Tesla’s latest earnings report was very bad news for the company. In the second quarter, it made $1.1 billion in net profit, less than the $1.2 billion it reported a year earlier. Vehicle sales were up, but profits remain about a quarter billion short of expectations, and the automaker’s cash flow is negative for the first time in over two years. But the real blow has been the slow rollout of its Robotaxi service. Elon Musk has staked his automaker’s future on fully autonomous vehicles, promising investors it would help push Tesla’s valuation to an eyebrow-raising $30 trillion — approximately the gross domestic product of the United States, for perspective. And importantly, he promised to get this done quickly. Before launching Tesla’s first Robotaxi service in Austin last summer, Musk estimated that over 1,000 of the self-driving cabs would be roaming the streets “within a few months.” Now, a year later, Tesla doesn’t even have a hundred Robotaxis in operation. And its efforts seem to actually be regressing. According to a new chart the company released Wednesday, the Robotaxi network racked up fewer miles from paying customers in the second quarter than it did in the first. The chart, which may be the most dismal single aspect of the entire earnings cycle, misleadingly displays this data as cumulative miles to make it appear like the Robotaxi service is steadily growing. But TechCrunch broke it down, finding that in the first quarter, Tesla’s driverless cabs carrying paying passengers drove around 1.1 million miles, but fell to just 700,000 miles in the second — cratering by over a third. The misleading chart isn’t the only way Tesla has tried to dress up its stalling efforts. A day before releasing the earnings report, it announced that it was expanding to two more cities
Jul 24, 2026 · via futurism.com
Uber Stock Slides Nearly 5% After Report Says Alphabet’s Waymo Could Walk Away From Their Robotaxi Deal - Waymo reportedly plans to launch its own robotaxi service in Austin and Atlanta when its agreement with Uber expires in January 2028. - The partnership has reportedly been strained by competition, regulatory differences and disputes over service quality and safety. - Uber has invested more than $10 billion in autonomous vehicle partnerships since exiting its self-driving unit in 2020, making any breakup a potential setback. Shares of Uber Technologies Inc. (UBER) fell nearly 5% on Friday after a report said Alphabet Inc.’s (GOOGL) Waymo is exploring options to end its robotaxi partnership with the ride-hailing company. The move comes as relations between the two companies have deteriorated amid growing competition and disagreements over the future of the robotaxi market. GOOGL shares ended Friday's regular session up 0.58%. In after-hours trading, UBER stock continued to edge lower, slipping another 0.01%, while GOOGL gained an additional 0.06%. Waymo Reportedly Eyes Independent Expansion Uber currently offers rides in autonomous Waymo vehicles through its app in Austin and Atlanta. Waymo has held internal discussions about ending its partnership with Uber and has already informed the ride-hailing company that it plans to enter both cities independently in January 2028, when the current agreement allows, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The partnership, which began in 2023, has reportedly become strained as the companies increasingly compete directly in some markets while lobbying for robotaxi regulations that favor their respective business models. According to the report, Waymo and Uber have also blamed each other for service quality and safety issues in the cities where they operate together. A split between the companies is expected to dent Uber’s autonomous vehicle ambitions. The company has reportedly spent
Jul 24, 2026 · via tradingview.com
[Stay on top of transportation news: Get TTNews in your inbox.] Waymo explores options to leave Uber robotaxi deal Autonomous vehicle firm has notified Uber that it plans to operate independently in Austin and Atlanta in January 2028 Key Takeaways: - Waymo is exploring ending its robotaxi partnership with Uber and plans to operate independently in Austin and Atlanta starting in January 2028, the Financial Times reported. - Uber currently provides Waymo autonomous rides in those two markets and recently wound down the service in Phoenix. - Uber shares fell as much as 4.8% after the report. Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo is exploring options to exit its robotaxi partnership with Uber Technologies Inc., the latest relationship twist between two companies that have functioned as both rivals and partners. Uber currently offers rides in autonomous Waymo vehicles on its platform in two U.S. cities: Austin and Atlanta. An Uber spokesperson said Waymo has given notice that it plans to launch service through its own app in those cities in January 2028 “alongside their existing deployment with Uber.” This “would end Waymo’s exclusivity in Austin and Atlanta and allow us to launch with other AV providers in those cities, which we will be prepared to do,” the spokesperson added. The current fleet of Waymo vehicles will remain on Uber’s platform through at least May 2028, the duration of the current contract, Uber said. The Financial Times reported earlier that Waymo was exploring options for exiting the partnership. Shares of Uber fell as much as 4.9% to $65.56 in New York. Alphabet’s stock was up less than 1%. A representative for Waymo did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The rift is a major setback for Uber, which has been developing partnerships with Waymo and fleet managers and investing in other robotaxi companies
Jul 24, 2026 · via ttnews.com
Study finds driverless cars crash less often than human drivers but flags data shortfalls (TNND) — A new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found driverless cars might be safer than having humans at the wheel, but the report flagged a lack of data to adequately monitor autonomous vehicle safety moving forward. The IIHS team looked at crash data for driverless vehicles roaming the streets in a handful of American cities, including San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Austin. IIHS determined that self-driving cars were involved in 68% fewer crashes than human-driven cars on a per-mile basis. But there was a lot of clutter in the data to cut through to come up with a realistic comparison, said lead author Eric Teoh. Both the federal government and California collect data on self-driving car collisions, but the companies operating the driverless cars are required to report everything that results in any damage. And the threshold is very low. Teoh said the driverless car companies have to report things that aren't even crashes to most of us, like turning left into a parking lot and scraping the vehicle’s undercarriage. Meanwhile, human drivers are generally only required to report crashes that cause an injury or result in more than $1,000 in property damage to the police, according to IIHS. A person isn’t going to call the police over a scratched bumper, Teoh said. To come up with a meaningful comparison, Teoh and his fellow IIHS researchers had to boil down the data on self-driving cars to just those incidents that would’ve met the police-reporting threshold for human drivers. Researchers were also limited by a lack of available information on how many miles driverless cars traveled over their study period. The driverless car companies aren’t obligated to report the miles they log,
Jul 23, 2026 · via fox17.com
Iranian assets will pay for future damage to ships, cargo amid war: Trump WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump on Thursday said he will use Iranian assets under U.S. control to pay for any future damage to ships and cargo caused by Tehran, an announcement that seeks to make Iran financially responsible for disruptions to global shipping. "Please let this statement serve to represent, until further notice, that from this point forth, any and all damages done to Ships, Cargo, or anything related thereto, will be paid for by Iranian Money that the United States has in its possession, and controls," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "These damages may be very substantial but, nevertheless, this is the fair and equitable thing to do," he added. The news comes as the U.S. military continues strikes against Iranian military targets and seeks to weaken Tehran's ability to threaten commercial vessels transiting key waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict has disrupted maritime traffic and raised concerns about global energy supplies and international trade. According to the U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, the military force redirected 12 commercial vessels and disabled one to stop ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports or coastal areas since resuming the naval blockade against Iran nine days ago. Trump did not specify how much Iranian money the U.S. currently controls or explain the legal authority under which the funds would be used to compensate shipowners or cargo interests. The Treasury Department has frozen Iranian assets and imposed sweeping sanctions targeting Iran's military, oil exports, and financial networks as part of the administration's "Economic Fury" campaign. It was not immediately clear whether the administration plans to establish a formal claims process or seek congressional approval for using the funds. The White House also did not immediately provide
Jul 23, 2026 · via idahonews.com
Truck driver in deadly Turnpike crash absent from court; hearing reset for October FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — The truck driver facing charges in a deadly Florida Turnpike crash that killed three people did not appear in St. Lucie County court Thursday morning. Harjinder Singh was scheduled for a docket call before Circuit Judge Michael C. Heisey at 9 a.m. at the St. Lucie County Courthouse in Fort Pierce. Court records previously stated Singh was required to appear in person. Attorneys told the court they are still waiting for forensic reports to be completed and returned. The case was rescheduled for Oct. 1 at 9 a.m. Singh faces criminal charges stemming from an Aug. 12, 2025, crash on Florida's Turnpike near Fort Pierce that killed three people and drew national attention over commercial driver licensing standards, immigration status and English proficiency requirements for truck drivers. Investigators say Singh used an "Official Use Only" crossover to make an illegal U-turn, causing his tractor-trailer to block all northbound lanes before a minivan crashed into it. Singh has pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case has also been at the center of a broader legal and political debate. Earlier this year, Florida sued California and Washington over commercial driver's licenses issued to Singh, arguing the states failed to follow federal standards tied to immigration status and English-language requirements. In May, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the lawsuit, ending Florida's effort to pursue the dispute directly before the nation's highest court. See Related: Truck driver in deadly Turnpike crash returns to court after Florida loses CDL lawsuit St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro Jr. also testified before Congress about what he described as gaps in the commercial driver licensing system exposed by the case. Singh remains in custody as the
Jul 23, 2026 · via cbsaustin.com
CAUGHT ON CAM: Surveillance video shows burglary spree targeting 4 businesses MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — Surveillance video shows the dramatic moments burglars smashed windows with a baseball bat, stole money from cash registers, and scampered away early Monday morning during a string of break-ins targeting four Bethesda, Maryland, businesses. Montgomery County Police Department officials said these four burglaries happened in the early morning hours Monday, July 20, on the 7800 and 7900 blocks of Old Georgetown Road. In each of the surveillance videos provided to 7News, you see two masked burglars smash their way into the stores, and exit within seconds. One video shows the two suspects attempting to take the entire cash register, with one of them slipping on the debris. In that same video, you can hear the driver in the getaway car honk the horn, and the two suspects run out of the nail salon. Praneet Aryal is the owner of Lilit Cafe, one of the businesses that was hit. "We found out when we first got here. We just saw the glass shattered everywhere and it was a mess everywhere. We were just surprised. Didn't expect anything like that to happen," Aryal said. Aryal said the burglars took his entire cash register, which had around $1,000 in it. He said replacing the shattered window cost another $2,000. "We're a small business, a family-owned business, so it means a lot to us. It's a big hit for us to take, especially just out of nowhere like that," Aryal said. Police are asking anyone with information to call them. In the meantime, Aryal said this burglary spree has made him more vigilant. "We're definitely a bit more on-edge and just more aware of everything now," Aryal said. "It's really disheartening and frustrating for us, too, to have
Jul 23, 2026 · via foxchattanooga.com
Trial date set for man accused of killing six in 2023 Austin, San Antonio shooting spree AUSTIN, Texas (WOAI/KABB) — A trial date has been set for Shane James, the man accused of killing six people across Austin and San Antonio in December 2023, with prosecutors announcing they will not seek the death penalty. James appeared in Travis County court Wednesday, where testimony is scheduled to begin Oct. 29 following jury selection Oct. 26-28. The trial is expected to last three weeks. James has been arraigned and pleaded not guilty. PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Shooting spree suspect Shane James ruled competent to stand trial He is charged with capital murder of multiple persons, capital murder of a peace officer, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault causing bodily injury in connection with family violence. James is accused of killing his parents in San Antonio before driving to Austin, where he allegedly shot and killed four more people and wounded three others, including two police officers. Authorities took James into custody Dec. 5, 2023, the same day as the Austin shootings. In October 2024, a Travis County judge ruled James incompetent to stand trial and ordered him committed to a mental health facility for treatment. He was ruled competent to stand trial in July 2025.
Jul 23, 2026 · via abc45.com
Study finds driverless cars crash less often than human drivers but flags data shortfalls (TNND) — A new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found driverless cars might be safer than having humans at the wheel, but the report flagged a lack of data to adequately monitor autonomous vehicle safety moving forward. The IIHS team looked at crash data for driverless vehicles roaming the streets in a handful of American cities, including San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Austin. IIHS determined that self-driving cars were involved in 68% fewer crashes than human-driven cars on a per-mile basis. But there was a lot of clutter in the data to cut through to come up with a realistic comparison, said lead author Eric Teoh. Both the federal government and California collect data on self-driving car collisions, but the companies operating the driverless cars are required to report everything that results in any damage. And the threshold is very low. Teoh said the driverless car companies have to report things that aren't even crashes to most of us, like turning left into a parking lot and scraping the vehicle’s undercarriage. Meanwhile, human drivers are generally only required to report crashes that cause an injury or result in more than $1,000 in property damage to the police, according to IIHS. A person isn’t going to call the police over a scratched bumper, Teoh said. To come up with a meaningful comparison, Teoh and his fellow IIHS researchers had to boil down the data on self-driving cars to just those incidents that would’ve met the police-reporting threshold for human drivers. Researchers were also limited by a lack of available information on how many miles driverless cars traveled over their study period. The driverless car companies aren’t obligated to report the miles they log,
Jul 23, 2026 · via foxsanantonio.com
Waymo self-autonomous cars are safer than you think, new report says
A new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reveals Waymo's self-driving cars were involved in 68% fewer reported crashes than human drivers in the same cities. Experts say the findings underscore the need to evaluate new technology based on long-term data.
Jul 23, 2026 · via cbsnews.com
Moovit cuts 30% of workforce as Mobileye reshapes $915 million acquisition for robotaxi era The transportation app is eliminating 60 of its 200 positions as Mobileye shifts resources away from Moovit’s B2B business and toward using the platform for fleet supply, demand optimization and rider engagement in autonomous taxis. Moovit, the transportation technology company acquired by Intel for $915 million in 2020, is cutting approximately 60 employees, or 30% of its workforce, as parent company Mobileye restructures the business around its emerging robotaxi strategy. The layoffs come on the same day that Mobileye reported earnings and founder and CEO Prof. Amnon Shashua announced he would step down after nearly three decades leading the autonomous driving company, marking a broader transition for the Intel-controlled business. The reduction is part of a shift in Moovit’s role inside Mobileye. Rather than continuing to expand its previous B2B mobility business, the company is redirecting resources toward supporting autonomous transportation services, including fleet supply, demand optimization, trip planning and rider engagement. Rather than simply being a consumer transportation app or a provider of mobility tools for cities and transit operators, Moovit is now expected to become a key component in Mobileye’s effort to participate across the robotaxi value chain. During Mobileye’s earnings call Thursday, Shashua said Moovit remains “a high-value asset” for the company’s autonomous mobility ambitions. “We have already established a cross-functional team to build this business and are deeply engaged with subcontractors for the vehicle platform, self-driving system installation, and vehicle uplift, and local logistics and infrastructure support,” Shashua said. “Our Moovit division is fully engaged and is a high-value asset for fleet supply, demand optimization, trip planning, and rider engagement,” he added. However, that transition requires a significant change in Moovit’s organization. According to Shashua, the company will reduce resources in parts
Jul 23, 2026 · via calcalistech.com
Minnesota House speaker's killer sentenced to 2 consecutive life terms MINNEAPOLIS (TNND) — The man accused of killing Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and seriously wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, was sentenced in federal court Thursday after pleading guilty last month. Vance Boelter, 59, entered the guilty plea after the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minneapolis notified the court that the Justice Department would not seek the death penalty as part of a plea agreement. Instead, he agreed to serve two consecutive life sentences plus 40 years in prison. “It will not offer me peace of mind that he will have room and board provided for the rest of his life, paid for by my tax dollars,” said Lisa Hortman Bean, Mark's sister. Boelter was indicted on July 15, 2025, on six federal charges, including murder, stalking and firearms offenses, stemming from the June 14 attacks. He also faces separate state charges, including murder, attempted murder, impersonating a police officer and animal cruelty. During his plea hearing, Boelter admitted he spent months identifying and stalking his targets before driving to their homes in the middle of the night disguised as a police officer with the intent to kill them. "Vance Boelter committed an assault on democracy," federal prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. "He shattered the lives of his victims. He terrified Minnesota's public servants. He threatened police and pointed a gun at an officer. He viciously attacked the organs of Minnesota's representative government." According to court documents, Boelter first went to the Hoffmans' home, where he shot and critically wounded the senator and his wife. He then drove to the Hortmans' home around 3:30 a.m., rang the doorbell and identified himself as a police officer conducting a welfare check. When Mark Hortman answered the
Jul 23, 2026 · via abcnews4.com
Waymo Considers Portland as Portland Considers Waymo From the corner of my eye, a periwinkle minivan with rounded corners and bug-eyed windows comes to a stop at a four-way intersection in North Portland. A pair of people in safety vests occupy the front seats. “It’s a Waymo!” my husband gasps. It’s my first time witnessing a robotaxi out in the wild. Unlike those I’ve seen on social media or in the news, this one isn’t driving on train tracks or into flooded roads—which is the least of it. In May, dozens of empty Waymos clogged a cul-de-sac in an Atlanta suburb. Weeks later, amid heavy World Cup traffic in Los Angeles, one crossed a double yellow line, putting itself in the path of oncoming traffic. In 13 separate incidents this spring, Waymo vehicles drove into active freeway construction zones, prompting a mass recall. And yet, since the end of April, Waymo has been mapping Portland—“from its iconic bridges to its bustling, rain-slicked corridors,” according to a press release—with vehicles operated by human drivers. This chaperoned data collection is the company’s first step in launching its self-driving taxi service, which has already rolled out in 10 other American cities. Whether Portland is ready depends on whom you ask. During a public comment period this spring, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) received more than 220 responses from residents, ranging from “I beg you no” to “Safer than some random driver IMHO.” Many supporters portrayed autonomous vehicles (AVs) as part of an unavoidable future. “Don’t keep Portland in the dark ages,” one commenter wrote. “This is going to happen at some point, no point in dragging our feet.” Among the skeptical, safety emerged as the dominant concern, appearing in 52 percent of all comments. Nearly four in five expressed concern that allowing
Jul 23, 2026 · via pdxmonthly.com
The People Fighting Technology That Could Save Thousands of Lives Automation will destroy some jobs—and create others. Somewhere in Los Angeles this year, someone will get home who otherwise wouldn't have. You'll never learn her name. There will be no headline, no celebration, no council resolution—only an unremarkable Tuesday that ends the way Tuesdays are supposed to end. The same non-story will eventually play out in more than a dozen other metro areas where autonomous vehicles will serve as cabs. Last year, 36,640 Americans died in traffic crashes. That was the fewest since 2019, yet it still works out to more than 100 fatalities per day. The new generation of vehicles quietly accumulating mileage on our streets offers enormous promise to bring the number down even more and more each year. Over at Marginal Revolution, economist Alex Tabarrok reminds us that as of March, Waymo's driverless vehicles had logged more than 220 million miles across five of its areas of operation. Compared with human drivers on the same roads over the same period, and counting every crash regardless of fault, the Waymo Driver was involved in 94 percent fewer crashes causing serious or fatal injury. It also experienced 82 percent fewer airbag deployments and 93 percent fewer injury crashes involving pedestrians. Waymo's data cover only mapped city streets, and serious crashes are rare enough that the counts behind these percentages are small. But its analyses are peer-reviewed, the crash reports go to federal regulators, and no one has produced a competing dataset showing anything different. So, who is working to slow this happy development? Tabarrok points to trial lawyers. The American Association for Justice has been lobbying against autonomous vehicle (A.V.) legislation for the better part of a decade. American auto insurance pays out somewhere between $180 billion and $220
Jul 23, 2026 · via reason.com
Ford to use Apple Maps software in self-driving tech for new EV platform The automaker's new Universal Electric Vehicle platform will debut with a mid-size EV pickup priced around $30,000 in 2027 Ford is planning to integrate Apple software into its next-generation fleet of electric vehicles, which will, in turn, help power hands-free driving technology. Apple and Ford announced Thursday that Apple Maps will be included in the automakers' new Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform through the use of Apple's MapKit for Automotive SDK. Ford's UEV will debut with a midsize electric in 2027, and buyers won't need a separate Apple subscription to use the software in the vehicle. The UEV will harness that tech to give drivers turn-by-turn directions with the use of natural language, giving them real-time traffic and incident information, as well as a search function that uses detailed place cards and routing options. The partnership will also see Ford use road-level data from Apple Maps in the development of the company's next-generation BlueCruise hands-free driving capability, as well as its in-house autonomous driving tech. APPLE RAISES PRICES ON SOME STREAMING SERVICES AS LICENSING COSTS CLIMB Apple's MapKit for Automotive SDK provides road-level information to help automakers develop self-driving technologies, and the company said the tool uses the same privacy practices as Apple Maps, noting that it doesn't collect users' location details and activity in a way that can be linked to the individual user. "Apple Maps delivers the best map experience in the world, and we’re excited to bring the power of Maps’ navigation technology to Ford’s innovative Universal Electric Vehicle Platform," said Eddy Cue, Apple’s SVP of services and health. "With our new MapKit for Automotive SDK, we’re bringing Maps further into drivers’ daily lives, giving them an incredibly accurate and easy-to-use navigation system that
Jul 23, 2026 · via foxbusiness.com
Ford's next-generation EV will integrate Apple Maps Ford Motor Co.'s next-generation, affordable electric vehicle platform will integrate Apple Maps to support driver navigation and enable hands-free driving. The Dearborn automaker and Apple Inc. announced on Thursday the partnership that will have Ford being one of the first to leverage the Silicon Valley tech giant's MapKit for Automotive software development for its forthcoming electric midsize truck expected to start at $30,000 that's launching next year at Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky. The embedding means consumers can access Apple Maps without connecting their smartphone to the vehicle. Unlike General Motors Co. that chose to phase out Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Ford still plans to support those technologies on the Universal Electric Vehicle Platform, spokesperson Amy Mast said. The Apple Maps integration just offers consumers a different option for live-traffic, turn-by-turn navigation, place locating and EV routing for charging stations. It also works with the vehicle to precondition the battery for better travel performance. Latitude AI, Ford's wholly owned autonomy subsidiary of 600 machine learning, robotics and software specialists, also will leverage Apple Maps for the development of Ford's in-house advanced driving system. The UEV will have Level 2 hands-off driving at launch in 2027, and Ford expects to launch in 2028 Level 3 driving for the platform that allows drivers to take their eyes off the road. "We’re proud to embed Apple Maps’ navigation and mapping technology directly into our Universal Electric Vehicle Platform," Ford CEO Jim Farley said in a statement, "giving customers the ultimate navigation experience alongside our Ford app, a full suite of software, and next-generation BlueCruise, all enabled by a new zonal architecture. Apple Maps has delivered a world-class product, and we’re honored to be among the first to embed it directly into a vehicle, helping define
Jul 23, 2026 · via detroitnews.com
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Jul 23, 2026 · via autonews.com
Driverless cars are here, and they are apparently better drivers than humans, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The independent safety watchdog organization analyzed the accident rate of Waymo’s autonomous rideshare vehicles compared with human drivers and found that the driverless vehicles were involved in 68 percent fewer crashes per mile traveled. Crash data was examined for over 50 million driverless miles and was limited to crashes that were reported to law enforcement. Of course, there are some caveats to these findings. “The results show that, on a limited scale, these driverless cars are safer than human drivers—who can be impaired or drowsy or suffer lapses in attention,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “However, the present data collection system isn’t good enough to allow continuous monitoring of a large-scale expansion.” IIHS researchers gathered crash reports submitted to NHTSA by Cruise, Waymo, Zoox and others from 2021 to 2024 and cleaned up the data. Redundant records and crashes where the automation was not engaged were culled, eliminating a quarter of the reported crashes. Then, researchers calculated whether the remaining crashes would be severe enough to report to the police if a human were driving. Human drivers are generally required to report crashes that cause an injury or result in more than $1000 in property damage. Crashes in which an airbag deployed were classified as serious enough to report to police. Other factors defined the dataset included the nature of the impact and property damage as well as the types of injuries that were reported. That left only 22 percent of the 736 public-road crashes in which the automation was engaged likely to be police-reportable. All told, 89 crashes involved Waymo vehicles, 50 involved Cruise vehicles, 10 involved Zoox vehicles, and 10 involved other companies. Of
Jul 23, 2026 · via roadandtrack.com
Volkswagen targets Level 3 driving in China from 2027 Volkswagen is expanding its partnership with Horizon Robotics to achieve this goal and strengthen the capabilities of their joint venture, Carizon. The joint venture will gain access to Horizon’s AI foundation model and use it to develop its own software stack for automated driving. Volkswagen holds a 60 per cent stake in Carizon through its software subsidiary Cariad. The company has already developed a hardware chip for intelligent driving, which is also intended for use in China. According to the German Handelsblatt, the expanded partnership aims to accelerate the development of driver assistance systems through to highly automated driving. Volkswagen plans to bring Level 3 functions to series production for customers in China from the second half of 2027. At Level 3, the vehicle can take over the driving task under defined conditions. Drivers no longer need to monitor traffic continuously but must be ready to take back control when prompted. Volkswagen will integrate the new functions into its China Electronic Architecture 2.0 (CEA 2.0), developed for vehicles based on the new China-Specific Platform (CSP). In the long term, the architecture is also intended to support the transition to Level 4 autonomy. “China is one of our key gateways to innovation and technology – particularly in software, artificial intelligence, and automated driving,” said Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume. The solutions developed in China could potentially be deployed in selected international markets in the future, though regulatory requirements vary across regions. Volkswagen expands technology expertise in China These latest plans build on Volkswagen’s gradual expansion of its in-house capabilities for automated driving in China. In 2025, the carmaker announced that Carizon would develop its first system-on-chip (SoC) for driver assistance and automated driving. The planned computing platform, with 500 to 700 TOPS,
Jul 22, 2026 · via electrive.com
Slotkin ban on Chinese cars clears Senate committee Legislation to prohibit the sale of vehicles or connected software and hardware made by companies with significant links to China or other countries of concern was advanced by a U.S. Senate committee. U.S. Sens. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, and Elissa Slotkin, D-Michigan, introduced the measure, saying the People's Republic of China is targeting export markets and that so-called connected vehicles, which transmit data and can even allow for remote control of autonomous vehicles, pose "substantial economic and national security risks" in the United States. But even as he allowed the bill to move forward on Wednesday, July 22, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said it isn't likely to pass the full Senate without a change to a portion of the bill that limits ownership by a covered country to 15%. That, Cruz said, would prohibit Mercedes-Benz (with just under 20% of its ownership tied to Chinese entities or individuals) from selling vehicles in the United States, even though the German-based automaker produces vehicles in South Carolina and Alabama. Cruz called for the bill to be amended in the future to let an interagency group, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CIFUS), determine whether ownership posed a risk no matter what percentage was controlled by foreign investors or countries. He also said the 15% cutoff was "retaliation" by the UAW, which supports the legislation, for its failure to unionize two Mercedes-Benz plants in Alabama two years ago. Cruz allowed the bill to proceed to the full Senate without a formal roll call vote on the committee. As written, the legislation would, after Jan. 1, 2027, prohibit the import or sale of any connected vehicle made or designed in China, North Korea,
Jul 22, 2026 · via freep.com