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AutoX expands robotaxi operation zone to 1,000 sq km

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Alibaba-backed AutoX, a developer of Level 4 fully autonomous cars, or “robotaxis”, now claims to operate “China’s largest autonomous driving area”.

The total area covers 1,000 square kilometers, including a 168-square-kilometer fully driverless zone. AutoX robotaxis are able to navigate all the public roads inside the 1,000 square kilometer area.

Expanding the total autonomous driving area to over 1,000 square kilometers is an important step towards making the robotic taxi service a reality in the daily lives of people in China. [Read more…] about AutoX expands robotaxi operation zone to 1,000 sq km

Wayve raises $200 million to accelerate development of ‘next wave of autonomous vehicles’

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Wayve, a UK-based start-up reimagining autonomous mobility through embodied intelligence, announced today its $200 million Series B backed by a prominent group of global financial and strategic investors.

This latest round of funding brings total equity raised to over $258 million since inception and reinforces Wayve’s position as a leader in autonomous driving, pioneering an artificial intelligence led approach to autonomous vehicles on a global scale.

Eclipse Ventures, long-time supporter of Wayve, led the round with participation from new global financial investors. [Read more…] about Wayve raises $200 million to accelerate development of ‘next wave of autonomous vehicles’

Cities ‘must become car-free to survive’

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Cities must become fully car-free in order to be liveable in the future, according to the UCL experts behind a new modelling report looking at urban car use.

The experts have called for a shift in collective behaviour to reduce the number of private cars in cities. Globally, the number of cars produced is increasing faster than the population; 80m cars were produced in 2019, while the population increased by 78m.

The researchers said future city planning must include a focus on reducing dependence on cars, promoting fewer and shorter trips and encouraging walking and cycling as primary modes of local transport. [Read more…] about Cities ‘must become car-free to survive’

Hacking and loss of driving skills are major consumer concerns for self-driving cars

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A new study from the University of Kent, Toulouse Business School, ESSCA School of Management (Paris) and ESADE Business School (Spain) has revealed the three primary risks and benefits perceived by consumers towards autonomous vehicles (self-driving cars).

The increased development of autonomous vehicles worldwide inspired the researchers to uncover how consumers feel towards the growing market, particularly in areas that dissuade them from purchasing, to understand the challenges of marketing the product.

The following perceptions, gained through qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys, are key to consumer decision making around autonomous vehicles. [Read more…] about Hacking and loss of driving skills are major consumer concerns for self-driving cars

Zoom increasing the demand for plastic surgery

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Patients are seeking plastic surgery in record numbers, citing their appearance on Zoom as a cause. Of particular concern are noses and wrinkles, according to Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine.

“A life disproportionately spent on Zoom may trigger a self-critical comparative response that leads people to rush to their physicians for treatments they may not have considered before months confronting a video screen, a new phenomenon of ‘Zoom Dysmorphia’,” say Arianne Shadi Kourosh, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital, and coauthors. [Read more…] about Zoom increasing the demand for plastic surgery

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Smart cruise control steers drivers toward better decisions

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Vehicle manufacturers offer smart features such as lane and braking assist to aid drivers in hazardous situations when human reflexes may not be fast enough. But most options only provide immediate benefits to a single vehicle.

What if, like a murmuration of starlings, our cars and trucks moved cooperatively on the road in response to each vehicle’s environmental sensors, reacting as a group to lessen traffic jams and protect the humans inside?

This question forms the basis of Kuilin Zhang’s National Science Foundation CAREER Award research. Zhang, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Michigan Technological University, has published “A distributionally robust stochastic optimization-based model predictive control with distributionally robust chance constraints for cooperative adaptive cruise control under uncertain traffic conditions” in the journal Transportation Research Part B: Methodological. [Read more…] about Smart cruise control steers drivers toward better decisions