The Innovation Report
Smart Mobility Today: 24 February 2026
My mom had a love of star gazing. As a child, I recall she would walk out our west side Detroit bungalow and traverse the narrow strip of concrete that led along the space between our single-car detached garage, past the swing set and the tomato patch, and lean...
What’s Geologic Hydrogen? What To Know About The Clean Energy Source Buried Under Michigan
Michigan might be at the forefront of a new clean fuel source — and it’s buried right under the state. Last month, Governor Gretchen Whitmer said her administration wants to make the state a hub for geologic hydrogen, a potentially untapped reserve of clean fuel below...
Aurora’s Driverless Trucks Can Now Travel Farther Distances Faster Than Human Drivers
Aurora’s self-driving trucks can now travel non-stop on a 1,000 mile route between Fort Worth and Phoenix — exceeding what a human driver can legally accomplish. The distance, and the time it takes to travel it, offers up positive financial implications for Aurora —...
Experts: How Cities Can Use AI Ethically
Can artificial intelligence be ethical? No, according to a panel of experts. But neither can a car. “When there’s a vehicle crash, no one says a car was being unethical,” said Bennett Gebken, CTO of Huntridge Labs, who spoke at a Jan. 22 CivicLabs Roundtable Series on...
OpenAI Voice Technology Picked For Pentagon’s Drone Swarm Competition
OpenAI has partnered with two defense technology companies that the Pentagon has selected to compete to develop voice-controlled, drone swarming software for the military, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. OpenAI’s technology would only be used to...
Treating Water As A Strategic Priority
While industrial water consumption has traditionally been associated with agriculture, countless other industries rely on consistent, predictable access to water. In fact, approximately 60% of all global GDP today "depends on access to water." Take the textile...
The Largest-Ever Satellite Of Its Kind Just Unfurled Its Wings In Low-Earth Orbit
The largest-ever communications satellite of its kind took a major step toward operation Tuesday: operator AST SpaceMobile announced the record-breaking spacecraft, whimsically called BlueBird 6, has successfully unfolded its humongous antenna. Spanning some 2,400...
China’s Humanoid Robots Take Centre Stage For Lunar New Year Showtime
China's most-watched TV show, the annual CCTV Spring Festival gala, on Monday showcased the country's cutting-edge industrial policy and Beijing's push to dominate humanoid robots and the future of manufacturing. Four rising humanoid robot startups - Unitree Robotics,...
Uber To Invest Over $100 Million In Autonomous Vehicle Charging Amid Robotaxi Push
Uber Technologies said on Wednesday it would invest more than $100 million to develop autonomous vehicle charging hubs, underscoring the ride-hailing company's latest push to scale up self-driving operations. The move includes building DC fast charging stations at its...
EV Batteries Lasting Longer Than Expected
Electric car batteries are lasting longer than expected, according to the largest-ever UK used EV battery study, conducted by battery health experts Generational. The firm analysed 8,000 EVs across 36 manufacturers, aged between 0 and 12 years and ranging from 0...
