Topic: safety standards
-
Baidu’s robotaxis hit Uber in Dubai, no safety driver
Uber has launched driverless Baidu Apollo Go taxis in Dubai through its ride-hailing app, marking the first integration of these vehicles into a major platform outside China, with service limited to select areas and no safety driver present. The rollout contrasts sharply with Uber's autonomous la...
Read More » -
Uber launches first European AV rides in Zagreb with safety driver
Uber launched its first European autonomous ride-hailing service in Zagreb, Croatia, through a partnership with Pony.ai (technology) and Verne (fleet operations), though vehicles currently include a safety operator rather than being fully driverless. The service expands Verne's existing robotaxi ...
Read More » -
Zoox reveals safety data after recalling entire robotaxi fleet
Zoox bases its entire safety case on a single predicted rate of collision, injury, and fatality events per mile, which aggregates risks from software, hardware, and operations and gates any changes to the system. The company benchmarks this metric against real-world human driving data from federa...
Read More » -
Zoox robotaxis begin paid rides in Las Vegas on Aug. 10
Zoox will launch paid robotaxi rides in Las Vegas on August 10, with pricing based on a base fare, distance, time, and airport fees, targeting the "comfort" tier of ride-hailing services. The launch follows a landmark federal exemption from NHTSA in July, making Zoox the first company to commerci...
Read More » -
Zoox robotaxis without steering wheels now charge for rides
Zoox has received NHTSA approval to charge passengers for rides in up to 2,500 steering-wheel-free robotaxis annually over the next two years, marking a major step toward commercial deployment. The temporary exemption waives federal safety requirements for steering wheels, pedals, defrosters, and...
Read More » -
Waymo and robotaxi operators face new scrutiny over emergency response lapses
Representative Kevin Mullin introduced the AV Emergency Response Coordination Act, which would require federal safety standards for autonomous vehicles after incidents where robotaxis blocked ambulances, fire trucks, and crime scenes. The bill mandates clear emergency protocols, a 24-hour hotline...
Read More » -
New Robotaxi Law Could Block Tesla
New Jersey lawmakers have proposed a bill requiring fully autonomous vehicles to use cameras plus at least two other sensing technologies (like lidar and radar), effectively blocking Tesla’s camera-only Robotaxi system from operating in the state. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Andrew Zwicker, argue...
Read More » -
Hyundai and Kia's UV System Kills Bacteria Inside Cars
Hyundai and Kia have developed Plasma Care UVC, a far-ultraviolet light system that kills bacteria and viruses inside a vehicle and is safe for occupants because it uses a wavelength that cannot penetrate human skin. Independent testing showed the system reduces airborne viruses by nearly 97% in ...
Read More » -
Ford rehires former engineers to fix automated system errors
Ford is rehiring experienced engineers to retrain its AI systems and mentor younger staff, after discovering that over-reliance on automated production and design caused a decline in vehicle quality. The company is shifting from a "find and fix" approach to a preventative strategy, breaking down ...
Read More » -
Tesla robotaxis crash 4x more than humans, Musk sets 'sleep through commute' test
Elon Musk has long promoted falling asleep in a self-driving car as the ultimate test of full autonomy, and he recently expressed confidence it would be operational in many U.S. cities by the end of 2025. Despite Musk's optimism, Tesla robotaxis are reportedly involved in four times more crashes ...
Read More » -
Waymo’s Virtual Driver Studies How Humans React to Road Surprises
Waymo has developed ReD ("Reference Driver"), a computer-based cognitive model published in "Nature Communications", that simulates human split-second decision-making to avoid accidents, designed to serve as a benchmark for comparing autonomous driving systems. Built on the neuroscience framework...
Read More » -
Mira Murati Testifies She Couldn’t Trust Sam Altman’s Words
Mira Murati testified that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman lied to her about safety protocols, falsely claiming the legal department had determined a new AI model did not need review by the deployment safety board. Murati described Altman’s management as making her job significantly harder, stating he unde...
Read More » -
Kodiak CEO: Self-Driving Trucks Are Just Half the Battle
2026 is a target year for deploying fully driverless long-haul trucks, with companies like Kodiak AI focusing on building a viable business model around the technology, not just perfecting the self-driving systems. Kodiak differentiates itself by having customers own and operate the trucks, which...
Read More » -
/dev: Introducing Team Voice in League of Legends
League of Legends is introducing team voice chat to meet competitive players' long-standing demand, enhancing real-time coordination while keeping existing text and ping systems. The decision to add voice chat now is enabled by improved technology for managing disruptive behavior, aiming to foste...
Read More » -
Waymo's New Robotaxi Enters Mass Production and Passenger Service
Waymo has launched its sixth-generation autonomous driving system, designed for mass production and cost-effectiveness to support a major expansion of its robotaxi service into new cities. The system's safety is built on extensive real-world testing and a multi-modal sensor suite, including high-...
Read More » -
Japanese Nuclear Plant Faked Seismic Safety Data
Japan's nuclear regulator suspended the relicensing review for two Hamaoka reactors after the operator, Chubu Electric Power, admitted to systematically falsifying seismic safety data. The scandal is especially concerning because the Hamaoka plant is located on a seismically active coastline, sim...
Read More » -
This Startup's Racing to Build Self-Driving Car Software
HyprLabs, a new startup led by former Zoox co-founder Tim Kentley-Klay, is emerging from stealth with a modest team and funding to develop autonomous vehicle software, aiming to eventually create its own proprietary robots. The company's initial product, Hyprdrive, is a software platform that rep...
Read More » -
Waymo Recalls Software for Robotaxi School Bus Safety
Waymo is filing a voluntary software recall with NHTSA to address how its autonomous vehicles interact with stopped school buses, following a software update it claims has already improved performance. The recall follows NHTSA scrutiny and reports from cities like Atlanta and Austin, where Waymo ...
Read More » -
Daniela Amodei: Why Safe AI Will Win in the Market
Daniela Amodei of Anthropic argues that a strong commitment to AI safety is a critical market advantage and a foundational business strategy, not a hindrance to innovation. Transparency about AI models' limitations and proactive risk management builds user trust, with customers consistently deman...
Read More » -
CPSC Warns: Stop Using Rad Power Bikes Over Fire Risk
Federal regulators have issued an urgent safety alert for specific Rad Power Bikes e-bike models due to multiple battery fire incidents causing significant property damage, advising immediate discontinuation of use. The affected models include several RadWagon, RadCity, RadRover, RadRunner, and R...
Read More »