Robotics & Automation News

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driverless

Lyft and Motional unveil driverless robotaxi in Vegas

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Lyft and Motional have partnered to launch Motional’s new all-electric IONIQ 5-based robotaxi, an autonomous vehicle designed for fully driverless ride-hail operation, on the Lyft network in Las Vegas.

The launch is the next milestone in the lead-up to Motional and Lyft’s fully driverless service, planning to begin in 2023 and scaling to multiple US cities.

This marks the first time members of the public will experience Motional’s all-electric IONIQ 5 AV, which is the first all-electric autonomous vehicle to debut on the Lyft network. [Read more…] about Lyft and Motional unveil driverless robotaxi in Vegas

Baidu granted China’s ‘first-ever’ permits for commercial driverless ride-hailing services

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Baidu, China’s equivalent of Google, has secured the first permits in China to offer commercial fully driverless robotaxi services to the public on open roads.

Apollo Go, Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing service, is now authorized to collect fares for robotaxi rides – completely without human drivers in the car – in Chongqing and Wuhan, two of China’s largest megacities.

Amid increasing regulatory approval of the expansion of autonomous vehicles (AVs), the permits reflect regulatory authorities’ strong recognition and trust in the strength of Baidu’s autonomous driving technology. [Read more…] about Baidu granted China’s ‘first-ever’ permits for commercial driverless ride-hailing services

Autonomous delivery vehicle maker Faction selects Point One navigation tech

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Faction, a developer of self-driving micro-logistics and vehicle-on-demand transportation, is partnering with Point One Navigation, a specialist in precise positioning technology, to bring driverless delivery and transportation solutions to the mass market.

Faction’s DriveLink platform deeply integrates Point One’s safe positioning technology with reliable centimeter-level absolute accuracy, enabling trustworthy and efficient autonomous operations across the entire fleet.

Faction is accelerating the commercial deployment of its B2B autonomous delivery service by leveraging three-wheel production electric vehicles which are purpose-built for driverless fleet services and supported by teleoperation. [Read more…] about Autonomous delivery vehicle maker Faction selects Point One navigation tech

Clever claims ‘first’ autonomous unmanned vehicle delivery in Europe

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Cleveron Mobility, a company developing the technology for driverless autonomous vehicles, and the parcel delivery company DPD Eesti, claim to have become the first in Europe to deliver a package to a customer with a driverless autonomous vehicle.

Cleveron says that, thanks to its flexible cargo capacity and the capability of driving on public roads, it’s able to offer a “good alternative to fossil fuel vans”.

The driverless autonomous vehicle, manufactured by Cleveron Mobility, is developed as a robotic courier with the aim to deliver goods and equipment in a more efficient, flexible and environmentally friendly way for both people and businesses. [Read more…] about Clever claims ‘first’ autonomous unmanned vehicle delivery in Europe

Baidu wins ‘first’ driverless permits in China for autonomous ride hailing on public roads

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Baidu Apollo Go has received what it says is the “first ever permits in China” that authorize the company to provide driverless ride-hailing services to the public on open road in Beijing.

This regulatory approval marks a significant milestone for the autonomous ride-hailing industry in China, indicating a regulatory openness to taking a further step toward a fully driverless mobility future.

With these permits issued by the head office of the Beijing High-level Automated Driving Demonstration Area (BJHAD), ten autonomous vehicles without drivers behind the steering wheel will offer rides to passengers in a designated area of 60 square kilometers in Beijing. [Read more…] about Baidu wins ‘first’ driverless permits in China for autonomous ride hailing on public roads

Pony.ai wins approval for public driverless robotaxi service in Beijing

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Pony.ai, the leading global autonomous driving technology company, today announced that the general public in Beijing, China, will be able to experience driverless robotaxis for the first time.

Pony.ai was one of two robotaxi operators awarded a permit by Beijing city authorities to offer driverless service in southeastern Beijing.

Pony.ai has had a permit to driverless test since October 2021 but not with the general public in the car. [Read more…] about Pony.ai wins approval for public driverless robotaxi service in Beijing

Alstom wins €156 million contract for driverless metro trains in Italy

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Alstom, a large transportation vehicles manufacturer, has won a €156 million contract from the Italian city of Turin to supply its latest generation of fully driverless metro trains.

Turin’s transportation infrastructure agency, Infra.To, actually placed the order. Infra.To is owned by the city of Turin and is one of Europe’s largest public companies.

The contract is for the supply of Alstom’s latest generation of fully driverless train-to-train CBTC system for line 1 of Turin Metro along with four new Metropolis trains. The contract includes an option for 12 more Metropolis trains. [Read more…] about Alstom wins €156 million contract for driverless metro trains in Italy

Moscow to build driverless tram network as part of big autonomous transport push

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The Deputy Mayor of Moscow, Maksim Liksutov, has unveiled a local government plan to build a new driverless tram network in Russia’s capital city.

The initiative appears to be part of a larger move towards autonomous transport of several other modes, including mainline network trains and robotic taxis, or “robotaxis”.

Driverless trams may be launched in testing mode in Moscow from the end of 2022 to the beginning of 2023.

Liksutov, the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport, made the announcement at the discussion Robots in the City: The Future of Megacities with Autonomous Transport, held by the Noôdome community in Moscow.  [Read more…] about Moscow to build driverless tram network as part of big autonomous transport push

AutoX expands robotaxi operation zone to 1,000 km

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Alibaba-backed AutoX, a developer of Level 4 fully autonomous cars, or “robotaxis”, now claims to operate “China’s largest autonomous driving area”.

The total area covers 1,000 square kilometers, including a 168-square-kilometer fully driverless zone. AutoX robotaxis are able to navigate all the public roads inside the 1,000 square kilometer area.

Expanding the total autonomous driving area to over 1,000 square kilometers is an important step towards making the robotic taxi service a reality in the daily lives of people in China. [Read more…] about AutoX expands robotaxi operation zone to 1,000 km