Latest news with #AVs
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Business Insider
Tesla updates Robotaxi app users about California launch
Tesla sent Robotaxi users a new terms-of-service agreement on Saturday detailing its planned launch in the Bay Area, according to a screenshot viewed by Business Insider. The notification says rides taken outside California are "conducted autonomously." The update lays out a different setup for California, where Tesla is launching its Robotaxi service under tighter state oversight — a move that appears to address how the program complies with local regulations. "If your ride is taking place in California, it is being conducted with a safety driver using FSD (Supervised) pursuant to authority from the California Public Utilities Commission," the agreement says. Tesla told staff in an internal memo Thursday that it planned to launch the Robotaxi service in San Francisco over the weekend, starting as a paid program with safety drivers in the driver's seat, as Business Insider previously reported. The memo said drivers would be able to control the steering and brakes. In the service agreement sent Saturday, Tesla said the service would use a variant of its supervised Full Self-Driving software. It's unclear if it's the same version available to subscribers. Tesla's FSD software can change lanes, execute turns, and recognize stop signs and traffic lights, but it requires a licensed driver to actively monitor it. On Friday, Tesla drew regulatory scrutiny after BI reported on the internal memo. "Tesla doesn't have permits to deploy AVs in California & hasn't even applied for permits," California senator Scott Wiener wrote on X in response to Business Insider's story. "If Tesla actually deploys its AVs without permits, these vehicles should be seized & impounded. We have permitting & safety rules for a reason. Elon isn't exempt." The company has a permit from the California DMV that allows it to test its self-driving software with a licensed driver overseeing the vehicle, but the California DMV told BI on Friday that the company has yet to apply for driverless testing. Tesla also has a permit from the California Public Utilities Commission that allows it to provide transportation services to employees and some members of the public. The agency told BI Tesla notified the CPUC on Thursday that it intended to "extend operations under its TCP permit to offer service to friends and family of employees and to select members of the public." Tesla's VP of AI Ashok Elluswamy said on Wednesday's earnings call that the company would begin its Robotaxi rollout in the Bay Area with safety drivers and is working with regulators to expand the program. "We are working with the government to get approval here and, in the meanwhile, launch the service without the person in the driver seat just to expedite and while we wait for regulatory approval," he said.
Business Times
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Times
China's WeRide secures LTA approval to run driverless bus without safety officer in Sentosa
[SINGAPORE] China-based WeRide has secured approval from Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) to operate a driverless bus in Sentosa without an on-board safety officer. This will be the first autonomous vehicle (AV) in South-east Asia to run without such personnel on board, the company said in a press release on Thursday (Jul 17). Called the Robobus, the AV had already been plying a route at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) since last June – but with a safety officer present. Under LTA's AV assessment framework, companies deploying AVs must first pass certain tests and demonstrate safe operations on public roads with safety operators on board. 'Once they pass the assessments, they may proceed to remove the on-board safety operator requirement and replace it with constant remote monitoring instead,' said Lam Wee Shann, LTA's chief technology officer. Jennifer Li, chief financial officer and head of international at WeRide, said that LTA's approval 'demonstrates that our vehicles are safe, reliable, and ready to transform public transportation at scale'. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The Robobus connects key points within RWS on a fixed 12-minute loop. It is equipped with lidar technology, cameras and sensors capable of detecting obstacles more than 200 m away. The bus has not had any safety incidents thus far, said WeRide. The company was given the green light as Singapore eyes greater deployment of AVs. In June, Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow said that he expects AVs to be on the Republic's roads in the next five years. WeRide runs a research and development (R&D) centre in Singapore, with support from the Economic Development Board (EDB). EDB executive vice-president Cindy Koh welcomed more companies to collaborate with the city-state on AV innovation. She said: 'WeRide is an example of how AV companies can partner with Singapore to undertake AV trials and R&D, and create new jobs such as software development engineers, machine learning engineers and data scientists.' LTA will continue to work closely with companies that seek to deploy AVs to 'alleviate manpower constraints, increase productivity and enhance transport connectivity', said Lam.
Business Wire
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Wire
Kinetic Partners with Chilton Auto Body to Launch New Digital Repair Hub in the San Francisco Bay Area
SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kinetic, an automotive infrastructure company that delivers digital repair and servicing for modern vehicles through its growing network of service hubs, today announced it has partnered with Chilton Auto Body, one of the Bay Area's most respected collision repair networks, with 20 locations across Northern California. As part of the new partnership, Kinetic will open its first Kinetic Hub in the Bay Area, a 10,000-square-foot facility located at 171 Industrial Road in San Carlos, which will initially serve customers from five Chilton Auto Body locations. 'Our team is excited to collaborate with Kinetic to elevate the service capabilities of our repair centers,' said Mike Chilton, CEO of Chilton Auto Body. 'Kinetic brings a unique mix of cutting-edge technology and operational excellence that will help us continue to provide best-in-class service to our customers. We look forward to growing this partnership and offering access to the most advanced digital repair capabilities in the industry.' At the new San Carlos Hub, Kinetic's certified technicians will use proprietary AI, computer vision, and robotics to expedite the calibration, repair, and maintenance of EVs, AVs, and other digitally complex vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). The Hub is AAA certified and received official certification by Rivian, making it one of the few locations in the region authorized to repair and recalibrate Rivian vehicles to manufacturer standards. 'Chilton Auto Body has a 50-year history of providing excellent service to drivers in the Bay Area, and we're proud to partner with Mike Chilton and his team to bring our advanced digital repair capabilities to their operations,' said Nikhil Naikal, CEO and Co-founder of Kinetic. 'Our expansion into Northern California is the next step in fulfilling our mission to bring speed, precision and digital sophistication to modern vehicle repair.' The new hub strengthens Kinetic's national footprint, which already includes facilities in Southern California, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. Kinetic continues to build the infrastructure needed to support the future of vehicle repair, particularly for electric, autonomous and ADAS-equipped vehicles. Kinetic and Chilton Auto Body will celebrate the grand opening of the new Kinetic Hub on May 6, bringing together partners, automotive professionals and community leaders. The celebration will feature a Kinetic presentation, lunch and live demonstrations. ABOUT KINETIC Kinetic is an automotive infrastructure company that delivers effortless digital repair for modern vehicles, including EVs, AVs and PHEVs. The company's certified technicians leverage Kinetic's proprietary AI, computer vision and robotics to provide precise and efficient digital repair of modern vehicles for the automotive aftermarket. Kinetic is accelerating the EV transition by providing the infrastructure required for mainstream repair and service and is a catalyst for a connected EV ecosystem and aftermarket. Founded in September 2021 by Nikhil Naikal and Sander Marques, Kinetic is headquartered in Santa Ana, California. For more information, visit ABOUT CHILTON AUTO BODY For over 50 years, Chilton Auto Body has been a trusted leader in collision repair, with a growing network of 20 locations across California. Our reputation is built on craftsmanship, restoring everything from cosmetic dents to major structural damage with factory-level precision. As California's first Tesla-certified body shop and a pioneer in electric vehicle repair, we lead in modern automotive innovation. Our certified technicians follow rigorous manufacturer standards through every step of the repair process, while our insurance specialists streamline claims. We back our work with a limited lifetime warranty on workmanship and paint. So the next time you're in an accident and unsure who to trust, call Chilton Auto Body and let us turn your cloudy day into a sunny one! For more information, visit
Arabian Business
02-04-2025
- Automotive
- Arabian Business
Dubai self-driving taxis to launch in 2026
Dubai will launch self-driving taxi trials next year as it targets 25 per cent of all journeys in the city to be autonomous by 2030. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has expanded its global partnerships with leading autonomous driving technology providers to deploy autonomous taxis in Dubai . The collaboration includes a strategic partnership with Uber Technologies and WeRide, who will launch AVs in Dubai through the Uber platform. Dubai self-driving taxis Alongside China's Baidu, through its autonomous mobility arm, Apollo Go—one of the world's foremost providers of self-driving solutions and autonomous ride hailing services. This initiative forms part of RTA's broader strategy to establish Dubai as a global pioneer in autonomous mobility and support its vision to become the smartest city and the best place to live and work worldwide. Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said: 'These two partnerships with Uber, starting with WeRide as the technology partner and Baidu (Apollo Go) represent a crucial step in advancing Dubai's Self-Driving Transport Strategy, which aims to transform 25 per cent of all journeys in the city into autonomous trips across various transport modes by 2030. 'These collaborations highlight RTA's commitment to engaging with global technology leaders and forms part of a series of autonomous mobility trials launched in 2016, which have grown in diversity over the past years.' Al Tayer expressed his satisfaction with both companies selecting Dubai as the international hub for expanding their autonomous operations beyond their home markets. He said: 'The deployment of autonomous taxis will support the integration of transport systems by enhancing first and last-mile connectivity for public transport users. This aligns with the First and Last-Mile Strategy adopted by RTA last year, which aims to facilitate passenger movement between their point of origin or destination and the nearest public transport station. 'Autonomous vehicles also contribute to improved road safety, as human error is responsible for over 90 per cent of traffic accidents. Moreover, they serve a wide segment of the community—particularly senior citizens, residents, and people of determination. 'Uber, starting with WeRide, and Baidu through Apollo Go will commence trials of autonomous taxis in Dubai this year, with a safety driver seated behind the wheel, in preparation for the driverless commercial launch in 2026. 'The broader rollout of autonomous vehicles will mark a transformative shift in Dubai's transport landscape and further strengthen RTA's efforts to enhance network integration by facilitating smoother mobility for public transport users.' Dr. Wang Yunpeng, Baidu Corporate Vice President, President of Baidu Intelligent Driving Group, said: 'This ambitious partnership with the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai represents Apollo Go's biggest international expansion beyond China thus far. 'It also highlights Dubai's commitment to positioning itself as a global hub for innovation in future mobility. We are committed to delivering safe, sustainable, and efficient services to more regions, working alongside local partners to provide meaningful transport solutions that benefit broader communities around the world.' Noah Zych, Uber's Global Head of Autonomous Mobility and Delivery Operations, said: 'We're thrilled to be working with Dubai's Road and Transport Authority to bring autonomous vehicles onto the Uber platform, starting with our technology partner WeRide. 'At Uber, we're building the future of transportation, working with the world's leading autonomous vehicle developers to help commercialize and deploy this technology at scale around the world.' Jennifer Li, Chief Financial Officer and Head of International Business at WeRide, stated: 'Dubai marks a natural step forward in our commitment to advancing mobility in the Middle East as well as our continued global expansion. 'We believe our advanced autonomous driving technology and operational experience combined with Uber's powerful global mobility platform will help us serve millions of consumers in cities around the world.' To date, Apollo Go has recorded more than 150 million kilometres of safe autonomous driving, supporting the large-scale deployment of autonomous ride-hailing services across more than 10 Chinese cities. Since this February, Apollo Go has commenced fully driverless operations across China, and has completed more than 10 million autonomous rides lately, making it the world's largest operator of driverless fleets.
