GM’s Cruise Didn’t Admit To Pedestrian Crash Because Of A Bad Internet Connection

GM’s Cruise Didn’t Admit To Pedestrian Crash Because Of A Bad Internet Connection

A new report released Thursday say GM’s Cruise leadership really did want to tell regulators about one of their self-driving taxis dragging a pedestrian 20 feet, but the internet connection sucked so they just didn’t mention it. To refresh your memory, on October 2, 2023, a woman was hit by a human-driven car while in … Read more

Robot Car Crash Investigation Concludes GM’s Cruise Didn’t Disclose Key Information

Robot Car Crash Investigation Concludes GM’s Cruise Didn’t Disclose Key Information

A law firm hired by the General Motors’ self-driving subsidiary Cruise to investigate the company’s response to a gruesome San Francisco crash last year found that the company failed to fully disclose disturbing details to regulators, the tech company said today in a blog post. The incident in October led California regulators to suspend Cruise’s … Read more

Toyota’s Robots Are Learning to Do Housework—By Copying Humans

Toyota’s Robots Are Learning to Do Housework—By Copying Humans

As someone who quite enjoys the Zen of tidying up, I was only too happy to grab a dustpan and brush and sweep up some beans spilled on a tabletop while visiting the Toyota Research Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts last year. The chore was more challenging than usual because I had to do it using … Read more

Tesla Recalls Nearly Ever Car It Has Ever Sold In China Over Autopilot Safety Issues

Tesla Recalls Nearly Ever Car It Has Ever Sold In China Over Autopilot Safety Issues

Good morning! It’s Friday, January 5, 2024, and this is The Morning Shift, your daily roundup of the top automotive headlines from around the world, in one place. Here are the important stories you need to know. 1st Gear: Tesla Recalls Every Car It Has Sold In China Safety issues with Tesla’s Autopilot driver assistance … Read more

The Man Who Made Robots Dance Now Wants Them to Think for Themselves

The Man Who Made Robots Dance Now Wants Them to Think for Themselves

Some robots, including from Boston Dynamics, are already doing warehouse work. Do you expect to see that humanoid workforce growing in the coming years? Warehouse work is one of the great applications at the moment because there’s such a need for people. Employers are really frustrated with the difficulty of getting humans and training them … Read more

As Robotaxis Hit City Streets, Local Officials Often Have Little Power Over Them

As Robotaxis Hit City Streets, Local Officials Often Have Little Power Over Them

Jeff Farrah, CEO of lobbying group the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, which counts Waymo, Cruise, and other self-driving developers in its membership, says keeping motor vehicle regulation authority firmly in states’ hands is consistent with how vehicles have been regulated in the past. “Cities have a role to play in enforcing traffic laws, but life-saving … Read more

This Was The Dire State Of AVs or Self-Driving Cars In 2023

This Was The Dire State Of AVs or Self-Driving Cars In 2023

Photo: Josh Edelson (Getty Images) Either the world is not ready for self-driving cars, or self-driving cars are not ready for the world. After all the avoidable crashes and injuries in 2023 — some of which were fatal — I’m going to say that it’s the latter rather than the former. Autonomous vehicles are clearly … Read more

Traffic Tickets Won’t Keep Driverless Cars From Breaking Traffic Rules

Traffic Tickets Won’t Keep Driverless Cars From Breaking Traffic Rules

Photo: Justin Sullivan (Getty Images) Autonomous cars have been hitting public roads in a handful of cities around the United States, but the driverless phenomenon has raised one particularly perplexing question: How do we keep those driverless cars in check when they break traffic laws? NBC really delved into the matter this week. What’s The … Read more

Flying Firehose Robot Could Revolutionize Firefighting Forever

Flying Firehose Robot Could Revolutionize Firefighting Forever

Humanity has come a long way over the last few hundred years, but we are still terrifyingly vulnerable and susceptible to fires. Firefighters have employed tank-like robots that carry hoses into burning structures to minimize the amount of time that humans must endure the unpredictable dangers of a rampant fire, but researchers have a new … Read more