Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

driverless

Baidu aims to create ‘world’s largest fully driverless ride-hailing area’

by

Baidu, an AI company with strong internet foundation and often referred to as China’s equivalent of Google, has embarked on a major expansion of its commercialized fully driverless robotaxi service in Wuhan.

The new expansion would triple the size of its current operation area, increasing the number of robotaxis in service and expanding operating time to include key evening hours.

The move marks a major milestone on Baidu’s ambitious autonomous ride-hailing roadmap, as the company plans to put an additional 200 fully driverless robotaxis into operation across China in 2023, aiming to cover “the largest fully driverless ride-hailing service area in the world” by the end of the year. [Read more…] about Baidu aims to create ‘world’s largest fully driverless ride-hailing area’

Arcimoto, Faction, and GoCar Tours partner on development of driverless electric vehicles for tourism rentals

by

Arcimoto, a maker of electric vehicles, has formed a partnership with Faction Technology and GoCar Tours to develop up to 310 driverless electric vehicles, powered by Faction’s DriveLink and TeleAssist technologies and GoCar’s patented GoCar Network technology, which allows users to explore select cities on their own schedule at their own pace.

The partnership calls for an initial 20-vehicle pilot program to begin at GoCar Tours Las Vegas in 2023.

Upon successful completion of the pilot, GoCar will begin a phased deployment of an additional 290 vehicles to GoCar locations in Las Vegas, San Francisco, and San Diego, California, and later in Barcelona, Spain, and Lisbon, Portugal. [Read more…] about Arcimoto, Faction, and GoCar Tours partner on development of driverless electric vehicles for tourism rentals

Motional mobility study shows ‘consumer trust in autonomous vehicles is growing’

by

Autonomous mobility developer Motional has released new findings from its third annual Consumer Mobility Study, which looks at shifting consumer perceptions toward autonomous vehicles (AVs), as well as preferred AV use cases across generational and gender demographics.

The study found that only one-third (33 percent) of Americans feel uncomfortable with the level of safety, security, and accuracy of AV technology – a shift from 2021 when consumers reported safety (67 percent) as the number one concern related to driverless technology.

Leading the charge in the increasing acceptance of AVs are younger consumers, with a majority of Gen Z survey respondents (67 percent) believing that AVs are safer than human drivers. [Read more…] about Motional mobility study shows ‘consumer trust in autonomous vehicles is growing’

Mercedes-Benz and Bosch launch ‘world’s first’ driverless parking system approved for commercial use

by

Mercedes-Benz and Bosch have reached an important milestone on the way to automated driving: Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority has approved their highly automated parking system for use in the P6 parking garage run by Apcoa at Stuttgart Airport.

This makes it the world’s first highly automated driverless parking function (SAE Level 4) to be officially approved for commercial use. The technological advancement of automated driving plays a key role in the mobility of the future.

With the vehicle and infrastructure taking over driving and manoeuvring, drivers will be able to turn their attention to other things, instead of time spent looking for a parking space and manoeuvring in tight parking garages. [Read more…] about Mercedes-Benz and Bosch launch ‘world’s first’ driverless parking system approved for commercial use

Pony.ai and SAIC AI Lab to develop fully driverless EV robotaxi

by

Pony.ai, a leading global autonomous driving technology company, is collaborating with SAIC AI Lab, a division of SAIC Motor (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation), China’s largest auto manufacturer, to jointly explore and advance driverless technology.

Together with SAIC AI Lab, Pony.ai launched a concept vehicle based on the SAIC Marvel R model and will build out a fleet of autonomous vehicles equipped with Pony.ai’s L4-level driverless solutions, over time.

The concept car is equipped with the latest generation of Pony.ai technology, which utilizes 17 integrated automotive-grade sensors to create a 360-degree visual range covering 200 meters, eliminating blind spots around the vehicle. [Read more…] about Pony.ai and SAIC AI Lab to develop fully driverless EV robotaxi

Lyft and Motional unveil driverless robotaxi in Vegas

by

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

by

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

by

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

by

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