Nuro’s awesome robot delivery pods are tootling into Texas
Robo-delivery startup Nuro is taking its awesome delivery pods to Texas. The vehicles will deliver Kroger groceries to customers' doors in Houston following a successful pilot program in Scottsdale, Arizona. Nuro’s futuristic pod is driverless, though a trailing safety driver keeps an eye on its progress.
Ford to expand autonomous-car research in race to launch robo-taxi service
Ford is in a race with Waymo and GM Cruise to launch large-scale taxi and delivery services using autonomous vehicles. Already testing its technology in four U.S. cities, the automaker is reportedly making plans to expand its program to Austin, Texas, for further trials on public roads.
GM Cruise to double its autonomous-car team to meet robo-taxi goal
With its eye on the launch of a robo-taxi service by the end of 2019, General Motors' Cruise Automation says it will add 1,000 workers to its autonomous-vehicle team over the next nine months, doubling its workforce. The San Francisco-based firm launched in 2013 and was acquired by GM three years later.
Jaguar is creating a language so autonomous cars can talk to pedestrians
Jaguar wants to teach autonomous cars how to talk to pedestrians. After testing creepy eyes, it has switched to a technology which beams light bars on the ground that move to signal the car is stopping, turning, or accelerating. Communication is key to make autonomous cars safe, but standardization is also important.
Lyft and Aptiv’s self-driving car program has come a long way (but not far enough)
Many companies talk about self-driving cars, but Lyft and Aptiv are already using a fleet of them to transport paying customers in Las Vegas. The two companies claim to have given about 30,000 rides in modified BMW 540i luxury cars over the past year, with rave reviews from passengers.
Bosch cautiously moving full-speed ahead with self-driving car tech
The automotive industry's brightest minds are working on making self-driving cars a reality in the not-too-distant future. Digital Trends talked to Kay Stepper, one of Bosch's self-driving car experts, during CES 2019 to gain insight on how the technology is progressing, and which direction it's going in.
Bosch’s CES-bound shuttle concept takes us on a trip to a not-too-distant future
Bosch envisions a future in which driverless shuttles occupy their own market segment. The German firm won't build the shuttles, but it wants to provide everything else, ranging from the drive system to the apps used to hail them to the onboard entertainment. Its CES 2019 concept showcases different solutions.
Robot delivery startup Udelv woos Walmart for a trial run in Arizona
Last year saw plenty of partnerships struck between big retail firms and tech companies interested in robot delivery services. It looks like more of the same this year, with Walmart and startup Udelv launching a trial service this month for online grocery shoppers in the city of Surprise, Arizona.
This futuristic autonomous pod hotel drives you around as you sleep
Toronto-based design studio Aprilli is reimagining the future of transportation with its 'Autonomous Travel Suite' concept, describing a kind of self-driving sleeper van that’s like a hotel room on wheels. Coming soon to a freeway near you? It's not as crazy as it sounds.
CES 2019: Tech trends to watch for at the consumer electronics show
With more than 4,400 exhibiting companies and more than 2.7 million square feet of exhibition hall, CES is overwhelming. Here's what to expect from the upcoming show, from AI and self-driving cars to 5G networks and foldable phones and 8K televisions.
Waymo’s autonomous cars are coming under attack in Arizona
It's not just technological challenges that autonomous-car firms have to overcome. Waymo's testing of self-driving cars near Phoenix, Arizona, shows that they still have to win over some members of the public, too. Reports highlight a series of incidents where Waymo's cars and safety drivers have faced abuse.
Autonomous pods are now delivering groceries to customers in Arizona
Check out these cool-looking autonomous delivery pods that are now trundling along the streets of Scottsdale, Arizona. Created by technology firm Nuro, the unmanned pods are part of an app-based service delivering groceries to local customers on behalf of supermarket giant Kroger.
7 insane roads that will push self-driving cars to their very limits
Self-driving cars are getting better all the time, but we won't ever be convinced of their readiness for prime time till we see them comfortably handle a full range of challenges. So, ask yourself, would you be happy climbing into a driverless car for a ride on THESE insane roads?
Luminar lidar sensor aims to detect if you’re sipping a latte or crossing a road
Volvo and sensor company Luminar Technologies have made a breakthrough in lidar technology that will greatly improve the vision of autonomous cars. The lidar allows an autonomous car to see up to 270 yards away, and gives it the ability to identity human actions and body parts (like arms and legs).
Ford teams up with Walmart to study consumer response to autonomous delivery
Last week it was Ford and VW and this week Ford and Walmart are signaling a desire to work together on autonomous vehicles solutions. Ford and the giant retailer will study consumer reactions to self-driving delivery vehicles. The purpose of the research is to discover the services people want.
Autonomous cars could lead to sex on wheels, study shows
Fully autonomous cars can change the way we commute, but they can also have a far-reaching impact on the tourism industry. Two researchers published a study that outlines how self-driving technology could affect the hotel industry, car rental companies, restaurants, tour bus operators, and even brothels.
Safety driver in Waymo autonomous car causes collision with biker
Safety drivers are supposed to take control of a self-driving car when a potentially dangerous situation occurs that appears to be beyond the capabilities of the vehicle's autonomous technology. But when a driver in one of Waymo's cars recently took control, they caused an accident with a motorcyclist.
Tesla drivers in N. America will soon be able to put lane changing on autopilot
Tesla's Navigate on Autopilot feature, which goes live tonight, will assist drivers by guiding the car from the on-ramp to the off-ramp of a highway, including making suggestions for lane changes and navigating highway interchanges. The speed of the lane changes is set by driver preferences.
Should A.I cars put passengers before pedestrians? Here’s what millions said
Questions like whether a self-driving car should prioritize the life of its driver over pedestrians are, to put it mildly, complex ethical dilemmas. Researchers recently published the findings to a massive survey of 2.3 million people giving their thoughts on these conundrums.
U.K. on-demand car service plans autonomous vehicles in London by 2021
U.K.-based Addison Lee and Oxbotica formed an alliance to carve a major share of the predicted market for connected and autonomous vehicle services. Addison Lee is an established executive car service in London and Oxbotica's self-driving car system and fleet management software are in multiple trials.
Watch this driverless Range Rover tackle one of U.K.’s ‘most challenging roads’
Jaguar Land Rover recently sent its under-development autonomous vehicle — a modified Range Rover Sport — onto one of the U.K.'s "most challenging road layouts." A video of the drive shows the high-tech SUV changing lanes, merging with traffic, and exiting junctions with aplomb.
Ford could let you control a self-driving car with nunchuck-like motions
Ford has received a patent for a technology called Non-Autonomous Steering Modes. This feature could let passengers in self-driving cars steer using their smartphone. The first mode reads the device's movements, much like a Wii's Nunchuck, while the second displays a virtual steering wheel on the smartphone's screen.
Honda hands GM $2.75 billion so it can get the Cruise self-driving unit moving
American Honda Company and General Motors will partner on GM's Cruise self-driving unit, showing once again that developing safe autonomous vehicle tech is too big a task for even the largest automobile manufacturers to handle alone. In addition to $2.75 billion, Honda will also participate with engineering resources.
The White House will promote autonomous cars without forcing you to use one
The White House has published a policy initiative that outlines how it plans to promote the development of self-driving cars. It will make infrastructure upgrades when necessary but it won't fund the technology. And, it wants to remain technology-neutral; it stresses it doesn't want everyone to give up driving.
Ford wants to avoid chaos by teaching all self-driving cars a common language
Ford stresses communication will play a key part in the safe, orderly, and timely deployment of autonomous technology on public roads. It's calling on every industry player developing autonomous cars (even its rivals) to work together in creating a common language they can use to signal their intentions.
Ikea jumps on the autonomous car bandwagon — because why wouldn’t it?
Space10, Ikea's research and development arm, has introduced seven autonomous car concepts. Some fall in line with what we've seen from established automakers, like Volvo, while others bring new ideas to the conversation about autonomous cars. There's a game room and even a farmer's market on wheels.
Apple self-driving car found not to be at fault after being rear-ended
One of Apple's self-driving cars has been involved in an accident with a Nissan Leaf. The autonomous car was moving at low speed while attempting to merge into traffic when it was rear-ended by the driving of the Leaf. It was found not to be at fault, according to a report.
There’s a good reason this self-driving pod has huge ‘virtual eyes’
It might look a bit creepy at first glance, but there's actually a good reason this driverless car has large, LED eyes. The design is part of tests being conducted by Land Rover Jaguar to see if an autonomous vehicle that "communicates" with pedestrians offers more reassurance about the car's intent.
AutoX will soon test its autonomous grocery delivery program in California
AutoX self-driving car company partnered with GrubMarket's fresh produce ecommerce venture to introduce autonomous grocery delivery and mobile store service. The locally sourced organic and healthy food self-driving car delivery program pilots in San Jose with a second phase planned for Mountain View and Palo Alto.
Head Tesla engineer leaves for Apple to possibly reboot self-driving car
Apple's self-driving car project could potentially get the reboot as a former chief engineer for Tesla Motors left the company to go back to the Cupertino-based tech giant. Doug Field, who worked at Apple from 2008-2013, then Tesla from 2013 until last month, will go back to Apple.
Amazing future transports promise to supercharge our commutes
You can keep your Teslas, your McLarens, and your Aston Martins. Here in 2018, the ambition, scale, and adrenalin-pumping excitement of the most cutting-edge transport options put most contemporary tech to shame. Here are six of the amazing modes of transportation we have to look forward to.
Bosch will roll out cloud-based cloud-detecting technology in 2020
Bosch and Foreca have joined forces to design a technology that gives autonomous cars weather information. Starting in 2020, cars equipped with this feature will know when they're about to enter a snowstorm and when it's safe to speed up again. The technology will initially rely on weather data stored in the cloud.
Siemens’ autonomous 1965 Ford Mustang is a horse that can’t be tamed
Siemens has turned a 1965 Ford Mustang into a self-driving race car. It keeps the carbureted, 4.7-liter V8 engine but gains sensors and powerful onboard computers that will help it race up a hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed without human input -- in theory, but not necessarily in application.
Volkswagen, Bosch, and Nvidia team up to bring autonomous cars one step closer
The Volkswagen Group of America has teamed up with Bosch, Continental, Nvidia, and Aquantia to form the Networking for Autonomous Vehicles (NAV) Alliance. The partners are pooling their resources and expertise to help make autonomous cars a reality by improving the Ethernet network used to transfer data.