Autonomous Driving

Today's Stories

1. 1

   Decart launches tool that simulates hours of photorealistic roads for self-driving car training

   AI research company Decart released Oasis 3 on June 10, a 'world model' (software that generates realistic video environments so AI can practice driving without leaving a computer). Instead of logging thousands of real road miles, autonomous vehicle developers can now run their AI through simulated highways, weather, and traffic that look and behave like the real thing. The tool is available via API (a plug-in connection that lets developers add it to their own software) starting now.

   Faster, cheaper self-driving car testing means the technology could reach public roads sooner — and with fewer real-world trial-and-error accidents along the way.

2. 2

   Waabi's CEO says Gen Z workers outperform seasoned engineers when it comes to building AI-powered trucks

   Raquel Urtasun, co-founder and CEO of Waabi — a startup building autonomous (self-driving) freight trucks valued at over $1 billion — told Fortune on June 13 that she deliberately hires younger workers with no trucking industry experience. Her reasoning: industry veterans often resist changing how they work, while Gen Z employees adopt AI tools without hesitation. 'Fear can paralyze your ability to embrace that change,' she said.

   If more logistics companies follow this hiring philosophy, the trucking and freight industry could shift toward AI-first operations faster than older workers might expect, reshaping which skills are in demand.

3. 3

   Tesla's FSD self-driving feature gets the green light in Denmark

   Tesla's FSD (Full Self-Driving — software that lets the car steer, brake, and change lanes on its own with the driver still present) was approved for use in Denmark, as reported on June 10. Elon Musk also confirmed Tesla is designing a new generation of AI chips (the specialized processors that power self-driving decisions) intended for both its cars and its Optimus humanoid robots.

   Tesla owners in Denmark can now activate FSD, and the new chip development signals that Tesla's self-driving and robotics ambitions are being built on the same technical foundation.

4. 4

   Qualcomm expands its AI chip business into self-driving cars and humanoid robots

   Qualcomm, best known for making the processors inside smartphones, announced on June 11 that it is extending its AI hardware ecosystem to cover autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots. The company is positioning its chips as a shared platform — the same core technology that runs AI on your phone could power a delivery robot or a self-driving car.

   If Qualcomm succeeds, the AI brains in future self-driving cars and robots could come from the same company that already powers billions of smartphones — making the technology more standardized and potentially cheaper.

5. 5

   Stratechery analyst Ben Thompson examines how AI is reshaping autonomous vehicles as part of a broader e-commerce shift

   Ben Thompson's Stratechery newsletter published an interview on June 18 with Michael Morton exploring how AI is disrupting both e-commerce and autonomous vehicles simultaneously. The conversation touched on how traditional distribution models (the way goods and services reach customers) are being challenged by AI-driven alternatives, with autonomous vehicles cited as a key piece of the future delivery puzzle.

   The analysis suggests that within a few years, how products get to your door — and who or what drives that delivery — could look very different from today.