The Innovation Report
Ready Or Not, Robotaxis Are Coming
In Los Angeles, it is possible — right now — to drive from Santa Monica to West Hollywood without touching a steering wheel or gas pedal (provided you don't get on the freeway). In Phoenix, you can go from the airport to an appointment downtown and back without...
US Agency Seeks Answers From Waymo In Self-Driving Vehicle Probe
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday it is seeking additional details about a series incidents that raise concerns about the performance of Alphabet's Waymo self-driving vehicles. In May, the U.S. auto safety regulator opened an...
Volvo’s Hydrogen Trucks Aim For Net-Zero CO2
Volvo Trucks, the truck division of Swedish giant Volvo, plans to begin on-road tests with hydrogen-powered combustion engines in 2026, with a commercial launch slated for the decade’s end. This development raises a crucial question: Can hydrogen engines challenge...
The 10 Smartest Cities In The US
Whatever happened to the concept of ‘smart cities’? We used to write about them all the time, but the whole discipline seems to have splintered in recent years into a myriad of public and private urban smart-infrastructure sub-sectors, mostly covering the creeping...
NASA Challenge: Build Robots Capable Of Harvesting Water On The Moon
A million-dollar contest managed by Marshall’s Space Flight Center is pushing forward technology that could one day support human life on the moon. Teams from across the country gathered in Huntsville to overcome challenges impacting the future of space exploration....
AI-Enabled Recycling Robots Are Helping Businesses Be More Sustainable
Despite good intentions to make changes that support the environment, companies are still sending items to the landfill that could otherwise be recycled. While the world is producing nearly twice as much plastic waste as it did two decades ago, just 9% of it is being...
Detroit: Autonomous Shuttle Service Launching For People With Disabilities
The city of Detroit is launching a new, free shuttle service using autonomous vehicles. That means the vehicles are capable of driving themselves. The service, called Accessibili-D, is for people ages 62 and over and people with disabilities. The three shuttles...
European EV Tariffs Won’t Halt China’s BYD
After months of investigation, the European Union has announced additional tariffs on electric vehicles (EV) imported from China, because of what it sees as Beijing’s unfair support for companies that undercut European carmakers. The decision deals a blow to...
Audi To Invest $1B In EV Projects In Mexico
German carmaker Audi will invest one billion euros ($1.08 billion) in electric vehicle projects in the Mexican state of Puebla, the state's governor said on Tuesday. The investment will lead to the creation of 500 new jobs, the Puebla government said in a statement....
Finland: Drone Test Of Planetary Landing Radar
The drone took to the sky over Finland to assess the suitability of one particular terrestrial technology for space: the radar systems found in many of today's cars, responsible for automated cruise control and other safe driving functions. ESA worked with the VTT...
