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Cybertrucks Are a Firefighter’s Nightmare

Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Getty Images The Cybertruck isn’t just junk — it’s a death trap. According to new reporting from The Washington Post, the Tesla pickup truck’s unorthodox design — including features used in other Tesla cars, like electric doors —can prevent emergency responders from rescuing people trapped in the vehicles.… Continue reading Cybertrucks Are a Firefighter’s Nightmare

Children Falling Apart as They Become Addicted to AI

Getty / Futurism According to a fresh study by the Pew Research Center, 64 percent of teens in the US say they already use AI chatbots, and about 30 percent of those who do say they use it at least daily. Yet as previous research has shown, those chatbots come with significant risk to the… Continue reading Children Falling Apart as They Become Addicted to AI

The Gloves Are Off in the Fight for Your Right to Repair

It has been a big year for the right to repair, the movement of advocates pushing for people to be able to fix their own electronics and equipment without manufacturer approval. The issue has gathered broad support from technologists, farmers, military leaders, and politicians on both sides of the aisle. It is popular with just… Continue reading The Gloves Are Off in the Fight for Your Right to Repair

2025’s Best Phones Were Also Its Wackiest

This was a surprisingly fun year for smartphones. I wasn’t expecting it to be; the category is often described as stale or “plateaued.” But as WIRED’s resident phone reviewer, I’ve tested nearly all of this year’s handsets—devices as cheap as $130 all the way to an eye-watering $2,000—and I don’t think there’s been a year… Continue reading 2025’s Best Phones Were Also Its Wackiest

Is an AI-Powered Toy Terrorizing Your Child?

Getty / Futurism Parents, keep your eyes peeled for AI-powered toys. These may look like they might make a novel gift for a child, but a recent controversy surrounding several of the stocking stuffers has highlighted the alarming risks they pose to young kids. In November, a team of researchers at the US PIRG Education… Continue reading Is an AI-Powered Toy Terrorizing Your Child?

Clean Technica: Electric Door Handles — What Did Elon Know, And When Did He Know It?004302

Support CleanTechnica’s work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe. A long time ago — 2015 — in a galaxy far, far away — Silicon Valley — Elon Musk and his engineering team were working feverishly on the design for the Tesla Model 3, the first electric vehicle from the young startup aimed at mainstream… Continue reading Clean Technica: Electric Door Handles — What Did Elon Know, And When Did He Know It?004302

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

Waymo explains why its robotaxis got stuck during the SF blackout

Waymo is testing Gemini as an in-car AI assistant in its robotaxis

Waymo appears to be testing adding Google’s Gemini AI chatbot to its robotaxis in an effort to integrate an AI assistant that would accompany riders and answer their queries, according to findings by researcher Jane Manchun Wong. “While digging through Waymo’s mobile app code, I discovered the complete system prompt for its unreleased Gemini integration,”… Continue reading Waymo is testing Gemini as an in-car AI assistant in its robotaxis