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.
Ex-Uber engineer drove coast-to-coast in a Prius without touching the wheel
The engineer at the heart of the Waymo vs. Uber lawsuit has founded a company named Pronto that aims to build the best self-driving stack in the world. It drove a Toyota Prius from San Francisco to New York without any human input. Pronto will begin selling semi-autonomous tech to truckers in 2019.
Audi’s self-driving car unit teams up with Luminar to go driverless in 2021
Audi's self-driving car unit has teamed up with Luminar to develop autonomous technology in real-world urban conditions. Luminar provides its lidar technology, which sees farther than the sensors offered by rivals, while Audi brings its own software. The partners aim to deploy autonomous cars in 2021.
Self-driving dirt rally car offers crash course in autonomous safety
The kind of project that Vin Diesel might suggest as a computer science project, Georgia Tech's AutoRally initiative pushes self-driving cars to their limits by getting scaled-down autonomous vehicles to drive really, really fast and aggressively on dirt roads. Here's why.
LM Industries’ autonomous shuttles head to Phoenix, Sacramento campuses
LM Industries will deploy Olli low-speed autonomous shuttles at school campuses in Arizona and California as part of its ongoing "fleet challenge," which asks local groups to propose uses for autonomous vehicles. The next challenge is open to entries in the Washington, D.C. area.
Waymo becomes the first company to charge for rides in self-driving cars
Waymo has launched a commercial ridesharing service using self-driving cars in the Phoenix area. It's the first U.S. company to generate revenue by putting passengers in autonomous cars. Waymo One is only available to a select group of riders, but Waymo will expand the service to other riders in other cities.
Cops chased a Tesla for 7 miles while its driver appeared to be sleeping
Cops in California recently spotted a Tesla Model S motoring along the highway at 70 mph with the driver apparently asleep at the wheel. The case is still being investigated, but it appears that the Tesla's self-driving features and the officers' skillful driving helped to safely end the incident.
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?
Many adults believe fully self-driving cars are already traversing U.S. highways
AAA research found confused consumers and semiautonomous vehicles not up to their tasks. The American Automobile Association tested cars with features such as lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control and found them lacking in real-world conditions. Forty percent of surveyed adults think self-driving cars exist now.
Roborace wants human drivers and machines to work together
Roborace believes the future of racing is autonomous, but it's keeping human drivers in the picture for now. For its first race season, Roborace will use a car called DevBot 2.0 that can be driven by humans or machines. Roborace plans to switch to fully autonomous racing in 2021.
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.
Uber wants to restart self-driving car tests in Pennsylvania
Uber is seeking to resume testing self-driving cars on the streets of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania following a fatal crash in Arizona that shut down on-road testing for months. Uber claims to have made safety improvements, including better software and new policies for human safety drivers.
Waymo receives first permit to test fully driverless cars in California
Waymo has been given the green light by California to test fully driverless vehicles on the state's public roads. It means that Waymo can take its cars onto the roads without anyone behind the wheel, making it the first company to receive such a permit in the Golden State.
Volkswagen and Mobileye plan autonomous ridesharing service for Israel
Volkswagen and Mobileye plan to launching a ridesharing service in Israel using autonomous electric cars. Development work will begin in 2019, with full-scale commercialization in 2022, according to the partners. Many other companies plan to use self-driving cars in ridesharing programs.
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.
Ford’s self-driving cars hit the streets of the nation’s capital
Ford is deploying self-driving cars in Washington, D.C. to demonstrate their capabilities to lawmakers and ordinary citizens alike. The automaker plans to launch a production autonomous car in 2021. In the meantime, Ford will study how self-driving cars may impact the economy.
Shrimp eyes inspire new camera focused on helping self-driving cars see better
By mimicking the vision of mantis shrimp, researchers were able to make significant improvements on today’s commercial cameras. They hope their technology can help mitigate accidents by letting self-driving vehicles see more clearly and making underwater GPS more accurate.
A public/private autonomous driving institute blooms under the Arizona sun
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey announced the Institute for Automated Mobility (IAM), partnering government, academic, and private organizations to develop technologies and safety standards for self-driving vehicles. Intel is the first private-sector member of IAM, which is administered by the Arizona Commerce Authority.
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.
‘Navigate on Autopilot’ is conspicuously absent from Tesla software Version 9.0
Tesla began a wide rollout of software update version 9.0 with a number of enhanced features but not the long-promised Navigate on Autopilot feature. New features include mobile app updates, a dash cam, updated climate controls, obstacle-aware acceleration, and enhanced 360-degree views with adjacent lanes.
LM Industries asks cities to find uses for its autonomous vehicles
LM Industries is launching a "fleet challenge" in Sacramento and Phoenix asking interested parties to propose uses for its Olli low-speed autonomous electric vehicles. Winners get a handful for vehicles to carry out their plans with. LM Industries plans to take the concept to other cities as well.
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.
Startup inks ‘world’s largest deal’ for driverless grocery deliveries
An increasing number of companies are exploring the possibility of delivery services using autonomous vehicles. California-based startup Udelv already has experience of running a trial in San Francisco, with Oklahoma City all set to become its next destination for a grocery delivery service.
Autonomous Mercedes concept shape-shifts from cargo van to rideshare vehicle
The Mercedes-Benz Vision Urbanetic concept can switch bodies to become either a cargo van or a 12-passenger vehicle for ridesharing services. The concept vehicle is fully autonomous and uses an all-electric powertrain. It's unclear if anything like this will ever enter production, however.
FCA drops $30 million on Michigan autonomous-driving research facility
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) will spend $30 million on an addition to its Chelsea Proving Grounds dedicated to testing autonomous cars and driver-assist tech. The facility will include a simulated highway and other testing areas. FCA currently supplies vehicles to Waymo.
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.
Not everyone is happy with Waymo’s self-driving cars, report says
Waymo's self-driving cars aren't perfect, according to a new report. They allegedly frustrate Arizona drivers with overly cautious maneuvers and unpredictable braking. Waymo says it's just trying to prioritize safety. But can the company get it together in time to launch its planned ridesharing service?
Toyota extends a lifeline to Uber’s troubled self-driving car program
Toyota will invest $500 million in Uber, and partner with the ride-sharing company on a new fleet of prototype self-driving cars. The Sienna minivans will use both Toyota and Uber tech, and will be deployed in pilot ridesharing services beginning in 2021, Toyota said in a statement.
WaveSense ground-penetrating radar aids navigation with road data
Originally developed for military applications where vehicles travel unmarked roads and trails, WaveSense localizing ground-penetrating radar adds a fourth dimension to autonomous driving systems. When you're driving with poor visibility and the lane markers are covered, subterranean mapping can keep the car on track.
Lyft’s self-driving taxis have made 5,000 trips for paying riders in Las Vegas
Lyft's driverless-taxi service appears to be a hit with riders in Las Vegas. The ridesharing company said its 30 robot cars have now made more than 5,000 trips since joining its fleet in May, with the vast majority of customers saying they'd be happy to choose such a vehicle for their next ride, too.
Waymo expands its partnerships in Phoenix, teams up with Walmart and Avis
Waymo, the former Google self-driving car project, is stepping up its efforts to get autonomous-driving tech ready for prime time. Waymo is offering Arizona residents rides in its fully self-driving cars. Now, the company is doubling down on its program with even more partnerships, with brands such as Walmart.
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.
Autonomous cars: Waymo and Walmart partner on a grocery pickup service
Selected Walmart customers who shop for groceries online will be able to grab a free lift in one of Waymo’s autonomous cars to collect their order. To encourage shoppers in Phoenix, Arizona, to use the trial service, the retail giant will offer discounts on their orders.
Waymo self-driving cars are now covering 25,000 miles a day
Waymo's test fleet of self-driving cars has covered 8 million miles on public roads, and is now driving 25,000 miles a day, according to CEO John Krafcik. Waymo plans to launch an autonomous ridesharing service in Arizona later this year. It's also ordering tens of thousands of new cars.