Autonomous net-based system intercepts FPV drones before they strike army vehicles Military vehicle defenses are evolving beyond passive armor with autonomous systems built to stop incoming FPV drones in real time. Read Next: High-energy lasers: Pentagon pushes 500-kW systems for cruise missile defenseThe growing use of first-person view (FPV) attack drones is forcing militaries to rethink how they protect vehicles and critical equipment on the battlefield. Israeli aerospace defense company ParaZero Technologies has positioned its DefendAir platform as an active alternative to traditional armor, aiming to stop incoming drones before they reach their targets. The company said DefendAir uses autonomous sensing and a non-explosive interception system to counter fast-moving FPV drones. ParaZero believes the platform can protect both moving vehicles and stationary high-value assets without adding the weight penalties associated with conventional protective structures. FPV threats are evolving Low-cost FPV drones have become one of the most disruptive weapons in modern conflicts. Despite their relatively small price tags, they have repeatedly damaged or destroyed expensive military platforms with precision strikes. Military planners increasingly view active counter-drone systems as essential for protecting armored formations near the front lines. That trend has exposed the limitations of improvised protective structures such as steel “cope cages,” which many armed forces adopted to reduce drone attacks. ParaZero argues those solutions struggle against increasingly agile drones capable of approaching targets from multiple directions. Instead of relying solely on physical barriers, the company designed DefendAir as an active protection system that detects an incoming drone and launches a net-based interceptor before impact. The approach avoids explosive countermeasures, reducing the risk to nearby personnel and equipment. More from Military See AllParaZero says the system creates a 360-degree defensive envelope around protected assets. It also removes the need for an operator to manually engage every incoming threat, allowing the
Jul 11, 2026 · via interestingengineering.com
Editor’s note: Luminar Technologies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was delisted from Nasdaq. Its lidar business assets, including the Iris and Halo product lines, were subsequently acquired by MicroVision (NASDAQ:MVIS) in a bankruptcy auction. Original article references to Luminar (LAZR) as an independent non-Chinese lidar alternative below were incorrect and have been updated to reflect these details. Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections. Duke University professor Miroslav Pajic recently demonstrated how brittle the sensors underneath America’s self-driving fleet are. In one attack, malware embedded in a lidar unit conjured a person in the sensor’s point cloud who was not physically present. In a second, a real physical obstacle was made to vanish entirely from the sensor output. Pajic told CNBC it is “easy to physically spoof lidar,” warning that malware inserted at the factory or via firmware updates can stay dormant until triggered, and that automakers usually cannot audit a lidar maker’s proprietary source code. The company at the center of that risk is Hesai Group (NASDAQ:HSAI), a Shanghai-based lidar maker that commands roughly one-third of worldwide automotive lidar sales. The Pentagon blacklisted Hesai as a Chinese military entity in 2024, a designation that prohibits Pentagon contracts but does not ban commercial sales to US autonomous platforms. Hesai sensors are already inside Amazon’s Zoox robotaxis, trucking firms Waabi and Kodiak, AV company Nuro, and Agtonomy, and they monitor passenger and traffic flow at New York’s JFK Airport security checkpoints. NVIDIA Doubles Down NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA | NVDA Price Prediction) selected Hesai as a lidar option for DRIVE Hyperion 10, its reference architecture for Level 4 autonomy, at CES in January 2026. In March, Hesai joined the Nvidia Halos AI Systems Inspection Lab, the first ANSI-accredited inspection lab for AI-driven physical systems. Jensen Huang framed the ambition simply: “Our
Jul 10, 2026 · via 247wallst.com
Police in San Mateo, Calif., posted Monday on social media that they had apprehended a pair of teenagers from a Waymo driverless robotaxi after the company alerted authorities to suspected criminal activity. It's the latest incident involving video surveillance of passengers and others by autonomous vehicles — raising questions about the limits of privacy in such vehicles. The Facebook post by the San Mateo County Police said: "Parents do you know where your teens are? @waymo does!" The 15-year-olds were allegedly drinking alcohol and shooting toy guns from the car, according to the police. They said Waymo's systems detected behavior that then triggered a safety response, after which the company disabled the vehicle and contacted police. Waymo's cars, equipped with an array of cameras, microphones and other sensors to monitor passengers and other nearby vehicles, are becoming more common in cities across the United States. Experts say the detention of the two teens in San Mateo highlights a potential — but not inevitable — trade-off between privacy and convenience. It also questions the extent to which companies similar to Waymo are required to hand over private data, including audio and video of passengers, in situations where a crime is suspected. NPR reached out to Waymo, which is owned by Alphabet, the parent company of Google, for comment on the details of the San Mateo incident and how the company responded, but did not hear back. But on its website, the company says that as many as 29 cameras in its autonomous cars provide an all-around view and "are designed with high dynamic range and thermal stability, to see in both daylight and low-light conditions, and tackle more complex environments." "There already exist laws that govern duty to report or even duty to protect" for carriers such as Waymo, according to
Jul 10, 2026 · via klcc.org
Detroit Evening Report: Waymo cars blocking first responders Sascha Raiyn July 10, 2026Also, African World Festival begins at Hart Plaza today, Lake St. Clair Metropark to receive updates and more. Federal regulators say the autonomous vehicle company Waymo must stop its cars from blocking first responders. Waymo has been testing its vehicles in Detroit. The head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the agency found several cases of Waymo driver-less vehicles traveling into emergency scenes, blocking firefighters or failing to stop for flashing lights and flares. Federal regulators say they will meet with autonomous vehicle developers to devise ways to address the problem. A Waymo vehicle will stop, however, if it notices nefarious activity from kids riding in it. A Waymo car in California recently stopped in a parking lot and called police after two teens in its back seat allegedly began drinking alcohol and shooting water beads from a toy gun. Additional headlines for Friday, July 10, 2026 Bar IX location coming soon? Detroit’s first women’s sports bar is crowdfunding to open a permanent space. Bar IX hosts pop-up watch parties for women’s sports. The bar has raised 65 percent of if its 125-thousand-dollar goal since the campaign kicked off on June 30. Organizers are giving away merchandise such as stickers, keychains, and t-shirts with donations. African World Festival The African World Festival is this weekend at Hart Plaza. The festival celebrates culture and history with music, spoken word, food and a retail marketplace. The festival starts today and runs through Sunday. Visit Charles H Wright museum website at for more info and to buy tickets. Lake St. Clair Metropark to receive updates Lake St. Clair Metropark is getting 15 million dollars in improvements. The improvements include reopening the North Marina, expanding accessibility across the park, adding
Jul 10, 2026 · via wdet.org
New XPENG Robotaxi: KITT Or My Mother The Car … Or Both! Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe. David Hasselhoff fans, prick up your ears! The Chinese EV startup Xpeng Motors is one step closer to marketing a robotaxi that fulfills the vision of Hasselhoff’s souped up, crime fighting Pontiac Trans Am KITT in the hit TV series Knight Rider, combined with all the parental instincts of the self-driving, horn-tooting 1921 Ford Model T that stole the show in the not-so-hit series My Mother The Car. No, really! Read on…. The XPENG Difference With other stakeholders in the autonomous vehicle business breathing down its neck, the pressure is on XPENG to produce a robotaxi that outdoes all others. I test drove a sporty XPENG P7 for a hot minute or two in August of 2020 (yes, that was months before a vaccine was available — how could I resist?) and my question is why would anyone pass up a chance to drive an Xpeng for themselves? That P7 was a sweet ride! Nevertheless, for anyone who needs a taxi, EVs provide an edge over gasmobiles, with a smooth, quiet, zero emission ride. As one of my robotaxi-taking friends sees it, roboticized EVs also offer an extra layer of peace and quiet, being driverless. In May of this year, XPENG announced the start of mass production for its new robootaxi, billing it as “China’s first production-ready, pre-assembled Robotaxi model developed entirely with in-house technologies and engineered to L4 autonomous driving standards.” CleanTechnica editor Zachary Shahan took note of the difference between XPENG and other AV stakeholders in China: “While there are other robotaxis roaming the roads of China from tech giant Baidu and dedicated robotaxi firms, this is a different thing — it’s a passenger car company
Jul 10, 2026 · via cleantechnica.com
Waymo Expands Driverless Robotaxi Service to Four US Cities Waymo will begin operating fully driverless robotaxi services in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, and Denver, expanding its autonomous ride-hailing network to more than 10 US cities as competition in the sector intensifies. The company will initially offer the service to employees before opening rides to the public, while allowing residents in the four cities to download its app and receive notifications when commercial operations begin. The expansion comes as Uber, Tesla, and Zoox advance their own autonomous mobility strategies through new investments, partnerships, and vehicle deployments. The autonomous driving unit of Alphabet said the four-city expansion represents the next phase of its commercial rollout strategy. Existing Waymo service areas include Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, and San Francisco, where customers can already request fully autonomous rides through the company’s application. Waymo did not provide a timeline for public availability in the new markets but confirmed that operations will begin with employee-only access before transitioning to commercial service. Denver plays a central role in the company’s technical development plans because it allows Waymo to expand operations into regions with winter weather conditions. Among the vehicles planned for deployment is the Ojai, a blue SUV equipped with Waymo’s sixth-generation Driver system, which was developed to operate in snowy environments. To prepare its autonomous driving software, Waymo conducted testing across the Sierra Nevada mountains, as well as in Michigan and New York, where winter conditions provide opportunities to validate system performance. The company also announced that it has begun operating Hyundai IONIQ 5 vehicles with an autonomous specialist inside the vehicle, a validation step conducted before launching fully driverless operations on a new vehicle platform. According to regulatory filings cited by CNBC, Waymo had approximately 4,000
Jul 10, 2026 · via mexicobusiness.news
If You Get Drunk and Brandish a Fake Gun in a Waymo, Don't Blame the Cameras Firing a toy gun out of a camera-covered robotaxi while underage drinking was never going to end well. Two teenagers were detained by police in San Mateo, California, earlier this week after a Waymo representative alerted law enforcement that the vehicle's underage occupants were drinking alcohol and shooting what appeared to be a real weapon out of the driverless car. A Waymo representative, "monitoring the vehicle's live interior camera feeds," called the San Mateo Police Department after seeing the teens fire a toy water-bead blaster that resembled a real gun, according to NBC Bay Area. Waymo shared the car's location with authorities and disabled the vehicle after telling its teen occupants it was "experiencing mechanical trouble," according to the cops. In an attempt to inject a bit of humor into what could have been a more serious situation, the police department began its recap of the event on Facebook with "Parents, do you know where your teens are? @waymo does!" While the levity was mostly well-received in the comments, some people used the post to raise questions about privacy in the age of autonomous vehicles. Irina Raicu, director of the Internet Ethics program at Santa Clara University, told NPR the post may "make Waymo passengers wonder what triggers a police intervention." At the same time, Alessandro Acquisti, an information technology professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told the outlet that Waymo is "most likely" not being entirely truthful to customers about its use of their data. But framing this case as a privacy issue fuels misunderstanding of Waymo's operations and a company's responsibility to its customers. You have to be within range of your Waymo to unlock the ride. At 14 and 15
Jul 10, 2026 · via reason.com
If the head of the nation's auto safety oversight has his way, self-driving cars won't need brake pedals or steering wheels in the near future. In an interview on CNBC's Squawk Box on Thursday, Jonathan Morrison, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said he supports innovation in autonomous vehicles, including doing away with some features that are currently mandatory. "If you're developing a vehicle that is designed never to be driven by a human operator, does it make any sense to require manual control for the vehicle?" Morrison said. "I think the answer is pretty clear there." Some self-driving cars, such as models intended for ridesharing fleets from companies like Uber and Tesla, are already steering in that direction, since they aren't designed for human driving. Some, such as the cars used by Waymo, can be taken over by remote human drivers. Removing brake pedals and steering wheels, however, would mean that a human could not take over if an autonomous car stalls or a dangerous situation arises that requires intervention. Makers of autonomous vehicles have been urging action on changing requirements for driverless cars since at least 2019. In 2022, NHTSA revised rules for some types of self-driving vehicles on how they must be designed. Morrison's comments and recent action on requirements for brake pedals suggest it's now happening. Morrison said NHTSA is responsible for policing the industry, but doesn't want to stand in the way of progress. "The promise that these technologies offer, it's really undeniable," he said. "We want to see it succeed, we want to see it develop. That said, it needs to be done right." The cars, they are a-changin' Adding to the complexity of what NHTSA is dealing with as it decides what rules apply to driverless cars and how soon
Jul 10, 2026 · via cnet.com
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is demanding that automated vehicle developers keep their tech from interfering with police and firefighting activity. In a letter sent Wednesday to AV developers, agency head Jonathan Morrison called the situation “unacceptable” and a “functional insufficiency.” He said the agency has documented multiple incidents of automated vehicles driving directly into active emergency and law enforcement scenes, blocking the paths of emergency vehicles and failing to recognize traffic cones and flashing lights. The letter tells developers to come up with a solution to be presented to the agency by the end of July. “NHTSA has already been active in this space and will continue to exercise our enforcement authority for developers that do not address significant safety concerns,” Morrison said in the letter. Last month in Chandler, 12News reported an automated delivery robot from DoorDash entered an active SWAT situation. The robot did not respond to police orders to leave the scene. - Hundreds of firearms and thousands of ammunition were destroyed on International Firearms Destruction Day at a military base in the Mexican state of Sonora. - Chandler police on Wednesday arrested a 48-year old doctor from Gilbert on suspicion of sexual assault and abuse last year. Court records appear to show a pattern of behavior with patients. - People have been lining up early — sometimes sleeping there overnight — in hopes of getting a wristband that will allow them access to the courtroom. The 14 coveted seats reserved for the public are first come, first served. - El Mirage police say a 35-year-old man died in custody over the holiday weekend. An outside investigation led by Peoria police is underway. - Two Gilbert police officers saw possible signs of life multiple times, but the child was still taken to the hospital's “cold
Jul 10, 2026 · via kjzz.org
US to explore allowing driverless cars without steering wheels The head of the top U.S. auto safety regulator said the agency “absolutely” will consider ending requirements that driverless cars include steering wheels, a potential boon for Tesla Inc. and other robotaxi companies rethinking traditional vehicle design. “If you’re developing a vehicle that is designed never to be driven by a human operator, it doesn’t make any sense to require manual controls,” Jonathan Morrison, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said Thursday in a CNBC interview. The comments follow NHTSA’s move last month to update federal safety standards to remove the mandate for manual brake pedals in autonomous vehicles. The changes, part of an ongoing effort by the Trump administration to modernize rules for driverless cars, could ease the path for purpose-built autonomous vehicles including Tesla’s Cybercab, a two-seat electric car that lacks a steering wheel or foot pedals. Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has advocated for policy changes that would support broad commercial deployment of self-driving vehicles, including calling for a federal framework for driverless cars. The automaker, which is working to stand up a robotaxi business, has started producing Cybercabs in recent months but has yet to deploy them broadly. The robotaxi market includes a number of big-name players, including Amazon.com Inc.’s Zoox and Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo, the leading operator of paid robotaxi rides in the U.S. Morrison didn’t specify timing or other details of any potential reevaluation of steering wheel rules. The brake pedal change would only apply to vehicles designed to operate exclusively without a human driver, while leaving existing rules unchanged for all other types of cars. With assistance from Amy Stillman.
Jul 10, 2026 · via detroitnews.com
Why did San Francisco's historic fireworks end in massive gridlock? The Fourth of July was expected to be an unforgettable night for the 100,000 people who made their way to San Francisco to watch a historic Golden Gate Bridge fireworks show. What they might not have anticipated was major gridlock after the event. Leading up to the event, thousands of people were constantly making their way to San Francisco's shoreline in anticipation of the city's fireworks display. Some drove or arrived by public transit, while others were seen by a USA TODAY reporter using robotaxi services. However, by the end of the night, the streets surrounding the Presidio and Marina neighborhoods became gridlocked as thousands of commuters attempted to leave the area, resulting in hours-long waits. One aspect that contributed to the gridlock was a number of Waymo's self-driving robotaxis idling on the road as traffic officials tried to remedy the halt in traffic. Waymo acknowledged that the traffic congestion on the Fourth of July led to a disruption of "normal operations" among its vehicles and that the company worked with city officials to clear traffic, according to a statement from Waymo. That didn't stop the public from criticizing the weekend congestion. San Francisco resident Honest Charley Bodkin shared his concerns with the San Francisco Board of Supervisors during Tuesday's meeting. Bodkin explained how his trip back home with his nephews took close to three hours as the buses they were riding were "physically blocked by multiple Waymos that were stalled." "It is a complete misnomer to call these 'autonomous vehicles,' when they depend on the internet to function," Bodkin said during public comment. "Because that dependency is known, the mayor's office, the department of emergency management, the (San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency) should have restricted Waymo's operation in that
Jul 10, 2026 · via usatoday.com
About
Press
Copyright
Contact us
Creators
Advertise
Developers
Terms
Privacy
Policy & Safety
How YouTube works
Test new features
NFL Sunday Ticket
© 2026 Google LLC
Jul 10, 2026 · via youtube.com
Abu Dhabi has opened a new central control room to oversee and monitor autonomous vehicle operations across the emirate, strengthening safety as self-driving transport services continue to expand.
The facility, launched by the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), uses advanced technology to track autonomous vehicles in real time, monitor routes and speeds, analyse trip data, and coordinate emergency responses when required.
The control room will also manage permits and approve operating routes, helping ensure autonomous vehicle services meet safety and regulatory standards.
The ITC says the new facility is a major step in supporting the growth of smart mobility while providing stronger oversight of self-driving transport.
.@AD_Mobility, an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, has launched a central control room dedicated to managing and monitoring all autonomous vehicle operations across Abu Dhabi, ensuring the highest levels of safety and operational efficiency. pic.twitter.com/emgVEDwc8l
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) July 10, 2026
Jul 10, 2026 · via arnnewscentre.ae
New Jersey lawmakers are deliberating on a law that would create a three-year autonomous vehicle pilot program in the state, but Tesla might be banned from participating altogether over a technical choice made by the Texas-based carmaker for its self-driving vehicles. The bill, officially known as S1677, would establish autonomous vehicle testing requirements with the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) and the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. One of these proposed requirements is that autonomous vehicle operators use camera-based technology and two additional forms of sensor tech, such as lidar or radar. Of course, Tesla's autonomous vehicle technology is purely camera-based, meaning the brand could be banned from testing in New Jersey. The text of the bill is fairly straightforward, requiring prospective autonomous operators to submit a "law enforcement interaction plan" and detail redundant safety systems, crash-avoidance technology, and data recording capabilities. The specific language that would ban Tesla's system requires autonomous operators to "be equipped with crash-avoidance systems, including a camera system and two distinct sensing modalities that are capable of detecting and tracking obstacles in the event of failure of the camera system." The bill also favors keeping traditional steering wheel and pedal controls available. While initial testing would be completed with human safety operators, the bill would allow fully autonomous operation once certain metrics, such as 50,000 crash-free miles, are met. The decision to require both camera- and sensor-based technology is not a coincidence, according to The Verge. "This is not anti-Tesla. I’m pro-New Jersey safety," Democratic state senator Andrew Zwicker, the bill’s primary sponsor and a physicist by trade, said to The Verge. "At this point, I don’t think the evidence is sufficient that a single sensor with software can handle situations that humans can." Tesla is, unsurprisingly, upset about this development, and the company
Jul 10, 2026 · via roadandtrack.com
Advanced platform will track routes, manage permits and support real-time operations Abu Dhabi: Under supervision of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council, the Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility), an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), has inaugurated a central control room dedicated to managing and monitoring autonomous vehicle (AV) operations across Abu Dhabi, in the presence of Sheikh Hamdan bin Saeed bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, and Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of DMT. This strategic step aims to enhance direct supervision and effective regulation of the sector through advanced systems for real-time monitoring, data analysis, and decision support, ensuring the highest levels of safety and operational efficiency. Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here. The inauguration of the control room comes amid the continuous expansion of autonomous vehicle services in the emirate, highlighting the importance of developing regulatory mechanisms that keep pace with the rapid growth of this sector. The ITC stated that the control room ensures all monitoring and response activities align with designated schedules and regulatory requirements, allowing immediate monitoring of autonomous vehicle movement and rapid response to any operational or emergency situations, in accordance with approved procedures, thereby enhancing road safety. The control room is equipped with advanced monitoring and operational systems, including a centralised supervision system. It also incorporates an integrated platform for the operation and testing of autonomous vehicles (AViTOMS), enabling real-time tracking of vehicle locations, speeds, and routes. It also enables comprehensive trip recording and analysis, coordinated emergency response management with relevant authorities, and the generation of periodic data-driven reports to enhance routing and optimise operational efficiency. In addition, the platform manages the process of issuing permits and approving operational routes. Dr Abdulla Hamad AlGhfeli, Acting Director General of ITC, said,
Jul 10, 2026 · via gulfnews.com
Waymo called the cops on teen riders, raising privacy concerns Police in San Mateo, Calif., posted Monday on social media that they had apprehended a pair of teenagers from a Waymo driverless robotaxi after the company alerted authorities to suspected criminal activity. It's the latest incident involving video surveillance of passengers and others by autonomous vehicles — raising questions about the limits of privacy in such vehicles. The Facebook post by the San Mateo County Police said: "Parents do you know where your teens are? @waymo does!" The 15-year-olds were allegedly drinking alcohol and shooting toy guns from the car, according to the police. They said Waymo's systems detected behavior that then triggered a safety response, after which the company disabled the vehicle and contacted police. Waymo's cars, equipped with an array of cameras, microphones and other sensors to monitor passengers and other nearby vehicles, are becoming more common in cities across the United States. Experts say the detention of the two teens in San Mateo highlights a potential — but not inevitable — trade-off between privacy and convenience. It also questions the extent to which companies similar to Waymo are required to hand over private data, including audio and video of passengers, in situations where a crime is suspected. NPR reached out to Waymo, which is owned by Alphabet, the parent company of Google, for comment on the details of the San Mateo incident and how the company responded, but did not hear back. But on its website, the company says that as many as 29 cameras in its autonomous cars provide an all-around view and "are designed with high dynamic range and thermal stability, to see in both daylight and low-light conditions, and tackle more complex environments." "There already exist laws that govern duty to report or even
Jul 10, 2026 · via npr.org
Atlanta Uber drivers say Waymo robotaxis are cutting into earnings, call for protections Drivers for rideshare services gathered in metro Atlanta on Thursday, saying autonomous vehicles are cutting into their earnings and calling for protections as robotaxis become more common on local roads. "Probably like 10 to 30%, depending on the day," said Richard Feinburg, a rideshare driver who estimates his income has declined since autonomous vehicles entered the market. Feinburg said he worked as a graphic artist before turning to rideshare driving. What started as a part-time job has since become his primary source of income, but he said rising vehicle expenses and declining earnings are making it increasingly difficult to stay behind the wheel. "I'm trying to get out of it and just do it part time on the weekends because I can't keep putting as many miles on my vehicle," Feinburg said. "There's a lot of maintenance on top of it — fueling, tire changes — and the companies do not cover any of that." Waymo's autonomous vehicles, which make up most of the driverless fleet operating in metro Atlanta, are available through the Uber app. When the service launched, Uber and Waymo told CBS News Atlanta the autonomous vehicles would primarily handle shorter trips, which they suggested were often less desirable for drivers. Feinburg said that has not matched his experience. "That's the thing about it," Feinburg said. "A lot of the profitable drives are the short-distance trips." He said changes to rideshare pricing over the years have made shorter trips more lucrative than longer ones, increasing competition for those fares. Drivers attending Thursday's rally said they want policymakers and rideshare companies to ensure autonomous vehicles do not come at the expense of workers' livelihoods. "We are here today because we want to put people over
Jul 10, 2026 · via cbsnews.com
Atlanta rideshare drivers rally against Waymo expansion ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Rideshare drivers rallied Thursday in Atlanta, saying autonomous vehicle services are already cutting into their earnings and that the shift is happening without their involvement. Bob Chouhan, co-leader of the Atlanta Rideshare Drivers Union, said the pace of Waymo’s expansion concerns him. “The rate at which they’ve been coming into this market, they could easily within a space of the next few years replace all drivers because they don’t need bathroom breaks, they don’t need to sleep,” Chouhan said. Chouhan has driven for Uber and Lyft for several years. He said the work was once a reliable source of income but has since declined. “As time has gone by it’s gradually become a little bit of a nightmare for us because the income has whittled away,” he said. Chouhan said shorter, in-city trips — once among the most profitable — are no longer coming through. “Those were some of the best paying rides back then and now we’re seeing that a big number of those type of rides have actually been lost. We don’t get them anymore,” he said. Uber said autonomous vehicles will create new opportunities but will also displace workers. The company said 85% of its drivers use the platform fewer than 40 hours per week. In a statement, Uber said it is working on transitions for affected workers. “Durable solutions will require broader collaboration among governments, industry, and worker representatives,” the company said. Georgia state Rep. Gabriel Sanchez, D-Smyrna, said he believes corporate decisions around the rollout are being made without community input. “Our community is supposed to be built with the input of the people right and that is not what’s happening,” Sanchez said. Sanchez also said he is concerned about the potential
Jul 10, 2026 · via atlantanewsfirst.com
Featured Stories
Why the QX65 is Infiniti’s most important model of 2026
In June, the QX65’s first full month on the market, sales of the model topped internal projections by 25 percent.
In June, the QX65’s first full month on the market, sales of the model topped internal projections by 25 percent.
Jul 9, 2026 · via autonews.com
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has told autonomous vehicle developers to address safety failures that have led some driverless vehicles to interfere with emergency responders, warning that the issue is unacceptable and needs to be fixed quickly. In a letter sent Wednesday, NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison said the agency has identified a "clear pattern" of autonomous vehicles driving into active emergency scenes, blocking ambulances and fire trucks, and failing to react appropriately to flashing lights, traffic cones, smoke, fire, and other emergency conditions. He said these incidents are not rare "edge cases," but point to a meaningful gap in real-world performance. NHTSA instructed developers and operators to submit their proposed solutions by the end of July. The letter does not name specific companies, but it is expected to affect robotaxi operators such as Waymo, which has previously faced incidents where first responders had to manually move its vehicles during emergencies. The agency did not outline specific penalties for noncompliance but said autonomous vehicle companies could be held to standards similar to those applied to human drivers who obstruct emergency operations.Separately, NHTSA said it is continuing work to update Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to better accommodate fully autonomous vehicles. Proposed changes could remove requirements for features such as steering wheels, pedals, windshield wipers, sun visors, and defogging systems in vehicles designed to operate without human drivers—potentially benefiting companies including Tesla and Zoox. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News July 03, 2026 16:09 ET A busy week for economic data saw the release of several reports on the labor market and the manufacturing sector. In the U.S., the jobs report for June was in focus and results of the latest ISM purchasing managers’ survey threw light on the health of the factory sector. In Europe, results
Jul 9, 2026 · via rttnews.com