The TRATON GROUP and Applied Intuition Announce TRATON ONE OS, a Unified Software Platform for Improved Fleet Uptime Across TRATON's Four Global Brands MUNICH and SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The TRATON GROUP and Applied Intuition, Inc., the leading physical AI company, today announced TRATON ONE OS, a next-generation software-defined vehicle platform that will power all new vehicles across TRATON's four brands: Scania, MAN, International and Volkswagen Truck & Bus. Building on more than a year of co-development, the two companies are deploying a single unified platform that's at the forefront of innovation to deliver benefits to customers: - Prevent costly downtime: The system's unified data access is designed to enable predictive maintenance capabilities that allow fleet operators to identify and address potential mechanical issues before they lead to breakdowns, service recalls or unplanned downtime. - Future-proof fleets: Customers will be able to receive new applications, features and full-cabin user-interface upgrades via over-the-air software updates, eliminating many workshop visits and allowing vehicles to improve throughout their operational life. - Unlock the autonomous future: The platform's adaptive middleware is designed to serve as a foundation for autonomous driving systems, enabling TRATON to layer autonomous capabilities onto the same architecture over time. Designed to bring the speed, flexibility and continuous update cycles of modern software development to the commercial vehicle industry, TRATON ONE OS will operate on all high-performance computers (HPCs) in TRATON's new vehicle architecture. The platform supports multiple hardware chipsets and global regulatory environments while giving TRATON teams a common foundation to build on — all without compromising each brand's distinct customer experience. Testing of the first integrated ECU hardware will begin in April 2026, with rollout across new trucks targeted for 2028. "Our collaboration with Applied Intuition brings together TRATON's deep expertise in commercial vehicles, including strength
Apr 1, 2026 · via prnewswire.com
A series of letters sent by autonomous-vehicle (AV) developers to Democratic US senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts sheds the most light yet on the human side of robot vehicle operations. In the documents, submitted to Markey as part of an investigation into self-driving-vehicle technology and released on Tuesday, seven companies, including Tesla, Amazon-owned Zoox, and Uber- and Nvidia-funded Nuro, released new details about their “remote assistance” programs. All the companies that responded to the senator's office say they use remote assistants—humans charged with responding to autonomous vehicles when they get confused, stuck, or in emergencies. The programs, experts say, are an important part of any autonomous vehicle company’s safety considerations, a backstop for a technology that’s becoming safer by the year but will continue to run into new situations on the road indefinitely. In a report also released Tuesday, Senator Markey said the new details were not enough. “Every autonomous-vehicle company refused to disclose how often their AVs require assistance from [remote assistants]—hiding key information from the public about their AV’s true level of autonomy,” he wrote. “This information is critical for lawmakers, regulators, and the public to understand the potential safety risks with AVs.” Markey called on the nation’s top federal road safety regulator to look more closely into autonomous vehicle companies’ remote assistance programs, and said he would soon introduce legislation responding to the “safety gaps” his investigation found. Remote-Controlled Robotaxis The responses from the autonomous vehicle developers show that, in one critical way, Tesla is an industry outlier. Six of the firms insisted that their remote assistance workers, who work across the US and even, in the case of Waymo, in the Philippines, never actually drive the vehicles directly. Instead, the humans provide input that the autonomous vehicle software then decides to use or ignore. Not so
Mar 31, 2026 · via wired.com
Man arrested for DUI after being found passed out, intoxicated in moving Tesla, police say VACAVILLE, Calif. (Gray News) - Police in California have arrested a man for driving under the influence after they say he was found passed out while behind the wheel of a moving autonomous vehicle. According to the Vacaville Police Department, a resident called dispatch last Wednesday afternoon after seeing a driver appearing to be unconscious in the driver’s seat of a vehicle that was driving on its own through busy city streets. The caller provided real-time details to police, allowing officers to find the man and stop the vehicle. Police said they checked if the driver was having a medical emergency, but found him to be under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana. Vacaville police said a Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon carrier and a box of Round Table Pizza were among the items seen in the man’s vehicle. Authorities didn’t identify the driver or the car, but it can be seen as a Tesla model with the vehicle’s unique door handles shown in the department’s pictures. Police warned that drivers are permitted to use newer assistive driving safety features in their vehicles. But they need to be conscious, alert and not under the influence while operating them. Vacaville officers thanked the community for their help. Copyright 2026 Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Mar 31, 2026 · via uppermichiganssource.com
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Mar 31, 2026 · via statesman.com
The systems that allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel are convenient but don't improve safety because people who use them often pay less attention to the road, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday. Drivers with automated systems engaged are much more likely than other drivers to focus on their cellphones or infotainment screens, Chair Jennifer Homendy said at the outset of a hearing on the NTSB's investigation of two fatal crashes involving Ford’s Blue Cruise system. The 2024 crashes in Texas and Pennsylvania killed three people when Ford Mustang Mach-E cars slammed into stopped vehicles. “These systems function primarily as convenience features rather than safety enhancements,” she said. Ford and other automakers emphasize that partially automated driving systems are not designed to replace the human drivers sitting behind the wheel, who have to be ready to take control at any time. But Homendy said automakers are marketing these systems as safety improvements that allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel and focus elsewhere. To illustrate her point, she showed a Ford commercial that depicted a mother in a driver's seat pretending to conduct a symphony with her eyes closed while talking to kids in the backseat. One of the auto industry's challenges in developing systems that take on more driving functions has been how to ensure that drivers stay alert. NTSB members said the evidence is clear that drivers using these systems are more likely to shift their focus away from the road. Currently, there are no clear U.S. government standards for the systems, so each automaker’s version of this technology can vary greatly, said Michael Graham, NTSB vice chair. The NTSB, which previously investigated a number crashes involving similar systems, including Tesla’s autopilot system, is examining the effectiveness of these
Mar 31, 2026 · via spotlightpa.org
Gasgoo Munich- At a recent major achievements release during the ZGC Forum annual meeting, the Beijing Financial Regulatory Bureau announced the launch of commercial insurance development for intelligent connected new energy vehicles. It marks the first domestic policy tailored specifically to autonomous driving scenarios, designed to uniformly adapt to L2 through L4 smart connected NEVs. While the L2 tier initially targets new energy vehicles, L3 and L4 levels apply to those legally testing or already road-qualified in Beijing. Just half a month ago, Arcfox announced that its Alpha S (L3 version) has officially kicked off large-scale road trials, with individual users able to book test drives starting in the second quarter of 2026. Image source: Weibo screenshot Policy and product are hitting the accelerator in near unison. The countdown to L3 commercialization has begun. This countdown isn't triggered merely by a few models securing license plates; rather, it’s driven by a comprehensive support system spanning technology, regulation, insurance, and infrastructure that is visibly taking shape. The rollout of Beijing's smart driving insurance is a critical piece of this safety net. Yet, it must be said: the current dedicated policy remains a "pilot" initiative, far from the final product. The debate surrounding it, however, helps illuminate the path still required to move from L3 road access to mass adoption. Why is "Smart Driving Exclusive Insurance" Indispensable? L3 represents conditional autonomous driving, where the system takes control in specific scenarios, but the driver must intervene promptly when a takeover is requested. In essence, primary control shifts from human to machine. That seemingly subtle shift fundamentally destabilizes the underlying logic of traditional car insurance. Traditional auto insurance logic is built on the premise that a human is driving. At the L2 stage, the system is strictly defined as "driver assistance," so insurance remains
Mar 31, 2026 · via autonews.gasgoo.com
Uber and Chinese autonomous vehicle company WeRide have launched robotaxi operations without a human safety operator in Dubai as part of a broader expansion in the Middle East. Riders can now book the vehicles through Uber’s app, with operations in commercial and industrial districts like Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Investment Park Second, and Jabal Ali Industrial First, as well as suburban areas and the maritime trading hub Al Hamriya Port. The service is operated locally by Tawasul, a mobility and fleet operator in the United Arab Emirates. The companies first introduced robotaxis to Dubai in December under a pilot program but didn’t charge for rides and still had a human safety operator on board. The government’s Roads and Transport Authority issued a driverless vehicle trial permit to the companies last month. The deployment signals an escalation in WeRide’s robotaxi operations in the region and Uber’s continued involvement in the company. Uber holds a 5.82% stake in WeRide, according to documents filed Monday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Last year, it invested $100 million into WeRide. Uber’s equity stake is valued at around $150 million based on WeRide’s closing stock price on Monday. “Bringing fully driverless vehicles to Dubai is an important milestone in making autonomous mobility a global reality,” Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s global head of autonomous mobility and delivery, said in a statement. “This launch underscores our deep commitment to the UAE and our vision for a hybrid world — where drivers and AVs operate side-by-side to create a more resilient network. Especially during challenging times in the region, we are proud to be a partner to this city, ensuring that Uber is always there to help people move seamlessly and with confidence.” Uber increased its investment into WeRide in May 2025 as part of a commercial robotaxi
Mar 31, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
Cyngn Deploys 4 DriveMod Tuggers at Vann Family Orchards The deployment expands Cyngn's footprint into the agricultural processing market, and reflects growing adoption of autonomous material handling across food and agriculture supply chains. Cyngn (NASDAQ: CYN) today announced a commercial DriveMod Tugger deployment at Vann Family Orchards, a large-scale agricultural processor based in northern California. The deployment includes four DriveMod Tuggers automating the transport of raw materials between storage and processing areas across connected warehouse facilities. The deployment expands Cyngn's footprint into the agricultural processing market, and reflects growing adoption of autonomous material handling across food and agriculture supply chains. The system replaces a portion of the facility's manual forklift transport operations and efficiently maintains human labor for loading and unloading products, creating a hybrid workflow designed to improve consistency, safety, and asset utilization. "At Vann Family Orchards, raw materials must move continuously between warehouses and processing equipment to keep production running," said Lior Tal, Cyngn's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "This deployment demonstrates DriveMod's ability to operate reliably in agricultural environments where throughput, safety, and uptime are operationally critical. Agriculture represents one of the largest and most demanding physical industries in the world, and automation is becoming essential infrastructure for it." California alone generates more than $61.2 billion in annual agricultural output, producing roughly 50% of U.S. vegetables and 75% of U.S. fruits and nuts, across more than 400 distinct agricultural commodities. The state anchors a vast downstream processing, logistics, and export economy that depends on consistent, high-volume material movement. As labor availability tightens and processing volumes scale, automation is increasingly central to maintaining throughput, reliability, and cost discipline across the food and agriculture value chain. Founded in California's Sacramento Valley, Vann Family Orchards operates large-scale processing facilities serving domestic and international markets, making it well suited for autonomous
Mar 31, 2026 · via roboticstomorrow.com
Applied Intuition launches first mobile operations center for autonomous systems: Applied Edge Company unveils field-deployable, persistent autonomy development and operations platform. SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Applied Intuition, Inc., the leading physical AI company, today launched the first mobile operations center purpose-built for developing, testing and operating autonomous systems. Applied Edge packages rugged compute, satellite and radio communications, and the Axion autonomy toolchain into a field-deployable node, enabling teams to build, iterate and operate at mission speed without standing up new infrastructure. "Applied Intuition is collapsing the distance between the lab and the mission," said Qasar Younis, co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition. "Today, every team building advanced autonomous systems hits the same wall: the exercise ends, the racks go dark and the telemetry sits in the field while the clock resets in the office. The cycle of standing up and tearing down autonomy stacks between events is over. The teams that move at mission speed will define the future of autonomous systems, and Edge is how they get there." Deploy where the mission is. Pick up where you left off. Defense autonomy is moving fast, but the infrastructure behind it has not kept up. Government test ranges — designed for hardware, not software — add months of scheduling overhead and offer no persistent DevSecOps environments. The gap between autonomy needs and infrastructure has never been wider. As autonomy programs move from one-off demonstrations to repeated field operations, teams need software-defined infrastructure that stays warm between events. The same pressure exists in defense and in heavy industry: mining, construction and other environments where machines must be developed and validated where they work, not only in the lab. Axion Sim and Mission Control run natively on Edge so teams can plan missions, replay logs, evaluate behavior, coordinate multi-asset operations
Mar 31, 2026 · via prnewswire.com
Florida Panthers announce hiring of Michael White as business president The Florida Panthers have named tech and guest-experience executive Michael White as their new president of business operations SUNRISE, Fla. -- Michael White got a call a few weeks ago from someone in Italy who was offering to provide any insight he could about how the Florida Panthers do business. The caller was Bill Zito, the Panthers' hockey operations president. And that's when White knew he'd fit in as the team's business operations president. The Panthers officially announced White, who has spent a 25-year career working in the technology and guest experience worlds, as their new business chief on Tuesday. He will oversee “all business aspects,” the team said, of its four facilities — Amerant Bank Arena, Baptist Health IcePlex, Panthers IceDen and War Memorial Auditorium. White said the idea to work alongside Zito, the architect of the team that won Stanley Cup titles in 2024 and 2025, was a major factor. Zito called him last month from Italy, where he was part of the leadership for the U.S. men's hockey team that won gold at the Milan Cortina Olympics. They've been off and running ever since. “We clicked automatically. Our first meeting was supposed to be 30 minutes, went an hour and a half and we probably could have talked another two hours," White said. "And we just stayed in touch throughout the process. I would say that we’re off to a really great start together and he was one of the primary reasons I came over here. He's one of one, a legend, but also somebody that you want to partner with.” White came to the Panthers after most recently serving as Chief Product Officer at Amazon’s autonomous vehicle company, Zoox — helping to develop an autonomous robotaxi.
Mar 31, 2026 · via abcnews.com
Applied Intuition launches first mobile operations center for autonomous systems: Applied Edge Company unveils field-deployable, persistent autonomy development and operations platform. SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Applied Intuition, Inc., the leading physical AI company, today launched the first mobile operations center purpose-built for developing, testing and operating autonomous systems. Applied Edge packages rugged compute, satellite and radio communications, and the Axion autonomy toolchain into a field-deployable node, enabling teams to build, iterate and operate at mission speed without standing up new infrastructure. "Applied Intuition is collapsing the distance between the lab and the mission," said Qasar Younis, co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition. "Today, every team building advanced autonomous systems hits the same wall: the exercise ends, the racks go dark and the telemetry sits in the field while the clock resets in the office. The cycle of standing up and tearing down autonomy stacks between events is over. The teams that move at mission speed will define the future of autonomous systems, and Edge is how they get there." Deploy where the mission is. Pick up where you left off. Defense autonomy is moving fast, but the infrastructure behind it has not kept up. Government test ranges — designed for hardware, not software — add months of scheduling overhead and offer no persistent DevSecOps environments. The gap between autonomy needs and infrastructure has never been wider. As autonomy programs move from one-off demonstrations to repeated field operations, teams need software-defined infrastructure that stays warm between events. The same pressure exists in defense and in heavy industry: mining, construction and other environments where machines must be developed and validated where they work, not only in the lab. Axion Sim and Mission Control run natively on Edge so teams can plan missions, replay logs, evaluate behavior, coordinate multi-asset operations
Mar 31, 2026 · via prnewswire.com
By JOSH FUNK, AP Transportation Writer The systems that allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel are convenient but don’t improve safety because people are often too reliant on them and end up paying more attention to their cellphones and infotainment screens than to the road, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Tuesday. Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said during the hearing on the NTSB’s investigation of two fatal crashes involving Ford’s Blue Cruise system that automakers need to do more to improve the way these systems monitor drivers, and the government should establish minimum safety standards. “These systems function primarily as convenience features rather than safety enhancements,” she said. The 2024 crashes in Texas and Pennsylvania killed three people when Ford Mustang Mach-E SUVs slammed into stopped vehicles. In both cases, the drivers were distracted in ways the system failed to recognize. The Texas driver only briefly glanced at the road while searching for a charging station, and the Pennsylvania driver appeared focused on the cellphone she was holding on top of the steering wheel in front of her. Homendy said automakers are marketing these systems as safety improvements that allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel and focus elsewhere. To illustrate her point, she showed a Ford commercial that depicted a mother in a driver’s seat pretending to conduct a symphony with her eyes closed while talking to kids in the backseat. Philip Koopman, professor emeritus at Carnegie Mellon University and expert on self-driving vehicle safety, said the NTSB findings highlight longstanding concerns about the limitations of these driver assistance systems and the fact that more advancements are needed. “These concerns continue to be a problem,” Koopman said. “The finding today is that the journey is not over. More work is needed.” Ford
Mar 31, 2026 · via bostonherald.com
Report (PDF) | Responses from Automakers (PDF) | Letter to NHTSA (PDF) Washington (March 31, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today published a report, Remote Backseat Operators: Revealing the Autonomous Vehicle Industry’s Reliance on Human Remote Assistance Operators, that reveals a stunning lack of transparency from autonomous vehicle (AV) companies around their use of Remote Assistance Operators (RAOs). Although the exact RAO role and performance vary by manufacturer, RAOs intervene when an AV confronts an uncertain or dangerous driving condition or situation. Senator Markey's investigation, which he launched in February, exposed a patchwork of safety practices across the industry, with significant variations in operator qualifications, response times, and overseas staffing. As a result of the report, Senator Markey sent a letter to Jonathan Morrison, Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), urging NHTSA to investigate the AV industry’s RAO practices. Senator Markey also announced today that he is working on legislation to impose strong, enforceable regulations around the AV industry’s use of RAOs. “Autonomous vehicle companies make big promises about the safety of their self-driving cars, but it turns out that human workers still play a critical role with this technology,” said Senator Markey. “My investigation revealed a wide range of concerning practices, from employees assisting vehicles from overseas to wide variations in communication lag times between vehicles and human operators. These operations demand urgent federal regulation. I’m calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to investigate, and I am working on legislation to impose strict guardrails on AV companies’ use of remote operators.” Senator Markey continued, “Autonomous vehicle companies have long boasted they can eliminate road fatalities caused by human error. Now it is time they are honest about their technology’s reliance on human help.” In
Mar 31, 2026 · via markey.senate.gov
Top Stories GM temporarily lays off 1,300 workers at Factory ZERO amid slowing EV demand. Read More BYD launches Song Ultra EV with Flash Charging starting under $22,000. Read More Auto tariffs add $30 billion in costs as vehicle prices climb 10.4%. Read More Google expands Android Automotive with new SDV platform for full vehicle integration. Read More Featured Interviews New Jersey dealers confront illegal broker activity threatening margins and franchise integrity – Jake Lebowitz | Raceway Auto Group In New Jersey, licensed dealers are facing a growing challenge from illegal brokers. Joining us on today’s Inside Automotive episode to discuss what’s happening, why it matters, and the integrity of the franchise system is Jake Lebowitz, fourth-generation Owner and Dealer Principal of Raceway Auto Group. Watch the full segment here. How Draiver is helping OEMs streamline vehicle logistics and reduce delays Draiver is expanding its role with automakers by providing end-to-end logistics solutions to improve vehicle visibility, reduce delivery times, and support evolving fleet and autonomous-vehicle needs. Joining us on the latest episode of Driving Solutions, we’re joined by Draiver’s Senior Vice President of Sales, Peter Janczewski, who says OEMs are increasingly turning to unified platforms to manage complex vehicle movement across the supply chain. Watch the full segment here. Jim Ganther breaks down new FTC dealer guidance on pricing and ads The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent warning letters to 97 dealer groups representing more than 500 dealership locations in March, putting the automotive industry on notice about compliance with advertising standards, according to Jim Ganther, Vice President of Ascent Dealer Services. Joining us on the latest episode of Training Camp, host Adam Marburger sits down with Ganther, who outlines the six steps dealers should take to mitigate risk. Watch the full segment here.
Mar 31, 2026 · via cbtnews.com
The TRATON GROUP and Applied Intuition Announce TRATON ONE OS, a Unified Software Platform for Improved Fleet Uptime Across TRATON's Four Global Brands MUNICH and SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The TRATON GROUP and Applied Intuition, Inc., the leading physical AI company, today announced TRATON ONE OS, a next-generation software-defined vehicle platform that will power all new vehicles across TRATON's four brands: Scania, MAN, International and Volkswagen Truck & Bus. Building on more than a year of co-development, the two companies are deploying a single unified platform that's at the forefront of innovation to deliver benefits to customers: - Prevent costly downtime: The system's unified data access is designed to enable predictive maintenance capabilities that allow fleet operators to identify and address potential mechanical issues before they lead to breakdowns, service recalls or unplanned downtime. - Future-proof fleets: Customers will be able to receive new applications, features and full-cabin user-interface upgrades via over-the-air software updates, eliminating many workshop visits and allowing vehicles to improve throughout their operational life. - Unlock the autonomous future: The platform's adaptive middleware is designed to serve as a foundation for autonomous driving systems, enabling TRATON to layer autonomous capabilities onto the same architecture over time. Designed to bring the speed, flexibility and continuous update cycles of modern software development to the commercial vehicle industry, TRATON ONE OS will operate on all high-performance computers (HPCs) in TRATON's new vehicle architecture. The platform supports multiple hardware chipsets and global regulatory environments while giving TRATON teams a common foundation to build on — all without compromising each brand's distinct customer experience. Testing of the first integrated ECU hardware will begin in April 2026, with rollout across new trucks targeted for 2028. "Our collaboration with Applied Intuition brings together TRATON's deep expertise in commercial vehicles, including strength
Mar 31, 2026 · via prnewswire.com
TRATON SE The TRATON GROUP and Applied Intuition announce TRATON ONE OS, a Unified Software Platform for improved fleet uptime across TRATON’s four global brands | TRATON SE / Key word(s): Miscellaneous The TRATON GROUP and Applied Intuition announce TRATON ONE OS, a Unified Software Platform for improved fleet uptime across TRATON’s four global brands Munich/Sunnyvale, March 31, 2026 – The TRATON GROUP and Applied Intuition today announced TRATON ONE OS, a next-generation software-defined vehicle platform that will power all new vehicles across TRATON’s four brands: Scania, MAN, International and Volkswagen Truck & Bus. Building on more than a year of co-development, the two companies are deploying a single unified platform that’s at the forefront of innovation to deliver benefits to customers: Designed to bring the speed, flexibility, and continuous update cycles of modern software development to the commercial vehicle industry, TRATON ONE OS will operate on all high-performance computers (HPCs) in TRATON’s new vehicle architecture. The platform supports multiple hardware chipsets and global regulatory environments while giving TRATON teams a common foundation to build on — all without compromising each brand’s distinct customer experience. Testing of the first integrated ECU hardware will begin in April 2026, with rollout across new trucks targeted for 2028. “Our collaboration with Applied Intuition brings together TRATON’s deep expertise in commercial vehicles, including strength in modularization and in-house application-function software development, with Applied Intuition’s leading software capabilities,” said Stefan Teuchert, Senior Vice President EE Platform at TRATON GROUP. “With TRATON ONE OS, we combine strong building blocks from Applied Intuition, TRATON and the open source community to create a worldwide cutting-edge EE platform, delivering fast new functions and services to the customer, while still preserving what makes each of our brands unique.” The platform is being co-developed as a white-box modular architecture that combines
Mar 31, 2026 · via eqs-news.com
Waymo’s robotaxi service is going live at its fourth major airport today: San Antonio International. The company said its vehicles will drop off riders curbside at the terminals, and pick up passengers at the airport’s designated rideshare area. This is the first airport Waymo is servicing in Texas, where the company currently operates in San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, and Houston. Waymo has been offering airport pickups and drops at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International for a few years now, and has started servicing the San Francisco and San Jose Mineta international airports over the past few months. It also serves a handful of regional airports. Waymo launched its San Antonio robotaxi service in February, though it’s still not fully available to the public yet. The company has been operating an invitation-based system that it is scaling on a rolling basis — an approach it used in Dallas, Houston, and Orlando, too. The company said on Tuesday that its waitlist in San Antonio is now “[t]ens of thousands of people” long and that it plans to make its service available to “all public riders soon.” This phased approach is one way that Waymo is still being cautious in a year of otherwise rapid expansion. The company has said it wants to launch in around 20 new cities this year, including Tokyo and London. Its robotaxi service is currently live in 10 cities and is running more than 500,000 paid rides per week, roughly double the number it was operating at this time last year. Waymo is expected to start offering rides in its newest vehicle, the Zeekr-built van called Ojai, at some point this year. The company has shared data that it says proves its robotaxis are already safer than human drivers and reducing serious crashes. Still, Waymo keeps running into new
Mar 31, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
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Mar 31, 2026 · via expressnews.com
Nevada aims to lead on autonomous vehicles but lags on regulation In 2011, Nevada became an early adopter of autonomous vehicles as the first state to allow testing on its roadways. Now, 15 years later, the AV industry appears poised to go beyond testing and free novelty rides around the Las Vegas Strip. Will the shift into the commercial market come with increased scrutiny on safety or a reconsideration of the state’s industry-friendly regulatory environment? Zoox Inc., an Amazon subsidiary focused on “purpose-built” AVs with no manual driving option, is now seeking approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to operate a fleet of robotaxis commercially. Their application, which seeks waivers to existing federal motor vehicle safety standards, is in the public comment period until April 10. An NHTSA ruling is expected this summer, and assuming it is approved, Zoox plans to launch commercial operations in Las Vegas, according to Nevada Current. The company already has approval from the Nevada Transportation Authority to operate up to 100 of their robotaxis and charge passenger fares as an “autonomous vehicle network company,” or AVNC. The vehicles are confined to a certain geofenced area, which includes the Las Vegas Strip and nearby attractions. The same day their NHTSA application was publicly posted to the Federal Register, Zoox announced a multi-year partnership with Uber to make its robotaxis available through the rideshare giant’s app in Las Vegas “beginning later this year.” Since September, Zoox has been offering free rides to Las Vegas passengers to a limited number of places in the resort corridor. Zoox recently expanded its service area to include additional Las Vegas locations, including “a majority of the major hotels along the Strip” and the Sphere and T-Mobile Arena. While Zoox is the only company approved by Nevada as an AVNC,
Mar 31, 2026 · via rgj.com
Key Points - Drivers say U.S. roads feel unpredictable as phone use, aggression and reckless driving continue to rise - Stress and mistrust are growing on the road, with 4 in 10 drivers reporting stress and two‑thirds frequently witnessing road rage - Parents’ anxiety about teen driving is reshaping safety perceptions, with 40% saying they would trust an autonomous vehicle over their teen in some situations - Company drivers confirm worsening behaviors across the board, reporting sharp increases in distraction, recklessness and unsafe driving around larger vehicles COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A new survey from Nationwide finds that driving in America is becoming less predictable and less trusted. While most drivers rate their own driving highly, many say the behavior from others on the road is getting worse. Distraction, aggression and recklessness are rising, making everyday driving more stressful and harder to anticipate. Nearly 9 in 10 drivers say phone use behind the wheel has increased in the past year, alongside similar spikes in aggressive and reckless driving. As a result, 40% say they experience stress while driving, and more than two-thirds frequently witness road rage. That erosion of trust is reshaping how families think about safety. In fact, 4 in 10 parents say they would trust an autonomous vehicle over their teen driver in certain situations, despite ongoing skepticism about the technology. Even the most experienced drivers are seeing the same shift. Company drivers, who operate a vehicle as one of their core job responsibilities and spend more time on the road than most, report worsening behaviors across the board, including increases in distraction, recklessness and unsafe driving around larger vehicles. Parents are weighing two imperfect options Parents are choosing between two risks they don’t fully trust. Anxiety is widespread among families with teen drivers: 91%
Mar 31, 2026 · via cbtnews.com