Robotics & Automation News

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Autonomous Vehicles

SafeAI raises $38 million funding to develop autonomous heavy equipment

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SafeAI, a developer of autonomous solutions for heavy equipment, has raised $38 million in its Series B round of funding with key investors including Builders VC, McKinley Management, George Kaiser Family Foundation, and Energy Innovation Capital.

Additionally, Moog Inc joined the round as a strategic investor. SafeAI retrofits construction and mining vehicles with aftermarket hardware and proprietary autonomy software that delivers significant gains in increased worksite productivity, safety and cost savings.

The company will use the funding to accelerate their autonomous vehicle technology roadmap, and to scale operations globally to service and deploy their growing customer base. [Read more…] about SafeAI raises $38 million funding to develop autonomous heavy equipment

US Army awards Kodiak Robotics $50 million contract for autonomous trucks

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Kodiak Robotics, a self-driving trucking company, today announced it has been awarded a $49.9 million, 24-month United States Department of Defense (DoD) agreement to help automate future US Army ground vehicles led by the Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) program.

This effort will be in support of vehicles designed for reconnaissance, surveillance, and other high-risk missions.

Through this award, which started in October 2022 and was awarded by DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) on behalf of the Army’s RCV program office, Kodiak will leverage its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for driverless vehicles that further strengthen national security. [Read more…] about US Army awards Kodiak Robotics $50 million contract for autonomous trucks

Motional launches first robotaxi service on the Uber network

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Motional’s new all-electric IONIQ 5 robotaxis will be available on UberX and Uber Comfort Electric in select markets, contributing to Uber’s 2030 zero emissions goal.

Motional and Uber today announced the launch of their public robotaxi service in Las Vegas, Nevada. For the first time ever, Uber customers are able to hail an autonomous ride using Motional’s all-electric Hyundai IONIQ 5-based robotaxis.

Motional and Uber are launching with vehicle operators now to lay the groundwork for a fully driverless commercial service, with the goal of launching the driverless service to the public in 2023. [Read more…] about Motional launches first robotaxi service on the Uber network

Autonomous truck startup Einride raises $500 million in new funding

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Autonomous electric truck startup Einride has secured $500 million in financing, including both a Series C equity raise and a debt facility.

The debt financing, which is the largest asset-backed facility to date for heavy-duty electric vehicles, will provide transformative funding for Einride’s fleet of electric vehicles across the world.

The Series C provides a next step in the funding of new developments and deployments across Einride’s autonomous and digital offerings, as well as expanding Einride’s offerings to new markets and clients. [Read more…] about Autonomous truck startup Einride raises $500 million in new funding

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

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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

Colruyt tests Clevon’s unmanned vehicle in Belgium for shopping deliveries

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Collect&Go, Colruyt Group’s online shopping service, is currently testing the state-of-the-art technology: an autonomous vehicle built by the Estonian technology company Clevon that combines remote teleoperation with advanced autopilot functionality.

The aim is to find out what such a vehicle can mean for Collect&Go in a rapidly changing e-commerce context. Remotely controlled, the self-driving vehicle will take to public roads for the first time today.

In doing so, it will cover a 4-kilometre route, from the distribution centre to Collect&Go’s pick-up point in Londerzeel. This is the longest route ever covered in Belgium by an unmanned vehicle. [Read more…] about Colruyt tests Clevon’s unmanned vehicle in Belgium for shopping deliveries

Motional and Lyft to launch driverless ride-hail service in Los Angeles

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Motional and Lyft are planning to launch a fully driverless ride-hail service in Los Angeles. The service will use Motional’s all-electric Ioniq 5-based robotaxis and will be the first time that residents in Los Angeles can request an autonomous vehicle in the Lyft app.

Los Angeles marks the second city in Lyft and Motional’s multi-city partnership, following Las Vegas, where the two companies are conducting public rides in Motional’s Ioniq 5 autonomous vehicles.

By integrating Motional’s Level 4 AVs on the Lyft platform, riders in Los Angeles will have access to a rideshare network with multiple modes of transportation, which will include autonomous vehicles and classic rideshare, to get riders where they need to go. [Read more…] about Motional and Lyft to launch driverless ride-hail service in Los Angeles

Embark launches coast-to-coast autonomous trucking network

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Embark Trucks, a developer of autonomous technology for the trucking industry, has launched its “coast-to-coast backbone of the Embark Coverage Map”, preparing key Sunbelt markets to be served by Embark fleet partners.

The Coverage Map includes nine transfer point sites in cities across the Sunbelt, including new locations in Dallas, El Paso, Atlanta, and Jacksonville, to accommodate planned autonomous freight volume in key markets and provide anticipated operational support for carriers and shippers using Embark-powered trucks.

Embark secured optimized real estate sites and support services through its partnerships with Alterra Property Group and Ryder. The Coverage Map expansion represents the next step in a journey to deliver coast-to-coast operational availability that began with Embark’s first Los Angeles to Jacksonville run in 2018. [Read more…] about Embark launches coast-to-coast autonomous trucking network

Guident selected to provide autonomous shuttle services

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Guident has been selected by Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC) to provide an autonomous shuttle service for a 2.1-mile fixed route with eleven stops within BRiC and connecting to the Boca Raton Tri Rail station, the most frequented station in South Florida.

The service will utilize Polaris GEM e6 vehicles equipped with autonomous vehicle capabilities integrated with Guident’s Remote Monitor and Control Center (RMCC) located at BRiC.

Guident’s patented software solution provides an added layer of safety for autonomous shuttle services by delivering human in the loop supervision to autonomous vehicle fleets. [Read more…] about Guident selected to provide autonomous shuttle services

Addverb and McMurray Stern partner to offer ‘next-generation’ warehouse robotics to customers

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Addverb has agreed a new partnership with mobile storage and warehouse automation leader McMurray Stern.

Combining McMurray Stern’s fully integrated storage options with Addverb’s fixed and flexible solutions featuring its proprietary software, will enable new and existing customers to fully customize and optimize their picking, packing, storage and other automation systems.

The combined integrations will deliver innovative automation solutions for businesses across industries such as apparel, grocery, retail, healthcare, and for the government. [Read more…] about Addverb and McMurray Stern partner to offer ‘next-generation’ warehouse robotics to customers