Author: Elliot Harrison

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…

Alphabet’s autonomous driving unit Waymo is in talks with potential investors to raise fresh funding at a valuation of at least $100 billion, as competition intensifies in the emerging robotaxi market, the Information reported on Tuesday. The financing round could exceed $10 billion and is expected to be arranged early next year, the report said, citing people familiar with the company’s plans. Bloomberg News separately reported that Waymo is seeking to raise more than $15 billion at a valuation close to $100 billion, in a funding round led by its parent company, Alphabet. See also: Waymo Data Shows Most Robotaxi…

Volkswagen Group has started a new phase of autonomous driving tests with its Gen.Urban research vehicle in Wolfsburg, Germany, focusing on passenger interaction and trust in real-world urban traffic conditions. The Gen.Urban is a fully autonomous research platform designed without a steering wheel or pedals and is not intended for commercial use. The trials are being conducted on public roads in Wolfsburg to better understand how passengers experience and interact with self-driving vehicles in everyday traffic environments. See also: Norway’s Ruter Partners with Volkswagen’s Moia to Deploy Autonomous ID. Buzz Shuttles in Oslo According to Volkswagen, the testing program aims…

Foretellix and Voxel51 said they have launched a joint solution designed to improve the validation of autonomous vehicle systems by transforming real-world driving data into high-fidelity three-dimensional simulations. The integration combines Foretellix’s Physical AI toolchain with Voxel51’s visual AI data platform, enabling automated data curation, auditing, neural reconstruction and scenario variation within a single workflow. The companies said the approach addresses a growing challenge in autonomous vehicle development, where end-to-end AI architectures require large volumes of high-quality data that is costly and time-consuming to collect. See also: China Autonomous-Driving Developer CiDi Opens IPO Subscription in Hong Kong Under the joint…

Einride AB and IonQ have reported promising initial results from their ongoing collaboration to apply quantum computing to commercial freight operations. The companies are integrating quantum optimization into Einride’s Saga platform, marking what they describe as the first real-world use of quantum technology to analyze transport data for electric and autonomous logistics systems. The partnership, launched in May 2025, aims to strengthen Einride’s vertically integrated transport ecosystem by improving route planning, shipment allocation and overall fleet efficiency. Saga aggregates data from electric trucks, autonomous vehicles and charging networks to reduce energy use and minimize the number of vehicles required to…

Uber selected Lucid’s Gravity electric sport utility vehicle for its next-generation robotaxi fleet because the vehicle required minimal structural and electrical modification to support fully autonomous operations, Lucid’s chief financial officer said this week. Under the three-way partnership announced earlier this year, Uber will deploy driverless ride-hailing services using more than 20,000 Lucid Gravity vehicles equipped with autonomous systems from startup Nuro. Uber has also agreed to invest $300 million in Lucid as part of the arrangement. The robotaxis are expected to begin entering service next year. See also: Uber Invests in Lucid and Nuro to Launch Premium Robotaxi Service…

Aurora Innovation announced a commercial agreement with Detmar Logistics, a leading provider in dry bulk and frac sand solutions, to autonomously transport proppants, including frac sand, for a major multinational oil and gas company in the Permian Basin. The deployment, which will operate on public roads and highways, marks the first time frac sand will be hauled autonomously in the Permian Basin. It also establishes one of Aurora’s initial routes between customer sites, signaling an expansion beyond its current terminal-to-terminal operations. https://twitter.com/aurora_inno/status/1998021037339107709 Supervised autonomous operations between Detmar’s facility in Midland, Texas, and Capital Sand’s mining site in Monahans are scheduled…