cruise GM-Backed Cruise Secures $5 Billion Credit Line for Robotaxi Expansion Cruise, the self-driving unit majority-owned by General Motors, locks down a massive $5 billion credit facility to fund its commercial robotaxi ambitions. The new financial backing highlights growing institutional confidence in autonomous vehicle technology.
aurora innovation Aurora Innovation Targets $1B Valuation in SPAC Deal to Go Public Autonomous vehicle developer Aurora Innovation enters a $1 billion SPAC merger to become a publicly listed company. The deal marks a major financial milestone for the self-driving technology firm.
robotics Major Investments Fuel Robotics and Autonomous Vehicle Sectors in July The robotics and autonomous vehicle industries see a surge of financial activity as July 2021 brings ten significant corporate transactions. These funding rounds and acquisitions highlight growing market confidence in automated supply chain and transportation solutions.
waymo Waymo Expands Driverless Taxi Fleet With New Retail Partnerships Waymo grows its fully driverless "early rider program" in Arizona by partnering with major brands like Walmart and Avis. The expansion focuses on providing autonomous rides for everyday errands like grocery shopping and car rentals.
waymo Waymo and Cruise Pursue Paid Driverless Ride Permits in California Rival autonomous vehicle companies Waymo and Cruise seek state permits to charge passengers for driverless rides in San Francisco. Cruise currently holds a slight lead after gaining authorization for a driverless pilot program.
cruise Cruise Becomes First to Secure California Permit for Driverless Passenger Rides Cruise earns a historic permit from California regulators to transport passengers in fully driverless vehicles. However, the company still needs additional approvals before it can charge for these robotaxi rides.
cruise Cruise Secures First California Permit for Driverless Passenger Rides GM-backed Cruise earns the initial California permit to transport passengers in fully driverless vehicles, though it cannot yet charge for the service.
waymo Waymo Expands Robotaxi Fleet to Millions of Autonomous Miles Alphabet subsidiary Waymo currently operates commercial robotaxi services across 10 US metropolitan areas, providing hundreds of thousands of paid rides weekly. The company traces its roots to early DARPA challenges and stands as a pioneer in fully driverless transportation.
tesla Tesla Exec Admits Elon Musk's Self-Driving Promises Exceed Engineering Reality A leaked memo reveals that Tesla's Autopilot director told California regulators that Elon Musk's public timeline for full self-driving does not match the company's actual engineering reality.
tesla Tesla Engineers Tell California Regulators Full Self-Driving May Not Arrive This Year Tesla's director of Autopilot software admits that Elon Musk's optimistic tweets about achieving Level 5 autonomy do not match the company's current engineering reality. California DMV regulators are warning the automaker to clearly communicate the limits of its driver assistance features.
autonomous vehicles Tech Giants Race to Develop Autonomous Freight Trucks Major technology companies compete fiercely to build self-driving trucks for the commercial freight industry. This automation push aims to increase safety and efficiency on long-haul routes.
tesla Consumer Reports Exposes Major Flaw in Tesla Autopilot Safety System Consumer Reports demonstrates how easily Tesla's Autopilot can be tricked into operating without a driver, raising serious safety concerns following a fatal Texas crash.
tesla Fatal Texas Tesla Crash Highlights Gaps in US Autonomous Vehicle Regulations A deadly Tesla crash in Texas where no one sat in the driver's seat ignites fresh concerns over semi-autonomous vehicle safety. The incident exposes a significant regulatory grey area as federal authorities lack specific safety standards for these advanced systems.
waymo Waymo CEO John Krafcik Departs as Company Shifts to Co-Leadership John Krafcik steps down after five and a half years leading Alphabet's self-driving division, handing control to two co-CEOs. The leadership change comes as Waymo faces pressure to expand its autonomous vehicle services against fierce competitors.
drisk dRISK Launches Edge Case Tool to Boost Autonomous Vehicle Safety Startup dRISK emerges from stealth mode with a new tool that helps autonomous vehicles detect high-risk driving events six times faster. The technology uses a unique knowledge graph to train self-driving systems to recognize dangerous scenarios before they fully unfold.