this month that it was skipping the 2026 model and going directly from 2025 to 2027. Amazon’s Zoox also offers minivan-like vehicles, and is teaming up with Uber to book rides via the Uber app this summer in Las Vegas and next year in Los Angeles. Rides are currently free because Zoox has not yet received federal approval for paid rides. In late October, Tesla also announced plans for a 20-seater "robovan," but we haven't heard much solid news about that lately. The Elon Musk-led company currently offers AV rides in its Model Y robotaxis in Austin, Texas. Waymo, meanwhile, has surged
Apr 8, 2026 · via uk.pcmag.com
The death of a duck in the Austin, Texas enclave of Mueller Lake has neighbors raising concerns about autonomous vehicles and whether they belong there. While humans are responsible for killing animals with their cars all the time, this incident has brought negative attention to the new technology. Local media picked up on the duck incident after a resident posted in a Mueller neighborhood Facebook group that an Avride autonomous vehicle (with a human safety operator behind the wheel) ran over and killed a duck, and did not stop afterwards. “It didn’t slow down or hesitate at all, just steamrolled through,” the post, which KXAN reported on, reads. Residents’ familiarity with this particular duck, which was nesting in a pot located outside of a local Italian eatery, has added to the outrage and mistrust of the autonomous vehicle technology. For those concerned about the future of the duck’s eggs, local residents have them in an incubator, Axios’ Austin reports. An Avride spokesperson confirmed with TechCrunch that the vehicle was in autonomous mode at the time. Avride hasn’t paused testing on public roads altogether. However, the company has adjusted its area of operations by excluding certain streets around the lake in the neighborhood where the incident with the duck occurred, according to spokesperson Yulia Shveyko. The resident also claimed in their post that the vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign. Avride told TechCrunch it did not find evidence to support that claim. The vehicle came to complete and appropriate stops at all relevant stop signs. Shveyko said the team has reviewed vehicle data and behavior, including replaying the scene multiple times in simulation. Avride is now evaluating potential improvements to the technology to help avoid similar situations in the future, she said. Notably, this includes running a series of
Apr 8, 2026 · via techcrunch.com