The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into Waymo after its robotaxis have been spotted illegally passing stopped school buses numerous times in at least two states. The NTSB is specifically focusing on the more-than-20 incidences that have occurred in Austin, Texas, it said in a post on X on Friday. “Investigators will… Continue reading Waymo probed by National Transportation Safety Board over illegal school bus behavior
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Waymo continues robotaxi ramp up with Miami service now open to public
Waymo robotaxis can now be hailed by the public in Miami. The company said Thursday it will initially open the service, on a rolling basis, to the nearly 10,000 local residents on its waitlist. Once accepted, riders will be able to hail a robotaxi within a 60-square-mile service area in Miami that covers neighborhoods such… Continue reading Waymo continues robotaxi ramp up with Miami service now open to public
Luminar founder Austin Russell agrees to accept subpoena in bankruptcy case
Luminar founder and former CEO Austin Russell has agreed to accept an electronic subpoena for information on his phone related to the company, as part of the lidar maker’s ongoing bankruptcy proceeding, per a new filing Tuesday. Russell now has seven days to file a motion to quash the subpoena, or object to it —… Continue reading Luminar founder Austin Russell agrees to accept subpoena in bankruptcy case
New York governor clears path for robotaxis everywhere, with one notable exception
New York Governor Kathy Hochul plans to introduce legislation that would effectively legalize robotaxis in the state — except for its most populous metropolis: New York City. Hochul, who made the comments Tuesday during her State of the State address, said the legislation would advance the next phase of the state’s autonomous vehicle pilot program. … Continue reading New York governor clears path for robotaxis everywhere, with one notable exception
Motional puts AI at center of robotaxi reboot as it targets 2026 for driverless service
Nearly two years ago, Motional was at an autonomous vehicle crossroads. The company, born from a $4 billion joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, had already missed a deadline to launch a driverless robotaxi service with partner Lyft. It had lost Aptiv as one of its financial backers, prompting Hyundai to step up… Continue reading Motional puts AI at center of robotaxi reboot as it targets 2026 for driverless service
Waymo is rebranding its Zeekr robotaxi
Waymo has spent the past three years refining and testing a minivan-like vehicle made by Chinese automaker Zeekr. And now, before this robotaxi joins Waymo’s official commercial fleet, it’s getting a new name, the company told TechCrunch. The Zeekr RT robotaxi will now be named Ojai (pronounced “oh-hi”) — after the village in the Topatopa… Continue reading Waymo is rebranding its Zeekr robotaxi
This is Uber’s new robotaxi from Lucid and Nuro
Uber, Lucid Motors, and Nuro have revealed the production-intent version of their collaborative robotaxi at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show, and TechCrunch got a sneak peek ahead of the reveal. It’s a vehicle that’s been in the works for more than half a year now, part of a deal that saw Uber invest $300 million… Continue reading This is Uber’s new robotaxi from Lucid and Nuro
Nvidia launches Alpamayo, open AI models that allow autonomous vehicles to ‘think like a human’
At CES 2026, Nvidia launched Alpamayo, a new family of open-source AI models, simulation tools, and datasets for training physical robots and vehicles that are designed to help usher autonomous vehicles reason through complex driving situations. “The ChatGPT moment for physical AI is here – when machines begin to understand, reason, and act in the… Continue reading Nvidia launches Alpamayo, open AI models that allow autonomous vehicles to ‘think like a human’
China’s Hesai will double production as lidar sensor industry shakes out
Chinese lidar-maker Hesai announced plans on Monday to double its production capacity from 2 million units to 4 million units this year, as it looks to corner the global market for the laser-based sensors. That would be well up from the 1 million-plus unit mark that Hesai hit in 2025. Hesai’s push to grab more… Continue reading China’s Hesai will double production as lidar sensor industry shakes out
Waymo explains why its robotaxis got stuck during the SF blackout
Waymo is shipping a software update to help its robotaxis navigate disabled traffic lights during power outages “more decisively,” the company said Tuesday in a blog post that explains why its self-driving vehicles got stuck at intersections during a blackout in San Francisco this past weekend. Waymo said the self-driving system in its robotaxis treats… Continue reading Waymo explains why its robotaxis got stuck during the SF blackout