Cruise is restarting operations in Phoenix, but not in San Francisco where the company is based. | Source: Cruise

After a bumpy end to 2023, Cruise, the self-driving unit of GM, is restarting manual driving in Phoenix. Cruise says the goal is to eventually resume driverless operations, but humans will be doing all of the driving for now. Restarting in manual mode is an important step, the company says. 

Interestingly, Cruise is restarting manual operations in Phoenix, not in its hometown of San Francisco, where the company has been based since it was founded in 2013. Cruise has long had its sights set on deploying its driverless robotaxis in San Francisco. It has said the city’s difficult driving conditions will prepare its autonomous driving system for any other city. When it first began public operations, it started in San Francisco. 

In October 2023, however, California revoked the company’s California permits, claiming Cruise withheld footage in an October 2 incident. Cruise disputes that it withheld footage or information from the DMV, but it paused all of its operations nationwide to reestablish trust with the public.

Since then, the city of San Francisco has filed a lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the organization responsible for regulating autonomous vehicles in the state, to drastically reduce the number of robotaxis on the city’s roads. 

Now, the company says it’s starting manual operations to create maps and gather road information. This work is done using human-driven vehicles without autonomous systems engaged. Cruise says this is a critical step for validating its self-driving systems as it works towards returning to its driverless mission, and that this information will help it decide where it will ultimately resume driverless operations. This leaves it unclear if or when Cruise’s robotaxis will return to San Francisco. 

How Cruise prepared for restarting public operations

Cruise says over the past several weeks it has communicated with officials, first responders, and community leaders in cities it previously operated in. The company says it’s committed to deploying its technology safely, and it has implemented the following measures to do so:

• The company established new leadership and engaged more closely with GM advisors to support safety, legal, regulatory, and communications functions. Kyle Vogt and Dan Kan, co-founders of Cruise, resigned as CEO and chief product officer, respectively, in November. 
• Cruise hired a chief safety officer, Steve Kenner, to guide improved safety processes and procedures throughout the organization. 
• The company established a cross-disciplinary regulatory team to guide engagement with regulators regarding incident reporting. 
• Finally, Cruise reviewed and strengthened key internal safety governance processes to incorporate more robust cross-functional review and leadership accountability. 

In addition to these measures, Cruise says it is working to establish systems and processes for ensuring safe operations across the company. This includes reforming and updating its incident response and crisis management protocols, renewing internal training and reinforcing safety culture systems, reevaluating and reestablishing its safety targets for supervised and driverless operations, and engaging with first responders to facilitate ongoing training in the areas it operates in. 

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Road to driverless operations

Cruise’s autonomous vehicle (AV) stack learns from information gathered through driving. The tech learns from every intersection, construction zone, and road sign it encounters, and applies that knowledge to other environments and scenarios. 

Cruise continued testing in simulated environments and closed courses over the past few months, and now the company is focusing on building semantic maps and gathering road information. This will help it meet elevated safety and performance targets and prepare it for driverless operations in the future. 

Before driverless operations can start, Cruise says it needs to identify high-fidelity location data for read features and map information like speed limits, stop signs, traffic lights, lane paint, right-turn-only lanes, and more. This data will help Cruise’s AVs understand where they are and the location of certain road features. 

Once this stage is done, Cruise will validate its AV’s end-to-end performance against its safety and AV performance requirements through supervised autonomous driving on public roads. During this phase, Cruise vehicles will drive themselves with a safety driver behind the wheel to take over if needed. Cruise says it will move to driverless operations once this phase is completed. 

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The AMD Versal AI Edge and Prime Gen 2 are next-gen SoCs. Source: Advanced Micro Devices

To enable more artificial intelligence on edge devices such as robots, hardware vendors are adding to their processor portfolios. Advanced Micro Devices Inc. today announced the expansion of its adaptive system on chip, or SoC, line with the new AMD Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2 and Versal Prime Series Gen 2.

“The demand for AI-enabled embedded applications is exploding and driving the need for solutions that bring together multiple compute engines on a single chip for the most efficient end-to-end acceleration within the power and area constraints of embedded systems,” stated Salil Raje, senior vice president and general of the Adaptive and Embedded Computing Group at AMD.

“Based on over 40 years of adaptive computing leadership in high-security, high-reliability, long-lifecycle, and safety-critical applications, these latest-generation Versal devices offer high compute efficiency and performance on a single architecture that scales from the low end to high end,” he added.

For more than 50 years, AMD said it has been a leading innovator in high-performance computing (HPC), graphics, and visualization technologies. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company noted that billions of people, Fortune 500 businesses, and scientific research institutions worldwide rely on its technology daily.

Versal Gen 2 addresses three phases of accelerated AI

Advanced Micro Devices said the Gen 2 systems put preprocessing, AI inference, and postprocessing on a single device to deliver accelerated AI. This provides the optimal mix for accelerated AI meet the complex processing needs of real-world embedded systems, it asserted.

• Preprocessing: The new systems include FPGA (field-programmable gate array) logic fabric for real-time preprocessing; flexible connections to a wide range of sensors; and implementation of high-throughput, low-latency data-processing pipelines.
• AI inference: AMD said it provides an array of vector processes in the form of next-generation AI Engines for efficient inference.
• Postprocessing: Arm CPU cores provide the power needed for complex decision-making and control for safety-critical applications, said AMD.

“This single-chip intelligence can eliminate the need to build multi-chip processing solutions, resulting in smaller, more efficient embedded AI systems with the potential for shorter time to market,” the company said.

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AMD builds to maximize power and compute

AMD said its latest systems offer up to 10x more scalar compute compared with the first generation, so the devices can more efficiently handle sensor processing and complex scalar workloads. The Versal Prime Gen 2 devices include new hard IP for high-throughput video processing, including up to 8K multi-channel worflows.

This makes the scalable portfolio suitable for applications such as ultra-high-definition (UHD) video streaming and recording, industrial PCs, and flight computers, according to the company.

In addition, the new SoCs include new AI Engines that AMD claimed will deliver three times the TOPS (trillions of operations per second) per watt than the first-generation Versal AI Edge Series devices.

“Balancing performance, power, [and] area, together with advanced functional safety and security, Versal Series Gen 2 devices deliver new capabilities and features,” said AMD. It added that they “enable the design of high-performance, edge-optimized products for the automotive, aerospace and defense, industrial, vision, healthcare, broadcast, and pro AV [autonomous vehicle] markets.”

“Single-chip intelligence for embedded systems will enable pervasive AI, including robotics … smart city, cloud and AI, and the digital home,” said Manuel Uhm, director for Versal marketing at AMD, in a press briefing. “All will need to be accelerated.”

The Versal Prime Gen 2 is designed for high-throughput applications such as video processing. Source: AMD

Versal powers Subaru’s ADAS vision system

Subaru Corp. is using AMD’s adaptive SoC technology in current vehicles equipped with its EyeSight advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS). EyeSight is integrated into certain car models to enable advanced safety features including adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and pre-collision braking.

“Subaru has selected Versal AI Edge Series Gen 2 to deliver the next generation of automotive AI performance and safety for future EyeSight-equipped vehicles,” said Satoshi Katahira. He is general manager of the Advanced Integration System Department and ADAS Development Department, Engineering Division, at Subaru.

“Versal AI Edge Gen 2 devices are designed to provide the AI inference performance, ultra-low latency, and functional safety capabilities required to put cutting-edge AI-based safety features in the hands of drivers,” he added.

Vivado and Vitis part of developer toolkits

AMD said its Vivado Design Suite tools and libraries can help boost productivity and streamline hardware design cycles, offering fast compile times and enhanced-quality results. The company said the Vitis Unified Software Platform “enables embedded software, signal processing, and AI design development at users’ preferred levels of abstraction, with no FPGA experience needed.”

Earlier this year, AMD released the Embedded+ architecture for accelerated edge AI, as well as the Spartan UltraScale+ FPGA family for edge processing.

Early-access documentation for Versal Series Gen 2 is now available, along with first-generation Versal evaluation kits and design tools. AMD said it expects Gen 2 silicon samples to be available in the first half of 2025, followed by evaluation kits and system-on-modules samples in mid-2025, and production silicon in late 2025.

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OmniOn supports multiple technologies, including robotics. Click here to enlarge. Source: OmniOn Power

As delivery robots and autonomous vehicles spread, much of the design and development attention has focused on safe navigation and obstacle detection, according to OmniOn Power Inc. However, they will also require reliable charging and communications infrastructure, it said.

“We’ve mainly seen mobile robots indoors in factories, warehouses, or even restaurants,” said Gopal Mitra, global segment leader for industrials at OmniOn. “2023 was a big year for cost optimization for robotics companies. They tried to address space challenges and labor shortages in e-commerce, and power supply for delivery robots outdoors is another real challenge.”

“We look at three basic technologies: cloud and edge computing, which need to be supported by 5G, and power,” he told The Robot Report. “OmniOn Power addresses high-voltage DC, outdoor installations, and products for onboard robotics, including mounted power that should be able to work with fluctuating voltages as batteries deplete.”

OmniOn spun out of ABB

Formerly known as ABB Power Conversion, AcBel Polytech Inc. acquired the division in July 2023 and renamed it OmniOn Power Inc. in October.

The Plano, Texas-based company gained telecommunications experience as a part of Bell Labs and was part of General Electric Co. and ABB Ltd. OmniOn claimed that its “reliable products, industry expertise, and partnerships are helping customers realize the full potential of 5G, supporting expansive data center demands, [and] powering Industry 4.0.”

“Our business has grown in the robotics space, partly because of the lack of innovation as a lot of folks focused on scaling up rather than introducing new designs,” Mitra said. “Channels are trying to adopt the right robots for ‘order online, pick up at store,’ direct fulfillment, and warehouses. The increasing amount of returns is also a big concern, and we’re addressing a $500 million portion of the total addressable market by optimizing for the cost of development and implementation.”

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Power innovations to enable autonomy

Batteries add weight to robots and drones, and they can be affected by extreme cold. OmniOn said that more innovation is needed.

“There are two schools of thought for batteries — they could be long-lasting, or you can go with capacitors,” said Mitra. “As for the environment, there’s the harmonics on the grid and temperature, which can be up to 120 to 130 degrees [Fahrenheit; 48.8 to 54.4 Celsius] in places like Dallas.”

“Cold is more of an issue on the battery side than the internals, where the 2% heat generated is usually enough to keep power electronics warm,” he added. “We’re looking at the optimal time to charge, as well as discharge and weight.”

“There have been a number of innovations in batteries,” Mitra noted. “Lithium-ion is very popular in robotics and electric vehicles, and sodium-ion and other polymers are being explored. How U.S. investment in the semiconductor industry responds to China’s prevalence will also affect innovation in the next 10 years. Some are now looking at vertical stacking for denser chips.”

“OmniOn already has engineers working on providing power supplies to telecom and 5G networks,” he said. “We’re enablers of autonomy.”

OmniOn is working on providing power and connectivity to delivery and warehouse robots. Source: Adobe Stock

Other considerations for robotics

Ways to increase robot uptime include hot-swappable batteries, software that directs opportunistic recharging, and persistent wired or wireless charging on embedded grids, mostly indoors.

“Cost is a big deal — wireless charging is usually near-field using inductive charging, which is very attractive for many robots but can be expensive,” said Mitra. “With contact-based charging, you don’t need a converter circuit onboard the robot.”

By contrast, farming equipment or robotic lawnmowers can have wireless docking, eliminating the risk of clippings getting into contacts, he said. Wireless charging pads throughout a warehouse or factory have a high installation cost but can reduce the weight of batteries and operational costs. All of these options require industry consensus to become more widespread, Mitra observed.

How much can fleet management software help with power?

“It depends on the type of fleet,” replied Mitra. “We’re maturing simple routing within the constraints of restaurants, but delivery robots and vehicles have variable package loads. On the software side, we’ll see the impact of artificial intelligence on warehouse management, from machine vision to order processing.” 

Mitra also said that distributed power generation from photovoltaic cells could change the cost of energy.

“There are lots of opportunities to improve overall efficiency, but it’s a chicken-and-egg problem — first, the application has to come,” he said. “In hardware, non-isolated board-mounted products are emerging.”

5G to play a role as edge/cloud computing shifts

“For delivery robots, most of the compute is onboard, with nearby 5G hubs enabling mesh networks,” Mitra explained. “Edge computing needs to be supported by a 5G backbone, and peer-to-peer networks can manage the load.”

While robots and autonomous vehicles (AVs) need onboard processing for a spatial understanding of their environments and to navigate complex surroundings, the delivery function and reporting would benefit from 5G, he said.

“Look at certain regions in San Francisco — AVs are limited to certain areas, where the routes are largely pre-programmed,” said Mitra. “Once we see a prevalence of 5G and edge computing, machine learning for transport will be more scalable.”

“We have an engagement with a robotics company working with a major retailer on managing inventory and goods-to-person materials handling in the warehouse. Multi-tenant warehouses are coming,” Mitra said. “In addition to automated storage and retrieval systems [ASRS], we’re looking at multi-robot scenarios in the parking lot for groceries.”

The BPS 48V stackable power system is designed for 5G systems. Source: OmniOn

AI, humanoids could create new demands

Growing interest in applying generative AI to robotics will also affect networking and power demands.

“They’re not talked about yet in the context of on-premise or edge computing, but it will be interesting to see if delivery robots get these capabilities,” Mitra said. “AI has helped industry understand the need for high-performance computing, which has put a lot of pressure on power-supply manufacturers for smaller, more efficient systems.”

Similarly, interest in mobile manipulation and the humanoid form factor will also intensify pressure on compute and power management.

“Even if you just put an articulated robot arm on a mobile base, stepper motors require eight times the current to start, just to change from static to movement,” said Mitra.

“We still don’t have a good solution for batteries that can support humanoids for the long term,” he asserted. “They’ll also need a power train that can handle a wide range of discharge, from walking to the necessary strength for lifting boxes.”

OmniOn said it expects the demand for delivery robots, automated warehouses, and connected infrastructure to grow at 12% to 14%. Power management may not be standardized, depending on the size of a robot and its number of sensors, and edge/cloud computing and different charging approaches will continue to evolve, said Mitra. 

“We’re excited see how wireless charging affects the robotics space,” he said. “While the cost has led to different adoption than initially expected, in the long term, the cost of infrastructure could be lower, and it could be more easily managed.”

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Zoox is expanding the geofence for its operations in Las Vegas. | Credit: Zoox

Over the past year, Zoox Inc. has made significant progress on its autonomous robotaxi service roadmap.

In February, the Amazon.com subsidiary announced that it completed a key milestone: deploying its robotaxi on open public roads with passengers.

In the shadow of the disappointing news from competitor Cruise, which lost its autonomous operating permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), closed its San Francisco service, and laid off 900 employees, Zoox completed rigorous testing on private roads. It received approval from the California DMV to operate its robotaxi on the state’s public roads.

On the way, Zoox has invested heavily in simulation tools necessary to train the robot drivers to handle any on-road situation. Simulation is the key to safely training AI models and logging thousands of hours of drive time without endangering anyone.

“One [key to our success] is obviously through our test vehicle logged miles,” said Qi Hommes, senior director of system design and mission assurance at Zoox. “We drive our test vehicles with safety drivers quite a bit in our launch-intent areas. And anytime we encounter something unexpected, those are inputs into the development of those simulation scenarios.”

Zoox begins service for employees in California

Zoox claimed that it is the only purpose-built robotaxi permitted on California public roads that is self-certified to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). The company recently deployed its employee shuttle service in its headquarters in Foster City, Calif. Zoox will offer the shuttle service exclusively to all full-time employees.

“Becoming the first company to operate a purpose-built robotaxi with passengers on open public roads in California is a significant milestone in not only Zoox’s journey, but [also] for the autonomous vehicle industry at large,” stated Aicha Evans, CEO of Zoox, after the DMV approval. “With the announcement of the maiden run of our autonomous employee shuttle, we are adding to the progress this industry has seen over the last year and bringing Zoox one step closer to a commercialized purpose-built robotaxi service for the general public.”

Unlike robotaxi competitors relying on car chassis, Zoox said it has designed its platform from the ground up for autonomous passenger movement. Every design decision was made with the goal of providing a comfortable, interactive experience.

The most obvious difference between Zoox and competitors like Waymo and Cruise is that the Zoox vehicle is missing a steering wheel. It has large doors on both sides of the vehicle and seats up to four passengers, with the riders sit facing one another.

The Zoox autonomous robo-taxi vehicle is omnidirectional and uses four-corner steering. There is no onboard safety driver. | Credit: Zoox

A rider’s view of the robotaxi

At CES 2024, I interviewed Chris Stoffle, director of industrial and creative design at Zoox, and got a tour of the vehicle on the show floor.

The first thing that I noticed was how quiet it was inside the vehicle. CES is a noisy place. The cacophony of tens of thousands of people talking can be overwhelming, and inside the Zoox vehicle, it was quiet and comfortable. 

Stoffle described the Zoox rider experience: “Right now, we’re inside a robotaxi designed from the ground up to provide the best rider experience. The outside of the vehicle has a smaller footprint than a BMW i3. But inside we have this large space where passengers can sit comfortably across from each other. There’s no bad seat in the vehicle. Each rider can see the map, and adjust the temperature for their seat. In addition, there are USB power ports, drink holders, task lights, and an emergency button to contact help immediately.”

Inside of the Zoox robotaxi, each rider has their own comfort controls while facing one anther for the ride. | Credit: Zoox

Las Vegas operations expand to five-mile radius

Since its February announcement, Zoox has expanded the geofence for its Las Vegas fleet of robotaxis, expanding the operational area for moving employees as they test the service. The new geofence is a five-mile radius around the company’s Las Vegas headquarters.

The new service area is more complex and includes three-lane roads, harder lane changes, unprotected right turns onto high-speed roadways, and double-right and left-hand turn lanes. 

The robotaxis are now handling more difficult operating situations as the engineering team validates the features and safety of the vehicle operation. In addition, the autonomous vehicles are now driving at speeds of up to 45 mph, in light rain, and at night.

The fact that the vehicles have no steering wheel and no onboard safety driver means that the Zoox team has to monitor each vehicle in real-time. These “human-in-the-loop” operators do not teledrive the vehicles, but they do monitor each ride in real time, looking at the environment and the vehicle’s intentions as it decides to turn, stop, and move through intersections.

If there is an emergency situation, the remote operator can direct the vehicle how to respond and where to go to safely resolve the situation.

“[Zoox’s vehicle] was approved to drive on public roads last year and now is fully homologated in response to emergency vehicles being able to detect them,” explained Stoffel. “Being able to interact with humans outside the vehicle in safe ways is really important. And so we’ve been able to not only update our sensor pod to improve self-driving in inclement weather with some of our sensor cleaning, but also to bring in a better microphone designed on the exterior so we can detect sirens and first-responder vehicles earlier.”

“The door interface module allows us to interact with those outside the vehicle with the human in the loop, whether it be a rider, someone from the public, or even a first responder,” he added. “We believe that being able to have that human in the loop is the right approach for those off-nominal situations that we’re going to be seeing more and more as we expand on public roads.”

To hear about the development of the perception engine and sensor stack used on the Zoox vehicle, listen to the podcast interview with two of the company’s technology leaders: RJ He and Ryan McMichael. 

Zoox is incrementally increasing the parameters for operation of its fleet of robotaxis in Las Vegas. | Credit: Zoox

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NVIDIA CEO Jenson Huang ended his GTC 2024 keynote backed by life size images of all of the various humanoids in development and powered by the Jetson Orin computer. | Credit: Eugene Demaitre

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The NVIDIA GTC 2024 keynote kicked off like a rock concert yesterday at the SAP Arena. More than 15,000 attendees filled the arena in anticipation of CEO Jensen Huang’s annual presentation of the latest product news from NVIDIA.

To build the excitement, the waiting crowd was mesmerized by an interactive and real-time generative art display running live on the main stage screen, driven by the prompts of artist Refik Anadol Dustio.

New foundation for humanoid robotics

The big news from the robotics side of the house is that NVIDIA launched a new general-purpose foundation model for humanoid robots called Project GR00T. This new model is designed to bring robotics and embodied AI together while enabling the robots to understand natural language and emulate movements by observing human actions.

Project GR00T training model. | Credit: NVIDIA

GR00T stands for “Generalist Robot 00 Technology,” and with the race for humanoid robotics heating up, this new technology is intended to help accelerate development. GR00T is a large multimodal model (LMM) providing robotics developers with a generative AI platform to begin the implementation of large language models (LLMs).

“Building foundation models for general humanoid robots is one of the most exciting problems to solve in AI today,” said Huang. “The enabling technologies are coming together for leading roboticists around the world to take giant leaps towards artificial general robotics.”

GR00T uses the new Jetson Thor

As part of its robotics announcements, NVIDIA unveiled Jetson Thor for humanoid robots, based on the NVIDIA Thor system-on-a-chip (SoC). Significant upgrades to the NVIDIA Isaac robotics platform include generative AI foundation models and tools for simulation and AI workflow infrastructure.

The Thor SoC includes a next-generation GPU based on NVIDIA Blackwell architecture with a transformer engine delivering 800 teraflops of 8-bit floating-point AI performance. With an integrated functional safety processor, a high-performance CPU cluster, and 100GB of Ethernet bandwidth, it can simplify design and integration efforts, claimed the company.

Project GR00T, a general-purpose multimodal foundation model for humanoids, enables robots to learn different skills. | Credit: NVIDIA

NVIDIA showed humanoids in development with its technologies from companies including 1X Technologies, Agility Robotics, Apptronik, Boston Dynamics, Figure AI, Fourier Intelligence, Sanctuary AI, Unitree Robotics, and XPENG Robotics.

“We are at an inflection point in history, with human-centric robots like Digit poised to change labor forever,” said Jonathan Hurst, co-founder and chief robot officer at Agility Robotics. “Modern AI will accelerate development, paving the way for robots like Digit to help people in all aspects of daily life.”

“We’re excited to partner with NVIDIA to invest in the computing, simulation tools, machine learning environments, and other necessary infrastructure to enable the dream of robots being a part of daily life,” he said.

NVIDIA updates Isaac simulation platform

The Isaac tools that GR00T uses are capable of creating new foundation models for any robot embodiment in any environment, according to NVIDIA. Among these tools are Isaac Lab for reinforcement learning, and OSMO, a compute orchestration service.

Embodied AI models require massive amounts of real and synthetic data. The new Isaac Lab is a GPU-accelerated, lightweight, performance-optimized application built on Isaac Sim for running thousands of parallel simulations for robot learning.

NVIDIA software — Omniverse, Metropolis, Isaac and cuOpt — combine to create an ‘AI gym’
where robots, AI agents can work out and be evaluated in complex industrial spaces. | Credit: NVIDIA

To scale robot development workloads across heterogeneous compute, OSMO coordinates the data generation, model training, and software/hardware-in-the-loop workflows across distributed environments.

NVIDIA also announced Isaac Manipulator and Isaac Perceptor — a collection of robotics-pretrained models, libraries and reference hardware.

Isaac Manipulator offers dexterity and modular AI capabilities for robotic arms, with a robust collection of foundation models and GPU-accelerated libraries. It can accelerate path planning by up to 80x, and zero-shot perception increases efficiency and throughput, enabling developers to automate a greater number of new robotic tasks, said NVIDIA.

Among early ecosystem partners are Franka Robotics, PickNik Robotics, READY Robotics, Solomon, Universal Robots, a Teradyne company, and Yaskawa.

Isaac Perceptor provides multi-camera, 3D surround-vision capabilities, which are increasingly being used in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) adopted in manufacturing and fulfillment operations to improve efficiency and worker safety. NVIDIA listed companies such as ArcBest, BYD, and KION Group as partners.

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‘Simulation first’ is the new mantra for NVIDIA

A simulation-first approach is ushering in the next phase of automation. Real-time AI is now a reality in manufacturing, factory logistics, and robotics. These environments are complex, often involving hundreds or thousands of moving parts. Until now, it was a monumental task to simulate all of these moving parts.

NVIDIA has combined software such as Omniverse, Metropolis, Isaac, and cuOpt to create an “AI gym” where robots and AI agents can work out and be evaluated in complex industrial spaces.

Huang demonstrated a digital twin of a 100,000-sq.-ft, warehouse — built using the NVIDIA Omniverse platform for developing and connecting OpenUSD applications — operating as a simulation environment for dozens of digital workers and multiple AMRs, vision AI agents, and sensors.

Each mobile robot, running the NVIDIA Isaac Perceptor multi-sensor stack, can process visual information from six sensors, all simulated in the digital twin.

Image depicting AMR and a manipulator working together to
enable AI-based automation in a warehouse powered by NVIDIA Isaac. | Credit: NVIDIA

At the same time, the NVIDIA Metropolis platform for vision AI can create a single centralized map of worker activity across the entire warehouse, fusing data from 100 simulated ceiling-mounted camera streams with multi-camera tracking. This centralized occupancy map can help inform optimal AMR routes calculated by the NVIDIA cuOpt engine for solving complex routing problems.

cuOpt, an optimization AI microservice, solves complex routing problems with multiple constraints using GPU-accelerated evolutionary algorithms.

All of this happens in real-time, while Isaac Mission Control coordinates the entire fleet using map data and route graphs from cuOpt to send and execute AMR commands.

NVIDIA DRIVE Thor for robot axis

The company also announced NVIDIA DRIVE Thor, which now supersedes NVIDIA DRIVE Orin as a SoC for autonomous driving applications.

Multiple autonomous vehicles are using NVIDA architectures, including robotaxis and autonomous delivery vehicles from companies including Nuro, Xpeng, Weride, Plus, and BYD.

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Waymo now deploys fully driverless robotaxis in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. | Source: Waymo

Less than two weeks after receiving approval to expand to Los Angeles, Waymo today opened its driverless robotaxi service to select members of the public in LA. Waymo also said it will roll out a fully driverless robotaxi service in Austin, Texas later in 2024.

In LA, Waymo said it is now offering rides 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in a 63-square-mile area from Santa Monica to Downtown LA. Waymo plans to scale the area over time, a similar approach it’s taken in both Phoenix and San Francisco. The rides in LA will initially be free, but it said it will transition to paid rides in the coming weeks. The company said there will be 50 robotaxis in the LA fleet.

Waymo has been testing its Level 4 autonomous ride-hailing service in LA since late 2022. The company said there are 50,000-plus people on its LA waitlist. It pointed out this marks the first time a fully driverless robotaxi service has ever operated in LA.

“Once an unimaginable future, autonomous driving is now a real-world way of getting around for tens of thousands of people each week,” said Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO, Waymo. “After achieving key milestones in each city, we’re so excited to bring the safety, comfort and delight of our Waymo One service to more people in Los Angeles and Austin this year.”

The expansion into LA, the second-most populated city in the U.S., comes seven months after Waymo was approved to charge for rides 24/7 in San Francisco. Its fully driverless robotaxis have been operating in San Francisco since 2022. The Robot Report has taken multiple rides around San Francisco in Waymo robotaxis, and the experience was flawless each time.

There are some in LA who aren’t happy that Waymo is being allowed to operate in their city. There have been lawsuits and protests, and some labor leaders worry about issues with jobs and how the robotaxis will affect emergency vehicles.

Angelenos and Austinites: we’ve got news for you. Beginning tomorrow, we’ll start inviting members of our waitlist to ride with us permanently in LA. And in Austin, we’ll continue fully autonomous testing before welcoming public riders later this year. Read more:… pic.twitter.com/M5DbSPYJdA

— Waymo (@Waymo) March 13, 2024

“It’s clear that this technology is not ready to be introduced into our roads and our cities,” said Yvonne Wheeler, president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. “Autonomous vehicles have been wreaking havoc wherever they go. From blocking fire trucks to crashing into buses, running over animals.”

To be fair, most of the troubles Wheeler is referring to were caused by robotaxis from Cruise, which up until late last year was Waymo’s top competitor in the U.S. Cruise has paused all operations after enduring a tumultuous few months. Waymo has had a couple notable incidents in SF, including hitting and killing a dog and hitting a bicyclist, who was able to leave the scene on their own.

Waymo lone bright spot in robotaxis

Waymo continues to really be the only bright spot when it comes to fully driverless robotaxis in the U.S. If it happens, Austin would be the fourth city in which it operates its Waymo One service. Motional continues to operate its robotaxi services with human safety drivers on board in a couple of cities. Several other companies are testing in California, but they aren’t close to launching a public service.

Waymo’s robotaxis have been charging for rides in Phoenix since 2020. Phoenix is the company’s largest operating area at 225 square miles. Waymo’s operating area in San Francisco is about 47 square miles. LA is the third city.

Waymo is currently testing fully autonomous rides across 43 square miles of Austin, encompassing the heart of downtown, Barton Hills, Riverside, East Austin, Hyde Park and more. At press time, these rides are reserved for its employees only.

If you want to sign up and get on the waitlist for the LA or Austin service, you need to download the Waymo One app.

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Waymo can now deploy robotaxis in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin. | Source: Waymo

Waymo can now operate its robotaxis in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Peninsula, and on San Francisco highways. California’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Friday approved Waymo’s request to expand and now allows them to charge riders in these areas.

“Waymo may begin fared driverless passenger service operations in the specified areas of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Peninsula, effective today,” the ruling by the commission’s Consumer Protection and Enforcement Division said.

The new service area in the Bay area will stretch from San Francisco to 22 cities on the Peninsula. Waymo can also operate in a large part of LA, the country’s second most populous city, effective immediately. The CPUC’s latest approval allows Waymo to deploy its robotaxis on local roads and freeways. The vehicles can travel at speeds of up to 65 mph and Waymo has no cap on the size of its fleet.

Waymo said it will take a conservative approach to its rollout in these areas. There was no timetable set for when these new driverless services will start.

Waymo takes conservative approach to robotaxi expansion

While Waymo has had its final permit for San Francisco operations since August 2023, it has reserved its services for only those who have been approved off a waitlist. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) disengagement report, Waymo operates 438 robotaxis, for testing and commercial operations, in the state. The company told the San Francisco Chronicle that it’s commercial fleet in San Francisco numbers 250 robotaxis.

The company’s more conservative approach contrasts with Cruise, the self-driving unit of GM. Cruise and Waymo both received their final permits at the same time, but they’ve had different experiences since. Cruise has 510 robotaxis deployed throughout the state, according to the California DMV.

Months after Cruise earned its final permit, the company had its California permits revoked after California officials said Cruise withheld footage of the October 2 incident that shows Cruise’s robotaxi attempting to pull over while the pedestrian was under the vehicle.

Since then, the city of San Francisco has filed lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the organization responsible for regulating autonomous vehicles in the state, to drastically reduce the number of robotaxis on the city’s roads.

Lawmakers within the state area, including in San Mateo County and Los Angeles, are also pushing a bill that would give localities more control over robotaxi deployments. Waymo said it will take a conservative approach to its rollout in LA.

Waymo’s 2024 starts with bumpy roads

In February 2024, a driverless Waymo robotaxi and a bicyclist were involved in an incident in San Francisco. The crash happened around 3 P.M., and the cyclist was able to leave the scene on their own after the crash, according to Waymo.

The company, and many other AV developers, take special care in training their systems to ensure their vehicles can safely drive alongside bicyclists. The company gave insight into their cyclist-specific training in a blog post in 2021.

Waymo says it works with cyclist groups, like the California Bicycle Coalition and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, to gather feedback on what they expect from drivers. This gives the company insights to adjust its testing and validation procedures to better provide safety for cyclists.

The company says that its sensor suite, which sees 360º around the vehicle and can identify objects up to three football fields away, helps the vehicle detect bicyclists in most situations. Waymo’s system uses all of this information and the experience it has built up over time through real-world driving and simulations, to understand what’s happening around it, and anticipate what might happen next.

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An Apple autonomous vehicle being tested in Santa Clara in 2019. | Credit: Associated Press

Driving my Tesla is more like driving an iPad around than it is like driving a car. The iPad-size screen, which doubles as a dashboard, may actually be bigger than my iPad Pro. You interact with the pseudo-Apple screen for every function in the Tesla, save a few like steering and braking. But while Tesla copies the iPad, it fails to get everything right like the iPad and after many frustrated attempts at finding or controlling vehicle function, I often wonder when is Apple finally going to come out with its iCar?

I got an answer most unwelcome this afternoon: Never. According to Bloomberg, Apple announced in an internal meeting that the not-so-secret Titan Project (AKA Project 172, according to The New York Times) will be abandoned. Apple will be moving people to other jobs, and many will start to work on the company’s AI projects.

“iCar” is only a wish, not the official name as far as we know. Apple has never disclosed the name, or ever publicly discussed its plans for an electric autonomous vehicle. The iCar may have been the ultra-secretive company’s worst kept secret. Patents for AV technology were found early on, fueling (pun intended) much anticipation. Seeing the prototypes on public roads was to remove all doubt of the iCar’s existence, though not its name. Apple even significantly ramped up its AV testing in 2023.

What may have been a cruel blow to Apple fans is also no endorsement for CEO Tim Cook, who took over after Steve Jobs died. It was a hard act for anyone to follow. Jobs had introduced the next big thing several times. Cook may be remembered for the next little thing: the Apple Watch. To his credit, the Apple Watch displaced quartz watches and introduced watches to a generation unaccustomed to them, but it sells for a less than half the price of iPhone and a fraction of the price of MacBooks. The Vision Pro, a VR headset, while Apple’s most expensive product ($3499) was only recently made available and it remains to be seen how well it will sell. In both cases, inventions during Cook’s tenure have not made as dramatic gains to the top line as have MacBooks and, most importantly, iPhones.

The iCar could have made Apple the most valuable automotive company, surpassing Tesla, and secured Cook’s place in an innovator hall of fame, if there is to be one. We hear exhalations of relief from those who had no faith in Apple making vehicles, saying “making cars is hard.” We hear Elon Musk, for whom hard never meant impossible, laughing. Maybe Apple thought the iCar would be too much of a risk. AV companies are being held liable for AV accidents. Phones and computers don’t run that risk.

Apple may have thought the development too slow or too expensive. It is said to have spent billions of dollars on the project, but what is that to a company that has over $70 billion in cash? It’s possible that those infatuated with AI, the most closely watched race, grew impatient at Apple not having a horse in it. This is the most plausible theory. Cook earlier this year promised investors an AI announcement. And the head of Project Titan now reports to Apple’s head of AI, as do several members of the now defunct iCar team.

Or, perhaps the voices saying “Apple is not a car company” grew too loud and responses of “Apple was not a phone company, either” were not heard. In that case, Apple may have cancelled innovation, at least in a way that changes how we all live.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on sister website Engineering.com.

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The Mako robotic-assisted surgery system. | Source: Stryker

Stryker Corp. has announced plans to showcase new joint-replacement technology and updates to its Mako surgical robotic platform.

This week, the orthopedic giant is displaying new advances like myMako and Triathlon Hinge at AAOS in San Francisco.

Stryker said in a release that it wants to extend a surgeon’s Mako SmartRobotics experience in and beyond the operating room. To execute this, it developed the myMako app for Apple Vision Pro and iPhone. When used on Apple Vision Pro, myMako allows surgeons to visualize and review patients’ Mako surgical plans anytime, anywhere.

The Mahwah, N.J.-based company called the update to its robot-assisted surgical system “a brilliant, immersive visual experience.” Stryker said it plans to continue developing Mako’s capabilities this year.

About a year ago, Stryker suggested that the robotic platform would have significant application expansions in 2024. The company said it expected a Mako Spine launch in the second half of 2024, with Mako Shoulder out by the end of 2024. Stryker also launched Mako Total Knee 2.0 in March 2023 and rolled out a direct-to-patient marketing campaign in August 2023.

Another Mako update comes in the form of the company’s Direct Anterior Reconstructive Technology (DART). Stryker said it aims to reduce intra-operative fluoroscopy in certain hip-replacement procedures.

Mako SmartRobotics, as part of the DART ecosystem, demonstrated accuracy in surgical planning for total hip arthroplasty without the use of fluoroscopy, the company said.

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Stryker shows other developments

Stryker plans to unveil Triathlon Hinge, the latest release in its Triathlon brand. The company called it a “significant advancement in the continuum of care for revision patients, especially rings true in complex cases involving bone loss or soft-tissue challenges.”

Triathlon Hinge builds on the versatility of the Triathlon Revision Baseplate, claimed Stryker. It features multiple intraoperative and post-operative revision knee-implant options. The company said this allows for seamless conversion to any of its revision procedures.

According to the company, Triathlon Hinge reduces the procedural steps of a Triathlon revision-to-Hinge conversion during surgery. It offers a streamlined workflow and simplified instrumentation, addressing common revision challenges and providing surgical efficiency.

“Building on the legacy of the Triathlon brand, the Triathlon Hinge is a testament to our dedication to surgical excellence and innovation,” stated Lisa Kloes, vice president and general manager of Stryker’s Knees business. “Our goal has been to simplify revision, and we are excited to see how this innovation will impact our surgeons and how it will help their patients get back to the things they love.”

Editor’s note: This article was syndicated from The Robot Report sibling site MassDevice. 

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Project 3 Mobility says it wants to greatly expand its team with the latest funding. | Source: Project 3 Mobility

Project 3 Mobility, which is developing what it called an “ecosystem of urban autonomous mobility,” has brought in €100 million, or more than $107 million, in Series A funding. The Zagreb, Croatia-based company said this latest investment will lay a foundation for its future development and growth. 

“Looking ahead, over the next two years, we [will] continue to attract private capital, aligned with the needs of our project’s implementation,” stated Marko Pejković, CEO of Project 3 Mobility, in a release. “We have a team that is enthusiastic about the journey ahead and the positive impact our service will have on communities.”

TASARU Mobility Investments, a company fully owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), led the funding round. PIF is one of the largest sovereign funds in the world, and this is its first investment outside of Saudi Arabia. It recently created Alat, a company to build products for sustainable technology manufacturing.

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Project 3 Mobility aims to change the future of urban mobility 

Project 3 Mobility said its ecosystem will be made up of three components that it’s developing. These are an autonomous electric vehicle, specialized infrastructure, and a mobility service. 

The company said it plans to use the funds to develop all three elements of the project further. It will also allow Project 3 Mobility to grow its team, which it says it plans to significantly expand in the coming years. 

Project 3 said it hopes to launch its service in Zagreb in 2026 and in the U.K. and Germany in 2027. The company hasn’t given many details on what exactly its service will look like, but it did say that its autonomous vehicle is built on a “completely new platform designed around safety and comfort.” It also says it plans for its mobility hub to seamlessly integrate into a city’s infrastructure. 

Previous investors in the company include Kia, SiteGround, Infinum, Rimac Group, Neurone, and Elaf Auto. In addition, the European Commission has approved a €179.5 million ($193 million) grant to support Project 3 Mobility’s goals. 

“Over the past year, we successfully navigated through a series of demanding procedures and in-depth analyses, both within the EU grant approval process led by the European Commission and in our pursuit of attracting private capital,” Pejković said.

The successful closure of this investment round marks another milestone in affirming the value of our project that will revolutionize mobility and enhance the quality of life in urban areas,” he added. “We believe our project will bring significant benefits for Zagreb and Croatia, as well as many other cities worldwide where we plan to launch our service.”

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Yesterday, a driverless Waymo robotaxi and a bicyclist were involved in an incident in San Francisco. The crash happened around 3 P.M., and the cyclist was able to leave the scene on their own after the crash, according to a statement from Waymo.

Waymo’s entire statement about the incident is below: 

How Waymo handles cyclists on the road

Bicyclists present unique challenges for both autonomous vehicles and human drivers. They’re much smaller and more agile than other cars but can move much faster than pedestrians. According to the CDC, nearly 1,000 bicyclists die and over 130,000 are injured in crashes in the U.S. every year. 

Waymo, and many other AV developers, take special care in training their systems to ensure their vehicles can safely drive alongside bicyclists. The company gave insight into their cyclist-specific training in a blog post in 2021. 

Waymo works with cyclist groups, like the California Bicycle Coalition and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, to gather feedback on what they expect from drivers. This gives the company insights to adjust its testing and validation procedures to better provide safety for cyclists. 

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The company says that its sensor suite, which sees 360º around the vehicle and can identify objects up to three football fields away, helps the vehicle detect bicyclists in most situations. Waymo’s system uses all of this information and the experience it has built up over time through real-world driving and simulations, to understand what’s happening around it, and anticipate what might happen next. 

The Waymo Driver then uses all of this information, about what’s happening and what might happen, to plan the best action to take. Waymo says it runs extensive testing at its closed-loop tracks and in simulations to help its autonomous driver prepare for even the most extreme scenarios. 

Waymo also paid particular attention to how its drivers drop off and pick up passengers. “Dooring”, an issue where cyclists are hit by a vehicle door opening, is a common issue in San Francisco. According to research conducted by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (PDF), between 2012 and 2015 there were 203 collisions due to dooring in the city. Waymo says its driver accounts for bike lanes when it picks up and drops off passengers. 

AVs hit rocky roads in San Francisco

It’s been a difficult few months for the autonomous vehicle industry. In October 2023, Cruise, GM’s self driving unit and Waymo’s competitor, had its California permits revoked after California officials said Cruise withheld footage of the October 2 incident that shows Cruise’s robotaxi attempting to pull over while the pedestrian was under the vehicle. This maneuver dragged the woman for around 20 feet at a speed of 7 MPH before stopping. Cruise disputes that it withheld footage or information from the DMV, but it paused all of its operations nationwide to reestablish trust with the public.

Since then, the city of San Francisco has filed a lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the organization responsible for regulating autonomous vehicles in the state, to drastically reduce the number of robotaxis on the city’s roads. 

The lawsuit centers around the CPUC’s decision in August 2023 to grant both Cruise and Waymo their final permits in the state. These permits allowed the companies to charge for rides, expand the hours of operation and service area, and add as many robotaxis to their fleets as they wanted. The lawsuit is asking the CPUC to reconsider its decision and whether it was compliant with the law, according to The Washington Post.

This lawsuit has the most potential impact on Waymo, as Cruise has already lost its permits. While Waymo hasn’t caused as many high-profile incidents as Cruise, San Francisco officials still have concerns about letting the company have full reign in the city.

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Two Cruise autonomous vehicles driving on the streets of San Francisco. | Source: Cruise

Autonomous vehicle (AV) companies, with the proper permits, drove 9,068,861 test miles in autonomous mode from Dec. 2022 – Nov. 2023, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The organization recently released its annual disengagement reports. 

The DMV’s annual reports summarize when vehicles disengaged from autonomous mode during testing, based on the companies’ self-reported data. Of the over nine million miles recorded, 3,267,792 miles were completely driverless, and 5,801,069 were with a safety driver. In total, California saw an increase of about 3.3 million autonomous miles driven from the previous reporting period.

While the reports can provide insights to better understand the scale of autonomous vehicle (AV) testing in the state, they’re not a good indicator of how these companies’ operations compare to each other. The numbers are all self-reported and don’t include insights about what kind of driving these AVs are doing. For example, some companies are testing their vehicles on less dynamic public roads, so they run into fewer issues than a company testing in busy downtown areas. 

There are currently 38 companies with valid permits to test AVs with safety drivers. Six of them — Apollo, AutoX, Nuro, Waymo, WeRide, and Zoox — can test without safety drivers. Pegasus Technology Holdings failed to submit a disengagement report, and the DMV says it is suspending the company’s permit.

Autonomous vehicle disengagements in 2023

A disengagement occurs when a failure of the technology is detected or when the safety driver takes immediate control of the vehicle. The report includes the total number of disengagements for each company, the circumstances or testing conditions, the location, and the total miles traveled in autonomous mode on public roads for each permit holder. 

Disengagements can be a tricky metric to keep track of. Each company is left to determine what a disengagement is for them and reports accordingly. For example, safety drivers may take control of a vehicle in times when they think the AV system is failing, but simulations of the incident show the vehicle would have responded appropriately. In this case, some companies might report the disengagement, while others may choose not to. 

AV companies reported 6,570 disengagements in 2023, with three companies, AutoX, Cruise, and Mercedes-Benz, reporting none. It’s unclear why these companies reported no disengagements for the year, and it doesn’t necessarily mean their systems had no disengagements during the reporting period. If you’ve followed Cruise, for example, you’re well aware of its struggles.

Of the companies that did report disengagements, Zoox vehicles averaged the most miles driven per disengagement at 177,602 miles. Following Zoox is WeRide with 21,191 miles, and Waymo with 17,311 miles. It should be noted that of these three companies, Waymo has the largest and most varied service area, which could contribute to a larger number of disengagements. 

For the first time, AV companies reported how many disengagements came from a safety driver, how many came from the AV system itself, or both. Zoox, for example, reported only four disengagements, all coming from a safety driver. 

Waymo reported 191 disengagements from a safety driver and 21 from the AV system. Apple, which greatly ramped up its AV testing in 2023, reported 2,391 disengagements from a safety driver and 803 from the system.

Waymo, Cruise, Zoox have largest fleets, most miles

In total, there were 1,603 autonomous vehicles in operation in California during the 2023 reporting period. Around 76% of those vehicles were operated by three companies: Cruise with 510, Waymo with 438, and Zoox with 281. Cruise’s permits were suspended in October, a month before the recording period ended.

Despite Cruise having the most vehicles, Waymo covered the most distance in 2023. In total, Waymo vehicles traveled 4,858,890 miles. Of those, 3,669,962 miles were with a safety driver and 1,188,928 miles were driverless.

Cruise came in second. Its vehicles traveled 583,624 miles without a safety driver and had the most driverless miles at 2,064,728 miles. Zoox vehicles traveled 710,409 miles with a safety driver, and 11,263 without. 

With only 67 vehicles on the road, Apple greatly increased its miles driven in 2023. During the reporting period, its vehicles traveled 452,744 miles with a safety driver, an over 261% increase from the 125,096 miles it covered in 2022. Apple does not have a permit for driverless testing. 

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The road continues to be bumpy for robotaxi developers. Earlier this week, Cruise and Motional, two leading U.S.-based robotaxi companies, lost major funding sources that could significantly alter their futures.

Let’s start with Cruise. And this news shouldn’t be shocking if you’ve been following Cruise for the past few months. General Motors, which acquired Cruise in 2016, said this week it will cut spending on the robotaxi unit by about $1 billion in 2024.

What is surprising is that the cuts seem more significant than previously thought. GM said in November 2023 that it would reduce spending on Cruise by “hundreds of millions.”

According to GM financial documents, GM has lost a preposterous $8.2 billion on Cruise since 2017. GM also said Cruise lost $2.7 billion in 2023, compared with a loss of $1.9 billion in 2022.

However, GM CEO Mary Barra insisted this week that Cruise still has a future. “We are committed to Cruise,” she said. “When we look at the technology, the foundational technology is sound. We had already demonstrated and validated externally that Cruise technology is already safer than a human driver.”

While Barra didn’t provide specifics about how Cruise will relaunch, GM dropped some hints on Feb. 1 at the J.D. Power Auto Summit in Las Vegas. According to the Detroit Free Press, GM president Mark Reuss said at the event that it will likely take Cruise four to five years to earn back the trust of the public.

“In the next four to five years, you’ll see, hopefully, we regain that trust,” he said. “We continue on the technical progress for that.”

“I’d say in the next one to two years, we return back to the roads with great products and great delivery for both the taxi piece of it, but also delivering goods to people that can’t, don’t have mobility perhaps, or for companies that need an autonomous delivery system,” added Reuss. “So we’ll do that. And I think we’re capable of doing it.”

Cruise tries to come back from safety setbacks

Cruise has been in freefall since an incident on Oct. 2, 2023. A Cruise robotaxi dragged a woman after she was hit by a different car driven by a human. After being hit by the first car, the woman was thrown into the path of the Cruise vehicle, which didn’t brake in time to avoid her.

Following the incident, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) called Cruise’s robotaxis a risk to the public and suspended its autonomous vehicle permits.

This then sent Cruise into a tailspin. Cruise paused its robotaxi operations nationwide in mid-October, and co-founder and CEO Kyle Vogt resigned on Nov. 19. In mid-December, Cruise laid off 900 employees, or 24% of its workforce.

Before all this, Cruise was running or testing robotaxi services in San Francisco, Austin, Houston, and Phoenix, with plans to expand to more than a dozen cities in 2024. According to co-founder and former chief product officer Dan Kan, who also recently stepped down, Cruise was giving up to 10,000 autonomous rides per week.

Aptiv no longer funding robotaxi developer Motional

But Cruise is not alone. Motional, the $4 billion joint autonomous vehicle venture created in 2017 by Hyundai and Aptiv, lost one of its main financial backers. Aptiv, a leading automotive parts supplier, said it will stop further funding after incurring millions in losses.

During this week’s earnings call, Aptiv said its 2024 profit forecast includes a non-cash equity loss of about $340 million related to Motional’s losses.

“While our Motional joint venture continues to make progress on their technology roadmap, we’ve decided to no longer allocate capital to Motional and are pursuing alternatives to further reduce our ownership interest,” Aptiv CEO Kevin Clark said in the call.

“The costs related to delivering the tech, principally in and around hardware, really make it challenging from an adoption standpoint in the mobility on-demand market,” he added.

Motional started testing its robotaxis at night in Las Vegas in Feb. 2023. | Credit: Motional

Motional to continue pursuing roadmap, partnerships

Motional is testing its autonomous vehicles with human safety operators behind the wheel in Boston, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Singapore. At CES 2024, Motional announced plans to work with Kia on a next-generation vehicle that will enter commercial operations later this decade.

Joe Massaro, chief financial officer at Aptiv, said Motional is “exploring steps to reduce a significant portion of our common equity while working within the construct of the joint venture agreement.”

Motional released a statement that said: “We’re confident in our funding roadmap and are well-positioned for the next phase of our commercialization. Our team is focused on scaling our driverless services, expanding Motional’s commercial partnerships, and furthering development on Motional’s next-generation robotaxi in collaboration with Kia. Aptiv and the Hyundai Motor Group remain Motional shareholders, and there are no ownership updates at this time. Motional is uniquely positioned through our strategic partnerships with our shareholders, and we continue to have their strong support and collaboration.”

Follow along here, but Aptiv started out as Boston-based nuTonomy in 2013. It was founded by Karl Iagnemma and Emilio Frazzoli and had early success testing autonomous vehicles on public roads near Boston’s Seaport District.

Automotive parts supplier Delphi acquired nuTonomy in 2017 for $450 million. But Delphi soon split into two companies, one of which was Aptiv. Hyundai and Aptiv partnered in 2017 on Motional.

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News of the week

• • Locus Robotics layoffs
    • The mobile robot maker last week confirmed that it had a “small, targeted RIF,” or reduction in force.
    • North American robot orders dropped last year, according to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). Warehouse construction also declined by 25% in 2023, reported Interact Analysis, but demand for mobile robots did increase.
    • While relatively few robot providers shut down last year, the AMR space faced challenges. For example, Shopify sold 6 River Systems to Ocado at a loss.
    • We’ve gotten confirmation of layoffs at more companies, and we wish the best to those affected by such actions. Resources for job seekers include RoboticsCareer.org, RoboticsJobs.com, Robots.Jobs, and The Apprenticeship Playbook.
  • Recent humanoid announcements 
    • BMW is testing a Figure 01 humanoid at a South Carolina automotive plant in another significant commercial trial after Agility Robotics’ announcements last year of Digit at Amazon and GXO Logistics
    • Elon Musk said 1 billion humanoids are coming soon, as Tesla continues developing Optimus and there is speculation about stock maneuvering.
  • General AgTech news in addition CNHI:
    • farm-ng raised $10 million in Series A funding to scale the Amiga robot and AI for small to midsize farms.
    • John Deere and SpaceX to bring satellite connectivity to farmers and robots.
  • New MIT CSAIL study
    • A new study from MIT CSAIL, MIT Sloan, The Productivity Institute, and IBM’s Institute for Business Value provided more insight into how artificial intelligence could affect the job market. Its findings challenge the common belief that AI will put vast numbers of people out of work.
      • The study found that only about 23% of wages paid for tasks involving vision systems are economically viable for AI automation.
      • If development, deployment, and running costs decline, and the industry transforms to provide AI systems as a service, businesses could adopt AI more quickly, the researchers noted. All of these things lower the cost of investment for companies to deploy AI, making the technology more financially viable. This could lead to more rapid changes in the job market.
      • With more AI systems in place in the workforce, jobs could open up to maintain those systems, it said. As some jobs are automated, businesses will need more people to manage, maintain, and improve AI and robotics. 

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This lawsuit puts Waymo’s final permit in San Francisco in jeopardy. | Source: Waymo

Robotaxis have had a bumpy ride in San Francisco since companies first began giving public rides in February 2022. Now, the city of San Francisco has filed a lawsuit against the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the organization responsible for regulating autonomous vehicles in the state, to drastically reduce the number of robotaxis on the city’s roads, according to The Washington Post.

The lawsuit centers around the CPUC’s decision in August 2023 to grant both GM’s Cruise and Alphabet’s Waymo their final permits in the state. These permits allowed the companies to charge for rides, expand the hours of operation and service area, and add as many robotaxis to their fleets as they wanted. The lawsuit is asking the CPUC to reconsider its decision and whether it was compliant with the law, according to The Washington Post.

San Francisco city attorney David Chiu filed an administrative motion after the August decision in an attempt to delay Cruise and Waymo from ramping up operations and get another hearing with the CPUC. In December, the City Attorney’s office filed a lawsuit with the California Appellate Court to request the CPUC review its August decision and revoke Waymo’s permit.

“As driverless AVs expanded in San Francisco, members of the public and city officials identified hundreds of safety incidents, including interference with first responders,” the lawsuit said. “Despite these serious safety incidents, and over the objections of San Francisco, the commission approved requests by Cruise and Waymo to operate.”

The lawsuit also asks the CPUC to develop reporting requirements, safety benchmarks, and other public safety regulations to address incidents that have involved first responders, created traffic, and disrupted public transportation.

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What does this lawsuit mean?

This lawsuit doesn’t have any impact on Cruise since it already lost its California permits. It does, however, potentially impact Waymo, which still operates in San Francisco. While Waymo hasn’t caused as many high-profile incidents as Cruise, San Francisco officials still have concerns about letting the company have full reign in the city.

Waymo currently has 250 registered cars in its San Francisco fleet, a Waymo spokesperson told The Washington Post, and not all of those are in service at the same time. The company’s ability to increase those numbers whenever it wants is a cause for concern for city officials, according to the lawsuit.

“We are disappointed that the city has chosen to appeal the CPUC’s previous decision, however, we remain confident in our ability to continue safely serving San Francisco’s visitors and residents,” Waymo spokesperson Julia Ilina told The Robot Report. “We have continually demonstrated our deep willingness and longtime commitment to work in partnership with California state regulators, SF city officials and first responders and continue to stand by that approach.

Waymo rolling out robotaxis new cities

Waymo announced on January 19, 2024 that it filed paperwork with the CPUC to “extend our driverless deployment service to include LA.” Waymo has been testing its robotaxis in LA since February 2023. And in October 2023, Waymo started giving free robotaxi rides through areas in Santa Monica, Century City, WeHo, Mid City, K-Town, and finally downtown LA (DTLA). The tour will end in DTLA on March 3, 2024. 

At the time, LA was the company’s third city, joining Phoenix and San Francisco. Waymo has had a robotaxi service running in Phoenix since October 2022. And it recently started testing on Phoenix’s highways. So even if the door closes on Waymo in San Francisco, the company is actively expanding to other areas. Waymo told NBC News recently that it already more than 50,000 people on its Los Angeles waitlist for these free rides. 

Waymo and the CPUC have until Feb. 16 to file an opposition brief to the December 11 filing. Chiu also filed a lawsuit with California’s Supreme Court. In this lawsuit, Chiu argued the CPUC skirted regulations set by the California Environmental Quality Act by refusing to conduct a review of the environmental impact of its decision to grant Cruise and Waymo their final permits.

Robotaxis hit major milestones and difficult times

The CPUC’s decision in August was a major win for Waymo, Cruise, and the AV industry as a whole. It was the first time a robotaxi company received the green light for practically unlimited operations in a U.S. city. Despite this win, AV companies would begin to hit road bumps soon after, particularly Cruise. 

Even before its final permit was granted, Cruise had already issued a voluntary recall of 300 of its vehicles with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). The recall was in response to a minor collision where a Cruise robotaxi hit the back of a San Francisco bus. Cruise’s autonomous driving system is also being investigated by NHTSA.

Cruise’s biggest problems started in October, when California officials said Cruise withheld footage of the October 2 incident that shows Cruise’s robotaxi attempting to pull over while the pedestrian was under the vehicle. This maneuver dragged the woman for around 20 feet at a speed of 7 MPH before stopping. Cruise disputes that it withheld footage or information from the DMV, but it paused all of its operations nationwide to reestablish trust with the public.

Following this incident, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) suspended Cruise’s autonomous vehicle deployment and driverless testing permits. Since this suspension, Cruise’s co-founder and CEO Kyle Vogt resigned, and the company laid off 900 employees, or 24% of its workforce. 

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