Category: Automotive

Embark CEO says autonomous driving is the only way we’ll get to zero fatalities

Autonomous systems are coming. In fact, they’re already here thanks to Alphabet’s Waymo, Uber and smaller startups like Aurora, Embark Trucks and Voyage. Although there have a been a couple of fatal crashes involving autonomous software, the consensus seems to be that self-driving is still the way to go. Last year, 37,150 people died in… Continue reading Embark CEO says autonomous driving is the only way we’ll get to zero fatalities

Musk Says He’s ‘Flattening’ Tesla Structure With Defections Mounting

The Tesla Inc. management ranks that Elon Musk told employees he’s “flattening” had already been raising eyebrows by how quickly it was thinning out. Musk announced a “thorough reorganization” in a memo to employees Monday, saying Tesla was changing its structure to improve communication, combine functions and get rid of activities that aren’t “vital to… Continue reading Musk Says He’s ‘Flattening’ Tesla Structure With Defections Mounting

Tesla rejected more advanced driver monitoring features on its cars

Engineers inside Tesla wanted to add robust driver monitoring systems to the company’s cars to help make sure drivers safely use Autopilot, and Tesla even worked with suppliers on possible solutions, according to The Wall Street Journal. But those executives — Elon Musk included — reportedly rejected the idea out of worry that the options… Continue reading Tesla rejected more advanced driver monitoring features on its cars

Tesla chose not to add eye-tracking to Autopilot because it’s ineffective, says Elon Musk

New autonomous driver assist systems are coming to market using eye-tracking and other driver monitoring systems to make sure that drivers are paying attention to the road. Tesla apparently looked into adding such a system to its Autopilot, but it chose not to because it found it to be ineffective, according to CEO Elon Musk. Home Solar… Continue reading Tesla chose not to add eye-tracking to Autopilot because it’s ineffective, says Elon Musk

Apple’s self-driving car fleet grows to 55 in California

Apple now has 55 self-driving cars registered with the DMV, compared to 27 earlier this year and just three last year. That means Apple has the second largest fleet of self-driving cars in California. Apple now has more cars registered than Waymo, which has 51, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. General Motor’s Cruise,… Continue reading Apple’s self-driving car fleet grows to 55 in California

Tesla has registered a new electric car firm in China (TSLA)

Tesla has registered a new electric car firm in Shanghai, as China prepares to scrap rules on capping foreign ownership of new-energy vehicle (NEV) ventures. The new company, Tesla (Shanghai) Co Ltd, was registered on May 10, according to a filing with the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System seen by Reuters. The new company… Continue reading Tesla has registered a new electric car firm in China (TSLA)

Waymo Filings Give New Details on Its Driverless Taxis

Image: Waymo Advertisement Editor’s Picks Waymo CEO John Krafcik announced last week that the company would be launching a driverless taxi service in Phoenix later this year. An application Waymo filed with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for driverless testing, obtained by IEEE Spectrum using public record laws, reveals more about how that… Continue reading Waymo Filings Give New Details on Its Driverless Taxis

Didi Chuxing can now test self-driving cars in California

Quite a number of companies — 53, to be exact — have received permits to test self-driving cars with a safety driver in California. One of the more notable companies that has received a permit is China-based Didi Chuxing, which officially opened up its U.S.-based research lab last March. Also on the list of permit… Continue reading Didi Chuxing can now test self-driving cars in California