Passengers could book taxi and bus-style self-driving vehicles later this year, as applications are now open for operators to run cars across Great Britain. The pilot scheme will enable firms – including Waymo – to bring cutting-edge technology to British roads, with the Government estimating the creation of thousands of jobs and unlocking billions for the economy by 2035. Services could enhance journeys by supporting greater freedom and independence for older and disabled people, as well as expanding travel options across both work and leisure. Self-driving technology could transform roads, with human error currently contributing to 88% of collisions on UK roads. The Government says safety will be central to the pilot scheme, which will gather real-world evidence on how self-driving vehicles operate on everyday roads, from navigating busy urban streets to interacting with traffic and carrying passengers safely. Services will be subject to rigorous approval checks by Government, including strict safety assessments to ensure the technology is protected against cyber and security threats. Simon Lightwood, roads and buses minister, said: “Self-driving vehicles represent a transformative opportunity for Britain, opening up independent travel for disabled people and older adults, while driving growth and creating high-skilled jobs across the UK. “This pilot scheme brings that future closer, giving passengers the opportunity to experience self-driving travel first-hand while ensuring safety always comes first.” Local transport authorities, such as Transport for London, will also need to provide local consent to ensure services reflect local priorities. The Government is working closely with safety and accessibility experts as it develops the regulations needed to safely bring self-driving vehicles to British roads. Learnings from the pilots will support the development of self-driving vehicle regulations, which are currently being progressed by Government, following a call for evidence that closed in March. Ben Loewenstein, Waymo head of policy
May 28, 2026 · via roadsafetygb.org.uk
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be holding a public meeting on Nov. 10 to gain input on the Department of Transportation’s Federal Automated Vehicles Policy.
The policy was released on Sept. 20 and aims to promote the safe and efficient development and deployment of highly automated vehicles.
The public meeting will be held in Washington, D.C., from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the General Services Administration's Regional Office Building. All comments at the meeting will be given orally and any presentation materail should be submitted to the docket (NHTSA-2016-0090) for inclusion. All attendees must register by Nov. 8. NHTSA also said the meting will be webcast.
If it is too late to register for the Nov. 10 meeting, written statements can be submitted during the comment period. NHTSA said these will be considered with the same weight as oral comments at the public meeting. All written comments must be submitted no later than Nov. 22, 2016.
For more information, click here.
May 28, 2026 · via worktruckonline.com
Traffic & Transit Waymo Robotaxis Yanked From CA Highways As CA Pushes New Legislation Lawmakers say they proposed legislation in "direct response" to issues involving Waymo robotaxis on California streets. SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Waymo has pulled its driverless cars from U.S. freeways after announcing it will pause all freeway service while the robotaxi provider updates its vehicles' software to improve navigation in construction zones. The move affects more than 3,500 Waymo vehicles that drove on freeways in major cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, USA Today reported. It comes after a Waymo was seen fleeing police and speeding through a San Francisco construction zone and after striking a child near a Santa Monica elementary school earlier this year. The Mountain View-based Waymo announced on Friday the temporary end to its freeway service in metro cities "out of an abundance of caution" as storms triggered flooding in Texas and Atlanta where the robotaxis operate. Find out what's happening in Across Californiafor free with the latest updates from Patch. In an email to Patch on Tuesday, a Waymo spokesperson said: "We are committed to being good neighbors for our riders and our communities. As part of that commitment, we make proactive decisions including temporarily pausing aspects of our service. We know riders count on us to get around, and we appreciate their patience as we work to get them where they're going safely and reliably." Find out what's happening in Across Californiafor free with the latest updates from Patch. On May 20, a Waymo vehicle became stuck during heavy showers on a flooded street in Atlanta. No one was inside of the robotaxi, Waymo said in a statement. In California, a more dramatic incident garnered headlines. On May 18, X user Elliot Slade @Elliot_slade posted a video, in which
May 28, 2026 · via patch.com
Sam Schwartz expected Waymo's cars to go the extra mile — or, at least, three-tenths of one. That is roughly how far Schwartz said he was from his hotel in downtown San Francisco when the Waymo taxi he and his wife were riding in suddenly stopped and refused to move. The couple visited the city earlier this month. As Schwartz tried to figure out what was going on in a conversation with Waymo support, the employee on the phone said that there was a "huge blockage" preventing the car from reaching his hotel. Then, the employee told Schwartz: "You can request another ride, probably Uber or Lyft," according to a video Schwartz posted on LinkedIn. "As my son told me, what an advertisement for Uber," Schwartz told Business Insider. A Waymo spokesperson said that the car was halted because of a "restriction placed after our operations team learned of planned protest activity." The spokesperson did not respond when asked what protest was taking place. Waymo suggests other transportation options when cars cannot reach a passenger's destination, the company said. "We're looking into this further to see how we could have better served the rider in this case, in addition to providing a refund," the spokesperson said. Schwartz's experience shows some of the hiccups that Waymo's self-driving vehicles face as they become more common on streets across the US. In at least two incidents this month, Waymo cars drove into floodwaters, prompting the company to issue a software recall and suspend service in six cities, including Atlanta and San Antonio. Separately, the company has halted rides on highways to improve performance around construction zones. Ultimately, Schwartz and his wife chose to walk back to their hotel, though his wife is disabled and has trouble walking long distances. Waymo refunded Schwartz's fare
May 28, 2026 · via businessinsider.com
Waymo begins mapping in Northern Virginia amid autonomous vehicle push VIRGINIA - Driverless car company Waymo has confirmed to FOX 5 D.C. that it is now mapping parts of Northern Virginia. What we know: Waymo said it is conducting the work to prepare for the possibility of the Commonwealth authorizing full autonomous ride-hailing. Autonomous vehicles are not yet authorized to operate on public roads in Virginia without regulatory approval, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. What they're saying: A spokesperson emailed FOX 5 D.C. and said trained specialists manually drive mapping vehicles through specific areas as part of the process. Waymo policy adviser Rich Harrington said the company maps communities as part of its deployment process. "The process of getting the vehicles on the road is very costly, so when we come into the community, we map," Harrington said last week during a public meeting with the Virginia Department of Transportation. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Harrington also said Waymo vehicles were already operating on roads in Alexandria with safety drivers behind the wheel and would soon begin operating in Arlington as well. He added that the transition from mapping to launching a fully autonomous ride-hailing service typically takes at least a year and, in his words, requires "a lot of money." Some residents expressed both excitement and concern about the potential expansion into Northern Virginia while speaking with FOX 5. "I would be curious. I’d try it once," Elizabeth Johnson, a commuter in Alexandria, said. Dig deeper: FOX 5 has also learned that state transportation leaders met with Waymo last week to discuss autonomous vehicles in Virginia. What we don't know: Additionally, Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins and Arlington County officials did not respond to FOX 5 D.C.'s requests for comment on the potential
May 28, 2026 · via fox5dc.com
Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe said the company’s autonomy efforts now consume most of its research and development budget — an admission that implies over $229 million spent on autonomy alone in the first quarter of 2026. Scaringe made the remarks during a conversation with former Salesforce co-CEO and OpenAI chairman Bret Taylor, at CNN’s The 1 on 1 programme. Rivian‘s R&D spending has climbed steadily over the past year, even as the company works to narrow losses across its automotive segment. The EV maker spent $458 million on R&D in the first quarter of 2026, up 20% from $381 million a year earlier. Quarterly R&D ran at $410 million, $453 million and $424 million through the remaining quarters of 2025. Applying Scaringe’s “vast majority” framing — which in financial-disclosure language typically implies at least half — to the Q1 2026 figure points to roughly $229 million or more flowing into autonomy work in a single three-month window. System Reset Taylor opened the exchange with an anecdote about his own bet on autonomy. “I bet my wife in the hospital with our first child that she wouldn’t get her driver’s license because of autonomous driving and on-demand services like Uber and Lyft, and she just got her driver’s license, so I paid her the $10,” he stated. He then questioned Scaringe on how Rivian balances adapting to major technological shifts like generative AI and autonomous driving while still maintaining a steady, long-term strategy. Scaringe’s answer traced an arc that began with Rivian‘s 2021 R1T launch and ended with a full architectural reset of the company’s self-driving stack. “For us, a big focus initially was building out a technology platform and then scaling it. When we launched what we call our Gen 1 vehicles, what we had in terms of
May 28, 2026 · via eletric-vehicles.com
About
Press
Copyright
Contact us
Creators
Advertise
Developers
Terms
Privacy
Policy & Safety
How YouTube works
Test new features
NFL Sunday Ticket
© 2026 Google LLC
May 27, 2026 · via youtube.com
Nuro released footage on Wednesday showing one of its robotaxi engineering vehicles driving autonomously through busy intersections in downtown Mountain View, California, offering a fresh look at the urban capability of the system it is developing with Lucid and Uber. The clip, posted to the autonomous vehicle startup’s account on X, pairs live multi-camera street footage with a top-down view of how the vehicle’s AI perceives its surroundings. The simulation layer maps a planned path through intersections and turns, flags surrounding vehicles and pedestrians, and shows the car operating in autonomous mode at speeds between roughly 7 and 28 miles per hour. “Training and testing, all day, every day,” Nuro wrote in the post, adding that it was “getting ready to bring autonomy to everyone.” Below is the video shared by the AV startup. Andrew Macdonald, Uber‘s President and Chief Operating Officer, reacted to the clip by commenting: “Steady progress! 💪 “ The Lucid program is only one of Uber‘s robotaxi bets. The ride-hailing company hosts Waymo vehicles on its app and has struck separate deals with developers including Pony.ai, with its Rivian agreement alone worth up to 1.25 billion dollars for as many as 50,000 R2 robotaxis. Uber‘s total robotaxi commitments now exceed 10 billion dollars across its various partners. The Lucid vehicle runs on Nuro‘s autonomy software, and is destined for exclusive deployment on Uber‘s ride-hailing platform. Nuro’s Own Backyard The footage shows the vehicle threading through dense urban traffic, crosswalks and pedestrians, rather than the controlled proving grounds where the program began. Nuro started the partnership’s closed-course work at its Las Vegas test facility, opened in 2021, before moving to public roads. Autonomous on-road testing has been underway in the San Francisco Bay Area since December, led by Nuro using engineering prototypes supervised by human safety operators.
May 27, 2026 · via eletric-vehicles.com
By Stephen Harber, content strategist, GM talent marketing By Stephen Harber, content strategist, GM talent marketing Validating advanced driver-assistance and automated driving systems at GM scale means testing millions of possible scenarios before a vehicle ever reaches the road. Simulation has become one of the most important tools for making that possible. Aamir Ali is part of the team that helps expand that capability across GMâs AV organization, bringing experience in large-scale software platforms, safety infrastructure, and autonomous vehicle development to one of the most complex validation challenges in the industry. Aliâs path into automated driving wasnât linear. He began his career in India studying mechanical engineering, then moved into infrastructure roles at Google, where he spent more than a decade building internal platforms for products including AdWords and YouTube. Later, he joined Zoom during one of the companyâs fastest growth periods, working on trust and safety systems. Then he entered the autonomous vehicle space at Cruise, where he helped develop simulation environments used to validate self-driving software. During his time there, the team shifted a large portion of testing from physical vehicles to virtual environments, allowing engineers to evaluate more scenarios and iterate faster while continuing to prioritize safety. Now at GM, that experience is being applied at a much larger scale. With a global vehicle portfolio and diverse driving conditions, validating AV and automated driving features requires tools that can handle far more scenarios than road testing alone. Simulation allows engineers to model edge cases, accelerate development cycles, and improve confidence in system performance before vehicles reach the road. See how Aamir Ali is helping GM expand simulation-driven development â and why that shift is critical to the future of AV and automated driving. What excites you most about applying simulation-driven development at GM? GM has an incredible
May 27, 2026 · via news.gm.com
May 27, 2026 07:44 AM EDT
Featured Stories
High gas prices helping Honda sell more hybrids as it chases 10% share
Hybrids were nearly one-third of the Honda brand's sales in the first quarter, and the company expects them to stay in that range all year.
May 27, 2026 · via autonews.com
News FORT Robotics Acquires Mapless AI to Expand Its Trust Platform with Remote Supervision and Active Safety Capabilities Acquisition extends FORT from distributed control to supervised autonomy, delivering the human-in-the-loop and proactive safety capabilities physical AI demands PHILADELPHIA, PA, May 27, 2026 — FORT Robotics, the trust layer for physical AI, today announced the acquisition of Mapless AI, a Boston- and Pittsburgh-based leader in vehicle teleoperation and autonomy supervision. The acquisition represents a significant commercial expansion of FORT's Trust Platform, adding two critical new capabilities: remote human-in-the-loop teleoperation and onboard active safety. By integrating these technologies, FORT expands its market offering from safety-certified machine control to a comprehensive architecture for supervised autonomy. "The Physical AI market is a multi-billion-dollar economic engine, but its full potential can only be unlocked if machines are trustworthy enough to operate in real-world human environments," said Samuel Reeves, CEO of FORT Robotics. "The robotics industry is at a critical crossroads where impressive demos are everywhere, but scalability remains rare. Acquiring Mapless AI expands our platform to directly meet this vital need, allowing FORT to deliver the proactive safety frameworks our customers are asking for. We are building the foundational trust system to ensure that as robots become more autonomous, safety is an accelerator rather than a bottleneck." Building Trust in Physical AI: From Safe Control to Supervised Autonomy FORT has long been the industry standard for safety-certified control, providing autonomous systems with the essential hardware and software backbone required to mitigate real-world operational risk. The addition of Mapless AI's technology stack advances that foundation by introducing two major market solutions: - Human-in-the-Loop from Anywhere (Remote Teleoperation): The platform now enables seamless remote teleoperation across long distances, enabling an off-site specialist to safely monitor and operate vehicles or machine systems from anywhere. This capability addresses a
May 27, 2026 · via automate.org
opinion | May 27, 2026 Why Learning from Data Gets Harder in the Tail Lessons for Autonomous Driving Prof. Shai Shalev-Shwartz and Prof. Amnon Shashua Knowing the obstacle exists means we can navigate around it. The scaling paradox There's a puzzling gap in how machine learning systems improve. Classical learning theory tells us that as we collect more data, our models should get better at a steady, predictable rate—roughly proportional to how much new data we gather. But empirical evidence paints a different picture. Language models and end-to-end learning systems in the real world often improve much more slowly than theory predicts, requiring orders of magnitude more data for only marginal improvements. This isn't a failure of implementation—it's a fundamental consequence of how Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) interacts with certain problem structures. Understanding why matters deeply for autonomous driving, especially if one relies on end-to-end imitation learning to handle the full complexity of real-world scenarios. Grounding in empirical reality: the Chinchilla Law The severity of this problem becomes concrete when we look at empirical scaling laws. Recent research on large language models (the Chinchilla law) has shown how error decreases with the number of training examples \(T\), finding that error scales as \(T^{-\alpha}\) where \(\alpha < 0.1\). An exponent of \(0.1\) means convergence is orders of magnitude slower than classical learning theory predicts. To appreciate the implications: suppose we want to reduce error from \(10^{-2}\) to \(10^{-4}\)—a hundred-fold improvement. With \(\alpha = 0.1\), this requires: Twenty orders of magnitude more data. For systems requiring very high accuracy—like autonomous driving, where safety demands error rates far below \(10^{-4}\)—this scaling becomes prohibitively expensive. The theoretical construction below explains why this slow convergence arises from the interaction of weak supervision and heavy-tailed data when trained with SGD. The two properties that slow everything
May 27, 2026 · via mobileye.com
POTSDAM — Autonomous vehicles depend heavily on preprogrammed maps and routes, creating a major safety challenge when road conditions suddenly change in construction and work zones. Clarkson University students Robert Arcate and Sean Willis are researching ways to help autonomous vehicles safely adapt to those unpredictable environments in real time. Their project, “Ad-Hoc Route Navigation in Construction Zones for Autonomous Vehicles,” focuses on enabling autonomous vehicles to detect temporary roadway obstacles — including traffic cones, lane shifts, and road closures — and automatically generate alternate routes to safely navigate around them. Working under the guidance of Dr. Chen Liu in Clarkson’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the team developed a system that uses onboard technologies including depth cameras, LiDAR, GPS, and additional sensors to identify construction barriers and determine the geographic coordinates of traffic cones. That data is then used to update the vehicle’s map information and reroute the vehicle safely through changing roadway conditions. The research addresses a growing concern for the future of autonomous transportation: how self-driving vehicles can safely operate in dynamic, real-world environments where traffic patterns may change rapidly and without warning. Construction zones remain particularly difficult for autonomous systems because many navigation platforms rely on static maps that may not reflect temporary road conditions. Beyond improving immediate navigation and roadway safety, the research also explores how newly generated detour routes could eventually be incorporated into broader mapping systems. Researchers say that capability could reduce future computing demands for autonomous vehicles navigating similar construction scenarios. The Clarkson team recently earned fourth place in the 2026 Designs for Safety Competition at the World Traffic Safety Symposium, held earlier this month in conjunction with the New York International Auto Show at the Javits Center in New York City. Arcate graduated in December 2025 with a master’s degree
May 27, 2026 · via nny360.com
Elbit Systems’ FUSE has acquired Israeli technology company Blue White Robotics, known as Bluewhite, in a deal that expands Elbit’s push into autonomous ground vehicles and defense robotics. FUSE acquired 100% of Bluewhite’s shares, the companies said. Financial terms were not disclosed. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Tel Aviv, Bluewhite develops AI-powered autonomous systems for off-road and defense applications. Its technology is designed to work across different vehicle manufacturers, allowing conventional ground vehicles to be converted into autonomous platforms. The company’s main products include Pathfinder, an autonomy kit that converts standard vehicles into fully autonomous systems, and Compass, a cloud-based fleet operations platform. Together, the systems are meant to allow vehicle fleets to carry out complex missions in rugged environments. Bluewhite says its technology has accumulated more than 100,000 autonomous operating hours across agricultural and defense platforms. The company describes its ground autonomy system as a mature technology stack, with proven deployment in both civilian and military markets. For Elbit, the acquisition strengthens FUSE’s existing work in autonomous systems, adding ground robotics to a portfolio that already includes unmanned aerial and swarm technologies. The move is also intended to support the company’s development of robotic and manned-unmanned teaming solutions for defense and homeland security customers. "Autonomy and robotics are reshaping how defense forces operate today," said Eyal Dahan, CEO of Fuse. "The world is changing rapidly, and modern battlefields require the vast adoption of robotics capabilities. The integration of Bluewhite’s technologies into FUSE’s multi-domain ecosystem enhances our ability to deliver unified autonomous solutions across air, land, and indoor domains. This step enhances FUSE's autonomous robotics capabilities, positioning the company to effectively address the growing global demand for scalable, AI-powered autonomy". Bluewhite CEO Ben Alfi said the acquisition would allow the company’s technology to reach broader defense, security and industrial
May 27, 2026 · via ynetnews.com
Clarkson Students Present Research on Autonomous Vehicle Navigation System for Construction Zones Autonomous vehicles depend heavily on preprogrammed maps and routes, creating a major safety challenge when road conditions suddenly change in construction and work zones. Clarkson University students Robert Arcate and Sean Willis are researching ways to help autonomous vehicles safely adapt to those unpredictable environments in real time. Their project, “Ad-Hoc Route Navigation in Construction Zones for Autonomous Vehicles,” focuses on enabling autonomous vehicles to detect temporary roadway obstacles — including traffic cones, lane shifts, and road closures — and automatically generate alternate routes to safely navigate around them. Working under the guidance of Dr. Chen Liu in Clarkson’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the team developed a system that uses onboard technologies including depth cameras, LiDAR, GPS, and additional sensors to identify construction barriers and determine the geographic coordinates of traffic cones. That data is then used to update the vehicle’s map information and reroute the vehicle safely through changing roadway conditions. The research addresses a growing concern for the future of autonomous transportation: how self-driving vehicles can safely operate in dynamic, real-world environments where traffic patterns may change rapidly and without warning. Construction zones remain particularly difficult for autonomous systems because many navigation platforms rely on static maps that may not reflect temporary road conditions. Beyond improving immediate navigation and roadway safety, the research also explores how newly generated detour routes could eventually be incorporated into broader mapping systems. Researchers say that capability could reduce future computing demands for autonomous vehicles navigating similar construction scenarios. The Clarkson team recently earned fourth place in the 2026 Designs for Safety Competition at the World Traffic Safety Symposium, held earlier this month in conjunction with the New York International Auto Show at the Javits Center in New York
May 27, 2026 · via clarkson.edu
Clarkson Students Present Research on Autonomous Vehicle Navigation System for Construction Zones Autonomous vehicles depend heavily on preprogrammed maps and routes, creating a major safety challenge when road conditions suddenly change in construction and work zones. Clarkson University students Robert Arcate and Sean Willis are researching ways to help autonomous vehicles safely adapt to those unpredictable environments in real time. Their project, “Ad-Hoc Route Navigation in Construction Zones for Autonomous Vehicles,” focuses on enabling autonomous vehicles to detect temporary roadway obstacles — including traffic cones, lane shifts, and road closures — and automatically generate alternate routes to safely navigate around them. Working under the guidance of Dr. Chen Liu in Clarkson’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the team developed a system that uses onboard technologies including depth cameras, LiDAR, GPS, and additional sensors to identify construction barriers and determine the geographic coordinates of traffic cones. That data is then used to update the vehicle’s map information and reroute the vehicle safely through changing roadway conditions. The research addresses a growing concern for the future of autonomous transportation: how self-driving vehicles can safely operate in dynamic, real-world environments where traffic patterns may change rapidly and without warning. Construction zones remain particularly difficult for autonomous systems because many navigation platforms rely on static maps that may not reflect temporary road conditions. Beyond improving immediate navigation and roadway safety, the research also explores how newly generated detour routes could eventually be incorporated into broader mapping systems. Researchers say that capability could reduce future computing demands for autonomous vehicles navigating similar construction scenarios. The Clarkson team recently earned fourth place in the 2026 Designs for Safety Competition at the World Traffic Safety Symposium, held earlier this month in conjunction with the New York International Auto Show at the Javits Center in New York
May 27, 2026 · via clarkson.edu
Skip to main content
Publishing Partner:
Capgemini and Wayve
In The Driver's Seat
Wayve CEO Alex Kendall on the AI Revolution in Autonomous Driving
Gift Article
Share
May 27, 2026 03:00 AM EDT
May 27, 2026 · via autonews.com
Robotics Drones, Humanoids and AI Vehicles Are Driving Robotics Growth BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — Robotics technologies are expanding across manufacturing, logistics and autonomous driving applications as advances in artificial intelligence, sensing and automation continue accelerating development, according to research firm IDTechEx. The company’s latest robotics and autonomy research highlights growing investment in humanoid robots, drones and autonomous vehicle technologies designed to improve industrial efficiency, automate inspections and support increasingly independent machine operation. In manufacturing, humanoid robots are drawing increased attention for material handling, inspection and other industrial applications where human-like mobility and dexterity could help automate more variable tasks. IDTechEx said improvements in tactile sensing, lightweight materials and power efficiency remain critical development goals for humanoid systems. The research firm also identified several barriers slowing broader humanoid adoption, including fragmented supply chains, sensor durability limitations, inconsistent training data and a lack of established large-scale industrial use cases. Despite these pain points, IDTechEx reports that the industry has received increased attention, noting the future may see increased uptake of these robots, such as in automotive manufacturing. Outside the factory, drones are increasingly being deployed across agriculture, logistics, energy and infrastructure inspection applications. IDTechEx projects the global drone market could reach $147.8 billion by 2036. Inspection and maintenance applications are expected to become one of the fastest-growing drone segments as utilities and industrial operators use drones to inspect powerlines, pipelines and wind turbines while reducing dangerous manual inspection work. Autonomous driving technologies are also continuing to advance through expanded use of radar, cameras and sensing systems that support increasingly sophisticated driver-assistance capabilities. Looking for quick answers on assembly and manufacturing topics? Try Ask ASM, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ASM Level 2+ is now an increasingly common level of vehicle autonomy, where drivers can take their hands of the wheel while
May 27, 2026 · via assemblymag.com
ATLANTA — For now, Waymo’s self-driving cars are parked, and not just in Atlanta. Recent flooding concerns prompted the pause. Combined with another concern, a video that went viral showing Waymo cars circling cul-de-sacs in Atlanta, added to a push for answers from Waymo. Channel 2’s Steve Gehlbach spoke to a metro Atlanta attorney about liability, both inside and outside autonomous cars. The attorney told Gehlbach that just because there’s no driver, it doesn’t mean there won’t be any responsibility once the cars are back on the road. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Waymo told Channel 2 Action News their driverless cars reduce traffic injuries and improve road safety, whether riders are inside, or someone is outside a Waymo. But some still question how they’re designed and deployed safely. Seth Bader, a personal injury attorney and consumer advocate, said he sees potential risks, where instead of human judgment, they’ll have to look at a computer or company. RELATED STORIES: - Empty Waymos invade Atlanta neighborhood, circle cul-de-sac for hours with no passengers - Waymo pauses service in metro Atlanta after car gets stuck in flash flood - Here’s why a Waymo stopped driving when it hit floodwaters, trapping a woman - Waymo pauses service in another state after Atlanta flooding issue “Now the focus really shifts to the system,” Bader said. “The legal calculus has definitely changed and I’m not sure, in fact I don’t believe the laws have necessarily kept up with the technology, so it does create some unique challenges.” Waymo said it continues to make software updates after one of their empty cars got stuck in street flooding. Another, with a customer inside, couldn’t gauge how deep the water was and “just drove into a flooded street and gave up.” The autonomous
May 27, 2026 · via wsbtv.com
TCU’s $10 Million AI Investment Takes Center Stage When Reuben Burch describes the moment artificial intelligence stopped being theoretical, he starts on a tarmac in Memphis. As engineering principal for FedEx Express in 2014, Burch helped launch one of the company’s first autonomous vehicle programs, a “sandbox autonomy” experiment focused on route planning and collision avoidance among the planes, packages and people of FedEx’s largest hub. The work put him at the leading edge of machine learning before the term had become a boardroom staple. Now TCU’s vice provost for research, Burch is bringing that perspective to TCU. “Before I was in academia, everyone was panicked about what robots were going to do,” Burch told an audience at a spring AI panel hosted by Fort Worth Report. “I spent a large part of my career explaining: I don’t want to take your job. I want to give you a better job. And here we are again with AI.” TCU’s response is AI², the university’s new artificial intelligence supercomputing infrastructure, a $10 million partnership with Dell and AWS that gives every faculty member and student access to high-performance AI computing. Preparing Students for a Prompting Economy The Candid Conversations panel featured a broad conversation about how Fort Worth institutions are positioning themselves for an AI-driven future. Education was woven throughout the discussion, and Burch argued that the stakes for students are immediate and practical. “If someone who knows AI is going to take your job,” he said, “then we’re all here because we want TCU students to be the one who gets the job — because they’ve already had it blended and embedded in their classroom experience.” He framed prompting fluency as a universal professional skill, not a technical specialty. “He or she who prompts best wins,” he said. “You don’t
May 27, 2026 · via tcu.edu