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This page shows all the articles on Robotaxi.rodeo with the most recents ones first. Select an article below, or select a specific topic to browse using the menu above.

Cruise stock chart

How bad of a situation is Cruise in?

It isn’t looking good. It has been 4 months since their epic disaster of seriously injuring a pedestrian, misinforming regulators and the public, and shutting down service. They have pushed out almost all of their executives and a quarter of their staff. And they do not appear to have a recovery plan. Things do not look good. One has to expect Cruise to be sold in a fire sale or simply abandoned by the end of 2024. This post covers a few recent factors that point in this direction.

Read MoreHow bad of a situation is Cruise in?

TechCrunch – Stellantis CEO says there’s still life in Waymo deal for self-driving delivery vans

This article is only of interest because it shows how drastically robotaxi plans have changed over the last few years. Waymo purchased from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (now Stellantis) 100 minivans in 2016 and then another 500 in 2017. In January 2018 it was announced that Waymo was ordering "thousands" of minivans for a 2018 self-driving fleet rollout. In August 2018 it was announced that Stellantis was going to supply (up to) 62,000 minivans to Waymo/Google. But that is all just a distant memory.

Read MoreTechCrunch – Stellantis CEO says there’s still life in Waymo deal for self-driving delivery vans

SF Chronicle – Driverless robotaxis are causing less mayhem on S.F. streets. City officials explain why

Robotaxi disruptions for emergency responders have fallen significantly for the last 6 months. This is due to Cruise suspending operations, and because Waymo is now more careful to avoid geolocated incidences. Also, Waymo now gives emergency responders ability to manually move a vehicle.

Read MoreSF Chronicle – Driverless robotaxis are causing less mayhem on S.F. streets. City officials explain why

SF Standard – Activists gather in Chinatown to demand immediate ban on self-driving taxis in California

A coalition of San Francisco residents, safety advocates and workers is demanding Gov. Gavin Newsom immediately ban self-driving taxis, accusing the companies that operate them of endangering public safety. Waymo counters with statements from disability groups (to whom Waymo donated generously). Taxi drivers explain that people with disabilities often need a driver to help.

Read MoreSF Standard – Activists gather in Chinatown to demand immediate ban on self-driving taxis in California

Business Insider – Chinese tech startups quietly stop testing driverless cars on Californian roads

Didi has withdrawn and other Chinese companies have scaled back from the California’s autonomous vehicle testing program. Didi’s exit from California comes amid growing geopolitical tensions between the US and China, with concerns about data collection practices. Plus could be due to public reaction due to Cruise issues.

Read MoreBusiness Insider – Chinese tech startups quietly stop testing driverless cars on Californian roads

And now it is Waymo’s turn

The recent torching of a Waymo robotaxi shows that there simply is no smooth sailing for the company. Sure, they might drive somewhat better than Cruise vehicles. But they still have serious flaws that show that long term viability is doubtful. Plus they do stupid things, and when they do they are quite vulnerable. Therefore they have now become the target of robotaxi ire.

Read MoreAnd now it is Waymo’s turn

The Verge – Dude, where’s my self-driving car?

Article from the Verge by Andrew J. Hawkins on why we don't have the autonomous vehicles we were promised. The excellent article presents not only the history of the development of autonomous vehicles, but also why it has taken so long, why the predictions have been so far off (especially with Tesla), and why so much money has been thrown at the technology.

Read MoreThe Verge – Dude, where’s my self-driving car?
Bloomberg

Bloomberg – Inside California’s Coming Fight Over Vehicle Speed Limiters

A discussion between David Zipper and California State Senator Scott Wiener on new legislation to mandate speed regulators on new vehicles. Explains the details on why mandating this simple and already existing technology would greatly improve safety on our roads. Also covers rebuttals to common arguments used against making this safety improvement.

Read MoreBloomberg – Inside California’s Coming Fight Over Vehicle Speed Limiters