Latest news with #selfdriving
Arabian Business
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Arabian Business
Qatar launches self-driving robot taxi trials ahead of 2026 launch
Qatar has officially launched operational trials of self-driving robot taxis. The Level 4 autonomous electric taxis are a landmark initiative led by Mowasalat (Karwa) in coordination with the Ministry of Transport. The trials are currently underway in selected touristic and service areas and are a key part of Qatar's Autonomous Vehicles Strategy and broader vision for smart, sustainable mobility. Qatar self-driving taxis The pilot follows the success of previous autonomous electric bus trials and reflects the country's commitment to integrating AI-driven, zero-emission transport solutions into the national network. The trial will unfold in two distinct phases: Phase 1: Driverless trial runs without passengers, monitored by a specialised team to assess technical readiness. Phase 2: Full-scale public testing with passengers but no driver, running through the first quarter of 2026. Each autonomous taxi is equipped with six cameras, four radars, and four LiDAR units, enabling advanced detection, real-time decision-making, and safe navigation in complex urban settings. In addition to evaluating the technology, the pilot will support the development of regulatory frameworks and the necessary infrastructure to accommodate next-generation mobility solutions in Qatar.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla, Inc. (TSLA): It's Okay For Robotaxis To Make Mistakes, Says Jim Cramer
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is one of the . Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is another feature of Cramer's morning show. Despite tumultuous share price performance in 2025, Cramer continued to assert before the firm's recent share price gains that the stock had a lot of potential due to self-driving and humanoid robots. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA)'s shares have lost 13.6% year-to-date despite making serious gains in May after CEO Elon Musk announced that he would step back from his government duties and start focusing on the firm's affairs. The stock has dipped by 9.7% over the past month and was sold lower recently after data from Europe continued to indicate delivery constraints. Cramer's comments about Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) revolved around its just-launched robotaxi service: '[On videos of robotaxi cars making mistakes in Texas and NHTSA contacting Tesla as a result] Look I mean drivers make mistakes all the time. Why should we hold Tesla to a standard where there can be no mistakes? 'Is it questionable David, that the car that we saw in the wrong lane, was that car drinking? I rest my case. While we acknowledge the potential of TSLA as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Reuters
a day ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
Tesla hires former Cruise executive as AI director, Electrek reports
June 27 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab has hired former Cruise executive, Henry Kuang, as the automaker's AI director, according to a report by news website Electrek on Thursday, as the company looks to expand robotaxi operations in the United States. Kuang was the head of autonomy at General Motors' self-driving unit, Cruise, till last year, according to his LinkedIn profile. His appointment comes at a time when Tesla has seen a series of high-profile departures in the past year, including the resignation of two senior executives on Thursday. Tesla did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment, while Kuang could not be reached. While Kuang's role at Tesla is not clear, Ashok Elluswamy, who was the first engineer hired for Tesla's Autopilot team in 2014, has largely been leading the company's self-driving initiatives. Omead Afshar, a top Tesla executive and longtime Elon Musk confidant, left the electric-vehicle maker along with North America HR Director Jenna Ferrua, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. Tesla is going through sweeping company-wide restructuring, during which the electric vehicle maker has laid off thousands of employees and shifted its strategic focus toward AI-driven self-driving technology and robotics. The company rolled out a small batch of its Model Y robotaxis in Austin, Texas on June 22, ferrying paying passengers in a small area of the city and CEO Elon Musk has pledged to expand into several U.S. cities by next year. Musk said last month Tesla will deliver its first car autonomously from factory to customer in June. General Motors (GM.N), opens new tab said earlier this year that it had completed the full acquisition of its Cruise business to focus on developing the autonomous technology for personal vehicles, not robotaxis.
CNA
a day ago
- Automotive
- CNA
Tesla hires former Cruise executive as AI director, Electrek reports
Tesla has hired former Cruise executive, Henry Kuang, as the automaker's AI director, according to a report by news website Electrek on Thursday, as the company looks to expand robotaxi operations in the United States. Kuang was the head of autonomy at General Motors' self-driving unit, Cruise, till last year, according to his LinkedIn profile. His appointment comes at a time when Tesla has seen a series of high-profile departures in the past year, including the resignation of two senior executives on Thursday. Tesla did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment, while Kuang could not be reached. While Kuang's role at Tesla is not clear, Ashok Elluswamy, who was the first engineer hired for Tesla's Autopilot team in 2014, has largely been leading the company's self-driving initiatives. Omead Afshar, a top Tesla executive and longtime Elon Musk confidant, left the electric-vehicle maker along with North America HR Director Jenna Ferrua, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. Tesla is going through sweeping company-wide restructuring, during which the electric vehicle maker has laid off thousands of employees and shifted its strategic focus toward AI-driven self-driving technology and robotics. The company rolled out a small batch of its Model Y robotaxis in Austin, Texas on June 22, ferrying paying passengers in a small area of the city and CEO Elon Musk has pledged to expand into several U.S. cities by next year. Musk said last month Tesla will deliver its first car autonomously from factory to customer in June. General Motors said earlier this year that it had completed the full acquisition of its Cruise business to focus on developing the autonomous technology for personal vehicles, not robotaxis.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla's Robotaxi Dream Is Here--But Alphabet May Have Already Won the Race
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) just kicked off its robotaxi experiment in Austin. The service runs a handful of Model Y SUVs between 6 a.m. and midnight, priced at just $4.20 per ride. These cars are outfitted with Tesla's latest full-self-driving software, but each one still has a company employee riding shotgun. It's a soft launch, in a small area, for a few handpicked riders. The bigger promisethe Cybercab that Elon Musk unveiled in 2023isn't expected until 2026. Yet, this early-stage rollout sits under a $1.1 trillion market cap and a forward P/E of roughly 150, according to FactSet. For context: that's more than the combined value of the next 20 automakers. RBC's Tom Narayan believes robotaxis account for about 60% of Tesla's valuation. In other words, this bet matters. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Sign with META. But while Tesla grabs headlines, WaymoAlphabet's (NASDAQ:GOOG) self-driving armis already operating in five cities, including a new launch in Atlanta. Its 1,500-vehicle fleet is real, driverless, and growing. A new Arizona plant is set to more than double that by end of next year. Waymo raised $5.6 billion last year at a $45 billion valuation, but analysts are getting more bullish. Raymond James' Josh Beck now pegs Waymo closer to $150 billion, citing a base-case of 129% compound annual growth in gross bookings over five years. A recent Uber partnership could push those numbers even higher. The market might still be fixated on Tesla's bold visionbut Waymo's quietly building a commercial robotaxi empire. Tesla's edge? Its bet on software. Musk is aiming to transform existing Teslas into money-making robotaxis with a simple updateno Lidar, just cameras. It's a cheaper approach, but not without issues. Sunlight glare, social media footage of driving errors, and early questions from regulators have already surfaced. And at $4.20 per ride, the economics don't yet impress. Waymo, meanwhile, is logging real miles, real data, and real revenue. Investors chasing the next big thing might want to look again. Because the under-the-radar AI moonshot may not be Teslait might be hiding inside Alphabet. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
