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Autonomous truck startup Kodiak to go public

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Autonomous trucking startup Kodiak Robotics is to go public through a merger with Ares Acquisition Corporation II, a special purpose acquisition company affiliated with Ares Management Corporation.

The deal will make Kodiak a publicly listed company under the name Kodiak AI, with shares expected to trade under the ticker symbols KDK and KDK WS, pending regulatory approval.

Founded in 2018 by autonomy pioneer Don Burnette, Kodiak has emerged as a leading player in driverless trucking, developing an AI-powered automated driving system known as the Kodiak Driver. [Read more…] about Autonomous truck startup Kodiak to go public

Starship Technologies survey says ‘public attitudes to robots have changed dramatically’

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Starship Technologies, a provider of autonomous delivery services, has revealed the findings from a new national survey of US college students. The company says the survey results show a “dramatic shift” in the way people view robots.

In 2018, a Brookings survey found that 61 percent of US respondents were uncomfortable with robots. In the new survey conducted by Starship, 91.5 percent of respondents said they would recommend the robots to a friend, and two-thirds (66 percent) felt more positive about the robots since seeing them on campus.

It’s not just attitudes that have shifted in a positive direction, as the robots are also having a positive impact on behavior. According to the Starship survey, nearly two-thirds (63.2 percent) said the robots helped them avoid skipping meals. [Read more…] about Starship Technologies survey says ‘public attitudes to robots have changed dramatically’

Opinion: Will autonomous cars ever gain regulatory approval to operate freely on public roads?

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The news that General Motors has decided to fold Cruise into its overall business should send shock waves through the industry. If Cruise can’t do it, with all its money and giant parent’s backing, who can?

Cruise is a relatively new startup which had huge optimism around it because several billion dollars were invested into it and a lot of people still believe autonomous cars are the future of global road traffic.

But after burning through $10 billion and only generating $500 million in revenue, Cruise seems to have lost its parent company’s confidence and has now been absorbed into the historic automotive giant, with its technology being repackaged into GM production cars as, essentially, an advanced driver assistance system called “Super Cruise”. [Read more…] about Opinion: Will autonomous cars ever gain regulatory approval to operate freely on public roads?

Decelerating progress for autonomous buses and roboshuttles, says report

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By Shihao Fu, technology analyst, IDTechEx

In recent years, the promise of the public transport revolution has been teased by autonomous buses and roboshuttles. These technologies promise to deliver significant cost reductions for operators and alleviate labor pressures.

More than 50 autonomous bus and roboshuttle players once competed in this space. However, as the autonomous driving industry evolved during 2022-2024, the commercialization progress of autonomous buses and roboshuttles has been slow, falling short of industry expectations.

IDTechEx has observed a yearly decline in the number of active companies from 2020 to 2024, and large-scale commercial testing has not been achieved. Roboshuttles need to overcome the uncertainties posed by dynamic routes and the performance challenges of navigating narrow urban streets.

[Read more…] about Decelerating progress for autonomous buses and roboshuttles, says report

Renault to launch autonomous vehicle for public transportation

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Renault Group says it has “a pragmatic vision of technology”, based on the principle that innovation only makes sense if it is shared, economically accessible and genuinely useful to as many people as possible.

Technological developments are now making it possible to offer increasingly effective driver assistance and delegation functions adapted to different types of vehicles and use.

For the individual vehicles, Renault Group already offers top-level driving assistance on most of its models, providing comfort and safety. [Read more…] about Renault to launch autonomous vehicle for public transportation

Clevon becomes ‘first company in Europe’ to launch fleet of autonomous driverless ‘carriers’ on public roads

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Clevon, an driverless delivery innovator, and large Lithuanian grocery chain IKI are bringing what they claim is Europe’s first fleet of Autonomous Robot Carriers (ARCs) onto public roads.

Three driverless carriers will offer daily commercial delivery services in the busy Vilnius city centre area and be operated by the last-mile transportation platform LastMile.

Orders will be collected at the IKI store on Mindaugas Street and delivered for free directly to customers’ homes in the city centre area. ARCs deliver the goods and have lockable compartments of different sizes, suitable for smaller and larger online grocery orders. [Read more…] about Clevon becomes ‘first company in Europe’ to launch fleet of autonomous driverless ‘carriers’ on public roads

How to Keep Your Texts Private

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Hey there! Have you ever stopped to think about the privacy of your text messages? In today’s digital world, where communication happens at our fingertips, it’s crucial to ensure that our conversations remain private and secure.

Whether you’re discussing personal matters, sharing sensitive information, or simply having a casual chat, protecting your texts from prying eyes is essential. In this article, we’ll explore various measures you can take to keep your texts private and maintain your online confidentiality. So, let’s dive in! [Read more…] about How to Keep Your Texts Private

May Mobility launches Arizona’s ‘first’ on-demand autonomous public transit service for 55+ community

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May Mobility, a developer of autonomous vehicle technology, has launched what it claims is “the first on-demand public transit service using autonomous vehicles in Arizona”.

The service has been launched in the retirement community of Sun City. The service will be powered by Via, a specialist in transit technology.

The goal of the deployment is to use autonomous vehicles to expand access to safe, reliable and equitable on-demand transportation to Sun City, a community designed for adults 55 and older. [Read more…] about May Mobility launches Arizona’s ‘first’ on-demand autonomous public transit service for 55+ community

RC Mowers expands its dealer network with addition of companies in New York and Iowa

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RC Mowers, a manufacturer of remote-operated robotic mowers, announced today it has entered into dealership agreements with Pennsylvania-based Stephenson Equipment (SEI) and Iowa’s Elliott Equipment to add them to its dealer network.

Tim Kubista, vice president of sales and marketing for RC Mowers, says: “Both Stephenson Equipment and Elliott Equipment are not only market leaders in the crane and heavy equipment space, but they have excellent reputations in both the private and public works industries.

“Their in-depth knowledge of the types of machinery necessary to get tough jobs done makes them perfect partners for RC Mowers. [Read more…] about RC Mowers expands its dealer network with addition of companies in New York and Iowa

Security robots ‘deter crime and minimize risk’, says Knightscope

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The concept of automated policing began as a science fiction concept years ago, but today it is “real and impactful”, according to security robotics specialist Knightscope.

The sophistication of robot-powered security is even more interesting than sci-fi to Stacy Stephens, the co-founder and chief client officer of Knightscope.

Launched in 2013, the Mountain View, California, public safety technology services company was the first in the world to deploy mobile, fully autonomous security robots (ASRs) in public spaces such as malls, parking lots and neighborhood parks. [Read more…] about Security robots ‘deter crime and minimize risk’, says Knightscope