Robotics & Automation News

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Autonomous Vehicles

QCraft sets up European headquarters and partners with Qualcomm

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QCraft has announced plans to establish its European headquarters in Germany and formed a partnership with Qualcomm, marking what the company calls its official entry into the European and global markets.

The Chinese autonomous driving start-up unveiled the strategy at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich.

The new base will oversee research integration, certification processes and business development, with Germany’s automotive ecosystem seen as “fertile ground for QCraft to localize its solutions,” the company said. [Read more…] about QCraft sets up European headquarters and partners with Qualcomm

Micropolis Robotics expands into Egypt and North Africa through distribution deal with Aerxio

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Micropolis Robotics, a developer of unmanned ground vehicles and AI-driven security solutions, has agreed an exclusive distribution agreement with Aerxio, a UAE-based technology solutions provider, who will act as sole distributor of Micropolis’ advanced UGVs and related technologies across Egypt and North Africa.

Aerxio has developed and maintains key strategic relationships with companies across Egypt and the North African region.

This partnership marks a significant milestone in Micropolis’s international expansion strategy, bringing autonomous police patrols, surveillance platforms, and AI-driven robotics solutions to additional high-growth, regional markets through local, strategic partnerships. [Read more…] about Micropolis Robotics expands into Egypt and North Africa through distribution deal with Aerxio

Robo taxi market predicted to grow from $1.8 billion in 2024 to $500 billion by 2034

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You call a taxi, and instead of a driver, a car shows up to take you wherever you need to go. It’s smooth and convenient, and you never have to worry about parking.

Welcome to the world of robo taxis. These driverless cars are no longer just a sci-fi idea; they’re becoming part of our everyday lives.

As cities become smarter and technology improves, robo taxis are changing the way we travel, offering a faster and more efficient way to get from one place to another. [Read more…] about Robo taxi market predicted to grow from $1.8 billion in 2024 to $500 billion by 2034

Motor Ai raises $20 million for autonomous driving software

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In a world racing toward autonomous vehicles, Europe has taken a different path – demanding not just performance, but explainability, safety, and full legal compliance.

Motor Ai is meeting that challenge head-on. The company has announced a $20 million seed funding round to bring its certified, neuroscience-driven technology into full deployment, starting with German public roads.

The seed round was led by Segenia Capital and eCapital, with participation from mobility-focused angels. That reflects the national significance of the technology. The new capital will support hiring, commercial rollouts, and expansion. [Read more…] about Motor Ai raises $20 million for autonomous driving software

Beep begins operating ‘America’s first’ fully autonomous public transit system in Jacksonville

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Beep, a provider of autonomous shared mobility solutions, has begun operating the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s autonomous vehicle service, Navi (Neighborhood Autonomous Vehicle Innovation).

Navi, the nation’s first fully autonomous public transportation system, launched in Jacksonville, Florida this week.

Backed by a five-year operations and maintenance contract, Beep will operate and maintain the Navi service, which is part of the JTA’s groundbreaking Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C) program. The company is also announcing the closing of $52.7 million in a funding round co-led by Intel Capital and Blue Lagoon Capital. [Read more…] about Beep begins operating ‘America’s first’ fully autonomous public transit system in Jacksonville

Exclusive interview: Bot Auto CEO on why autonomous trucking must prove its economics before it scales

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Following our recent coverage of the challenges facing autonomous trucking, Robotics and Automation News now interviews Xiaodi Hou, co-founder and CEO of Bot Auto, to explore a different approach – one focused less on flashy demos and more on cost-per-mile performance.

Hou, a veteran in autonomous driving and AI, is taking aim at the industry’s reputation for over-promising and under-delivering.

With a PhD in Computation and Neural Systems from Caltech and a background in machine learning and computer vision, he brings both technical depth and commercial realism to the table. [Read more…] about Exclusive interview: Bot Auto CEO on why autonomous trucking must prove its economics before it scales

Torc plans new Michigan engineering center for autonomous vehicle innovation

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Torc, a specialist in commercializing self-driving class 8 trucks, says it plans to establish a new engineering center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. 

As Torc continues its path toward commercialization in 2027, this strategic expansion will further accelerate the company’s productization efforts and tap into the region’s rich automotive and technology talent pool.

As part of its effort to open the Ann Arbor location, Torc worked closely with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to secure incentives to support the expansion into Michigan, as Torc plans significant hiring in this region to grow its team and technical talent capabilities. [Read more…] about Torc plans new Michigan engineering center for autonomous vehicle innovation

Autonomous racecar beats human-driven lap record at Autodromo di Modena circuit

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The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC), a global university competition advancing autonomous technologies through high-speed racing, has once again made history. (See video below.)

For the first time ever, an autonomous vehicle has set a track record faster than one achieved by a human driver.

The milestone was achieved at Italy’s Autodromo di Modena, where an IAC AV-24 racecar, engineered by IAC and piloted by AI driving software from Unimore Racing, surpassed the previous lap record held by a Lamborghini Huracán STO. Watch the full video of this record-breaking autonomous lap here. [Read more…] about Autonomous racecar beats human-driven lap record at Autodromo di Modena circuit

Kodiak selects Roush as manufacturing partner to upfit trucks

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Kodiak Robotics, a provider of AI-powered autonomous vehicle technology, and Roush Industries, a product development supplier serving various industries, say they will work together to scale upfitting of autonomous trucks equipped with the Kodiak Driver, Kodiak’s advanced AI-powered autonomous solution.

Starting in the second half of 2025, Roush will upfit these trucks in its facility in Livonia, Michigan.

The first trucks Roush will upfit are expected to be for Kodiak’s customer, Atlas Energy Solutions, as Kodiak and Atlas work to expand the driverless operations they began in December 2024. [Read more…] about Kodiak selects Roush as manufacturing partner to upfit trucks

Volvo automates handling of vehicle steering if tire blows out

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Volvo has further refined its “dynamic steering system” with a new function that can detect a tire blowout and “immediately take action to keep the truck safely on the road”.

The new generation of Volvo Dynamic Steering is designed to detect a front tire puncture and in a split second automatically mitigate the impact by assisting the driver to keep the truck on a steady course.

The system reduces the side forces that a sudden loss of tire air pressure can create in the case of a flat tire. [Read more…] about Volvo automates handling of vehicle steering if tire blows out