Today's Autonomy Pulse
Volkswagen to Deploy Full-Domain AI Agents in New Models by H2 2026
Volkswagen announced that its Agentic AI for All roadmap will see full deployment in vehicles built on the CEA architecture starting in the second half of 2026. The locally trained large-language-model system moves beyond passive assistants to proactively manage parking, route adjustments and cabin preferences while keeping all data inside the vehicle.
Star Robotics Unveils New Security Robot with Improved Autonomy and Navigation
Star Robotics introduced Watchbot 2, an upgraded autonomous security robot designed for continuous surveillance in demanding environments. The new model offers up to 16 hours of operation daily, thanks to a battery that doubles the capacity of its predecessor, and can endure temperatures from –25 °C to +50 °C. Enhanced perception includes a 360‑degree camera, low‑light lighting, improved audio, and GPS‑based positioning, while six times more computing power enables real‑time obstacle detection and multimodal mapping. A modular chassis simplifies maintenance, reducing downtime for enterprises.
Kollmorgen Launches Layout Analysis Tool to Improve Mobile Robot Performance
Kollmorgen unveiled the NDC Layout Assistant, a software tool that evaluates and optimizes routes for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in factories and warehouses. By breaking down routes into smaller sections, the assistant highlights travel‑time, speed...
Autonomous Material Handling Stack Links Thoro and Orbbec
Thoro unveiled CoreFlex, a modular autonomy platform that pairs its software stack with Orbbec’s Gemini 336 3‑D cameras, enabling plug‑and‑play automation across pallet trucks, tuggers and other industrial vehicles. The infrastructure‑free system promises to cut integration cycles by using a...
Kraken Robotics Secures $28M in Orders for SeaPower Batteries & SAS Technology
Kraken Robotics announced roughly $28 million in new contracts for its SeaPower pressure‑tolerant batteries and Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) technology. The orders include battery deals with three large international defense firms and a SAS purchase from a commercial uncrewed underwater vehicle...
China’s Zoomlion Debuts New Robot Operating System at Hannover Messe 2026
Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology unveiled Robot Ops, an embodied‑intelligence operating system, at Hannover Messe 2026 in Germany. The platform merges DevOps, DataOps and AgentOps into a single lifecycle solution that spans data collection, model training, simulation, deployment and...
Xpeng's Bold Leap Into eVTOLs and Humanoid Robots
Macro: Xpeng moving into eVTOLs & humanoid robots. Key: 7k+ orders, late‑26/27 deliveries, robotaxi tests, global push. Risks: certification, execution, capex. Trade: buy on pullbacks. 🚀 — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
Peruvian Entrepreneur Profits From Drone Facade Cleaning
Peruvian Entrepreneur Earns Big with #Drone-Powered Building Facade Cleaning by @Arcfunmi #EmergingTech #Technology #Innovation https://t.co/ZJN9uY5jTG
RoboDK CAM Solution Cuts Robotic Machining Deployment Times
RoboDK launched RoboDK CAM, a software that auto‑generates robot code from CAD designs, cutting robotic machining deployment from days to minutes and reducing testing time by up to 40%. The solution offers both a standalone interface and integrated add‑ins for...
Innovative Robotic Hand Grips, Holds, Organizes Objects
Smart #Robotic Hand That Grips, Holds, and Organizes Multiple Objects with Innovative Design by @amazingthings_ #AI #Robots #Engineering #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/C8zDdRzMGW
Fully-Paid FSD Cars Become Rare Arbitrage Opportunities
Cars with the FSD package paid in full are now rare magical unicorns. There may be an arbitrage play here
Toyota's CUE7 Humanoid Robot Scores AI-Powered Free Throw at Tokyo Arena
Toyota demonstrated its CUE7 humanoid robot at Toyota Arena Tokyo, where the 7‑foot‑2, 163‑lb machine made an autonomous free‑throw shot before a crowd of 8,400. The robot relies on reinforcement‑learning AI, a shift from the scripted control that powered earlier...
NYC Ends Waymo Robotaxi Pilot, Raising Caution for City AV Rollouts
New York City terminated its eight‑vehicle Waymo robotaxi pilot on March 31, with Mayor Zohran Mamdani indicating no plans to restart the test. The decision arrives as rival firms Zoox and Tesla push expansions into other U.S. markets, underscoring a split...
Wheel‑Leg Robot Uses Vision and LiDAR for Delivery
Meet the Wheel-Leg #Robot Delivering Food and Packages with Smart Vision and LiDAR by @IntEngineering #AI #Robotics #EmergingTech #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/ZplPu0GcUv
Columbia Engineers Create Self‑Repairing, Self‑Upgrading Robots
Self-Repairing, Self-Upgrading #Robots Developed at Columbia #Engineering by @tweetciiiim #AI #Robotics #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence #ML https://t.co/3U07MjpYDv
Birdon America and Mythos AI Jointly Pursuing U.S. Navy MUSV Opportunities
Birdon America and Mythos AI signed a memorandum of understanding at Sea‑Air‑Space 2026 to develop medium unmanned surface vessels (MUSVs) for the U.S. Navy. Birdon will provide maritime platform, integration and program execution expertise, while Mythos AI will supply autonomous navigation,...
Mobileye’s Q1 Shows EyeQ, SuperVision Surge
Mobileye’s Q1 2026 call is out—EyeQ shipments and SuperVision growth are the big stories this quarter. Industry shifts are real, but Mobileye’s staying in the fast lane. 🚗💨 SelfDriving
Tesla to Spend $2 B on AI‑Hardware Acquisition and Leverage Intel 14A for Terafab Chips
Tesla disclosed a $2 billion stock‑and‑equity deal to acquire an undisclosed AI‑hardware firm and confirmed it will build its next‑gen Terafab chips on Intel’s 14A node. The moves underscore Musk’s aggressive shift toward in‑house silicon to power autonomous vehicles, robotics and...
Coast Guard Launches RAS PEO to Unify Uncrewed Systems
The U.S. Coast Guard has created the Robotic and Autonomous Systems Program Executive Office (RAS PEO) to centralize management of unmanned air, surface, underwater and space assets. The new office replaces fragmented, siloed structures with a unified portfolio that mirrors...
Tesla’s $25 B AI and Robotics Bet Triggers Stock Volatility and Higher CapEx
Tesla disclosed a $25 billion capital‑expenditure plan for AI software, chips and robotics, sending its shares down nearly 3% after an initial rally. The spending surge, driven by the Terafab chip fab and Optimus robot production, raises questions about cash flow...
Pentagon Grants $24 Million to Foundation Future Industries for Heavy‑Duty Humanoid ‘Phantom’ Robots
The Pentagon awarded Foundation Future Industries a $24 million contract to develop its heavy‑duty “Phantom” humanoid robot for combat testing. Founder Sankaet Pathak and advisor Eric Trump promoted the deal as a way to keep the United States ahead of China...
After Earth Day, Understand The Transit Compromise To Grasp Efficiency
Forbes reports that post‑Earth Day transit planners are turning to autonomous, van‑sized vehicles as a more energy‑efficient alternative to traditional buses and rail. The smaller microtransit units achieve higher occupancy rates because on‑demand routing reduces empty seats. Self‑driving technology further...
BMW and Mercedes Halt Level 3: Weekly Connected and Autonomous Vehicle News
BMW and Mercedes announced they are suspending development of Level 3 autonomous driving systems, citing prohibitive costs and weak consumer demand. The decision underscores the high expense of lidar‑based sensor suites required for Level 3 capabilities. In contrast, Tesla has long avoided...
Peak Technologies, Jacobi Robotics Partner to Deliver Next-Gen Mixed-Case Palletizing Automation
Peak Technologies has partnered with Jacobi Robotics to launch an AI‑driven mixed‑case palletizing solution built around Jacobi’s OmniPalletizer. The turnkey system removes the need for upstream buffering, sorting and sequencing, promising faster deployment and minimal workflow disruption. Leveraging real‑time motion...
Humble Emerges With $24M Seed Round
San Francisco‑based startup Humble has emerged from stealth with a fully autonomous, electric Class 8 hauler designed for cost‑efficient freight transport. The company announced a $24 million seed round, led by Eclipse and joined by Energy Impact Partners and other investors. Humble’s...
Researchers Develop Navigation System for Underground Rescue Teams
A consortium led by TU Graz unveiled NIKE MATE, a navigation system that fuses robot‑collected sensor data with a self‑built ultra‑wideband (UWB) network to map underground rescue sites in real time. The system creates a dynamic map and provides sub‑meter positioning for...
Continental’s Radar Business Is Scaling Fast. Control Is Moving Elsewhere.
Continental is shipping record volumes of automotive radar as the sensor becomes standard across vehicle platforms. The rise of centralized compute means perception, fusion and decision‑making now occur in software, relegating radar to a data‑feed role. This shift squeezes pricing,...
Port Authority and Skyports Drone Services to Commence Yearlong Cargo Drone Trial Flights Between Manhattan and Brooklyn
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and UK‑based Skyports will launch a 12‑month cargo‑drone trial on April 27, flying small uncrewed aircraft between Downtown Manhattan and the Brooklyn Marine Terminal on weekdays. The FAA‑approved flights will transport light, non‑hazardous...
U.S. Marine Corps Just Tested a Self-Driving Artillery Platform
Overland AI integrated its OverDrive autonomy stack and SPARK sensor kit onto the Marine Corps ROGUE Fires platform, completing a multi‑hour, fully autonomous demonstration in April 2026. The unmanned ground vehicle navigated mixed, GPS‑denied terrain without human input and performed manned‑unmanned...
AWS Bets on Frontier Agents as the Next Era of Enterprise AI
AWS unveiled its "frontier agents" strategy at the London Summit, positioning autonomous AI systems as a new class capable of completing complex, multi‑day tasks without human oversight. The company highlighted Kiro, an agentic development platform that writes code from natural‑language...
An AI Agent Just Designed a Complete RISC-V CPU From Scratch in 12 Hours
Verkor.io’s agentic AI system, Design Conductor, generated a complete RISC‑V CPU core—named VerCore—in just 12 hours, moving from a 219‑word specification to a GDSII layout ready for fabrication. The five‑stage, in‑order design runs at 1.48 GHz and achieved a CoreMark score...
Tiny, Knotted Robots Jump, Fly and Plant Seeds
Researchers at Penn Engineering have created millimeter‑scale soft robots that store elastic energy in a Kevlar‑core, liquid‑crystal‑elastomer fiber and release it by heating. When the knot in the fiber unties at 60‑90 °C, the robot can leap up to two meters,...
Tokyo WG14 Advances Collision‑Mitigation Standards for Automated Driving
Last week, @isostandards TC204 WG14 drafting team met in Tokyo🇯🇵 to progress the upcoming standards on ADAS & Automated Driving. A key focus of our work is to strengthen the collision mitigation & avoidance standards, & adding clarity on remote...
Saildrone's Missile‑Armed Spectre Enters Navy Unmanned Ship Contest
Saildrone’s Missile-Toting Spectre Enters Navy’s Medium-Sized Unmanned Ship Competition Saildrone has joined forces with defense juggernauts to supersize its proven vehicle concept and equip it with missiles and sub-hunting sensors. https://t.co/vxbDPYsAD7
Royal Navy Tests Drone Tech for North Atlantic Sub Hunting
The Royal Navy wrapped a four‑month technology demonstration under the Atlantic Bastion programme, inviting small and medium‑sized enterprises to field off‑the‑shelf autonomous systems for anti‑submarine warfare. Participants showcased uncrewed surface vessels, acoustic detection arrays, AI‑linked operation centres, sonobuoy‑armed drones, subsea...
Tiny Robots, Huge Impact: Swarm Technology's Future
Small Machines, Massive Power: The Future of #Robotic Swarms via @IlirAliu_ #Robots #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/AhtqZhHoSR
Hybrid Bipedal Robot Tackles Rough Terrain and Urban Spaces
Wheels Meet Legs: The Hybrid Bipedal #Robot Conquering Rough Terrain and Human Spaces via @ZappyZappy7 #Robotics #Engineering #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/D3vuSjXShi
Komatsu Commissions 1,000th Autonomous Haul Truck, Expanding Driverless Mining
Komatsu America announced the commissioning of its 1,000th ultra‑class autonomous haul truck, a 930E-5AT deployed at Barrick’s Nevada Gold Mines. The milestone underscores rapid adoption of driverless, electrified equipment across commodities and continents.
Xpeng VLA 2.0 Outshines Tesla FSD in Test
"Drove Tesla FSD and Xpeng VLA 2.0 back to back - VLA was more impressive than expected" #alwaysberiding ⚡️⚡️⚡️ https://t.co/2sqso4zG1Q
Droidup Introduces Moya: Next‑Gen Lifelike Humanoid Robot
Droidup #Robotics Unveils Moya, a Next-Gen Lifelike Humanoid by @CyberRobooo #AI #Robots #MachineLearning #ArtificialIntelligence #ML https://t.co/hfLVUIDSuZ
MOVA Unveils Z70 Pro Robot with AI‑Powered Self‑Cleaning Mop, Boosting Efficiency 30%
MOVA introduced the Z70 Pro, a consumer floor‑mopping robot that uses AI Roller Self‑Cleaning 2.0 and a 3D Fluffy Roller Mop. The system claims a 30% lift in cleaning efficiency and a 20% increase in dirt‑holding capacity, tackling the long‑standing...
Tesla’s Autonomous Driving Impresses Beyond Stock Hype
First time letting the $tsla drive. Pretty impressive. There will be a time and place for the majority to use it. As of now. We have a new point of reference to use. The autonomous driving is special. Not the...
Tesla's Robotaxis Hit Roads Before First Roadster Shipped
It's kind of amazing that Tesla announced their autonomy efforts in 2019 and got driverless Robotaxis on the road before the first roadster shipped 😂
Allient Inc. Publishes New Whitepaper on Motor Selection for Humanoid Robotics Systems
Allient Inc. released a whitepaper titled “A Selection Guide to Motors for Humanoid Robotics Systems.” The guide examines actuator technologies—frameless, slotless, geared, and direct‑drive—and evaluates torque density, inertia, response, and thermal constraints for humanoid joints. It aims to help engineers...
Tesla Should Grant Free FSD Transfer
Excited to hear more about Tesla's special sales incentive for AI3 cars that bought FSD I think they should get free FSD transfer, plus a discount on a new or used car with AI4 from Tesla
Tesla's 14.3.2 Self‑Drive Conquers Hollywood Hills
Tesla Self-Driving 14.3.2 navigated the Hollywood Hills flawlessly with just one tap on the screen https://t.co/GJiemkcgb5
CVPR 2026 Showcases How AI Is Powering the Next Era of Robotics Innovation
The 2026 Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition conference in Denver will spotlight AI‑driven robotics breakthroughs, featuring an Embodied AI workshop and the ManipArena manipulation challenge. More than 75% of the expo floor will be occupied by leading AI and robotics...
Bug Fixed: Self-Driving Miles Tracking Restored
There was a bug in @fsd_database I pushed where it stopped tracking self-driving miles for some vehicles that were recently configured. I just fixed it. Sorry for the inconvenience Please let me know if you are seeing any other bugs
Level‑5 Cars Arriving Soon, Unlocking Startup Goldmine
I predict we will have level 5 autonomous vehicles in the next couple of years. When that happens, it will provide yet another amazing platform for new startups.
AI Agent Handles Tasks Autonomously, No Babysitting Needed
This is the real deal. It’s an agent you can actually give work to and then walk away. No babysitting. No constant prompting. Just “here’s the mess—figure it out.” Delegate from @abhshkdz & @yutori_ai feels like the first agent that really understands...
Cheap Robots and Solar Prove Abundance Is Feasible
A humanoid robot will cost us $30K and works 24/7 for $0.40/hour. A solar panel generates electricity for 3 cents/kWh. What exactly is the argument that we CAN'T create abundance?