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.
XPONENTIAL 2026 in Detroit Showcases an Industry Ready to Scale
XPONENTIAL 2026, held May 11‑14 in Detroit, is the world’s largest showcase for uncrewed systems, robotics, and autonomy across air, ground and maritime sectors. The event emphasizes production‑ready technology, with exhibitors demonstrating integrated platforms, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable deployment at scale. Detroit’s historic manufacturing ecosystem provides the ideal backdrop for testing credibility and aligning buyers, OEMs, and regulators. Attendees can evaluate solutions, network, and accelerate real‑world adoption through live demonstrations and curated pavilions.
SteerAI Launches xRift Autonomous & Versatile Flat-Deck Platform for Rugged Terrain
SteerAI unveiled xRift, an autonomous flat‑deck all‑terrain vehicle at Abu Dhabi's Unmanned Systems Exhibition. The platform replaces a traditional cab with a modular deck, supporting up to 500 kg of payloads ranging from ISR kits to weapon systems. Powered by the...
Titan Dynamics Joins Department of War’s Drone Dominance Gauntlet I
Titan Dynamics Inc. has been named one of the top 25 firms to compete in Gauntlet I of the U.S. Department of War’s Drone Dominance Program, the first live‑testing phase for small unmanned aerial systems. The initiative evaluates performance, production readiness,...
DHL Supply Chain Completes 1B Picks with Locus Robotics
Logistics giant DHL Supply Chain announced it has completed one billion picks using Locus Robotics’ autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) across more than 40 global sites. The deployment, which began in 2017, has delivered 30%‑180% higher pick rates and an 80%...
Chinese Ship Completes First Autonomous Docking and Cargo Handling
Four years after launching the world’s first autonomous electric feeder, China’s 300‑TEU vessel Zhi Fei completed its first fully autonomous docking at Qingdao Port, completing the maneuver in just 30 seconds. The ship, capable of crew‑managed, remote‑controlled or unmanned navigation, operates...
Ottonomy Unveils Platform Connecting Robots, Drones and Smart Infrastructure on NVIDIA
Ottonomy unveiled Ottumn.AI, a cloud‑based platform that orchestrates autonomous robots, drones, and smart infrastructure across healthcare, manufacturing, and commerce. The solution runs on NVIDIA AI hardware, leveraging Jetson edge devices, Isaac Sim digital twins, and cloud GPUs for sub‑30 ms decision...
Why Connecting AI Everywhere Fails, Embrace Autonomous Agents
Built an MCP server recently? Did developers actually use it, or is it collecting dust? 😵 I'll be speaking at @theleaddev London (June 1-2) about why "connecting AI to everything" doesn't work and what actually does when building tools that...
Picogrid and Guardian RF Partner to Deliver Drone Defense for Space Launch Operations at Vandenberg Space Force Base
Picogrid and Guardian RF have secured a joint contract to protect Vandenberg Space Force Base from unauthorized drone activity. The deal integrates Guardian RF’s low‑SWaP Scout passive RF sensors with Picogrid’s Expeditionary Command and Control Nodes, creating a unified, real‑time...
Pursuing Universal Embodied AI for Global Vehicle Autonomy
Here's the recording from my lecture where I posed the question I started working on a decade ago at @Cambridge_Uni: "how to build Embodied AI that can drive any vehicle, anywhere in the world." https://t.co/kYuUhiCs0n
Alphabet Sits At Center Of AI And Robotaxi Shifts
Alphabet has reached an agreement to embed its Gemini AI model in Apple’s upcoming Siri, creating a new licensing revenue stream. Simultaneously, Waymo clarified that its robotaxis are never remotely driven, with remote staff providing only high‑level guidance to address...
Robodock: Autonomous Depots For Robotaxis
Robodock, a startup founded by two Stanford graduates, is automating robotaxi depot operations with mobile charging robots and AI‑driven visual inspections. The system docks with vehicles to manage power transfer and scans exteriors for damage, aiming to cut manual labor...
MIT Breakthrough Lets Rescue Robots Map Spaces Instantly
This is where AI + IoT + #robotics become mission-critical. Robots that understand their environment don’t just move faster, they save lives. MIT just unveiled a breakthrough that lets search-and-rescue robots rapidly map large, unpredictable spaces in real time. @MITAeroAstro @MITEngineering #MWC26...
Waymo Reaches 200 Million Miles
Waymo announced it has accumulated 200 million miles of fully autonomous driving on public roads. The milestone comes as the company prepares to launch additional robotaxi fleets in about a dozen cities, including Boston, Sacramento, and London, later this year....
Uber Autonomous Solutions Turns AV Innovation Into Real-World Operations
Uber Technologies unveiled Uber Autonomous Solutions, a turnkey suite that equips partners with data, mapping, regulatory access, financing and operational tools to commercialize autonomous vehicles worldwide. The offering bundles a high‑resolution multisensor data fleet, dynamic geospatial APIs, an AV‑first in‑car...
INTERVIEW: Motive’s Nyanya Joof on Driver Monitoring and Safety
Motive introduced the AI Dashcam Plus, an edge‑AI device powered by Qualcomm’s Dragonwing QCS6490 processor that runs over 30 neural models simultaneously. The dashcam fuses stereo vision, audio, telematics, GPS and motion sensors to deliver real‑time risk detection with reduced latency and...
Imerys Halts British Lithium as Woodsmith Boosted by Anglo and Mitsubishi
French mining group Imerys announced that its British Lithium (IBL) project will be placed into “care and maintenance,” effectively pausing development. The decision comes as the UK seeks to build a domestic battery supply chain, and the move signals a...
What Capabilities Are Being Tested Under AUKUS Pillar II?
Under AUKUS Pillar II, Australia, the UK and the US are testing next‑generation autonomous and uncrewed maritime capabilities. The latest Maritime Big Play exercise in Australia featured live‑fire trials of C2 Robotics’ Speartooth large uncrewed underwater vehicle and involved around 30 emerging systems....
Creating the 'Ecosystem of Worker and Machine' With 5G
The mining sector is moving toward fully autonomous operations, with 5G networks emerging as the backbone for real‑time worker‑machine collaboration. Newmont’s Cadia mine has deployed teleremote dozers that are controlled over a private 5G slice, delivering sub‑10 ms latency. Early performance...
BMT Opens Advanced Maritime Simulation Centre
British engineering firm BMT has opened the Digital Innovation & Simulation Centre (DISC) in Fareham, consolidating its maritime simulation, digital twin, and autonomy capabilities. The centre features the DNV‑accredited REMBRANDT navigation simulator, two 360‑degree pod simulators, a Remote Operations Centre,...
Neolix Sets Robovan Test Miles Record
Neolix announced its autonomous robovan fleet has exceeded 100 million kilometres of real‑world driving, becoming the first company in the segment to reach this milestone. The record validates its self‑driving technology at massive scale and demonstrates reliability across diverse environments. The...
Collins and GA-ASI Advance CCA with Sidekick Flight Demonstration
Collins Aerospace successfully demonstrated its Sidekick mission‑autonomy software on a General Atomics YFQ‑42A uncrewed jet, completing a four‑hour autonomous flight controlled from the ground. The test, part of the U.S. Air Force Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, proved seamless integration...
GA-ASI and USAF Demonstrate Manned-Unmanned Teaming With F-22 and MQ-20 In Joint Autonomy Exercise
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and the U.S. Air Force completed a joint autonomy exercise at Edwards AFB, pairing an F‑22 Raptor with the MQ‑20 Avenger unmanned jet. The test used government‑reference autonomy software and a tactical data link to let...
The First Cars Bold Enough to Drive Themselves
The quest for driverless cars began over a century ago, when Leonardo Torres Quevedo’s 1904 Telekino remotely steered a three‑wheeled vehicle. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s American inventors demonstrated radio‑controlled cars, and General Motors showcased infrastructure‑based autonomy at the 1939 World’s...
Eurogate and Embotech Launch Second Autonomous Terminal Tractor Pilot in Hamburg
Eurogate and Embotech have launched a second autonomous terminal tractor pilot at the Hamburg marine terminal, moving containers between the railway and quay. The six‑month trial shifts focus from technical feasibility, proven in Wilhelmshaven, to operational performance metrics such as...
Qualcomm–Tata Tie-Up for Automotive Module Manufacturing
Qualcomm Technologies and Tata Electronics have signed a partnership to produce Qualcomm Automotive Modules at Tata's new semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) facility in Assam, India. The $3 bn greenfield plant will integrate Snapdragon Digital Chassis system‑on‑chips into ready‑to‑deploy automotive modules...
Umovity Strengthens Software and ITS Management Teams
Umovity has bolstered its leadership roster with three senior appointments, adding Hans M. Molin as CTO of the ITS division, Hilary Aylesworth as chief product and technology officer for the software arm, and Matthew May as senior vice president of...
LYNEports and AeroVecto Partner to Develop Vertiport and AAM Infrastructure in Oman
LYNEports and AeroVecto Aviation Services have signed a commercial agreement to embed LYNEports' AI‑native digital twin vertiport planning platform within AVAS's Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) solutions for Oman. The deal will localize the platform for Omani regulators, developers, airports and...
An MQ-20 Drone Just Teamed up with an F-22 for Mock Combat Missions
General Atomics demonstrated its MQ-20 drone operating under direct orders from an F‑22 pilot at Edwards Air Force Base, using Autonodyne’s Bashi pilot‑vehicle interface. The test showed the drone executing tactical maneuvers, waypoint changes, combat patrols and threat‑engagement tasks autonomously....
Stride Dynamics – Flight Test Engineer
Stride Dynamics, an early‑stage robotics startup in Rajkot, India, is hiring a Flight Test Engineer to build, configure, and rigorously test UAV systems. The role spans bench, simulation, and field testing, data analysis, and client demonstrations, requiring hands‑on experience with...
Review: Robotic Weed Control in Rice Shifts Toward AI, Sensor Fusion and Amphibious Platforms
A new review of 191 papers highlights that robotic weed control in rice is moving toward AI‑driven sensor fusion and amphibious platforms. Paddy fields pose extreme challenges—water, mud, glare and plant similarity degrade detection and mobility. Researchers argue that edge...
RemotiveLabs Joins HERE and AWS SDV Accelerator Programme
RemotiveLabs has joined the HERE Technologies and AWS SDV Accelerator as an integration partner, focusing on virtual ECU, infotainment, simulator, and location service integration in cloud‑native workflows. Its RemotiveTopology platform orchestrates virtual ECU networks across cockpit, ADAS, body, and central...
IM Motors Expands to UAE and Tunisia with Momenta ADAS
IM Motors has introduced its IM5 and IM6 electric sedans in the United Arab Emirates and Tunisia, marking the brand’s first expansion into the MENA region. Both models come equipped with an advanced driver assistance system co‑developed with Momenta, built...
AMD VEK385 Versal AI Edge Gen 2 FPGA Evaluation Kit Plugs Directly Into a PCIe Gen5/Gen4 Slot
AMD unveiled the VEK385 evaluation kit built around the Versal AI Edge Gen 2 XC2VE3858 SoC FPGA. The board combines eight Cortex‑A78AE cores, ten Cortex‑R52 cores, a Mali‑G78AE GPU, 144 AI Engine‑ML v2 tiles delivering up to 184 INT8 TOPS, and 20 GB...
Ascend Engineering Strengthens PX4 Ecosystem Through Upstream Contributions & Flight Testing
Ascend Engineering has delivered a suite of upstream contributions to the PX4 open‑source drone ecosystem, including a new UAVCAN hardpoint command node, a major QGroundControl joystick refactor, and drivers for the Lightware GRF‑500 rangefinder. The company also fixed a critical...
Cellula Robotics Joins Canadian Technology Accelerator for UK Maritime Defense & Security
Cellula Robotics has been chosen for the Canadian Technology Accelerators Maritime Defence and Security program in the United Kingdom. The initiative, led by the Canadian High Commission and BMNT, connects Canadian ocean‑technology firms with UK defence and industry stakeholders. In...
Robotaxis Are Coming to London. The Citys Famed Black Cab Drivers Are Skeptical
London will launch a national robotaxi pilot this spring, featuring British startup Wayve, US‑based Waymo and China’s Baidu. The trials aim to test autonomous vehicles on the city’s congested, historic streets and support the UK’s push to become a leader...
CaoCao Robotaxi Fleet Reaches 100 Vehicles
Chinese mobility firm CaoCao Inc. announced that its robotaxi fleet in Hangzhou’s Binjiang District has reached 100 vehicles, supported by its Green Intelligent Mobility Hub. The company is moving from safety‑driver‑assisted rides to fully driverless operations while trialing mixed fleets,...
Faraday Future Founder and Co-CEO YT Jia Shares Weekly Investor Update: For EAI Robotics, FF Will Officially Begin Its First...
Faraday Future’s founder and co‑CEO YT Jia announced that the company will begin its first batch of EAI robotics deliveries next week, marking the start of revenue‑generating robot sales. The update also highlighted new sales and collaboration MOUs for the...
Autonomous Trucks Won’t Go Mainstream Until 2035‑40
The folks that believe autonomous trucks will suddenly just show up are the same people that believe that the Tesla Semi is going to be ubiquitous choice among fleets. The way consumers buy cars, is not the way that fleets...
TechCrunch Mobility: Waymo Makes Its Defense
Waymo defended its remote‑assistance model after Senate Commerce Committee questioning, clarifying that 70 agents in the U.S. and Philippines support, but do not drive, its 3,000‑vehicle fleet. The company highlighted that Event Response Teams handle complex incidents from U.S. locations...
Zero‑Human Companies Are Already Being Built
I'm watching Anthropic and OpenAI and others ship agents that can operate businesses Meanwhile, DAOs are figuring out governance without humans in the loop And crypto rails are enabling 24/7 automated settlement The pieces are connecting Zero-human companies aren't science fiction They're under construction right...
Robots Achieve Zero Downtime Through Autonomous Swapping
Running 24/7 without any human babysitters has been really hard We want robots operating at all times - even at 2am, on weekends, or on Christmas Day The robots run until their battery is low. When one heads to dock for recharging,...
Waymo’s Shocking Data & Uber’s Infrastructure Pivot
Waymo disclosed that only 70 remote assistance agents support its fleet of 3,000 autonomous vehicles, highlighting a striking efficiency ratio. Uber surprised investors by allocating $100 million to build and own fast‑charging EV stations, a move that clashes with its long‑promised...
Automation Won’t Replace Truck Drivers Anytime Soon
This isn’t true. While there will be a lot of automation, we won’t see the elimination of truck drivers in 4 years. Perhaps we will see some local deliveries using robotics, but we are a long way off from point...
Self‑Driving Cars Set to Aid Millions of Seniors
The future of autonomous driving will benefit tens of millions of U.S. aging adults https://t.co/ZJvNFviErg
Waymo’s Shocking Data & Uber’s Infrastructure Pivot
Waymo is operating roughly 3,000 autonomous vehicles with only 70 remote‑assistance agents, a ratio that analysts tout as evidence of a technology lead. About half of those agents are outsourced to the Philippines, raising political and operational concerns. Uber announced...
Smartness Means Anticipating the Future, Says Nvidia CEO
Nvidia CEO defines what it means to be smart and importance of seeing around corners https://t.co/isVrlJtjUp
Impressive Ride With Tesla FSD in Seville’s Narrow Old Town.
A LinkedIn video shows a Tesla equipped with Full Self‑Driving navigating Seville’s narrow old‑town streets without any safety‑driver assistance. The car performs two reverse maneuvers to negotiate a tight corner while pedestrians and bollards line the path. The footage highlights...
Visual Drone Detection Moves Into Critical Infrastructure Playbooks
Unauthorized drone activity around critical infrastructure is surging, prompting agencies like CISA to issue updated guidance for operators. Incidents have risen dramatically—over 217% across facilities and up to 300% at European airports—driving demand for specialized visual detection systems. The global...
Tekniker Unveils Robotic Metrology System Combining Collaborative Robots and Digital Measurement at BIEMH 2026
Tekniker showcased a new robotic metrology system at BIEMH 2026, merging a Kuka 7‑axis collaborative arm with Zeiss’s DuraMax measuring head and Schunk handling tools. The integrated solution automatically identifies, picks, positions, measures and classifies parts of identical geometry, delivering in‑process...