BCIs may one day mesh with AVs—when the tech and the public are both ready: Mercedes recently showed off an autonomous concept car whose operator uses a BCI helmet to set destinations and control in-car features with their mind.
Toyota EV battery spending will help it catch up to competitors, but resource scarcity could be a long-term challenge: The world’s second-largest carmaker said it will spend $13.5B over the next decade in EV battery production and research.
They’re pitched as a means to combat climate change, but autonomous EV robotaxis may increase emissions if used for single rides. AV robotaxi makers will need to design shareable vehicles to keep their promise of lowering emissions.
The company is ditching its lidar business to focus on bringing its AVs to market before the clock runs out. AV timelines are notoriously fickle, but we expect adoption to accelerate in the next two years.
The smartphone giant acquired AV startup Deepmotion for $77.4 million. Xiaomi could use its consumer electronic experience to create compelling entertainment-focused vehicles, but it will have to overcome manufacturing challenges and potential regulatory scrutiny.
The $1.8 billion recall exposes the perils EV makers face in relying on third-party battery suppliers.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to the computer vision-only approach to AVS despite calls by regulators and advocates questioning the company’s safety. Regulators may ultimately seek to limit the way Tesla tests Autopilot on public roads, which pump the brakes on new updates.
If the FTC decides to investigate Tesla’s Autopilot capabilities (as it’s being urged to),it could have far-reaching categorization effects for the AV industry, which for years has over-promised and under-delivered.