What Lyft and Aptiv learned from 100,000 self-driving car trips
Lyft and Aptiv have completed 100,000 self-driving car trips in Las Vegas. They claim it will provide a blueprint for more widespread use of self-driving cars.
Nuro granted first federal safety exemption for a driverless car
Nuro is the first company to get an exemption from federal safety regulations for an autonomous car. The rules are intended for human-driven vehicles.
Brown goes autonomous: Waymo and UPS partner on package-delivery pilot
Waymo is partnering with UPS on a package-delivery pilot program in Arizona. Waymo's modified Chrysler Pacifica minivans will ferry packages between UPS Stores and a distribution hub in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The program will use the same vehicles as the Waymo One ridesharing service.
GM gets serious with $2.2 billion investment in electric trucks, SUVs
General Motors will convert a Detroit assembly plant into a dedicated factory for electric vehicles. The factory will start producing electric pickup trucks in 2021, followed by the Cruise Origin self-driving car and other models. GM is spending $2.2 billion to retool the factory for electric vehicle production.
Waymo’s self-driving minivans and big rigs arrive in two more states
Texas and New Mexico are the latest states to say hello to Waymo's self-driving minivans and big rigs. The autonomous-vehicle specialist will start by using its minivans to map the highways in readiness for trial runs using its trucks. The tests could lead to a commercial freight operation using the trucks.
Where we’re going, we don’t need steering wheels, GM’s Cruise believes
The Cruise Origin is the first purpose-built self-driving car from General Motors' autonomous driving division. The Origin doesn't have a steering wheel or pedals and was designed with ridesharing in mind. Cruise did not say when the Origin will go into production. The car was designed with help from GM and Honda.
10 Incredible technologies that didn’t exist a decade ago
Technology sure has come a long way in the past decade. But what would you expect from the 10-year stretch that included the year Blade Runner was set in? Here's our rundown of the top 10 pieces of tech excited gadget-lovers got to try out for the first time in the 2010s.
GM requests green light to ditch steering wheel in its self-driving cars
General Motors has asked regulators to allow it to test a limited number of autonomous cars without a steering wheel. Currently, all self-driving cars have one in place, with most also including a back-up driver ready to step in if something goes awry. The NHTSA is expected to respond to General Motors’ request soon.
Californians can now have their groceries delivered by autonomous vehicles
California will allow driverless light-duty commercial vehicles on its roads. This paves the way for autonomous vehicles to be used in delivery services in the Golden State. Companies like Nuro already use autonomous vehicles for deliveries in other states with less strict regulations.
Mercedes-Benz and Bosch are starting an autonomous shuttle service in California
Operating between downtown San Jose, California and the west part of the city, the ride-hailing service will include 30 prototypes based on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Only Bosch and Daimler associates will be allowed to ride in the cars, but the partners plan to open it up to the general public as soon as possible.
Mobileye maps 28K miles of roads a day to prep for autonomous cars
Mobileye has struck a deal with the city of Barcelona to equip local vehicles with driver-assist tech. These vehicles are building a library of data to help improve safety. The data will also help lay the foundation for self-driving cars, which need detailed digital maps to navigate.
MIT is teaching self-driving cars how to psychoanalyze humans on the road
MIT CSAIL researchers have developed an algorithm for self-driving cars that aims to predict human drivers' personalities, determining whether they're selfless or selfish. In the process, they hope that it will help autonomous vehicles to more safely drive among them. Here's how it works.
Daimler is taking a ‘reality check’ on self-driving cars over safety challenges
Daimler is reigning in expectations for self-driving cars, CEO Ola Kaellenius told a group of reporters. Safety has proven a greater challenge than originally anticipated, he said. Daimler is also unsure if it could make much money off the ridesharing fleets of self-driving cars originally envisioned.
How Cruise builds digital maps for its self-driving cars
General Motors' Cruise division designs its own maps for self-driving cars. Those maps are vital to improving the performance of autonomous cars in real-world situations, Cruise claims. Cruise's self-driving cars compare sensor data to stored maps to orient themselves and plot maneuvers.
Lyft’s self-driving car-testing program is racking up the miles
Lyft is steadily growing its autonomous car program, adding a new dedicated testing facility in California and a fleet of Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans. Lyft claims its test cars are covering a greater number of miles in autonomous mode than they were just six months ago.
Uber self-driving cars were reportedly in 37 crashes before fatal incident
Prior to a March 2018 fatal crash, Uber self-driving cars were involved in 37 crashes, according to a report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Uber suspended its autonomous car program after the fatal crash, but has resumed testing on a limited basis.
MIT’s shadow-watching tech could let autonomous cars see around corners
MIT researchers have shown off new technology which could allow autonomous vehicles to look around corners — by analyzing changes in shadows on the ground. Here's how it works, and what it could potentially mean for the reaction time of self-driving cars in the future.
Waymo is now running autonomous car trips without backup drivers
Waymo is offering limited rides to Arizona residents in prototype self-driving cars without human backup drivers. Waymo cars previously operated with a person in the driver's seat at all times. The Alphabet-owned company said passengers will be notified via the Waymo app if it sends them a fully driverless car.
A self-driving Hyundai can pick you up in one California city starting next month
Hyundai is teaming up with self-driving car startup Pony.ai and ridesharing company Via to launch an autonomous ridesharing pilot program in Irvine, California. Residents will be able to use an app to hail an autonomous Hyundai Kona Electric in the city beginning November 4.
AdaSky uses military thermal imaging tech for self-driving cars
Israeli startup AdaSky plans to introduce a new type of sensor into the mix for driver-assist systems and self-driving cars. AdaSky's thermal imaging sensor relies on the heat radiated by people and objects. It's a 24/7 solution that will work in conditions that might blind other sensors, AdaSky claims.
Waymo and Renault eye Paris for full-fledged robo-taxi service
Waymo and Renault are exploring the idea of launching a robo-taxi service in Paris for a route between Charles de Gaulle Airport and a major business district about 20 miles away. If it goes ahead, it would mark the first time for Waymo to take its autonomous-vehicle technology overseas.
Toyota’s LQ concept has A.I. tech that knows when you’re stressed
Toyota's latest concept car tries to use technology to create an emotional connection with its users. Capable of autonomous driving, the LQ features an artificial intelligent personal assistant called Yui. Toyota plans to give public test drives of the LQ in Japan in 2020.
Waymo’s self-driving prototypes begin exploring LA’s latticework of streets
Three prototypes decked out with a full suite of autonomous technology have started exploring Los Angeles to gather data about the city's streets, though they're being driven by engineers. The company hasn't announced when it will take humans out of the equation and let its prototypes prowl La's streets on their own.
Hyundai backs A.I. camera company to aid development of self-driving cars
Hyundai is investing in Netradyne, a company that makes A.I.-equipped dash cams for corporate fleets. Hyundai believes the cameras can provide map data for self-driving cars. Cost-effective mapping is one of the biggest barriers to autonomous driving, according to Hyundai.
Waymo shows kids its autonomous cars in what it hopes will be a two-way street
Waymo has been demonstrating its self-driving cars to American students to teach them about its autonomous technology. It also hopes to gain useful feedback from the next generation of road users while at the same time inspiring some to take the baton and become the engineers of tomorrow.
Ford’s self-driving car testing program heads to Austin
Austin, Texas, has embraced self-driving cars, which is why Ford chose the city as its latest testing location. Ford plans to use autonomous cars for services like ridesharing. Ford also operates prototype self-driving cars in Detroit, Pittsburgh, Miami, and Washington, D.C.
This Scania autonomous truck concept doesn’t even have a cab
The Scania AXL concept is a heavy duty truck that doesn't even have room onboard for a human driver. The autonomous truck was designed to work at construction sites and mines. Scania is currently testing autonomous trucks in the field, but with human safety drivers onboard.
Hyundai, Aptiv form $4 billion joint venture to develop self-driving cars
Hyundai teamed up with Aptiv to form a joint venture that aims to put autonomous cars on the road by 2022. The two firms will begin testing prototypes in 2020, and they hope to sell their technology to other companies -- including rivals -- as soon as possible. The joint venture is a $4 billion project.
Uber’s self-driving cars head to Dallas, but they’ll be driven in manual mode
Uber is taking its self-driving vehicles to the streets of Dallas, Texas, but they won't be driven in autonomous mode at the start. Instead, its Volvo SUVs will use human drivers to collect data to help it build the high-definition maps that power its self-driving system.
Roborace sets a new record for world’s fastest driverless car
The Roborace Robocar is now officially the world's fastest self-driving car, according to Guinness World Records. The self-driving car hit a top speed of 175 mph on a British airstrip. It's unclear who will challenge this self-driving car top speed record, so it may stand for a while.
The Audi AI:Trail Quattro concept is the autonomous off-roading EV of our dreams
Autonomous, electric concept car are a dime a dozen, but Audi put a different spin on the idea by making a self-driving, battery-powered off-roader. It's loaded with useful tech features, like a roof-mounted drone that lights up trails. It's not ready for production, but it could become a reality by 2030.
Unique cycling jacket could improve safety in a world of autonomous cars
A unique cycling jacket that uses QR codes to communicate with autonomous vehicles has won an award at an international design conference in Chicago. Created by Canada-based student Philip Siwek, the jacket could one day be used to help improve road safety in a world of self-driving cars.
Ford squashes the bug problem plaguing autonomous cars
Self-driving cars have to overcome a lot of problems, and one of them is bugs. Ford used some clever engineering to keep insects from blinding autonomous-car sensors. Ford plans to launch its first fully autonomous production car in 2021, and details like this are vital to making it work.
Waymo asks the government to stop requiring steering wheels for autonomous cars
Waymo has asked federal regulators to speed up an overhaul of safety rules to accommodate self-driving cars. The Alphabet unit wants to find a workaround for current rules that require manual controls. General Motors has also proposed eliminating steering wheels and brake pedals.