DeSantis says ‘age of flying cars’ is coming to Florida as state expands testing Governor highlights new air taxi test track, autonomous vehicles and partnerships with Florida colleges during event at SunTrax in Polk County. AUBURNDALE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida is preparing for a future where air taxis could carry passengers between Tampa and Orlando while autonomous vehicles transport people on the ground without a driver behind the wheel. Speaking Monday at SunTrax in Polk County, DeSantis highlighted Florida's expansion into advanced air mobility and autonomous vehicle testing, arguing emerging transportation technology could eventually reduce traffic congestion, move cargo and provide new options for emergency responders. The governor said Florida has moved beyond simply creating a regulatory framework for advanced air mobility and is now building infrastructure where the technology can be tested. "We are turning this somewhat dream into a reality," DeSantis said. Florida opens aerial test track for 'flying cars' SunTrax is a 775-acre research and testing facility originally developed to test transportation and traffic technology. It has now expanded into advanced air mobility. DeSantis said the facility now has two vertiports that make up what he described as the nation's first dedicated advanced air mobility aerial test track. Unlike conventional airplanes, the electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft—often called eVTOLs—can take off and land vertically without a traditional runway. DeSantis said companies will be able to test aircraft and communications technology under real-world conditions at the facility. Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said testing of the aircraft in Florida airspace is expected by the end of 2026. "We really truly are in the age of flying cars," Perdue said, adding that aircraft displayed at the event are undergoing the Federal Aviation Administration certification process. Air taxis between Tampa and Orlando? DeSantis pointed
Aug 10, 2026 · via fox49.tv
Chinese autonomous taxi technology enters European markets Chinese autonomous driving companies are expanding their presence in Europe through partnerships with local mobility platforms, fleet operators and automakers, amid efforts by European governments to enable testing and future commercial deployment. WeRide said on Aug 3 that it had formed a strategic partnership with Danish shared electric mobility provider GreenMobility. The partners aim to launch a public robotaxi service in Denmark in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals. Denmark is WeRide's first Nordic market and its sixth in Europe. The service will use WeRide's GXR, an EU-compliant Level 4 autonomous vehicle. It is capable of operating without a human driver in designated areas and under specified conditions, according to the company. The partnership will draw on GreenMobility's experience in local fleet operations and shared mobility. Testing and deployment will be carried out in cooperation with Danish road and transport authorities and in accordance with Danish and EU regulations, the companies said. Tony Han, founder and CEO of WeRide, said the partnership could serve as a scalable model for deploying autonomous mobility services in new international markets. The Danish project comes as European countries seek greater coordination on autonomous vehicle testing and deployment. In June, 18 EU member states signed a joint declaration of intent to establish large-scale cross-border test beds for autonomous vehicles. The initiative covers autonomous vehicle use cases in public transport, freight and logistics. Participating countries will work on common approval principles and coordinated permitting procedures to aid large-scale testing and future commercial deployment. The declaration said moving from testing to real-world deployment also requires consistent and predictable conditions for operating automated transport services across the EU single market. Baidu's autonomous ride-hailing service Apollo Go and European mobility platform Freenow by Lyft began testing sixth-generation RT6 autonomous
Aug 9, 2026 · via chinadaily.com.cn
LYFT Q2 Deep Dive: Rider Growth, Partnerships, and Margin Expansion Shape Results Ride sharing service Lyft LYFTannounced better-than-expected revenue in Q2 CY2026, with sales up 16.1% year on year to $1.84 billion. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.28 per share was 29.2% below analysts’ consensus estimates. Lyft (LYFT) Q2 CY2026 Highlights: - Revenue: $1.84 billion vs analyst estimates of $1.81 billion (16.1% year-on-year growth, 1.9% beat) - Adjusted EPS: $0.28 vs analyst expectations of $0.39 (29.2% miss) - Adjusted EBITDA: $177.2 million vs analyst estimates of $171.6 million (9.6% margin, 3.3% beat) - EBITDA guidance for Q3 CY2026 is $193 million at the midpoint, above analyst estimates of $190.7 million - Operating Margin: 2.6%, up from 0.2% in the same quarter last year - Active Riders: 30.5 million, up 4.4 million year on year - Market Capitalization: $6.62 billion StockStory’s Take Lyft’s second quarter was marked by robust expansion in rider engagement and continued improvement in operational efficiency, which contributed to positive market sentiment following earnings. Management attributed growth to increased active riders, particularly in North America and Canada, alongside strong demand in the company’s bikes business and ongoing product enhancements. CEO David Risher highlighted Lyft’s success in growing its partner-linked rides, now accounting for nearly 30% of North American rideshare activity, reflecting the scalable impact of collaborations with companies like DoorDash and United Airlines. The quarter also benefited from improved pickup times and the integration of new features such as Lyft Teens and Lyft Silver, which aim to broaden market reach and boost customer satisfaction. Looking ahead, management’s guidance is underpinned by expectations of continued momentum in premium ride modes, further expansion of key partnerships, and disciplined cost management. CFO Erin Brewer emphasized the strategic importance of growing higher-value modes and leveraging operational scale to drive margin improvement. The company
Aug 9, 2026 · via tradingview.com
Element Fleet Management TSE: EFN reported second-quarter results that included double-digit growth in adjusted net revenue and adjusted earnings per share, while management highlighted progress in its capital-light funding strategy, digital transformation efforts and expansion into autonomous-vehicle fleet services. President and Chief Executive Officer Laura Dottori-Attanasio said adjusted net revenue increased 10% from a year earlier, adjusted EPS rose 12%, and adjusted return on equity reached 19.6%. She said the company generated record first-half revenue as services revenue re-accelerated and Element completed its inaugural equity residual transaction. “Our first half performance reinforces that we are executing against the priorities that matter most, delivering greater value for clients, operating more efficiently, and creating long-term value for shareholders,” Dottori-Attanasio said. Revenue Growth and Operating Performance Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Heath Valkenburg said adjusted net revenue totaled $318 million in the second quarter, up 10% year over year. Service revenue rose 8% to $164 million, supported by growth in vehicles under management and higher service revenue per vehicle. Vehicles under management ended the quarter at 1.56 million, a 3% year-over-year increase. Element continues to target annual growth of 2% to 4% in vehicles under management, according to Valkenburg. Net financing revenue increased 7% to $136 million. Valkenburg attributed the gain to higher average net earning assets, benefits from the company’s leasing initiative and changes to its funding platform. Core net financing revenue yield rose 35 basis points to 5.12%, despite a provision for credit losses tied to a client-specific matter discussed in the prior quarter. The company said it is now fully provided for that exposure and expects annual credit losses to remain within its historical range of approximately 1 to 2 basis points over time. Syndication revenue rose 58% year over year to $18 million, aided by higher syndication
Aug 9, 2026 · via marketbeat.com
In her upcoming book “The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State,” Jill Lepore warns that tech companies are increasingly replacing the functions of democratic government. This shift, she said, marks “a return to tyranny and mystification in the form of rule by algorithms, corporations, machines.” On the latest episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, I spoke to Lepore — a Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer who recently won a Pulitzer Prize for her history of the U.S. Constitution — about the evolution of what she described as “the idea that we should live under an artificial state or government by machines.” “I’m not an anti-technologist,” Lepore insisted. Instead, she said, “My beef is the ways in which private corporations have increasingly taken on the functions of the state.” While Lepore’s book examines technocratic philosophies that go back centuries, she argued that many of Silicon Valley’s “charismatic or not-so-charismatic leaders” — especially Elon Musk — seem to be ushering in a future pulled from misread pulp science fiction and comic books. “But what’s funny about Musk is, the stuff he likes actually completely defeats and defies all of his political beliefs,” she said. Our conversation also covered Apple’s famous “1984” Macintosh ad, why it’s “bananas” to call Twitter a digital town hall, and the current data center backlash. Keep reading for highlights, edited for length and clarity. So you’ve probably had to do this a lot already, but can you explain what you mean by the “artificial state”? By the artificial state, I mean a kind of state that is replacing the liberal democratic nation-state in the United States and around the world. It’s both a real thing, a construct, but it’s also an idea. And so, in this book “The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State,” I
Aug 9, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
Chinese electric vehicles are becoming a global force, but American drivers are still largely locked out of buying them. Even so, those same vehicles are making their way onto U.S. streets through the expanding robotaxi fleet of Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving car company — a sign of how trade policy can block everyday consumers from cleaner, lower-cost transportation while still leaving room for large companies. What's happening? U.S. tariffs on Chinese-built EVs add up to 127.5%, which is one reason regular American buyers have been largely shut out even as Chinese companies such as BYD, Zeekr, and Xiaomi move quickly on pricing, design, and technology, according to Forbes. Those fees also led industry observers to think Waymo might end up operating fewer than 1,000 Zeekr vans in the U.S. Yet import records show that since 2024, more than 3,200 examples of that vehicle — sold in China as the CM1e — have come through Los Angeles, including more than 2,600 in 2026 alone. At the CM1e's Chinese sticker price of $39,000, tariffs alone could raise the cost to nearly $89,000, before adding self-driving equipment that likely tops $10,000 per vehicle. Alphabet's self-driving unit has started using the small Zeekr-built vans, which Waymo calls the Waymo Ojai, in cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco. Why does it matter? Advanced EVs can enter the country for corporate fleets, but not in a way that lowers fuel and maintenance costs for most families. Transportation is one of the biggest sources of planet-warming pollution, and wider EV adoption is an important tool for cutting harmful air pollution in neighborhoods near busy roads. Affordable EV competition can also put pressure on the broader market to improve range, software, and pricing. High tariffs raise costs that wealthy tech companies may be able to absorb, but most
Aug 9, 2026 · via thecooldown.com
Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrapup July 2-8, 2026 | | The Auto Channel — Trusted automotive reporting for 31 years. This article is part of The Auto Channel’s independent automotive coverage library — one of the longest-running automotive publications online (since 1995). Our editors test, research, and document vehicles, technologies, recalls, and ownership experiences to help drivers make informed decisions. Unlike short news blurbs, our content is written for long-term usefulness — explaining what the vehicle is, why it matters, and how it affects real owners. Coverage includes reviews, specifications, safety data, recall history, industry context, and real-world driving impressions collected over decades of reporting. | | The full version of today’s News Nuggets — along with hundreds of thousands of additional articles, reviews, and editorial insights — can be found in The Auto Channel’s Million-Page Automotive Library, built and indexed over three decades. To dive deeper, simply copy any headline and paste it into this or any Site Search box on The Auto Channel. | | LEARN MORE FROM THE WEB'S LONGEST RUNNING AUTOMOTIVE COLUMN Here are Larry’s Top Auto Story Picks of the Week of August 2-8 2026 Larry picked these as important, relevant, interesting and sometimes semi-secret stories you need to know—served up as snappy, opinionated, and insider-sharp, these are expertly crafted, easy-to-understand news nuggets that cut through the noise and get right to what matters to you in the automotive world. Nutson's Weekly Auto News Wrapup August 2-8 2026 * July new vehicle sales. Total U.S. new-car sales for July 2026 reached an estimated 1.42 million units, achieving a 16.9 million unit Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR). This represents the strongest sales pace of 2026, fueled by a significant surge in hybrid demand and increased dealer incentive spending. New-vehicle retail-only transactions grew to 1,193,500 units, a
Aug 9, 2026 · via theautochannel.com
This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on August 10, 2026 - August 16, 2026 Samsung Malaysia Electronics and Yayasan Didik Negara (YDN) are partnering to expand access to digital learning tools and strengthen technology skills among students and educators. In a memorandum of understanding signed on July 25 at SMKA Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin in Penang, Samsung will provide mobile devices, displays and interactive smartboards to support digital learning infrastructure. As YDN’s official technology partner, Samsung will also work with the foundation on smart classroom experiences, digital upskilling for teachers, STEM activities and other programmes aimed at developing future-ready skills. Planned activities include Samsung AI Classroom showcases, STEM and artificial intelligence (AI)-focused learning programmes, interactive smartboard demonstrations and student innovation initiatives offering hands-on exposure to emerging technologies. “The future of education lies in the effective integration of digital technology into everyday learning,” said YDN CEO Mohd Nasrul Khairi. He said digitalisation should go beyond introducing devices into classrooms to transforming how students learn, educators teach and schools prepare young Malaysians for the future. The partnership will also focus on educator development, digital literacy and encouraging innovation and creativity among students. One in four consumers in Asean uses generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) tools to discover new products and services when shopping online, found the Southeast Asia (SEA) Influencer & Affiliate Marketing Report, released on July 23 by commerce market intelligence platform Cube Asia and partnership management platform Impact. Despite the growing use of Gen AI, traditional channels remain dominant. The report found that 71% of shoppers still rely primarily on online marketplaces for product discovery while 57% turn to search engines. The report is based on an online consumer survey conducted this year involving 2,400 respondents aged 18 to 69, a separate 2025 online survey of
Aug 9, 2026 · via theedgemalaysia.com
What every U.K. AI startup wants to know these days is, how can I get office space in King’s Cross? The area is so hot that a VC firm allegedly recently won a deal by promising a founder office space in the neighborhood. “We stop at nothing to win deals [for] and to support” founders, “including helping them source office space when needed,” the firm told me when asked about the rumor, declining to confirm or deny any details. The neighborhood’s popularity began back in 2016 when DeepMind — then newly acquired by Google — moved in. Soon after, a flood of AI startups followed, wanting to be around the Google DeepMind magic. Today, they hope to take advantage of the cluster of AI talent there. This has transformed King’s Cross into one of the world’s top AI hubs, rivaled only by San Francisco and Beijing. Around London, it’s known by the sobriquet “Knowledge Quarter,” as it’s home to names like OpenAI, Meta, Isomorphic Labs, Cusp AI, Wayne, Recursive, and, a little farther down the road, Synthesia and Anthropic. The European Technology Network (ETN) just moved into a glossy new office nearby, while University College London sits around the corner. Mixed in with the new developments are trendy food spots like Hoppers and BAO. Hop a train from King’s Cross, and founders can be in Cambridge in 45 minutes to source talent or can be in Paris in two hours to strike a deal. Who would have guessed that a little more than 20 years ago, this was one of the seediest areas in London? “In the ’80s, crack and heroin made the area a major narcotics market,” Hussein Kanji, an investor at Hoxton Ventures, said, recalling syringes in tree trunks and gangs patrolling the streets. “In 1982, the local
Aug 9, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
Autonomous Driving: China Passes Mandatory Safety Rules for Levels 3 and 4 From July 2027, new regulations for highly and fully automated driving will apply in China. Manufacturers must demonstrate stricter testing and driver controls. The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has published a new, binding national safety standard for autonomous driving systems. The directive, officially approved by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the national standardization authority, will come into force on July 1, 2027, according to the state news agency Xinhua. This creates the first uniform and legally binding framework in Beijing for the series production of modern automation technologies in road traffic. With the measure, the Middle Kingdom wants to underscore its claim not only to be technologically but also regulatorily a global leader in highly and fully automated driving. The new standard specifically applies to vehicles of international categories M and N. This means that passenger cars and buses for passenger transport, as well as commercial vehicles for goods transport, are covered by the provisions, provided they are equipped with Level 3 or Level 4 autonomous driving systems. In Level 3, the system takes over control under certain conditions, but still prompts the human to take over when needed. Level 4 describes extensive full automation in defined operating areas, where no human intervention is required. Automated parking systems are explicitly not covered by the Chinese directive. They are regulated separately. Specifications for Lifecycle and Driver Control A cornerstone of the specifications is the obligation for vehicle manufacturers to continuously improve safety mechanisms throughout the entire product lifecycle. During the development and testing phase, the regulations prescribe a comprehensive validation program. It consists of detailed computer simulations, tests on closed test tracks, and practical driving tests in real road traffic. The goal is
Aug 9, 2026 · via heise.de
Kyle Shanahan Says Tesla Was on Autopilot When He Crashed, Still Takes Blame Kyle Shanahan Tesla Was Driving on Autopilot During Crash Kyle Shanahan revealed a major new detail about the car crash that left him seriously injured ... claiming his Tesla was on autopilot when he took his eyes off the road. The 49ers head coach told reporters Saturday he'd been traveling about 20 MPH when his phone fell out of reach ... and he trusted the car's autopilot enough to look away and go searching for it. Shanahan says he still doesn't know exactly what happened next -- whether autopilot malfunctioned or he accidentally disengaged it -- but he's not pointing the finger at Tesla. In fact, Kyle says he's learned a major lesson from the wreck, explaining, "You can't take your eyes off the road. It's a partnership driving -- you don't just turn it over to a computer." As we previously reported ... Shanahan took full responsibility for the July 14 crash, saying he looked away for only a couple seconds before his car crossed the double yellow line and collided with an SUV. Palo Alto PD later told TMZ Sports a state database that initially blamed the other driver contained a clerical error -- and confirmed Shanahan was at fault. The wreck left Shanahan with a serious concussion, broken nose, ribs and hand ... plus a facial gash requiring 40 stitches. His close friend Chris Simms previously claimed Kyle came dangerously close to losing his right eye. Shanahan says he's still dealing with some headaches and fatigue ... but plans to be back on the sideline for San Francisco's preseason opener against the Titans next week.
Aug 9, 2026 · via tmz.com
- United States - / - Transportation - / - NasdaqGS:LYFT Lyft (LYFT) On Q2 Results And Autonomous Deals Has A Modestly Undervalued Narrative Lyft (LYFT) is back in focus after reporting second quarter 2026 results on 6 August. The update gives investors fresh numbers on sales, profitability, rider trends, and its evolving ride sharing platform. See our latest analysis for Lyft. The earnings beat and news on autonomous partnerships have pushed Lyft’s short term share price return higher, with a 1 day move of 7.12% and a 90 day share price return of 25.88%. Yet year to date the share price return has declined 11.77%, while the 1 year total shareholder return of 30.20% and 3 year total shareholder return of 53.43% show a stronger picture for investors who stayed invested over longer periods. If the recent Lyft move has you thinking about where technology and transport intersect, it might be a good time to scan other opportunities through our screener of 55 AI infrastructure stocks Bulls see Lyft’s record riders and fresh autonomous progress as the start of a stronger earnings story. Bears point to past share price swings and incentives spending. Which side does the current valuation support next? Most Popular Narrative: 9.7% Undervalued Lyft's most followed narrative sets fair value at $19.33 per share versus the last close at $17.46, which frames the stock as modestly undervalued on those assumptions. The ongoing rollout and consumer adoption of autonomous vehicles backed by new partnerships with tech leaders like Baidu and operational capabilities in both the U.S. and Europe are expected to significantly expand Lyft's total addressable market (TAM), lower labor costs, and increase long-term gross margins and earnings. Curious how this autonomous bet and international push feed into that fair value. The narrative leans on specific paths
Aug 9, 2026 · via simplywall.st
HYDERABAD: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said Telangana offered a conducive environment for investments, with industrial land, skilled manpower, reliable power supply and world-class infrastructure among its key strengths. Addressing a Meet and Greet programme organised by the Consulate General of India in San Francisco, Bhatti interacted with the Telugu diaspora, industrialists, technology experts and professionals from the Bay Area and invited them to partner with Telangana in its growth journey. He said the state government was working to position Telangana as one of India’s most attractive investment destinations, with industrial corridors and parks offering land for sectors such as manufacturing, IT, life sciences and clean energy. The government was also strengthening the Young India Skills University and other educational and technical institutions to develop a workforce suited to emerging industries. Bhatti said the proposed Future City was being developed by integrating cutting-edge technology, world-class infrastructure and sustainable urban planning, with the aim of attracting global companies and investments. He said the government was focusing on IT, pharmaceuticals, green energy, advanced manufacturing and knowledge-based industries to take Telangana’s economy to the $3 trillion level. He urged the diaspora to contribute not only through investments but also technology, innovation and industrial expansion. As part of his US tour, Bhatti travelled in a Waymo autonomous vehicle in San Francisco and later met its representatives. Discussions covered autonomous vehicle technology, infrastructure and regulatory frameworks.
Aug 9, 2026 · via newindianexpress.com
What happens to the cost of a ride when there's no driver to pay? According to a widely-followed Tesla analyst, the answer is: it approaches zero — and the economics flip entirely, with Tesla owners potentially getting paid rather than paying. The tweet from @wholemars sketches out a future where fully driverless Tesla vehicles generate revenue for their owners by joining a robotaxi fleet — effectively turning a depreciating asset into an income source. On the demand side, the marginal cost of autonomous transport collapses low enough that rides could be offered free under a sponsored model (think: a Disneyland ticket that includes a complimentary ride to the park) or ad-supported, where a brief advertisement offsets the fare entirely. It's a speculative take, not an official Tesla announcement. But it maps closely onto the direction Tesla has been signaling for years through its FSD development roadmap and the ongoing Cybercab program. Tesla has previously described a future network where owners opt their vehicles into autonomous ride-hailing when not in personal use — a model that only becomes economically compelling if the per-mile cost of that service is low enough to attract riders at scale. The sponsored-ride concept is the more novel angle here. Advertising-subsidized transport already exists in limited forms elsewhere, but pairing it with a zero-marginal-cost autonomous vehicle creates a fundamentally different unit economics picture. If a brand can guarantee a captive audience for a 20-minute ride, the math for covering that ride's cost becomes straightforward. How quickly any of this materializes depends on regulatory approvals, FSD capability thresholds, and Tesla's ability to scale Cybercab production — none of which have firm public timelines. But the directional logic is hard to argue with: remove the driver, and the cost structure of personal transport changes permanently. 🚕 Following the Robotaxi
Aug 9, 2026 · via basenor.com
ICYMI: Ford’s U.S. sales fell 10.2% in July as the automaker adjusts its retail strategy heading into the second half of the year. GM extended its joint venture with SAIC Motor by 20 years, expanding China-built vehicle exports as global competition intensifies. U.S. auto sales slipped 1.4% in July, with hybrids gaining ground while EV demand continued to cool. Global EV sales hit record highs even as U.S. demand stalled at just 5.8% of the market. Nissan posted its first quarterly profit in two years, despite lowering its sales outlook for the year ahead. Here’s a closer look at these top stories and more headlines to stay on top of this week’s automotive industry news. Ford reports 10.2% July sales decline as retail strategy shifts Ford sold 169,951 vehicles in the U.S. in July, which is down 10.2% from a year prior. The Detroit automaker stated that this decrease is a result of intentional business decisions rather than a drop in retail demand. Ford reduced sales of low-margin daily rental fleet vehicles and discontinued the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair in preparation for upcoming product launches. Read More GM extends SAIC partnership 20 years, expands China-built exports amid global competition General Motors (GM) and SAIC Motor have extended their joint venture for another 20 years. This renewal agreement follows GM’s restructuring of its operations in China, which includes plant closures and reductions in its vehicle lineup. Read More July U.S. auto sales slip 1.4% as hybrids gain momentum and EV demand continues to cool U.S. light-vehicle sales reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 16.3 million units in July, down 1.4% from a year earlier, according to the latest NADA Market Beat report. Year-to-date SAAR through July stands at 16.0 million units, a 2.2% decline compared with the same
Aug 9, 2026 · via cbtnews.com
The Boring Company posted a significant capability milestone on Friday: its Prufrock tunnel-boring machine can now build tunnel rings entirely without human hands on-site. Six concrete segments — each weighing roughly 3,750 pounds, or about the mass of a Tesla Model 3 — are lifted, translated, and locked into final position with millimeter-level accuracy in under 60 seconds, monitored remotely from the company's Global Operations Control Center in Texas. What the Demonstration Actually Shows The tunnel ring erection process is one of the most labor-intensive and precision-critical steps in conventional boring. Each precast concrete segment must be positioned to tolerances measured in millimeters — a misalignment compounds over the length of a tunnel and can compromise structural integrity. Doing that autonomously, at speed, with no operator in the machine, is a meaningful engineering step. The remote oversight model is also worth noting. Monitoring from a centralized Global OCC in Texas means a single operations team can theoretically supervise multiple Prufrock machines running simultaneously across different project sites. That changes the staffing math considerably for large-scale urban tunnel programs. According to the Background Research, the Prufrock series has progressed through multiple generations — from Prufrock-1 onward — with each iteration targeting faster bore rates, lower cost per mile, and increasing levels of automation. Full autonomous ring-building represents the kind of milestone that moves the needle on the cost side of the equation, since labor inside a pressurized tunnel environment is expensive and operationally complex. The Autonomous Vehicle Connection The timing of this announcement sits against a broader infrastructure question that's becoming harder to ignore: as robotaxi fleets and autonomous vehicles scale, urban road networks face a new category of congestion — empty vehicles repositioning, circling, or deadheading between trips. Surface streets weren't designed for that load. Commentator Whole Mars Catalog put
Aug 8, 2026 · via basenor.com
A pedestrian was killed after being struck by an SUV and then hit by an unoccupied Waymo vehicle late Friday night, according to Dallas police. Police said the crash happened around 11:30 p.m. on Maple Avenue. Watch NBC 5 free wherever you are NBC 5 obtained surveillance video of the incident. The video shows two people walking out of a store and approaching the street. Both wait at the curb before one of them, a man, steps onto Maple Avenue. Create a free account with NBC 5 DFW to save articles and videos. According to Dallas police, the man was struck from behind by an SUV traveling in the southbound lanes. Investigators said the impact threw him into the northbound lanes, where he was then struck by a Waymo self-driving vehicle. Police said no one was inside the Waymo vehicle at the time of the crash. Surveillance video shows the vehicle stopping as people ran to help. Waymo said in a statement: Local The latest news from around North Texas. "The safety of our riders and other road users is our top priority. We are deeply saddened by what happened and our thoughts are with the individual's family and friends. We are in touch with first responders and grateful for their quick response last evening." According to Waymo, the man was thrown over 30 feet by the inital collision with the SUV before he made contact with the left side of their vehicle. Police said the driver of the SUV remained at the scene. The man was taken to the hospital, where he later died. The investigation remains ongoing. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.
Aug 8, 2026 · via nbcdfw.com
A pedestrian was killed after being struck by an SUV and then hit by an unoccupied Waymo vehicle late Friday night, according to Dallas police. Police said the crash happened around 11:30 p.m. on Maple Avenue. Watch NBC 5 free wherever you are NBC 5 obtained surveillance video of the incident. The video shows two people walking out of a store and approaching the street. Both wait at the curb before one of them, a man, steps onto Maple Avenue. Create a free account with NBC 5 DFW to save articles and videos. According to Dallas police, the man was struck from behind by an SUV traveling in the southbound lanes. Investigators said the impact threw him into the northbound lanes, where he was then struck by a Waymo self-driving vehicle. Police said no one was inside the Waymo vehicle at the time of the crash. Surveillance video shows the vehicle stopping as people ran to help. Waymo said in a statement: Local The latest news from around North Texas. "The safety of our riders and other road users is our top priority. We are deeply saddened by what happened and our thoughts are with the individual's family and friends. We are in touch with first responders and grateful for their quick response last evening." According to Waymo, the man was thrown over 30 feet by the inital collision with the SUV before he made contact with the left side of their vehicle. Police said the driver of the SUV remained at the scene. The man was taken to the hospital, where he later died. The investigation remains ongoing. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.
Aug 8, 2026 · via nbcdfw.com
Man fatally struck by two vehicles in Dallas
On Friday, August 7, 2026, at approximately 11:33 p.m., Dallas Police and Fire Rescue responded to a major accident near the intersection of Maple Avenue and Lucas Drive.
The preliminary investigation determined that a man entered the street and was struck by an SUV driving southbound on Maple Avenue, causing him to fall into the northbound lane where he was hit by an autonomous vehicle.
The man was transported to the hospital, where he died.
The driver of the first vehicle remained at the scene; the autonomous vehicle was unoccupied.
The crash remains under investigation.
Aug 8, 2026 · via dfwscanner.net
Silk Might Be The Reason 6G Internet Is Coming Sooner Than You Think Optical fiber already plays a big role in delivering gigabit internet to your devices. It's even more important for service providers where they deal with speeds in the hundreds of gigabits to route all sorts of traffic to the right destination. Wireless carriers are riding off the back of that fiber, feeding their over-the-air 5G networks through wireline fronthaul and backhaul feeds. But the future is 6G. The industry is gearing up for terabit speeds, and that means fiber-optic connections are gonna have to step up, potentially with new types of fiber. The same companies that promised remotely-driven robotic surgeries, virtual reality mainstreaming, and autonomous vehicle traffic management with 5G are now planning out 6G networks into the 2030s with a "Greatest Hits" compilation of the same promises. Okay. But to achieve everything they're envisioning, they'll have to ramp capacity and throughput by an order of magnitude at least across every last bit of infrastructure not to mention all of the devices we use at the very end of that pipeline. Glass and plastic have long been transmitting pulses of light through fiber-optic bundles. Each material has embedded advantages and flaws in their properties that make one better for home connections and the other better in data centers. The push to 6G has meant laboratory tests to get existing materials ready for terabit speeds. But research is now putting silk — yes, the stuff that comes from worms and spiders that's used to make fancy nightgowns — into the spotlight as a cost-effective building block of 6G that could bring the best of both glass and plastic. How silk might become part of 6G networks Silk might be known for its luxurious look and feel in clothing,
Aug 8, 2026 · via bgr.com