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Rivian's factory hit by tornado ahead of R2 launch

Rivian’s factory in Normal, Illinois was directly hit by a tornado and sustained damage over the weekend, the company has confirmed to TechCrunch. Nobody was injured, according to Rivian, and staff are still assessing the extent of the damage. The tornado, which had an EF-1 intensity rating, hit what Rivian refers to as “Building 2,” where the company makes its R2 SUV. Rivian has paused operations in the building and expects to start back up sometime this week, according to an email, viewed by TechCrunch, that CEO RJ Scaringe sent to staff on Sunday night. “Thank you to our team members on site who sought safe shelter and followed our emergency management protocols when the tornado alarms sounded,” he wrote. “I am proud of how everyone came together, not just to follow safety protocols, but to support one another and lead the cleanup and repair efforts with such care and determination.” Pictures shared online show that a large section of the roof came down inside the facility. The company didn’t say whether the temporary shutdown will affect the timing of the rollout of the R2, which is supposed to happen in the coming weeks. The tornado hit a newer part of the factory, primarily used for R2 logistics such as deliveries of parts, according to Rivian. “Once we secure the impacted area, we anticipate resuming operations in Building 2 (specifically for R2) this week,” spokesperson Marina Hoffmann said in an email, adding that operations at other facilities continue as planned. Rivian has a lot riding on the launch. The company has invested time, resources, and capital over the last five years to reduce the cost of manufacturing vehicles in its current R1 portfolio. But Rivian still loses money every quarter — in large part, according to Scaringe, because the company

Uber Commits Over $10 Billion to <b>Autonomous Vehicle</b> Sector

Search across reports, market insights, and blog stories. Type at least 3 characters to see fast results. Press / or ⌘K anytime. Searching… No fast matches found. Press Enter to see full results. Apr 20, 2026 Uber Commits Over $10 Billion to Autonomous Vehicle Sector According to a report from TechCrunch Mobility, the Financial Times has calculated that Uber has committed more than $10 billion to buying autonomous vehicles and taking equity stakes in the companies developing the technology. This figure is based on public records and discussions with sources. About $2.5 billion of that is in direct investments, with the remaining $7.5 billion to be spent on buying robotaxis over the next few years. Uber has made numerous investments and deals with autonomous vehicle companies across drones, robotaxis, and freight. This significant financial commitment brings to mind a previous transformative era for the company. Uber pursued an asset-heavy strategy between 2015 and 2018, launching projects like an air taxi division and an in-house autonomous vehicle unit, while also acquiring a micromobility startup. In 2020, Uber divested these major projects, selling them to other companies but retaining equity stakes. The company is now entering a new and different asset-heavy era. Rather than developing the core technology in-house, it appears to be focused on owning or leasing the physical assets. Owning fleets of robotaxis built by other companies might not have been the original vision of Uber, or its former CEO, who has said the company made a mistake when it abandoned its autonomous vehicle development program. But this new approach could still get it to the same end point. The scale of these expenditures may lead to notable entries on the company's financial statements in the future. Interactive table based on the Store Companies dataset for this report. # Company

Beamr (BMR) and dSPACE show ML-safe AV video compression with 31% size cut

Beamr (BMR) and dSPACE show ML-safe AV video compression with 31% size cut Filing Impact Filing Sentiment Form Type 6-K Rhea-AI Filing Summary Beamr Imaging Ltd. filed a Form 6-K highlighting a joint demonstration with dSPACE that validates “ML-safe” video compression for autonomous vehicle data inside the dSPACE RTMaps ecosystem. Testing on real-world sequences showed Beamr’s Content-Adaptive Bitrate (CABR) compression delivered 31% file size reduction versus baseline encodes and 97% reduction versus uncompressed data while preserving machine learning model accuracy. The companies plan to extend ML-safe compression testing to additional stages such as video data simulation and hardware-in-the-loop testing. Beamr positions this capability as helping AV teams reduce data volumes and infrastructure demands without rebuilding existing RTMaps-based workflows. Positive - None. Negative - None. Key Figures File size reduction vs baseline: 31% reduction File size reduction vs uncompressed: 97% reduction Prior benchmark reduction: Up to 50% reduction +2 more 5 metrics File size reduction vs baseline 31% reduction CABR compression on real-world AV video sequences in dSPACE RTMaps File size reduction vs uncompressed 97% reduction CABR compression vs uncompressed AV video data Prior benchmark reduction Up to 50% reduction ML-safe video compression across AV pipeline in previous benchmarks Object detection accuracy change <2% difference in mAP Impact of CABR on object detection mean Average Precision Patents 53 patents Intellectual property backing Beamr’s CABR technology Key Terms ML-safe compression, Content-Adaptive Bitrate compression (CABR), RTMaps, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, +2 more 6 terms ML-safe compression technical "validating, for the first time, compression for autonomous vehicle (AV) video data ... while preserving machine learning (ML) model accuracy" ml-safe compression is a method of shrinking datasets or media so machine learning models can still read and learn from them without losing important signals or introducing bias. For investors, it matters because it can lower storage

NHTSA Releases Crash Data on Robotaxi and Tesla's Competitors

Under a Standing General Order issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), companies testing or deploying Automated Driving Systems (ADS) on public roads are required to report crash data. A dive into the latest publicly available incident reports offers a look not just at how these vehicles are crashing, but how different companies approach transparency. Comparing Tesla's data against competitors like Waymo and Zoox reveals stark differences in fleet exposure, the nature of the collisions, and a massive gap in public reporting practices. The Incident Volume Looking at the raw numbers, the dataset contains 825 total reported ADS incidents. Waymo accounts for the vast majority of these, with 697 reported crashes. They are followed by Avride (41), Zoox (32), and Tesla (18). It is important to provide context for these figures. Waymo operates a massive, fully autonomous robotaxi fleet actively driving millions of miles in densely populated urban centers like San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. Their higher incident volume is a direct reflection of this massive fleet exposure in chaotic environments. Tesla's relatively low number of 18 incidents in this specific ADS reporting category also reflects the much smaller and slower-than-expected rollout of Robotaxi. Incidents with FSD (Supervised) are not counted in this dataset, as they are not from an Unsupervised L4 Autonomous Vehicle but rather from an L2+ system that is still supervised by consumers. What Do AVs Hit Most? The NHTSA data categorizes what the autonomous vehicles collided with, shedding light on the different challenges these systems face. Because of their heavy urban presence, Waymo vehicles primarily collide with standard city traffic. Their data shows 229 collisions with passenger cars, 161 with SUVs, and dozens of impacts with heavy trucks and city buses. Tesla's 18 reported crashes show a slightly different pattern. The most common

Tesla Robotaxi expands to 2 new cities, but it looks like there's just 1 <b>driverless car</b> in each

Tesla Robotaxi expands to 2 new cities, but it looks like there’s just 1 driverless car in each There’s an unsupervised Tesla Robotaxi service in both Houston and Austin, but, with just one vehicle so far in each city, it will be difficult to find. Tesla says it has expanded its Robotaxi service to two new cities, with Dallas and Houston joining existing offerings in Austin and the Bay Area. A video posted by the company shows a Model Y driving through both cities without a driver, and several riders have posted videos of their own rides. The catch: availability appears extremely limited. Based on early data from Robotaxi Tracker, there may be just one vehicle operating in each city so far, making it tough to actually get a ride. Robotaxi now rolling out in Dallas & Houston 🤠 pic.twitter.com/G3KFQwqGxB — Tesla Robotaxi (@robotaxi) April 18, 2026 The service also only covers roughly 30 square miles of Dallas and 25 square miles of Houston, a small fraction of each city, whose city limits alone add up to nearly 1,000 square miles. While it’s normal for an autonomous taxi service to start with a few cars in a limited area and to scale over time, it’s important to note that Tesla has been extremely slow in this regard. In Austin, for example, the Robotaxi service launched in June with about 10 cars. Nearly a year later, there are currently 45 in the fleet and, despite promises to the contrary, most of those vehicles still have a human safety monitor in the front passenger seat. On a recent trip to the Bay Area, where Tesla operates a service more akin to Uber with approximately 500 supervised Robotaxis, I frequently received “High service demand. Please come back later” messages at all hours of

Californians' embrace of self-<b>driving</b> rides surges 500% in 19 months

| Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... | Californians took more than 1.2 million rides in commercial self-driving cars in December, a 500% increase in 19 months, according to the Public Utilities Commission. The autonomous vehicle market, which grew from fewer than 200,000 rides statewide in May 2024, was outlined at a conference on the future of the technology in San Francisco on Friday. The annual Autonomous Vehicles and the City Symposium showed how policymakers and regulatory agencies are confronting new problems that arise from the rapidly growing industry. AVs have the potential to reduce traffic deaths because they remove the problem of human error, said Adetokunbo Omishakin, the state Secretary of Transportation. California had about 4,000 traffic fatalities in 2023, according to the state Office of Traffic Safety. “A big responsibility for us is to drive those fatality numbers,” Omishakin said. “Our hope is to reduce the fatality numbers by 30% by reducing crashes caused by human error, AVs hold a powerful potential for saving life.” AVs also may play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the future of automated public transit systems. “If we’re going to be able to achieve those goals, it’s going to continue to take technology to help us,” Omishakin said. “All of these benefits are possible with AVs, but it will take strong partnership and governance and an active commitment to shape the trajectory of this technology into the future.” The theme of this year’s symposium focused on the challenges of adopting new policies and regulations while not stifling innovation in the AV industry. “We need to make sure that we are having good regulation to protect public safety and to benefit the public without strangling technology and without putting requirements on AVs that are not possible to meet,” said state Sen.

Uber vs. Baidu: Which Stock Holds the Edge Now in the AV Space?

Uber vs. Baidu: Which Stock Holds the Edge Now in the AV Space? The robotaxi industry offers significant growth potential. According to a Grand View Research report, the global autonomous vehicle (“AV”) market is expected to rise from $68.1 billion in 2024 to more than $2.1 trillion by 2030, reflecting a strong CAGR of 19.9% between 2025 and 2030. This fast-growing and attractive sector has captured the attention of major players such as China’s Baidu BIDU and San Francisco-based ride-hailing leader Uber Technologies UBER. Below is a comparison of the autonomous vehicle strategies adopted by both companies. Uber’s Autonomous Vehicle Strategy Uber is focused on building a solid presence in the robotaxi market through a partnership-driven approach. By collaborating with external autonomous technology developers, the company avoids the substantial R&D costs associated with developing its own self-driving systems. Although Uber divested the autonomous driving unit in 2020, it continues to pursue the ambition of becoming a comprehensive mobility super app. Its AV strategy follows a hybrid model, integrating human drivers, autonomous vehicles, robotics and third-party partners to maintain flexibility in operations. Uber has established multiple strategic alliances, highlighting the commitment to integrating advanced autonomous technologies into its platform. This collaboration-based strategy enables the company to remain active in the robotaxi ecosystem without bearing heavy capital and development expenses. Recently, Uber partnered with China-based WeRide WRD to introduce fully driverless, fare-charging robotaxi services in Dubai. This initiative marks one of the earliest deployments of Level 4 autonomous vehicles for commercial use in the city and represents a significant milestone in their collaboration. It also supports Dubai’s objective of making 25% of all trips autonomous by 2030. This development aligns with the UAE’s broader smart mobility vision and strengthens WeRide’s partnership with the Roads and Transport Authority. Uber’s leadership in the global

Hyundai Mobis accelerates SDV and ADAS validation with large-scale data integration system

As automotive software becomes more sophisticated, extensive evaluation and validation to ensure the safety and performance of related products have emerged as critical processes, alongside global R&D competition in autonomous driving and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) technologies. Global auto makers are increasingly requiring suppliers to provide large-scale, data-driven validation, often involving tens of thousands of hours of testing, before approving core components for use in software-defined vehicles (SDVs). Hyundai Mobis has established a data integration management solution that it says significantly shortens this process, enabling the company to secure a competitive edge in the global market. The evaluation and validation system can repeatedly test electronic control units (ECUs) for SDVs and autonomous driving by linking data from actual road tests with data management solutions and simulators to replicate various driving scenarios. This system can reportedly reduce evaluation and validation time through a platform that connects multiple simulators in parallel, reflecting various validation scenarios. Hyundai Mobis plans to expand this platform to connect up to 60 such simulators. This, the company says, will enable it to perform 10,000 hours’ worth of evaluation and validation in one week. The system is based on data collected under various conditions in real-world driving and parking environments via sensors mounted on test vehicles. A key advantage is its ability to replicate scenarios that are difficult to reproduce in reality, such as nighttime driving, rainy conditions and unexpected incidents, by integrating them with simulations in a virtual environment. By combining real-world and virtual data in an optimal ratio, the company expects to evaluate the recognition performance and stability of autonomous driving and ADAS systems. Hyundai Mobis plans to use this system to validate the performance and reliability of algorithms for autonomous driving sensors such as radar, cameras, lidar and ultrasonic sensors, as well as various

Honda considers an analog spin for software-defined <b>vehicles</b> | WardsAuto

Dive Brief: - Honda Motor Co. and Texas-based semiconductor manufacturer Mythic will co-develop a system-on-chip for the automaker’s future software-defined vehicles, the automaker announced in a press release. As part of the project, Honda subsidary Honda R&D Co. will license Mythic’s analog, compute-in-memory processing technology. - Mythic’s technology performs calculations directly inside a SoC’s memory, rather than moving data to a centralized processor, which can significantly reduce power consumption, according to Honda. Mythic claims the approach is 100 times more energy-efficient than industry-standard GPUs, and can dramatically lower the costs of deploying advanced driver-assist and autonomous driving technology in future vehicles. - Honda confirmed to WardsAuto that this is a separate project with different “timelines and technical approaches” than its project to build a system-on-chip for SDVs with Renesas for future versions of Honda’s cancelled 0 Series EVs. “This initiative represents research and development targeting next-generation technologies beyond those examples,” it said in an emailed statement. Dive Insight: SoCs consolidate core computational and control tasks for various vehicle systems, including infotainment, propulsion, and safety-related and autonomous-driving systems. SoCs are widely considered more efficient and reduce the amount of wiring needed in a vehicle. Mythic’s analog compute-in-memory approach could fundamentally mean less shuffling of data. It uses a SoC’s memory as “tunable resistors” with inputs supplied as voltages and outputs as currents. Mythic also says it can strategically control the location of data in memory, which can improve efficiency when employing AI-powered neural networks for tasks such as image processing. Honda noted that it is “actively exploring neuromorphic SoC technology that draws inspiration from how the human brain works. Mythic claims its analog processing units can perform 120 million TOPS per watt of energy, which it says is 100 times more efficient than today’s top-performing GPUs performing memory transfers. In complex

Tesla launches robotaxi service in Dallas and Houston

Tesla launches robotaxi service in Dallas and Houston Tesla launched its robotaxi service in Austin ten months ago, initially with a safety driver seated in the front passenger seat. This driver could take control of the vehicle via a display in case of an emergency. In January, Tesla moved the “Safety Monitor” to a follow vehicle. The company also operates a Robotaxi service in San Francisco, but there, a driver remains behind the wheel at all times, as Tesla does not yet have approval to run fully autonomous vehicles in California. Expanding the robotaxi service from Austin to Dallas and Houston should be considerably easier for Tesla from a regulatory standpoint, as all three cities are located in Texas. The state is regarded as a pioneer in autonomous driving and passed relevant legislation as early as 2017. However, the scale of the planned robotaxi rollout in Dallas and Houston remains unclear. Tesla has confirmed that the service will operate without safety drivers. In Austin, the company initially deployed a fleet of 20 Tesla Model Y vehicles, while the Cybercab—designed as a dedicated robotaxi without a steering wheel—has yet to enter service. During its last quarterly results presentation in January, Tesla announced plans to expand its robotaxi service to Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Las Vegas in the first half of the year. The first two of these seven cities have now been launched. However, US specialist publication Electrek notes that the operational area of the robotaxi service in both cities is currently very limited: in Dallas, the zone covers approximately 78 to 90 square kilometres, while in Houston, it spans just 30 to 39 square kilometres. For comparison, the Houston metropolitan area covers over 25,900 square kilometres. Additionally, according to a robotaxi tracking tool, hardly any vehicles are

China's Hesai adds colour to lidar as EV makers race to level up in self-<b>driving</b> tech

China’s Hesai adds colour to lidar as EV makers race to level up in self-driving tech Colour-capable sensors to ‘significantly enhance’ sensing, helping cars identify traffic lights, construction signs, Deutsche Bank says The Shanghai-based maker of light detection and ranging sensors said its 6D full-colour platform would deliver lidar sensors with world-leading capabilities in ranging and small-target identification. 6D refers to the sensors’ ability to detect the X, Y and Z coordinates of an object, plus its reflectivity, velocity and colour. Expected to hit the market in the second half of this year, the company’s ETX lidar sensors would be the first of their kind, according to Hesai CEO David Li Yifan. “This is not some kind of market hype,” he said in a media briefing on Friday. “It is a fundamental innovation, something that no one I know of has ever done before.” He added that Hesai would prioritise “zero-to-one innovative breakthroughs” amid an intensified tech race in the global automotive industry, where key players were racing to develop driverless cars. Hesai did not disclose which carmakers would take delivery of the first batch of ETX lidars. Li said the company was determined to bring down costs by increasing manufacturing capacity and capabilities.

Synthan Sciences Prepares Seed Round for Physical AI Safety Infrastructure

With a proprietary safety architecture for autonomous machines, Synthan Sciences positions itself as essential infrastructure for the physical AI market. ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, April 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — As the broader AI market accelerates toward a projected $1.81 trillion valuation by 2030, according to Grand View Research, with physical AI representing one of its fastest-growing segments, one Abu Dhabi-based startup is betting that the biggest opportunity isn’t in building autonomous machines – it’s in making them safe. Synthan Sciences, founded by George Bancs, is preparing a seed funding round to scale its proprietary safety infrastructure for physical AI systems. The company has developed a multi-layer safety architecture spanning hardware, protocol, and identity verification for autonomous machines. The investment thesis is straightforward: every autonomous vehicle, humanoid robot, and intelligent machine operating in the real world will need safety certification and monitoring infrastructure. Synthan Sciences is building that infrastructure. “Think of it like cybersecurity was for the internet,” said Bancs. “At first, nobody thought they needed it. Then everybody did. Physical AI safety is on the same trajectory, except the stakes are higher because these systems operate in the real world.” The company operates under the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) regulatory framework, which Bancs describes as one of the most progressive jurisdictions for deep-tech innovation. ADGM’s regulatory sandbox and forward-looking approach to AI governance align with Synthan Sciences’ mission. Synthan Sciences occupies a unique position in the AI investment landscape. While most AI startups focus on capabilities – making machines smarter, faster, more capable – Synthan Sciences focuses on the trust layer that enables those capabilities to be deployed safely at scale. The company’s intellectual foundations are documented in The Syncyclopedia of Synthanity, a three-volume series by Bancs that covers the science, law, and culture of synthetic intelligence. The

'A Solution, But To What Problem?' Experts Say AVs Are The Elephant In The ...

Few op-eds that we’ve published over the years spurred more reader engagement than the Sam Schwartz-Kelly McGuinness-penned piece earlier this month about autonomous vehicles. We had commissioned the piece from the pair of experts after Gov. Hochul ended Waymo’s testing of AV taxis in New York City, mainly to ask the simple question, “What now?” Frankly, the piece was fairly anodyne — “What now? Society should have a serious debate about the role of AVs so we don’t end up with what happened in the 1920s, when we failed to have a serious debate about cars” — but reader interest was exceptionally keen. Fortunately, Schwartz and McGuinness were also leading a three-panel seminar last week, “The Future of Transportation,” at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College. Because of our readers’ — and society’s — obvious interest in the top, we offer an excerpt from the Schwartz-led panel, “Autonomous Vehicles and the Hard Problems — Safety, Streets, and Tradeoffs.” Panelists were Peter Norton, author of “Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City“; Rachel Weinberger of Regional Plan Association; and journalist David Zipper. Sam Schwartz: Okay, this is going to be exciting. We have a panel here of experts who’ve been studying this issue and have been raising some concerns, and they’re giving us a lot of history, and maybe we’ll start with Peter, and we can go on for a few minutes, and you tell us a little bit about your thoughts about autonomous vehicles, what’s being done right or wrong, or what should we be wary of? And then David, and then Rachel. Peter Norton: We can’t talk about the benefits of robotic cars alone. We can’t talk about the risks of robotic cars alone, and we can’t talk about regulation alone.

Is Tesla Stock a Buy in the Second Quarter of 2026? | The Motley Fool

When most investors think of buying Tesla (TSLA +2.96%) stock, they think of betting on the future of an electric vehicle (EV) company; that reality is only partially true. Tesla stock isn't just another investment decision in 2026, but also a long-term bet on the future of artificial intelligence (AI) -- whether it can turn technologies like self-driving cars and humanoid robots into massive businesses. That distinction matters, especially as investors decide whether the stock is a buy now. The stock doesn't trade like a typical electric car stock Tesla is not cheap. The company trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio above 300, well above those of traditional automakers and even many tech companies. That tells you the market expects Tesla to become something much bigger than a car manufacturer. But here's the catch: Tesla still gets the majority of its revenue from selling vehicles. In fact, it delivered roughly 1.6 million cars in 2025, making it one of the largest EV makers in the world. Revenue-wise, about 73% came from selling vehicles. That gap between current reality and future expectations creates a risk for investors. If Tesla delivers on its big ambitions, the stock could move even higher. But if progress slows, the premium valuation leaves little room for disappointment. NASDAQ: TSLA Key Data Points This is a time-horizon decision Whether Tesla is a buy today depends heavily on how long you plan to hold it. In the short term, the story looks mixed. Vehicle sales fell in 2025, competition is rising, and Tesla has cut prices to stay competitive. Over the long term, however, the opportunity looks much larger. Tesla is building toward self-driving cars that don't need human drivers, robotaxi networks that generate recurring income, and humanoid robots that could automate labor. If even one of these

KGMC Signs MOU with AutoKnowmerce ATZ to Pursue 'Level 4 <b>Autonomous Driving</b>'

*This content was translated by AI. KG Mobility (hereinafter KGM) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with its subsidiary KG Commercial (hereinafter KGMC) and global autonomous driving company AutoKnowmerce ATZ (hereinafter ATZ) to strengthen competitiveness in Level 4 autonomous driving technology. The signing ceremony, held on the 17th at ATZ's headquarters in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, was attended by KGM Hwang Gi-yeong (CEO) director, KGMC Kim Jong-hyeon (CEO) director, ATZ Han Ji-hyeong (CEO) director, and other relevant officials. The three companies agreed to collaborate across the entire autonomous driving ecosystem, including advancing autonomous driving technology, implementing Level 4 autonomous driving based on electric buses, establishing a stable supply system for autonomous driving components, certifying autonomous driving vehicle performance, and pursuing follow-up projects. KGM and ATZ previously signed a first MOU in 2023 and jointly developed the Level 4 autonomous vehicle 'Roii'. The vehicle is currently providing a circular shuttle service in the Cheonggyecheon area of Seoul, while KGMC's autonomous driving bus is also operating on certain sections of Seoul, demonstrating its technological capabilities. This second MOU aims to further strengthen cooperation between the two parties by expanding the scope of autonomous driving technology from conventional passenger vehicles to autonomous buses, enabling flexible responses to diverse mobility demands. KGM has set vehicle safety assurance as its top priority in the process of internalizing autonomous driving technology. Accordingly, it plans to apply redundant safety designs to core vehicle control elements such as propulsion, steering, braking, and power supply systems. Hwang Ki-young, CEO of KGM, emphasized that building safety systems is as important as advancing autonomous driving technology, expressing his determination to grow into a mobility company that customers can trust. Meanwhile, KGM continues to collaborate with domestic and international professional institutional investors and companies to commercialize autonomous driving technology. In March, it

Nissan Has Proven That Fully <b>Autonomous Cars</b> Will Be A Reality In Our Lifetime

The car you see here looks like your ordinary Nissan Ariya with an extra piece of plastic pasted to the roof, but it's actually the future of effortless mobility called the ProPilot Prototype. According to Nissan, it's a Level 2 Plus driving assistant, but in reality it's a Level 4 eyes-off fully-autonomous car that can drive itself without any human intervention, and I would not have believed that previous sentence if I had not experienced it with my own two eyeballs. In the interest of transparency, I did not think that true driverless cars would arrive in my lifetime. There's just too much standing in the way, the least of which is the reason nobody is willing to commit to the term 'Level 4'. Anything above Level 3 requires an automaker to take responsibility for any accidents or incidents, and in most parts of the world this kind of legislation hasn't even been written yet. Quite simply, automakers are scared of taking responsibility, because they know there are so many variables out on the road. Yet, here we are in 2026, and I've just experienced the future of commuting. What Has Changed To Make Autonomous Driving A Reality? The answer is two words: Artificial Intelligence. Unless you've been living under a rock, you must have interacted with artificial intelligence at some point in the last two years. What started off as a party trick is now an accepted tool used in almost every industry out there. While people are concerned that it will take the joy (and jobs) out of life, it makes a bit more sense if you think about it laterally. Instead of using it to write a dissertation at university, you can use it as a sort of study buddy to help structure your thoughts, or for

Toyota Corolla's standard ADAS raises global debate on subscriptions

A budget-friendly Toyota Corolla in the US offering standard, zero-cost advanced driver-assistance systems could reshape global expectations by undercutting automakers that rely on paid software subscriptions. The move intensifies pressure on manufacturers... The article requires paid subscription. Subscribe Now

Look Ma, Hands Free. Navigating Tokyo in Nissan's Self-<b>Driving</b> Test <b>Car</b>

Automotive technology is evolving at a blindingly rapid pace, and right now, we’re witnessing something of an arms race to see who will be the first to wrest the steering wheel and pedals away from the “drivers” of tomorrow. One way we know: Several of our latest test drives have in fact been ride-alongs in vehicles that were basically driving themselves. Our most recent example was a drive, er, ride, we took through the busy streets of Tokyo in a Nissan Ariya prototype using a version of the Japanese automaker’s next-generation ProPilot advanced driver assistance system. The Ariya development prototype we rode in had a lidar system installed on the roof, along with 11 cameras, five radar systems, multiple sensors, and sophisticated software. It’s deemed a Level 2++ system for its consumer vehicles, which means it can accelerate, brake, and steer on its own, but it still requires a person behind the wheel who must watch the road and be prepared to hit a pedal and grab the wheel. Above Level 2 is only allowed for testing currently in Japan and there must be a safety driver on board. But according to Nissan engineers, this particular car’s hardware and software make it Level 4 capable, which is the level at which its planned fleet of robotaxis will need to function. The ProPilot Level 2++ technology is advanced enough that it can conduct a point-to-point trip with no input beyond setting the destination in the navigation system. The car takes it from there. Personal Vehicles and Robotaxis Getting the Tech Nissan is developing its autonomous tech in parallel for its consumer vehicles as well as the robotaxis it plans to launch. In some markets Nissan will supply vehicles to robotaxi operators, in others, it can provide end-to-end service, according to Richard

Nissan Pro Pilot self-driving tech: driven by the <b>autonomous car</b> that's 'better than a human'

Nissan Pro Pilot self-driving tech: driven by the autonomous car that’s ‘better than a human’ Nissan vows to make AI-based cars part of our everyday lives – from 2027. Its engineer reckons it’s a better driver then he is This blind right turn across three lanes of Tokyo traffic would be nerve-wracking for a human driver: our view forward is obscured by a bus swinging across our path. Will Nissan’s AI-trained autonomous Ariya sit tight, or make a bolt for it? Head of automated driving tech, Tetsuya Iijima sits in the electric SUV’s driving seat, not that his hands have gone anywhere near the steering for the first five minutes of this trip. Indeed he’s looking straight at me over his left shoulder, explaining his passion project, while I distractedly gaze past him at the huge, white, battering ram we’re engaging in a stand-off with. The bus swings right, clears our path and reveals that oncoming traffic is scarce. Cue an invisible poltergeist turning the steering wheel and releasing the brake, with the Ariya gliding across the junction, onto a side street and into the next scenario. This third-generation Pro Pilot system is a collaboration with British tech start-up Wayve: it produces the AI-driving model trained on millions of hours of dashcam footage (hopefully excluding those crazy Russian dashcam compilations), while Nissan focuses on systems integration and software to make the EV steer, brake and accelerate. How does the Ariya see on Ginza’s streets? There are 11 cameras dotted around the car, with one behind the windscreen mirror providing the image for the digital driver’s display, annotated by a blue arrow showing our path through the urban jungle. The black carbuncle lashed on the roof houses four of them, but critically the supporting LiDAR too. This reflected light sensor acts

<b>Autonomous</b> A2G Signs Agreement with KGM and KGM Commercial for <b>Autonomous</b> ...

Autonomous A2G Signs Agreement with KGM and KGM Commercial for Autonomous Vehicle Development Joint Establishment of Vehicle Development and Component Supply Systems Autonomous A2G announced on April 20 that it has signed a business agreement with KG Mobility (KGM) and KGM Commercial to develop 'Level 4' autonomous driving vehicles and key components. On the 20th, Autonomous A2Z announced that it signed a business agreement with KG Mobility (KGM) and KGM Commercial to develop 'Level 4' autonomous driving vehicles and core components. KGM (from the left), KGMC, Ki-young Hwang of KGM, Autonomous A2Z, KGMC, Autonomous A2Z, Autonomous A2Z are posing for a commemorative photo. A2Z View original imageThe parties will collaborate on the following: ▲ Joint development of components for implementing Level 4 autonomous driving based on electric buses, ▲establishing a stable supply system for Level 4 autonomous driving components, ▲advancing Level 4 autonomous driving technology, ▲obtaining performance certification for Level 4 autonomous vehicles, ▲and pursuing follow-up business opportunities and revenue generation based on certified performance. They plan to form a joint consultative body to specify development schedules, the scope of technological cooperation, and commercialization strategies, with a focus on achieving tangible results. Autonomous A2G will lead the development and integration of autonomous driving systems by leveraging its expertise in Level 4 autonomous driving software, vehicle control and operation technologies, and the largest urban demonstration data in Korea. The company plans to actively apply its technology to the vehicle platforms developed by the three partners, enhancing stability and completeness in real-world driving environments. KGM will be responsible for vehicle design and production technologies based on its capabilities in SUV and electric vehicle development, providing the foundational platform for mass production of autonomous vehicles. KGMC, utilizing its accumulated experience in commercial vehicles and electric buses, will develop the autonomous bus platform and