Latest news with #autonomous
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla Robotaxi Push Could Be a $1 Trillion Game-Changer, Wedbush Says
June 20 - Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is set to launch its robotaxi operations in Austin this Sunday, with about 20 Model Y vehicles operating in a designated area, Wedbush mentioned in a Friday note. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 2 Warning Sign with AMZN. The firm called the move a key milestone that could define Tesla's next phase, estimating the autonomous unit alone could eventually add $1 trillion to the electric carmaker's valuation. Wedbush maintained its Outperform rating and $500 price target, citing Tesla's global reach and progress in artificial intelligence and driverless technology. The firm expects Tesla to scale the service to roughly 25 U.S. cities within a year and sees potential policy support ahead. Analysts said a Trump presidency could accelerate regulatory clearance for full self-driving systems. Tesla plans to begin production of its dedicated robotaxi model, the Cybercab, sometime next year, the note added. Wedbush believes Tesla's roadmap on autonomy and robotics will unfold gradually, saying, Rome wasn't built in a day. In a bull case, the firm sees Tesla reaching a $2 trillion market cap by the end of 2026. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Fast Company
5 hours ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Nvidia and Hexagon's Aeon humanoid robot brings AI-powered automation to factories
Artificial intelligence is evolving at an unprecedented pace, advancing from simple generative tasks to autonomous decision-making through agentic models. Now AI is moving beyond the digital realm into the physical world. This next frontier, known as physical AI, combines advanced algorithms with sensors and actuators, enabling machines to perceive, reason, and act in complex real-world environments. At Hexagon LIVE 2025 in Las Vegas, a physical AI humanoid robot named AEON made its debut. Think Tron meets I, Robot, but powered by next-gen AI and hardware rather than movie magic. Developed by Sweden-based industrial tech giant Hexagon in partnership with Nvidia, AEON is designed for real-world industrial work. It can inspect equipment in cramped industrial corridors, navigate hazardous construction zones, and manage logistics in understaffed warehouses. Spencer Huang, Product Lead for Robotics at Nvidia and the son of CEO Jensen Huang, sees a massive opportunity in humanoids, as their form allows them to perform tasks that are dangerous and demanding for humans.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Waymo applies for special permit to bring its self-driving cars to New York City
Waymo is doing what was once unthinkable: bringing its robotaxi service to the streets of New York City next month. "We've applied for a @NYC_DOT permit to drive autonomously with a specialist behind the wheel while we're in the city — a key step to one day serving New Yorkers," the Alphabet-backed (GOOG, GOOGL) company said in a post on X. Waymo said it is also advocating for changes to state law to bring its fully autonomous ride-hailing service to the city in the future. New York's busy streets, with vehicles, pedestrians, bikers, and all sorts of delivery drivers, are seen as one of the most challenging terrains for a rototaxi operator. Waymo's announcement of a future New York City-based service comes amid a planned nationwide expansion. The company operates in parts of San Francisco, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Austin, and just announced it was expanding service in greater Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Tesla (TSLA), which is slated to begin its robotaxi testing in Austin starting next week, will not use safety drivers in its cars when its test begins but will have remote teleoperators available. Two Tesla robotaxis were seen testing in Austin last week, but Tesla employees were sitting in the passenger seat. Waymo, the leader in the robotaxi space with 250,000 trips per week, counts competitors like Zoox (backed by Amazon (AMZN)), China's Pony AI (PONY) and WeRide (WRD), and of course Tesla, though none operate in as many regions or perform as many autonomous rides as Waymo. Volkswagen's MOIA revealed its ID. Buzz AD robotaxi in Germany this week. However, its vehicles plan to use other operators' platforms, like Uber, to deploy its vehicles. Waymo's expansion counts on its ability to manufacture more vehicles, which the company said will expand to 2,500 vehicles in the near future. Though that production is much smaller compared to what a traditional automaker like Tesla or VW can produce, Waymo is countering that issue by partnering with manufacturers like Toyota and China's Zeekr. Pras Subramanian is the lead auto reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
GAC makes global debut of GOVY AirCab flying car at Hong Kong event
Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) made the global debut of its first mass-produced flying car, the GOVY AirCab, at the opening of the 2025 International Automotive & Supply Chain Expo in Hong Kong. The GOVY AirCab, developed by GAC GOVY, is claimed to be the world's first autonomous multirotor flying car intended for mass production. The vehicle features a composite carbon fibre body, quick 25-minute charging capability, and 'intelligent' low-altitude obstacle avoidance. It incorporates multiple redundant safety systems for power, energy, flight control, and communications. GAC announced that the pre-order price will not exceed 1.68m yuan ($0.23m). Demonstration operations will begin later this year in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, with deliveries expected by the end of 2026. GAC also presented eight vehicles at the expo among which four models, AION Y PLUS, AION V, HYPTEC HT, and the E9 PHEV have already been launched in the Hong Kong market. Outside of China, GAC has expanded its manufacturing operations to countries including Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. According to the company, these facilities are equipped with the latest GAC Production System (GPS3.0), incorporating a global quality assurance framework, advanced intelligent manufacturing techniques, and rigorous quality control measures. Since 2025, GAC stated that it has launched its advanced intelligent technology brand, GAC ADiGO 6.0, along with the intelligent driving technology system, GAC ADiGO GSD, and the newly introduced GAC X-SOUL Safety Protection System. The company stated that it aims to become a leading player in intelligent driving assistance technology within China by 2025 and to rank among the global top tier in technological innovation and R&D capabilities by 2027. At the Shanghai Auto Show this April, GAC showcased the X-SOUL AI panorama, which is designed around four key scenarios—Sky, Robot, Home, and Vehicle—aiming to establish a 'new paradigm' in intelligent mobility. At the International Automotive & Supply Chain Expo, the company also announced its "Hong Kong ACTION", the localised implementation of "One GAC 2.0" global strategy in Hong Kong, as well as the Hong Kong launch of its global 'premium' compact model, AION UT. GAC president Wei Haigang: "GAC will fully leverage the advantages of its industrial system centered around our Panyu headquarters in Guangzhou, and will adhere to the principles of long-term commitment and win-win cooperation, and adopts a full industry chain ecosystem globalisation approach, focusing on Hong Kong consumers' needs, in Hong Kong, for Hong Kong, integrating into Hong Kong, serving Hong Kong, and contributing to Hong Kong. GAC aims to establish as a reliable automotive brand among Hong Kong consumers." "GAC makes global debut of GOVY AirCab flying car at Hong Kong event" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CTV News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Amazon hopes to deliver 10,000 robotaxis annually with new factory, challenging Waymo
HAYWARD, Calif. — Amazon is gearing up to make as many as 10,000 robotaxis annually at a sprawling plant near Silicon Valley as it prepares to challenge self-driving cab leader Waymo. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also vying to join the autonomous race. The 20,440-square-metres robotaxi factory announced Wednesday heralds a new phase in Amazon's push into a technological frontier that began taking shape in 2009, when Waymo was launched as a secret project within Google. Amazon began eyeing the market five years ago when it shelled out US$1.2 billion for self-driving startup Zoox, which will be the brand behind a robotaxi service that plans to begin transporting customers in Las Vegas late this year before expanding into San Francisco next year. Zoox, conceived in 2014, will be trying to catch up to Waymo, which began operating robotaxis in Phoenix nearly five years ago then charging for rides in San Francisco in 2023 before expanding into Los Angeles and Austin, Texas. Waymo says it has already more than 10 million paid rides while other would-be rivals such as Amazon and Tesla are still fine-tuning their self-driving technology while tackling other challenges, such how to ramp up their fleet. Amazon feels like it has addressed that issue with Zoox's manufacturing plant that spans across the equivalent of three-and-a-half football fields located in Hayward, California — about 27 kilometres north of a factory where Tesla makes some of the electric vehicles that Musk believes will eventually be able to operate without a driver behind the wheel. Since moving into the former bus manufacturing factory in 2023, Zoox has transformed it into a high-tech facility where its boxy, gondola-like vehicles are put together and tested along a 21-station assembly line. For now, Zoox is only making one robotaxi per day, but by next year hopes to be churning them out at the rate of three vehicles per hour. By 2027, Zoox hopes to making 10,000 robotaxis annually in Hayward for a fleet that it hopes to take into other major markets, including Miami, Los Angeles and Atlanta. Although Zoox will be assembling its robotaxis in the U.S., about half of the parts are imported from outside the country, according to company officials. Waymo is also planning to expand into Atlanta and Miami and on Wednesday took the first step toward bringing its robotaxis in the most populous U.S. city with the disclosure of an application to begin testing its vehicles in New York. 'It's an exciting time to be heading on this journey,' Zoox CEO Aicha Evans said during a Tuesday tour of the robotaxi factory that she co-hosted with Jesse Levinson, the company's co-founder and chief technology officer. Although Zoox will be lagging well behind, it believes it can lure passengers with vehicles that look more like carriages that cars with seating for up to four passengers. Waymo, in contrast, builds its self-driving technology on to cars made by other major automakers, making its robotaxi look similar to vehicles steered by humans. Zoox isn't even bothering to put a steering wheel in its robotaxis. As it continues to test its robotaxis in Las Vegas, Zoox recently struck a partnership to give rides to guests of Reorts World. It's also still testing its robotaxis in San Francisco, where Waymo already has turned driverless cars into an everyday site in a city that has been renowned for cable cars since the 1870s. While testing in San Francisco last month, a minor collision between a Zoox robotaxi and a person riding an electric scooter last month prompted the company to issue a voluntary recall to update its self-driving technology. No injuries were reported in the incident. Tesla is still angling to compete against Waymo too, although it remains unclear when Musk will fuflil his long-running promise to build the world's largest robotaxi service. Musk still hasn't given up on the goal, though his current ambitions are more modest than they were in 2019. when he predicted Tesla would be running a fleet of 1 million robotaxis by now. He is currently aiming for a limited rollout of Tesla robotaxis in Austin this Sunday, although that date could change because Musk is 'being super paranoid about safety.' Zoox, in contrast, is planning to operate 500 to 1,000 of its robotaxis in small to medium-sized markets and about 2,000 robotaxis in major cities where it eventually operates, according to Evans. The company thinks each robotaxi produced in its Hayward plan should be on the road for about five years, or about 500,000 miles. --- Michael Liedtke, The Associated Press
