Austin City Council to weigh data center regulations, possible ban in work session AUSTIN, Texas — Austin City Council members are preparing to begin a formal push to regulate — and potentially prohibit — large-scale data centers within the city limits, with a work session scheduled for Tuesday and a possible vote later this week. Council Member Mike Siegel, who represents District 7, said the work session will start the conversation on how to amend city code to allow for data center regulation. He said he expects at least five council members to support outlawing data centers. "Because I've spoken with them, but most likely a majority of council saying loud and clear, once these regulations become final, we don't want hyperscale data centers within Austin, period," he said. Those voices, along with Mayor Kirk Watson, would be enough support to move forward with action, with the city council only having capacity for 10 total votes. Last week, Watson posted on the city message board about a memo aimed at establishing “clear and rigorous guardrails that put Austin values first and prevent harm in the community." ALSO | Texas fights Minnesota extradition bid for ICE agent accused in Minneapolis shooting "The memo recognizes the importance of Austin keeping up with the technological changes of our times while protecting our City," Watson said in the post. Watson says he proposed an initial framework back in May for preventing and regulating the infrastructure in Austin. Siegel said the effort is intended to ensure city policies do not favor data centers. “This is basically the follow-up that really has been initiated by the mayor and council to make sure that in our land use regulations, in our water utility regulations, our electric utility regulations, we’re not favoring data centers in any way,” Siegel
Aug 26, 2026 · via cbsaustin.com
Full story Waymo targets Munich rollout Waymo said it will begin testing autonomous vehicles in Munich in the coming weeks, laying the groundwork for a commercial ride-hailing service in Germany that it aims to launch toward the end of 2027. “Waymo said on Tuesday it would begin testing its autonomous vehicles in Munich” Reuters reported that Waymo’s vehicles would initially drive manually across Munich to map local roads and test with trained autonomous specialists behind the wheel. In its announcement, Waymo said it is taking a phased approach that starts with high-definition mapping of local street networks and testing with trained autonomous specialists behind the wheel before it aims to open commercial ride-hailing to the public towards the end of 2027. Waymo said it is already engaging with local, state and federal officials on regulatory approvals needed to offer its service in Germany, while also planning to invest in local fleet operations and create high-skilled jobs as it prepares to launch in Munich. Officials praise, company pledges Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana framed the Munich move as a milestone in global expansion, saying, "Munich is a world-class hub for mobility and engineering, and becoming part of this city marks an important milestone in our global expansion," in the company’s blog post. Bavaria’s minister Florian Herrmann welcomed the news, saying, "Autonomous driving is a key technology for the future of mobility and for the transformation of our automotive industry," as France 24 reported. Waymo said the validation period will ensure the Waymo Driver adapts seamlessly to Munich’s distinct driving conditions before commercial ride-hailing to the public toward the end of 2027. The company also said it is working with Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority, known as the KBA, as well as state authorities and local officials, and TechCrunch reported Waymo expects to
Aug 26, 2026 · via newscord.org
Updated autonomous vehicle rules mooted Draft amendment addresses rapid changes in transport technologies China has dedicated a chapter to autonomous vehicles in a draft revision to its Road Traffic Safety Law, seeking to strengthen the legal framework for the rapidly developing sector. The draft, which was submitted to the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, on Tuesday for its first reading, defines autonomous vehicles and driver-assistance functions, clarifies the conditions for autonomous vehicles to operate on public roads, sets principles for handling traffic violations and outlines insurance arrangements for such vehicles. It also specifies the responsibility of automakers and importers in handling road safety violations that might occur when the vehicle's self-driving function is activated. It contains 170 articles in nine chapters and introduces a dedicated chapter on autonomous vehicles, while also addressing distracted driving, electric bicycles, road-occupying activities and traffic risks involving delivery platforms. The existing Road Traffic Safety Law took effect in 2004, with individual provisions amended in 2007,2011 and 2021. While introducing the draft revision to lawmakers, Minister of Justice He Rong said that with socioeconomic development and rapid changes in transport technologies, existing provisions can no longer fully meet practical needs in areas including traffic safety responsibilities, management measures, law enforcement and legal liability. According to the draft, China supports the safe, orderly and regulated testing, demonstration and operation of autonomous vehicles on public roads. It defines an autonomous vehicle as one capable of continuously performing all dynamic driving tasks under specified operating conditions, whereas driver-assistance functions only help drivers perform some of these tasks. Vehicles operating without autonomous driving functions activated, as well as those equipped only with driver-assistance functions, would be managed under rules applying to conventional vehicles. Before applying for production approval or import permission,
Aug 26, 2026 · via chinadaily.com.cn
36Kr 8 AM Brief | Revised Draft of the Road Traffic Safety Law: Automakers shall be held liable for violations occurring under autonomous driving conditions; All products have been removed from SK Hynix's official flagship store on Taobao; Canada announces the imposition of retaliatory tariffs on American goods Today's Hotspot Overview - Multiple apps have been notified for issues including excessive permission requests and unclosable windows - Apple has completed the preparation for leadership transition, and Tim Cook will officially step down as CEO next week - Every child in Singapore will receive a subsidy of 320,000 yuan in the future - China revises the Law on Banking Supervision and Administration to strengthen the protection of consumer rights and interests - The United States uses new DNA technology to confirm more 9/11 victims TOP 3 Major News Revised Draft of Road Traffic Safety Law: Automakers Shall Bear Responsibility for Violations Occurring Under Autonomous Driving Status The revised draft of the Road Traffic Safety Law, which was submitted for the first deliberation at the meeting of the 14th Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on August 25, sets up a special chapter titled "Special Provisions for Autonomous Vehicles", clarifies the definitions of autonomous vehicles and assisted driving functions, and stipulates that where a road traffic safety violation is committed by an autonomous vehicle when its autonomous driving function is activated, the producer or importer of the autonomous vehicle shall be held responsible for the violation. Autonomous vehicles with their autonomous driving functions not activated, as well as vehicles that are only equipped with assisted driving functions being driven on roads, shall be governed in accordance with the regulations applicable to non-autonomous vehicles. (Xinhua News Agency) SK Hynix's official Taobao flagship store has removed all products from shelves, announcing that it
Aug 26, 2026 · via eu.36kr.com
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Aug 25, 2026 · via youtube.com
The Texas Senate Committee on Transportation examined the expansion of autonomous vehicles on Texas roads Tuesday and flagged potential gaps in current law after officials acknowledged that the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is not automatically notified when an autonomous vehicle is involved in a serious or fatal crash. The hearing came as Texas begins implementing a new regulatory framework for commercial autonomous vehicles. Senate Bill 2807, passed in 2025, requires commercial driverless vehicles to receive authorization from TxDMV and provide DPS with a first-responder interaction plan. The authorization requirement became enforceable on May 28. Watch NBC 5 free wherever you are While the TxDMV has the authority to restrict or suspend AV authorizations, officials said current law does not require serious or deadly crashes to be reported directly to the agency. Create a free account with NBC 5 DFW to save articles and videos. In an exchange with lawmakers, TxDMV Enforcement Director Corrie Thompson told State Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, the agency learned of a deadly crash involving an AV in Dallas through media reports rather than through a required notification. “The current statute as written does not have a mandate for reporting to the department," said Thompson. You gave me the answer that scares the living [hell] out of me as a legislator,” Perry said. Local The latest news from around North Texas. Perry later said media reports should not be the state's first source of information about a potentially serious incident involving an autonomous vehicle. TxDMV officials said the preliminary Dallas police report did not contain a final fault determination. According to the agency's description of the report, a human-driven vehicle struck a pedestrian who entered the roadway outside a crosswalk, throwing the pedestrian into an autonomous vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. Lawmakers pointed to the
Aug 25, 2026 · via nbcdfw.com
Waymo is getting ready to hit Germany with its robotaxi service, as it plans to begin testing vehicles in Munich in the coming weeks before a potential commercial launch late next year. The company said its vehicles will initially be driven manually through Munich to help create high-definition maps of the city’s streets. After mapping is complete, testing will begin with trained specialists behind the wheel, all as part of Waymo’s way of adapting its self-driving system to local roads and traffic conditions. If testing and regulatory approvals go as planned, Waymo says it expects to begin offering fully autonomous rides to the public toward the end of 2027. The move represents yet another step in Waymo’s expansion beyond the United States, where the company has established itself as the largest commercial robotaxi operator. Waymo says it has now provided more than 20 million paid and public trips and is completing hundreds of thousands of commercial rides each week. "Munich is a world-class hub for mobility and engineering, and becoming part of this city marks an important milestone in our global expansion," Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said. Waymo is working with local, Bavarian, and German federal officials to obtain the regulatory approvals required for commercial service. The company also plans to establish a local fleet operations center and create jobs in Munich, though the timing of such is unclear, nor are the number of people who would benefit from working with Waymo. Germany has already established a legal framework allowing Level 4 autonomous vehicles to operate in defined areas under certain conditions, making it one of Europe’s more accommodating markets for commercial self-driving technology. Still, Waymo won’t be the first company to offer autonomous rides in Europe. Uber, working with Croatian autonomous-driving company Verne and China’s Pony.ai, launched a robotaxi
Aug 25, 2026 · via autoweek.com
Waymo said on Tuesday it will begin laying the groundwork for a fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Munich, its first German market and second in Europe, with commercial rides targeted for the end of 2027. Vehicles will appear on Munich’s streets “in the coming weeks,” the company said, initially driven manually while it builds high-definition maps of the local street network. Supervised autonomous testing with trained specialists behind the wheel follows. “This validation period will ensure the Waymo Driver adapts seamlessly to Munich’s distinct driving conditions before we aim to open commercial ride-hailing to the public towards the end of 2027,” the company wrote. Berlin Says the Law Is Already There The announcement carried a notably long statement from Christian Hirte, parliamentary state secretary at the Federal Ministry of Transport, framing Waymo’s arrival as validation of German regulation. “We have already put in place the legal framework for this,” Hirte said. “Waymo, the world’s leading provider of commercial robotaxi services, has now recognised Germany’s potential as a location offering legal certainty.” He added that Waymo “is currently planning to start regular commercial operation of autonomous vehicles on the German market for the first time,” and that its interest “proves that regular autonomous mobility services can work here.” The same statement contained a caution. “We must now leverage the strengths of our economy and develop autonomous mobility solutions from within Europe,” Hirte said. “Our goal must be to ensure that we in Europe not only use these technologies but also develop and operate them here.” A federal official welcoming an American operator while arguing Europe should build and run its own is an unusual pairing to place in a company announcement. Bavaria Wants Speed Florian Herrmann, Head of the Bavarian State Chancellery, tied the decision to the state’s industrial base and
Aug 25, 2026 · via eletric-vehicles.com
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Japan's Koshien Area Gets an AI-Powered Autonomous EV Bus — Aiming for Driverless Level 4 by FY2027
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August 25, 2026 at 9:27 AM EDT
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Aug 25, 2026 · via fuelcellsworks.com
Gamescom 2026 began with GeForce On, featuring major RTX announcements for millions of PC gamers: For a complete run down of all of these announcements, read on, and click through to our dedicated articles for even more detail about each. (googleCookiePolicyLink)YouTube sets performance, advertising, and other optional cookies(/googleCookiePolicyLink) when you watch embedded videos. To watch this video, you need to turn on optional cookies for the site. By clicking “Accept and Play Video,” you will automatically turn on advertising and other optional cookies for the site and accept our (nvidiaTermsOfServiceLink)Terms of Service(/nvidiaTermsOfServiceLink) (which contains important waivers). Please see our (nvidiaPrivacyPolicyLink)Privacy Policy(/nvidiaPrivacyPolicyLink) and (nvidiaCookiePolicyLink)Cookie Policy(/nvidiaCookiePolicyLink) for more information. Alternatively, you can (youtubeLink)watch this video on YouTube(/youtubeLink). If you’re at Gamescom, you can go hands-on with RTX games, check out exclusive presentations, grab GeForce RTX 50 Series Founders Edition graphics cards at European RRPs, snag GeForce Trading cards, and more. Find all of the details here, to ensure you don’t miss out at the world’s biggest gaming expo. Building upon the major advancements introduced with NVIDIA DLSS 4.5, including a 2nd generation Super Resolution transformer model, Dynamic Multi Frame Generation, 6X Multi Frame Generation, and an enhanced Frame Generation model, we’re excited to announce that DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction is available now, adding a new 2nd generation transformer model, delivering superior image quality in ray-traced and path-traced games. DLSS Ray Reconstruction is a neural rendering technique for all GeForce RTX GPUs that improves image quality in ray-traced and path-traced games. Replacing traditional hand-tuned denoisers, it uses an NVIDIA supercomputer-trained AI network to generate higher-quality pixels in the parts of a ray traced frame where rays were not sampled. The model is unified with DLSS Super Resolution, intelligently analyzing temporal and spatial engine data to reconstruct sharper, more stable, and higher-fidelity high-resolution images.
Aug 25, 2026 · via nvidia.com
Jack Demmer Automotive Group, blueflite, and Airspace Link Deploy Drone Logistics Network Backed by $740,000 Michigan AAM Activation Fund Grant WAYNE, Mich., Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Jack Demmer Automotive Group, in partnership with drone technology companies Airspace Link, and blueflite with support from Centrepolis Accelerator, today announced the launch of an autonomous drone delivery program for automotive parts in metro Detroit. The initiative, supported by a $740,000 grant from Michigan's Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Activation Fund — administered collaboratively by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Michigan Aeronautics Commission, the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) which is part of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) — deploys drones to deliver high-demand parts within a 12-mile radius of Jack Demmer Ford dealerships in Southeast Michigan, representing one of the first commercial drone delivery programs in the U.S. automotive industry. The program addresses a persistent logistics challenge for dealerships: traffic congestion and workforce shortages that delay parts delivery, slow vehicle repairs, and frustrate customers. By flying parts over congestion rather than through it, the drone delivery network creates a more resilient and efficient automotive supply chain. Following the successful completion of pilot test flights in the metro Detroit airspace, the partnership is now moving into live commercial operations, with the Ann Arbor–Detroit drone corridor serving as the operational environment. "At Jack Demmer Automotive Group, The Demmer Difference has always been about finding new ways to better serve our customers. From investing in technology to creating a faster, more convenient ownership experience, we're constantly looking ahead and drone delivery of automotive parts is a natural extension of that commitment," said Jack Demmer Ford Parts Manager Mark Hatfield. "This groundbreaking program allows us to move critical parts faster than ever before,
Aug 25, 2026 · via prnewswire.com
Waymo puts Zeekr-built Ojai robotaxis into regular service Following a limited test phase with free rides, Waymo has now put its Zeekr-built robotaxis, known as ‘Ojai,’ into regular passenger service. Customers in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix who book a ride through Waymo’s ride-hailing service will initially be assigned either an Ojai or one of the Jaguar I-Pace vehicles already in use. Once more of the new vehicles join the fleet, customers will be able to choose between the two models. The electric vans are built by Zeekr, a subsidiary of the Chinese Geely Group. They feature sliding doors and can carry up to four passengers. According to Waymo, the vehicles are better suited to groups and families than the Jaguar I-Pace, which has formed part of its fleet for years. However, the vehicles do not arrive from China fully equipped. Zeekr ships them to the US without connected vehicle technology, with Waymo installing its autonomous driving system in Arizona. According to media reports, the sixth-generation system uses 13 cameras, four lidar sensors and six radar sensors. Waymo has also further developed the software, which is expected to operate more reliably in challenging conditions such as snow and fog. According to a company spokesperson, around 300 Ojai robotaxis are currently in service. Waymo expects thousands more to arrive in the US by the end of 2026. Later this year, the company also plans to make the new generation available to selected users in Denver, Las Vegas and San Diego. Las Vegas, in particular, is set to become one of Waymo’s next key markets. The Nevada Department of Transportation has approved the company to operate a commercial robotaxi service with up to 1,000 vehicles in Clark County. Tesla and Uber recently received similar approvals in the region. However, these figures
Aug 25, 2026 · via electrive.com
A change to Claude’s memory system will eliminate one of the most annoying things about using agents — the constant need to rebrief the AI on things it already knows. On Tuesday, Anthropic announced it’s merging the memory system used by chat and Claude Cowork, which means that Claude will always remember what it learned in one area, even when you’re engaging with it in another. Anthropic is also exposing what Claude has retained in its memory, allowing users to read, edit, or delete information on any topic. The update will improve the experience for Claude’s users as it will allow them to more seamlessly move between the research phase and taking action. Before, you may have developed ideas for projects over time while chatting with Claude, but when it came time to actually enact the changes, you’d have to start over by telling Cowork all the details. This was incredibly frustrating. The update makes Claude now feel like one continuous assistant, rather than two separate products under one roof. Anthropic offers an example of someone needing to draft an update for their manager or an agenda for a conference, where Cowork would already understand the references because of the past conversations about the matter at hand. For instance, it would know the headcount, city, and speakers at the conference, so you wouldn’t have to re-input that information. In addition, Claude will now add topics to its memory as you chat, instead of summarizing a conversation when it ends. That makes it easier to move back and forth between chat and Cowork, as the new memories are more quickly updated and shared between the two experiences, even if the chat is ongoing. Anthropic says that, by default, Claude won’t store personal or sensitive information like your health data, race, ethnicity,
Aug 25, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
Airbound, an Indian startup building autonomous drones, has raised $37 million in fresh capital as it pushes to make moving goods through the air as cheap as trucking them by road. The Series A round, led by Greenoaks with participation from DoorDash, Lachy Groom, Lightspeed, and Humba Ventures, comes less than a year after Airbound raised an $8.65 million seed round. With this funding, the three-year-old startup has raised nearly $50 million. Airbound, and other startups in this nascent sector, argue that drones can move certain goods faster and cheaper than vehicles on the road. And while there have been successful deployments, drone delivery is still far from matching the scale and versatility of trucking. Airbound is trying to close that gap by redesigning the aircraft to make it more competitive with ground transportation. Conventional aircraft spend a lot of energy carrying their own weight rather than the payload, making flight expensive, particularly for moving smaller loads. Airbound’s answer is to build vertical-flight drones designed to weigh less than the cargo they carry, founder and CEO Naman Pushp said in an interview. Airbound’s current drone, called TRT, weighs about 3.3 pounds and can carry around 2.2 pounds of payload. Its next version, currently under development, is expected to weigh about 6.6 pounds and be able to carry up to 11 pounds, Pushp told TechCrunch. The startup uses a rocket-like, tail-sitter design for its drones, which takes off and lands vertically in an upright position before transitioning to horizontal flight. Pushp said Airbound intends to retain vertical takeoff and landing even as it develops larger aircraft to avoid dependence on runways. “We want to build towards a world where everything has cost parity with trucking,” he said. Founded in 2023, Airbound has completed more than 13,000 autonomous flights across the southern
Aug 25, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
China proposes road traffic law amendment with autonomous vehicles section, Xinhua says
PHOTO: Reuters
BEIJING — China has proposed adding a dedicated chapter on autonomous vehicles to its Road Traffic Safety Law, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.
The draft amendment, submitted to the country's top legislature for an initial review on Tuesday (Aug 25), defines autonomous driving and driver-assistance functions and clarifies liability.
Under the proposal, manufacturers or importers could be held responsible for traffic violations committed while a vehicle is operating in autonomous-driving mode, while vehicles driven manually or using only assisted-driving functions would remain subject to existing traffic rules, Xinhua reported.
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Aug 25, 2026 · via asiaone.com
Cities are ideal testing grounds for products on way to overseas markets For an autonomous driving company, moving a vehicle from a left-hand-drive market to a right-hand-drive city is not just a matter of shifting the steering wheel. The work involves developing the system from the ground up, with everything from product definition and the vehicle platform to the autonomous-driving system and human-machine interface redesigned around the traffic rules, road conditions and user habits of right-hand-drive markets, according to Guangzhou, Guangdong province-based autonomous driving technology company WeRide. That is why WeRide's new right-hand-drive Robotaxi project began in Hong Kong. "Few cities offer a tougher real-world test for autonomous vehicles than Hong Kong, where dense roads, mixed traffic and a mature public transport system converge in one of the world's busiest right-hand-drive markets," said Tony Han, founder and CEO of WeRide. READ MORE: MTR kicks off robotaxi trials for West Kowloon–Airport Express link The autonomous driving developer recently announced that it is working with vehicle maker Geely Farizon and local transport operator Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings on a mass-produced model designed around Hong Kong regulations, road conditions and operating requirements. Han added that if the vehicle works in the city's dense traffic, the experience can support its expansion into other key right-hand-drive markets including Singapore, the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia. WeRide is not alone in assigning Hong Kong a specific role in a wider innovation chain. For a growing group of Chinese mainland technology companies, Hong Kong and Macao are where products encounter new operating conditions, local partners and international capital before entering overseas markets. China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) calls for faster progress toward high-level technological self-reliance and again supports Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology center. Hong Kong is also preparing its first five-year plan, where
Aug 25, 2026 · via chinadailyasia.com
Will robotaxis clog up Britain’s cities?
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Aug 25, 2026 · via ft.com
China reviews road safety law amendment with new autonomous driving rules
Share - WeChat
BEIJING -- Chinese lawmakers on Tuesday began reviewing a draft amendment to the Road Traffic Safety Law, which includes a new chapter on autonomous vehicles.
The draft amendment clarifies conditions for autonomous vehicles to operate on public roads, principles for handling traffic violations and insurance arrangements for such vehicles.
The draft was submitted for its first reading to the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, which runs from Tuesday to Friday.
Aug 25, 2026 · via chinadaily.com.cn
BEIJING, Aug 25 (Reuters) - China has proposed adding a dedicated chapter on autonomous vehicles to its Road Traffic Safety Law, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.
The draft amendment, submitted to the country’s top legislature for an initial review on Tuesday, defines autonomous driving and driver-assistance functions and clarifies liability.
Under the proposal, manufacturers or importers could be held responsible for traffic violations committed while a vehicle is operating in autonomous-driving mode, while vehicles driven manually or using only assisted-driving functions would remain subject to existing traffic rules, Xinhua reported.
(Reporting by Qiaoyi Li and Ju-min Park; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
Aug 25, 2026 · via internazionale.it
HK, Macao key gateways to the world Cities are ideal testing grounds for products on way to overseas markets For an autonomous driving company, moving a vehicle from a left-hand-drive market to a right-hand-drive city is not just a matter of shifting the steering wheel. The work involves developing the system from the ground up, with everything from product definition and the vehicle platform to the autonomous-driving system and human-machine interface redesigned around the traffic rules, road conditions and user habits of right-hand-drive markets, according to Guangzhou, Guangdong province-based autonomous driving technology company WeRide. That is why WeRide's new right-hand-drive Robotaxi project began in Hong Kong. "Few cities offer a tougher real-world test for autonomous vehicles than Hong Kong, where dense roads, mixed traffic and a mature public transport system converge in one of the world's busiest right-hand-drive markets," said Tony Han, founder and CEO of WeRide. The autonomous driving developer recently announced that it is working with vehicle maker Geely Farizon and local transport operator Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings on a mass-produced model designed around Hong Kong regulations, road conditions and operating requirements. Han added that if the vehicle works in the city's dense traffic, the experience can support its expansion into other key right-hand-drive markets including Singapore, the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia. WeRide is not alone in assigning Hong Kong a specific role in a wider innovation chain. For a growing group of Chinese mainland technology companies, Hong Kong and Macao are where products encounter new operating conditions, local partners and international capital before entering overseas markets. China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) calls for faster progress toward high-level technological self-reliance and again supports Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology center. Hong Kong is also preparing its first five-year plan, where technological development is expected to
Aug 25, 2026 · via chinadaily.com.cn