Waymo approved to start autonomous vehicle testing in New York City
It’s the first permit of its kind, and a crucial step along the path toward launching a true robotaxi service in the Big Apple.
It’s the first permit of its kind, and a crucial step along the path toward launching a true robotaxi service in the Big Apple.
It’s the latest in a series of deals that have seen robotaxi companies look outward for help in scaling their fledgling networks.
Self-driving truck maker Waabi has hired autonomous vehicle industry veteran and Uber Freight CEO Lior Ron to step in as chief operating officer, as the startup looks to scale its commercial operations ahead of its planned launch of driverless trucks on public highways later this year.
The disbanding of Tesla’s Dojo efforts follows the departure of around 20 workers, who left the automaker to start their own AI company dubbed DensityAI focused on data center services for industries.
NHTSA is also closing an investigation into the Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company.
The companies want to launch the robotaxi services in Germany and the U.K. first, pending regulatory approval.
Avis will handle general depot operations, including charging and maintaining the vehicles. Users will be able to hail a robotaxi through the Waymo app.
It’s one of just a few similar partnerships Lyft has struck, while rival Uber has an increasingly long list of robotaxi deals.
Baidu is the latest addition to Uber’s growing list of autonomous vehicle partners, which includes Waymo, Volkswagen, May Mobility, and Pony AI.
Tesla has applied for a permit to test and deploy autonomous vehicles in Arizona. It’s also eyeing expansion in Austin, Texas and California.