WASHINGTON — Waymo has issued a safety recall of thousands of its autonomous vehicles after federal regulators determined that a software defect in the company's self-driving system could allow robotaxis to drive into floodwater. The defect, which affected 3,791 vehicles, caused the cars to slow down and then proceed into standing water on higher-speed roadways — a scenario the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said raises the risk of crashes and injuries. The recall affects vehicles equipped with Waymo's 5th and 6th Generation Automated Driving Systems. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company reported the defect to NHTSA on May 1, 2026, and the agency acknowledged the recall in a letter dated May 11. Under normal circumstances, a properly functioning autonomous driving system is expected to detect and avoid road hazards including flooded surfaces. In this case, according to NHTSA's recall notice, the software did the opposite — it recognized the hazard enough to slow the vehicle but then allowed it to continue forward into the standing water anyway. "Entering a flooded roadway can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury," the agency said in its official recall acknowledgment. Waymo has already deployed an interim fix. According to NHTSA, the company imposed tighter weather-related restrictions and updated the maps used by the vehicles to navigate. The company said all 3,791 affected vehicles received that interim software update by April 20, 2026, before the recall was formally filed with the agency. Waymo has not yet provided a permanent fix, which the NHTSA flagged in its letter to the company. Waymo will need to provide a full description of the final recall remedy as required under federal regulations. Waymo is also required under federal law to submit eight consecutive quarterly status reports on the recall, followed by
May 13, 2026 · via wcnc.com
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May 12, 2026 · via youtube.com
Waymo is recalling its U.S. fleet of robotaxis after one of the autonomous vehicles was swept away when it drove into floodwaters in San Antonio. The software recall stems from an incident during severe weather April 20, when a Waymo vehicle "encountered an untraversible flooded section of a roadway," the company told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Though the vehicle detected the flooded road, it continued into floodwaters at reduced speed. Waymo said the vehicle was unoccupied and that there were no injuries, but the incident prompted the company to review similar scenarios and issue an interim update to its self-driving software. It also suspended operations in San Antonio, a city prone to flooding and where the April 20 incident was the second recent local instance of a Waymo vehicle struggling with flooding. NHTSA said Waymo also has temporarily narrowed its operating scope to increase weather-related restrictions and updated its service-area maps while it works on a permanent remedy. Outside San Antonio, passengers should see little or no impact. "We are working to implement additional software safeguards and have put mitigations in place, including refining our extreme weather operations during periods of intense rain, limiting access to areas where flash flooding might occur," Waymo said in a statement. The company said Tuesday it had resumed autonomous operations in San Antonio after its longest-ever shutdown but is still not serving riders. The recall affects 3,791 vehicles equipped with the Alphabet Inc.-owned company's fifth- and sixth-generation automated-driving system, according to documents posted to the NHTSA website. Waymo says its autonomous fleet has about 3,800 vehicles. The April 20 incident occurred when a robotaxi was overtaken by Salado Creek floodwaters. Crews recovered the vehicle four days later along the Greenway Trail system near Pletz County Park. Neither Waymo nor city officials have
May 12, 2026 · via autos.yahoo.com
Waymo is recalling about 3,800 robotaxis in the United States after one of its autonomous vehicles drove straight into a flooded road, reports Reuters. The recall is to fix a software issue that apparently didn’t let the car recognize the danger posed by venturing into water. The company said the incident happened April 20 in San Antonio, Texas, when severe weather caused several area roads to become submerged during a torrential downpour. No passengers were inside the vehicle, but it nonetheless prompted Waymo to review why this would happen in the first place and how its vehicles handle these types of scenarios. “We are working to implement additional software safeguards and have put mitigations in place, including refining our extreme weather operations during periods of intense rain, limiting access to areas where flash flooding might occur,” Waymo said in a statement. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Waymo has already taken steps to develop a permanent fix, including increasing a vehicle’s weather-related operating restrictions and updating maps to better identify flood-prone areas. The recall adds to the questions aimed at autonomous vehicle technology. The robotaxi company is already under investigation by NHTSA after one of its vehicles struck a child near a school in California earlier this year. The National Transportation Safety Board is also looking into an incident that occurred this past January in Texas where Waymo vehicles reportedly passed a stopped school bus with its flashing lights activated. Waymo operates robotaxi in several US cities, including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, and is continuing to expand into more complex environments and areas with more variable weather conditions.
May 12, 2026 · via autos.yahoo.com
VIDEO: Waymo robotaxi runs red light at busy Dallas intersection DALLAS - Newly released video shows a Waymo self-driving vehicle running a red light and navigating through moving traffic at a busy Dallas intersection. While the company is working to address the issue, at least one research scientist believes the technology still needs work. Waymo Robotaxi Runs Red Light What we know: A FOX 4 viewer captured dash camera video of the robotaxi on Irving Boulevard over the weekend. It shows the Waymo vehicle entering the intersection against a red light. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and nearby drivers managed to avoid a collision. "It kept going forward, going forward, almost like it was going to make a turn. And I was like, ‘Oh this is interesting. It doesn’t know what to do.’ And then it just drives right out into the intersection in the traffic. And thankfully no one hit the Waymo or there were no wrecks," the viewer said. He said he felt a responsibility to share what he saw but didn’t want to share his name because of his technology-oriented job. What they're saying: In a statement to FOX 4, Waymo claimed the traffic light was "heavily dimmed" when viewed from the right-turn lane. The company said it is actively taking steps to address the issue. "Safety is our highest priority at Waymo—for our riders and everyone with whom we share the road," Waymo said in a statement. The other side: Neel Bhatt is a research scientist with the Center for Economy at the University of Texas at Austin. He believes the technology used to ensure safety with autonomous vehicles still needs work, and he warns that companies are rushing things. "Coming from a research standpoint, I think there are a lot of things that we need
May 12, 2026 · via fox4news.com
AUSTIN, Texas — An Austin-based autonomous vehicle company is now under federal investigation after several crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) made its investigation of Avride public last week. Investigators said they've received 16 reports of crashes in Austin and Dallas involving the company's automated driving system. They say the AVs changed lanes into the path of, or directly into, other vehicles. They also said the vehicles failed to slow or stop for slow-moving or stopped vehicles, and they hit objects that were partially obstructing the road. In the crashes that were reported, one person allegedly had a minor injury. In all of these crashes, the vehicles were driving themselves while under the supervision of an in-vehicle operator. A spokesperson for Avride told KVUE the company is committed to transparency. They said in most of the reported crashes, the vehicle was traveling at a slow rate of speed, and in many cases, other drivers' actions came before the crashes. They also said they did not confirm the minor injury that was reported. They also said every incident goes through a review so they can make improvements. The company’s full statement can be found below: “Avride is aware of the Preliminary Evaluation opened by NHTSA. We welcome the opportunity to provide the agency with a deeper understanding of our safety protocols and technology. Transparency is a core value of our operations, and we look forward to a constructive dialogue that supports the continued progress of the autonomous vehicle industry. “We report incidents involving our vehicles to NHTSA—regardless of fault or severity—as part of our commitment to transparency and in accordance with applicable rules. In every reported incident, the vehicle was under the supervision of a trained safety operator on board. In most cases, the vehicle was traveling at low
May 12, 2026 · via kvue.com
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Members of Philadelphia City Council held a hearing on Tuesday to examine the potential dangers of adding more driverless cars to the streets. Outside City Hall, opponents rallied with signs and chants. "Our city is not a testing ground," said Councilmember Rue Landeau. They are concerned about companies, like Waymo, which has been testing autonomous vehicles in Philadelphia since last July. "The city is not a beta project. The people are not an experiment," said Rev. Ian Harris, of Phillips Temple Church. Safety was a major focus of the hearing. Alex Kaufman said her Waymo ride in Phoenix became dangerous when the vehicle shut down in traffic. "It was definitely very close to a fatal accident, and I had cars coming at me at 50, 60 mph," she said. Others raised alarms about cybersecurity vulnerabilities, including the possibility of hacking. "I don't believe that it would require serious cyber capabilities to hack into that," said Dr. Sorelle Friedler, a professor of computer science at Haverford College. Rideshare drivers also shared fears about job security, with roughly 60,000 gig workers in Philadelphia. "A lot of these drivers came to this work because it gave us the flexibility and opportunity to make an honest living," said Uber driver Mamadu Bah. Waymo submitted written testimony for the hearing and told Action News that Pennsylvania authorized autonomous vehicles in 2022 under the purview of PennDOT. The city's Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) echoed that point, saying the state sets the rules. "Unfortunately, because we are preempted by the state legislature, we don't have any leverage," said Anna Kelly of OTIS. Waymo maintains that its technology is a safe option. While riders cannot order a Waymo ride right now, the company says it plans to expand service to both Philadelphia
May 12, 2026 · via 6abc.com
Residents in Shoreditch are used to the amateur photographers, the tour groups, and the general hustle and bustle of the capital’s nightlife. But those living in one particular cobbled cul-de-sac are being kept awake by a new scourge — the sound of self-driving cars beating a retreat from their narrow street. Over the past month, several Waymo vehicles have attempted to drive down Elder Street, only to be stopped by the metal barrier at its end. Human drivers, who sit behind the wheel of every Waymo car during the fleet’s training period, have been forced to reverse back down the street while sounding a loud siren. One resident’s anger reached such a pitch that she confronted a Waymo driver on Sunday. Jenny Black, 59, reported hearing the vehicle more than four times in the past month. “I’ve never heard any car alarm like that so loud anywhere,” she said. “The car was at the gate and there was a sort of red 4×4 behind it. He beeped the white [Waymo] and I thought, ‘This is interesting — it’s great that someone’s actually confronting them.’ “He got out of his car, he went to talk to the driver, which is when I thought, ‘Oh, there’s someone in there.’ And so I put on my little shoes.” Black said the Waymo driver was asked why he had entered the street, and whether he had seen the no-through road sign. She said they replied: “It’s driving itself, but we’re continuing to test it … I just have to let it self-drive, and then when it does something wrong, I correct it.” When told by Black that the car had already done something wrong by driving into a cul-de-sac, she said they replied: “It’s my first day.” Black, a former interior designer who is
May 12, 2026 · via thetimes.com
- Michigan wants repayments to start on a $35 million loan to a self-driving auto test site. - The American Center for Mobility, however, says the nonprofit was never meant to repay the state’s startup costs. - The conflict comes as Michigan fights to keep its automotive research hubs relevant Michigan is demanding repayment of $35 million from a state-backed mobility research center supporters say is critical to keeping autonomous vehicle development in Michigan. The American Center for Mobility, a 340-acre test facility in Ypsilanti Township, says annual payment sought by the state could jeopardize the nonprofit project despite a financial rebound last year. “It’s a state investment to help cement the auto industry’s place in Michigan,” said state Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, who wants the state to forgive the loan or delay debt repayment. “It makes sense to continue that effort.” The nonprofit tests robotaxis, automated trucks and high-tech delivery services. Related: - Michigan sunk $67M into self-driving car test track. Now, some fear bankruptcy - Sale of Willow Run site to center for driverless car testing could close next summer - Photos: See history of Willow Run, from B-24 bomber and engines to bankruptcy Last year, documents show it built a $1.59 million surplus, which would be wiped out by Michigan’s demands for $1.62 million per year in payments on a loan that went into forbearance last year. The conflict comes at a pivotal time for self-driving technology after US automotive research funding went through years of “peaks and valleys,” said Glenn Stevens, executive director of MichAuto advocacy group. In all, the state has invested $67 million in the site, a former General Motors facility, and already has forgiven an earlier $15 million loan. Pushing too hard for payments would make that spending “worthless” if it drives
May 12, 2026 · via bridgemi.com
A DIGITIMES Research observation at the 2026 Taipei International Auto Electronics Show found that Taiwan's automotive electronics industry is steadily shifting from supplying individual components toward integrated systems spanning autonomous driving...
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May 12, 2026 · via digitimes.com
DALLAS — Uber rolled out its Avride robotaxis in Dallas last December, but now, Avride's automated driving system (ADS) is being investigated after several crashes, officials say. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received multiple reports of automated vehicles crashing while Avride's ADS was engaged in both Dallas and Austin. "Each of the crashes involved the competence of the ADS with respect to performing at least one of the following driving behaviors: changing lanes, responding to other vehicles present in or entering the lane ahead, and responding to stationary objects partially obstructing the lane ahead," NHTSA said in a statement. ODI has preliminarily reviewed videos of every crash, officials said, showing instances of the vehicles changing lanes into the paths of other cars, failing to stop or slow for stopped or slowed vehicles ahead of them, failing to avoid vehicles entering their lane ahead of them, and colliding into stationary objects partially in the lane or path. According to NHTSA, these crashes have caused property damage and one reported minor injury. "During each of these crashes, the AVs were operating with the ADS performing the dynamic driving task while under the supervision of an in-vehicle operator in the driver's seat," NHTSA said. "The ADS performance in these crashes may indicate inappropriate assertiveness and insufficient competence to execute these driving behaviors in a safe manner and may also constitute traffic safety violations." ODI's preliminary evaluation into the Avride ADS will determine the scope, severity and nature of potential problems and assess possible safety risks to passengers and others on the road, NHTSA said. Avride issued this statement in response to the investigation: "Avride is aware of the Preliminary Evaluation opened by NHTSA. We welcome the opportunity to provide the agency with a
May 12, 2026 · via wfaa.com
General Motors has laid off more than 10% of its IT department, or about 600 salaried employees — in a deliberate skills swap: clearing out workers whose expertise no longer fits and making room for some with AI-focused backgrounds. GM confirmed to TechCrunch that it had conducted layoffs; they were first reported by Bloomberg News. In an emailed statement, the automaker framed the layoffs as a means to prepare it for the future, without providing specifics. “GM is transforming its Information Technology organization to better position the company for the future,” the company said. These layoffs are not all permanent headcount reductions. A person familiar with the layoffs told TechCrunch that the company is still hiring people for roles in its IT department, but for different skills. The most sought-after capabilities are AI-native development, data engineering and analytics, cloud-based engineering, and agent and model development, prompt engineering, and new AI workflows. In practical terms, GM is looking for people who know how to build with AI from the ground up — designing the systems, training the models, and engineering the pipelines — not just use AI as a productivity tool. GM has laid off white-collar employees in several departments over the past 18 months, as it focuses its resources on high-priority initiatives, including AI. In August 2024, for example, the company cut about 1,000 software workers. The software workforce has undergone significant change since Sterling Anderson — co-founder of the autonomous trucking startup Aurora and a veteran of the autonomous vehicle industry — was hired in May 2025 as chief product officer. Last November, three top executives left the company’s software team as Anderson pushed to consolidate GM’s disparate technology businesses into one organization: Baris Cetinok, senior vice president of software and services product management; Dave Richardson, senior vice president
May 11, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
Digg is back from the dead. Again. Just months after launching, the reboot of Kevin Rose’s once-popular link-sharing site shut down in March as the company shifted course. Originally redesigned as a competitor to the massive community forum site Reddit, the new Digg found that it wasn’t able to effectively manage the bot traffic invading its platform and hadn’t differentiated itself enough from the competition to make an impact. The startup laid off staff and said it was time to go back to the drawing board. Rose, a partner at True Ventures, returned to work full-time on a new version of Digg in April. On Friday evening, the founder previewed a link to the newly redesigned Digg, which now looks nothing like a Reddit clone and more like the news aggregator it once was. This time around, the site is focused on ranking news — specifically, AI news to start. In an email to beta testers, the company said the site’s goal is to “track the most influential voices in a space” and to surface the news that’s actually worth “paying attention to.” AI is the area it’s testing this idea with, but if successful, Digg will expand to include other topics. The email warned that the site was still raw and “buggy” and was designed more to give users a first look than to serve as its public debut. On the current homepage, Digg showcases four main stories at the top: the most viewed story, a story seeing rising discussion, the fastest-climbing story, and one “In case you missed it” headline. Below that is a ranked list of top stories for the day, complete with engagement metrics like views, comments, likes, and saves. But the twist is that these metrics aren’t the ones generated on Digg itself. Instead, Digg
May 11, 2026 · via techcrunch.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Waymo is a reality now here in Nashville and one issue that has surfaced is in regards to how law enforcement handles issuing violations for a vehicle without a human driver. City leaders have wondered, can an officer even issue a ticket? The answer is yes, thanks to a new law passed by the state lawmakers. It's been just over a month since Waymo rideshare vehicles hit the roads in Music City. And it is fair to say the autonomous vehicles have been met with mixed reactions. Nashville Vice-Mayor Angie Henderson said navigating the roads in this rapidly growing city can be a challenge for any vehicle— with or without a human driver. "We have messy, busy streets with traffic and a whole lot of users," Henderson said. In the past four weeks, Waymos have been caught on camera having some issues navigating Nashville roadways. Most recently, several of the vehicles became confused waiting in traffic at a train crossing. A couple Waymos tried to pull out of the lane and ended up blocking vehicles coming the other direction. To date, there have been no serious injuries or devastating crashes involving Waymo vehicles, but Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell said there certainly have been some traffic snafus. "Just in a few weeks with a few cars in the roads... we've already seen some difficult scenarios," O'Connell said. State lawmakers this legislative session passed a bill where police departments can send “a notice of violation or a citation by first class mail to the registered owner of the ADS-operated vehicle.” And, it “must be sent within 20 business days after the occurrence of the violation.” So, yes, Waymo vehicles can now be issued traffic citations by mail. A spokesperson for Waymo issued this statement: “Waymo takes safety seriously. We
May 11, 2026 · via newschannel5.com
May 11, 2026 03:43 PM EDT
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May 11, 2026 · via autonews.com
The University of Dayton School of Engineering recently introduced a pilot interdisciplinary robotics course designed to transform how students engage with autonomous systems. By prioritizing hands-on, applied learning, the curriculum of MEE 490 provides an accessible entry point into a field that is rapidly reshaping the industrial landscape. This course bridges the gap between classroom theory and real-world application by using the F1Tenth autonomous vehicle platform. Throughout the semester, students develop and test their code in digital simulations before applying it to physical robotic cars. Students solve complex problems in real time and manage the unpredictable variables of the physical world, all while mastering the essential skill of professional teamwork. This rigorous process leads to a final racing competition modeled after events at major global technology conferences. At the heart of this initiative is the Robot Operating System, or ROS, which serves as the global industry standard for robotics middleware. By mastering this platform, UD students are gaining the exact technical fluency required by modern engineering firms. “Robotics is a rapidly growing field, and understanding how to interact with robotic systems-particularly through the Robot Operating System (ROS), which is widely used in industry-is an essential skill for modern engineers,” said Dr. Krishna Kidambi, assistant professor and instructor of MEE 490. The technical skills gained throughout the term are substantial, as students develop a strong mastery of Python programming specifically for robotics, learning to process sensor data from LiDAR systems and implement control algorithms for autonomous navigation. By mastering tasks like obstacle detection and wall following, students learn how to manage the movement of complex machines in real time. Beyond these technical milestones, the course builds professional strength by requiring students to collaborate across different engineering majors. “In this initial offering, the majority of participants were juniors and seniors, reflecting the
May 11, 2026 · via udayton.edu
America Needs an Industrial Strategy for Motor Vehicles U.S. automotive competitiveness has severely faltered. The federal government needs a comprehensive national strategy to revitalize the industry’s competitiveness, especially in the face of Chinese EVs. KEY TAKEAWAYS Key Takeaways Contents Key Issues for Consideration. 3 Strengthen Key Industry Inputs, Including Agglomeration Economies and Skills 16 Introduction The competitiveness of the U.S. auto industry—American and foreign manufacturers and suppliers producing domestically—has faltered in recent years, as Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) reports have documented.[1] America’s share of global automobile production fell from 46 percent in 1965 to 20 percent in 1990 to just 14.7 percent today. The Big Three—Chrysler, Ford, and GM—automakers’ share of the U.S. auto market has fallen from 92 percent in 1965 to 38 percent today. From 1963 to 2023, the accumulated U.S. motor vehicles trade deficit reached $3.3 trillion in 2023 dollars. And the United States’ location quotient (LQ)—which assesses how much an industry contributes to a nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) relative to how much it contributes to the global economy—was only 0.54 in 2022 (just 60 percent of the 1995 level), meaning the U.S. auto industry today is 46 percent smaller than the global average.[2] Awareness of the competitive challenges facing the industry is not new.[3] In the 1970s and 1980s, with the rising competition from Japan and Europe, Congress and various administrations were focused on the industry. But after many of the foreign automakers opened plants in the United States, the issue largely disappeared from policymakers’ radar. Now with the rapid rise of the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) industry and China’s goal of dominating the global auto sector, the issue has once again attracted the attention of at least some policymakers. It’s past time for the United States to articulate a comprehensive auto industry
May 11, 2026 · via itif.org
News Tesla Full Self-Driving gains momentum in Europe with new country mulling approval Tesla is advancing FSD’s technology across Europe with fresh talks underway in Ireland, signaling broader regulatory progress. On May 10, Ireland’s Department of Transport confirmed that Tesla is actively engaging with national authorities, including the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) to secure approval for FSD Supervised. Tesla Full Self Driving (FSD) technology is gaining momentum in Europe, with yet another new country mulling a potential approval for operation on its roads. Tesla is advancing FSD’s technology across Europe with fresh talks underway in Ireland, signaling broader regulatory progress. On May 10, Ireland’s Department of Transport confirmed that Tesla is actively engaging with national authorities, including the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) to secure approval for FSD Supervised. While the department noted that full rollout in Ireland would ultimately depend on EU-level clearance, the engagement marks a notable step forward in Tesla’s European expansion strategy, Irish media outlet RTE said. The news comes on the heels of a landmark breakthrough in the Netherlands. In April, Dutch vehicle authority RDW granted the first-ever EU type approval for FSD Supervised after 18 months of rigorous testing on public roads and tracks. The provisional approval allows the system on all Dutch roads, with Tesla already rolling it out to select owners following mandatory safety training. The Netherlands has since notified the European Commission and is advocating for wider recognition, positioning the Dutch decision as a potential template for the bloc. Europe has long lagged behind the United States, China, and other markets where FSD is more widely available. Strict EU regulations on automated driving systems have required extensive validation, but momentum is building. Tesla now lists the Netherlands alongside established markets such as the U.S., Canada, Australia, and South
May 11, 2026 · via teslarati.com
According to Bernama, Sim said the Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) would begin groundwork on the initiative, though he acknowledged that the country was still at the early stages. Autonomous driving is classified on a scale of Level 0, where the driver controls all functions, to Level 5, which represents full driverless capability in all conditions. Level 3 means the vehicle can handle most driving tasks and monitor its surroundings, but requires the driver to take over when the system requests it. “Malaysia has not started a conversation on autonomous driving. I’m going to push for industries to start looking at this because autonomous driving involves a lot of changes,” Sim told reporters at the 2nd Asean Automotive and Mobility Conference in Kuala Lumpur. He pointed to developments in the US as a sign of how quickly the sector was moving, saying autonomous driving had expanded from four cities last year to 40 this year, with another 60 expected next year. “This is growing at an exponential speed, and like it or not, autonomous driving will be coming to Malaysia very soon, and we must all be ready. “Our industry must be ready to be part of this very important sector. (Industry players) must be ready to upgrade their skills so that they become the suppliers of sensors, suppliers of chips, suppliers of software, and so on,” he said. Earlier in his speech at the conference, Sim urged industry players to think long-term and prepare ahead of time for autonomous driving. “Do not just plan for next year. Plan for the next decade. If we only focus on ‘today’, we will always be chasing others. “But if we start building the foundation for autonomous technology now, Malaysia can lead the region,” he added.
May 11, 2026 · via freemalaysiatoday.com
KUALA LUMPUR (May 11): Malaysia is targeting to achieve Level 3 autonomous driving capability by 2030, according to Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Sim Tze Tzin. Level 3 automation allows a vehicle to drive itself in certain conditions, but the driver must be ready to take over when needed. He said the government wants the industry to begin preparing for the transition, including positioning local companies as suppliers of chips, sensors and software linked to autonomous driving systems. “Our local vendors will need to upgrade their capabilities, while local authorities and the Public Works Department (JKR) must also improve road conditions and supporting infrastructure, including road signs and related facilities. This is a whole-of-nation effort,” he told reporters on Monday on the sidelines of the 2nd Asean Automotive and Mobility Conference organised by PwC Malaysia. According to standards developed by SAE International, autonomous driving systems are categorised into six levels, ranging from Level 0, where there is no driving automation, to Level 5, which represents full self-driving capability under all conditions. “I think this is where the conversation needs to begin because we are still too focused on manufacturing traditional vehicles, while Malaysia has yet to seriously start discussing autonomous driving, which is something I intend to push for,” he said, adding that the government agency Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute would be tasked with advancing the initiative moving forward. To facilitate the transition, Sim said autonomous driving would require major changes across multiple sectors, including semiconductor design, software development, sensor manufacturing and infrastructure upgrades. “Autonomous driving involves significant changes across the entire ecosystem. Car manufacturing will require more chips, software and sensors,” he said. Sim said autonomous driving is growing rapidly, especially in the US, where the technology has expanded from about four cities last year
May 11, 2026 · via theedgemalaysia.com