Autonomous Driving

Today's Stories

1. 1

   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.

2. 2

   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.

3. 3

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

   An automotive tech researcher in South Korea argues that world models—AI systems capable of reasoning through unknown scenarios—are the critical technology for advancing physical AI autonomy in self-driving vehicles, beyond end-to-end learning approaches the industry is currently focused on. The global autonomous-driving industry is in fierce competition over self-driving technology. South Korea's research perspective highlights a potential strategic direction that could differentiate its approach from rivals and inform how the country positions itself in the race for autonomous-vehicle leadership.

   The claim centers on world models' ability to handle reasoning in unfamiliar situations—a capability that, if validated, could reshape which technical approaches automakers and tech companies prioritize in their self-driving development.

4. 4

   Oak Ridge Lab details workforce behind autonomous research facilities

   Oak Ridge National Laboratory has highlighted the Facilities and Operations (F&O) workers who build and maintain the infrastructure supporting autonomous science labs. These facilities operate with minimal human intervention, relying instead on robotics, sensors, and automation. Autonomous labs represent a shift in how scientific research infrastructure functions. The recognition of the F&O workforce underscores that even highly automated facilities depend on skilled human workers for behind-the-scenes construction and upkeep—a reality often overlooked in discussions of automation.

   The article focuses on the human infrastructure layer of autonomous research; readers interested in how the Department of Energy is scaling autonomous science should track how facilities and operations roles evolve as more labs adopt similar autonomous capabilities.

5. 5

   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.

6. 6

   Self-driving startup Turing adds AMD as backer, adopts AMD AI accelerators

   Self-driving tech developer Turing Inc. has added AMD Ventures to its list of backers and begun adopting Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s AI accelerators in its systems. The partnership signals Turing's confidence in AMD's hardware for autonomous vehicle development and gives AMD a foothold in the competitive self-driving sector, where chip choices shape product performance and cost.

   The article does not specify deployment timelines, pricing, or performance targets for Turing's AMD-accelerated systems.