20 June: WeRide will operate autonomous minibuses (Robobus), Robotaxis, and autonomous sweepers (Robosweepers) for pilot applications or commercial operation in the Nanshan District in China. In December 2022, WeRide became the first company permitted to conduct passenger-carrying demonstration operations in Shenzhen using its mass-produced Robobus. the world’s first mass-produced L4 autonomous driving minibus designed specifically for urban open roads. It primarily focuses on microcirculation public transportation in cities, with a maximum speed of up to 40km/h.
15 June: F Services UK launched their next-generation autonomous L4 shuttle at the MOVE 23 event in London. This pioneering shuttle incorporates ZF’s most advanced AD hardware and software, andboasts a flexible interior for customizable configurations, fulfilling various operational requirements and accommodating up to 22 passengers.
12 June: Milla Group, a French startup, is starting the industrialization of their autonomous shuttles, with a production volume expected to grow up to 1,000 vehicles per year in 2030. The vehicles are permanently connected to a supervisor, and can communicate with infrastructure such as traffic lights. Milla has several projects and partners: Carrefour for food delivery, Vinci for autonomous shuttles operating from the train station of Massy/Paris, and the city of La Rochelle, to operate autonomous shuttles in the countryside.
9 June: Mercedes-Benz secured the first-ever certification from California authorities for an L3 AD system system in a standard-production vehicle. With this, the Drive Pilot system will be available in the 2024 Mercedes-Benz S-Class and EQS Sedan models as an optional feature. Initial deliveries of equipped vehicles equipped will commence in late 2023.
14 June: Buick’s 2024 Envision will have GM’s acclaimed Super Cruise system. It’s the first Buick model to be equipped with Super Cruise, a system compatible with over 400,000 miles of roads across the U.S. and Canada. Buick’s trajectory has made it the fastest-growing mainstream brand in the U.S., with a stunning 76.4-per-cent growth recorded up to May 2023.
9 June: AVATR, the EV brand jointly owned by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, is launching their advanced ADAS premium package which includes city navigation and control assistance (City NCA) and automated valet parking (AVP), providing a smart driving experience for highway, urban, and parking scenarios. Users can choose between a monthly subscription for C¥640 (USD $89), an annual subscription for C¥6,400 (USD $890), and a lifetime subscription for C¥32,000 (USD $4,435). AVP perception software is based on 34 sensors. City NCA will be available in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, and Chongqing.
12 June: Nissan recently demonstrated ongoing developments in ADAS tech based on lidar, unveiling a new feature for intersection collision avoidance. The event took place at a Nissan facility. This latest development is part of Nissan Ambition 2030, the company’s long-term vision, according to Takao Asami, Senior Vice President and head of Nissan’s Research and Advanced Engineering Division. The company is poised to develop next-generation lidar technology for collision avoidance by the mid-2020s.
26 May: A huge data dump based on a whistleblower’s leak of internal Tesla documents shows that problems with Tesla’s automated driving technology may be far more common than media reports and regulators have let on, according to the Handelsblatt. The files contain more than 2,400 complaints about sudden acceleration, and more than 1,500 complaints about braking problems, including unintentional emergency braking and phantom stops, when the car suddenly brakes for no apparent reason. Find further DVN coverage here.
16 June: TuSimple, an autonomous driving solution provider, announced that it has achieved a significant milestone by successfully conducting China’s first fully-unmanned testing of autonomous heavy-duty trucks on public roads, over 62 km of public roads. TuSimple’s fully unmanned testing project in China has been underway for over two years, focusing on the development of an autonomous driving system that meets the requirements of SAE L4 autonomy.
8 June: TuSimple announced their entry into the Japanese market, commencing autonomous driving tests on the Tomei Expressway. The testing route connects the three major metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, making it one of Japan’s crucial logistics transportation corridors. As reported by Japanese media, the government plans to establish dedicated autonomous driving lanes on sections of the Shin-Tomei Expressway as early as 2024, with commercial operation of L4 fully autonomous heavy-duty trucks starting in 2026.
