Autonomous Vehicles

MSU is polling the Internet to name its new autonomous electric bus that will start driving a set route this fall. It comes with six light detection and ranging sensors, six radars and eight RGB cameras.

Fast, low-latency communication is essential for supporting connected vehicles and other next-gen transportation technologies. But the intelligent roadways that will carry it are developing more slowly.

Waymo's automated driving system is under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after 22 reported incidents, including 17 crashes, involving the driverless technology.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Amazon's driverless taxis after two test cars stopped suddenly and were rear-ended in separate injury crashes, including one in San Francisco.

Combined, the cities received nearly $1.5 million in grants through a U.S. Department of Transportation program. They will use it to maintain and plan the expansion of zero-emissions vehicles, and to enhance pedestrian safety.

Downtown cyclists filmed a Waymo robotaxi driving against oncoming traffic for nearly two blocks. The company, however, says the driverless vehicle did this to keep away from a potential collision.

Urban technologists at the recent 2024 Bipartisan Tech Policy Conference discussed the various ways emerging tech like autonomous vehicles have evolved.

Criticizing House Bill 7 for moving too quickly toward putting autonomous vehicles on the road without human supervision, Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed it Friday. Beshear said AVs should have a testing period before they can drive in the state.

The AllianceTexas Mobility Innovation Zone in Fort Worth is becoming a center for developing next-gen transportation technologies. It’s situated near an interstate, rail lines and an air cargo hub.

City officials said Thursday that they would begin to permit operators to test drive autonomous autos on New York City streets, in an announcement that divided street safety advocates.

Layoffs and other workforce reductions have marked auto industry headlines in recent months, despite increased vehicle sales last year and even more forecasted growth in 2024.

A frequent criticism by San Francisco officials as driverless robotaxis became common on city streets has been that California's laws and regulations have been slow to catch up to the new reality.

The company has state approval to expand use of its driverless taxis outside San Francisco but caution and permitting are keeping it off freeways and away from San Francisco International Airport for now.

The shuttle, which operated in downtown, was taken out of service after a crash Nov. 4. A review determined human error prompted it to move into the path of another bus. Test runs restarted Tuesday.

The California Public Utilities Commission recently stated in a disposition letter that Waymo's driverless taxis can begin picking up fared passengers immediately in certain areas in the state.

San Mateo County, Calif., is pushing back on a proposal to bring driverless taxis to the peninsula’s streets and highways, doing so first via a letter sent recently to regulators.

Baggage and cargo movement at airports is emerging as another use case for autonomous vehicle technology, as airlines and airports eye these applications.

The company leading the robotaxi race wants to expand driverless ride-hailing to Los Angeles and 22 Bay Area cities in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties — even as San Francisco is suing to rein in its expansion.