Autonomous Driving

Today's Stories

1. 1

   NVIDIA releases new AI platform for humanoid robots and self-driving cars

   NVIDIA announced Isaac GR00T, a reference platform for building next-generation humanoid robots, along with Cosmos 3, a world model for training AI systems. The company also introduced Alpamayo 2 Super, an enhanced AI brain for autonomous vehicles. These tools target healthcare automation, manufacturing, and self-driving car development.

   Factories and warehouses could soon use more capable humanoid robots for tasks like package sorting, while self-driving cars may become more reliable at handling complex traffic situations.

2. 2

   Waymo launches new Chinese-made robotaxis called Ojai in California and Arizona

   Waymo's pale-blue Ojai vehicles began picking up public passengers on May 28, 2026, expanding the company's robotaxi service. However, new research shows that Waymo's autonomous vehicles drive empty for almost half of their total miles, raising questions about their efficiency compared to regular ride-sharing services.

   People in select California and Arizona cities can now book rides in these new self-driving cars, though the service may not reduce traffic congestion as much as originally promised.

3. 3

   Researchers develop 7MB self-driving AI that runs on smartphones

   An open-source autonomous driving system was created that weighs only 7 megabytes and can run on phones and small devices. The AI learns navigation, lane following, and crash recovery directly from visual input without requiring massive server infrastructure. The system demonstrates Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities (fully self-driving in specific conditions).

   Small companies and researchers could now experiment with self-driving technology using just a smartphone, potentially accelerating innovation in autonomous vehicles beyond just tech giants.

4. 4

   Anthropic hires key chip engineer from OpenAI as AI companies prepare for stock market debuts

   Clive Chan, the second hardware employee in OpenAI's custom chip program, joined Anthropic (maker of Claude AI assistant). Chan previously worked on Tesla's Autopilot computer chips and OpenAI's partnership with Broadcom. Both companies are reportedly preparing for initial public offerings (IPOs).

   AI companies are competing heavily for specialized talent to build their own computer chips, which could lead to faster and more efficient AI assistants in the future.

5. 5

   Study questions whether self-driving cars will reduce traffic as promised

   Research from Ars Technica found that Waymo's robotaxis spend nearly half their driving time empty, either heading to pick up passengers or returning to base. This challenges assumptions that autonomous vehicles would automatically reduce traffic congestion compared to traditional ride-hailing services like Uber.

   Self-driving cars may not solve traffic problems in cities as much as advocates predicted, meaning commuters shouldn't expect significantly shorter travel times from this technology alone.