Waymo has become the first autonomous vehicle operator to secure a permit to test self-driving cars on the streets of New York City, the state’s department of transportation said in announcing the news. The New York City Department of Motor Vehicles approved Waymo’s application, allowing the company to conduct limited testing of its autonomous vehicles […]
Tesla Takes So Long to Report Crash Data, Even Trump’s Regulators Are Taking Notice
It turns out it’s actually possible for a corporation to drag its feet for so long that even the Trump administration takes issue with it. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that it will investigate Tesla’s habit of taking months to submit accident reports that involve the company’s driver-assistance technology, according to a report […]
Tesla Ordered to Pay More Than $200 Million Over Fatal Autopilot Crash
A jury in Florida found Tesla partially liable for a fatal 2019 crash involving one of the company’s vehicles operating in Autopilot mode. The jury awarded a combined $243 million in punitive and compensatory damages to Tesla, according to The New York Times. The incident in question occurred in Key Largo, Florida, in 2019. George […]
China’s BYD Takes the Lead Over Tesla in the Self-Driving Car Wars
As the auto industry races toward autonomy, most companies are rolling out driver-assist features with one hand while handing out waivers, disclaimers, and legal fine print with the other. Not BYD. The Chinese EV giant just made an unprecedented move: it’s offering a public, financial guarantee for its autonomous parking system. If the system malfunctions, […]
Decoding Tesla’s New “Fully Autonomous” Car Video—and What It Isn’t Telling You
Elon Musk’s Tesla has dropped a 30-minute video designed to electrify fans and stir debate. Posted on June 28, the clip shows what Musk claims is a historic milestone: the first Tesla Model Y to drive itself from factory to customer home, without a person inside, and without remote operation. “The first fully autonomous delivery […]
Tesla’s Viral ‘Autonomous’ Car Delivery Video Is Splitting the Internet
Elon Musk loves a show. Tesla’s marketing machine thrives on spectacle, and on June 27, the company delivered another bold display: a 30-minute video purporting to show the first-ever fully autonomous delivery of a Tesla vehicle, no driver, no remote control. “The first fully autonomous delivery of a Tesla Model Y from factory to a […]
Elon Musk’s Trillion-Dollar Robotaxi Gamble Is Here
The wait is finally over. After years of promises from its eccentric CEO, Tesla debuted its highly anticipated robotaxi service on June 22 in Austin, Texas, a launch that is central to the company’s entire future. This isn’t just about a new feature; it’s the cornerstone of Elon Musk’s narrative that Tesla is not merely […]
With Roadblock After Roadblock, Is Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Doomed to Fail?
Tesla doesn’t have a strong history of releasing things on time or with promised functionality. After the latest in a series of setbacks, it seems like the EV giant’s long-awaited robotaxi service will continue that trend. While Tesla insiders now report the program will launch on June 12 in Austin, Texas, it’s still unclear what […]
China Bans ‘Autonomous Driving’ Claims From Car Marketing Following Crash
China has banned automakers in the country from marketing their vehicles with grandiose terms such as “smart driving” or “autonomous driving” following a fatal crash involving a Xiaomi SU7. The car was in driver assistance mode as the vehicle approached a construction zone, but the driver took control only just before the car hit a […]