Author: Brandon Mitchell

Waymo’s driverless robotaxis recorded fewer crashes per mile than human drivers across four U.S. cities, according to a study released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which also called for improvements to the country’s automated vehicle crash reporting system. Lower Crash Rates Across Most Cities The study compared approximately 50 million driverless miles driven by Waymo’s Level 4 robotaxi fleet with an estimated 222 billion miles driven by human-operated vehicles in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin. https://evmagz.com/waymo-expands-driverless-ride-service-testing-to-four-more-u-s-cities/ According to IIHS, Waymo vehicles experienced 68% fewer crashes per mile overall than human drivers during the study period.…

Tso Chinese Takeout & Delivery, autonomous vehicle operator Autolane and delivery platform Nash have launched a supervised autonomous food delivery service in Austin, Texas, using a fleet of Tesla Model Y vehicles. The service began operating on July 7, 2026, from Tso Chinese’s Cherrywood location and is designed to combine autonomous vehicle technology with human oversight for last-mile deliveries. Customers Collect Orders at the Vehicle Eligible orders are matched with an Autolane vehicle through Nash’s delivery platform. Customers receive a text message inviting them to participate in the autonomous delivery service and can track the vehicle’s progress in real time.…

MG has outlined its next phase of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) development, with the company planning to introduce its first Navigate On Autopilot (NOA) highway driving assistance system in a new sport utility vehicle scheduled for launch in late 2027. The roadmap was presented during MG Tech Day in London and includes future developments in highway driver assistance, automated parking and Level 4 autonomous driving research. According to the company, its ADAS development is supported by more than 1.2 million kilometers of real-world driving data collected across 24 European countries. Highway Driving Assistance Planned for 2027 MG said its…

U.K.-based autonomous driving startup Wayve has launched an $85 million employee share sale, allowing staff to sell a portion of their vested equity in a tender offer backed by existing and new investors. The transaction values the company at $8.5 billion, matching the valuation established during its $1.2 billion Series D funding round completed in February. Second Employee Liquidity Event The latest tender offer gives employees an opportunity to realize part of the value of their equity without waiting for an initial public offering or acquisition. Wayve previously conducted a similar liquidity event alongside its $1.05 billion Series C funding…

General Motors is continuing to expand its Hands-Free Trailering technology, allowing drivers to tow trailers without keeping their hands on the steering wheel when using the company’s Super Cruise driver assistance system. Introduced in 2022, the feature automatically adjusts vehicle dynamics based on the trailer being towed and is available exclusively on vehicles equipped with Super Cruise. Designed for a Wide Range of Trailers According to GM, Hands-Free Trailering supports trailers weighing from less than 1,000 pounds to approximately 10,000 pounds. The technology first appeared on the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 and GMC HUMMER EV Pickup before…

Karma Automotive has entered into a strategic partnership with Line Mobility to provide engineering, manufacturing and design services for an autonomous transit system that transports passengers on elevated guideways above city streets. The collaboration aims to support the development of Line Mobility’s on-demand transit platform, which uses dedicated overhead guideways instead of conventional roads shared with other traffic. Partnership Combines Engineering and Transit Technology Under the agreement, Karma Automotive will contribute expertise in battery systems, electric motors, vehicle engineering, manufacturing and product design. The company will also assist with passenger experience development as Line Mobility advances its zero-emission transportation platform.…

AVI-SPL and Volvo Autonomous Solutions (V.A.S.) have launched commercial autonomous freight operations between Dallas and Houston, marking another step in the deployment of self-driving trucks for real-world logistics applications. The service utilizes the Volvo VNL Autonomous truck powered by the Aurora Driver autonomous driving system to transport audio-visual equipment for AVI-SPL, a global technology solutions provider. Autonomous Freight Begins Commercial Service The new operation is running along the Dallas-Houston corridor, one of the busiest freight routes in the United States. According to Volvo Autonomous Solutions, the trucks are transporting both new audio-visual products and end-of-life equipment used by AVI-SPL. The…

Kodiak AI has introduced two advanced safety-engineering tools designed to identify and evaluate rare collision risks in its autonomous trucking system, drawing on methodologies commonly used in the aerospace and nuclear energy industries. The company said the tools have already demonstrated their value by uncovering a low-probability collision scenario within minutes that would likely have required tens of thousands of miles of real-world driving to encounter even once. The technologies — a Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) framework and an AI-powered analysis tool called BreakPoint — form a central part of Kodiak’s safety strategy as it expands driverless operations. Probabilistic Model…

Nvidia has introduced Alpamayo 2 Super, a 32-billion-parameter open reasoning model designed to support the development of Level 4 autonomous driving systems, alongside a suite of complementary tools intended to streamline training, simulation and deployment. The launch also includes AlpaGym, a closed-loop reinforcement learning framework, and OmniDreams, a scenario generation platform. Together, the technologies are intended to provide a development pipeline that spans real-world data collection, simulation, model training and deployment in autonomous vehicles. Expanded Reasoning Capabilities Alpamayo 2 Super expands Nvidia’s existing model family from 10 billion to 32 billion parameters and introduces enhanced capabilities for autonomous driving applications.…

The eFreight Autonomous consortium has identified hub-to-hub motorway transport and intermodal shuttle operations as potential early use cases for autonomous heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in the United Kingdom. The findings stem from a nine-month feasibility study led by Voltempo and supported by UK government funding. Results were presented at the company’s Autonomous conference in Birmingham on 18 May. Study Examines Initial Deployment Scenarios According to the consortium, hub-to-hub trunking operations and intermodal shuttle services may offer suitable conditions for the introduction of autonomous freight vehicles due to their relatively predictable routes and controlled operating environments. The study assessed a range…

Einride has appointed TÜV SÜD to conduct an independent assessment of the Safety Management System that governs the development and operation of its autonomous freight technology, as regulators increasingly focus on organizational safety oversight alongside vehicle performance. The Swedish freight technology company announced the engagement on Wednesday, describing it as a step beyond traditional product audits toward a broader evaluation of how safety is managed across the organization. The review will focus on Einride’s Safety Governance Model, which forms the organizational foundation of the company’s Safety Management System. The assessment will examine how the company maintains its living safety case,…

Chinese autonomous driving company WeRide will operate its autonomous Robobus service during the 2026 French Open tournament for the third consecutive year, continuing its partnership with Renault Group at the Paris sporting event. The autonomous shuttle service will run daily from May 24 through June 7 along a 2.8-kilometre route within the Roland-Garros complex, according to the company. WeRide said the Robobus remains the only autonomous public shuttle service operating at the Grand Slam venue. The route connects three stops — Carrefour des Anciens Combattants, Gate 5 Village Welcome Desk and Porte d’Auteuil — along Avenue de la Porte d’Auteuil.…

Wayve has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Department for Business and Trade aimed at advancing the deployment of self-driving vehicle technology in Britain. The agreement, signed in London on May 12, establishes collaboration between government and industry on research areas including safety assurance, large-scale simulation and integration of autonomous driving systems into production-ready vehicle platforms. The partnership comes as Wayve prepares to launch passenger service trials on British roads and expand collaborations with global automakers. According to the agreement, Wayve will share insights gathered from real-world autonomous vehicle trials with UK regulators and government agencies to help…

Rivian has received Newsweek’s 2026 Technology Disruptor of the Year award after unveiling its proprietary in-house semiconductor development program for autonomous driving systems. The recognition was announced during Newsweek’s fifth annual World’s Greatest Auto Disruptors awards on May 20, 2026. Rivian said the custom silicon architecture powers its new Gen 3 Autonomy Computer, which is scheduled to debut later this year in production versions of the upcoming Rivian R2 sport utility vehicle. The company said the semiconductor project was developed over multiple years by a dedicated engineering team based in Palo Alto. According to Rivian, the custom chips are designed…

Autzu has announced a strategic shift toward autonomous mobility operations and is developing what it describes as an agnostic autonomous hub in San Francisco to support autonomous vehicle developers, robotaxi operators and fleet owners. The company said the facility is intended to function as shared operational infrastructure for multiple autonomous vehicle platforms and mobility operators rather than serving as a closed depot for a single fleet operator. Autzu, which was founded in 2017 as an electric vehicle fleet operator, said the initiative marks its transition toward becoming an autonomous operations company focused on infrastructure, robotics, fleet software and energy management…

Solera has launched SmartDrive Pedestrian Collision Warning, an artificial intelligence-powered driver assistance feature designed to detect pedestrians in front of fleet vehicles and provide audible in-cab alerts to drivers. The capability is integrated into the company’s SmartDrive video safety platform and operates using the existing SR5 AI-powered smart camera, eliminating the need for additional hardware installations, Solera said from its headquarters in Westlake. The system combines computer vision technology, vehicle sensors and vehicle data to identify pedestrians ahead of the vehicle and assess potential risk based on factors including distance and vehicle speed. When a potential collision risk is detected,…

Hesai Group reported higher first-quarter profit and revenue as strong demand for automotive and robotics LiDAR systems drove a sharp increase in shipments. The company posted net income of 18.3 million yuan ($2.7 million) for the three months ended March 31, marking its fourth consecutive quarter of profitability under U.S. GAAP accounting standards. That compared with a net loss of 17.5 million yuan during the same period a year earlier. First-quarter revenue rose 29.6% year-on-year to 680.6 million yuan. Hesai said the results were supported by a 140.9% increase in total LiDAR shipments, which reached 471,723 units during the quarter.…

Self-driving technology company Waymo said it has begun early preparations to launch its service in Portland, Oregon, starting with manually driven vehicles mapping the city’s streets. The company said its vehicles began operating on public roads this week with human drivers behind the wheel to collect data and familiarize its autonomous system, known as the Waymo Driver, with local conditions. See also: Waymo, Waze Launch U.S. Pilot to Share Autonomous Vehicle Pothole Data With Cities “Portland has always been a pioneer in urban design, balancing its independent spirit with a deep commitment to sustainable, forward-thinking living,” Waymo said in a…

Pony AI has launched what it described as Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, following a partnership with Verne and Uber. From today, users in Zagreb can book and pay for autonomous rides through the Verne app, with integration into the Uber platform expected in the near term. The initial service area covers approximately 90 square kilometres, including key districts in the city centre and Zagreb Airport. The robotaxi service operates daily between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., offering continuous commercial rides for local passengers. The rollout comes just weeks after the three companies formally announced their European collaboration.…

Zoox is expanding its robotaxi operations in its first two U.S. markets, Las Vegas and San Francisco, while preparing to launch services in Miami and Austin. The company is positioning itself as a major competitor in the U.S. robotaxi sector, behind Waymo, part of Alphabet Inc.. Zoox operates a purpose-built autonomous vehicle designed without a steering wheel, pedals or driver’s seat, capable of carrying up to four passengers. Since launching its driverless ride-hailing service in Las Vegas in September 2025 and in San Francisco in November, Zoox has been gradually scaling operations. The company now plans to significantly expand service…