The Road to Autonomy

The Road to Autonomy

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Independent publication focused on autonomous mobility industry dynamics and strategy.

Europe’s First Robotaxi Launches on Uber as NYC Stalls Waymo
NewsApr 11, 2026

Europe’s First Robotaxi Launches on Uber as NYC Stalls Waymo

Uber and Volkswagen’s MOIA have begun on‑road validation for the ID, paving the way for Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service launched on Uber’s platform. In the United States, Waymo rolled out fully driverless rides in Nashville, covering a 60‑square‑mile area...

By The Road to Autonomy
Self-Driving Cars on the Moon Before New York City?
NewsApr 9, 2026

Self-Driving Cars on the Moon Before New York City?

NASA’s Artemis II mission logged 252,756 miles, eclipsing Apollo 13 by more than 4,000 miles, but AUTNMY AI’s OMEGA algorithm classifies it as a human‑supervised automation event rather than fully autonomous. The upcoming Artemis III in 2028 will feature self‑driving lunar terrain vehicles, likely...

By The Road to Autonomy
From DARPA RACER to the Battlefield
NewsApr 7, 2026

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...

By The Road to Autonomy
Waymo Dallas Field Report
NewsMar 30, 2026

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...

By The Road to Autonomy
We Rode With Uber’s AV Partners in Dallas, Took Several Waymo Rides and Uncovered Two Waymo Depots
NewsMar 28, 2026

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...

By The Road to Autonomy
Tesla Optimus Delayed as China Holds the Magnets
NewsMar 26, 2026

Tesla Optimus Delayed as China Holds the Magnets

Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot is encountering production delays after China reclassified its actuator components as dual‑use technology, requiring export licenses and giving priority to domestic suppliers. The reclassification jeopardizes Tesla's access to rare‑earth magnets, which China supplies 90% of, and...

By The Road to Autonomy
From Segment Anything (Virtual AI) to Autonomous Trucks (Physical AI)
NewsMar 24, 2026

From Segment Anything (Virtual AI) to Autonomous Trucks (Physical AI)

Bot Auto’s VP of Engineering and AI, Tete Xiao—co‑author of the seminal Segment Anything paper—explains how the company is shifting from virtual AI models to physical AI for autonomous trucking. By leveraging foundation models that generalize across data, Bot Auto...

By The Road to Autonomy
Is NVIDIA Full Stack or Full Hype in Uber’s Robotaxi Narrative?
NewsMar 21, 2026

Is NVIDIA Full Stack or Full Hype in Uber’s Robotaxi Narrative?

Nvidia clarified at GTC that it will not build self‑driving cars but will supply the compute, simulation and operating system needed for a full‑stack autonomous vehicle solution. Uber announced a $1.25 billion partnership with Rivian, front‑loading $300 million and tying the rest...

By The Road to Autonomy
Accelerating Physical AI Adoption in Agriculture
NewsMar 17, 2026

Accelerating Physical AI Adoption in Agriculture

Physical AI remains underutilized in agriculture, with less than 2% of specialty crops automated. Reservoir, led by Danny Bernstein, has built a 40‑acre farm and 6,000‑sq‑ft prototyping studio to give startups immediate field access, eliminating the typical six‑to‑nine‑month capital‑to‑field gap....

By The Road to Autonomy
Merging LiDAR Performance with Radar Robustness
NewsMar 10, 2026

Merging LiDAR Performance with Radar Robustness

Teradar emerged from stealth with a $150 million Series B round to launch a new class of terahertz sensors that blend LiDAR‑level resolution with radar‑grade all‑weather and Doppler performance. The solid‑state, modular design can be mounted behind vehicle bumpers, eliminating moving parts...

By The Road to Autonomy
Merging LiDAR Performance with Radar Robustness
NewsMar 10, 2026

Merging LiDAR Performance with Radar Robustness

Teradar has emerged from stealth with a $150 million funding round to launch a new class of terahertz (THz) sensors that combine LiDAR‑level resolution with radar‑grade all‑weather reliability. The company’s modular, solid‑state architecture uses Lego‑like transmitter and receiver chips, allowing the...

By The Road to Autonomy
Waymo Hits the Highway and Should Build Its Own Pit Crew
NewsMar 7, 2026

Waymo Hits the Highway and Should Build Its Own Pit Crew

Waymo recently completed a highway run from San Francisco International Airport to Mountain View, showcasing smooth three‑lane navigation and strict speed‑limit compliance, even sounding its horn when cut off. The company is simultaneously scaling its Miami Beach operations, relying on third‑party...

By The Road to Autonomy
No Lidar, No HD Maps, Six Cameras, One Chip, Autobrains
NewsMar 3, 2026

No Lidar, No HD Maps, Six Cameras, One Chip, Autobrains

Autobrains announced a strategic partnership with VinFast to develop an affordable autonomous robo‑car using a vision‑only system. The platform relies on six cameras, a single edge‑compute chip, and an agentic AI architecture that scales via modular skills. It replaces traditional...

By The Road to Autonomy
The Age of Physical AI: Inside Oshkosh’s Blueprint for an Autonomous Future
NewsFeb 24, 2026

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...

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The Road to Autonomy | Pulse