Former Velodyne CEO’s Deliverybot Startup Drops Lidar
lidar is fundamental in the autonomous vehicle and robotics sectors, but it is costly. So former Velodyne CTO and CEO Anand Gopalan’s new Vayu Robotics venture is avoiding lidar use—and marketing this no-lidar approach as an advantage. Launched in 2022 by Gopalan after Velodyne went public via SPAC, Vayu aims to lower costs and enhance scalability for delivery robots.
AutoX Unmanned Robotaxis allowed for passenger transport in Shanghai
At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference on 4 July, AutoX’s robotaxi was granted the first license in Shanghai to operate fully unmanned passenger transport. This follows their achievement of receiving the city’s initial driverless road test license in 2023. AutoX has obtained driverless permits in six regions—Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Silicon Valley, and Hangzhou—all adding up to a service area greater than 600 square kilometers globally.
Beijing City Mulls AV Ride-Hails
The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology recently sought public input on the draft Beijing Autonomous Driving Vehicle Regulations. This draft permits autonomous vehicles that comply with regulations to perform road tests and provide services such as bus transit, ride-hailing, car rentals, and cargo transport (excluding hazardous materials), alongside specialized jobs like sanitation and security patrols. It also encourages the growth of essential automotive component sectors, setting up quality inspection bodies for self-driving parts, and regulated access to and sharing of autonomous vehicle data. Furthermore, it focuses on fostering a collaborative data ecosystem within the self-driving vehicle industry.
Pony.ai Gets Permit for Shanghai Unmanned Robotaxi Service
Pony.ai has secured a permit enabling users of Pony’s app in the Pudong district of Shanghai to hail unmanned robotaxi services along a 205-kilometer path. The Shanghai permit follows previously-granted permits for unmanned operations in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen; now the company offers unmanned robotaxi service in China’s four largest megacities.
XPeng’s First EV Without Lidar Will Be Called the P7+
Following reports that XPeng’s upcoming battery electric vehicle would ditch lidar for cameras, the company has now confirmed the model’s official name, P7+, and released initial images.
Hesai, Zelos Partner for Logistics AVs
Hesaihas partnered with Zelos to accelerate the mass production of autonomous logistics vehicles, unveiling Zelos’ latest autonomous delivery vehicle, the Z5. It features Hesai’s high-performance AT128 long-range lidar, making Hesai the exclusive lidar supplier.
May Mobility, SouthWest Transit in US AV Microtransit Pact
May Mobility and SouthWest Transit have announced a partnership to introduce the first autonomous microtransit service in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Scheduled for a fall launch, the service aims to enhance public transport by integrating May Mobility’s AVs into SouthWest Transit’s ecosystem.
Semi-Autonomous Truck Pilot Launches in Germany
Iveco, DM-Drogerie Markt, DSV, and Plus have announced the start of their semi-automated truck pilot in Germany. This pilot will use an Iveco S-Way heavy-duty truck, equipped with PlusDrive® technology, to deliver goods from the DM distribution center in Waghäusel to the DSV center in Gernsheim.
Autonomous Mobile Robots from Continental, Amazon
Continental Mobile Robots, in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), has introduced advanced software solutions for Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR). This partnership emphasizes managing the hybrid deployment of Continental’s scalable AMR navigation software stack, applicable to various product lines, including Intralogistics and Agriculture. With AWS’ cloud proficiency, Continental has developed a robot autonomy software stack, partnering with the AWS Prototyping and Cloud Engineering team to expedite innovation and implement the initial version of this solution.
CalmCar Signs Agreement with Guangzhou Public Transportation Group
Intelligent driving provider CalmCar signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Guangzhou Public Transportation Group. The partnership aims to support the comprehensive development of public transport in planning, construction, operation, maintenance, and safety, fostering a more favorable environment for deep integration and sustainable development in the city. CalmCar has received strategic investments from industry leaders such as ZF, SAIC Motor, BAIC Group, China Unicom, and SureKam. Their core mass production customers include global automakers and suppliers like Hozon Auto, Zeekr, Dongfeng Motor, VinFast, ZF, Autoliv, and Aptiv.
Buick Century Gets OTA Update
SAIC-GM’s Buick brand announced the official rollout of the V3.3 OTA update for their Century minivan. When the LCC (Lane Centering Control) function is activated, the vehicle will automatically upgrade to NOP (navigation on pilot) upon entering general or urban expressways covered by HD maps. This system provides navigation assistance across a full-speed range of 0-130 km/h, offering refined and efficient automated car following and stop-and-go functionality in traffic congestion scenarios. NOP, available in 348 cities, supports flexible and efficient lane changing, smart avoidance of merging vehicles from ramps, adjacent large vehicles, and intelligent speed adjustment.
Beijing Autonomous-Drive Reg Comments Invited
The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology has solicited public feedback on the Beijing Autonomous Driving Vehicle Regulations. The draft supports autonomous vehicles that meet relevant regulations to carry out road tests, demonstration applications, demonstration operations, and road transport service pilots in a safe and gradual manner. So far, the demonstration zone has issued road test licenses to 31 companies, with autonomous driving test distance exceeding 28 million km. By the end of the year, the city expects to achieve full coverage of intelligent roadside infrastructure across 600 km2.
Honqi Robotaxi Gets Road Test License
FAW Group’s premium passenger car brand Hongqi received a permit for unmanned road testing for their L4 Robotaxi from the Beijing High-level Automated Driving Demonstration Area (BJHAD). The third-generation robotaxi has completed over 100,000 kilometers of autonomous road test within the BJHAD. The test routes cover more than 90 per cent of the designated area’s roads.
Neolix Gets Green Light from Lishui
Unmanned cargo delivery vehicle maker Neolix received the first Intelligent Connected Vehicle Demonstration Application Notice from the city of Lishui, marking the official launch of its unmanned delivery vehicles on public roads in the city. Each vehicle can handle over 1,000 package deliveries per day. Equipped with advanced BEV algorithms, the X3 uses 12 high-definition cameras and two lidar sensors, offering a 360-degree view with a 120-meter perception range.
AutoX Scores First Shanghai Unmanned Passenger Transport License
AutoX has received Shanghai’s first fully unmanned passenger transport permit, following the Shanghai’s initial fully driverless road test license in 2023. AutoX has already secured driverless permits in six major cities including Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Silicon Valley, and Hangzhou, covering a total area of over 600 square kilometers globally. In these cities, AutoX has deployed large-scale robotaxi operations and has begun commercial operations in Shanghai and Shenzhen.
WeRide Launches Smart Street-Cleanup Project
WeRide has announced the official launch of their intelligent municipal road sanitation project in Dongguan’s Binhaiwan New District. The project covers nine urban roads with complex conditions. The fleet of WeRide’s Robosweeper S1 and S6 vehicles will operate autonomously in key areas, including motorways, non-motorized vehicle lanes, sidewalks, safety islands, and bridge surfaces.
WeRide in Expressway Mobility Pilot
WeRide has received the official notification to commence a commercialization pilot for expressway mobility services within the Beijing Municipal High-Level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone (BJHAD). The public can now use the WeRide Go App to book rides from 242 pickup and dropoff points within the BJHAD and at Beijing Daxing International Airport.
Pony.ai Launches Paid AV Shuttle @ Beijing Daxing Airport
Pony.ai has launched their paid autonomous shuttle (robotaxi) service at Beijing Daxing International Airport, becoming one of the first companies in Beijing to obtain a commercial pilot license for expressways with a safety operator in the driver’s seat. Pony.ai’s Daxing Airport Robotaix service uses a fixed pricing mechanism similar to its urban services
AV Buses for Shenzhen
Shenzhen plans to deploy 20 autonomous buses by end of 2024. This initiative follows the selection of Shenzhen, along with 19 other cities, for a pilot program aimed at integrating intelligent vehicles with roadside perception and cloud-based control to enhance safety and efficiency. The autonomous minibuses, equipped with high-definition cameras and lidar sensors, will feature a safety supervisor on board to take control in emergencies. The fare will be C¥1 (14¢ USD) per ride.
NHTSA Greenlights Autonomous Airport Parking Shuttles
The US National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has approved the public use of autonomous shuttles in a large on-airport parking lot, to provide easier access between parked vehicles and AirTrain JFK stations. This is the Port Authority’s fourth pilot of self-driving technology at its major airports and the first to involve unionized contract staff as safety monitors.
