Ford has announced that Austin, Texas is the third launch market for its self-driving vehicles, joining Miami-Dade County and Washington, D.C.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Austin has been the fastest growing metro region in America in each of the last eight years. Ford notes that the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization predicts that by 2040, vehicle use in the Austin region could double, while highway capacity will only grow 15 percent.
“Simply put, Austin has to look towards diverse and innovative ways to move people around,” Ford says.
Self-driving Cars
Self-driving Cars
Voyage to use latest funding to expand its fleet of G2 self-driving cars in California and Florida
Self-driving car company Voyage has announced that it has completed a $31 million Series B fundraise, which brings the company’s total capital raised to $52 million.
Voyage will use this capital for a variety of purposes, including expanding its fleet of G2 self-driving cars in California and Florida, and to introduce its G3 self-driving car.
“At Voyage, our mission is to deliver on the promise of self-driving cars, and we are thrilled to be working with forward-thinking investors who deeply believe in that mission,” Voyage says.
“Together with these new resources, we will deliver an autonomous ride-hailing service to customers who truly need it!”
From Unmanned Systems Magazine: Regulators seek to promote the AV industry, boost safety, protect spectrum
Automotive industry regulators, in the United States in particular, are seeking to remove regulatory restrictions on the development and testing of autonomous vehicles without compromising job No. 1 — safety.
"There is widespread recognition that automated vehicles will coexist with conventional vehicles and ad some point operate side-by-side with them on the highways," said Nicole Nason, administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), one of several government speakers at the Automated Vehicles Symposium held in Orlando in July.
Regulators seeking to promote the AV industry while boosting safety
U.S. regulators are seeking to promote autonomous vehicle technology without picking favorites and with over-regulating the nascent industry, federal and state officials told attendees at the Automated Vehicles Symposium in Orlando.
"There is widespread recognition that automated vehicles will coexist with conventional vehicles and ad some point operate side-by-side with them on the highways," said Nicole Nason, administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), who spoke on Wednesday.
"And to this point, I want to affirm the department's position this morning regarding freedom of the open road. We want to protect the freedom of all Americans to make mobility choices that best serve their needs."
Speakers kick off AVS 2019 with emphasis on automated vehicle safety
The 2019 Automated Vehicles Symposium kicked off on Tuesday with a focus on safety, as speakers from across the industry — and the world — addressed how their companies are building safe self-driving vehicles and working to educate the public about the technology.
Chris Urmson, cofounder and CEO of automated vehicle technology company Aurora, was the first keynote speaker and described how the industry has progressed during his time in it. In the early and mid 2000s he was part of the Carnegie Mellon team competing in DARPA's robotic road races, where his vehicle sometimes found itself upside down.
Volkswagen investing $2.6 billion in Argo AI
Volkswagen AG is investing $2.6 billion in self-driving vehicle company Argo AI.
Volkswagen will commit $1 billion in funding, and will also contribute its Autonomous Intelligent Driving (AID) company, which is valued at $1.6 billion.
“Our agreement with Volkswagen positions us as a technology platform company, expands the potential geography for deployment and will further fuel our product development,” Argo AI explains in a company blog post.
“In fact, we’re the first self-driving company with definitive deployment plans in both the United States and Europe.”
Argo AI, Ford launch third-generation self-driving test vehicle
Argo AI and Ford have announced the launch of their third-generation self-driving test vehicle, the new Ford Fusion Hybrid.
The vehicles will be deployed in all five cities that Argo AI and Ford are operating in, which now includes Detroit.
The vehicles are equipped with new technology that’s a step closer to production specification, as well as modifications that are designed to make sure that they operate safely in a variety of conditions.
The vehicles are also equipped with a significantly upgraded sensor suite, which includes new sets of radar and cameras with higher resolution and higher dynamic range.
Lyft, Aptiv complete 50,000 self-driving rides
A year after launching their self-driving program in Las Vegas, Nevada, Lyft and Aptiv have announced that they have successfully completed more than 50,000 passenger rides.
Through their work with the State of Nevada, City of Las Vegas, Clark County, and Regional Transportation Commission, Lyft and Aptiv have grown their commercial operation to provide access to over 2,100 hotels, entertainment venues, restaurants, and popular destinations throughout the Las Vegas Strip and downtown area, including City Hall and the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Link: GM's first autonomous car heads to Henry Ford Museum
Photo below: Jay Harris, 77, of Plymouth and The Henry Ford antique vehicle specialist Gordon Michael, 66, of Oak Park check out GM's first self-driving Bolt EV while GM President Mark Reuss speaks in the background Tuesday at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. (Photo: Mandi Wright, Detroit Free Press)
