Author: Brandon Mitchell

Kodiak AI Wins U.S. Marine Corps Contract For Autonomous ROGUE-Fires Vehicle Integration Project Expands Company’s Defense Work Into Expeditionary Operations In Indo-Pacific Region WASHINGTON, Feb 13 — Autonomous driving firm Kodiak AI has secured a contract from the U.S. Marine Corps to integrate its self-driving technology into an unmanned military ground vehicle designed for expeditionary missions. See also: Kodiak AI Partners With Bosch to Scale Manufacturing of Autonomous Truck Platform The Mountain View, California-based company will deploy its Kodiak Driver system into the Marines’ Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary Fires (ROGUE-Fires), a platform intended to support distributed maritime operations…

Waymo has begun testing fully driverless robotaxis in Nashville, expanding its autonomous vehicle operations beyond its established markets in California and Arizona, the company said. The Alphabet-owned company has deployed a fleet of electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles in the city as part of an initial testing phase. Waymo typically starts operations in new markets with extensive on-road testing before transitioning to commercial services, which in past launches has taken several months. See also: Waymo Turns to Generative AI Simulations to Prepare Robotaxis for Rare Road Scenarios Nashville marks Waymo’s latest geographic expansion and reflects a focus on states with less…

Waymo said on Friday it is introducing a new generative artificial intelligence system, called the Waymo World Model, to simulate rare and extreme driving scenarios as the Alphabet-owned company seeks to improve the safety and resilience of its autonomous vehicles. The move comes after Waymo’s vehicles have accumulated more than 200 million miles of autonomous driving on public roads, providing the company with one of the largest real-world datasets in the self-driving industry. Still, Waymo said some events are so uncommon that they are unlikely to appear even in hundreds of millions of miles of real-world testing. See also: Waymo…

Honda and DriveOhio have completed a two-year pilot program demonstrating an AI-powered roadway maintenance system capable of identifying infrastructure defects with high accuracy using real-time vehicle data, the partners said. The project, funded by the Ohio Department of Transportation, tested automated detection technology across roughly 3,000 miles of roads in Ohio. Results showed detection accuracy of 99% for damaged or obstructed road signs, 93% for guardrails and an average of 89% for potholes, according to the project team. See also: Honda to Debut Redesigned H Mark on Next-Generation EVs and Hybrids From 2027 Honda led system development in collaboration with…

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a preliminary investigation into a self-driving vehicle operated by Waymo after it struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California, during morning drop-off hours in January. In a filing published on Jan. 28, the agency said it had launched Preliminary Evaluation PE26001 to assess whether the autonomous driving system exercised appropriate caution given the presence of children, crossing guards and double-parked vehicles in the school zone. The incident occurred on Jan. 23, 2026, within two blocks of an elementary school. See also: U.S. State Safety Board Probes Waymo…

Mobility app Freenow by Lyft has announced plans to introduce autonomous taxis in Hamburg in cooperation with local taxi companies, marking the city’s third major initiative involving self-driving passenger transport. The project has the backing of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, which has signed a letter of intent with Freenow by Lyft. Unlike U.S.-based robotaxi operators such as Waymo or Uber, the company said it does not intend to run autonomous vehicles as a standalone ride-hailing service. Instead, the self-driving taxis would operate within Hamburg’s regulated taxi system and be integrated with public transport services. “Autonomous taxis can…

Innoviz Technologies said it has begun general availability of InnovizSMART, an automotive-grade LiDAR sensor designed for smart infrastructure applications, as the company expands beyond vehicle manufacturing into urban and industrial sensing markets. Innoviz said the off-the-shelf sensor is now ramping to full industrial-scale production, with short lead times and no need for customer-specific customization. The company said it has scaled production capacity to meet both current and anticipated demand from infrastructure operators and system integrators. See also: Innoviz Unveils Third-Generation LiDAR as It Targets Scalable Autonomous Driving Adoption InnovizSMART provides a detection range of up to 450 metres and is…

WeRide said on Jan. 26 that its autonomous shuttle, Robobus, has entered commercial operation in Leuven, Belgium, marking a step forward in the company’s overseas expansion and in Europe’s adoption of automated public transport. The autonomous shuttle has been integrated into Line 16 of De Lijn, the regional public transport operator, and is now operating as part of Leuven’s regular bus network. According to WeRide, the deployment represents Europe’s first commercial operation of autonomous vehicles in a dense city centre with mixed and complex traffic conditions. See also: WeRide Robotaxi Fleet Tops 1,000 Vehicles as Global Expansion Accelerates The route…

European transport and mobility groups have warned the European Commission against allowing a pause in EU funding for heavy-duty charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, arguing that a gap in support in 2026–2027 could slow the adoption of zero-emission trucks despite recent investment momentum. In a joint letter, the International Road Transport Union (IRU), the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E) urged Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas to ensure continuity of funding beyond the current framework. The groups pointed to the expected exhaustion of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility…

Mercedes-Benz Trucks said it has begun a long-distance test drive to advance the implementation of the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) for its battery-electric eActros 600, as the industry moves toward ultra-fast charging solutions for long-haul transport. The trial involves two eActros 600 trucks, each equipped with MCS ports that will be offered as an optional feature in the series-production version of the vehicle. Development engineers are driving the trucks on a roughly 2,400-kilometre route starting at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth am Rhein, Germany, and ending in Linköping, southern Sweden, passing through the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. Charging is being…

Swiss public transport operator PostAuto has signed a framework agreement with Solaris Bus & Coach for the supply of up to 115 battery-electric buses, the companies said, marking another step in the electrification of public transport across Switzerland. Solaris was selected through competitive tender procedures for both 12-metre and 18-metre vehicles. Under the agreement, PostAuto will place orders for buses to be delivered in 2026 and 2027 to multiple cities across Switzerland. The framework allows orders to be placed until the end of 2026, with deliveries continuing through the end of 2027. PostAuto has already made an initial commitment for…

MAN Truck & Bus has signed a new framework agreement with European commercial vehicle rental company TIP Group that provides for the delivery of up to 600 trucks per year over a three-year period, including battery-electric models, the companies said. The agreement covers up to 1,800 vehicles across all weight classes, from 7.5 tonnes to 42 tonnes, and applies to operations in 18 European countries. Financial terms were not disclosed, but MAN said the total value of the deal could reach up to €160 million, depending on the mix of vehicles and models ordered. See also: MAN Truck & Bus…