Manna Aero, the Ireland-based autonomous drone delivery startup, has been a smaller player in the United States. Founder and CEO Bobby Healy told TechCrunch that’s about to change. The startup, fueled by the $50 million in venture capital it raised in April, said Wednesday that it’s setting up a U.S. operations and manufacturing center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that will employ about 1,000 people over the next several years. Construction on the factory is underway and Healy expects manufacturing to begin there in about a year. As construction continues, the company will focus on scaling its operations team to about 200 to 300 people over the next 12 months, according to Healy. The pace of hiring at the factory will depend on the rate of growth outside of Tulsa, he said, noting that the company is assessing six other U.S. cities. If all goes well, Manna will start entering those cities by the end of 2027. The end goal is to turn Manna Aero into a major U.S. drone delivery operator that competes with Zipline, Amazon, and Google’s Wing, among others. “It’s just the size of the market here, consumer behavior, and the fact that the aggregators (DoorDash, Uber Eats) have consolidated the market so well, and they’re so well run,” Healy said, explaining the U.S. expansion. “The United States has the market that everybody wants.” Manna operates automated, remotely monitored drones that don’t land. Instead, they lower the package on a tether, the same technique used by Wing and Zipline. Manna has a hybrid business model. It is fundamentally a delivery-as-a-service company that charges per flight. But it has different ways of achieving that, including through partnerships with DoorDash, Deliveroo, and Uber Eats in Europe as well as direct partnerships with businesses and its own consumer-facing app. Manna is still
Jul 8, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
Waymo, the autonomous driving technology company, announced on Wednesday its next phase of testing that aims to bring its ride-hailing service to select areas of San Diego. After months of the light-blue all-electric Zeekr RT minivans assessing Waymo software with a human in the front seat, the vehicles will further enhance the company’s testing of San Diego roads and freeways by going fully autonomous — with no human at the controls. A spokesperson for Waymo told the Union-Tribune this next round of assessments will start in a matter of weeks. During that time, all rides will only be available to Waymo employees. So when can everyday San Diegans catch a ride? The company said it expects to provide trips by the end of this year. Waymo is driving and collecting information in neighborhoods that include Pacific Beach, Normal Heights, La Playa in Point Loma, South Crest and other areas within the city limits — although not as far north as La Jolla. In recent months, the minivans have almost become a common sight in places like Bankers Hill and Hillcrest. The company also announced that in addition to San Diego, cities such as Las Vegas, Denver and Tampa will soon be driving in fully autonomous mode. Waymo is already fully operational in 11 cities, such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and Dallas, with a network spanning more than 1,800 square miles. When fully put into place, customers can hail a Waymo robo-taxi 24/7 by downloading an app. But while Waymo touts its move into the San Diego market, some want to put the brakes on the rollout. Critics have come to the Metropolitan Transit System meetings to voice concerns, including potential job losses, safety issues, and the robotaxis possibly blocking first responders. “Allowing autonomous passenger services without guardrails opens the
Jul 8, 2026 · via govtech.com
The last thing two California teenagers probably expected was for their getaway car to call the police on them. According to the San Mateo Police Department, two 15-year-olds were allegedly drinking alcohol and shooting toy guns from a Waymo robotaxi when the company remotely stopped the vehicle and alerted authorities. Officers arrived a short time later and detained both teens. According to a report by NBC Bay Area News, a Waymo representative was monitoring the live feed of the interior of the car. The representative believed the passengers were firing a real weapon from the vehicle, and called 911 to report the incident. Waymo shared the location of the vehicle with the San Mateo police and remotely disabled the car; to avoid rising any suspicions, the Waymo team reportedly told the teens that the car was experiencing a mechanical issue and needed to stop. Police then say they moved into position and removed the teens from the vehicle. Upon searching the Waymo, authorities said they discovered it was an Orbeez gun that was being fired from the car, not an actual gun. Orbeez guns fire water-absorbent beads; while the beads are non-lethal, the devices that fire them can resemble a real firearm. “While there was some ingenuity to this scheme, toy guns, water guns, and BB guns all pose real dangers, especially to an untrained eye,” said the San Mateo Police Department on social media. The police did give the teens credit for making at least one good decision: they hired a Waymo to be driven around town, instead of drinking and driving. The teens were released to their parents and not arrested. The incident serves as a reminder that autonomous vehicles are more than just self-driving cars, they're also highly connected computers. As robotaxis become more common, passengers may
Jul 8, 2026 · via roadandtrack.com
Waymo launching fully autonomous service in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Waymo announced it will soon launch autonomous service in Las Vegas.
Rider-only trips will start with Waymo employees in the Las Vegas area, including the Strip, according to Wednesday's announcement.
Service will expand to the public in the coming months.
Las Vegas is one of four cities where Waymo is launching fully autonomous operations, along with Denver, San Diego and Tampa.
Riders in Las Vegas will also be among the first to have access to the Ojai, a new vehicle that features elevator-like doors, an expansive cabin and digital personalization.
Waymo, which is a subsidiary of Google's parent company Alphabet, already offers full commercial service in the Phoenix and Los Angeles metro areas.
Las Vegas has become one of the nation's hotbeds for autonomous vehicle testing.
Aside from Waymo, the Amazon subsidiary Zoox offers commercial rides around the Las Vegas Strip and other nearby points of interest.
Autonomous carmaker Motional said it would also partner with Uber to offer commercial robotaxi service.
Jul 8, 2026 · via news3lv.com
The Government will introduce a new manpower transition package to ensure point-to-point drivers have access to good working opportunities in the future of transportation, even as Singapore progressively adopts more autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies to enhance its connectivity and transport options. Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling announced the package on 7 July 2026, at the Future of Transport Motion in Parliament. In her speech, Ms Sun shared that the Government recognises the challenges of career transitions, especially the opportunity costs of stepping away from driving to attend training. She added that the Government is taking a proactive approach to helping workers adapt, transition to new roles and acquire new skills in the age of autonomy and AI. “The manpower transition package is one of more upcoming moves we are putting in place for our point-to-point drivers. We will continue to work closely with the unions and support our workforce as jobs evolve,” said Ms Sun. NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Yeo Wan Ling, who supported the motion, said Singapore “must bring our workers along” as it strengthens its position as a global transport hub. “We must listen to our workers' concerns, so that we know how to address them … By listening to our workers' concerns, we can better understand how to co-create their future,” she said. Ms Yeo called for stronger collaboration between the Government, employers, unions and workers, as well as clear career transition pathways that will lead to more meaningful outcomes. These priorities are reflected in the new manpower transition package. To support drivers who wish to explore new career opportunities, the transition support package will introduce a range of measures to make career transitions easier. Career Conversion Programmes From the third quarter of 2026, the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) will launch a new
Jul 8, 2026 · via ntuc.org.sg
Joyriding teens blast California city with BBs before shocking high-tech takedown See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The California Post on GoogleA pair of California teens allegedly used a Waymo robotaxi ride to work on their target practice while drinking alcohol — only for the self-driving vehicle to help bring their joyride to an abrupt end. The two 15-year-olds were riding through San Mateo on Monday afternoon when the autonomous vehicle company alerted police that its passengers appeared to be drinking and shooting objects from inside the car, NBC first reported. The robotaxi eventually pulled over, where police determined they had been drinking alcohol while firing Orbeez water beads from the vehicle. “While there was some ingenuity to this scheme, toy guns, water guns, and BB guns all pose real dangers, especially to an untrained eye,” the San Mateo Police Department wrote in a social media post. “The simple handling of them can cause fear in [passersby] or to those who don’t get a good look. Shooting projectiles at speed can cause real damage. And lest not forget the underage drinking. All bad ideas today for these two. Well, the Waymo might have been the smartest idea yet, because driving impaired would’ve made this so much worse.” In another bizarre Waymo-related crime, San Francisco cops are still hunting a yoga pants thief who allegedly used a driverless Jaguar as a getaway car after swiping merchandise from a Marina District yoga studio in January. Sign up for the California Morning Report newsletter California's top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day. Thanks for signing up! Despite obtaining a search warrant for Waymo footage, investigators have been unable to identify the suspect because interior video had already been deleted and exterior footage blurred faces for
Jul 8, 2026 · via nypost.com
HONG KONG/SINGAPORE (July 8): Shares of Momenta Global debuted flat in Hong Kong on Wednesday, after the Chinese autonomous-driving firm raised about HK$5.89 billion (US$751 million) in its initial public offering. The stock opened at HK$301 versus its IPO price of HK$295.60, reaching as high as HK$314.80 before trading at the HK$299 level. Momenta's debut is a key test of investor demand for Chinese AI and advanced technology companies, as Hong Kong faces a record wave of lock-up expirations after a strong first-half for new listings. "July's peak unlocking period is clearly weighing on things, some new listings aren't performing as expected, so the market sentiment has cooled noticeably," said Dickie Wong, executive director of research at Hong Kong-based uSMART. "Investors seem more selective on valuations right now, especially in AI or tech." Cornerstone investors, or big investors that committed to buy shares before listing, included existing backer Mercedes-Benz, BlackRock funds and China's Boyu Capital, according to the prospectus. Other cornerstone investors include GIC, Fidelity International, Oaktree, Franklin Templeton and ChinaAMC. That lineup of cornerstone investors and pricing at the top end of the offer range showed decent global investor appetite for China's AI story, said Gary Ng, senior economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis CIB. "Still, the lack of a sharp surge suggests sentiment remains cautious with a focus on long-term opportunities, unlike the global AI hype," Ng said. "There can be pressure on valuation in the tech sector. Whether these firms can hold up after listing is key to watch, which may not always be the case for previous cases." Other Hong Kong debutants on Wednesday also had a mixed start. Visual AI firm Reconova opened 16.9% lower, while mining autonomous-driving firm Eacon started trading 3.5% higher. Trench-cover maker Baogai opened flat, while silicon carbide chip maker BasicSemi
Jul 8, 2026 · via theedgemalaysia.com
- As of press time, Momenta's stock price had risen by about 6%, bringing its total market capitalization to 73.6 billion Hong Kong dollars. - Momenta's IPO international offering drew institutional orders exceeding HK$100 billion, while the public offering was oversubscribed 413.6 times. Chinese autonomous-driving company Momenta (HKEX: 6880) rose in its trading debut in Hong Kong on Wednesday, after its initial public offering attracted subscription orders of more than HK$100 billion. The stock opened at HK$301, up about 1.8% from its offer price of HK$295.6, giving it a total market value of about HK$70.9 billion ($9 billion). As of press time, Momenta's gains had widened to 6%, reaching HK$313 per share, with a total market capitalization of HK$73.6 billion. Assuming full exercise of the over-allotment option, Momenta offered about 22.93 million shares globally, raising total proceeds of around HK$6.8 billion. Market enthusiasm ran high. The public offering was oversubscribed 413.6 times, while the international offering drew institutional orders exceeding HK$100 billion. Excluding cornerstone investors (before greenshoe), the international offering was oversubscribed about 44 times, with orders spanning sovereign funds and long-only institutions across 15 countries and regions. The offering assembled a marquee lineup of cornerstone investors. Fourteen cornerstone investors subscribed for a combined roughly HK$3 billion in shares. These investors include Singapore's sovereign fund GIC, asset managers Fidelity International and BlackRock, and automaker Mercedes-Benz Group AG. BYD (HKEX: 1211) and Oaktree Capital also took part. Notably, Mercedes-Benz invested in Momenta as early as 2017, becoming the first international automaker to take a stake in the company. The Suzhou-based company also counts General Motors and Tencent Holdings among its backers. China International Capital Corp and Deutsche Bank served as joint sponsors of the offering. Founded in 2016, Momenta provides autonomous-driving technology for mass-production vehicles and operates a robotaxi service. It
Jul 8, 2026 · via cnevpost.com
When mounted to a vehicle, the U.S. Army’s Volcano mine dispenser can blanket roughly 32 acres with up to 960 mines. Now, the service is testing a system that can do the same thing without a driver behind the wheel. During May demonstrations at Camp Grayling, Michigan soldiers remotely fired the Autonomous Volcano for the first time before later having it lay two separate minefields without human assistance, Picatinny Arsenal announced Tuesday. The test represents the Army’s latest move to modernize legacy equipment, systems tactics and munitions with emerging technology. In the combat engineering world, the service is experimenting with using unmanned aerial systems to drop grappling hooks, and it is trying to send drones — instead of humans — into the breach. The Army has also tested autonomous vehicles for mortar resupply and autonomous boats for information gathering. The autonomous Volcano variant paired the service’s decades-old M139 Volcano dispenser with a driverless Palletized Load System truck — an upgrade designed to keep combat engineers out of danger. The system also automatically logs locations and uploads it to the Army’s shared battlefield map, or common operating picture. Soldiers from 4th Engineering Battalion remotely fired inert mine canisters from the dispenser in the demonstration’s first live-fire scenario. Then, the system autonomously and simultaneously emplaced two minefields. “Autonomous Volcano leverages low-cost modernization to turn a legacy platform into a high-yield autonomous asset — securing asymmetric overmatch and closing a critical area-denial gap,” Col. Vinson Morris, who oversees the Army’s project manager for close combat systems, said in a statement. The project was developed jointly by the U.S. and United Kingdom, according to the release, with defense contractor Forterra integrating the existing Volcano mine dispenser onto the automatic vehicle. The Army plans to test the system in a series of realistic battlefield scenarios
Jul 7, 2026 · via defensenews.com
As AI costs continue to rise, companies are looking for ways to cut back. The most recent example is Microsoft, which has reportedly begun to deploy a cost-savings strategy by relying less on software from OpenAI and Anthropic and instead deploying its own in-house models. Indeed, when it comes to two of its most widely used programs — Excel and Word — Microsoft has begun to use its homemade MAI models to respond to a certain percentage of user prompts, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. In the past, the company had advertised the fact that large parts of Office 365 are powered by models from both OpenAI and Anthropic. While Microsoft still relies on those third-party models, it has also increasingly sought to stand up its own AI agents. Last month, at its annual Build conference, the company announced the launch of seven new MAI models, including an agentic coder and a text-to-image generator. When reached for comment by TechCrunch, Microsoft said that it had nothing further to share. Microsoft’s apparent cutbacks are part of a broader trend. After a brief blitz of “tokenmaxxing” earlier this year, the last few months have seen a news cycle awash in stories about tech companies acting significantly more thrifty. Other large companies — like Amazon, Uber, Meta, and Accenture — have also reportedly made moves to curb spending. The immense cost of providing and buying AI services has become a controversial part of the industry. The sticker shock has gotten so bad in some parts of Silicon Valley that some companies are reportedly looking to Chinese models for more affordable agentic solutions — despite some concerns over potential security issues.
Jul 7, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
Brothers Patrick and Ryan Coughlin, each with impressive careers in the tech industry (Patrick worked in national cyber defense, and at Splunk and Cisco; and Ryan with consumer products at Apple and Spotify), have launched a new kind of security startup. Savi Security seeks to protect everyday folks from the new crop of incredibly convincing AI-generated scams, whether they’re routed via text, emails, or phone calls. The company just raised $7 million in seed funding, and is launching its app for iPhone and Android on Tuesday. The round was led by Acrew Capital, with participation from Magnify Ventures, TTCER, and Resolute Ventures. The inspiration for the company came from a horrifying incident involving the founders’ mother. About two years ago, Patrick Coughlin’s mom called him, distraught, saying she had just received a phone call from a man saying he had kidnapped Coughlin’s sister. He was senior vice president of security products at Cisco at the time. (He landed there after Splunk bought his cloud security startup TruSTAR for a reported $82 million in May 2021. In 2024, Cisco bought Splunk.) Her mobile phone rang with the caller ID of her daughter, Coughlin recounted. During that call, “she thinks she hears my sister’s voice saying, ‘Mom, they’ve got me.’ There’s a blood-curdling scream, and then my sister says, ‘You’ve got to do what they tell you.’ And then a man comes on the phone and says, ‘If you don’t pay us $1,200 right now, we’re going to kill your daughter in the parking lot of the local Walmart,’” he continued. The scammer had accurately spoofed Coughlin’s sister’s number, her voice, and referenced the location of the Walmart she frequented. Fortunately, the mom kept her wits, called the daughter, and discovered that she was fine. The kidnapping was an AI-generated scam. Coughlin,
Jul 7, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
SF Supervisor to Launch Inquiry on Waymo's July Fourth Traffic Meltdown San Francisco streets turned to gridlock after a special Fourth of July Golden Gate Bridge fireworks show. City leaders are working to understand the root causes. More than 30 Waymos became stuck in the only parking area for the fireworks show on July 4, 2026, blocking parking for hours. (Courtesy of Dr. R, AGI Summit 2026) Following San Francisco’s Fourth of July traffic meltdown, one supervisor is demanding answers from city departments about how autonomous vehicle companies like Waymo and “insufficient transit options” contributed to the gridlock. Supervisor Bilal Mahmood told KQED on Monday he planned to submit a letter of inquiry at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, seeking information from the city’s Department of Emergency Management, Fire Department, and Municipal Transportation Agency on how autonomous vehicles impacted public transit service, emergency response and egress from an event that far exceeded attendance expectations. More than 100,000 people descended on the northern part of the city for the special Golden Gate Bridge fireworks show, according to Charles Lutvak, spokesperson for San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. Social media posts from people who ventured to the northern end of the city to view the fireworks described a “Waymo traffic nightmare,” where dozens of robotaxis blocked traffic, leading to lengthy delays. Mahmood said due to the backlog of cars in part caused by Waymo, he was forced to walk an hour home from Fisherman’s Wharf, as public transit and rideshare were rendered useless. “It was clear that they were compounding an already congested traffic situation and weren’t moving themselves,” Mahmood said. Waymo declined to provide specific numbers on how many of its vehicles experienced issues or needed to be manually moved by staff on the night of the Fourth, but said some vehicles
Jul 7, 2026 · via kqed.org
Waymos driving speed limit in left lane as training at airport continues, THP weighs in NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Waymo driverless cars are on the roads in a 60 square mile range in Nashville. As the company trains its technology at the Nashville International Airport, Tennessee Highway Patrol is preparing for an eventual interstate launch, too. After Waymo confirmed the BNA test news, FOX 17 News reached out to airport officials about traffic patterns and safety plans. READ MORE: BNA Test: Waymo training at Nashville International Airport With the airport training comes an eventual autonomous launch on the interstates in Nashville, FOX 17 News' Johnny Maffei continues his extensive coverage on driverless cars asking THP about trooper's training and preps. THP Lt. Bill Miller tells FOX 17 News: - Training: "The training consisted of an overview of the vehicle and its technology." - Lane Usage: "Troopers were informed that the vehicle can use all lanes, including HOV lanes if it has multiple occupants. The vehicle is designed to not exceed the posted speed limit. - Emergency Protocols: "In an emergency, troopers were advised where the vehicles documentation would be located. Waymo illustrated how the vehicle responds to emergency vehicles equipment. The vehicle has the ability to communicate with the Waymo dispatch to assist with problem solving and decision making." READ MORE: Lawyers talk safety threshold for future as driverless cars hit the road Viewers have commented on the autonomous vehicles traveling the speed limit in the left lane. Lt. Miller responded to that topic saying "The main message here is that fast lane is not intended for speeding. It is intended for vehicles to travel the speed limit, merge into and to pass slower moving vehicles.” THP adds it will continue to look into all aspects of autonomous vehicles. FOX
Jul 7, 2026 · via fox17.com
Two teens who engaged a Waymo car for an afternoon of carousing were busted after the vehicle delivered them to the San Mateo police.
The 15-year-olds allegedly were drinking alcohol and shooting water beads from a toy gun as they rode in the driverless car Monday, the police’s social media post said. Waymo stopped the car in a parking lot and notified the police, who detained the teens.
Police photos show five officers, one with a dog, surrounding the car at a shopping center just south of the interchange of El Camino Real and Highway 92.
The police post allowed “there was some ingenuity to this scheme” but said underage drinking and brandishing of even toy guns to strangers are “bad ideas.”
Waymo cars have interior cameras, and the images can be monitored by the company’s employees. In “more urgent circumstances,” the support team “may access live video during a trip,” Waymo’s support page says.
Jul 7, 2026 · via mercurynews.com
May Mobility has appointed Balajee Kannan as Senior Vice-President of Autonomy Core Engineering, effective 29 June 2026, as the autonomous vehicle (AV) company advances towards global commercial deployment. Kannan joins from Motional, where he led level 4 AV development, with over 25 years in robotics. Kannan will oversee autonomy performance, perception, behaviour, mapping and localisation. Working alongside Jacob Crossman, Senior Vice-President of Autonomy Engineering, he brings prior experience from Argo AI, Amazon and GE. May Mobility has completed 550,000 commercial rides and 1.1 million autonomous miles in the US and Japan. The appointment builds on recent executive additions including Thomas Fennimore as Chief Financial Officer. In a statement, Balajee Kannan said: “I’ve spent more than 25 years in robotics and autonomy, and believe this industry is now at a critical inflection point where breakthrough technology is meeting real-world scale. May Mobility stands out for its bold vision and passionate individuals dedicated to the mission, and I’m excited to help shape the next generation of autonomous systems alongside this team.” Dr Edwin Olson, Chief Executive of May Mobility, added: “Balajee is one of the most accomplished autonomy leaders in the industry, with a proven track record of turning breakthrough technologies into reliable, deployed systems. His technical expertise and leadership will be instrumental in preparing our autonomy system to scale to new markets globally.” Source: May Mobility
Jul 7, 2026 · via automotiveworld.com
Operations too frequent.
Try again later
Page not found, please try again later.
Take me home
Jul 7, 2026 · via moomoo.com
Despite a 9% gain in the benchmark S&P 500 so far in 2026, Tesla (TSLA +6.69%) stock has moved in the opposite direction, posting a 12% loss (as of market close on Thursday, July 2). The company is coming off two straight years of declining electric vehicle (EV) sales, so investors are understandably cautious. But on July 2, Tesla reported its EV deliveries for the second quarter of 2026 (ended June 30), blowing away Wall Street's expectations. They also grew for the second consecutive quarter, which suggests this critical part of Tesla's business might finally be recovering. That said, Tesla stock is trading at a sky-high valuation, which makes it a very tough investment despite recent improvements in its EV sales. Here's why it probably isn't a good buy right now. Tesla's EV sales appear to be recovering Tesla delivered 1.79 million EVs in 2024, which was a 1% decline from the previous year. Sales fell at an even faster pace of 9% in 2025, with deliveries coming in at just 1.63 million. EV sales still account for over 70% of Tesla's revenue, so the declines put a real dent in the company's earnings, which plummeted by 47% last year alone. Fortunately, the electric vehicle business seems to be recovering. Tesla delivered 358,023 cars during the first quarter of 2026, which was up 6% from the year-ago period. And on July 2, the company announced 480,126 deliveries for the second quarter, which was up 25%. It also topped Wall Street's average forecast of around 406,000 deliveries by a very wide margin. NASDAQ: TSLA Key Data Points Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have sparked a surge in gas prices since February, likely benefiting Tesla's sales during the second quarter as more consumers made the switch to an EV. However, gas
Jul 7, 2026 · via fool.com
Stalled Waymo cars involved in July 4 gridlock, company confirms An hours-long traffic jam in San Francisco on Saturday July 4 was partly the result of stalled Waymo vehicles, the autonomous car company has confirmed. Alleged videos of the gridlock surfaced on X, where drivers posted angrily about Waymo cars that wouldn't move. A Waymo spokesperson confirmed to Mashable that the city's 4th of July celebration at the Golden Gate Bridge led to traffic disruptions, a high volume of travelers, and unexpected road closures nearby. You May Also Like While some of the autonomous vehicles remained operational, others ran out of charge while idling and were towed as a result. "Our priority is keeping San Francisco moving safely, especially during major city celebrations," the Waymo spokesperson said in a statement. "Our team is always evaluating ways to strengthen Waymo's resilience in major traffic disruptions." This isn't the first time that stalled Waymo cars have caused traffic jams in the city by the Bay. Last December, a power outage gave San Francisco Waymo vehicles trouble at intersections without functioning stoplights, and the company had to temporarily suspend its service. Ironically, two days before the 4th of July gridlock, Waymo posted a video on X about the simplicity of hailing one of its cars. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. "Because after a night out, getting home should be the easiest part," the video's caption reads. Topics Self-Driving Cars Social Good Rebecca Ruiz is a Senior Reporter at Mashable. She frequently covers mental health, digital culture, and technology. Her areas of expertise include suicide prevention, screen use and mental health, parenting, youth well-being, and meditation and mindfulness. Rebecca's experience prior to Mashable includes working as a staff writer, reporter, and editor at NBC News Digital
Jul 7, 2026 · via mashable.com
Passengers in a Waymo vehicle were terrified as the car drove into lit fireworks in the middle of a San Francisco street during Independence Day celebrations over the weekend. Video footage of the incident shows a group of passengers who were shocked as the driverless car seemingly approaches lit fireworks in the middle of a street as the explosives are about to launch. As the car gets closer, someone on the street appears to warn the vehicle to stop by waving their hand. DELTA FLIGHT STRUCK BY FIREWORKS WHILE LANDING IN CHICAGO ON FOURTH OF JULY, FAA INVESTIGATES "No, no, no, don’t go, don’t go, don’t go," one of the passengers is heard saying off-camera. The autonomous vehicle then passes over the colorful flames and sparks. "Our Waymo just drove into a firework," a passenger says in the clip. ZOOX ROBOTAXI REDESIGN BRINGS BIG RIDER UPGRADES "Are we on fire, dude?" a fellow passenger asks. A Waymo spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the company "is committed to keeping our riders safe and earning the trust of the communities where we operate." "We take situations like this seriously and are committed to evaluating and learning from these events," the statement continued. BROOKLYN BRIDGE CATCHES FIRE AMID NYC FIREWORKS DISPLAY AS TRUMP HAILS IT IN DC SPEECH No injuries were reported to either the passengers or the vehicle, and the company reached out to the riders after their trip. The possession of fireworks, even "Safe and Sane" explosives, is illegal in San Francisco, the city's fire department said. One woman was killed and two other adults and a child were injured Saturday in a separate fireworks explosion, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Elsewhere in San Francisco, some Waymo vehicles were towed when their batteries died after vehicles became stuck in traffic
Jul 7, 2026 · via foxnews.com
Since Henry Ford first proposed his Model T, Americans have fallen in love with the automobile. From the moment the car first appeared, it represented freedom and allowed ordinary people to explore places far beyond their immediate location. But as exciting as these machines were, they were also very complicated and potentially dangerous. And this led regulators to create stringent rules to ensure that the operator of any vehicle was always in control. That assumption shaped not only the overall design of the car and its steering wheel, pedals, dashboard, warning lights, and seat, but even the legal language that defined the vehicle's purpose. Now, in 2026, one of the clearest examples of that human-centered rulebook is in focus. The NHTSA may be about to target a specific regulation that covers the light vehicle braking rule, proposing that the human foot no longer has to be a crucial part of this picture. The Brake Pedal Was Never Just A Brake Pedal | 2026 Tesla Cybercab Specifications | | |---|---| | Motor | Single AC three-phase permanent-magnet motor | | Transmission | Single-speed automatic | | Drivetrain | Front-wheel drive | | Power | 219 hp | | Torque | Not disclosed | For generations, people have implicitly understood that if they're sitting behind the car's brake pedal when the vehicle is in motion, they're fully responsible for safety and control. That assumption has been in place since the early days of Henry Ford and his fellow trailblazers. Various regulations existed over time until, in 1995, the NHTSA finalized Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 135 and codified more formal language. This was a time when anti-lock brakes, hydraulic systems, and other technologies were becoming increasingly important, and the new rules (with some additions in 1997) covered not only cars but
Jul 6, 2026 · via carbuzz.com