Self-driving cars are finally here, and how they are deployed will change how we get around forever. From Tesla to Google to Uber to all the major automakers, we bring you complete coverage of the race to develop fully autonomous vehicles. This includes helpful explanations about the technology and policies that underpin the movement to build driverless cars.
The automaker has received the green light to push new Drive Pilot software that enables its cars to operate as fast as 95km/h (just shy of 60mph) on the Autobahn.
Level 3 autonomous systems still require a driver behind the wheel, but they can go hands-free and even distract themselves by doing something else, like watching a movie.
Zheng Gao worked at Tesla for eight years, most recently as head of autopilot hardware design. He also spent nine years at Apple on its connector and input device product design team. At Zoox, he’ll lead the hardware engineering team, where he’ll be under pressure to meet the Amazon-owned company’s deadline to launch a commercial robotaxi service in 2025. Zoox’s co-founder has previously dinged Tesla for promoting self-driving technology that “doesn’t work.”
In a regulatory filing, Microsoft said it would “record an impairment charge of approximately $800 million in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025” tied to GM’s decision to defund its robotaxi subsidiary Cruise. Microsoft has been a minority investor in Cruise and a strategic partner since 2021. For example, Cruise used Azure to manage its (now defunct) robotaxi fleet.
If that sounds absurd, scroll down to see the illustration included in the automaker’s patent application (as noticed by Autoguide). The filing describes a system to protect autonomous vehicles from “adversarial behavior” from “vulnerable road users” like pedestrians. Sure, there have been a handful of incidents of people attacking and vandalizing driverless cars. But a 5,000-pound car has certain inherent advantages when facing off against a 150-lb person, regardless of the technology onboard.
A new job listing noticed by Electrek says the team will provide “remote access to our robotaxis and humanoid robots.” The job calls for a “C++ Software Engineer” who has experience with Python, 3D graphics, and Unreal engine; it offers a salary between $120,000-$318,000.
It was already confirmed that the Tesla Optimus bots at the Cybercab event in October had human remote operators.
That new figure, shared today during Google’s Q3 earnings, comes soon after the robotaxi hit the 100,000 paid trips per week marker in August.
Can self-driving shuttles give people a reason to ride the bus or a train? Waymo says it will test the idea with a credit for riders who connect “to or from eligible Bay Area transit stations.”
Starting today, Waymo One riders that connect to select transit stations in San Francisco and the Peninsula will receive a $3.00 credit on their Waymo account for use on future rides. Credits will be applied to riders’ Waymo accounts when they take Waymo One to or from eligible Bay Area transit stations.
Remember that nightly parade of honking robotaxis captured by Sophia Tung? The resolution is even more nerdy that you could hope.
Interestingly, the UX seems to prioritize video streaming over any kind of trip visualization. Tesla seems to think people would rather watch movies than be assured their driverless car can see other cars and pedestrians. (They’re probably right, too.)
Elon Musk promised a brighter future, but believing him requires an enormous leap of faith.
