Höjdpunkter och utmaningar i AV-världen

Lately, there has been a clear indication that the wheat in the robotaxi industry is being separated from the chaff. Waymo continues to expand its operations and has now added Miami, FL and a first non-US pilot in Tokyo to its list of upcoming launches. Even more impressive, they recently passed a test of their procedures for dealing with first responders, conducted by the well-known German institute TÜV SÜD.

At the same time, the former runner-up, GM’s Cruise, has officially suspended its ambitions to compete in the robotaxi league. Instead, it will shift focus to enhancing AV/ADAS features in traditional GM vehicles. This marks a somewhat surprising contraction in the field of competitors within the industry.

In Asia, some major players are also showing signs of strength. Baidu has announced a purpose-built autonomous vehicle expected to cost less than €30,000. If realized, this could significantly improve the robotaxi business model, at least in markets not impacted by current or anticipated tariffs on Chinese technology. Leveraging existing platforms, Baidu has also been approved to start testing in Hong Kong.

In Abu Dhabi, Uber and Chinese company WeRide have just launched a commercial robotaxi service, initially with a safety driver on board. The service is expected to be fully driverless later next year. WeRide has recently strengthened its finances by going public on Nasdaq in New York, just like Pony.ai.

On the automated goods side, the Volvo Group and DHL have announced the start of commercial operations on two routes in Texas. The shortage of commercial drivers remains as severe in Japan as it is in the US and much of Europe. To address this, the old and well-known concept of a conveyor belt is being considered for goods transport between Tokyo and Osaka, a distance of about 400+ km.

Finally, if the concept of an autonomous Santa’s sleigh isn’t enough to fuel dinner discussions over the holidays, here’s this year’s version of the best cities for urban transportation. That will undoubtedly spark a lively debate.

Happy holidays!