The Innovation Report
Amazon Just Made Its Warehouse Robots A Whole Lot Quicker, And Even Smarter
Amazon has announced a new “set of integrated robotics systems” set to be deployed across its warehouses in a bid to improve worker efficiency and health, as well as hopefully leading to higher customer satisfaction. Adding to the growing list of more than 750,000...
China Cracks Open The Door To Flying Taxis
EHang Holdings said last week that the Chinese government there issued it a certification to start actual passenger trials in the country. The company will be allowed to take passengers on aerial tours, which Bloomberg reported it will offer...
Spacex To Launch 144 Missions Next Year
SpaceX intends to boost its unprecedented launch cadence to dizzying new heights. Elon Musk's company has already launched 74 orbital missions in 2023, more than any private outfit ever has in a single year. (The previous record was 61, set by SpaceX in 2022.) But...
MIT Develops AI To Make Robots Expert Packers
Some things come easy to humans but are vexing problems for machines. You can probably stack groceries in a trunk or set a table with little trouble, but a robot stumbles over the numerous constraints we process without hesitation. A team at MIT has created a...
Cruise Updates Its AVs To Better Recognize Emergency Vehicles
While General Motors’ autonomous vehicles subsidiary, Cruise, has been expanding to more and more regions, and gaining more legislative freedom, some have raised concerns. In particular, first responders have raised alarm bells after several awkward, disruptive, and...
GM And Honda Team Up On Autonomous Ride Service For Japan
General Motors and Honda, along with Cruise — GM’s autonomous driving subsidiary — have agreed to create a driverless ride-hailing company in Japan. The company will use the Cruise Origin autonomous vehicle to give rides in Tokyo, Japan’s largest city. The companies...
Most Americans Unlikely To Choose EVs
Even as electric vehicles dominate headlines and hot new models hit the market, most Americans aren't interested in giving up gasoline. In a recent poll conducted by Yahoo Finance and Ipsos, 57% of respondents said they were not likely to choose an EV...
NYC Launches Smart City Testbed
New York City has devised a new way to pilot emerging technologies. On Wednesday, the city’s Office of Technology and Innovation launched the “NYC Smart City Testbed Program,” an initiative allowing city agencies to collaborate with companies and academic institutions...
GOP States Raise Fees On Electric Cars As Gas Tax Revenue Falls
At least eight states, all but one controlled by Republicans, now require drivers of electric vehicles to pay a hefty annual registration fee of $200 or more. GOP lawmakers say it’s an effort to make up for lost gas tax revenue. EV advocates say it’s an effort to...
A Flying Car That Anyone Can Use Will Soon Go On Sale
Electrically powered vertical-take-off-and-landing (evtol) aircraft—flying cars, to the layman—are an idea whose time has not quite yet come, but is fast approaching. Many firms are jostling with each other, offering designs that range from scaled-up multirotor...
