No Backspace in the Physical World – Building AI for 5,000-Lb Machines
FieldAI, led by former NASA and DARPA engineer Dr. Ali Agha, is developing a universal AI brain that can control a spectrum of heavy‑duty robots, from modern robot dogs to retrofitted excavators. The system emphasizes a 99.999% safety reliability target, using dual world‑ and dynamics‑models plus uncertainty quantification to avoid hazardous actions. Real‑world data from mines, construction sites, and other extreme environments continuously trains the models, allowing offline operation without constant internet connectivity. Agha argues that purpose‑built tools, not humanoid form factors, will deliver cost‑effective, high‑ROI automation for dangerous work sites.
60 Tesla Cybercabs in Outbound Lot – Will Tesla Make 1000+ Cybercabs in April or May?
Tesla is gearing up for mass production of its Cybercab autonomous vehicle, with 60 units already positioned in outbound lots in Texas. Analysts estimate that if the company can build an average of 40 Cybercabs per day, output could exceed...
Tesla CEO Elon Musk Says Next FSD Release Is the One We’ve Been Waiting For
Tesla CEO Elon Musk highlighted upcoming point releases for Full Self‑Driving (FSD) version 14.3, promising incremental polish to existing capabilities. He also announced version 15, which will run on a large AI model with roughly ten times more parameters than...
Open-Source 6-DoF Robot Accelerates Curved FFF
Researchers have released an open‑source six‑degree‑of‑freedom (6‑DoF) robotic system that integrates FFF 3D‑printing with advanced kinematics and a low‑cost control stack. The robot achieved a deposition speed of 128 mm/s—44% faster than a conventional three‑axis printer—while cutting idle travel by up...
Claw-Eval: Toward Trustworthy Evaluation of Autonomous Agents
The paper introduces Claw-Eval, an end‑to‑end suite that evaluates large language model agents by auditing every step of their execution rather than only the final output. It uses a three‑phase pipeline—Setup, Execution, Judge—and records actions through execution traces, server logs,...
Tesla Cybercab Production Ignites with 60 Units Spotted at Giga Texas
Tesla’s Cybercab entered the first phase of volume production at Giga Texas, with about 60 units spotted in the outbound lot on April 8. The vehicles still feature temporary steering wheels and white interiors, indicating they are undergoing validation rather than...
Does Tesla Really Have A Robotaxi? They Don't Make It Easy To Find Out
Tesla has quietly broadened the geographic footprint of its driver‑less ride‑hailing pilot, adding new zones around Austin, Texas. The rollout lacks a public booking interface, suggesting the service remains limited to select beta participants. While the expansion signals progress toward...
ZF's By-Wire Chassis Business Is Shaping How Steering, Braking, Damping and Vehicle Motion Are Coordinated Inside the Next Gen of...
ZF is shifting its by‑wire chassis business from a component supplier to a software‑defined architecture provider, using its cubiX control algorithm to coordinate steering, braking, damping and roll stability. The technology entered series production on the Lotus Eletre in 2023,...
Pony AI Launches Europe's First Commercial Robotaxi Service in Croatia
Chinese autonomous‑driving startup Pony AI has begun Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service in Zagreb, Croatia, partnering with Verne and Uber. The rides are available via the Verne app and will soon appear on Uber, covering a 90‑square‑kilometre zone that includes...
Royal Navy Tests Deep-Water Survey System in Denmark
The Royal Navy’s Hydrographic eXploitation Group completed the first sea trials of its autonomous ScanFish underwater surveying system, deploying the containerised remotely operated towed vehicle (ROTV) from the Danish research ship RV Aurora. The 800 kg vehicle, built by EIVA, can...
Onvo L90 to Adopt Nio's In-House Developed Shenji Smart Driving Chip, Report Says
Nio’s sub‑brand Onvo will launch the 2026 L90 electric SUV on April 21, featuring the company’s in‑house Shenji smart‑driving chip for the first time. The chip, fabricated on a 5 nm process, delivers up to 1,000 TOPS and is said to match the...
Elon Musk Reveals Unfortunate Truth of Tesla Full Self-Driving Development
Elon Musk highlighted Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving (FSD) system as a life‑saving technology, citing a projected 90% reduction in the roughly one million annual U.S. traffic fatalities – about 900,000 lives saved each year. He acknowledged that even with a ten‑fold safety...
Tesla FSD 14.3 Makes Improvements But Setting Up for Big Release
Tesla’s Full Self‑Driving software version 14.3 delivers noticeable refinements, including smoother highway following distances and quicker acceleration from stop signs. Drivers report the previous lane‑change hesitation has largely disappeared, while blinker activation now occurs later, improving comfort. Navigation remains imperfect,...
Ocado to Launch AI-Powered Ocado IQ Software at MODEX
Ocado Intelligent Automation will unveil Ocado IQ, a cloud‑based AI platform, at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta. The software orchestrates every pick, path and priority, supporting two concurrent pick modes—Sweep and TagTeam—across a warehouse. It powers the Chuck and Porter autonomous...
KNAPP to Show AeroBot, Discuss AI and Service Strategy at MODEX
KNAPP will showcase its AeroBot 3‑dimensional warehouse robot and the new KNAPP Brain artificial‑intelligence layer at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta. The AeroBot, which integrates with SAP, recently earned LogiMAT’s Best Product award and demonstrates vertical storage, retrieval and picking. KNAPP...
Tesla Full Self-Driving v14.3 Rolls Out: Here’s What’s New
Tesla has begun rolling out Full Self‑Driving version 14.3 to Early Access Program members, introducing a host of technical upgrades. A complete rewrite of the AI compiler using MLIR cuts reaction time by about 20 % and speeds model iteration. Reinforcement‑learning...
Waymo Launches Robotaxi Service in Nashville
Waymo has opened its self‑driving robotaxi service to the public in Nashville, Tennessee, covering roughly 60 square miles of the city. The launch makes Nashville the 11th U.S. metropolitan area where Waymo operates commercial robotaxis. Waymo says the rollout is...
Yokogawa and ANYbotics to Integrate Robotics Software with Inspection Robots
Yokogawa Electric and ANYbotics are integrating Yokogawa’s OpreX Robot Management Core software with ANYbotics’ four‑legged ANYmal inspection robots, including the explosion‑proof ANYmal X. The unified platform will allow autonomous inspections of hazardous zones in oil & gas, power and metals facilities,...
From DARPA RACER to the Battlefield
Overland AI, co‑founded by Greg Okopal, grew from a DARPA RACER project at the University of Washington to a $100 million‑funded defense tech company. The startup now supplies its flagship autonomous vehicle, the Ultra, to the U.S. 82nd Airborne for last‑mile...
Tennant Rolls Out X16 SWEEP for Round-the-Clock Autonomous Sweeping
Tennant announced the X16 SWEEP, its first autonomous floor‑sweeping robot from a major cleaning brand, targeting warehouses, logistics hubs and light‑manufacturing sites. Powered by Brain Corp’s BrainOS, the machine combines AI‑driven path planning, visual intelligence and a DustShield system that...
Investigating Platoon Formation and Retention Using Reduced-Scale Mobile Robots with Controllers Based on Established Car-Following Models
A July 2026 study published in Transportation Research Part C examined platoon formation and retention using reduced‑scale mobile robots (RSMRs) equipped with controllers derived from five classic car‑following models. The researchers implemented the Gazis‑Herman‑Rothery, Gipps, Intelligent Driver Model (IDM), PID,...
Investigating Platoon Formation and Retention Using Reduced-Scale Mobile Robots with Controllers Based on Established Car-Following Models
A team of researchers evaluated five classic car‑following models—GHR, Gipps, IDM, PID, and ACC—by implementing them as controllers on reduced‑scale mobile robots (RSMRs). The experiments covered steady‑flow, congested, and stop‑and‑go traffic scenarios, revealing that the IDM‑based controller delivered the optimal...
SurgΣ: Large-Scale Multimodal Data and Foundation Models for Surgery
SurgΣ is a joint effort by NUS, CUHK, SJTU and NVIDIA to build a massive, high‑quality surgical video repository and a suite of foundation models for surgical intelligence. The first release, SurgΣ‑DB, holds roughly 5.98 million multimodal conversations spanning 18 distinct...
France’s Efforts To Strengthen Its Drone Warfare Capabilities: Focus on the 2024-2030 Military Programming Law (MPL)
The French Parliament approved the 2024‑2030 Military Programming Law, committing €413 bn (≈ $445 bn) to defence over seven years, a record increase of €118 bn ($128 bn) versus the previous plan. The law earmarks €10 bn ($10.8 bn) for innovation and roughly €5 bn ($5.4 bn) specifically for...
Sorting Out Remote Operators & Remote Assistants
The piece argues that autonomous vehicle (AV) operations involve far more human roles than the traditional driver versus non‑driver dichotomy. Remote Assistants, Drivers, Operators, and Deciders each carry distinct safety responsibilities, contradicting industry claims that only the AI bears liability....
ClassNK Grants First Autonomous Ship Notation to Container Ship “Genbu”
ClassNK has awarded its AUTO-Nav2 (All) notation to the container ship Genbu, marking the world’s first certification of an autonomous navigation system for medium‑ to long‑distance routes. Built by Kyokuyo Shipyard and operated by Suzuyo Marine, Genbu is part of...
Telenet Delivers 5G Network Slice for Colruyt Trial of Unmanned Delivery Vehicle
Telenet Business is providing a dedicated 5G network slice to support Colruyt’s trial of an unmanned delivery vehicle in Leuven, Belgium. The pilot runs from mid‑May through August, with the vehicle transporting groceries from the supermarket chain to customers. Connectivity...
How Autonomous Technology Will Change Trucking Liability Law
The rise of autonomous trucking technology is reshaping liability law, moving responsibility from solely the driver to a broader set of parties including OEMs, software developers, and carriers. As Level 4 trucks automate driving functions, courts are likely to see more...
The Risks of Autonomous Vehicle Self-Certification in Freight
The article warns that allowing autonomous‑vehicle (AV) manufacturers to self‑certify their freight trucks could bypass critical safety oversight that human drivers currently undergo. It highlights the stark contrast between mandatory medical exams for Class 7/8 drivers and the proposed lack of...
Mobile AM Robots to Roam Factory Floors
Researchers introduced a closed‑loop control framework that enables mobile additive manufacturing robots to print while navigating dynamic factory floors. The system tightly couples real‑time motion planning, obstacle avoidance, and material deposition, allowing the robot to adjust its path without stopping....
What Makes an AI Agent “Autonomous”?
The article explains that an AI agent is considered autonomous when it can make decisions and act toward goals without continuous human supervision, not merely when it runs indefinitely. It highlights decision‑making loops, goal alignment, and the ability to handle...
How Will London’s Driver Market Respond to Autonomous Vehicles?
London is poised to become the next major robotaxi market as Waymo, Wayve and China’s Apollo Go plan trials this year, targeting over 146 million annual taxi and private‑hire trips. The UK’s Automated Vehicles Act 2024 fast‑tracks driverless licensing to spring 2026,...
A Simple Rule for Level 2++ Safety Accountability
The U.S. regulatory gap lets automakers market Level 2+ (or Level 2++) driver‑assistance systems without dedicated safety oversight, despite their robotaxi‑like capabilities. A proposed liability rule would presume any crash caused by non‑malicious driver inattention to be a product defect, shifting the...
AWG to Deploy Symbotic Automation in Louisiana Support Center
Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) has signed a strategic partnership with robotics firm Symbotic to install an AI‑enabled, high‑density automation system at its Gulf Coast Division Support Center in Pearl River, Louisiana. The 114,000‑square‑foot facility, which currently processes over 22 million dry‑grocery...
Vecna Robotics Integrates CaseFlow Voice with Robot-Assisted Picking
Vecna Robotics announced CaseFlow Voice, embedding Lucas Systems’ Jennifer voice platform into its CaseFlow case‑picking automation. The hands‑free solution promises up to a 2× boost in throughput and cuts training time by as much as 50%. Designed for high‑mix, high‑volume...
Tesla Optimus Gen 3 Is Coming to the Tesla Diner with New Ambitions
Tesla is reintroducing its Optimus robot to the Tesla Diner in Hollywood with the third‑generation (Gen 3) model. The new robot features 50 actuators and 22 degrees of freedom per hand, powered by Tesla’s AI5 chip and Grok‑enabled voice interaction. Musk...
Waymo Dallas Field Report
Waymo has identified two distinct depots in Dallas, one temporary hub in West Dallas with about 18 vehicles and portable charging, and a larger, permanent‑type site in East Dallas equipped with roughly 36 fast chargers. The depots sit on opposite...
Merlin Labs Sees Incremental Path to Pilot-Free Passenger Flights
Merlin Labs, fresh from a SPAC merger that raised over $200 million, is adapting its defense‑grade Merlin Pilot AI flight control system for civil aviation. The company is testing the system on a Cessna Grand Caravan 208B and aims first at...
Tesla Will Soon Unleash Scaled Robotaxi
Tesla announced that it will begin production of its Cybercab robotaxi within weeks, expanding supervised robotaxi deployments and hiring additional drivers and testers. The company aims to scale the service to serve the 100 million U.S. commuters who drive alone and...
SoftBank’s Physical AI Push Gives AI-RAN a Sharper Purpose
SoftBank is rebranding from a traditional carrier to an AI‑native infrastructure provider, centering its strategy on Physical AI that couples vision‑language models with robot actions. It proposes an AI‑RAN architecture where edge MEC handles perception and task planning, while the...
We're Talking About Remote Assistants
The Center for Auto Safety podcast argues that the AVSC’s definition of autonomous‑vehicle remote assistants (RAs) incorrectly claims they have no safety role, a premise the industry uses to downplay liability. In reality, RAs intervene in safety‑critical moments, making driving...
Tesla FSD Mocks BMW Human Driver: Saves Pedestrian From Near Miss
A Reddit video shows Tesla's Full Self‑Driving (FSD) software anticipating a pedestrian crossing before a distracted BMW driver reacts, ultimately stopping to avoid a near‑miss. The incident highlights FSD's ability to read subtle body cues and predict intent, a capability...
The War of Agents Architectures
In 2026 three competing architectures emerged, each promising trustworthy autonomous AI agents for enterprises. One began as a developer‑focused coding tool, another is backed by a major chipmaker, and the third grew from an open‑source project that unexpectedly became the...
Sophisticated Mystery Drones Disrupt Operations at U.S. Air Force Base in Louisiana
Earlier this month, sophisticated drone swarms of 12‑15 units each loitered over Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana for about four hours daily. The intrusion forced the Global Strike Command headquarters to suspend B‑52 bomber launches for Operation Epic Fury...
Tesla Robotaxi Gets a Small but Significant Change
Tesla has updated the Cybercab with a bold “ROBOTAXI” logo, swapping the previous minimalist typeface for a graffiti‑inspired script. The new visual treatment appears on the vehicle’s doors at an Austin autonomy showcase, signaling a shift toward a more street‑savvy...
We Rode With Uber’s AV Partners in Dallas, Took Several Waymo Rides and Uncovered Two Waymo Depots
Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk visited Dallas for Forward Fort Worth, riding Waymo robotaxis and Uber‑partner AVs Avride and May Mobility. They uncovered two Waymo depots—one temporary with portable chargers, another permanent with full charging infrastructure—highlighting Waymo’s scaling efforts. The...
Business Insider Video On Self-Driving Cars
Business Insider released a 40‑minute video that surveys the current state of autonomous vehicles, covering practical applications, recent progress, safety concerns, and the gap between hype and reality. The program emphasizes that fully self‑driving Level 5 cars remain elusive, despite advances...
Tesla Drives Drunk Owner While He Naps, Police Still Arrest Him on DUI
Police in Vacaville, California, arrested a man for DUI after he fell asleep behind the wheel of a Tesla Model Y that was operating on Full Self‑Driving. The vehicle safely navigated busy streets while a four‑pack of Sutter Home wine...
PLCnext ROS Bridge: Enabling Hardware Interoperability Between Industrial PLCs and ROS
The PLCnext ROS Bridge introduces a Docker‑based ROS node that directly links the PLCnext Global Data Space with ROS topics and services, enabling bidirectional data exchange between industrial PLCs and robotic software. It leverages an Interface Description File to auto‑generate...
CNES Publishes Call for Drone Swarm to Monitor Launch Operations
CNES has launched a call for proposals to create an autonomous drone swarm that will monitor perimeter security and support launch‑operation activities at the Guiana Space Centre. The initiative is funded under the Flexible, Digital and Sustainable (FDS) programme, a...