Author: Elliot Harrison

Mercedes-Benz is building a global robotaxi ecosystem around its S-Class sedan, partnering with Nvidia, Momenta, Uber and mobility operator Lumo, with initial SAE Level 4 deployments planned for Abu Dhabi later this year. The German premium carmaker said the new programme will see fully driverless S-Class vehicles rolled out across selected markets in the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, as automakers and technology firms race to commercialise autonomous ride-hailing services. Mercedes-Benz has selected its next-generation S-Class as the foundation for the robotaxi effort, citing the model’s built-in fail-safe redundancies for steering, braking, power supply and computing — key…

Alphabet-owned autonomous driving company Waymo has begun offering robotaxi trips to and from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) for a select group of riders, marking a strategic expansion into one of the most lucrative segments of the ride-hailing market. Waymo said on Thursday that access to SFO will initially be limited, with a broader rollout planned over the coming months. Pick-ups and drop-offs are currently restricted to the airport’s Rental Car Center, which is connected to terminals via the AirTrain system. The company said it plans to expand service to additional airport locations, including terminals, in later phases. See also:…

Ford Motor said use of its BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system rose sharply in 2025, with Ford and Lincoln drivers logging 88% more hands-free miles than a year earlier as demand for advanced driver assistance features continued to grow. The automaker said the total number of BlueCruise trips increased by 50% year on year, while its global fleet of BlueCruise-equipped vehicles expanded to more than 1.22 million units after Ford added about 500,000 vehicles in 2025. See also: Ford to Expand BlueCruise Hands-Free System to More European Models by 2026 Ford’s F-150 pickup remained the highest-usage model for the system.…

Motional, the autonomous driving unit backed by Hyundai Motor Group, plans to roll out a fully driverless Level 4 robotaxi service in Las Vegas by the end of 2026, as it transitions to an end-to-end artificial intelligence-based motion planning system. The company said it will begin supervised pilot operations using its IONIQ 5 robotaxi fleet in early 2026, before moving to fully driverless commercial services later that year. Motional said the system will comply with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and undergo independent safety validation, including assessments by TÜV SÜD. Motional is moving away from traditional modular autonomous driving…

German universities and industry partners have launched a research project aimed at easing urban congestion by enabling temporary, virtual road sections reserved for automated logistics vehicles. The project, known as ViDeLL—short for Virtual Dedicated Logistics Lanes—is led by TH Köln in collaboration with RWTH Aachen and several industry partners. It focuses on developing concepts that allow existing road space to be dynamically allocated to automated freight vehicles without the need for permanent physical lanes. See also: Fraunhofer FFB, RWTH Aachen, and hs-tumbler Launch Project to Accelerate Sodium-Ion Battery Development “The projected increase in freight transport will lead to complete congestion…

NODAR has released its stereo vision algorithms as standalone, licensable software products, allowing original equipment manufacturers and developers to deploy long-range 3D perception technology without being tied to specific camera hardware or integrated development kits. The move marks the first time NODAR’s patented stereo vision technology has been made available as an independent software offering. The new NODAR software development kit (SDK) enables customers to integrate the company’s perception algorithms into existing compute platforms and custom camera setups across a range of autonomous and automation applications. See also: STEER Tech and KINEXON Integrate Autonomy Software With RTLS for Industrial Vehicles…

New York Governor Kathy Hochul plans to introduce legislation that would allow commercial robotaxi services across much of New York state, while continuing to exclude New York City, according to a report by TechCrunch. Hochul outlined the proposal during her State of the State address on Tuesday, saying the measure would advance the next phase of New York’s autonomous vehicle pilot program. A policy document accompanying the address indicates the state intends to permit the “limited deployment of commercial for-hire autonomous passenger vehicles outside New York City.” See also: White House Signals Push to Accelerate Autonomous Vehicle Commercialisation Under the…

AUMOVIO and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have announced a strategic collaboration to support the development and validation of autonomous driving systems, as automakers and technology firms seek to manage the growing data and software complexity of self-driving vehicles. Under the agreement, AWS will serve as AUMOVIO’s preferred cloud provider for autonomous driving workflows. The partnership integrates cloud computing infrastructure and artificial intelligence tools, including generative and agentic AI, into AUMOVIO’s development and testing processes, the companies said. See also: Aurora to Launch Autonomous Frac Sand Hauling in Permian Basin with Detmar Logistics The first major deployment of the collaboration will…

German automotive supplier ZF and U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm said they are collaborating on a new advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) platform aimed at offering automakers turnkey solutions for a range of vehicle types and automation levels up to SAE Level 3. The joint solution is designed to address growing demand for software-defined vehicles and will combine Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Ride system-on-chips with ZF’s ProAI automotive computer. The partners said the platform will be offered to carmakers as a complete, production-ready package, integrating hardware, software and development tools. See also: Leapmotor Introduces Central Vehicle Computer Using Qualcomm Chips for Flagship Model According…

Automotive safety supplier Autoliv and autonomous vehicle developer Tensor have jointly developed a foldable steering wheel designed for use in personal autonomous vehicles, the companies said, as they seek to balance manual control with higher levels of automated driving. The retractable steering wheel is intended for Tensor’s upcoming Robocar and allows the steering column to fold away completely when the vehicle operates in Level 4 autonomous mode, freeing up cabin space and enabling a more flexible interior layout. The companies said volume production is planned for the second half of 2026. See also: Seyond Introduces Mass-Production Solid-State LiDAR With Confirmed…

Hesai plans to double its annual production capacity to 4 million lidar units in 2026, according to information reported by TechCrunch, as the company accelerates expansion to meet rising demand from the automotive and robotics sectors. The planned increase from 2 million units would mark a significant step up from the more than 1 million sensors Hesai produced in 2025. The company’s expansion comes amid consolidation in the global lidar industry, highlighted by the recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of U.S. rival Luminar, which cited cost pressure and delayed vehicle programs as key challenges. See also: Hesai Partners With Keeta…

Mobileye said on Monday it has signed a deal with a major U.S. automaker to supply its next-generation EyeQ6H chip, expanding its production outlook as advanced driver-assistance technology is deployed as standard equipment across a wide range of vehicles. The agreement, which involves an unnamed top-10 U.S. automaker, will see Mobileye’s Surround ADAS technology rolled out across both mass-market and premium models. See also: Mobileye and VVDN to Localize ADAS Production in India, Supporting Export-Ready Vehicle Platforms Mobileye said the deal increases its projected future deliveries to more than 19 million EyeQ6H-based Surround ADAS systems. That figure includes roughly 9…

Autonomous driving technology developer TIER IV has formed a capital and business alliance with Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) to develop and deploy autonomous vehicles aimed at improving access to railway stations and supporting regional mobility, the companies said on Tuesday. The partnership will focus on deploying autonomous shuttles and buses powered by TIER IV’s Autoware software platform, targeting first- and last-mile transportation needs around JR Central’s rail network. The initiative is intended to address challenges linked to Japan’s aging population and ongoing driver shortages while supporting the long-term sustainability of regional transport services. See also: TIER IV Takes…

Israeli lidar maker Innoviz Technologies has introduced its latest sensor, the InnovizThree, marking a new step in the company’s effort to make advanced perception systems more affordable and easier to integrate for autonomous vehicle developers. The new unit is designed to deliver long-range sensing while reducing cost, size and power consumption compared with its predecessor, the InnovizTwo. The company said the latest model is intended to support wider adoption of autonomous and advanced driver-assistance systems across passenger vehicles, commercial fleets and emerging robotics applications. According to Innoviz, the InnovizThree offers a price reduction of more than 35% compared with earlier…

Siemens on Thursday unveiled PAVE360 Automotive, a pre-integrated digital twin platform designed to help automakers and suppliers accelerate the development of software-defined vehicles by enabling full-system integration from the earliest stages of design. The Germany-based industrial group said the platform allows customers to begin development with a ready-made, system-level digital environment, reducing setup timelines from months to days. PAVE360 Automotive is aimed at addressing growing complexity in vehicle software, electronics, and system integration as automakers push toward higher levels of automation and connectivity. “The automotive industry is at the forefront of the software-defined everything revolution,” said Tony Hemmelgarn, president and…

Waymo, the self-driving unit of Alphabet, said on Tuesday it will update the software that operates its autonomous vehicles and improve emergency response procedures after a widespread power outage caused several of its robotaxis to stall in parts of San Francisco over the weekend. The company paused service on Saturday evening after a fire at a substation operated by Pacific Gas and Electric cut power to roughly one-third of the city, affecting about 130,000 residents and forcing some businesses to temporarily close. The outage also knocked out traffic lights at numerous intersections, leading to congestion. Videos shared on social media…

Germany’s ZF Group has agreed to transfer its driver assistance systems (ADAS) business to Harman International, as part of a broader strategic realignment aimed at sharpening its focus on core automotive technologies. ZF said it had agreed an enterprise value of €1.5 billion for the sale of its ADAS division, which includes compute solutions, smart cameras, radar technology and driver assistance software. The transaction, which remains subject to regulatory approvals, is expected to close in the second half of 2026. Around 3,750 employees are set to move from ZF to Harman upon completion. ZF did not disclose details on how…

Amazon’s self-driving vehicle unit Zoox is recalling 332 vehicles in the United States due to an automated driving systems (ADS) software error, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Tuesday. The recall affects Zoox vehicles running ADS software versions released before Dec. 19, the regulator said. NHTSA warned that in certain situations, particularly at or near intersections, the vehicles could cross the yellow centre line or stop in front of oncoming traffic, increasing the risk of a collision. Zoox has addressed the issue through a software update provided free of charge, NHTSA said. The latest action follows an earlier…

A fire at a substation caused a widespread power outage in San Francisco on Saturday, disrupting traffic across large parts of the city and temporarily sidelining autonomous taxis operated by Waymo, according to local media reports. The outage left much of the city without electricity, including traffic lights at major intersections, creating confusion for road users and automated systems alike. Several Waymo vehicles were reported to have become immobilised at junctions, contributing to congestion rather than alleviating it. Waymo subsequently suspended its self-driving taxi service in the city as conditions deteriorated. See also: Waymo Said to Seek New Funding at…

Automotive software specialist Embotech and Cariad, the software arm of Volkswagen Group, said they have successfully completed a proof of concept for Automated Vehicle Marshalling (AVM), demonstrating autonomous vehicle movement in complex production and logistics settings. The project used a Volkswagen ID.3 to validate the software’s ability to plan trajectories in real time and adapt dynamically to changing conditions, including mixed traffic and confined spaces. The companies said the trial confirms the feasibility of deploying autonomous driving functions within factory and logistics operations. See also: Volkswagen Group Begins Urban Autonomous Testing of Gen.Urban Research Vehicle in Wolfsburg During testing, the…