Autonomous Driving

Today's Stories

1. 1

   South Korean startup Mobilint pushes NPUs for robots, drones, autonomous vehicles

   Mobilint, a South Korean AI semiconductor startup, is building neural processing units (NPUs)—specialized chips for edge devices—to power physical AI applications like robots, autonomous vehicles, and drones, as AI work shifts from cloud computing to on-device processing. Physical AI (AI embedded in machines that interact with the physical world) represents a new frontier beyond cloud-based language models; edge processing means faster response times and lower latency, which are critical for real-time autonomous systems. For businesses deploying robots or autonomous vehicles, this shift may reduce their dependence on cloud infrastructure and improve performance.

   Mobilint CEO Shin Dong-joo is urging South Korea to accelerate development in this area, suggesting the company sees government support as key to competing in the emerging physical AI chip market.

2. 2

   Waymo's new robotaxi stuck in free-ride limbo by California regulator delay

   Waymo's application to the California Public Utilities Commission to expand its service area and add its new Ojai vehicles to its fleet remains pending. The company cannot yet charge passengers for rides in the Ojai, a pale blue Chinese-made car that started picking up riders last month, while it continues to charge for rides in its Jaguar I-PACE robotaxis. Unlike other states that allow robotaxis to launch with minimal oversight, California requires approval from both the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Public Utilities Commission before companies can carry paying passengers. This regulatory requirement is delaying Waymo's expansion into Northern California (from Sea Ranch and Sacramento through Berkeley, Oakland, and San Jose) and Southern California (from Los Angeles into Thousand Oaks, Santa Clarita, and down to the Tijuana border past San Diego).

   Waymo's Ojai rides could remain free until the end of September and beyond if the regulatory delay persists, creating an unusual situation where one vehicle type in the fleet is subsidized while another generates revenue.

3. 3

   U.S. deploys 100+ autonomous vehicles in Ukraine combat

   Forterra, a U.S. autonomous vehicle builder, has deployed more than 100 of its self-driving ATVs in Ukrainian conflict zones over the past nine months—what it claims is the largest deployment of autonomous ground vehicles in combat by any U.S. defense tech company. The Lancer vehicles, based on Polaris ATVs and equipped with custom sensors and computing hardware, have completed more than 1,100 missions, driven over 2,500 miles, carried 777,440 pounds of cargo, and evacuated 52 casualties. Ukrainian forces face constant aerial drone threats that make movement extremely dangerous, creating demand for remote-operated and autonomous ground vehicles to transport supplies, munitions, and wounded soldiers. Forterra's vehicles can carry 750 kilograms of cargo and run on gasoline, outperforming Ukraine's existing battery-powered vehicles, which carry only up to 250 kilograms. The real-world combat experience is teaching Forterra and competitors how autonomous systems must evolve to handle military conditions—lessons that will shape future U.S. defense contracts.

   Ukrainian soldiers currently teleoperates the vehicles rather than relying on full autonomy, because autonomous systems cannot yet identify and react to unexpected enemy threats in real time. Forterra has raised more than $500 million（約800億円） in venture funding and faces competition from Scout AI (which raised $100 million（約160億円） earlier this year), Field AI, and Overland AI, all developing autonomous platforms for the military.

4. 4

   South Korea eyes world models as key to self-driving edge

   An automotive tech researcher in South Korea has identified world models—AI systems that can reason through unknown driving scenarios—as the crucial technology for advancing autonomous vehicles, arguing this goes beyond the current industry focus on end-to-end self-driving systems. As global competition in autonomous driving intensifies, companies and governments betting on conventional end-to-end approaches may find themselves at a disadvantage if world models prove essential to solving the unpredictable real-world challenges of physical AI autonomy.

   The statement reflects a growing recognition that reasoning capability in unfamiliar situations, rather than pattern-matching alone, may determine which regions and companies lead in self-driving technology deployment.

5. 5

   Oak Ridge Lab reveals support staff behind autonomous research facilities

   Oak Ridge National Laboratory has highlighted the Facilities and Operations (F&O) workforce that builds and maintains the infrastructure supporting the lab's autonomous science facilities. These autonomous labs operate with minimal human intervention, relying instead on robotics, sensors, and automation. The story underscores that behind every highly automated research operation lies essential physical and technical support work. For organizations investing in autonomous or AI-driven facilities, the underlying human infrastructure—often invisible to outsiders—remains critical to success.

   The report draws attention to a workforce segment that typically receives less public recognition than the scientists and engineers designing the autonomous systems themselves.

6. 6

   Chip stocks lead market rally; Nasdaq, S&P 500 gain while Dow lags

   The Nasdaq Composite rose 1.3% and the S&P 500 gained 0.7%, led by semiconductor stocks. The iShares Semiconductor ETF jumped 4.1% after a two-week losing streak. Broadcom announced its chip supply deal with Apple will extend through 2031, adding $78 billion（約12兆円） in market capitalization, while Advanced Micro Devices surged 8% on news that Japanese autonomous driving start-up Turing is using AMD graphics processors for about 10% of its AI training needs. The chip rally shows investor appetite for semiconductor and AI-related hardware remains intact, even after recent weakness. Broadcom's multi-year deal with Apple locks in revenue across multiple iPhone generations, signaling confidence in sustained demand for custom silicon. For businesses tracking tech spending, this suggests major tech companies are committing significant capital to AI infrastructure and chip development.

   The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.1% despite winners like Goldman Sachs and IBM, held back by sharp declines in Honeywell International (down 7.2% after a spinoff) and Amgen (down 2.6%). Microsoft dropped 1.4% after announcing 4,800 job cuts and a smaller Xbox division, signaling a shift toward AI infrastructure spending over headcount.