Topic
autonomous-vehicles
Technology Aurora Reports Q2 Loss, Details Per-Mile Pricing for Driverless Truck Services
Aurora Innovation reported a Q2 net loss of $270 million and restated per-mile pricing for its two autonomous trucking business models. The company will move customers from transportation-as-a-service to driver-as-a-service starting in 2027, with Hirschbach Motor Lines as the anchor.
Technology For the First Time, Zoox Can Charge People for Rides in Its Steering-Wheel-Free Robotaxis
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) granted Amazon subsidiary Zoox a two-year exemption to deploy up to 5,000 steering-wheel-free robotaxis and charge for rides. Zoox will begin paid operations in Las Vegas, having already transported over 500,000 riders free of charge. The approval marks a milestone for autonomous vehicles built without traditional controls, subject to heightened oversight and safety reporting.
Technology Waabi's autonomous software switches from Peterbilt to Volvo with zero retraining
Waabi announced that its Waabi Driver software, trained exclusively on a Peterbilt 579, successfully controlled a Volvo VNL Autonomous truck on highways and surface streets from the very first mile without any retraining or engineering changes. The test demonstrates a form of cross-platform generalization that has historically required over a year of work, potentially accelerating the commercial scaling of autonomous trucking.
Technology Tesla Says It’s Building a Wheelchair-Accessible Robotaxi
Tesla revealed plans for a wheelchair-accessible robotaxi during a DC City Council hearing. The company is developing the vehicle in Texas but provided no timeline. Currently no US robotaxi company offers fully accessible driverless rides.
Technology Uber's Autonomous Vehicle Strategy: Lobbying to Slow Robotaxi Adoption to Protect Its Business Model
Uber is lobbying for 'hybrid network' laws that would require human drivers to serve 85% of rides for three years in autonomous vehicle deployments. The strategy, outlined by CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, aims to make Uber the go-to platform for all robotaxi operators. Proposed legislation in New Jersey and Washington DC could force autonomous vehicle developers like Waymo and Tesla to partner with existing ride-hail apps.
Technology Texas autonomous freight route a 'future-focused, risk management solution' for driver headcount
AVI-SPL began commercial autonomous freight operations on the Dallas-Houston corridor in June 2026, using Volvo's self-driving VNL Autonomous semi truck and Aurora's transportation management system. The initiative is framed as a forward-looking risk management strategy to combat driver shortages and improve sustainability through two-way cargo flows.
Technology At UN AI Summit, Robot Dogs and Teslas Share Space with Hard Questions on Compute Access
The UN's AI for Good Summit, organized by the ITU, brought together tech demos and panel discussions on harnessing AI for humanity. While officials touted AI's potential to solve global problems, humanitarian advocates and engineers warned of overreliance on big tech and vague goals, highlighting the widening compute divide as a development infrastructure crisis.
Technology NHTSA Warns Autonomous Vehicle Developers Over Interference With First Responders
The head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sent a letter to autonomous vehicle developers decrying a pattern of driverless cars interfering with emergency responders. Incidents include vehicles driving into active scenes, blocking ambulances, and failing to respond to hand signals. NHTSA warns it will use enforcement authority if safety concerns are not addressed.
Technology Free Waymo Rides in California? A Regulatory Quirk Delays Expansion and Keeps Prices at $0
Waymo's new Ojai robotaxis are giving free rides in California because the state's Public Utilities Commission has not yet approved the company's application to expand its service area and add the vehicles to its fleet. The delay, tied to questions about emergency response and unaccompanied minors, means passengers ride without charge while Waymo waits for regulatory sign-off.
Technology Can China Repeat Its Electric Vehicle Success with Robotaxis?
Chinese robotaxi companies like Baidu, WeRide, and Pony.ai are testing commercial services in Beijing, building on the country's massive EV industrial ecosystem. However, extreme weather and unique driving environments abroad may limit rapid global expansion, according to industry executives.
Supply Chain DHL Transitions Zelostech Autonomous Vehicles to Live Operations at Singapore Hub
DHL has transitioned autonomous vehicles from its Fast Forward Challenge into daily operations at its Advanced Regional Center in Singapore. In partnership with Zelostech, the fully electric driverless shuttles move pallets between facilities, cutting operating costs by roughly half and reducing emissions. The deployment allows teams to shift from driver supervision to system management.
Technology Waymo Recalls 3,871 Robotaxis Over Risk of Driving Into Freeway Construction Zones
Waymo has filed a safety recall with NHTSA for 3,871 vehicles after its autonomous cars entered closed freeway construction zones. The issue stems from a software logic failure that prioritizes hazard avoidance over recognizing work zones. No collisions were reported, but Waymo has restricted all freeway operations until an over-the-air fix is deployed.
Logistics Backlash over delivery robots: Chicago residents demand ban as councils weigh regulation
Delivery robots are facing backlash from residents and local authorities in multiple US cities, with calls for bans and stricter regulation due to safety, accessibility, and sidewalk obstruction concerns. John Roberts in Chicago launched a petition gathering 4,400 signatures, while Glendale, California is considering a temporary ban as councilors seek a regulatory framework.
Explainable deep learning improves human mental models of self-driving cars, study finds
A new method called Concept-Wrapper Network (CW-Net) provides faithful explanations of deep neural network planners in self-driving cars, improving human drivers' ability to anticipate vehicle behavior, especially in surprising situations. Deployed on a real autonomous vehicle, the system shows that explainable AI can be practical and useful in real-world settings.
Causal Explanation Framework Enhances Lane Change Prediction Accuracy for Automated Driving
Researchers introduce a causal explanation framework for lane change prediction in automated driving. The approach combines causal discovery and deep structural causal modeling to achieve F1-scores above 95% and generate interpretable causal chains. This moves beyond correlation-based classification to more robust maneuver anticipation.
Deep Learning Enables Autonomous Logistics Vehicles to Detect and Pick Load Carriers
A research paper presents a deep learning-based framework that uses a convolutional neural network on RGBD images to identify landmarks on load carriers and compute their pose. Experiments show sufficient accuracy for reliable detection in industrial environments, supporting autonomous intralogistics operations.
Neuro-Symbolic Framework Improves Motion Prediction for Autonomous Vehicles in Mixed Traffic
Researchers propose TraCS, a neuro-symbolic framework that augments black-box motion prediction with probabilistic first-order logic, improving accuracy and interpretability for autonomous vehicles in heterogeneous traffic. Tested on the Argoverse 2 benchmark, TraCS consistently improves state-of-the-art backbones.
Technology Volvo Sets Q1 2027 for Fully Driverless Truck Operations
Volvo Autonomous Solutions will remove safety drivers from autonomous trucks on U.S. highways in Q1 2027, targeting over 300 trucks by end of 2027 and $3 billion in revenue within five years. The company is expanding commercial operations in Texas and Oklahoma, with new routes eliminating drayage and directly serving customer facilities.
Technology Waymo's Virtual Human Driver Enhances Robotaxi Safety
Waymo has developed a virtual human driver model, ReD, to enhance the safety of its autonomous vehicles. This model simulates human driving behavior to improve accident avoidance, working with Delft University of Technology and other partners.