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.
Yimin Coal Mine: What 100 AI-Driven Electric Trucks Taught the Mining Sector
In May 2025 the Yimin coal mine in Inner Mongolia launched a fleet of 100 AI‑driven, electric trucks equipped with 5G‑Advanced connectivity. The trucks use 568 kWh lithium‑iron‑phosphate batteries and automated swapping stations that replace packs in about five minutes with a 98 % success rate. Huawei’s 5G‑A network and autonomous driving cloud service enable real‑time navigation, even in extreme cold, fog and dust, boosting productivity beyond human levels. The deployment demonstrates that large‑scale electric haulage can operate reliably in harsh mining environments, while raising questions about its impact on coal’s carbon footprint.
Hargrave Technologies Unveils 60 V, 120 A Motor Controller for Medium VTOL Platforms
Hargrave Technologies introduced the microDRIVE MP, a 60 V, 120 A motor controller tailored for medium VTOL and helicopter UAVs. The ESC offers high‑current performance in an IP67‑rated, rugged enclosure, addressing the growing power and durability demands of expanding UAV missions. It...
Next-Generation Medical Drone Launched with Faster Response & Higher Payload Capacity
Swedish firm Everdrone unveiled the E3, a purpose‑built medical transport drone that replaces its earlier E2 platform with fully proprietary hardware. The new model doubles payload capacity to 4.5 kg and cruises above 80 km/h, enabling deliveries in under three minutes—significantly faster...
Quectel Showcases Radar Solutions at MWC Barcelona
Quectel Wireless Solutions is unveiling its automotive‑grade mmWave radar portfolio at MWC Barcelona, featuring a 77 GHz forward‑collision warning unit with over 220 m range and the ability to track 40 dynamic targets. The company also displayed a blind‑spot detection radar that...
AGIBOT Showcases Full Humanoid Robot Portfolio at MWC 2026
AGIBot unveiled its full humanoid robot portfolio at MWC 2026, showcasing A2, X2, G2, D1 and C5 platforms alongside the OmniHand dexterous limb. The company launched a global online store and a Robot‑as‑a‑Service (RaaS) leasing model with prices starting at €899...
Special Report: 2026 Productivity Achievement Awards
Modern's 2026 Productivity Achievement Awards recognized top performers in warehousing/distribution, innovation, and e‑fulfillment. Performance Health won Warehousing/Distribution for a streamlined distribution center, reduced packaging waste, and improved KPI tracking. Staples earned the Innovation award for its integrated robotics platform, autonomous...
Tesla FSD (Supervised) Fleet Passes 8.4 Billion Cumulative Miles
Tesla announced that its Full Self‑Driving (Supervised) system has now accumulated 8.4 billion cumulative miles, as shown on the company’s safety dashboard. The mileage grew from roughly 6 million in 2021 to 4.25 billion in 2025, with an additional 1 billion miles logged in...
US Confirms First Combat Use of LUCAS One-Way Attack Drone in Iran Strikes
U.S. Central Command confirmed that the LUCAS one‑way attack drone was employed for the first time in combat during Saturday’s airstrikes on Iran under Operation Epic Fury. The low‑cost autonomous kamikaze, reverse‑engineered from the Iranian Shahed‑136, struck IRGC command and...
A Software Glitched Turned Off The Lights, Then The Car Crashed
A Chinese driver of a Lynk & Co Z20 used a voice command to turn off interior lights, but the system mistakenly disabled the headlights, leading to a crash captured on dashcam. Lynk & Co quickly issued an emergency over‑the‑air...
Why Warehouse Maturity Blooms in Uneven Seasons
The article frames warehouse technology adoption as a series of seasonal maturity levels, ranging from manual operations to fully dynamic, software‑driven facilities. It warns that forcing a single platform across all sites creates fragmentation, higher costs, and stunted growth. Instead,...
Laundering Accountability with Embodied AI
The article warns that autonomous‑vehicle firms are rebranding human remote operators as "assistants" to dodge legal responsibility. By labeling these operators as non‑drivers, companies aim to shift liability from tort negligence to product‑defect claims, even when human error directly causes...
AI's Role in the Future of Robotics: Insights From 3Laws
In episode 233 of The Robot Report, hosts Steve Crow and Mike Oitzman discuss the explosive growth of AI funding, highlighted by OpenAI’s $110 billion raise, and its implications for robotics. They interview Andrew Singletary and Amir Sharif of Three Laws...
Engineering Challenges in Software-Defined Vehicles
Software-defined vehicles (SDVs) fuse ADAS, infotainment, cloud services and OTA updates onto electric powertrains, creating a far more intricate tech stack than conventional cars. Engineers must grapple with modular architectures, multi‑vendor integration, and stringent cybersecurity mandates such as ISO/SAE 21434...
New Legislation Addresses Various Supply Chain Issues Impacting U.S. Freight and Highways
Senator Todd Young introduced the Securing American Freight, Enforcement, and Reliability (SAFER) Transport Act to tackle freight fraud, theft, and safety on U.S. highways. The bill mandates a freight fraud advisory committee, eliminates MC numbers in favor of a single...
Best Manufacturing and Packaging Automation Companies in 2026
Factory floors in 2026 are shifting from basic automation to intelligent, software‑defined systems. The article ranks the top five automation vendors—Hefestus, Rockwell Automation, Siemens Digital Industries, ABB Robotics, and Fanuc—highlighting each firm’s niche strengths such as high‑precision packaging, edge computing,...
Podcast: Cybercab Dead on Arrival, Donut Lab’s Miracle Battery, Waymo Expands, and More
The latest Electrek Podcast recaps a turbulent week for Tesla, highlighting the departure of the Cybercab program manager and Elon Musk’s threat to halt the Giga Berlin expansion over a union vote. It also spotlights Donut Lab’s solid‑state battery that...
TMC 2026 Meeting to Spotlight New Era of Truck Technology
The Technology & Maintenance Council’s 70th annual meeting convenes in Nashville March 16‑19, featuring nearly 400 exhibitors across 350,000 sq ft. The event is split into education, exhibition, and voluntary standards tracks, with over 100 task forces shaping new recommended practices. Sessions...
LUCID Releases Atlas10 SWIR 10GigE RDMA Cameras with Sony IMX992 and IMX993 SenSWIR Sensors and Integrated TEC Cooling
LUCID Vision Labs launched the Atlas10 SWIR, a 10GigE camera featuring Sony’s 5.2 MP IMX992 and 3.2 MP IMX993 SenSWIR InGaAs sensors. The camera incorporates integrated thermoelectric cooling (TEC) that can be set to 10 °C, cutting dark current and image noise for...
Uncrewed Vehicle Orders Will Help Keep Rosyth Shipyard Afloat
UK orders for uncrewed maritime vehicles (UMVs) are expected to sustain work at Babcock’s Rosyth shipyard as the Type 31 frigate programme winds down in the early 2030s. The Ministry of Defence’s Strategic Defence Review calls for a hybrid fleet of...
Automation in Manufacturing Will More than Double by 2030: PwC
PwC’s latest outlook finds manufacturers will more than double automation, AI and advanced‑technology use by 2030, with the median adoption rate climbing from 26% to 68% of operations. Adoption in production and product design is already high, while business support...
Robotaxi Ballet: Clumsy Navigation By Several Waymos
Waymo's autonomous robotaxis were captured in a surveillance video attempting to navigate a narrow street in opposite directions, resulting in a minor traffic jam dubbed a "robot‑taxi ballet." Two, then three Waymo units struggled to coordinate, briefly blocking the crosswalk...
The Future of ADAS: Could Antennas Be the Key?
HUBER+SUHNER is developing a 3D waveguide radar antenna for ADAS and autonomous driving. The antenna reduces signal loss, improves resolution and works in adverse weather. Operating at 77 GHz, the technology offers larger apertures, higher channel counts and better EMC integration...
Elektrobit’s Safety-Certified Linux OS Integrated Into Mobileye Drive
Elektrobit’s safety‑certified EB corbos Linux for Safety Applications has been integrated into Mobileye Drive, the company’s Level 4 autonomous‑driving platform. The Linux OS received TÜV Nord’s technical assessment for ASIL B and SIL2 compliance, meeting ISO 26262 and IEC 61508 safety standards. Mobileye plans to use...
Robotic Wing Inspired by Nature Delivers Leap in Underwater Stability
Researchers at the University of Southampton have created a soft‑robotic wing with a liquid‑metal e‑skin that senses water flow and reshapes itself automatically. In lab tests the wing cut unwanted uplift impulse by 87% versus rigid AUV wings, responded up...
Soft Bicycle 360 Approved by Euro NCAP for Realistic and Durable ADAS Testing
AB Dynamics’ Soft Bicycle 360 has received Euro NCAP approval as a certified test target for advanced driver‑assistance system (ADAS) evaluations. The lightweight, single‑piece design replicates cyclist radar signatures while minimizing vehicle damage during impact. Weighing 30% less than competing targets, it features...
Teledyne and M Subs Announce Strategic Collaboration
Teledyne Marine and UK‑based M Subs have signed a memorandum of understanding to create a strategic collaboration focused on Royal Navy and other international naval programs. The partnership will fuse Teledyne’s unmanned vehicle platforms, autonomy software, sonars, acoustic communications, cameras, lighting...
Tensor and Arm Collaborate on Agentic Robocar
Tensor and Arm announced a multiyear partnership to supply the compute architecture for Tensor’s Level 4 agentic AI robocar. Each vehicle will house 433 Arm‑based cores across Neoverse AE, Cortex‑X, Cortex‑A, Cortex‑R and Cortex‑M, complemented by Nvidia accelerators. The robocar features...
Starlink Will Provide Connectivity to Archer’s Midnight Air Taxis
Archer Aviation announced a partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink to equip its Midnight electric air taxis with low‑Earth‑orbit satellite internet. The integration will provide high‑speed, low‑latency connectivity for passenger Wi‑Fi and real‑time data links between aircraft, pilots and ground teams. Testing...
The Exodus From L3 Autonomy Is Far From Universal
SAE Level 3 autonomy, once seen as the middle step toward fully driverless cars, is encountering uneven adoption across the industry. While several manufacturers have paused or cancelled their Level 3 programs due to regulatory uncertainty and driver‑attention concerns, others continue to...
The Talent Paradox
High‑tech mining has embraced automation, AI‑driven haulage and remote operation centres, yet firms struggle to recruit young engineers. Despite the sector’s digital transformation, a perception gap and limited exposure in STEM pipelines keep talent scarce. Universities lag in offering curricula...
10 Million Calls: The Drone System Changing Policing
Skydio’s Drone‑as‑First‑Responder (DFR) Command platform has processed over 10 million service calls, demonstrating that autonomous drones are now embedded in U.S. public‑safety workflows. The system pulls live 911, CAD, and sensor data directly into its Flight Deck, allowing operators to dispatch...
Taming Agentic Chaos: The Biggest Tech Challenge
How to make tools like @openclaw behave is the biggest challenge (and opportunity) in tech right now. @lilyhnewman reports on an important new effort to tame agentic chaos: https://t.co/mKSiWh8Kr7
Episode 146: Embodied AI on the ISS - Jamie Palmer
In this episode, Claire Asher talks with Jamie Palmer, co‑founder and CTO of Icarus Robotics, about developing free‑flying, dexterous robots to assist astronauts on the ISS and future commercial stations. Palmer explains how the robots—essentially microgravity drones with manipulators—are being...
Republic of Korea Commits to Vertiports, UAM Infrastructure by 2028
South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport unveiled a roadmap to accelerate urban air mobility, pledging commercial public‑service UAM operations by 2028 and private‑sector services by 2030. The plan includes establishing safety frameworks, aircraft certification, and cybersecurity by 2027,...
Weekly Newsletter 26 February 2026
Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced its first major partnership in over a decade, teaming up with a leading AI‑driven drug discovery firm to co‑develop next‑generation therapies. The deal includes a $500 million upfront payment and shared milestones tied to clinical milestones. Simultaneously, the...
Utah Becomes Tenth Candidate State for the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program
Utah has filed a proposal to join the FAA’s Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Integration Pilot Program, aligning with Arizona, Idaho, Oregon and Oklahoma. The state’s coalition partners include industry leaders Lockheed Martin, Joby Aviation and BETA Technologies to...
Abu Dhabi Launches First Autonomous Truck Pilot in MENA Logistics Sector
Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre has launched the Middle East and North Africa’s first autonomous‑truck pilot, partnering with Autotech and AD Ports Group within the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD). The AI‑driven trucks are being tested on dedicated routes...
Aviation Training and Operations Readiness Lead
Wing, Alphabet’s drone‑delivery arm, is hiring a remote Aviation Training & Operations Readiness Lead to steer its rapidly expanding flight‑operations program. The role will oversee training, operational evaluations, and the transition to Part 108‑compliant, highly automated deliveries across two continents. Reporting...
CHC Navigation & MOVA Unveil Satellite-Based Positioning for Robotic Mowers
CHC Navigation and MOVA unveiled the NAVAX 5000 AWD robotic mower at CES 2026, featuring CHCNAV’s satellite‑ground RTK service and an integrated high‑precision positioning chip that delivers centimeter‑level accuracy without a local base station or cellular data. The mower combines...
MostaTech to Showcase Inertial Sensors at Oceanology 2026
MostaTech will exhibit its full suite of inertial sensors at Oceanology International 2026 in London, showcasing fiber‑optic gyroscope (FOG) based IMUs, multi‑axis G‑Series gyros, and single‑axis solutions. The U‑Series IMUs (U123D and U121D) combine FOGs with MEMS accelerometers to meet...
ISS Aerospace & Anduril UK Partner to Integrate WASP Launched Effect Into Lattice Platform
ISS Aerospace and Anduril UK announced a partnership to embed the ISSOS WASP launched effect into Anduril’s sovereign Lattice command‑and‑control platform. The integration, completed in a single day, was validated with a flight test at ISS Aerospace’s Oxford facility. WASP...
Alpha Unmanned Systems Strengthens Its European Presence Through Strategic Partnership
Alpha Unmanned Systems and Turkish defence firm HAVELSAN have signed a strategic partnership to bring HAVELSAN’s advanced unmanned aerial platforms to Spain. Alpha will act as the exclusive distributor and lifecycle‑support provider for Spanish government and security customers, delivering training,...
Nio and Bosch Sign Strategic Cooperation Agreement
Nio and Bosch signed a strategic cooperation agreement during German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to China, linking Nio’s three brands—Nio, Onvo and firefly—with Bosch’s automotive expertise. The pact covers drive‑by‑wire chassis, battery‑management systems and key components such as braking, steering, powertrain,...
MDS and DFRS Cooperate to Drive Vision Zero
Germany’s Mobility Data Space (MDS) and the pan‑European Data for Road Safety (DFRS) consortium have signed an agreement to exchange safety‑related traffic data from connected vehicles across the EU. The partnership enables near‑real‑time sharing of sensor‑derived incident information, supporting the...
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s Newest Behavior Is the Perfect Answer to Aggressive Cars
Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving (FSD) software now automatically pulls over to the shoulder when a vehicle tailgates, as shown in a recent X video on wet, windy roads. The maneuver occurs without any driver input, with hands off the wheel and...
Snake-Like Robot Unveiled for Fukushima Debris Removal
TEPCO unveiled a 22‑metre, 4.6‑tonne snake‑like robot arm designed to retrieve radioactive debris from Fukushima Daiichi. The device can crawl through narrow tunnels, capture visual data, and is slated for a third trial removal later this year. Fukushima still houses...
Fundamentals of Position Feedback
Automation has shifted from simple limit switches to dynamic position‑feedback devices such as encoders and LVDTs, delivering continuous data across varying speeds. Encoders dominate motion‑to‑electrical conversion, with absolute models preserving position after power loss and incremental models tracking relative movement....
Can Robot Chefs Earn Four‑Star Ratings?
"Would you give four stars to a restaurant entirely staffed by robots?" In a new Science #Robotics Focus article, @robinrmurphy discusses the sci-fi novel Automatic Noodle and ponders over the challenges in robots cooking and perceiving flavors. https://t.co/iPTbwCL6fB
Coco Robotics Launches New Autonomous Robots for Urban Deliveries
Coco Robotics unveiled Coco 2, its next‑generation autonomous delivery robot that moves beyond sidewalks into bike lanes and permitted roadways. The new platform halves delivery times and triples uptime, thanks to upgraded edge‑computing hardware and a dataset of millions of...
Army Orders $186 Million in Switchblade Kamikaze Drones, Tank Killers
The U.S. Army has placed a $186 million delivery order with AeroVironment for its Switchblade loitering‑munition family, covering the 600 Block 2 and 300 Block 2 variants. The Switchblade 600 Block 2, co‑developed with SOCOM, features AI‑driven target detection and can operate from sea‑based platforms....