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.
NODA AI Raises $25M Series A for Defense AI
Defense AI startup NODA AI announced a $25 million Series A round, led by Bessemer Venture Partners and joined by Booz Allen Ventures, Draper Associates, Bloomberg Beta and Alumni Ventures. The Austin‑based company builds AI software that orchestrates mixed fleets of autonomous and manned platforms for the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.K. Ministry of Defence. By providing a vendor‑agnostic reasoning engine, NODA AI seeks to become the cognitive layer that coordinates decision‑making across air, land, sea, space and subsurface domains. The funding will accelerate integration of over 30 platform partners and expand its tactical libraries into broader defense and intelligence markets.
7 Haulage and Logistics Startups Reshaping Freight in 2026
Global logistics generated over $11 trillion in 2023 but remains largely manual, prompting a surge of tech‑driven startups. Seven firms—Aurora Innovation, Flexport, Gatik, Sennder, HydroHaul, Faramove, and project44—are scaling autonomous trucks, AI routing, hydrogen fuel, and real‑time visibility platforms. Collectively they...
World Models Enable AI to Simulate Reality for Safer Autonomy
World Models Explained - The Next Leap In AI Understanding 🧠 Most AI reacts to inputs, like a very talented autocomplete. A world model is different, it builds an internal simulation of reality so it can predict what happens next....
DJI’s Most Capable Drones Are Still Finding Their Way to US Third Party Retailers
DJI’s flagship drones remain unavailable through official U.S. channels after the FCC’s recent ban on new DJI products. Despite the restriction, a handful of third‑party retailers have begun importing these high‑performance models, creating a fragmented supply chain. The gray‑market influx...
E-Con Systems to Showcase Next-Gen Edge AI and Multi-Camera Vision Solutions at NVIDIA GTC 2026 and Embedded World 2026
e-con Systems will unveil its next‑generation edge AI and multi‑camera vision solutions at NVIDIA GTC 2026 in San Jose and Embedded World 2026 in Nuremberg. The company will demo Darsi Pro, a production‑ready platform built on NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX that handles eight HDR GMSL...
FEATURE*: Augustin Friedel on How OEMs Can Succeed in SDV/AV Transformation
Augustin Friedel, a software‑defined vehicle specialist at MHP, outlines how legacy OEMs can overcome cultural inertia and restructure around product‑based P&L ownership to accelerate SDV and autonomous‑vehicle development. He argues that consolidating hardware into versatile compute domains and leveraging software...
Tesla Cybercab Program Manager Exits Ahead of Launch
Victor Nechita, the vehicle program manager who shepherded Tesla's purpose‑built Cybercab from concept to the first production unit at Giga Texas, has left the company. His departure follows a wave of senior program‑manager exits that have hit the Model 3, Model Y,...
I Developed an App that Uses Drone Footage to Track Plastic Litter on Beaches
University of Limerick researchers have created a drone‑based system that uses computer‑vision AI to locate plastic litter on beaches and feeds the data into a free mobile app. The platform can identify objects as small as 1 cm from 30 m altitude...
Boca Bearings Has Expanded Its Automation Bearing Inventory, Adding New Options for Linear Motion, Industrial Automation, and Robotics Applications
Boca Bearings has broadened its automation bearing portfolio, adding linear bearings in chrome, ceramic‑hybrid and full‑ceramic ZrO₂, plus expanded cam yoke, cam follower, 9900, 7500 DLG and 7600 DLG series. The off‑the‑shelf inventory is designed for quick access and same‑day...
Changingtek Robotics Launches the World's First Adaptive "X2" Left-Right Dexterous Hand
Changingtek Robotics unveiled the X2, the world’s first adaptive left‑right dexterous hand, featuring a tendon‑driven system that can reconfigure between left and right orientations autonomously. The hand offers five independently controlled fingers, delivering up to 50 N grip force per hand...
Why Humanoid Robots May Be the Wrong Bet for Industrial Automation
Humanoid robots captivate investors but inherit the human body’s stability, agility and durability limits. Their ~200 degrees of freedom create mechanical complexity that reduces uptime compared with 6‑DoF industrial arms. Safety assessments under ISO 13849‑1 show that preventing falls requires high...
Textron System’ Damocles™ Loitering Munition Selected For U.S. Army Low Altitude Stalking & Strike Ordnance (LASSO) Contract
Textron Systems won a U.S. Army prototype contract to field its Damocles™ loitering munition under the Low Altitude Stalking & Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program. The system integrates a vertical take‑off and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft with a GEN2 Explosively Formed...
Irish Startup Manna Becomes the Engine for Uber’s European Aerial Ambitions
Uber Technologies has teamed up with Irish drone startup Manna to launch Europe’s first aerial food‑delivery pilot in Ireland, integrating Manna’s autonomous quadcopter system with the Uber Eats platform. The drones can transport up to 4 kg, travel 50 mph and deliver...
Korean Air and Skyports Sign MoU to Advance Air Mobility Tech Integration
Korean Air and Skyports Infrastructure have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a unified technology platform for eVTOL operations. The partnership will merge Skyports' Vertiport Automation System with Korean Air's Air Control & Routing Orchestrated Skyway System, creating an...
INTERTRAFFIC: Blickfeld to Demo Lidar Traffic Management Solutions
Munich‑based Blickfeld will showcase its 3D lidar sensors and traffic perception software at Intertraffic Amsterdam in March 2026. The technology creates detailed, privacy‑safe maps of vehicle positions, speeds and classifications, enabling operators to monitor flows and spot incidents such as...
SkyGrid, TAMU-CC to Research Cooperative Separation of AAM Traffic in FAA Programme
SkyGrid has been awarded Task Order One under the FAA’s Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies, partnering with Texas A&M‑Corpus Christi to evaluate cooperative separation for advanced air mobility. The multi‑year effort, running through February 2027, will develop and validate a...
Where to Buy Process Automation Services for Manufacturing
Manufacturers are accelerating digital transformation, but internal expertise often lags, driving demand for third‑party process automation services. The article highlights five leading providers—Malisko, Emerson, ABB Group, ATS Automation, and Yokogawa—each offering distinct strengths from IoT integration to turnkey solutions. These...
Fleet Space Delivers for Lundin Gold
Fleet Space Technologies supplied a satellite‑based IoT network to Lundin Gold’s Fruta del Norte mine in Ecuador, enabling the company to map previously undetectable, or “blind,” mineral systems. The real‑time data stream allowed more precise drilling, cutting exploration costs by...
1,020 Pyro Drones Just Rewrote Daytime Fireworks History
Last weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Pyrotecnico deployed 1,020 pyro‑drones to set a Guinness World Record for the Largest Daytime Fireworks Display. Each drone carried two smoke canisters, creating 2,024 vibrant plumes visible in broad daylight. The show combined...
Vertiq Expands DroneCAN & IQUART Capabilities in New Servo Firmware Release
Vertiq has launched servo firmware version 0.1.1, extending DroneCAN and IQUART functionality across its G2 and G1 servo modules. The update adds ArrayCommand support, ActuatorStatus telemetry, and dynamic node‑ID features while introducing unitless control types and linear displacement mapping for...
Predictive Maintenance Robotics: How AI and Automation Are Redefining Industrial Asset Reliability
Predictive maintenance robotics leverages AI and machine‑learning to shift industrial upkeep from fixed‑schedule preventive care to condition‑based, data‑driven actions. Continuous sensor streams—vibration, acoustic, thermal, electrical—are analyzed in real time to spot anomalies and forecast component failures. The approach integrates with...
Software Development AI Robotics: Engineering Intelligent Machines for the Real World
Software development is now the backbone of AI robotics, enabling machines to perceive, decide, and act in real‑world environments. Frameworks such as the Robot Operating System (ROS) and edge‑AI hardware like Nvidia Jetson streamline sensor fusion, simulation, and real‑time control....
Aerobits Launches TR-10 Transponder Pre-Sale & Enhances Drone Visibility for Controlled Airspace
Aerobits has opened a pre‑sale for its TR‑10 transponder, a 10‑W low‑power Mode A/C/S unit with optional ADS‑B extended squitter designed for small drones operating in Transponder Mandatory Zones. The 75‑gram, 53.5 × 43.5 × 18 mm device delivers +40 dBm output, a dynamic range of...
Nio Chip Subsidiary Secures CN¥2.26bn Investment
Nio’s intelligent‑driving chip subsidiary, GeniTech (Shenji), has signed definitive agreements to secure a CN¥2.26 billion investment from a consortium of Chinese investors. The investors will purchase newly issued shares, giving them a collective 27.3% stake while Nio retains a 62.7% controlling...
Greensea IQ Launches Submerged Command & Control Interface for Marine Robotics
Greensea IQ has released the Bayonet Underwater Controller, a production‑grade, diver‑focused interface for commanding unmanned marine systems. The rugged unit operates to 40 m depth, offers six hours of battery life, and features 30 programmable buttons plus dual joysticks. Built on...
Tesla's Minor Update Signals Imminent Autonomous Driving
AI is speeding up. My eight year old Tesla, which I am being driven in now, just got a big update that they say in notes is a “minor” update. At this pace we will have self driving with no attention needed...
Encord Secures $60M Series C to Power Physical AI
Congrats to @encord_team on their $60M Series C! Encord is building the AI-native data layer powering physical AI, helping 300+ teams manage and align massive volumes of multimodal data as robots and autonomous systems move into real-world deployment. https://t.co/qfx0F6vHQh
Swisslog to Debut AgileStore Pallet Shuttle Storage System
Swisslog announced AgileStore, a four‑way roaming pallet shuttle, to debut at MODEX 2026. The system moves forward, backward, laterally and vertically, allowing cross‑aisle travel and level changes without extra lifts. AgileStore’s modular design promises higher density storage, dynamic routing and...
Einride Secures $113M PIPE Ahead of IPO Debut
NEW: Self-driving truck startup Einride raises $113M PIPE ahead of public debut The fun thing about having covered so much of the tech landscape is jumping in on story coverage outside your beat for your colleagues when they're OOO https://t.co/YpkUAlfdhU via...
Bringing OpenClaw to Life with Terminator Vibes
I'm giving @openclaw a physical presence (is this how Skynet really begins?) cue terminator music etc... (cc @steipete) https://t.co/IuMaw4HEJ0
Codelco Using Kinamics Robot to Survey New Mining Fronts at El Teniente
Codelco has launched the Kinamics Arkytas MU-2.1 robot at its El Teniente mine to map newly blasted tunnel fronts. The remote‑controlled unit creates 3‑D photogrammetric models from 22 photos, allowing engineers to assess terrain without entering hazardous zones. Beyond imaging,...
Researchers Expose Critical Security Vulnerability in Autonomous Drones
UC Irvine computer scientists have uncovered a critical flaw in camera‑based autonomous target‑tracking drones, dubbed the FlyTrap attack. By attaching a specially designed visual pattern to an ordinary umbrella, attackers can trick drones into believing the target is receding, causing...
Hyundai Taps Idemia for In-Vehicle Connectivity Platform
Hyundai Motor Group has partnered with Idemia Secure Transactions to embed eSIM‑based connectivity across its Hyundai, Kia and Genesis vehicles. The IST Connectivity Manager, hosted on Microsoft Azure and GSMA‑certified, enables remote carrier switching and over‑the‑air updates. Deployment begins in...
Mantis Robotics Achieves Safety Certification for Fenceless, High-Speed Industrial Robot
Mantis Robotics announced that its MR-1 robot arm is the first high‑speed, fenceless industrial robot to earn ISO 10218‑1 and ISO 13849‑1 safety certification. The MR‑1 combines proprietary physical AI with 47 embedded safety functions, all rated PL‑d, allowing it...
Ingenuity Mars Helicopter: “Unexpected Application”
NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter dramatically outperformed its original proof‑of‑concept flight test, proving autonomous aerial flight on Mars. Beyond its record‑setting flights, engineers have repurposed one of Ingenuity’s navigation processors to feed real‑time location data to the Perseverance rover at Jezero Crater....
Self-Driving Shuttles to Be Tested at Newark Liberty This Spring
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will conduct spring‑2026 trials of electric autonomous shuttles at Newark Liberty International Airport, partnering with Oceaneering, Ohmio and Glydways. The two‑week, non‑public tests simulate a high‑capacity shuttle network that could connect existing...
P3 to Develop Middleware Solution that Standardizes Mapping Data
P3 Digital Services announced a development program to build middleware that sits between Android Automotive OS and a vehicle’s advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). The platform will translate high‑definition map data from Android into a standardized ADASIS‑based protocol, enabling direct...
Why 2026 Must Be Agriculture’s Physical AI Tipping Point
Physical AI proved its viability on farms in 2025, prompting industry leaders to view autonomous tractors as the next consumer‑electronics breakthrough. The article argues that 2026 is the decisive year to move from prototypes to large‑scale deployment, driven by rising...
Translating Music Into Light and Motion with Robots
University of Waterloo researchers unveiled a swarm of soccer‑ball‑sized robots that paint with coloured light trails in response to musical cues such as tempo and chord progressions. The system captures the robots' movements on a floor‑mounted camera, creating a visual...
Numina Group Launches Batchbot 2.0 with Upgraded Software
Numina Group unveiled Batchbot 2.0, a modular warehouse automation platform that fuses its Real‑time Distribution Software (RDS‑WES) with KUKA’s fifth‑generation AI‑infused autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and a voice‑guided picking suite. The system claims to eliminate more than 20 minutes of...
Uber Aggregates Robotaxis, Offering a Leveraged AV Bet
Uber isn’t building robotaxis. It’s aggregating them. That changes everything. $UBRL may be a leveraged bet on the entire AV ecosystem. Read why: https://t.co/uYTNGDwJMe @willrhind @graniteshares
Flexxbotics Updates Beckhoff ADS TwinCAT Connector Driver in Open-Source GitHub Project
Flexxbotics has released an updated Beckhoff ADS TwinCAT connector driver in its open‑source GitHub repository, expanding compatibility to both TwinCAT 2 and TwinCAT 3 environments. The driver introduces multi‑threaded data pipelines, secure bi‑directional read/write, and a many‑to‑many interoperability model that eliminates point‑to‑point...
Alfred Lin Joins Rowspace CEO After Sequoia‑Led $50M Funding
Alfred Lin is coming on the show today with Rowspace CEO Michael Manapat. Sequoia led Rowspace's $50M debut round. https://t.co/SkBI6J8BJB @Alfred_Lin @mlmanapat
Joby and Uber Air Show How Passengers Will Be Able to Book an eVTOL Ride Using the Uber App
Joby Aviation announced that riders can book its all‑electric eVTOL air taxis directly through the Uber app under the “Uber Air powered by Joby” brand. The service will appear as an option when a trip qualifies, linking Uber Black pickup...
Helm.ai Driver Achieves Vision-Only Urban Autonomy, Unlocking Scalability From Level 2+ Through Level 4
Helm.ai unveiled a production‑ready, vision‑only software stack that can power advanced Level 2+ driver assistance today and scale to Level 3 and Level 4 urban autonomy without HD maps or lidar. The system relies on the company’s Factored Embodied AI architecture, separating perception...
SYOS Aerospace Develops Frontline-Proven Multi-Domain Autonomy Solutions
SYOS Aerospace announced that frontline feedback is accelerating upgrades to its uncrewed maritime, ground and aerial platforms, enabling rapid development cycles. The firm has produced over 140 uncrewed surface vessels in the past year and is expanding production for NATO...
Progressive Robotics Launches AnyStack: A Turnkey Solution for Mixed Palletizing in Modern Logistics
Progressive Robotics unveiled AnyStack, a turnkey robotic palletizing system that combines an industrial arm, AI‑driven vision, and intelligent stacking software into a single, ready‑to‑deploy cell. The solution dynamically identifies cases, calculates optimal stacking sequences, and builds stable mixed‑SKU pallets even...
SiMa.ai and STIGA S.p.A. Partner for AI-Powered Autonomous Robotic Lawn Mowers
STIGA S.p.A. has partnered with SiMa Technologies to embed SiMa.ai’s low‑power Physical AI ML‑SoC into its next‑generation robotic lawn mowers for both consumer and commercial use. The integration enables ultra‑low‑latency, edge‑based decision‑making while reducing power draw, resulting in lighter, more...
Autonomous Robot Runs Quantum-Inspired Optimization in Real Time
Japanese tech giant Toshiba and MIRISE Technologies have embedded their Simulated Bifurcation Machine, a quantum‑inspired optimization engine, into an autonomous mobile robot. The on‑board FPGA runs a new multi‑object tracking algorithm at 23 frames per second, delivering up to 23%...
Tesla Seeks Approval to Test FSD Supervised in New Swedish City
Tesla has submitted an application to the Jönköping municipality to conduct Full Self-Driving (Supervised) trials. The company already operates similar pilots in several Swedish towns and on the national road network. The proposed tests will involve a limited fleet of...