Abstract Local path planning is essential for autonomous vehicles operating in complex non-convex environments. Existing geometric planners are computationally efficient but often generate curvature discontinuities and steering commands that are difficult to execute, whereas optimization-based methods usually require higher computational cost and may suffer from numerical oscillations in constrained spaces. To address these issues, this paper proposes a dynamic potential field-guided and force-coupled adaptive pure pursuit framework, termed i-APP, for real-time local path planning. The proposed method consists of three stages. First, a velocity-adaptive gradient A* search generates a collision-free initial path with speed-dependent safety margins. Second, a dynamic artificial potential field refines risky path segments through deterministic lateral offsets to improve obstacle clearance. Finally, a force-coupled adaptive pure pursuit strategy maps obstacle repulsive forces to the look-ahead target point, while forward kinematic integration and steering-rate constraints are incorporated to improve trajectory executability. Simulation and real-vehicle experiments are conducted to compare i-APP with APP, A*+APP, and EMplanner methods. The results show that i-APP reduces planning time while improving trajectory smoothness and suppressing curvature fluctuation, indicating its suitability for real-time local planning in obstacle-constrained autonomous driving scenarios. Subjects Acknowledgements This work was supported by the Shijiazhuang Science and Technology Cooperation Special Project (Grant No. SJZZXA25003) and the Tianjin Science and Technology Plan Project (Grant No. 25ZXRGGX00310). (Corresponding author: Ding Chengjun).Thanks to Chengjun Ding, Tan Zhang , Tengfei Ma , Zijian Li, Jinshen Yu, Ke Wang, Jianxin Hufor their assistance in the project. Ethics declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Additional information Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Rights and permissions Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or
Aug 21, 2026 · via nature.com
General Motors collects data for self-driving technology in Fort Myers Would you let a computer drive your car for you? In Fort Myers, people are split on the idea of self-driving cars. "If I can just sit in the backseat and just kind of tell it to go home, I'm down with that,” Joshua Bogumil said. "You do whatever you want, instead of just being a slave to staring at the tailpipe of the car in front of you." Clarice Kentwood is less confident. "I think we need people to make decisions,” she said. “I think it would make me nervous the whole time.” Ready or not, they're here. Waymo – a driverless taxi – is already rolling through Miami and Orlando. In the Fort Myers area, people are noticing specialized GM vehicles on the roads. "You might see them often, because they're driving on the highways every day,” Ryan Falor said. Falor is the Director of AV Data at General Motors. Right now, the company has test drivers in specialized vehicles on major roadways in Fort Myers, like I-75 and State Road 82, among others. The vehicles are decked out with cameras, radar, and lidar, and are collecting data for the future of GM's autonomous vehicles. While Waymo is a taxi service, GM is working on cars people can eventually own. “We're focusing on enabling people to get time back as part of their driving experience,” Falor said. “And to get value from their car that they otherwise wouldn't have gotten." GM already has what’s called Super Cruise, which can control speed, the wheel and even change lanes on certain roads. What they're working toward now is an 'eyes-off' driving system. "Where really, you can start to take your eyes off the road,” Falor said. “Not only will the
Aug 21, 2026 · via gulfcoastnewsnow.com
It’s January off of Nantucket Shoals. An uncrewed surface vehicle begins a series of carefully planned transects through Southern New England, collecting data day and night. There are no scientists onboard, but the 30-foot vessel is constantly measuring ocean currents, water temperature, salinity, weather and other ocean conditions. It’s also helping identify areas with high fish and plankton abundance. Every nautical mile traveled adds to a more complete picture of how marine ecosystems function. These missions reflect NOAA’s growing use of uncrewed systems technology. Traditionally, these autonomous platforms have supported hydrographic surveys, nautical charting, and ocean mapping. But the benefits extend beyond creating better maps. Today, the same technologies are helping scientists answer complex ecological and oceanographic questions. They’re collecting critical, high-accuracy, and time-sensitive data across nearly every mission area. "Over the last several years, we have been able to expand the applications for how uncrewed surface vehicles can help with various research related to stock, ecosystem, and protected species evaluations and assessments,” explains Dr. Conor McManus, marine development and advanced technology program lead for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. “With each mission we conduct, we are learning more about the Northeast U.S. Shelf ecosystem, but also how we can better operationalize these technologies to meet our scientific or data needs." These technological advances are expanding where, when, and how our scientists collect ocean data. The results allow researchers to observe the ocean more continuously and in places that are difficult to sample with ships alone. These vehicles complement ship-based surveys—filling gaps in data that can arise from challenges like winter weather and limited ship availability. This year, there were three uncrewed surface vehicle missions in the Northeast—two operated by Chance Maritime Technologies and one using DriX. They demonstrated how the benefits of uncrewed survey technology can answer many different
Aug 21, 2026 · via fisheries.noaa.gov
ALSO, the Rivian spinoff behind the TM-B e-bike, has closed a $150 million Series D round, according to the funding announcement it put out Wednesday. The money is aimed almost entirely at autonomy. ALSO said the round accelerates development of its autonomous vehicle platform and lets it work on multiple autonomous form factors at once, covering both goods and passengers moving around cities. Those vehicles will lean on the EV architecture the company already built for the TM-B and for the TM-Q, the commercial delivery quad. Chris Yu, co-founder and president, said congestion and cost per trip are the same problems whether a human is steering or not. If you have been following ALSO, the TM-B is the interesting part of the story so far. It is a pedal-by-wire bike with no mechanical link between the pedals and the wheel, a modular top frame that swaps between a single seat, a cargo setup and a bench in a few seconds without tools, up to 100 miles of range on the 808 Wh pack, 28 mph pedal-assisted top speed, regenerative braking, and a removable battery that charges over USB-C at 240 watts and doubles as a power bank. Launch Edition and Performance are $4,500, the Standard is $3,500. Rivian sells it through the Gear Shop, so plenty of owners have already seen it in the configurator flow. Launch Edition bikes have started shipping in the U.S., and pre-orders and configuration recently opened for the Performance and Standard models, with first deliveries this fall. This follows the $200 million Series C that ALSO closed earlier this year, led by Greenoaks with Prysm participating and a strategic investment from DoorDash attached. That round came with a multi-year agreement to develop and deploy autonomous delivery vehicles with DoorDash at scale. Amazon is the other
Aug 21, 2026 · via riviantrackr.com
Nevada, get ready for the robotaxis. The Nevada Transportation Authority unanimously approved three permits Thursday that will allow Tesla, Uber, and Waymo to operate commercial robotaxi services in Clark County, home to Las Vegas. Together, these permits would deploy up to 8,000 robotaxis across the county over the next 12 months. Tesla’s permit allows it to deploy up to 5,000 robotaxis, while Waymo is allowed operate up to 1,000 autonomous vehicles over the next year. Uber was also approved for 1,000 robotaxis, which it will operate through partnerships with Hyundai subsidiary Motional and Zoox. Zoox already holds an autonomous vehicle network company permit that allows it to operate 100 robotaxis. Whether these companies will be able to launch that many robotaxis is an unanswered question. Testimony from Tesla representatives and the other companies suggests the answer is no. “The 5,000 has always been a ceiling for us,” said Eric Early, Tesla’s Cybercab chief engineer, during the meeting. “I don’t think we’ll be in a position by this time next year to deploy 5,000 vehicles, and it’s not [because of] the technology. … I think we would be extremely happy and satisfied if we could get ourselves up to 2,500, maybe a bit higher than that in the next year.” Even if these three companies roll out only half of those totals, Clark County — and Las Vegas specifically — is shaping up to be a major robotaxi battleground, with Tesla, Uber (via its autonomous vehicle partners Motional and Zoox), and Waymo all competing for the same riders. That kind of fast, large-scale robotaxi deployment is poised to change the city — and specifically its workforce. Depending on who you ask, these companies will either deliver a whole new category of jobs designed to maintain, charge, and clean these vehicles or
Aug 21, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
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Aug 20, 2026 · via youtube.com
Tesla’s two-seat Cybercab won’t be the only purpose-built vehicle in Tesla’s robotaxi fleet. Following a visit to Tesla’s Fremont factory and meetings with its Investor Relations team, JPMorgan said Tesla reiterated that the Cybercab is only the initial form factor for robotaxi, and that additional vehicle types are expected as the platform develops. Tesla specifically mentioned the Robovan unveiled at its 2024 We, Robot event as an example. Multiple Robotaxi Vehicle Types Cybercab is designed to move one or two passengers at the lowest cost possible. Tesla has said the two-seater should account for most of its autonomous vehicle volume because most trips involve very few occupants. But Tesla already sees uses that Cybercab cannot cover. Tesla’s words are interesting. They mention Robovan as an example, meaning that there will likely be several other vehicle types. Tesla recently secured a U.S. design patent for the Robovan, meaning that it’s still a part of its plans. What we’ll likely see are vehicle types between Cybercab (aimed at low-cost transportation) and Robovan. We could see more luxurious vehicles, or a van that fits somewhere between the Cybercab and Robovan. Specialized Vehicles Removing the need for a driver changes how a vehicle can be designed. Cybercab focuses on inexpensive transportation, but other autonomous vehicles could prioritize passenger capacity, comfort, or a particular use. That could eventually create room for vehicles designed around sleeping, working, or traveling with groups. Interiors could feature opposing seats, larger displays, or work surfaces instead of the traditional driver-focused layout that the Cybercab uses. Tesla has already explored some of these ideas with Robovan. The vehicle can be configured for passengers or cargo, and Tesla has discussed uses such as an autonomous RV. Tesla AI Director Ashok Elluswamy previously responded to a request for an autonomous RV by pointing
Aug 20, 2026 · via notateslaapp.com
TOKYO -- Japanese automakers are racing to develop artificial-intelligence-powered self-driving vehicles, partnering with startups and other players in a bid to catch up with the leading U.S. and Chinese companies.
Japanese automakers drop preference for in-house development in effort to close gap
Tier IV has equipped robotaxis and other vehicles with autonomous driving technology. (Tier IV)
Aug 20, 2026 · via asia.nikkei.com
Uber Brings Baidu’s Driverless Robotaxis To Dubai Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) and Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) launched fully driverless Apollo Go robotaxis on Uber’s platform in Dubai on Thursday. The launch marks the first deployment under the companies’ multiyear partnership. New Horizon Luxury Transport will operate the fleet. Driverless Rides Available On Uber Dubai riders who request UberX or Uber Comfort may now be matched with Baidu’s fully driverless Apollo Go vehicles. Users can also select the "Autonomous" option in the Uber app to increase their chances of getting a robotaxi. The service initially covers select areas in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah. The companies plan to expand the operating area. The rollout uses Apollo Go’s sixth-generation RT6. The fully electric robotaxi carries up to three passengers and has more than 30 sensors. It also processes driving data onboard in real time. Baidu said Apollo Go now operates across 28 cities worldwide. Its fleets have logged more than 350 million autonomous kilometers, including over 240 million kilometers without a human driver. Uber Expands Autonomous Network Dubai is the first market to launch under Uber and Baidu’s partnership. The companies plan to eventually deploy thousands of Apollo Go vehicles across Uber’s global network. The expansion also supports Uber’s broader autonomous vehicle strategy. The company works with more than 30 autonomous vehicle partners. "Launching in Dubai marks the first time our multi-partner vision comes to life on public roads," said Sarfraz Maredia, Uber’s global head of autonomous. Price Action: Baidu shares were up 0.34% at $93.19 and Uber Technologies shares were up 0.21% at $78.20 during premarket trading on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data. Image via Shutterstock Read Also: Dara Khosrowshahi Hails Uber's Japan Robotaxi Expansion, Says Country Has Been a 'Terrific' Market for the Ride-Hailing Giant
Aug 20, 2026 · via tradingview.com
Ford taps NHTSA vet in new chief auto safety officer role | Exclusive Ford Motor Co. has tapped a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration veteran for a new chief auto safety officer role, the Dearborn automaker confirmed to The Detroit News on Thursday. David Hines steps into the position on Monday, reporting to Steve Croley, Ford's chief policy officer and general counsel. Based out of Washington, D.C., he'll be responsible for the automaker's global product safety compliance, governance and strategy. Hines most recently served for more than 13 years as director of NHTSA's Office of Crash Avoidance Standards, according to his LinkedIn profile. “David’s 30 years of experience in automotive engineering and safety will be an asset to the company as we continue to put quality first,” Croley said in a statement. Hines' appointment comes as Ford has faced scrutiny around its quality. The Dearborn automaker last year set a record for the number of recalls issued in a single year, and warranty and repair costs have weighed on financial sheets. Ford also remains under a three-year independent federal monitor overseeing its recall processes, data analytics and compliance following a 2024, $165 million consent order. That order was adopted after NHTSA found Ford failed to recall vehicles with defective rearview cameras in a timely manner. Over the past few years, Ford executives have reshaped the automaker's approach to quality and industrial systems from development and engineering to the plant floor. They say it's bearing fruit, evidenced by its top ranking of mainstream auto brands in initial quality in JD Power's latest study. But executives say problems from past models are continuing to show up. Hines also will lead a cross-departmental team from engineering, digital design and software, quality, manufacturing and purchasing to ensure product safety design and quality throughout a
Aug 20, 2026 · via detroitnews.com
The cooperation targets defense, robotics and unmanned systems opportunities in South Korea, Japan, India, Singapore and global markets Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq and TASE: FRSX) ("Foresight" or the "Company"), an innovator in 3D perception systems, today announced that it has entered into a Strategic Cooperation Agreement with VisionWave Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: VWAV) ("VisionWave") to jointly advance next-generation autonomous defense and unmanned ground vehicle technologies. The strategic cooperation establishes a framework to integrate Foresight's advanced stereoscopic 3D perception and computer vision technology, utilizing visible-light and infrared cameras and advanced image-processing algorithms, into VisionWave's VARAN™ modular autonomous unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) platform. The collaboration is designed to advance the development of intelligent autonomous defense systems capable of enhanced environmental perception, object detection, distance measurement and three-dimensional situational awareness, including in challenging weather, poor visibility and low-light operating environments. Under the agreement, Foresight and VisionWave intend to jointly develop an autonomy-enabled VARAN UGV incorporating Foresight's advanced perception technology, combining VisionWave's modular autonomous ground platform with Foresight's sensing and machine-vision capabilities, subject to the negotiation and execution of one or more definitive agreements. The companies expect the strategic cooperation to encompass technology development and integration, autonomous systems, advanced sensing, defense robotics, demonstrations, proof-of-concept programs, customer evaluations, business development, potential serial production and commercialization opportunities. The agreement establishes a coordinated business development framework targeting defense and military applications. Foresight will allocate business development resources to promote VisionWave's VARAN UGV platform across Asia, initially focusing on South Korea, Japan, India and Singapore. VisionWave will have the right to promote military-oriented solutions incorporating Foresight technology globally, subject to mutually approved opportunities and applicable regulatory requirements. The companies will also cooperate on demonstrations, technical briefings, proof-of-concept activities and customer engagements designed to introduce the integrated autonomous platform to prospective defense customers, integrators and strategic partners. A joint
Aug 20, 2026 · via investingnews.com
- Baidu's fully driverless Apollo Go vehicles are now available to riders on the Uber platform in Dubai, the first market where this partnership comes to reality. - Riders may be matched with an Apollo Go vehicle when booking Uber Comfort or UberX, or by selecting the "Autonomous" option in the Uber app. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Uber Technologies, Inc (NYSE: UBER) today announced that Baidu, Inc.’s (NASDAQ: BIDU and HKEX: 9888) fully driverless Apollo Go vehicles are officially available to riders on the Uber platform in Dubai, with New Horizon Luxury Transport serving as the fleet operator. This milestone reinforces Uber’s position as the platform of choice for autonomous vehicles (AVs) and marks a leap forward in expanding autonomous technology worldwide. As the inaugural step in a multi-year strategic partnership, Dubai serves as the launchpad for scaling thousands of Apollo Go vehicles across Uber’s global network. Apollo Go’s sixth-generation RT6 is a purpose-built, fully electric robotaxi designed for fully driverless operations Starting today, riders in Dubai requesting an UberX or Uber Comfort may be matched with a fully driverless Apollo Go vehicle. To increase the chances of being matched with a robotaxi, riders can also select the dedicated “Autonomous” option directly in the Uber app. At initial launch, the fully autonomous service will be available in select locations in Umm Suqeim and Jumeirah, with plans to expand the operating territory in the future. “Bringing our partnership with Baidu to life is a major step forward as we expand autonomous mobility globally,” said Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous at Uber. “Launching in Dubai marks the first time our multi-partner vision comes to life on public roads, demonstrating how combining advanced autonomous technology with our global marketplace can accelerate an electric, shared, and autonomous future.” "This launch marks a
Aug 20, 2026 · via investor.uber.com
Waymo is now letting all riders in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix hail its next-generation Ojai robotaxi — a vehicle built in China by Zeekr. That makes the Ojai one of the only ways for an American to ride in a Chinese-made EV, a car they still can’t legally buy for themselves. Waymo announced today that the Ojai, which had been limited to free early-access rides since it started offering trips in the new robotaxi on May 28, is now open to the general public across all three markets as the Alphabet unit begins commercial operations with the platform. Riders may be matched with an Ojai when one is available nearby. Waymo says it will eventually let passengers choose between the Ojai and its existing Jaguar I-PACE fleet. A Chinese EV you can’t buy — but can now ride The Ojai’s base vehicle is manufactured by Zeekr, the premium EV brand owned by China’s Geely Holding Group, on the automaker’s SEA-M architecture, with the body designed in Sweden. US tariffs and an incoming federal rule have effectively locked Chinese passenger EVs out of the American market, which is why you can’t walk into a dealership and buy a Zeekr, a BYD, or any other Chinese brand. Waymo is importing them by the thousands anyway. According to Forbes, Waymo has brought more than 3,200 Zeekr vehicles into the US through the Port of Los Angeles since 2024, with more than 2,600 of those arriving in 2026 alone — all while paying a tariff of roughly 127.5% on Chinese EVs. The math still works for Waymo. The base price is believed to be quite affordable, which limits the impact from the tariffs and the vehicle only truly becomes expensive once Waymo adds its sensor and computing suite to the vehicle. The
Aug 20, 2026 · via electrek.co
Momenta, XHeart pick QNX OS for autonomous driving platform Autonomous driving company Momenta and chipmaker XHeart are building their self-driving platform on BlackBerry QNX's safety-focused operating system. The idea is to combine Momenta's driving software, XHeart's X7 automotive chip, and QNX's safety-certified OS into a ready-to-use package for carmakers. The goal is to help automakers bring autonomous driving features to market faster while still meeting strict safety standards. MORE: Autonomous Vehicle forecasts Momenta senior vice president Huan Sun said: "Through our collaboration with QNX and XHeart, we are proud to deliver a production-ready system built to one of the highest global safety benchmarks, empowering automakers to confidently introduce intelligent vehicles to markets everywhere." The solution is certified to ISO 26262 ASIL D, the highest automotive safety integrity level in the ISO 26262 standard. It is applied to vehicle functions whose failure could create life-threatening hazards and requires the most rigorous safety measures, development processes, verification, and validation. According to the statement, this gives OEMs a "functionally safe foundation for vehicles destined for stringent markets", including Europe. XHeart CEO TL Lee added: "Building next-generation autonomous driving requires AI-native silicon. The XHeart X7 SoC, paired with QNX's certified OS and Momenta's algorithms, gives OEMs the performance, safety and scalability required for global markets." The agreement follows Momenta's stock market debut, when it began trading on 8 July on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong under the ticker symbol "6880", raising HK$6.8bn ($867m). Founded in 2016, Momenta counts General Motors and Tencent Holdings among its backers. Momenta has earmarked roughly 60% of the net proceeds from the IPO for research and development. The remainder is to be divided across robotaxi commercialisation and scaled deployment (20%), its mass-produced vehicles business (10%), and working capital and general corporate purposes (10%). In
Aug 20, 2026 · via autos.yahoo.com
Kakao Mobility will expand its proprietary “Seoul Autonomous Vehicle” service operating in Seoul’s Gangnam District to six vehicles from two and extend operations to traffic safety zones for vulnerable road users. The company plans to help reduce transportation shortages in Gangnam during late-night hours, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. the following day. Kakao Mobility was selected by the Seoul Metropolitan Government as an autonomous vehicle passenger transportation operator and began late-night operations in Gangnam in March. The company said it has accumulated driving data in Gangnam, a challenging environment for autonomous driving because of variables including motorcycles, illegally parked vehicles and jaywalking, and has used the data to improve its autonomous driving algorithms and system stability. Over the past five months, the company has expanded its urban-focused “AI Planner” and validated core end-to-end (E2E) autonomous driving technology in which a single integrated AI model handles functions from perception to control. With the larger fleet, Kakao Mobility plans to collect a wider range of road data more quickly and feed it back into its AI training model. The vehicles are also the first autonomous vehicles permitted to operate in traffic safety zones for vulnerable road users. Based on its existing safety-control algorithms, Kakao Mobility developed logic tailored to driving in such zones. Vehicles slow to no more than 80% of the applicable speed limit when entering the zones, while rapid acceleration is restricted to prepare for unexpected movements by pedestrians, including children. The company said it has also improved perception performance and processing speeds by streamlining algorithms and optimizing sensors. Visual and audio alerts are sent to autonomous driving managers before and after vehicles enter the zones to increase their attention to safety. In preparation for commercial autonomous vehicle services, Kakao Mobility has also been conducting daytime data training in
Aug 19, 2026 · via thelec.net
LAND FORCES JUST IN: Hanwha to Deliver First Mobile Cannon Prototype to Army in Fall By Tabitha Reeves Hanwha Defense USA photo Hanwha Defense USA is set to deliver up to 18 prototype K9 Mobile Howitzers to the Army at an accelerated pace for the service’s new Mobile Tactical Cannon program, according to company and service press releases announcing the deal Aug. 18. The contract — awarded under an Other Transaction Authority and marking Hanwha Defense USA’s first major Army contract — prioritizes the quick delivery of six howitzers, with an option for the Army to add 12 more within a roughly four-year performance period, the service release said. The initial six will arrive within a year of inking the deal and the first unit will be ready in early fall, company officials said during a media roundtable Aug. 19. “The Army has made it clear that modernizing artillery is an urgent need, and the schedule reflects that,” Todd Mueller, executive director for fires capture programs at Hanwha Defense USA, said during the roundtable. The initial award is worth $100.3 million, while the total cost of the agreement can reach up to $262.9 million if the Army procures all 18, said Mike Smith, the company’s chief operating officer and president of land systems. If the service opts for full-rate production after the prototype phase, the first batch would consist of roughly 480 vehicles. Hanwha Defense USA — which is under the umbrella of South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group — beat out a host of industry competitors for the Mobile Tactical Cannon deal, including: a three-company team of Elbit Systems of America, Anduril Industries and Oshkosh Defense; a two-company team of Leonardo DRS and KNDS; American Rheinmetall; BAE Systems; General Dynamics Land Systems; and partners AM General and Kalyani Strategic Systems,
Aug 19, 2026 · via nationaldefensemagazine.org
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Aug 19, 2026 · via sfchronicle.com
DENVER — Waymo is preparing to launch its driverless robotaxi service in Denver later this year, and the autonomous vehicles have already been spotted training on city streets ahead of the public rollout. Chris Bonelli, Waymo's product innovation manager, gave a rundown of the car's technology during a ride in the robotaxi on Tuesday. The vehicles coming to Denver are van-like cars with sliding doors, large monitors, and controls for temperature and seating adjustments. "It's never distracted. It's never drowsy. It's never drunk, right? It is a vehicle that is always paying attention," Bonelli said. Bonelli said safety is a central goal of the service. "We've seen a 94% reduction in serious injury or fatal causing crashes in the cities that we operate previously," Bonelli said. During a ride, the robotaxi encountered tree trimmers blocking a side street — a situation where the car can connect with Waymo's remote support team. "The suggestion it gave was to make a three point turn, to go back the direction it had came, and now we are on the move and heading back to our destination," Bonelli said. ► Watch Maggie Bryan's report in the video below: A public launch date has not yet been set. "We do anticipate opening to the public here soon. I don't quite have a date," Bonelli said. Denver residents have questions about the service. Some said they are curious but cautious. "The one time I would do it just to see if it's scary, more like a roller coaster ride," one Denver resident said. "I can definitely see myself doing it once or twice, but it really just depends how scary it is," another resident said. Others are focused on cost. "It's just kind of like another Uber type thing to me. If it's less expensive, then
Aug 19, 2026 · via denver7.com
Waymo has expanded its operations into Los Gatos for the first time, making driverless rides available to around 100 residents in the North 40 neighborhood. The autonomous vehicles’ service area currently extends south to Pollard Road and Lark Avenue, and autonomous specialists were seen riding in the driver’s seat outside of Waymo’s current boundaries last week. These trained drivers often sit behind the wheel during certain testing and validation phases to monitor the technology, according to Waymo’s website. On Friday, the Mountain View-based company announced that it received state approval to dramatically expand its taxi services across the Bay Area. The California Department of Motor Vehicles released an updated map showing Waymo’s new approved operating range in Northern California, including the addition of East Bay and North Bay counties. “Our goal is to make Waymo accessible to more communities across the entire San Francisco Bay Area over time,” Sandy Karp, communications manager at Waymo, wrote in an email to the Los Gatan. “Waymo regularly drives in and around the cities where we operate with human specialists present.” “Currently, our fully autonomous service area in the Bay Area stretches from San Francisco to San Jose. This covers a 300-square-mile region and includes many neighborhoods in between, including parts of Los Gatos,” Karp said. Los Gatos Residents can currently request pickups and drop-offs within the North 40 neighborhood through the Waymo app. As Waymo’s footprint expands farther into Los Gatos, town officials will have little say over when and where those boundaries are drawn. State regulators, like the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Public Utilities Commission, instead oversee autonomous vehicle approval and deployment in California. “I think one of the big challenges is that the town didn’t ask for this, and yet our police officers, for instance, have to get up
Aug 19, 2026 · via losgatan.com
Riders in Zagreb become the first in Europe to book an AV through Uber, powered by Pony.ai and operated by Verne. ZAGREB, Croatia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER), Verne and Pony AI Inc. (“Pony.ai”) (NASDAQ: PONY; HKEX: 2026) today announced the launch of autonomous rides on the Uber app in Zagreb, marking the first time riders in Europe can book an AV with Uber. From today, riders can book an autonomous ride within key areas of Zagreb, including the city centre, with service availability and geographic coverage set to expand over time. At launch, a licensed operator will be on-board monitoring behind the wheel, as part of our phased introduction, before fully driverless operations begin in the future. The new service brings together Pony.ai’s autonomous driving technology, Verne’s service ecosystem and operational framework, and Uber’s global mobility platform. Under this model, Pony.ai provides its autonomous driving solution; Verne acts as fleet owner and service operator; and Uber integrates the service into its ride-hailing network and delivers the rider experience via its app. The launch builds on the partnership announced in March, moving the service from development and testing to real-world deployment on Uber. “Today marks a major milestone for autonomous mobility in Europe,” said Annie Duvnjak, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility Operations at Uber. “By bringing together Pony.ai’s proven autonomous-driving technology, Verne’s operational expertise and Uber’s global platform, we’re making it simple for riders to access autonomous rides through the Uber app. Zagreb is an important first step as we work to bring AVs to millions of riders and build the world’s largest platform for AV deployment.” Zagreb is the first market to launch under the partnership and provides a model that the companies plan to scale to additional European cities. Further details on the next markets to launch
Aug 19, 2026 · via investor.uber.com