Zoox, the autonomous vehicle company owned by Amazon, paused its driverless testing program for more than a week and issued a voluntary recall of its software following a crash in Las Vegas, according to the company and a filing with federal safety regulators. The April 8 crash, which involved an unoccupied Zoox vehicle and a…
Category: robotaxis
autonomous vehicles, avs, Global Security News, robotaxis, Transportation, Waymo
Waymo ramps up robotaxi production at new Arizona factory
Waymo has played coy for years about exactly how many Jaguar I-Pace EVs are in its autonomous fleet — a figure that covers vehicles used in testing and commercial robotaxi operations. On Monday, the Alphabet company finally provided a peek at the commercial side of the fleet. Waymo said Monday, as part of a larger…
Global Security News, robotaxis, Transportation, Uber, Waymo
Waymo and Uber prepare to launch robotaxi service in Atlanta this summer
Uber is inviting customers in Atlanta to join a list if they’re interested in hailing a Waymo robotaxi as the companies prepare to launch a commercial service in the city. Uber and Waymo last September announced plans to offer a robotaxi service in Austin and Atlanta in early 2025 as part of an expanded partnership.…
autonomous vehicles, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotaxis, Transportation, Waymo
A Waymo robotaxi got trapped in Chick-fil-A drive-through
A Waymo robotaxi caused a traffic jam at a Chick-fil-A in Santa Monica, California, this week after getting stuck in the fast food restaurant’s drive-through lane. Waymo confirmed the incident, which was first reported by local broadcast station KTLA 5, to TechCrunch via email. Waymo told TechCrunch that there weren’t any passengers in the robotaxi.…
autonomous vehicles, Global Security News, robotaxis, Startups, Transportation, zoox
Amazon’s Zoox begins robotaxi testing in Los Angeles
Zoox, Amazon’s autonomous vehicle unit, is deploying a small fleet of retrofitted test vehicles on the streets of Los Angeles starting Tuesday – a modest, yet meaningful step as the company inches toward offering public rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco later this year. The data-collection effort marks Zoox’s entrance into its sixth city…
AI, Alphabet, autonomous vehicles, generative ai, Global Security News, privacy, robotaxis, Transportation, Waymo
Waymo may use interior camera data to train generative AI models, but riders will be able to opt out
Waymo is preparing to use data from its robotaxis, including video from interior cameras tied to rider identities, to train generative AI models, according to an unreleased version of its privacy policy found by researcher Jane Manchun Wong, raising fresh questions about how much of a rider’s behavior inside autonomous vehicles could be repurposed for…
AI, Alphabet, autonomous vehicles, generative ai, Global Security News, privacy, robotaxis, Transportation, Waymo
Waymo may use interior camera data to train generative AI models, sell ads
Waymo is preparing to use data from its robotaxis, including video from interior cameras tied to rider identities, to train generative AI models, according to an unreleased version of its privacy policy found by researcher Jane Manchun Wong. The draft language reveals Waymo may also share this data to personalize ads, raising fresh questions about…
autonomous vehicles, Global Security News, robotaxis, Transportation, Waymo
Waymo to launch robotaxi service in Washington D.C. in 2026
Waymo said Tuesday it will begin offering robotaxi rides via the Waymo One app in Washington D.C. in 2026. Before it can launch commercially, the company will have to up its lobbying game in the capitol, where autonomous vehicle permits still require a human behind the wheel. The news from Waymo comes as the Alphabet-owned…
avs, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotaxis, Transportation, zoox
Zoox recalls 258 self-driving cars over unexpected braking
Zoox, Amazon’s autonomous driving unit, has issued a voluntary recall for 258 vehicles due to issues with its autonomous driving system that could cause unexpected hard breaking. The recall follows a preliminary investigation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last May after the agency received two reports of incidents in which motorcyclists collided…
autonomous vehicles, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotaxis, Transportation, Waymo
Waymo expands its robotaxi service across Silicon Valley
Waymo will start offering robotaxi rides to people in its “Waymo One” early rider program in Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, and “parts of Sunnyvale” starting Wednesday, an expansion that will bring its footprint in Silicon Valley to 27 square miles. The Waymo vehicles will be available around-the-clock, and the new territories add to…
autonomous vehicles, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotaxis, robotics, Transportation, Uber
How Uber’s new product chief is gearing up for robotaxis
Uber executive Sachin Kansal has a reputation for dogfooding — the tactic of using one’s own products and services to root out problems and make improvements. As he ascended Uber’s executive ladder over the past eight years, Kansal ratcheted up 700 trips delivering food or people to their destinations. Lengthy reports, often dozens of pages…
autonomous vehicles, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotaxis, Transportation, Uber, Waymo
Uber users in Austin are getting matched with Waymo robotaxis
Uber users in Austin now have a choice between a Waymo robotaxi and a human driver. The two companies officially launched Tuesday the “Waymo on Uber” robotaxi service in Austin as part of a partnership that has deepened in recent months. The launch comes just days before SXSW, the annual tech, music, film, and comedy…
autonomous vehicles, Cruise, General Motors, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotaxis, Transportation
Cruise to slash workforce by 50% after GM cuts funding to robotaxi operations
Cruise is laying off 50% of its workforce as the robotaxi program ends. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
autonomous vehicles, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotaxis, Transportation, Waymo
Waymo reportedly testing robotaxis in 10 new cities in 2025
Waymo plans to start testing autonomous vehicles in 10 new cities this year, starting with Las Vegas and San Diego, according to The Verge. Although this doesn’t mean the company will launch commercial operations in any of these cities — or even test them in autonomous mode. Waymo told The Verge it will send less…
autonomous vehicles, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotaxi, robotaxis, Transportation, Waymo
Waymo begins testing robotaxis on LA freeways
Waymo robotaxis have become a common sight on Los Angeles surface streets. Now, those driverless vehicles are heading to the city’s network of freeways. The Alphabet-owned autonomous vehicle technology company said Tuesday it will begin testing its fleet of robotaxis on the Los Angeles freeway system, including Interstates 10, 110, 405, and the 90. These…
autonomous vehicles, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotaxis, TC, Transportation, Waymo
Waymo lobbyist activity in SF skyrocketed in 2024
Waymo lobbyists had a busy 2024. A recent review of lobbyist disclosure data by the San Francisco Examiner revealed Waymo paid lobbyists to meet with San Francisco government officials 348 times last year, more than double the 137 times it reported in 2023. The pop in lobbyist activity is in sync with Waymo’s expansion in…
autonomous vehicles, Cruise, EVs, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotaxi, robotaxis, Startups, Tesla, Transportation, Waymo
The trends that shaped EVs, robotaxis, and electric flight in 2024
If there was one phrase that captured the vibe and theme of 2024 — at least in the transportation sector — it was business whiplash. Legacy automakers changed direction on their all-EVs-or-bust strategy, startups pivoted, and some Silicon Valley VCs and executives adjusted their views to a changing political landscape, in which they now are…
Canoo, Global IT News, Global Security News, lucid, RAM, robotaxis, techcrunch mobility, Tesla, Transportation, Waymo, zoox
Waymo fills the Cruise void overseas and a salute to icon Jean Jennings
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. This will be the last newsletter of 2024! But don’t worry, we’ll be back in 2025 — sign up here to get it in your inbox every week. Thank you for reading and your emails. I love…