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.
Bot Auto, Ryan Transportation Partner on Driverless Freight Between Houston and Dallas
Bot Auto announced a strategic partnership with Ryan Transportation to launch driverless freight operations on a 200‑mile overnight corridor between Houston and Dallas, slated to begin this spring. The route, traditionally hard to service due to tight delivery windows and driver‑hours constraints, will leverage Bot Auto’s autonomous trucks that operate without fatigue. This collaboration builds on Bot Auto’s earlier pilots, including a hub‑to‑hub run in Houston and a partnership with Steves & Sons. The venture also follows a recent insurance arrangement with Marsh, securing comprehensive coverage for the autonomous fleet.
Hyundai Motor Group Lines up Multi-Billion Investment in South Korea
Hyundai Motor Group announced a Won10tn ($6.97bn) five‑year investment in the Saemangeum reclaimed area of Jeollabuk‑do. The plan focuses on building an AI data centre, large‑scale water electrolysis for hydrogen, and a robot manufacturing hub, complemented by solar generation to...
ITS America Partners with SwRI to Lead 2026 Future Leaders Program
ITS America’s annual Conference & Expo in Detroit has appointed Southwest Research Institute as the sponsor of its 2026 Future Leaders Program. The four‑day event, June 9‑12, offers students and early‑career professionals a discounted $50 registration that includes full access...
TKMS, IAI Deliver BlueWhale Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle to German Navy
German Navy received the BlueWhale large autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) from a joint venture between ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) at Eckernförde base. The BlueWhale combines autonomous navigation, advanced towed sonar, and data‑fusion capabilities to conduct...
UK Self-Driving Startup Wayve Closes US$1.5bn Funding Round
Wayve announced a $1.5 billion Series D funding round that lifts its valuation to $8.6 billion, bringing total capital raised to $2.5 billion. The round is led by Eclipse Ventures, Balderton Capital and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and includes first‑time OEM investors Mercedes‑Benz, Stellantis and...
Turkish Navy Commissions Havelsan’s Sancar Armed USV
On 24 February 2026 the Turkish Navy commissioned Havelsan’s SANCAR armed unmanned surface vehicle (USV) at a ceremony in Ankara and Aksaz Naval Base attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and senior ministers. The platform, developed with YONCA TEKNİK, leverages the...
10 Years of Autonomous Ups and Downs on a 16,000 Hectares Australian Farm
Beefwood Farms in New South Wales has spent a decade refining autonomous spot‑spraying on its 16,000‑hectare operation. After testing SwarmFarm’s early SwarmBot, the farm settled on an AgXeed 5.115T2 AgBot pulling a 24‑metre boom, while a later SwarmBot‑BOSS combo now...
LG Debuts Next-Gen Telematics at MWC 2026
LG Electronics will unveil a next‑generation telematics module at MWC Barcelona 2026, merging a telematics control unit with a multi‑band antenna that handles 5G, GPS, V2X and satellite signals. The integrated design cuts signal loss, simplifies wiring and removes the...
Pony.ai Hits Shenzhen Record as CNY Robotaxi Demand Surges
Pony.ai recorded a historic surge in paid robotaxi orders in Shenzhen during the 2026 Chinese New Year holiday, averaging 26 orders per vehicle each day. Year‑to‑date orders in Shenzhen already eclipsed the total volume of 2025, driven by fleet expansion...
Is Wireless EV Charging (Finally) About to Take Off?
Wireless EV charging is experiencing a resurgence as automakers and infrastructure firms accelerate pilots and standard‑setting efforts. Recent deployments in Europe and China demonstrate viable power levels up to 11 kW, while new SAE and IEC standards aim to harmonize safety...
Arka Express Deploys Trucker Path to Cut Routing Hazards
Illinois carrier Arka Express cut low‑clearance incidents by half after rolling out Trucker Path for Fleets on its 800‑vehicle fleet. The safety platform, installed on Android tablets, syncs with the company’s Samsara ELDs and 10 Speed TMS to provide truck‑specific...
Micro-Magic Launches U5000 Tactical MEMS IMU
Micro‑Magic has introduced the U5000, a tactical‑grade MEMS inertial measurement unit positioned to match the performance of Sensonor’s STIM320 series. The device delivers gyroscope bias stability of ≤0.1°/h, angle random walk of ≤0.1°/√h, and accelerometer bias under 30 µg, while operating...
ALTUS LSA Develops UAV Platforms for Collaborative Disaster Response Projects
ALTUS LSA, a UAV developer, is joining two Horizon Europe initiatives—FORESIGHT and PANTHEON—to create advanced drone platforms for disaster response. FORESIGHT focuses on heavy‑lift multicopter UAVs capable of carrying 40‑100 kg payloads, equipped with LiDAR and laser beacons for navigation in...
X-BAT Drone ‘Fighter’ Will Begin VTOL Flight Testing In Kansas This Year
Shield AI announced that its X‑BAT vertical‑take‑off‑and‑landing combat drone will begin flight testing near Newton, Kansas, later this year. The company highlighted VTOL capability as the program’s core differentiator during the AFA Warfare Symposium. X‑BAT is designed to combine stealth,...
Wayve Raises $1.5B, Pivots to Universal AI Licensing
Another major milestone in @wayve_ai's history. Proud to say we’ve secured $1.5 billion Series D investment at $8.6 billion valuation. We started a decade ago with a contrarian technical thesis: that self-driving is an AI problem, and Embodied AI will enable...
Legacy Friction: Modern AI Meets Outdated Iron Infrastructure
The Legacy Friction: Integrating Intelligence into Iron - the structural, technical, and cultural resistance that occurs when you try to integrate 21st-century autonomous intelligence into 20th-century physical iron. https://t.co/6dgJ5aZe4w
Innoviz Technologies Ltd (INVZ) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Innoviz Technologies reported record first‑half 2025 revenue of $27.1 million, a 46% YoY increase, and reduced Q2 cash burn to $7.3 million while holding $79.4 million in cash. The company reaffirmed its full‑year revenue target of $50‑$60 million and raised its NRE booking outlook...
Tesla Launches Legal War over ‘Cybercab’ Name Against Seltzer Company
Tesla has filed a 167‑page, five‑count opposition at the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board to block French beverage wholesaler UNIBEV’s “Cybercab” trademark. The filing alleges fraud, bad‑faith intent, likelihood of confusion, dilution, and false association with Tesla’s existing CYBER‑...
Rise of the Rice Robots—Creating Active Smart Materials
Researchers at the University of Birmingham discovered that packed rice grains weaken when compressed rapidly—a phenomenon called rate softening. By combining rice‑based granular units with sand, they engineered a speed‑sensitive metamaterial that stiffens or bends depending on loading speed, all...
DJI Appeal Sets Stage for Legal Showdown over Future of US Ag Spray Drone Market
Chinese drone leader DJI has filed a Ninth Circuit appeal against the FCC's December 22 ruling that places all new foreign‑made drones and critical components on a covered list, effectively halting FCC authorization for future imports. The decision has already...
Report: Warehouse Automation Order Intake up by 7%
A new Interact Analysis report shows warehouse‑automation order intake rose 7 % in 2025 despite a weak macro environment, driven largely by inflated project values from rising steel and labor costs and large‑scale investments by retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Tesco....
Samson Sky and AIR Tashkent Partner to Bring Switchblade Flying Car to Uzbekistan
U.S. firm Samson Sky and Uzbekistan’s AIR Tashkent have signed an MOU to introduce the Switchblade Flying Car to the Uzbek market. The agreement envisions sales of at least 300 units, representing more than $60 million in revenue, with a bulk...
Deterministic ROS Executor with Zero‑Copy IPC Released
Looking for a fully deterministic #ROS executor and true zero copy message passing / IPC to boost your system performance? Our colleagues at @AutowareFdn have rolled out Agnocast and Callback Isolated Executor (CIE) as drop-in replacements to RCLCpp / and...
MicroVision Buys Assets of Troubled Lidar Maker Luminar for $33M
MicroVision, a solid‑state lidar specialist, won the Section 363 bankruptcy auction for Luminar Technologies, paying $33 million for select assets. The deal brings Luminar’s Iris and Halo long‑range lidar inventory and engineering talent in Japan, Sweden and Florida under MicroVision’s control. CEO...
Okibo Announces General Availability of Robotic BLASTER Technology for Construction Industry
Okibo has launched the general availability of its BLASTER gun, a dual‑nozzle airless spray system designed for the EG7 and EG7+ autonomous construction robots. The technology can coat a four‑foot board width and up to 24 feet in height in just...
SALAAM.earth to Launch AAM Test Site in Saudi Arabia in Q1 2026
SALAAM.earth announced the launch of its first advanced air mobility (AAM) test site in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with operations slated for Q1 2026. The sandbox will serve as a controlled environment to validate aircraft, vertiports, digital air‑traffic‑management and secure communications. FlyNow...
Unlock the ROI of Mobile Robots: Roboteon Launches New Complimentary Robotics Investment Impact Analysis
Roboteon has introduced a free Robotics Investment Impact Analysis that leverages its vendor‑independent simulation platform to model warehouse automation scenarios. The service promises detailed insights into robot‑human staffing, cost per pick, throughput, and ROI within a 2‑3 week timeframe. It...
Vector’s Longbow Drone Clears Key Pentagon Certifications
Vector announced that its Longbow VTOL drone platform has cleared both the Department of Defense’s Blue UAS and the AUVSI‑run Green UAS certification programs. The dual clearance confirms the system meets stringent cybersecurity, supply‑chain and foreign‑component standards required for government...
The Age of Physical AI: Inside Oshkosh’s Blueprint for an Autonomous Future
Oshkosh Corp., led by EVP Jay Iyengar, is championing a "moments of autonomy" strategy that embeds physical AI into high‑value, repetitive or hazardous tasks rather than pursuing full automation. The company is rolling out autonomous jet‑bridge docking systems that align...
The Age of Physical AI: Inside Oshkosh’s Blueprint for an Autonomous Future
Oshkosh is championing a hybrid autonomy model that delivers physical AI where it adds the most immediate value, such as automating repetitive, hazardous tasks. The company has deployed AI‑driven solutions ranging from airport jet‑bridge alignment to on‑demand trash‑collection robots and...
Caterpillar Invests in Serbian LFP Battery Maker
Caterpillar announced a strategic investment in a Serbian lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) battery manufacturer, earmarking a multi‑million‑dollar stake to bolster its energy storage capabilities. The move secures a domestic source of LFP cells for Caterpillar’s heavy‑equipment line, reducing reliance on Chinese suppliers....
DeltaQuad – Design / Creative Engineer
DeltaQuad, a pioneer in long‑range electric VTOL drones, is hiring a Design / Creative Engineer for its Resilience Department. The role focuses on designing, prototyping, and validating mechanical components that improve UAV reliability and field reparability, using advanced materials and...
Teledyne FLIR OEM Launches Lepton XDS at Mobile World Congress; A Compact Thermal‑Visible Camera Module Featuring Patented MSX Technology
Teledyne FLIR OEM unveiled the Lepton XDS at Mobile World Congress, a compact dual‑thermal‑and‑visible camera module that pairs a 160 × 120 radiometric Lepton 3.5 sensor with a five‑megapixel visible imager. The device embeds FLIR’s patented MSX technology, which overlays visible‑image edges onto thermal...
NASA-Sponsored Working Group to Address Key Barriers to Routine Autonomous Drone Fleets
NASA has convened the Routine Autonomous Multi‑Aircraft Operations (RAM‑AO) Working Group to tackle technical and regulatory obstacles preventing large‑scale autonomous drone fleets from sharing U.S. airspace. Led by Aptima under a NASA contract, the group will meet March 3‑5 at...
Torc Robotics and Daimler Truck Expand Autonomous Truck Testing to Michigan Public Roads
Torc Robotics announced that its autonomous trucks will now be tested on public roads in Michigan, using the latest‑generation Daimler Truck Freightliner Cascadia chassis. The expansion builds on existing test sites in Dallas‑Fort Worth and Blacksburg and moves development from the...
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Stäubli Robotics unveiled the next‑generation Sterimove at INTERPHEX 2026, positioning it as the world’s first mobile robot certified for Grade A, B, C and D cleanroom environments. The platform combines sealed, cleanroom‑compatible construction with advanced collision‑avoidance sensing, dual emergency stops...
Innoviz Technologies Releases Expanded White Paper on the Rise of Physical AI and the Emergence of World Models
Innoviz Technologies released Part I of an expanded white paper titled “Innoviz and the Rise of Physical AI: Bringing World Models to Life.” The document argues that AI is transitioning from software‑only models to Physical AI, where high‑fidelity, real‑time 3‑D perception...
How Flo Mobility’s AI Stack & Robots Are Disrupting The Construction Sector
Flo Mobility has introduced AI‑driven autonomous mobile robots that transport construction materials without manual labor, promising up to 45% faster delivery and 50% cost reductions. The Bengaluru startup raised a $2.5 million pre‑Series A round, bringing its total funding to roughly ₹23 crore,...
Wayve Hires VPs, Stresses Platform over Models
Big appointments for Wayve: Welcome Girish Venkataramani (VP AI Platform) and Brandon Basso (VP AI Simulation, Data, Eval & Validation). Scaling embodied AI isn’t just about better models. It’s about platform, data and evaluation that earns trust.
OPINION: How V2X Communication Supports Autonomous Vehicle Development
The article argues that Vehicle‑to‑Everything (V2X) communication, especially Vehicle Ad‑hoc Networks (VANET), can fill critical gaps in autonomous‑vehicle (AV) sensor performance, particularly in adverse weather and low‑visibility conditions. It outlines three physical‑layer candidates—Dedicated Short‑Range Communications (DSRC), Wi‑Fi‑based devices for pedestrians...
DHL Express and LODD Autonomous Partner to Develop Hili-Based UAV Cargo Services
DHL Express and LODD Autonomous have signed an MoU to explore integrating LODD’s Hili unmanned aircraft into DHL’s express network. The Hili UAV can lift up to 250 kg, carry two Euro pallets, and fly 700 km with VTOL capability. Both parties...
Certis Partners to Deploy Autonomous Security Robots
Certis Group has signed a strategic partnership with FieldAI to roll out autonomous security robots across multi‑site operations worldwide. The collaboration blends FieldAI’s Field Foundation Models—general‑purpose AI that navigates without pre‑mapped routes—with Certis’ Mozart orchestration platform that synchronises robots, human...
One Hull for Today’s Crews and Tomorrow’s Unmanned Missions: Cross Water Positions Modular Aluminium RIB as a Transition Platform
Cross Water Production introduces a modular aluminium RIB that combines a long‑life hull with interchangeable deck modules, enabling current crewed missions and a stepwise path to unmanned capability. The hull is built for 25‑plus years of service with 1.5× buoyancy,...
Leonardo UK “Optimistic” On Further Proteus Funding, Confirms International Interest
Leonardo UK announced optimism about securing additional funding for its Proteus autonomous‑system demonstrator ahead of the UK Defence Investment Plan. The programme, backed by a £60 million MoD contract awarded in 2022, completed its maiden flight in January 2026, proving key...
Smart Water Systems in Automated Manufacturing
Industrial water treatment is shifting from manual oversight to a continuously monitored, data‑driven asset within automated factories. Sensors on reverse‑osmosis units feed pressure, conductivity and flow data into PLCs and SCADA systems, allowing real‑time alignment of water quality with production...
Finnish Defence Forces to Procure Parrot ANAFI UKR Micro-UAV Systems to Strengthen ISR Capabilities
The Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command announced a €15 million purchase of Parrot ANAFI UKR micro‑UAV systems, with deliveries slated for early 2026. The contract builds on years of Finnish experience with Parrot’s ANAFI Thermal SE and ANAFI USA platforms, extending the force’s ISR...
Four Years That Changed Drones Forever
Four years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, drones have shifted from hobbyist tools to core combat assets. Ukrainian forces rapidly adapted FPV drones for reconnaissance, targeting and defense, compressing development cycles that normally take years into weeks. The conflict spurred...
Stability over Speed: Pioneer – a Different Approach to Uncrewed Surface Vessels
ACUA Ocean’s Pioneer is a 14.2‑metre SWATH‑based uncrewed surface vessel that prioritises stability and endurance over speed. Certified by Lloyd’s Register within 16 months, it can operate in sea state 5, carry up to 7 tonnes of payload through a central moonpool,...
Bringing Aramine AutoNav Tele Loader to Life at Reward Gold Mine
RCT has installed Epiroc’s AutoNav Tele on an Aramine L350D loader at the Reward Gold mine in New South Wales, enabling remote operation in narrow‑vein underground conditions. The loader arrived from France and required a custom‑built mini AutoNav hut due...
Automation Disappoints for Whitehaven
Whitehaven Coal partnered with Caterpillar to install autonomous haulage system (AHS) trucks at its Daunia underground mine, expecting a significant boost in productivity. The AHS rollout delivered lower than projected tonnage and frequent downtime, undermining the anticipated efficiency gains. These...