Ford Blue Cruise Available in 17 Countries
Ford’s BlueCruise hands-freehighway driving technology is now available in 17 countries, including 15 in Europe, after receiving approval from the European Commission. BlueCruise now covers over 132,000 km of highways in Europe, known as Blue Zones. Initially launched in Britain, it is now also available in Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. With over 420,000 BlueCruise-equipped vehicles on the road globally, customers in the U.S. and Canada have driven more than 340 million hands-free kilometers.
ChinaIssued 16,000 AV Test Permits
Chinese authorities have so far issued 16,000 autonomous vehicle testing permits and opened 32,000 kilometers of public roads for autonomous vehicle testing. In November 2023, the Chinese Government introduced regulations to pilot market access for AV products that have passed technical tests and are ready for mass production. Once approved, these vehicles can be insured, registered, and used in pilot programs within designated areas. The relevant ministries have jointly issued a notice detailing management measures for road traffic safety and cybersecurity, promoting the application of “vehicle-road-cloud integration” systems.
Waymo’s 6th-Gen AD System
Waymo’s 6th-generation autonomous driving system has improved sensor technology and enhanced safety features. It costs less, and enables quicker deployment and better functionality in tough weather. This new hardware includes 13 cameras, 4 lidars, 6 radars, and external audio receivers, detecting objects up to 500 meters away under various conditions.
Tesla Robotaxi event scheduled on October 10
Tesla is set to unveil its highly anticipated Robotaxi at an event on October 10, 2024, at the Warner Bros. Discovery movie studio in Burbank, California. Tesla initially planned to reveal the purpose-built Robotaxi on August 8. The delay will allow the Tesla team to develop additional prototypes and refine the vehicle’s design.
Mercedes Gets Chinese L4 Test License
Mercedes-Benz has received a permit for L4 automated driving tests on specific urban roads and highways in Beijing. This is part of their broader technology research in developing autonomous driving software and hardware. Earlier, they were among the first to get L3 testing approval in Beijing by the end of 2023.
Nvidia, Zoox Celebrate 10-Year Partnership
In a recent fireside chat, Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang joined Zoox CEO Aicha Evans and cofounder and CTO Jesse Levinson to celebrate Zoox’s 10th anniversary. They discussed the progress and innovations in autonomous vehicle (AV) technology and took a ride in Zoox’s robotaxi, highlighting the decade-long collaboration between the two companies.
Karsan’s New Autonomous e-ATAK
Karsan has introduced their autonomous e-ATAK in Switzerland. It is an L4 driverless public transport vehicle, the country’s first autonomous bus. The e-ATAK will cover a 2.2-kilometer route in Arbon. With lidar sensors, advanced radar systems, RGB cameras, and thermal imaging, the e-ATAK is designed to perform complex tasks independently, delivering safe and reliable transport under various weather conditions. It can go up to 50 km/h while smoothly navigating intersections, traffic lights, and other complex urban scenarios.
Ontime Approved for Robotaxi Road Tests in Hengqin
Ontime, the GAC Group’s mobility service platform, has secured a permit for robotaxi road tests in Zhuhai city’s Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone. After meeting test targets and gaining necessary approvals, Ontime will start demonstration operations. Back in April 2023, Ontime earned the qualification for intelligent vehicle operations in Guangzhou’s Nansha District, deploying their own Robotaxi fleet and becoming the first domestic platform to do so.
Pony Gets AV Test License
Pony.ai has received a permit for AV testing in Shenzhen city. This permit allows Pony to conduct robotaxi road tests on expressways including the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Riverside Expressway, Nanping Expressway, and Shuiguan Expressway. Pony operates nearly 1,500 pickup and dropoff points in core regions such as Qianhai, Bao’an Central District, Houhai in Nanshan, and Shenzhen Bay. To date, Pony has gatherered over 35 million km of AV test experience, including more than 3.5 million km of driverless testing.
WeRide Can Carry CA Passengers Without Drivers
WeRide has received approval to test their driverless vehicles with passengers in California. The California Public Utilities Commission granted WeRide two crucial permits, including a pilot permit with drivers onboard and a driverless pilot permit. Both permits allow WeRide to test autonomous vehicles on public roads in California while carrying passengers. However, these permits do not yet allow WeRide to charge passengers, and the service is not open to the public.
Cruise Issues Recall for Automated Driving System
NHTSA has finalized their preliminary evaluation of Cruise’s automated driving system, and the result is a substantial safety recall. Initiated in December 2022, the investigation examined reports of excessive hard braking and vehicle immobilizations in Cruise ADS-equipped cars. After an in-depth review, Cruise implemented a recall to address software issues responsible for these safety problems.
