Robotics & Automation News

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Autonomous Vehicles

Motional and Uber partner to offer robotaxi rides

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Motional and Uber Technologies have reached a commercial agreement to offer fully driverless rides using Motional’s new all-electric IONIQ 5-based robotaxis.

The 10-year, multimarket agreement creates the opportunity for effective scaling and broad adoption of autonomous vehicles by pairing Motional’s advanced driverless technology with Uber’s network of millions of customers.

The companies will strategically deploy the service in cities across the US, with the first trips expected to start later this year. Motional and Uber have a shared vision for autonomous vehicles to offer an affordable, convenient, and safe transportation option for everyday travel. [Read more…] about Motional and Uber partner to offer robotaxi rides

Lyft plans ‘fully autonomous future’ as it starts driverless car rides to customers in Austin, Texas

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Riders in Austin, Texas can now select an autonomous vehicle in the Lyft app to help them get around their city.

This marks the first time that a commercial autonomous service is available in Austin, Texas and marks the third city where Lyft riders can hail an autonomous ride along with Miami, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Most people’s first autonomous vehicle experience will be on a ride hailing network like Lyft. For riders in Austin, this new ride mode looks just like any other Lyft ride. Riders can hail an autonomous vehicle (a Ford self-driving car powered by Argo AI technology) directly in the Lyft app for the same price as a normal Lyft ride. [Read more…] about Lyft plans ‘fully autonomous future’ as it starts driverless car rides to customers in Austin, Texas

Autonomous truck maker Einride launches in Germany

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Autonomous truck startup Einride has launched into Europe’s largest transportation market – Germany. In conjunction with the official launch, Einride has signed an impressive list of local partners including global appliance leader Electrolux.

Robert Falck, founder and CEO of Einride, says: “Germany is in the driving seat of Europe; where it goes others follow suit.

“We have the opportunity and technology to bring the biggest change to the freight industry since the invention of the internal combustion engine and are ready to join forces with local partners to make transportation history.” [Read more…] about Autonomous truck maker Einride launches in Germany

Mercedes-Benz claims its ‘Drive Pilot’ is world’s first internationally certified Level 3 automated car technology

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Mercedes-Benz says its Drive Pilot automated driver assistance system has become the world’s first internationally certified Level 3 automated car technology. The company adds that it backs redundancy for safe conditionally automated driving.

When it comes to conditionally automated driving (SAE Level 3), safety and reliability are the top priorities for Mercedes-Benz. Drive Pilot is therefore based on a system architecture that enables safe control of all situations that could potentially arise.

To this end, braking, steering, power supply and some parts of the sensor system are designed with physical and functional redundancy. By adopting this safety‑focused approach to system design, Mercedes-Benz is setting completely new benchmarks in automated driving. [Read more…] about Mercedes-Benz claims its ‘Drive Pilot’ is world’s first internationally certified Level 3 automated car technology

Finally, Ford Plans to Release a Test Self-Driving Car by the End of 2022

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Ford plans to release a test self-driving car by 2022! This news comes as a surprise as the company has been lagging behind its competitors when it comes to autonomous technology.

The Ford Motor Company has announced that it intends to release a fully autonomous vehicle within the next five years. The car, which will be available for both public and commercial use, will be part of the company’s larger push to invest in and develop self-driving technology.

While Ford is not the first automaker to pledge to release a self-driving car – Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW have all made similar announcements – it is the first to set a specific timeline for doing so. [Read more…] about Finally, Ford Plans to Release a Test Self-Driving Car by the End of 2022

Autonomous trucks make the ‘most compelling case’ for automation in commercial vehicles, says report

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Autonomous trucks make “the most compelling case for automation in commercial vehicles”, according to a new report.

The new IDTechEx study, Heavy-Duty Autonomous Vehicles 2023-2043: Trucks, Buses & Roboshuttles, has found significant activity in the autonomous heavy-duty and commercial vehicle space.

Today, there are hundreds of vehicles around the globe in various stages of trialing, piloting, and even some companies teetering on the precipice of fully unmanned commercial deployment. Each industry has unique strengths and challenges, here are some key findings from the report. [Read more…] about Autonomous trucks make the ‘most compelling case’ for automation in commercial vehicles, says report

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

Seoul Robotics demonstrates technology that enables cars to park themselves

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Imagine driving a car – one without self-driving capabilities – to a mall, airport or parking garage, and using an app to have the car drive off to park itself. Software company Seoul Robotics is using Nvidia technology to make this possible – turning non-autonomous cars into self-driving vehicles.

Headquartered in Korea, the company’s initial focus is on improving first- and last-mile logistics such as parking. Its Level 5 Control Tower is a mesh network of sensors and computers placed on infrastructure around a facility, like buildings or light poles – rather than on individual cars – to capture an unobstructed view of the environment.

The system enables cars to move autonomously by directing their vehicle-to-everything, or so-called V2X, communication systems. These systems pass information from a vehicle to infrastructure, other vehicles, any surrounding entities – and vice versa. V2X technology, which comes standard in many modern cars, is used to improve road safety, traffic efficiency and energy savings. [Read more…] about Seoul Robotics demonstrates technology that enables cars to park themselves

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

AECOM to partner with MnDOT and the City of White Bear Lake on automated shuttle pilot

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AECOM, an infrastructure consulting firm, is partnering with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and White Bear Lake on the launch of an automated shuttle pilot within the city.

The shuttle, which has been named “Bear Tracks”, will run for one year on a 1.5-mile route and be free to use, connecting area residents to several community facilities and businesses.

The project will incorporate key elements of MnDOT’s Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV) Strategic Plan, including enhanced mobility for persons with disabilities, better travel options for elderly communities, and more public awareness of automated vehicle technologies. [Read more…] about AECOM to partner with MnDOT and the City of White Bear Lake on automated shuttle pilot