Autonomous Vehicles

When the first autonomous vehicles moved from the drawing boards to the test tracks, they were envisioned as not having steering wheels, gas pedals, etc. When Google, later Waymo, rolled out its early concept cars, the little eggs on wheels came sans controls.

A newly released study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety claims autonomous vehicles are better drivers than humans. Can it be true?

Even the most progressive politicians have a breaking point. For San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, that point was provided by brain-dead robotaxis turning the Fourth of July holiday weekend into a total traffic nightmare.

If you watch much television, you’ve likely seen the commercial where the dejected teenage boy walks away from a cheering group of soccer players — U.S. Men’s National Teams jokes here! — and from inside the backseat of the car texts his mom that he got cut. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is mulling a decision that would no longer require autonomous vehicles, primarily robotaxis, to have steering wheels. 

Most city dwellers pay dearly for a car they rarely use, and still, it's hard to access when it truly matters. Ezra Goldman, the visionary behind Upshift, is changing that game. He reveals how autonomous car subscriptions, featuring remote-controlled fleet vehicles, innovative operational models, and strategic teleoperation, are set to reshape urban mobility. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is officially planning to update the United States’ Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) so that select vehicles will no longer require brake pedals. This is part of the Transportation Department’s most recent effort to help deregulate automobiles in a way that could benefit autonomous vehicles.

Waymo LLC recalled 3,871 vehicles equipped with its fifth generation Automated Driving System because it may allow the vehicle to drive into closed freeway construction zones at speed instead of following required detours.

Stellantis became the latest auto company to get into the autonomous mobility market, forming a new partnership with Wayve and Uber to develop self-driving vehicles for use as robotaxis in a global fleet.

While much of the focus on General Motors' first-quarter earnings call revolved around rising material costs and guidance adjustments based on government tariff refunds, CEO Mary Barra also announced that roughly 90 percent of the code pertaining to autonomous driving was being written by artificial intelligence.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) confirmed that it will be imposing new regulations for driverless vehicles. Pending regulations, based off the updated rules established in 2024, were approved late last month and allow the state to fine autonomous vehicle manufacturers directly for traffic violations.

Guests Bob Granito and Bill Thau from IVP Research Labs join the show to discuss the intersection of autonomous systems and EVs, sharing insights from comprehensive research studies that reveal surprising findings about stress levels when cars drive autonomously compared to manual driving.

If you’re hoping to get a ride in one of the toaster-style robotaxis from Zoox, the odds are about to improve as the company’s announced it will expand its operations in four cities: San Francisco, Las Vegas, Austin and Miami. 

General Motors plans to begin testing 200 AI-based autonomous versions of its Super Cruise semi-autonomous technology. Using Cadillac Escalade IQs with supervising human drivers, the testing will start in Michigan and California.

We reported today about NHTSA's escalating investigation into Tesla's Full Self Driving.

We've also covered more than a few incidents involving Waymo's autonomous taxis and pedestrians or other cars.

Rivian not only knows how to build sought-after electric vehicles (EV), but it’s very good at attracting investors. The latest being Uber which plans to invest $1.25 billion over the next five years to purchase 10,000 autonomous R2 robotaxis.

Two crashes involving vehicles using Ford’s semi-autonomous driving technology, BlueCruise, are the subject of a March 31 hearing by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

If you’ve struggled to find a driverless taxi in Dallas or Phoenix, it’s about to get a bit easier with Amazon-owned Zoox announcing plans to expand in those cities.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk kicked off the arrival of the company’s robotaxi concept during a showy event Michael Bay or Steven Spielberg would appreciate. However, eight months after their Austin, Texas debut, they’ve been involved in 14 crashes.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into an incident where a Waymo self-driving vehicle hit a child in California.

General Motors has filed a patent that would allow vehicles to change lanes by tracking where the driver is looking. If properly implemented, the feature would border on motorists having a near telepathic link with their car. However, an extravagantly bad execution could mean a sudden influx of drivers veering off the highway near scenic attractions.

A Waymo autonomous vehicle jumped onto the light-rail tracks in Phoenix last week, forcing a frightened passenger to flee.

Over the weekend, San Francisco suffered widespread blackouts and Waymo’s self-driving test mules didn’t know how to handle the situation. Vehicles simply parked themselves at intersections, forcing the company to shut down taxi services until the power outage was over.

Waymo is recalling over 3,000 autonomous taxis, following an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after one of the vehicles illegally passed a stopped school bus. The incident turned out to be anything but isolated, showcasing a major defect in the company's safety programming.

The sporting event or concert was fun, but escaping from the crowded venue to return home, or on to another destination, can present several dilemmas—dealing with traffic if you drive yourself, catching a ride share or cab that can be costly, or relying on public transportation, if it’s available.

General Motors will take another step toward automated driving with a new version of its Super Cruise system—one that will allow drivers to look away from the road entirely. The so-called “eyes-off” mode is expected to debut in the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ, this will be GM’s first attempt at delivering Level 3 autonomy.

Waymo is under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) following claims that one of its autonomous vehicles illegally went around a stopped school bus.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office has partnered with Policing Lab to test America’s first autonomous patrol vehicle. Dubbed the “Police Unmanned Ground (PUG) Vehicle Patrol Partner,” the vehicle will be part of a year-long evaluation to see if it’s fit for service.

On a rainy Monday in downtown Detroit a Ford Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle pulls away from the curb and dives into the work week traffic. There’s someone sitting behind the wheel but it’s strictly hands-off.

Dodging traffic, stopping for traffic lights, avoiding pedestrians and turning along a prescribed route the car just seems to "know” what to do.

Tesla rejected a $60 million settlement offer in a lawsuit over a 2019 fatal accident involving a Model S, but the outcome of the trial wasn’t favorable for the automaker. It has been ordered to pay $243 million in damages over the accident.

Tesla began a small-scale rollout of its Robotaxi program in Austin, Texas, over the weekend, marking a significant step forward for the automaker’s autonomous vehicle ambitions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is collecting data on the program, but Tesla recently told the government agency not to publicly disclose any of the information it gathers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been updating rules pertaining to companies fielding autonomous vehicles that lack traditional controls (e.g. steering wheels and pedals). Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a letter informing companies that it would be processing exemptions more quickly so that they can put more driverless cars on public roads.

There have been protests against the Trump Administration's immigration-enforcement actions in Los Angeles over the weekend, and some Waymo autonomous vehicles have been burned.

Waymo operates more than 1,500 vehicles in several cities across the country, including Los Angeles and Austin, but the company is recalling most of them for a software issue. The Google affiliate said more than 1,200 vehicles could have a software glitch that could affect the vehicles’ ability to identify dangers on the road.

Waymo previously teamed with Jaguar to deploy its automotive vehicle technologies, but the Alphabet-backed company has a new, much larger partner. Toyota recently announced a partnership with Waymo to develop next-generation autonomous vehicles, and the Japanese automaker may incorporate some of the technologies into personal vehicles.

The test vehicle I'm currently driving has a semi-autonomous driving system. I tested it out a bit on the freeway yesterday and found it to work as advertised, but after a few miles I flipped it off. I didn't want any computerized help.

This was one of the Nissan ProPilot systems -- I've also used Ford's BlueCruise and GM's Super Cruise systems in recent years.

General Motors’ Cruise division ran into trouble in San Francisco after a string of high-profile crashes and other problems, ultimately leading to its closure, but Waymo is still going strong, and is racking up a serious number of parking tickets in the process. The Washington Post recently reported that the Google company picked up almost 600 parking tickets in 2024.

Today we reported that General Motors thinks autonomous-vehicle subscriptions could be a money-maker.

Would you pony up for one?

Earlier this month, General Motors announced that it would be shutting down its Cruise robotaxi division responsible for autonomous vehicle testing and development. The plan was for GM to finish the last round of layoffs and leverage the resulting technologies into branded hands-free driving tech, known as Super Cruise. But the lingering question was how the automaker planned on turning that into revenue. Now we know — more subscriptions.

Tesla has come out with more details about its robotaxi program, promising to have the autonomous cars on the streets of Austin, Texas, by June.

We'll see what happens.

Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that Elon Musk’s investment in Donald Trump’s candidacy for president could eventually pay off in a big way for Musk. Reuters recently reported that Trump’s transition team wants to kill a rule that requires automakers to report crash data from automated vehicle trials, a move that could significantly benefit Tesla.

General Motors’ Cruise division hasn’t had the best ride over the last couple of years, and now, the automaker is pulling the plug - kind of. The autonomous taxi service will be rolled into GM’s existing technical teams and will work to “advance autonomous and assisted driving” features for its retail vehicles.

Today we showed you that drivers seem more likely to take control of their partially-automated driving systems if doing so manually doesn't fully disengage the system.

BMW is promoting its own self-driving technology after the Dingolfing facility finalized its Automated Driving In-Plant (AFW) system as part of its “BMW iFactory” framework. The location is transitioning into one where the vehicles can pilot themselves around the facility at low speeds, setting the stage for other sites to follow suit. While the notion that this means something for its advanced driving technologies on-road are suspect, BMW is likewise hyping the logistical advantages of not needing human porters to move completed vehicles.

It appears that the incoming Trump administration might loosen some regulations around autonomous vehicles.

GM’s Cruise autonomous taxi division was in the news in 2023 for all the wrong reasons. The company’s vehicles were involved in multiple high-profile crashes, culminating with an accident in October last year that involved a pedestrian who was dragged for 20 feet after being hit by another vehicle. Cruise paused operations but has been back in business for a while now, though the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration hasn’t forgotten about its challenges.

Tesla had its big robotaxi reveal last night.

Hey hey! It's TTAC podcast time!

This afternoon's story about a woman accused of killing two people while intoxicated behind the wheel of a Ford with BlueCruise is downright dystopian.

An intoxicated woman driving a Ford “Mustang” Mach-E, who struck and killed two people in Philadelphia last March, is being charged with homicide. However, the vehicle’s suite of advanced driving aids have muddled the case and are apparently being used as part of the defense. Meanwhile, the technology itself is being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for presumed operational failures.

Cruise, the autonomous vehicle company backed by General Motors, is set to launch its self-driving cars on Uber's ride-hailing platform starting next year.

The U.S. Commerce Department is gearing up to throw a wrench into the gears of autonomous and connected vehicles, but this isn’t just about safety or emissions.

General Motors’ self-driving unit, Cruise, is hoping to resume public testing that includes offering rides before the end of the year. Reports have also claimed that it also intends on charging fares as part of an autonomous taxi service due sometime in 2025.

Google’s parent company plans to invest an additional $5 billion into Waymo, with Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat notifying shareholders of the decision during the business' second-quarter earnings call. Despite 2024 being relatively unkind to autonomous vehicle programs, driven largely by resident pushback taking place in the cities they’re being piloted, Waymo has arguably come out looking better than its rivals and even managed to grow its revenue. But it’s still operating at a sizable loss and needs support from Alphabet if the plan is to eventually perfect the relevant technologies.

ZF is a massive company, and while you might know it best for building transmissions, the corporation houses several businesses. ZF Lifetec, a part of the company responsible for passive safety products, has developed a steering wheel airbag system that accommodates display screens, which may become more of a thing as autonomous vehicles start hitting the streets.

No matter what you think of them, autonomous vehicles will bring a range of opportunities for drivers and public infrastructure. That said, one of the most critical aspects of AVs becoming a part of everyday life is public trust, and the major players in today’s AV development race have struggled to earn and keep people’s confidence. Last year, GM’s Cruise operations shut down after high-profile accidents raised serious questions, and now, it’s Waymo’s turn under the microscope.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into the Amazon-owned Zoox after two of its robotaxis were involved in crashes. The vehicles in question were effectively faulted with brake checking motorcycles. The autonomous cabs reportedly stopped abruptly and were rear-ended by the bikes.

We've talked about autonomous cars on the podcast twice in recent weeks.

It's podcast time again. This week, we talk with Alex Roy, principal at Johnson and Roy Advisors, a company that provides strategy for companies in the AI, robotics, and transportation space, about why autonomous cars aren't so scary.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced it has updated its vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention test to account for higher speeds. Originally, the group was only running tests for things like automatic emergency braking below 25 mph. Now, it’s targeting higher speeds and obstacles of varying sizes. But the results aren’t any better. Out of the 10 small crossovers tested, only a single model garnered a good rating.