What We’re Reading
Generative AI could power the next wave of self-driving cars (Axios, June 18, 2024)
The future of self-driving cars may rely on advancements being made in artificial intelligence in order to accelerate the development of AVs in a more capital-efficient manner. Many believe that AV development is stuck, as many automakers struggle to advance the technology needed for self-driving vehicles while maintaining profits. Many investors are calling the next phase of autonomous vehicle development, “AV 2.0.” Companies, such as Nvidia and Waabi, are creating self-driving systems for vehicles using AI as a tool to make “human” decisions safely and correctly from intuitive learning.
“Learning-based AVs can be taught driving skills more quickly, but the black-box nature of machine learning-based behavior makes it more difficult to validate safety,” states Phil Koopman, associate professor at Carnegie Mellon University and AV safety expert. “Even if you drive a billion miles in simulation, you still need to make sure the simulation wasn’t missing edge cases that will cause crashes in the real world.” The world of AI is still far from perfect, but as the technology develops, the stakes for autonomous driving will become much higher.
China tops the world in driverless car testing (MSN, June 15, 2024)
China has embraced driverless car technology like no other country in the world. In Wuhan, tech giant Bidau has 500 driverless taxis on the road, many of which operate without safety drivers, and plan to add another 1,000 to its fleet. Currently, sixteen cities in China participate in driverless vehicle testing with at least nineteen automakers and their suppliers vying to establish dominance. The Chinese government plays a large role in the success of the autonomous vehicle sector as it controls the narrative about safety, designate areas for on-road testing, limit discussion with online censorship, and have stringent data control policies. Countries like the US and Japan continue to test driverless car technology, but at a more cautious rate.
GM pumps $850 million in Cruise to keep struggling robotaxi company afloat (The Verge, June 11, 2024)
General Motors is injecting $850 million into Cruise to support its operations following the highly publicized suspension of its robotaxi service, after a driverless car was involved in a pedestrian accident. The funding will help Cruise resume testing in various U.S. cities and seek additional investors. Despite significant losses — $8.2 billion since 2017, including $3.48 billion in 2023 — GM remains committed to Cruise. After the incident, Cruise recalled all 950 vehicles for a software update, launched a safety review, and faced executive resignations. Co-founders Kyle Vogt and Dan Kan, plus a quarter of the staff, departed, leading to leadership changes, with GM executives taking key roles. Cruise is cautiously returning to the roads with safety drivers in cities like Houston, Phoenix, and Dallas, and continues its efforts towards fully autonomous operations.