Americans are increasingly aware of automated, self-driving vehicles, but they’re also increasingly wary of them, a study released Thursday shows. While understanding the technology and capabilities of AVs among U.S. consumers has increased to 58% from 43% in 2024, that understanding is not translating into trusting them, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Mobility Confidence Index (MCI) Study.SM conducted in collaboration with the MIT Advanced Vehicle Technology (AVT) Consortium. Indeed, fewer than one-in-four of the 2,898 consumers age 18 and over responding to the online survey in April said they would be “comfortable” riding in a fully self-driving vehicle. That hesitation to ride in an AV, however, is highly dependent on the specific situation, the study found. More than half, 54%, said they would have greater confidence in lower-risk, predictable scenarios such as food pickup, compared with just 31% for transporting children, revealing how higher risk leads to lower trust. The key to boosting confidence in full self-driving vehicles even in the face of perceived risk depends on “proven safety, real-world performance and clear consumer value,” said Lisa Boor, director of auto benchmarking and mobility development at JD Power, in a statement. “Consumers need to see that these systems can respond to unexpected situations, perform reliably in real-world conditions and clearly communicate what they are doing. Without that, broader adoption will remain limited,” she added. It’s a head-scratching situation, illustrated by the organizations’ Mobility Confidence Index, which measures consumer comfort with fully automated self-driving vehicles and purchase intent. On the index’s 100-point scale, consumer comfort has barely moved in that past three years, coming in at 37 in 2023 and holding steady at 39 in 2024 and 2026. The issues stifling any boost in consumer comfort with AVs are clear, according to the study. Personal safety was cited by
Jun 12, 2026 · via forbes.com
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Jun 12, 2026 · via sfchronicle.com
Gasgoo Munich- Chery Automobile has successfully cleared the rigorous audit for the UN/ECE R171 Safety Management System (SMS), becoming the first Chinese automaker to gain approval from the RDW. The RDW, the Netherlands Vehicle Authority, operates under the Dutch Ministry of Transport and stands as a leading EU certification body since its founding in 1949. As an independent non-profit, it oversees EU type approvals (E4 certification), standard-setting, and vehicle regulation. Its certifications are widely recognized across the EU and ECE nations, serving as a critical gateway for automotive products entering the European market. UN/ECE R171 stands as the world's first unified technical regulation for driver assistance systems. It serves as a mandatory core standard for smart driving models entering the EU market, covering full-process compliance for Driver Control Assistance Systems (DCAS). This regulation sets the authoritative benchmark for safety in high-end intelligent driving globally. Pictured: A representative from TÜV SÜD presents a declaration of conformity to Chery. Chery's successful audit by the RDW signifies that its full-chain management capabilities—spanning development, testing, mass production, and operations of intelligent driving systems—have earned authoritative international recognition. It also marks a pivotal step for Chinese automakers in the global compliance process for autonomous driving. This achievement represents more than just a "technical visa" for the European market; it signals a critical acceleration as Chinese automakers shift from merely exporting products to exporting entire systems. On June 4, Zhao Chongmin, Director of Mobility Services at TÜV SÜD Greater China, formally presented the UN/ECE R171 Safety Management System Declaration of Conformity to Xie Baojun, Vice President of Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. "Safety is the foundation of intelligent driving, just as compliance is the bedrock of globalization for automakers," Xie said. "Chery will continue to refine its safety technologies and management systems to deliver a safer, smarter
Jun 12, 2026 · via autonews.gasgoo.com
Uber is sitting on steep paper losses on its $500 million investment in Lucid Motors, as the EV maker’s stock reached on early Thursday a new record low at $4.47 — equivalent to $0.447 on a pre-reverse split basis. By mid-April, the ride hailing giant held 37.75 million Lucid shares acquired through two separate transactions over the past year. As shares of the Saudi-backed brand closed at $4.70 on Wednesday, the stake was worth approximately $177.4 million — 64.52% below Uber‘s total $500 million investment. The first tranche was announced in July 2025 and officialized in September, when Uber purchased 13.7 million shares for $300 million, implying a cost basis of roughly $21.87 per share. At Wednesday’s close, those shares were worth about $64.5 million — representing a loss of approximately 78.5%. Uber announced a second tranche last April, acquiring roughly 24 million shares for $200 million, or about $8.32 per share. The latest stake is currently valued at approximately $113 million, down about 43.5%. The Original Deal Uber first announced its investment in Lucid on July 17, 2025, as the ride-hailing company, the EV maker and autonomous driving startup Nuro unveiled a three-way robotaxi partnership. Under the deal, Uber committed $300 million in equity and separately agreed to purchase at least 20,000 Lucid Gravity SUVs over six years — for deployment on its platform with Nuro‘s Level 4 autonomous driving system. Lucid shares surged 36% on the announcement, reaching an intraday high of $36.90 on a split-adjusted basis — a level that remained the stock’s 52-week high for nearly a year. Uber routed its investment through its subsidiary SMB Holding Corporation, with the share price set using the arithmetic average of the daily volume-weighted average price over the 30 trading days prior to signing. The deal closed in early
Jun 12, 2026 · via eletric-vehicles.com
DJI Offers drones with Zenmuse L1 & P1 Lidar According to the latest IndexBox report on the global Lidar Drone market, the market enters 2026 with broader demand fundamentals, more disciplined procurement behavior, and a more regionally diversified supply architecture. The global Lidar Drone market is entering a transformative decade, with demand increasingly decoupled from hardware unit sales and migrating toward integrated system solutions and recurring data-as-a-service revenue streams. As autonomous vehicle (AV) development programs accelerate and public infrastructure agencies adopt digital twin frameworks, the need for validation-grade, high-precision 3D data captured by LiDAR-equipped unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is becoming non-discretionary. This market, defined as UAVs equipped with Light Detection and Ranging sensors used for high-precision mapping, surveying, and data collection in automotive and mobility applications, is shaped by capital expenditure cycles of AV engineering teams and regulatory compliance schedules for infrastructure monitoring. Procurement is dominated by project-based CapEx from OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and government entities, though a growing shift toward OpEx models is evident as buyers seek to de-risk technology obsolescence. The supply chain remains exposed to bottlenecks in specialized LiDAR sensor availability and high-performance computing chipsets, forcing system integrators into strategic partnerships or vertical integration. Regulatory complexity, particularly for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, remains a primary market shaper, determining project feasibility and cost structures. Geographic demand is asymmetric: innovation hubs in North America and Europe lead in system design, while volume application growth is driven by large-scale infrastructure projects in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. The competitive landscape is fragmenting into integrated system suppliers, specialized service bureaus, and software/controls specialists, with consolidation likely as OEMs seek reduc The baseline scenario for the Lidar Drone market from 2026 to 2035 projects robust growth, underpinned by the maturation of autonomous vehicle validation cycles and the global
Jun 12, 2026 · via indexbox.io
ASI Releases CEO Playbook for Scaling Autonomy Across Industrial Operations Published Thursday, June 11, 2026 | 5:39 p.m. Updated Thursday, June 11, 2026 | 5:40 p.m. MENDON, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 11, 2026-- Autonomous Solutions, Inc. (ASI) , the worldwide leader of industrial vehicle automation and developer of the Mobius® autonomous fleet management system, announces the publication of a new white paper, “A CEO’s Playbook for Scaling Autonomous Off-Road Vehicles Across Your Operations”. Written by ASI CEO Mel Torrie and grounded in more than 25 years of real-world deployments, the white paper is designed specifically for executive leaders in heavy construction, logistics, agriculture, landscaping, mining, and other industrial sectors. These industries are under pressure to deliver more output with fewer resources, higher safety standards, and increasing operational complexity. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260611599968/en/ ASI — A CEO's Playbook for Scaling Autonomous Off-Road Vehicles Across Your Operations by Mel Torrie, Autonomous Solutions, Inc. (ASI) CEO While most industrial companies recognize autonomy as a strategic priority, few have successfully scaled beyond pilot programs. ASI’s white paper directly addresses this challenge by providing a practical, field-proven blueprint for implementation at scale . “Autonomy has moved past theory. It’s already delivering measurable results in the harshest environments on the planet,” shares Mel Torrie, CEO of ASI . “The real question for leadership teams is no longer if to adopt autonomy, but how to do it safely, profitably, and at scale .” This playbook answers that question. At the core of the playbook are lessons drawn from one of the largest autonomy ecosystems ever deployed: - 300+ autonomous assets managed as a single, dynamic ecosystem by ASI’s Mobius ® - 4.5 million kilometers driven autonomously - 300 million tons moved - 24/7 operations exceeding human productivity benchmarks (105%) To conclude, Torrie
Jun 12, 2026 · via lasvegassun.com
June 11, 2026 03:04 PM EDT
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Trump policy whiplash could slam Japanese carmakers for $40 billion on tariffs, EVs, emissions
Japanese carmakers have absorbed up to $28 billion in Trump-era policy costs, with the total impact expected to exceed $40 billion by 2027.
Jun 12, 2026 · via autonews.com
HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Frontier High School junior is proving that determination, patience and a passion for technology can go a long way. Junior Aiden Bishop is putting those lessons into practice by building an autonomous robot car from scratch. Bishop, who was born with optic nerve hypoplasia, a condition that left him 80 to 90 percent blind, designed, built and coded the project himself. The model vehicle is still a work in progress, but it can already move under its own power. "I've been building, essentially, an autonomous car," Bishop said. WATCH: Frontier student doesn't let vision impairment stop him from building robot car His interest in technology began at a young age. "I really love working with computers. From an early age, my favorite core subject was probably math," Bishop said. "Eventually, because of my visual impairment, I started working with computers more." Using computer-aided design software, Bishop created parts for the vehicle before assembling the project piece by piece. The car uses motors attached to its wheels and is controlled through code that Bishop wrote himself. "The hardest part about this is writing the code," he said. "I've got to tell the motor driver what to do, and then tell each motor what to do." The work requires patience and attention to detail. Because of his vision impairment, Bishop relies on screen magnification software and his phone's camera to zoom in on small components and wiring. "Other people can kind of just look and see where they're putting wires and stuff," he said. Technology and engineering teacher George Ouimet said Bishop approached the project with a clear vision from the beginning. "He came to me with the idea of building a car, and he knew exactly how he wanted to build it," Ouimet said. "I told
Jun 12, 2026 · via wkbw.com
Toyota is pulling the plug on plans for the Lexus LF-ZC, a next-generation electric sedan that was intended to become the technological showcase for the automaker’s future EV ambitions, according to a report from Automotive News. The move marks a significant shift for Toyota and Lexus, as the LF-ZC was originally positioned as the vehicle that would launch Lexus into a new era of dedicated electric vehicles. The sleek, highly aerodynamic sedan was first previewed at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show and was expected to arrive this year. Toyota confirmed the cancellation on May 31, with a spokesman saying the decision was made after considering changing market demand and the resources required for vehicle planning and manufacturing. The LF-ZC, short for Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst, was designed to spearhead a new family of electric vehicles riding on a dedicated EV architecture. It was also expected to debut a number of advanced manufacturing technologies Toyota had spent years developing, including gigacasting, hyper-automated production facilities, digital-twin engineering, modular assembly systems, autonomous vehicle movement within factories, and expanded use of logistics robots. At the time of its unveiling, the LF-ZC was central to Lexus' long-term goal of selling up to one million electric vehicles annually by 2030 and transitioning to an all-electric lineup globally by 2035. The cancellation comes as automakers around the world reassess EV investments amid slower-than-expected consumer demand. Japanese automakers have been particularly cautious in recent months. Honda, Mazda, and Subaru have all delayed, reduced, or restructured portions of their electric vehicle plans. Detroit automakers have made similar moves. General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis have each scaled back EV production plans, postponed factory investments, or delayed new model introductions as consumer demand has softened and government incentives have become less certain. The end of federal EV tax credits in the
Jun 11, 2026 · via carpro.com
Minneapolis council targets self-driving car regulations before Waymo launch Some Minneapolis council members introduced plans Thursday for regulations on autonomous vehicles as a major self-driving car company is set to start operations in the Twin Cities. City council members introduced the proposal as Waymo prepares to launch service in Minneapolis as soon as this fall, according to city leaders. The proposed ordinance would regulate the licensing of autonomous vehicles for commercial use. RELATED: Calls for state oversight before Waymo begins fully operating in Minneapolis Minneapolis City Council Member Robin Wonsley led the introduction Thursday and outlined the next steps to build a legislative policy by 2027. In the coming months, the city will research and build a framework. With the regulations, Wonsley said a priority is protecting rideshare drivers and community members who may be affected by the service. “There are so many outstanding questions about how autonomous vehicles impact not just our workers, but also infrastructure and public transit,” Wonsley said. A set date for when Waymo will be fully operational is not yet clear. The proposal outlines the city’s early steps toward local oversight as the company moves closer to launching service. RELATED: Waymo looks to bring self-driving taxis to Minneapolis
Jun 11, 2026 · via kstp.com
An array of new laws are set to take effect in California on July 1, 2026. These laws cover everything from streaming service advertisements to school bathrooms. Here is a selection: John Burgess / The Press Democrat SB 68: Under the new ADDE (Allergen Disclosure for Dining Experience) Act, restaurants in California with 20 or more locations are required to list major food allergens on their menus. Those allergens include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy and sesame. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)AB 660: Starting July 1, food manufacturers are required to use standardized language for “quality” and “safety” dates. Products must use either “best if used by” or “best if frozen by” to indicate quality, or “use by” or “use or freeze by” to indicate food safety. The law also bans using “sell by” dates that are visible for consumers. Eggs and infant formula are exempt from the new law. (Photo by Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) AB 1127: Licensed firearm dealers must cease the sale of certain semiautomatic pistols, most notably Glock-style handguns, that this bill re-classifies as “machinegun-convertible pistols,” due to a specific trigger mechanism that can be easily converted into an automatic weapon. (Photo by Charly Triballeau / AFP via Getty Images) SB 576: Beginning July 1, video streaming services like Netflix are prohibited from playing commercial advertisements louder than the accompanying video content. According to a statement from the Governor’s office, the state law builds on the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, passed by Congress in 2010, which applied to broadcast television stations and cable operators. (Olivier Douliery / AFP via Getty Images) AB 1777: Self-driving vehicles like Waymo robotaxis will be subject to traffic tickets starting July 1. Police will be able to issue citations to autonomous vehicles for
Jun 11, 2026 · via pressdemocrat.com
Dykema Achieves Top 10 National Ranks in Automotive, Cannabis, and Native American Law Categories in Legal 500 U.S. 2026 Press Releases 6.10.26 Dykema, a leading national law firm, announced today that the firm’s Automotive Product Liability and Class Action Litigation; Automotive, Mobility, and Transportation; Cannabis; and Gaming and Native American Law groups are recognized by the Legal 500 United States 2026 (The Legal 500). Dykema ranked among the top 10 firms nationally in four categories. In addition to the practice rankings, 19 Dykema attorneys were recognized. For 35 years, The Legal 500 has analyzed the capabilities of law firms across the world, with a comprehensive research program revised and updated every year to bring the most up-to-date vision of the global legal market. The Legal 500 assesses the strengths of law firms in more than 150 jurisdictions. The rankings are based on a series of criteria and highlight the practice area teams that are providing the most cutting-edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel. The research is based on feedback from 300,000 clients worldwide. As identified by The Legal 500 categories, the following Dykema attorneys and practices were recognized: Product Liability, Mass Tort And Class Action - Defense: Automotive/Transport Band 1 – Top 7 Firm Nationally Dykema Gossett PLLC maintains an authoritative presence in the automotive sector, leveraging its Detroit heritage and a sprawling national network to provide comprehensive defense for OEMs and global suppliers. The firm is distinguished by its deep bench, featuring trial lawyers who have extensive nationwide experience. Its expertise covers the full lifecycle of vehicle litigation, from proactive regulatory counseling with NHTSA to defending high-stakes class actions and catastrophic injury claims. Dykema is increasingly noted for its specialized work in the electric and autonomous vehicle space, offering clients a strategic advantage in navigating emerging liability frameworks.
Jun 10, 2026 · via dykema.com
NEW ORLEANS, LA - On Wednesday, June 10, 2026, the Transportation Committee convened to hear a presentation regarding national trends in autonomous vehicle regulation, the legal landscape surrounding AVs, Waymo testing in New Orleans, and more. Additionally, the committee heard updates from the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) regarding structural changes and voted on Ordinance No. 35,471. Updates Surrounding Autonomous Vehicles The committee received a presentation from the Executive Counsel, which provided an overview of autonomous for-hire vehicles, including Waymo, Tesla Robotaxi, and Zoox. The presentation discussed how New Orleans may regulate their future operation. Federal regulations define levels of automation that determine where specific types of automated vehicles fall. Autonomous for-hire vehicles operate at Level 4 automation, meaning they can drive without a human driver within designated geographic areas. Federal regulations currently require manufacturers to test, comply with, and certify that their vehicles are free of safety risks under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. The presentation noted that Louisiana currently regulates only commercial autonomous vehicles, while New Orleans' existing transportation regulations are built around human drivers, creating regulatory gaps for driverless services. Examples from California and Texas show common regulatory approaches, including permitting requirements, first responder interaction plans, complaint systems, liability insurance requirements, and emergency response protocols. Waymo is currently testing approximately 12 vehicles in New Orleans with safety drivers behind the wheel and plans to begin autonomous testing later in 2026. Commercial ride-hailing service would not begin until testing is complete. Goals for city legislation on autonomous for-hire vehicles include ensuring that adequate safety controls are in place to protect passengers and other citizens using the public right-of-way. It also includes clear rules for passenger treatment and legal guardrails regarding liability to other cars, cyclists, pedestrians, and pets. Additionally, achieving fee parity across all types of for-hire vehicles
Jun 10, 2026 · via council.nola.gov
Introducing Waymo’s New Reference Model for Human Collision Avoidance Today, we are proud to share that Nature Communications has published our joint research with TU Delft, advancing a breakthrough active inference framework to model human crash-avoidance behavior. This work marks a significant leap in enhanced capabilities and increased realism for our established methodology, providing a careful, competent human driver benchmark for collision avoidance. At Waymo, we call this model ReD (Reference Driver) and use it to assess the Waymo Driver’s ability to avoid crashes. ReD represents the latest advancement in Waymo’s safety research, which includes a dozen published papers on behavioral reference models. It is built upon the same predictive processing framework that powers our established NIEON (Non-Impaired driver with Eyes ON the conflict) model and an earlier active inference model of adaptive human driver behavior, ensuring continuity in our approach. The central idea underlying these models is that human driving behavior can be generally understood as the minimization of surprise. While NIEON focuses on modeling when a human might react to a threat, ReD expands upon these capabilities to model the full closed-loop cognitive process. ReD simulates how a careful and competent human driver updates their beliefs as a situation evolves, manages uncertainty about other road users' intentions, and selects the evasive maneuver, whether that is braking, swerving, or a combination of both. For decades, the automotive industry has used physical and virtual crash dummies to evaluate a car’s safety features, including its hardware and structural integrity. ReD evolves this concept, serving as a behavioral benchmark for autonomous driving systems able to realistically represent reasonable expectations on how a careful and competent human driver responds to traffic conflicts. The cognitive workflow of the ReD model, illustrating the closed-loop process of belief updating, surprise accumulation, and optimal policy selection As
Jun 10, 2026 · via waymo.com
James Wong Cupra Formentor, Leon score custom ABT body kits, Australian launch unclear 2 Minutes Ago Deputy News Editor BYD says it will accept liability for damage caused by some functions within its ‘God’s Eye’ semi-autonomous driving system. China's biggest auto brand, which surged to second place behind Toyota in the Australian sales race in April and May this year, unveiled its latest autonomous-driving chip at a recent Intelligent Driving Strategy event, where it said it would cover damage caused by its Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) function. “The policy states that if a legally liable accident occurs while a user is operating the Urban NOA function in compliance with regulations, BYD will directly cover all resulting economic losses,” said BYD in a statement. This follows a similar promise made by BYD in 2025 to cover damage caused by its Intelligent Parking function, an automatic parking system. Looking for your next car? We'll help you research and compare so you choose with confidence. Both the Intelligent Parking feature and NOA form part of the company’s ‘God’s Eye’ advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), which is not currently available in any BYD model sold in Australia. The guarantee is extended to new-vehicle buyers and existing owners who upgrade to the latest LiDAR-based God’s Eye 5.0 system in China, amounting to a fleet of more than 3.15 million vehicles. This includes models such as the BYD Seagull hatch – sold here as the BYD Atto 1, Australia's cheapest electric vehicle (EV) – as well as the second-generation Atto 3 electric SUV that's expected on sale here in 2027. In a statement, BYD claimed it is the “world’s first automaker to offer such dual coverage for its advanced driver systems”. However, several automakers including Mercedes-Benz have also said they will accept responsibility for collisions involving
Jun 10, 2026 · via carexpert.com.au
Uber and the British-based autonomous-driving startup Wayve are preparing to launch what could be the United Kingdom’s first public robotaxi service, with a waitlist for London riders interested in using the service once regulators grant final approval. Beginning this week, Uber users in London can sign up for a chance to ride in autonomous Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles equipped with Wayve’s self-driving technology. The service is expected to launch in the coming months, initially with trained safety operators behind the wheel while the technology is monitored on public roads. The service would mark a milestone for autonomous mobility in Europe, where deployment has been sluggish, lagging behind the pace of approval set by United States and China. Robotaxi services already operate in several US cities including San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. “This is the first time the general public will be able to hail an autonomous vehicle in the UK,” Kaity Fischer, Wayve’s vice president of commercial and operations, told Reuters. The first cohort will be limited to a small fleet operating in selected parts of London. Riders matched with an autonomous vehicle will have the option of accepting the trip or switching to a conventional Uber ride, and Uber said fares will be the same as standard trips. Wayve’s technology relies on artificial intelligence, cameras, and radar sensors to navigate city streets. The company has been testing autonomous vehicles in London since 2018 and says its system has been trained to navigate the London’s complex traffic environment, including buses, cyclists, and heavy pedestrian activity. The service does still require approval from local authorities before it’s officially fully deployed, including from Transport for London. Current UK regulations do not allow for fully driverless commercial ride-hailing operations, meaning safety drivers will remain onboard initially, though that should start to change
Jun 10, 2026 · via autoweek.com
AI startup Decart on Wednesday unveiled Oasis 3, its latest interactive world model that can generate photorealistic driving environments in real time, TechCrunch has exclusively learned. The model is currently available via API. The startup is initially targeting autonomous vehicle companies that need to simulate rare driving scenarios at scale, and plans to expand into robotics and other physical AI applications. But the bigger bet is on developers: By offering API access from day one, Decart is trying to build a developer ecosystem around world models much like how OpenAI did with language models. “It’s going to be the first usable world model that people can actually program on top of,” Dean Leitersdorf, co-founder and CEO of Decart, told TechCrunch. “I think there’s going to be an entire developer community that emerges on top of this.” The startup already has a community of more than 100,000 developers, many of whom are building products on top of its real-time video model Lucy, largely in e-commerce and livestreaming. Oasis 3 is based on that foundation model, and it represents the company’s push into physical AI. Access is priced at $0.02 per second, and enterprise pricing depends on use cases, Decart said. Decart is playing in an increasingly packed world model arena. Last year, Google released Genie 3 in research preview, Fei-Fei Li’s World Labs launched Marble for commercial use cases, and video generation startups like Luma and Runway are also translating their physics-aware video models into world models. Oasis 3’s release comes a few weeks after two-year-old Decart raised $300 million, which Leitersdorf says followed “huge demand increases for the models we built” in e-commerce, livestreaming, and physical AI. The round boosted Decart’s valuation to nearly $4 billion, and brought a series of strategic investors such as Toyota, Adobe, and eBay. All
Jun 10, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
Waymo has created a new computer model designed to more accurately answer a fundamental question: How does its autonomous driving software stack up against humans? The Alphabet-owned robotaxi company, which developed the computer model of human driving capabilities in conjunction with TU Delft, published a research paper about it in Nature Communications on Wednesday. Waymo said it expects the new model to be “more advanced” than the previous version it has used over the past several years. The new model was built using a framework called active inference — the theory that a driver is constantly imagining possible futures and taking actions to reach the safest, most predictable one. Waymo said the new model will help it better understand how humans behave in crash scenarios that its robotaxis encounter. “For decades, the automotive industry has used physical and virtual crash dummies to evaluate a car’s safety features, including its hardware and structural integrity,” Waymo wrote in a blog post on Wednesday. The new model, Waymo said, “evolves this concept, serving as a behavioral benchmark for autonomous driving systems able to realistically represent reasonable expectations on how a careful and competent human driver responds to traffic conflicts.” A more accurate model of human driving behavior is table stakes for autonomous vehicle companies that need to understand and grade the performance of its robotaxis in crashes. And it comes at a critical juncture for Waymo, which is scaling to more cities and facing greater scrutiny from regulators and the public. In January, when a Waymo robotaxi struck a child near a school in Santa Monica, California, the company relied on its previous computer model to claim that an attentive human driver would have made impact at around 14 miles per hour. The Waymo robotaxi hit the child at just 6 miles per
Jun 10, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
WeRide announces plans to commercialize Level 4 autonomous vehicles in Slovakia, showcasing technology and gaining government support. Quiver AI Summary WeRide, a leader in autonomous driving technology, announced its plans to commercialize its Level 4 autonomous vehicle portfolio in Slovakia during a meeting with Prime Minister Robert Fico and other government officials in Bratislava. The meeting emphasized WeRide's technological capabilities and its commitment to deploying a range of autonomous vehicles for smart mobility, public transport, logistics, and sanitation. The first batch of vehicles is expected to arrive this month, with testing beginning in Bratislava and expansion plans for Košice and the High Tatras region. Both the Slovak government and China's ambassador expressed their support for the initiative. WeRide aims for selected vehicle models to enter public commercial operations in 2026, pending regulatory approval, as part of its broader European expansion strategy that includes projects in five other countries. Potential Positives - WeRide plans to commercialize its Level 4 autonomous vehicle portfolio in Slovakia, marking a significant expansion in the European market. - The Slovak government, including Prime Minister Fico, expressed strong support for WeRide's technology and initiatives, indicating a favorable regulatory environment for autonomous driving. - WeRide's deployment in Slovakia will involve multiple use cases, including public transportation and logistics, showcasing the versatility and potential impact of its autonomous technology. - The company has established a strong presence in Europe with existing projects in five countries, demonstrating its leadership and commitment to the autonomous driving sector. Potential Negatives - There is no mention of a timeline for the completion of regulatory approvals, which could delay the commercialization of their Level 4 autonomous vehicles in Slovakia. - The press release may raise public concerns regarding the safety and regulatory readiness of the vehicles, as the deployment is still subject to meeting
Jun 10, 2026 · via quiverquant.com
Waymo has acquired a massive proving grounds site near Phoenix in a $220 million deal that emphasizes the autonomous ride-hailing company's growing commitment to the metro.
The property – which stretches 5,458 acres around 211th Avenue and Dove Valley Road – is in the far northwest portion of the City of Surprise, bordering Wittmann. Chrysler formerly used the site to test its vehicles, then Apple reportedly used it for its own autonomous vehicle testing.
The acquisition closed on June 5, according to real estate database Vizzda. A spokesperson for Waymo confirmed the deal on June 8, though was unable to provide further details at the time of publication.
Jun 9, 2026 · via abc15.com