News roundup covering the Rivian R2's potential market impact, the controversial design of the electric Ferrari Luce, Tesla's robotaxi crash details, new EU regulations for breathalyzers in vehicles, and advancements in AI PCs and high-tech fans.
Waymo is introducing Waymo Premier, a $29.99/month loyalty program offering perks like priority rides and 10% cash back to frequent robotaxi users. The program excludes Austin and Atlanta due to Uber app integration.
Waymo, Alphabet's robotaxi service, is preparing to serve FIFA World Cup attendees at six North American venues. Despite recent operational challenges, the company sees the event as a high-visibility opportunity to showcase its driverless technology.
Waymo has created a new cognitive system called ReD (Reference Driver) that models human driving behavior to enhance autonomous vehicle safety. Published in Nature, the model simulates how careful human drivers anticipate risks, manage uncertainty, and react to potential conflicts, aiming to improve accident avoidance in robotaxis.
Waymo, an Alphabet-owned robotaxi company, has developed a new computer model called the Reference Driver, in collaboration with TU Delft, to more accurately simulate human driving behavior, especially in crash scenarios. This model, based on active inference theory, aims to provide a realistic benchmark for autonomous driving systems and improve safety evaluations.
A burglar used a Waymo robotaxi to commit a theft at a San Francisco yoga studio in January. Despite Waymo providing account information, police could not identify the suspect, as ride footage was deleted and exterior camera footage was blurred for privacy.
A burglar used a Waymo robotaxi for a yoga clothes theft in San Francisco in January. Police were unable to identify the suspect via exterior camera footage, which was blurred for privacy, and account data did not lead to an arrest.
Waymo is partnering with B2U to repurpose retired robotaxi batteries for energy storage in California and Texas, addressing the end-of-life treatment of its EV fleet.
A journalist for "Envoyé spécial" tested a flying taxi by EHang in Canton and a robotaxi by Pony.AI in Shenzhen, highlighting China's rapid advancements in autonomous transportation technology.
A new study reveals that approximately 44% of Waymo robotaxi miles are driven empty, similar to ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, questioning their potential to reduce traffic congestion.
Uber's annual Lost & Found Index reveals thousands of items left in robotaxis in the past year, from phones to unusual objects. The company is leveraging its existing network and new division, Uber Autonomous Solutions, to handle lost items and expand robotaxi services globally.
Uber und das israelische KI-Unternehmen Autobrains kündigen ein gemeinsames Robotaxi-Programm in München an. Die Flotte autonomer Fahrzeuge der Stufe 4 soll auf der Technologieplattform von Nvidia basieren.
Uber und das KI-Unternehmen Autobrains wollen in München Robotaxis der Stufe 4 testen. Das Projekt setzt auf eine "OEM-agnostische" Integration in bestehende Serienfahrzeuge statt auf Spezialanfertigungen. Wichtige Details zu Fahrzeugmarke, Betreiber und Startdatum sind noch offen.
Nuro, founded by former Google self-driving car project veterans, aims to be a strong No. 2 in the robotaxi market, learning from Waymo's experiences. The company has partnered with Uber and Lucid to deploy thousands of robotaxis, with plans to launch in San Francisco this year.
Waymo, công ty robotaxi thuộc sở hữu của Alphabet, đã tạm dừng hoạt động tại 5 thành phố Mỹ do robotaxi liên tục nhầm lẫn đường ngập nước với đường có thể lái được, dẫn đến sự cố mắc kẹt trong lũ.
Waymo setzt seinen Robotaxi-Dienst in Atlanta und San Antonio wegen überfluteter Straßen aus. Ein Fahrzeug blieb im Wasser stecken, bevor eine Wetterwarnung herausgegeben wurde. Autobahnfahrten in mehreren Städten sind ebenfalls pausiert, während die US-Behörden gegen Waymo wegen Vorfällen wie einem Kind, das angefahren wurde, und einem überholten Schulbus ermitteln.
Waymo has paused robotaxi services in Atlanta, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston due to heavy rain and flooded roads. An incident in Atlanta where a vehicle got stuck prompted further investigation by NHTSA.
Waymo hat seinen Robotaxi-Dienst in Atlanta und San Antonio wegen überfluteter Straßen ausgesetzt. Zwei autonome Fahrzeuge blieben im Wasser stecken. Auch Autobahnfahrten in vier Städten sind pausiert.
Waymo hat seinen Robotaxi-Dienst in Atlanta und San Antonio wegen überfluteter Straßen ausgesetzt. Die Software der selbstfahrenden Autos hat Schwierigkeiten, die Wassertiefe zu erkennen. Auch Autobahnfahrten sind in mehreren Städten pausiert.
Waymo has temporarily suspended its robotaxi service on freeways in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami to improve performance in construction zones. The company stated it expects to resume these routes soon.
Waymo has suspended robotaxi services in Atlanta and San Antonio due to heavy rain and flooded roads. A vehicle got stuck in Atlanta, prompting the pause. This follows a recall last week for similar issues, with ongoing investigations by NHTSA and NTSB into flooding and a previous child collision.
Guangzhou-based Xpeng plans to launch pilot robotaxi operations in the second half of this year, featuring Level 4 self-driving capabilities powered by its Turing AI chips. The company aims for fully autonomous operations without safety officers by early 2027.
Atlanta residents are complaining about Waymo robotaxis repeatedly circling their cul-de-sac early in the morning. The empty vehicles, sometimes in large numbers, have been observed for weeks, causing disruption and getting stuck when residents try to deter them.
Tesla's Robotaxi service experienced at least two low-speed crashes in Austin, Texas, since July 2025, while being remotely operated, as revealed in newly unredacted NHTSA reports.
