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
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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
AITX Rebrands RAD-M as PURSUON to Focus on Autonomous Mobile Security Artificial Intelligence Technology Solutions, Inc. (AITX) has renamed its wholly owned subsidiary Robotic Assistance Devices Mobile, Inc. (RAD-M) as PURSUON Inc., creating a distinct corporate identity for the team behind its ROAMEO autonomous mobile security vehicle. Articles of amendment formalizing the name change were filed with the Nevada Secretary of State on August 21, 2026. The change represents a renaming of the existing subsidiary and does not involve the formation of a new company, changes to AITX's ownership of the subsidiary, changes to its capital structure or the issuance of securities. ROAMEO will retain its existing product name while RAD will continue to serve as its exclusive distributor. According to the company, PURSUON is intended to provide a more focused identity for its autonomous mobile security business as ROAMEO moves from internal development into active enterprise environments. “RAD-M started this journey, built ROAMEO and brought it into real enterprise environments,” said Steve Reinharz, CEO/CTO and founder of AITX, RAD and PURSUON. “PURSUON takes the next step. This is not simply a new name or logo. It reflects our continued commitment to autonomous mobile security.” ROAMEO is currently operating in enterprise environments, with additional units in transit and under contract for logistics, healthcare and other commercial applications. The autonomous mobile security vehicle is designed for large outdoor environments and combines autonomous navigation and patrol capabilities with AI-driven detection, live video, two-way communication and SARA, the company's Speaking Autonomous Responsive Agent. Through SARA, ROAMEO is designed to engage individuals, respond to developing situations, escalate events and generate reports while conducting scheduled and on-demand patrols across logistics centers, healthcare campuses, corporate properties and other expansive facilities. The commercial path for customers, dealers and channel partners will remain unchanged, with ROAMEO continuing to
Aug 25, 2026 · via securityinfowatch.com
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Waymo driverless taxis are showing up on San Diego streets, but as of August, you still can't actually hail one. "We're making sure that the operations are in place to support riders as we work to open our doors to them soon," said Sandy Karp, a communications manager with Waymo. When asked about a timeline for when riders will be able to summon a driverless vehicle, ABC 10News did not receive an answer before our publication time. Tourists and San Diegans alike had mixed reactions to the autonomous vehicle rollout. "AI, especially in vehicles that interact with other vehicles, in a complex place ... I think that the technology is still not there yet. But you know, you have to try them somewhere. Good luck, San Diego," said Andres, a tourist in San Diego. "I'm not too sure I would like them," San Diegan Maryann Castillo added. "I've read a lot of articles where they're having a lot of problems with them." If you want to be among the first to know when rides become available, Waymo says to download its app, which will notify users when they can hail a driverless taxi in San Diego. The vehicles available to San Diegans — at least for now — are the Ojai cars, which open from the side. The interior features plenty of seating, car chargers, and space for luggage. This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Aug 25, 2026 · via 10news.com
Autonomous vehicles find fixed route delivery role At a YTO Express outlet in Foshan, Guangdong province, courier Wang Kangkang finishes loading bags of parcels into a driverless van about the size of a golf cart, closes the cargo door and taps "depart" on his phone. The vehicle, supplied by autonomous-driving company Neolix, pulls away on its own, joining regular traffic on a 3-kilometer run to a neighborhood parcel station. The route takes about 20 minutes, passing traffic lights, a speed bump and a narrow lane. "This route is fixed. Once it's set, I don't have to watch it all the way," Wang said. "It's much easier than making the trip myself on a three-wheeler." Such short, repetitive runs are emerging as one of the more practical uses for autonomous vehicles in China's vast parcel network. Before the van was introduced, couriers at the outlet ferried parcels between the two sites on electric three-wheelers. Moving about 1,000 parcels could require at least two trips, according to outlet manager Ouyang Chaoyang. The outlet estimates that its short-distance transfer costs have fallen by about 30 percent since it began using the vehicle last year, while the time couriers spend shuttling back and forth has been cut by about 40 percent. "The time saved can be used for collecting parcels and making door-to-door deliveries," Ouyang said. "Those are the parts of the job where couriers can create more value." The Foshan operation is part of a wider rollout. By the end of 2024, more than 6,000 autonomous delivery vehicles had been put into large-scale use across more than 100 types of applications nationwide, according to the State Post Bureau of China. At one parcel station in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, more than 20 driverless vehicles handle over 30 percent of deliveries, with each carrying at
Aug 25, 2026 · via chinadaily.com.cn
Brandenburg's Transport Minister Robert Crumbach has confirmed that his ministry is in active discussions with Tesla about deploying driverless vehicles — potentially autonomous shuttles or Robotaxis — in the German state. It's an early-stage conversation, but the timing is significant: Tesla is weeks away from a major Cybercab launch event, and Europe's regulatory path for autonomous driving is moving faster than most people realize. Who confirmed this, and how official is it? Brandenburg Transport Minister Robert Crumbach (SPD) confirmed the discussions directly. That makes this a ministerial-level acknowledgment, not a rumor or leak — a meaningful signal that the conversations are substantive enough to mention publicly. That said, no formal agreement, pilot program, or timeline has been announced. These are early-stage talks. Why Brandenburg specifically? Brandenburg isn't a random choice. Tesla's Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg, located in Grünheide, sits within the state. The factory is already central to Tesla's European production strategy, and according to previous reports, it's expected to be the manufacturing base for the Cybercab in Europe. A state-level autonomous shuttle program would create a natural feedback loop: vehicles built locally, tested locally, with a government partner invested in making it work. What exactly is being proposed — a Robotaxi network or something else? The framing from Minister Crumbach points toward autonomous shuttles, which typically implies fixed or semi-fixed routes serving underserved areas rather than an open ride-hail network. Germany has a well-documented rural mobility gap — areas where public transit is thin and private car dependency is high. An autonomous shuttle service in Brandenburg would fit that profile. Whether Tesla's Cybercab (a two-passenger vehicle with no steering wheel or pedals) or a different vehicle configuration is being discussed hasn't been specified publicly. Where does German regulation stand on fully driverless vehicles? This is the key constraint. As of now,
Aug 24, 2026 · via basenor.com
I had two callers to my radio show Saturday tell me, politely, that I am wrong about Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system. Both use FSD regularly, both say it works extremely well, and both clearly have tremendous confidence in it. I listened to them, and I believe them. I learned from them and I am grateful for the information. That does not mean I have completely changed my mind. I have probably been too dismissive at times about just how good Tesla’s latest Full Self-Driving technology has become. There are owners using it for thousands of miles who report very few interventions, and recent independent road tests have found enormous improvement over earlier versions that I tested. But there is a distinction I think every driver needs to understand: a system can be remarkably capable and still not be autonomous. Even Tesla makes that distinction. The product is now formally called Full Self-Driving (Supervised), and Tesla states plainly that it requires an attentive driver, does not make the vehicle autonomous, and requires the driver to remain ready to take control at any moment. Tesla classifies FSD as a Level 2 driver-assistance system. That “Level 2” designation is important. Under the automation definitions used by NHTSA and SAE International, Level 2 means the vehicle can control steering and acceleration/braking at the same time, but you are still driving. You are responsible for watching the road, obeying traffic laws and intervening whenever necessary. Take your hands off the wheel if the system permits it, but you cannot take your brain out of the driver's seat. Tesla FSD is unusually ambitious for a Level 2 system. It can operate on city streets as well as highways, follow a navigation route, change lanes, negotiate intersections and roundabouts, make turns and park. Tesla says its vehicles
Aug 24, 2026 · via carpro.com
NEW YORK: Electric vehicle-maker Tesla is teasing the upcoming debut of its self-driving robotaxi, dubbed "Cybercab," to compete with the likes of Uber and Waymo. The Elon Musk-founded company shared a promotional image on social media late Friday (Aug 21) promising "exclusive access" to Cybercabs at a Sept 3 event in Austin, Texas, where Tesla is headquartered. "We're celebrating the launch of our Cybercab robotaxi with an exclusive event in Austin – and you could be there," the company said on its website, promoting a sweepstakes to win a chance to attend the event. First unveiled in October 2024, the gold-colored vehicle can carry two passengers and marks the first Tesla car with no steering wheel or pedals. At the time, Musk said the company was planning to begin production of the self-driving cars before 2027 and sell them to private buyers for under US$30,000 (RM121,080). US tech industry publication The Information reported that Tesla staffers have been told the rollout will begin with Cybercab rides for employees on public roads, followed by the vehicle being incorporated into the ranks of its Robotaxi service in Austin. Tesla enthusiasts have in recent weeks reported seeing parking lots filled with Cybercabs, sparking rumours of an impending launch. Last year, Tesla debuted its self-driving cars in Austin using its Model Y SUV vehicles, with the "Robotaxi" service gradually expanding to several other cities in Texas, Florida and California. However, state laws require many of the vehicles to have a human supervisor or driver ready to take over control if necessary. Waymo, the self-driving vehicle subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet, offers its services in 11 US cities. – AFP
Aug 24, 2026 · via thestar.com.my
Lotte Innovate said on the 24th that it is operating the Autonomous Driving shuttle "MUVU" in major tourist destinations such as Gangneung, Jeju, and Gyeongju, advancing its Autonomous Driving technology and control and operations capabilities. MUVU is a type B Autonomous Driving vehicle with no driver's seat. After receiving Korea's first temporary operation permit in 2021, it has run in places including Gangneung, Gyeongju, Jeju, Suncheon, Sejong, and Naepo New Town. To date, it has recorded a cumulative driving distance of about 100,000 km and about 40,000 cumulative passengers. The vehicle uses technology that fuses data from multiple sensors, including LiDAR and vehicle-to-everything (V2X), to perceive its surroundings. Based on vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications, vehicles and road infrastructure exchange information in real time. Lotte Innovate operates the service by linking vehicle operation and control, reservations, and safety management systems. In Gangneung, the host city of the 2026 Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) World Congress, Autonomous Driving shuttles have been in operation since 2022. The route connects major tourist spots including Gangmun Beach, the Green City Experience Center, and the Heo Gyun and Heo Nanseolheon Memorial Park. A survey of users last year showed a 91.5% satisfaction rate. In Jeju, after a pilot introduction of Autonomous Driving shuttles around Seongsan Ilchulbong in September last year, the service shifted to paid regular operation on the 1st of this month. The route connects Seongsan Ilchulbong, Gwangchigi Beach, and Phoenix Island, and includes a coastal road section. It also provides a service that offers tourist information based on the vehicle's real-time location. In Gyeongju, following 2024, a tourism-type Autonomous Driving service is also being operated this year in the Bomun Tourist Complex. On Fridays and weekends, an immersive tourism Virtual Reality (VR) experience space has been set up in the parking lot of
Aug 24, 2026 · via biz.chosun.com
SOCAR and APEX Mobility are set to ramp up their Autonomous Driving data business. Their goal is to process real-world driving and accident-related data accumulated over the past 15 years into a trainable format so Autonomous Driving corporations and automakers, as well as research institutions at home and abroad, can use it immediately. SOCAR and APEX Mobility said on the 24th that they will participate in the Autonomous Driving Mobility Industry Exhibition 2026 (AME 2026), to be held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul, from the 25th to the 27th, to introduce their Autonomous Driving data business. The two companies will set up an exhibition space under the theme of "Korea's largest Autonomous Driving data platform." A SOCAR official said, "As Autonomous Driving technology shifts from a rule-based approach grounded in high-resolution HD maps to an end-to-end (E2E) method that processes multi-modal data—such as camera footage and LiDAR—through a single artificial intelligence (AI) model, we aim to show the trend in which the decisive factor for technological completion has moved to the data itself." All of the approximately 25,000 car-sharing vehicles SOCAR operates nationwide are connected cars, and more than about 100 types of vehicle data—such as black box driving footage, global positioning system (GPS) information, and steering angle—are collected in real time through front and rear dashcams and in-house telematics units. The combined daily driving distance of all SOCAR vehicles is about 1.1 million km, 10 times the total 110,000 km length of roads nationwide. In particular, at this exhibition they plan to unveil for the first time a real prototype vehicle equipped with various sensors that allows APEX Mobility to independently collect high-quality Autonomous Driving data, in addition to data secured from SOCAR. The prototype Ioniq 5 to be showcased has seven cameras installed throughout the vehicle to secure
Aug 24, 2026 · via biz.chosun.com
Tesla asked Las Vegas for 5,000 Robotaxi permits and it was met with a very strict response from the Nevada Transportation Authority Published on Aug 24, 2026 at 3:58 AM (UTC+4) by Henry Kelsall Last updated on Aug 24, 2026 at 3:58 AM (UTC+4) Edited by Mason Jones Tesla has asked Las Vegas for around 5,000 Robotaxi permits, with the Nevada Transportation Authority giving it a very strict response. The Strip in Las Vegas brings in roughly $8.8 billion in revenue each year, with it making about $24 million a day in 2025. So it should come as no surprise that the company filed an application for 5,000 permits to operate autonomous vehicles in the city. Equally, it may come as a surprise to hear what the response was from the Nevada Transportation Authority (NTA) regarding the EVs. What did the NTA say to Tesla? Tesla submitted an application for 5,000 vehicles to operate within Sin City. The EV manufacturer clearly has lofty ambitions. So it won’t come as a surprise to see how many applications Tesla submitted. But to the shock of the manufacturer, the NTA responded a month later by issuing a permit for just 10 vehicles. “A maximum fleet of ten fully autonomous vehicles,” said the statement. The permit also stated that the 10 Robotaxis could only operate on an authority-approved corridor. This was one along the Strip, but one that had speeds of no more than 45mph. The permit also prohibits passenger pickups within a quarter-mile of the airport. This is what else the permit states about Tesla’s Robotaxi The permit also states that every vehicle must be marked as ‘Robotaxi’. Riders have to be notified before each trip that it is an autonomous vehicle. It also says that operations require ‘appropriate human supervision’. This falls
Aug 24, 2026 · via supercarblondie.com
In autonomous and self-driving vehicle news are Waymo, Google, Uber, Zipline, Pony.ai, Verne, Momenta, XHEART, BlackBerry QNX, Baidu, TIER IV and Renesas. In this Article Waymo Named Official Autonomous Ride-Hailing Partner of Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium Waymo Unveils Custom 5nm Sensor-Processing ASIC in Sixth-Generation Ojai Robotaxi Fleet Waymo has disclosed its first proprietary silicon, an application-specific integrated circuit fabricated on TSMC’s 5nm process node delivering over 1,000 TOPS. Deployed in its sixth-generation Ojai robotaxi platform, the custom ASIC operates as an edge pre-processor dedicated to real-time temporal denoising and machine learning inference across 13 camera feeds, radar, and LiDAR streams before routing data to core compute units. The custom silicon functions additively within a heterogeneous hardware suite supported by Tier-1 suppliers including Nvidia, AMD, Micron, and Samsung. The sixth-generation architecture relies on dual liquid-cooled, fail-operational compute modules designed for extreme vibration and thermal shock, reinforcing a redundant multi-sensor edge fusion model over vision-only autonomous systems. While hardware costs have dropped to an estimated $20,000 to $25,000 per vehicle across its 4,000-vehicle commercial deployment, reliance on Geely-manufactured Zeekr base vehicles from Ningbo, China, maintains trade and regulatory exposure as scaling expands into new metropolitan operating domains. Waymo Integrates Google Gemini Assistant and Tri-Screen UI into Ojai Robotaxi Platform Waymo has unveiled an overhauled in-cabin architecture for its purpose-built Ojai autonomous vehicle (AV), introducing an integrated Google Gemini conversational AI assistant alongside a redesigned user interface. Operating on a separate compute domain isolated from the core Level 4 Waymo Driver autonomous driving system (ADS), the Gemini assistant processes natural language voice commands for cabin climate adjustments, local point-of-interest (POI) queries, and safe passenger-directed pullover requests without accessing real-time motion control or routing pipelines. The updated digital cockpit deploys a choreographed tri-screen display system that dynamically configures content based on passenger
Aug 23, 2026 · via autoconnectedcar.com
The Dutch Data Protection Authority is fining Uber €825 million (around $966 million) — the second largest penalty issued so far under Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation, according to Reuters. The Dutch regulator was investigating complaints that Uber had deactivated driver accounts through an automated process without sufficient warning or human oversight. In a statement, deputy chair Monique Verdier said that the company had “committed serious infringements.” “A computer should not make decisions on its own that have [such] major consequences,” Verdier said. Uber, however, argued that most driver suspensions are brief, that no permanent deactivations take place without human review, and that drivers have the ability to appeal. (Dutch regulators said some drivers were permanently deactivated without human review, which Uber disputes.) The company said it will appeal the decision. “We strongly disagree with this decision and disproportionate fine,” an Uber spokesperson told Reuters. TechCrunch has reached out to the company for additional comment. Brahim Ben Ali, a former Uber driver in France, told the Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant that after his account was deactivated in 2019, he collected testimonies from 170 other Uber drivers and eventually brought his complaint to the Netherlands, where Uber’s European headquarters are located. Ben Ali was assisted in this effort by a Swiss nonprofit focused on digital rights called PersonalData.io, which helped the drivers collect data about how the deactivation decisions were made. Founder Paul-Olivier Dehaye said a driver “can complete a thousand journeys with satisfied passengers, but if just one person reports a very serious problem, the consequences can be enormous.” Dehaye told me that this is the third fine that the Dutch regulator has levied on Uber, following a €290 million fine over its handling of drivers’ personal data and a €10 million fine stemming from related issues. He also said
Aug 23, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
Uber fares in the US rose 83% from 2018-2022 due to AI-driven pricing and post-pandemic factors.
Uber shifted from predictable taxi-like pricing to AI-driven algorithms that set fares based on real-time factors. This change led to an 83% rise in average US Uber fares from 2018 to 2022, far outpacing inflation. Critics argue Uber uses AI to maxim...
Aug 23, 2026 · via pluang.com
Parked Waymo vehicles are recording Nashville neighborhoods, churches, businesses and parks every day without any public guidelines on how long footage is stored, and minimal details on how it is used. Since the company fully launched in Nashville in June, more than 50 white, driverless Jaguars with out-of-state plates and large, spinning sensors shaped like top hats on their roofs have been carting people around Nashville, saturating downtown hotspots like the riverfront, Lower Broadway and Music Row. The vehicles use a combination of radar and LiDAR sensors, external audio and video from both the in-car camera system and the 29 external cameras to operate and train the vehicles when they're underway. But even when they are vacant, if the vehicles are running -- which is identifiable by the sensors spinning and whirring -- they are recording audio and 360-degree video to "continuously perceive the world around the vehicle." Ethan Teicher, a spokesperson for Waymo, told the Banner last week that the constant recording is necessary for the parked vehicles to respond to, say, emergency vehicles or other hazards when parked, but the vehicles "are engineered with privacy-by-design." "The sensors remain active while the vehicle is parked to maintain awareness of its surroundings and move from that location when required," Teicher continued. Asked how long the data recorded is stored, the company said it's too costly to store large amounts of random footage or audio that doesn't directly help train the vehicles or pertain to a specific incident, involving the Waymo or otherwise. When asked, the company did not provide any specific policy on when and how idly collected data is used, but rather said retention is determined on a case-by-case basis. "Waymo retains data for a reasonably appropriate amount of time to improve our automated driving system," Teicher wrote. Waymo
Aug 23, 2026 · via timesfreepress.com
Uber’s chief financial officer said on Friday he had bought a Rivian R2 Launch Edition, days after Rivian‘s founder and CEO personally demonstrated the company’s forthcoming Autonomy+ system to him. Balaji Krishnamurthy wrote on X that RJ Scaringe had given him a preview of the system the previous week, and that “it flawlessly drove from Sunnyvale to Cupmertino and back.” Sunnyvale and Cupertino are about seven miles apart. He said he had traded in his own car for the R2 while sharing photographs of the vehicle. Uber committed in March to invest up to $1.25 billion in Rivian and to purchase autonomous R2s, in an agreement whose remaining tranches depend on Rivian meeting autonomy milestones that neither company has disclosed. The Buyer Krishnamurthy became Uber’s chief financial officer on February 16, one month before the Rivian agreement was announced. He joined Uber in 2019, led investor relations from 2020 to 2023 and served as vice president of strategic finance from 2023 until his promotion. Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi described him in the announcement filing as “a brilliant, decisive strategist.” He is Uber’s third finance chief in just over three years, succeeding Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah, who held the role from November 2023 and remained as a senior finance adviser until July 1. Krishnamurthy held a board seat at the autonomous trucking company Waabi from September 2024 until March 2026, according to his LinkedIn profile. On Uber’s fourth-quarter earnings call, he said the company would invest capital in its autonomous vehicle software partners, take equity stakes in or sign offtake agreements with vehicle makers, and support infrastructure partners. What the Deal Requires Uber’s initial $300 million investment in Rivian was committed on signing, equivalent to about 19.55 million shares. The remaining $950 million is contingent on Rivian achieving autonomous performance milestones by specific
Aug 23, 2026 · via eletric-vehicles.com
NDR 2026: Singapore won’t leave workers to fend for themselves when embracing new tech - Singapore will introduce autonomous vehicles gradually, helping affected taxi and private-hire drivers retrain for new jobs to manage technological disruptions. - The Government embraces new technology like AI to boost small businesses and healthcare, while ensuring safety and support for workers during transitions. - Prime Minister Lawrence Wong highlights risks of AI misuse, urging global cooperation on safeguards, with Singapore committed to building coalitions for practical technology rules. AI generated SINGAPORE – Even as Singapore scales up its use of autonomous vehicles to meet the country’s growing transportation needs, the Republic will help taxi and private-hire drivers affected by the self-driving shift to retrain and move into new jobs, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. “That is how we manage the impact of technological change on jobs,” said PM Wong on Aug 23 at the National Day Rally. “Through every major technological shift, we have embraced change on our own terms, built new capabilities and emerged stronger. We have done it before. And we will do it again,” he said at the event held at the Institute of Technical Education’s Ang Mo Kio headquarters. He was outlining Singapore’s approach to new technologies – seizing the opportunities they present and managing the disruptions that they bring. And should there be risks to Singaporeans and society, the Government will put safeguards in place. Singapore will not hold back on new technologies just because they are disruptive, he said. At the same time, the country will not leave affected workers to fend for themselves. “We support our workers through the transition. We will ensure that every worker shares in the fruits of Singapore’s progress,” he added. One new technology that Singapore has embraced is self-driving vehicles. Driverless shuttle trials
Aug 23, 2026 · via straitstimes.com