“We are thrilled to partner with Hyundai as we further our mission to be the world’s most trusted driver,” said Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO, Waymo. “Hyundai’s focus on sustainability and strong electric vehicle roadmap makes them a great partner for us as we bring our fully autonomous service to more riders in more places.”

Catch our chat on Waymo picking Hyundai for its new robotaxi fleet!

Hyundai says Waymo’s IONIQ 5, its “sixth-generation fully autonomous technology,” will be manufactured in the US, a major selling point amid the ongoing geopolitical turmoil between the US and China. The Biden administration is preparing new rules that would ban Chinese automotive components. As a result, the IONIQ 5 being manufactured within the US is a solid reason for Waymo to select it.

“We recently announced the launch of Hyundai Motor Company’s autonomous vehicle foundry business to provide global autonomous driving companies with vehicles capable of implementing SAE Level 4 or higher autonomous driving technology,” said Chang Song, President and Head of Hyundai Motor Group’s Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) Division. “There is no better partner for our first agreement in this initiative than industry-leader Waymo.”

Hyundai says it will deliver a modified version of the IONIQ 5, one that is specifically designed for autonomous modifications.

“Hyundai and Waymo share a vision to improve the safety, efficiency and convenience of how people move,” said José Muñoz, president and global COO of Hyundai Motor Company, and president and CEO of Hyundai Motor North America. “Waymo’s transformational technology is improving road safety where they operate, and the IONIQ 5 is the ideal vehicle to scale this further. The team at our new manufacturing facility is ready to allocate a significant number of vehicles for the Waymo One fleet as it continues to expand. Importantly, this is the first step in the partnership between the two companies and we are actively exploring additional opportunities for collaboration.”

The latest recall relates to the rearview camera, with some users reporting delays of up to 8 seconds before an image appears. Federal regulations in the US mandate that rearview cameras display an image in 2 seconds or less.

Catch our chat on Tesla’s digital ‘recall’ for the Cybertruck!

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posted the notice on its website.

A delayed rearview image reduces the driver’s view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2024 Cybertruck vehicles. The rearview camera image may be delayed after shifting into reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, “Rear Visibility.”

Tesla released an over-the-air (OTA) software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 25, 2024. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s number for this recall is SB-24-00-016.

Cybertruck owners should apply the update as soon as they are notified of it to avoid any safety issues.

One vehicle regulation that needs to change is, a software update is not a recall. @Reuters knows that, but they also know their readers are stupid, so they can continue to tell lies with their Tesla headlines. Actually, their last paragraph usually does mention a software… pic.twitter.com/koFXmfuKD8

— Maye Musk (@mayemusk) October 3, 2024

California pulled Cruise’s license to test its autonomous robotaxis in October 2023 after one ran over a pedestrian that had been hit by another hit-and-run driver. Although not causing the initial incident, the robotaxi failed to avoid the struck pedestrian.

Listen to our conversation on Cruise robotaxis return to the Bay area. Good news for Cruise!

“Based upon the performance of the vehicles, the department determines the manufacturer’s vehicles are not safe for the public’s operation,” the California DMV said in a statement at the time, citing “an unreasonable risk to public safety.”

Following significant changes at Cruise, including a nationwide pause on testing, a change of CEO, layoffs, and technical changes, the company has once again received the green light to test its vehicles in Sunnyvale and Mountain View.

The company posted the news on X.

The announcement follows similar news of the company resuming tests in Dallas in early June.

A Historical Pattern of Ambitious Plans Falling Short

“We’ve seen a pattern where companies initially set ambitious goals but then shift to partnering with each other when those goals fall short,” said Larry Goldberg, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Sapiens Decision. His observation reflects a broader trend within the auto industry, where bold proclamations of market leadership often give way to pragmatic partnerships. For instance, GM’s recent exploration of a global partnership with Hyundai highlights how even the most established automakers are looking to collaborate in areas like EV development and supply chain management.

In many ways, this move reflects the struggles of legacy automakers, particularly in Europe, where one-third of major car plants are running at half capacity or less. As Goldberg notes, “It’s really just a matter of time before these automakers won’t have any choice but to turn to Tesla.”

This has been the story of many companies in the EV race. Automakers such as Volkswagen, GM, and Ford initially set ambitious goals to lead the electric vehicle market, but as those ambitions encountered financial and technological barriers, the need to rely on external partners became more apparent. As Goldberg bluntly put it, “It’s time for these legacy companies to bite their lip and partner with the tech and global leader, Tesla.”

Tesla’s Role in Charging Infrastructure: A Harbinger of Bigger Deals

Tesla has already made waves by opening its Supercharger network to other automakers, a development that many see as the first step toward broader collaboration. Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) is quickly becoming the industry standard, with companies like Hyundai integrating Tesla’s technology directly into their vehicles.

“Hyundai is going NACS native,” explained Goldberg, “they’re putting Tesla’s port in their cars so they can use any Tesla charger without adapters.” This shift is a recognition of Tesla’s dominance in the charging infrastructure space, and the ease of integrating Tesla’s technology has automakers reconsidering their stance on autonomy partnerships.

As Goldberg pointed out, “Integrating the NACS into the car is an engineering task, but it is not anything heroic.” This suggests that while automakers might hesitate to adopt Tesla’s full autonomy suite, they are willing to begin with more straightforward integrations, like charging infrastructure. However, the bigger technological leap—autonomous driving—may be inevitable.

Struggling Automakers and Financial Pressures

Financial distress is another critical factor driving the need for partnerships. Automakers across Europe and North America are facing declining sales and production challenges. Volkswagen, for example, has been forced to cut workers and is considering shutting down two plants in Germany. Meanwhile, Volvo recently announced that it won’t be able to go fully electric by 2030, opting instead for a mix of hybrids and a smaller number of EVs. As Goldberg put it, “This is not serious business. This is trouble. Very serious trouble.”

GM’s situation is similarly precarious. Once boasting about a $2 billion dividend from its China operations, the company has now lost over half a billion dollars in the Chinese market. Goldberg didn’t mince words when describing the situation: “GM is not a serious company. They’ve been putting up announcement after announcement. Mary Barra [CEO of GM] has been at so many signing ceremonies, it’s laughable. GM will have to partner with Tesla at some point.”

This urgency is underscored by recent reports from Bloomberg showing that a third of Europe’s car plants are operating at less than 50% capacity, a situation that is likely financially unsustainable. As more automakers face these dire financial straits, the option to partner with Tesla becomes not just attractive but necessary.

The Hybrid Strategy: Fool’s Gold or Temporary Lifeline?

Another intriguing development is the renewed focus on hybrid vehicles, particularly in Europe and China. Hybrids, which combine internal combustion engines with electric drivetrains, have grown faster than fully electric vehicles globally. Yet Goldberg was adamant that this strategy is a dead end: “Hybrids are Fool’s Gold,” he declared. “The more brands glom onto this hybrid stuff, the worse they’re going to lose.”

Even BYD, the Chinese EV leader, has seen its hybrid sales grow faster than its EV sales. But Goldberg views this trend as a temporary distraction: “It’s going to take some time for this to play out, but hybrids are not the future.” As Tesla continues to lower the costs of its electric vehicles, legacy automakers relying on hybrids may find themselves even further behind.

Tesla’s Technological Leadership and OEM Tiering: The Future of Partnership

Tesla’s technological leadership goes far beyond charging infrastructure. The company has made significant strides in electric drivetrains, battery technology, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). Automakers who choose to partner with Tesla stand to benefit from these advancements, but such partnerships would involve deeper integration than traditional supplier relationships.

Goldberg described Tesla as what he calls a “tier 0.5 supplier,” meaning Tesla isn’t just providing parts but is actively involved in designing and engineering subsystems for its partners. This level of collaboration is unprecedented in the auto industry. “Tesla will come in and partner with an OEM to provide not only the design but support in incorporating that design into their vehicles,” Goldberg explained. This is a step beyond traditional tier 1 suppliers, who typically manufacture and assemble major components but don’t collaborate as deeply on the engineering side.

The Inevitable Shift: When Will Automakers Partner with Tesla for Autonomy?

The big question remains: when will automakers partner with Tesla for autonomy? According to Goldberg, it’s not a matter of if, but when. “At some point, some of the OEMs will have to partner with Tesla,” he said. The financial pressures and technological challenges are simply too great for many automakers to overcome alone. Goldberg believes that within the next two years, Tesla’s manufacturing costs will fall below that of internal combustion and hybrid vehicles, making Tesla’s technology even more attractive.

“Sometime in the next two years, Tesla’s manufacturing costs will fall below that of the ICE and hybrid vehicles. When that happens, the earthquake we’re seeing now will become a full-blown tectonic shift.”

As Tesla continues to pull ahead in the race for electric and autonomous vehicles, the rest of the auto industry may have no choice but to follow. For many legacy automakers, partnering with Tesla could be the only way to survive in a full self-driving world.

According to Futurism, citing a Business Insider, Tesla employees in the Autopilot division were uncomfortable with some of the direction they were given.

“There were some times we were told to ignore ‘No Turn on Red’ or ‘No U-Turn’ signs,” an employee said, on condition of anonymity to protect their job. “Those were the [kinds] of things that made me and my coworkers uncomfortable.”

“The general response was along the lines of ‘Mind your business and your pay grade,'” the employee added.

While the desire to make Autopilot drive more naturally may be an admirable goal, one of the promises of autonomous driving is improved safety over human drivers. Unfortunately, if true, directing employees to train Autopilot to ignore basic traffic laws is not a sustainable path toward safe autonomous driving.

Volkswagen is the world’s largest automaker, but the company is warning that economic factors and increased competition from Asian competitors have impacted its financial performance. A company spokesperson broke the news, via The New York Times, saying nothing was off the table.

“In the current situation, even plant closures at vehicle production and component sites can no longer be ruled out without swift countermeasures,” the company said. “The situation is extremely tense and cannot be resolved through simple cost-cutting measures.”

Volkswagen and the unions representing its workforce arrived at a deal designed to save the company $11 bilion by 2026. The Times reports the company is warning that those measures fall short of what is needed to turn things around.

The company also made clear that much of the issues it is facing revolve around the overall competitiveness of the European auto market, as well as Germany itself falling behind in manufacturing.

“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Oliver Blume, chief executive of Volkswagen, said in a statement. “Germany in particular as a manufacturing location is falling further behind in terms of competitiveness. In this environment, we as a company must now act decisively.”

Needless to say, the statements from Volkswagen’s executives are not sitting well with the unions.

“We will fiercely defend ourselves against this,” Daniela Cavallo, a prominent union leader, said in a statement. “There will be no plant closures with us.”

One thing is clear: Volkswagen has a tough road ahead of it.

“The company — and the VW brand — are in a very dangerous situation,” said Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, director of the Center for Automotive Research.

Whole Mars Catalog, a prominent Tesla enthusiast and advocate, recently tweeted, “Most of my FSD 12.5 drives are practically perfect now. No notes. Self-driving at scale is here.” This sentiment reflects the broader community’s growing confidence in Tesla’s ability to deliver on its self-driving promises. The FSD 12.5 update is particularly noteworthy because it is optimized for Hardware 3 vehicles, which were previously considered less capable than their Hardware 4 counterparts. The ability to deliver a near-perfect self-driving experience on older hardware is a testament to Tesla’s software prowess.

Overcoming Hardware Limitations

One of the most impressive aspects of FSD 12.5 is its ability to function efficiently on Tesla’s Hardware 3 platform. When Tesla first introduced Hardware 4, there were concerns that older vehicles might be left behind or would require significant compromises in functionality. However, the 12.5 update appears to have alleviated many of these concerns.

As one Tesla owner described, “The update feels like a complete overhaul. Even though they had to shrink down and optimize the build for Hardware 3, the driving experience has improved dramatically. It’s smooth, confident, and, most importantly, reliable.” This improvement is not just about making the software run on less powerful hardware; it’s about ensuring that the experience remains seamless and consistent, which is crucial for public trust and eventual adoption.

Most of my FSD 12.5 drives are practically perfect now. No notes. Self-driving at scale is here.

— Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) August 24, 2024

Tesla’s approach to optimizing FSD 12.5 for Hardware 3 involved sophisticated software engineering, where the team had to balance performance with the hardware’s limitations. According to an internal Tesla engineer, “We knew that making FSD work flawlessly on Hardware 3 was a massive challenge, but our goal has always been to support as many vehicles as possible. The key was in optimizing the neural networks and ensuring that every bit of compute power was used efficiently.”

Real-World Performance: A Leap Forward

The real-world performance of FSD 12.5 has been a critical point of discussion among Tesla users and industry experts. Early tests and reviews suggest that the update has significantly reduced instances of hesitation, improved decision-making, and enhanced the overall smoothness of the driving experience.

One Tesla owner who tested the new version on their usual driving route noted, “The car handled everything almost perfectly—unprotected left turns, merging onto highways, and navigating tight urban streets. It’s clear that Tesla has made substantial improvements in how the system processes real-world data.” This level of performance is particularly crucial as Tesla moves towards deploying its Robotaxi fleet, which will rely heavily on consistent, reliable autonomous driving.

However, some users have pointed out areas that still require refinement. For instance, the system’s response to yellow lights and its handling of tight turns have been noted as areas where improvements could still be made. A Tesla enthusiast who frequently tests new FSD versions mentioned, “While the drive was smooth overall, there were moments where the car’s decision-making felt a bit off, especially in complex urban environments. But these are minor issues that will likely be ironed out in future updates.”

The Path to Scale

The successful deployment of FSD 12.5 on Hardware 3 vehicles is a significant step towards Tesla’s broader goal of scaling self-driving technology. Elon Musk has often emphasized that achieving full autonomy is not just about perfecting the technology but also about deploying it at scale. The fact that FSD 12.5 can deliver a near-perfect driving experience on a wide range of vehicles is crucial to this vision.

Gene Munster, managing partner at Loup Ventures, commented on the significance of this update: “Tesla’s ability to roll out FSD 12.5 to its existing fleet without requiring major hardware upgrades is a game-changer. It means that Tesla can potentially scale its self-driving technology much faster than its competitors, who might be waiting for the perfect hardware solution.”

The potential for scaling FSD across Tesla’s vast fleet of vehicles is immense. With millions of Teslas on the road, each update brings the company closer to deploying a fully autonomous Robotaxi network, which could revolutionize urban mobility. “Tesla’s approach to software-first autonomy is proving to be the right strategy,” said Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities. “By continuously improving their software, Tesla is not just keeping pace with competitors but is actually setting the standard for the industry.”

Looking Ahead

As Tesla continues to refine its FSD technology, the next steps will likely involve further improvements to edge cases—those rare and complex scenarios that can challenge even the most advanced autonomous systems. Additionally, Tesla’s focus will be on unifying its tech stack to provide a consistent experience from city streets to highways, a move that will further enhance the system’s reliability and user confidence.

Elon Musk has hinted at what the future holds for FSD, stating, “The ultimate goal is to make the car fully autonomous and safe in all conditions. We’re not there yet, but with each update, we’re getting closer. FSD 12.5 is a major milestone, but it’s just the beginning of what’s possible.”

As Tesla moves forward, the company will also need to navigate the regulatory landscape, which remains a significant hurdle for widespread adoption of autonomous driving technology. However, with the impressive performance of FSD 12.5, Tesla is well-positioned to lead the charge in bringing self-driving cars to the masses.

Tesla’s FSD 12.5 represents a significant leap towards the realization of self-driving cars at scale. While there are still challenges to overcome, the progress made with this update is undeniable. As Tesla continues to refine its technology, the day when fully autonomous vehicles become a common sight on our roads seems closer than ever.

According to NBC Bay Area, Waymo cars occupy a parking lot near Harrison Street in between rides. The vehicles apparently engage in the most intense honking around 4:00 AM.

“We started out with a couple of honks here and there, and then as more and more cars started to arrive, the situation got worse,” Christopher Cherry, a resident of a nearby high-rise, told the outlet.

“It’s very distracting during the work day, but most importantly it wakes you up at four in the morning,” added Cherry.

NBC Bay Area says video shows the vehicles pulling into the lot and attempting to back into parking spaces, an action which trigger adjacent cars to honk their horn as a warning to drivers. Of course, the irony is that there are no drivers in the cars backing up.

“The cars are robotic and they’re honking at each other and there’s no one in the cars when it’s happening, and that’s absurd,” Cherry said.

Affected individuals have had trouble getting any kind of resolution. Obviously, there’s no driver to talk to, but individuals are also struggling to get in touch with the right person within the company.

“I think the most frustrating thing about this is that there is just nobody to talk to, and even at the corporate level, I am finding it difficult, not impossible,” Randol White told the outlet.

Waymo told NBC Bay Area that it is aware of the problem and is working on a fix.

“We are aware that in some scenarios our vehicles may briefly honk while navigating our parking lots,” a spokesperson told the outlet.

“We have identified the cause and are in the process of implementing a fix,” the spokesperson continued.

Several automakers—specifically General Motors, Honda, and Hyundai—have been under scrutiny for collecting and selling customer driving data to outside companies, including insurance companies. The automakers are accused of sharing customer data without first obtaining informed consent.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking aim at General Motors, saying the company uses “false, deceptive, and misleading business practices.”

General Motors used technology installed in most 2015 model year or newer GM vehicles to collect, record, analyze, and transmit highly detailed driving data about each time a driver used their vehicle. General Motors sold this information to several other companies, including to at least two companies for the purpose of generating “Driving Scores” about GM’s customers and selling these scores to insurance companies. General Motors deceived many of its customers when it compelled them to enroll in its products, including OnStar Smart Driver, as part of its vehicle “onboarding” process and told them that failing to enroll would result in the deactivation of their vehicle’s safety features. Unbeknownst to customers, however, by enrolling in GM’s products, they were “agreeing” to General Motors’ collection and sale of their data. Despite lengthy and convoluted disclosures, General Motors never informed its customers of its actual conduct—the systematic collection and sale of their highly detailed driving data.

“Our investigation revealed that General Motors has engaged in egregious business practices that violated Texans’ privacy and broke the law. We will hold them accountable,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Companies are using invasive technology to violate the rights of our citizens in unthinkable ways. Millions of American drivers wanted to buy a car, not a comprehensive surveillance system that unlawfully records information about every drive they take and sells their data to any company willing to pay for it.”

AG Paxton opened an investigation into several automakers accused of selling customer data. While the initial press regarding the investigation didn’t name which companies were being targeted, it’s a safe bet Hyundai and Honda are two of the others.

AG Paxton is coming off of a major win against Meta, in which the social media giant settled for $1.4 billion over unauthorized biometric data collection. The settlement is “largest settlement ever obtained from an action brought by a single state.”

With the Meta win under Paxton’s belt, General Motors may face an uphill battle.

According to Reuters, Landon Embry was killed in an accident in 2022 when a Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot struck his motorcycle from behind at 75-80 mph. The lawsuit says the Tesla driver was “tired” and “not in a condition to drive as an ordinarily prudent driver.”

“A reasonably prudent driver, or adequate auto braking system, would have, and could have slowed or stopped without colliding with the motorcycle,” reads the complaint.

The plaintiffs allege that Tesla’s sensors and cameras “should have identified the hazard posed by Decedent’s motorcycle in its presence.”

The lawsuit is the latest issue facing Tesla over its self-driving technology. The company has struggled to deliver on CEO Elon Musk’s promises of true self-driving technology, with California even ruling the company cannot use “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) in its marketing, since the technology does not live up to the name.

Below is an excerpt from the legislation banning Tesla’s use of the “Full Self-Driving” term:

A manufacturer or dealer shall not name any partial driving automation feature, or describe any partial driving automation feature in marketing materials, using language that implies or would otherwise lead a reasonable person to believe, that the feature allows the vehicle to function as an autonomous vehicle, as defined in Section 38750, or otherwise has functionality not actually included in the feature. A violation of this subdivision shall be considered a misleading advertisement for the purposes of Section 11713.

Tesla’s issues also demonstrate the larger issue manufacturers are facing in the push for autonomous vehicles. GM’s Cruise division recently announced it would discontinue use of its Origin vehicle—a true driverless vehicle lacking any traditional controls—in favor of the Chevy Bolt. The announcement came after an incident in which a Cruise taxi ran over and drug a pedestrian that had already been hit by another driver.

While auto manufacturers continually point to driverless technology as the future—one that promises to be safer than human drivers—the reality continues to be plagued by tragedies like the one that befell Landon Embry.

According to Reuters, the Commerce Department is planning to unveil new rules in August. The rules will cover critical components and software from China, as well as other countries that are deemed adversaries.

“We’re looking at a few components and some software – not the whole car – but it would be some of the key driver components of the vehicle that manage the software and manage the data around that car that would have to be made in an allied country,” Alan Estevez, export controls chief, said in mid-July at a Colorado forum.

Estevez went on to describe the threat malicious vehicle software could pose.

“A car is a very scary thing. Your car knows a lot about you. Your car probably gets a software update, whether it’s an electric vehicle or an autonomous combustion engine vehicle,” he added.

“A modern car has a lot of software in it. It’s taking lots of pictures. It has a drive system. It’s connected to your phone. It knows who you call. It knows where you go. It knows a lot about you.”

There has been growing concern about China’s access to vehicle data that Beijing could use for espionage. For example, the House recently passed a bill that would ban the sale of drones from Chinese company DJI. Lawmakers voiced concern that drones flying in US airspace could be used to gather sensitive information about critical infrastructure.

As Estevez pointed out, vehicle software poses an even greater threat because of the access it has to the occupants’ personal data. Phone calls, text messages, driving destinations, and much more could potentially be collected and used.

If the US does move forward with a ban on Chinese automotive software, it’s a safe bet such a move will escalate the ongoing tension between the two countries.

Cruise has had a difficult year, suspending operations following a high-profile incident in which one of its taxis ran over a pedestrian that had already been hit by another driver. The company has experienced layoffs, executive turnover, and temporarily paused operations to address its issues.

In GM’s latest quarterly earnings, CEO Mary Barra revealed that Cruise plans to simplify its operations by moving forward with the Chevy Bolt.

As you know, Cruise has returned to the road in Houston, Phoenix and Dallas and we recently made several significant leadership appointments, including hiring Marc Whitten as CEO. Marc has decades of experience on the frontlines of technology transformations.

The Cruise team will also simplify their path to scale by focusing their next autonomous vehicle on the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt, instead of the Origin. This addresses the regulatory uncertainty we faced with the Origin because of its unique design. In addition, per-unit costs will be much lower, which will help Cruise optimize its resources.

As I hope you can see from our results, our new products, the progress at Cruise and our higher guidance, we are making the most of every opportunity.

Interestingly, while the Origin was designed as a true driverless vehicle—with no traditional driver controls—the Bolt is a more traditional vehicle. Unless GM and Cruise intend to heavily modify the next-gen Bolt, this would seem to indicate that Cruise is abandoning its plans to focus on autonomous vehicles that lack steering wheels, pedals, and other traditional controls.

Waymo is one of a number of companies pushing autonomous driving tech forward, testing and deploying its taxis in a number of US cities. According to co-CEO Tekedra N Mawakana, Alphabet is continuing its investment in the company.

Alphabet has committed up to $5B to @Waymo. We are grateful for their immense vote of confidence in our team and recognizing the amazing progress we’ve made with our technology, product, and commercialization efforts.

Tekedra N Mawakana (@TechTekedra) | July 23, 2024

Waymo has so far been able to avoid some of its competitors’ embarrassing incidents. With Alphabet’s ongoing support, the company could cement its position as an autonomous driving leader.

According to the German automaker, ChatGPT is available in all new vehicles in the electric ID line, as well as the Golf, Passat, and Tiguan. The integration gives customers the ability to interact with their vehicle using natural language expressions, as well as have search results read aloud.

The new abilities build on what was already possible, such as controlling climate control, infotainment, and navigation systems using voice commands, as well as get info on various optics. ChatGPT adds such things as getting the results of recent sporting events, providing information on tourist attractions, and more.

“Volkswagen has a long tradition of democratising technologies,” said Kai Grünitz, Member of the Brand Board of Management responsible for Development. “As a volume manufacturer, we make these technologies accessible to large numbers of people. By seamlessly integrating ChatGPT into the backend of our voice assistant, we are now offering drivers the opportunity to use this artificial intelligence on a daily basis, thus underlining how innovative our products are.”

The company says users can take advantage of ChatGPT without the need to sign up for a new account. As long as they have an existing VW Connect/VW Connect Plus account, they can simply tap into the new abilities by saying “Hello IDA” or using the dedicated button on the steering wheel. Whenever a question is outside IDA’s ability to answer, it will be anonymously sent to ChatGPT, with the answer returned via IDA.

Volkswagen emphasizes that “st no point does ChatGPT gain access to vehicle data. Questions and answers are deleted immediately in order to ensure optimal data protection.”

A Cruise robotaxi was involved in a high-profile incident in which it hit and drug a pedestrian that had already been struck by a hit-and-run driver. In the wake of the incident, California suspended the company’s license to continue testing, before GM suspended driverless testing nationwide.

In a post on X, Cruise says it is now resuming testing in Dallas, Texas:

True driverless technology has proven to be an elusive goal, with nearly all manufacturers experiencing issues and setbacks. The NHTSA recently opened an investigation into Ford’s BlueCruise system after two reported fatalities.

Even Tesla appears to be rethinking its approach to driverless technology, with the firm recently purchasing $2 million in LiDAR sensors, a technology CEO Elon Musk has famously called “a fool’s errand.” The about-face would seem to indicate that Tesla is not happy with the progress it has been making using its own tech, and is incorporating LiDAR to speed up progress.

The DOJ first opened an investigation into Tesla in October 2022, but it was unclear what the agency was investigating. According to Reuters, the first reports have surfaced, indicating the DOJ is looking primarily at whether the company deceived investors and customers regarding FSD’s abilities.

Wire fraud comes into play if a company deceives customers across state lines, while securities fraud involves deceiving investors.

The DOJ is evidently reviewing data involving Tesla crashes when using FSD, as well as how the company marketed the technology. Tesla officials, especially CEO Elon Musk, have a history of making grandiose claims about FSD.

As Reuters points out, Musk told reports as early as 2016 that Autopilot was “probably better” than a human driver, and said in October 2022 that an upcoming FSD upgrade would let individuals travel “to your work, your friend’s house, to the grocery store without you touching the wheel.”

Tesla has already run into legal issues with its claims, with California ruling the company cannot use the Full Self-Driving name within the state, after deeming the use of the term false advertising.

The legislation specifically prohibited using terminology to imply fully autonomous capabilities when the technology only provides partial automation.

A manufacturer or dealer shall not name any partial driving automation feature, or describe any partial driving automation feature in marketing materials, using language that implies or would otherwise lead a reasonable person to believe, that the feature allows the vehicle to function as an autonomous vehicle, as defined in Section 38750, or otherwise has functionality not actually included in the feature.

As Reuters highlights, it’s too early in the investigation to have any idea what the outcome will be. It could be anything from criminal charges, to civil action, to nothing at all.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been famously opposed to the use of LiDAR, saying that “LiDAR is a fool’s errand,” and “anyone relying on LiDAR is doomed.” Despite Musk’s stated view on the tech, it appears Tesla may be changing its stance.

According to Luminar’s quarterly earnings report, Tesla was the company’s biggest LiDAR customer for the quarter.

Q1 Revenue of $21.0M increased 45% YoY, but fell 5% QoQ. This was consistent with our guidance for Q1’24 revenue to be in line to slightly lower than Q4’23 ($22.1M). The lower QoQ revenue was mainly driven by lower sensor sales to non-automotive customers. This was offset by sensor sales to Tesla, which was our largest LiDAR customer in Q1 and comprised more than 10% of our revenue in the quarter.

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Tesla has tested out LiDAR. In May 2021, Teslas were spotted with LiDAR sensors and it was discovered that Tesla had purchased those sensors from Luminar. At the time, experts chalked it up to Tesla likely doing comparisons with its own camera-based tech.

“The more likely scenario is they are using the Luminar lidars to validate their camera-based FSD system,” Guidehouse analyst Sam Abuelsamid told Bloomberg at the time. “If they made that change, it would effectively deprecate their entire fleet of vehicles. They are not going to retrofit one million vehicles.”

While that take may have been accurate in 2021, the sheer size of Tesla’s recent order with Luminar is large enough that it would seem to indicate far bigger plans that merely comparing LiDAR to Tesla’s in-house camera-based FSD.

If Tesla is truly adding LiDAR to its FSD, it could help the company make a major leap forward in its self-driving tech, especially given how impressive FSD has been without LiDAR. Combining the two tech paths could help Tesla take a significant lead over its rivals on the road toward autonomous vehicles.

According to a report by DigiTimes, via AppleInsider, Apple may be looking to partner with a leading EV company, with Rivian tapped as the leading candidate.

Unfortunately, there is little evidence to back up the claims, with DigiTimes admitting that the Rivian speculation is just that—speculation.

Despite the speculative nature of the report, it is certainly within the realm of possibility. Early on in Apple’s efforts with Project Titan, there was discussion within the company about how far to take its autonomous efforts. It’s entirely possible that Apple take the researched and development it has already done, and create a system that can be plugged into partner vehicles.

The Apple AI Element

There’s much in the recent news about Apple that lends weight to the possibility of it working with a partner to develop an autonomous system.

Apple has been investing heavily in AI, buying up startups specializing in on-device AI processing, as well as rumors that it is developing its own line of AI server chips. What’s more, when Project Titan was abandoned, the majority of the personnel working on the project were transitioned to the company’s AI teams.

It’s believed that Apple could be on the verge of leapfrogging its AI rivals, which could make its tech—especially with an on-device processing focus—a hot commodity in exactly the field that Apple seemingly abandoned.

The NHTSA says the rule applies to all passenger cars, as well as light-duty trucks, and will go into effect by September 2029. The agency believes the new rule “will save at least 360 lives a year and prevent at least 24,000 injuries annually,” and significantly reduce collisions.

“The new vehicle safety standards we finalized today will save hundreds of lives and prevent tens of thousands of injuries every year,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is not only making historic investments in transportation, it’s also ushering in a new era of safer travel by ensuring new cars and light trucks are equipped with automatic emergency braking, making our roads safer for drivers and pedestrians alike.”

“Automatic emergency braking is proven to save lives and reduce serious injuries from frontal crashes, and this technology is now mature enough to require it in all new cars and light trucks. In fact, this technology is now so advanced that we’re requiring these systems to be even more effective at higher speeds and to detect pedestrians,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman. “Most new vehicles already come with AEB, and we expect that many cars and light trucks will be able to meet this standard ahead of the deadline, meaning even more lives will be saved thanks to this technology.”

The NHTSA says new vehicles will be required to completely stop to avoid an accident up to 62 mph, as well as detect pedestrians in light and dark conditions. The standard also requires that vehicles be able to brake up to 90 mph when a vehicle collision is imminent, and up to 45 mph when a pedestrian collision is imminent.

This blog post will provide the necessary information, as well as tips and tricks that you require to make wise decisions and guarantee a worry-free car rental journey during your next business trip.

Planning for Success: Pre-Trip Considerations

Assess Your Needs: The first step is to figure out what you need to rent. How many passengers you are traveling with? The luggage related to transportation is also a key consideration in long-distance travels, right? While you may be driving in cities, it is not to be forgotten that you will likely be confronted with other offroad conditions. Concentrate on those parameters while preferring the size and type of car (sedan, SUV, and so on.) For instant, if you are for a business meeting in Dubai, you might be interested to rent Rolls Royce Dubai for making a great professional impact.

Research Your Destination: When vacationing in Dubai, for example, familiarize yourself with the traffic flow, available parking spaces, and unwanted road closures where you’re going. Knowing the public transportation system can help you decide whether or not to take a car for the entire trip. You should also pay attention to the specifics of traffic rules, which may differ from the country of residence.

Compare Rental Companies: Surfing the net or speaking to friends and family about their experiences may be worthwhile. Nevertheless, don’t limit yourself to the first and only opportunity may be presentable. Compare whether you will save money, have plenty of cars available to choose from and find out how the rental policies do differ across these companies.

Book in Advance: Booking your car for rent in advance becomes even more important during high travel seasons or targeting certain vehicle models. Besides, in that way you can make sure that you will definitely find your desired car and have a chance of getting lower prices.

Understanding Rental Costs and Fees

The base rental price you see advertised is just the tip of the iceberg. Here’s a breakdown of some additional costs to factor in:

Taxes and Fees: Keep in mind that the airport concession fees, local taxes, and any one-time charges that may come with the car rental need to be included as well.

Insurance: Car rental companies in Dubai provide their renters an array of insurance options to choose from. By the same token, check out your current insurance for your vehicle or your credit card provider if they put forward rental car insurance.

Fuel Costs: Most car rentals already provide for pre-paid fuel options, but information usually comes at a higher cost than stops made yourself. Take the mileage factor into consideration and get to know what package will offer you value for money.

One-Way Rentals: If your rental necessitates dropping this car in yet another district from the pickup point, you may be charged massively for the one-way rental fees.

Understanding Rental Policies: The Fine Print Matters

Rental agreements are packed with legalese, but familiarizing yourself with key policies can save you from unexpected charges and hassles:

Mileage Limits: Sometimes you can get the car rental with a daily or weekly mileage limit already included. Overtaking these boundary values can bring about additional surcharges.

Driver Age Restrictions: A majority of them have been setting the minimum driving age and could impose the extra charges for younger drivers (e.g. 25 yrs).

Fuel Policy: Rental companies therefore give different fuels choice as pre-paid, full-to-full etc. Make sure you read the policy and deliver the car with the agreed fuel condition, no more no less, so that you won’t incur extra refuel charge at the end.

Payment Methods: Keep in mind the fact they might have some credit card acceptance policies or any debit card restrictions. Others may demand a credit card that will be suspended to guarantee their security deposit.

Tips for a Smooth Rental Experience

Inspect the Vehicle Thoroughly: Before leaving, pay close regards to the vehicle. Look at it carefully for any pre-existing dents, scratches, or mechanical issues. When taking photos with before and after damage, make them observable on the agreement to clarify that you’re not responsible for what was present when the rental was handed to you.

Familiarize Yourself with the Car: Allow a few minutes to learn the car’s operation system, especially if you are not of the model you’re using before. Start identifying the main elements starting with indicators of turn, headlamps and windshield wipers.

Download Offline Maps: When in the press of a rental car, you should not be one person who merely relies on GPS navigations, especially in regions where the network connection is not good. Download offline maps on your phone as a backup option but be careful that there may be changes on particular streets.

Be Mindful of Parking Regulations: Settings of parking rules may be totally different depending on which city you live in. Conduct a research about the availability and affordability of parking spaces nearby you destination and include it in your trip budget.

Return the Car on Time: This makes a return of the car late, an overcharge of exorbitant fees. Make sure you strictly adhere to the scheduled time to enable you to be on time in case you have a flight to catch afterwards.

Exploring Eco-Friendly Options

If the ecologically minded business owners travels by car in Dubai, several companies settle this kind of issue by offering electric or hybrid vehicle options. Although such accommodations are a bit overpriced, they will come in handy as houses that reduce the carbon footprint and are part of the sustainable travel experience.

Ending Note

Through your careful bearing in the case of renting a car, you could sail through your business trip without difficulty taking advantage of your precious time. You will be ready for this trip due to the little preparation and the proper equipment. Do not let the road carve during your observations, rather enjoy the journey by being successful in your business challenge. Likewise, put on the seatbelt, take this far, and drive past the next business challenge.