Author: Maya Rios

Tesla has received approval to operate fully autonomous robotaxis in Nevada for the first time, with the initial deployment restricted to 10 vehicles in a defined area of Las Vegas. The approval, granted by Nevada regulators on July 27, comes with several operating conditions. The vehicles must remain within a regulator-approved geofenced area, are limited to 45 mph and must have an appropriate human supervisor present. Airport service is also excluded from the approval. Nevada Limits Initial Robotaxi Deployment Tesla’s approved operating area is restricted to a defined section of the Las Vegas Strip. The company had reportedly applied to…

ÖBB Postbus and Turkish bus manufacturer Otokar have launched a pilot project in Austria involving a fully electric bus equipped with automated driving technology capable of SAE Level 4 operation. The autonomous e-CENTRO C will initially operate on a predefined route during the European Forum Alpbach before moving to Campus Wolfurt, where it is planned to provide a connection between the industrial park and the local suburban rail network. The Level 4 system is designed to perform driving tasks independently within a defined operational area without requiring continuous human control. Austrian regulations currently require a trained safety attendant to remain…

Software specialist Imagry and Spanish bus manufacturer UNVI are developing an autonomous electric bus that is scheduled to enter operation in Germany in the third quarter of 2026. The jointly developed vehicle is a 10.3-metre battery-electric bus in the M3 class, with UNVI integrating Imagry’s autonomous driving technology. According to the companies, the bus is already being transported to its deployment location in Germany. Imagry provides the software covering perception, motion planning and vehicle control. Its system does not rely on high-definition maps, instead using onboard sensors to understand the vehicle’s surroundings and navigate its environment. The companies say this…

Mobility company Moove has raised $250 million in a Series C funding round as it prepares to expand its autonomous vehicle fleets and develop charging and depot infrastructure to support their operations. The financing values Moove at $2.1 billion and was led by Mubadala Investment Company, with participation from Woven Capital, Toyota’s growth fund, and Ion Pacific. BlueCrest Capital Management, Sona Asset Management and The Raptor Group also took part in the round. Moove said the capital will primarily fund the expansion of its autonomous vehicle business, including the deployment of company-operated fleets and construction of dedicated facilities known as…

Uber and Wayve have cleared a key regulatory hurdle for their planned robotaxi service in London after Transport for London (TfL) issued Private Hire Vehicle licences for a number of Wayve’s autonomous electric vehicles. The licensed fleet consists of fully electric Ford Mustang Mach-E models modified with Wayve’s AI Driver autonomous driving system, surround-view cameras and radar. TfL has inspected the vehicles to verify that they meet its required standards. Licensing Moves Robotaxi Service Closer To London Launch The vehicle licences satisfy one part of the “triple lock” requirement for private hire journeys in London, under which the operator, driver…

Amazon subsidiary Zoox has received approval from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to begin offering paid rides using its purpose-built autonomous robotaxis, marking a regulatory milestone for the autonomous vehicle industry. The exemption allows Zoox to commercially operate vehicles designed without traditional driving controls such as steering wheels or pedals. First Approval for Purpose-Built Robotaxis According to the NHTSA, Zoox is the first company in the United States to receive an exemption permitting commercial passenger service with a purpose-built autonomous vehicle lacking conventional manual controls. https://evmagz.com/zoox-recalls-robotaxi-software-after-smoke-filled-fire-scene-incident/ The exemption allows the company to deploy up to 2,500 vehicles…

Baidu has launched autonomous vehicle testing in London through its partnership with Lyft and Freenow, becoming the latest technology company to advance robotaxi development in the United Kingdom ahead of planned commercial services. The testing program, which began with human safety operators behind the wheel, follows the strategic partnership announced by Baidu and Lyft in 2025 to introduce Baidu’s purpose-built Apollo Go RT6 robotaxis to major European markets. The autonomous vehicles will eventually be available through Freenow, the mobility platform acquired by Lyft in 2025. https://evmagz.com/baidus-apollo-go-expands-to-central-asia-through-kazakhstan-partnership/ London Becomes Key Robotaxi Testing Hub The initial fleet is operating within the London…

Mobileye reported largely stable second-quarter 2026 revenue while improving profitability, supported by higher operating income, continued progress in autonomous driving technologies and an increase in its full-year financial outlook. Profitability Improves as Guidance Raised The autonomous driving technology company reported second-quarter revenue of US$508 million, broadly unchanged from the same period last year. https://evmagz.com/mobileye-to-launch-own-robotaxi-service-with-plans-for-17000-autonomous-vehicles/ Adjusted operating income increased 46% year over year to US$155 million, supported primarily by a research and development incentive under Israeli law that was enacted during the quarter and applied retroactively to the beginning of 2026. On a Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) basis, Mobileye reduced…

Aurora Innovation has introduced its second-generation driverless trucks, expanding its autonomous freight platform as the company prepares to increase commercial deployments across the United States. The new fleet will be deployed on Aurora’s commercial network, which currently includes 10 driverless freight routes across the U.S. Sun Belt, supporting additional customers as demand for autonomous trucking grows. https://evmagz.com/avi-spl-launches-autonomous-freight-operations-between-dallas-and-houston-with-volvo-and-aurora/ New Platform Designed for Scale Aurora said the second-generation trucks are based on the International LT Series Class 8 platform and incorporate the company’s latest self-driving hardware. https://twitter.com/aurora_inno/status/2079914638230032564 According to the company, the upgraded hardware is designed for an operational lifespan of up…

Zoox has issued a software recall for its robotaxi fleet after one of its autonomous vehicles encountered difficulties navigating a smoke-filled emergency fire scene during an incident in June. The Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company said it has deployed a software update across its fleet of 105 robotaxis to improve the vehicles’ ability to recognize and respond to emergency scenes obscured by heavy smoke. https://evmagz.com/zoox-redesigns-robotaxi-ahead-of-commercial-production-ramp-up/ Software Updated Following Investigation According to a filing with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the incident occurred on June 20 when a Zoox robotaxi approached an active fire scene where dense smoke reduced…

MOIA has launched public trials of its autonomous ridepooling service in Hamburg, allowing selected residents to book rides in self-driving ID. Buzz electric vehicles as part of a pilot project designed to support the future deployment of autonomous public transport. The initiative is being carried out under the ALIKE project, which is funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport and aims to demonstrate how autonomous on-demand mobility services can complement existing public transport networks. Pilot begins with autonomous ID. Buzz fleet The initial service area covers parts of Winterhude, Barmbek and Wandsbek in Hamburg, where selected participants can…

Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that incorporating both near-miss incidents and crash scenarios into autonomous vehicle (AV) training can improve the safety performance of driving algorithms by 90%, offering a potential path to faster development and validation of self-driving technologies. The findings, published in Nature Communications, suggest that expanding the types of safety-critical data used during simulation could improve the effectiveness of artificial intelligence models while reducing the time required to validate autonomous driving systems. Near-Miss Events Strengthen AI Training Autonomous driving systems rely on machine learning algorithms trained using a combination of real-world driving data and…

CleverSolutions has launched CleverSolutions Autonomous, a standalone company focused on operating autonomous vehicle fleets for public transport operators, transit authorities and private mobility providers. The Berlin-based company said the new business will support organizations deploying autonomous vehicles by managing day-to-day fleet operations, allowing customers to use self-driving technology without establishing their own operational control centers. The launch is supported by a funding round led by German bus operators Autobus Oberbayern and Geldhauser Linien- und Reiseverkehr. Focus on Fleet Operations CleverSolutions Autonomous will concentrate on operational management rather than vehicle manufacturing or autonomous driving software development. The company said its services…

Waymo plans to expand its autonomous ride-hailing operations to four additional U.S. cities in the coming weeks as the company continues to grow its driverless robotaxi network. The Alphabet-owned autonomous driving company said employee-only driverless ride services will initially launch in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa Bay and Denver. The company intends to expand access to members of the public after the initial testing phase. Expansion Adds Four New U.S. Markets The latest rollout marks another stage in Waymo’s broader strategy to increase the geographic reach of its autonomous ride-hailing platform. https://twitter.com/Waymo/status/2074856063770251739 The company currently operates a fleet of about…

Germany has launched the BRAVE10k research project, a national initiative designed to prepare public transport systems for the large-scale deployment of autonomous vehicles, with the goal of integrating more than 10,000 driverless vehicles by 2030. The three-year project is led by telematics company INIT and funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), with support from TÜV Rheinland. Focus on Operational Readiness The BRAVE10k consortium brings together around 20 partners from the transport, industrial, research, consulting, and standardization sectors. Rather than developing autonomous vehicle technology itself, the project focuses on creating the organizational and regulatory framework needed…

Volkswagen, its software subsidiary Cariad, and Bosch have officially concluded their Automated Driving Alliance (ADA) after completing development of an AI-based SAE Level 2 driver assistance platform, ending a partnership that was originally expected to continue until 2029. The companies said the software stack is now ready for series production and will be incorporated into their respective products. Volkswagen confirmed the technology will debut in the ID.EVERY1, its upcoming entry-level electric vehicle scheduled for launch in 2027. Alliance Delivers AI-Based Level 2 System The Automated Driving Alliance was established to jointly develop advanced driver assistance technologies. According to Cariad, the…

Valeo has secured a contract to supply its next-generation corner radar system to an unnamed North American electric vehicle manufacturer, providing radar hardware and embedded software for Level 2+ and Level 3 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The company said the new radar platform delivers 50 times the resolution of its previous generation while supporting future software upgrades through over-the-air updates. Next-Generation Radar Platform The agreement covers Valeo’s latest corner radar suite, which is designed to support a range of safety and automated driving functions. According to the company, the modular platform enables automakers to configure vehicles for entry-level driver…

Volkswagen is reportedly ending its Automated Driving Alliance (ADA) with Bosch, bringing to a close a collaboration established to develop scalable assisted and automated driving systems up to SAE Level 3. Reuters reported that neither company has officially confirmed the partnership’s end. The alliance, formed in 2022 by Volkswagen, Bosch and Volkswagen’s software subsidiary Cariad, was created to develop cost-effective advanced driver-assistance technologies that could be deployed across multiple vehicle segments. According to media reports, Volkswagen invested approximately €1.5 billion in the initiative but is now dissatisfied with the pace and competitiveness of the technology developed. Development Reportedly Falls Behind…

Zoox has unveiled a redesigned version of its purpose-built robotaxi, introducing updates to the vehicle’s interior, seating and exterior communication systems as it prepares the autonomous vehicle for large-scale production. The company said the redesigned robotaxi reflects feedback gathered from approximately 500,000 riders during testing and early deployments. The updated model represents Zoox’s production-intent vehicle, which is scheduled to enter serial manufacturing later this year at its Hayward, California, facility. Cabin Redesigned for Greater Comfort The most visible changes are found inside the cabin, where Zoox has introduced a lighter color palette featuring monochrome aloe green seating paired with stone-gray…

The Finnish city of Tampere has introduced a fully autonomous electric shuttle into regular public transport service, marking a new milestone in the deployment of driverless mobility solutions in Europe. Beginning June 24, the autonomous vehicle will operate on route 301 between Hervantajärvi and Lintuhytti as part of the city’s public transport network. Driverless Service Enters Regular Operation The electric shuttle has been operating in mixed traffic since November 2025 with a safety driver on board. Following the completion of testing and validation activities, the vehicle has now transitioned to fully autonomous operation without a driver inside the vehicle. The…