• Mercedes-Benz gets the OK to begin testing its Level 4 autonomous driving tech in China (Electrek, August 6, 2024)

  Mercedes-Benz has become the first international automaker to be approved by local regulators in Shanghai to begin testing its SAE Level 4 autonomous driving system. Mercedes has been a leader in the advancement of autonomous driving technology, with its Level 3 “Drive Pilot” system as the only Level 3 non-robotaxi vehicle offered in the United States. Unlike Level 2 driving systems, like Tesla’s Full Self-Driving and Autopilot systems, Mercedes’ Level 3 system takes full control of driving situations, and also accepts full liability when the technology is enabled.

  In Shanghai, Mercedes has been approved to begin testing its Level 4 driving system on limited local roads and highways. With a L4 system, the vehicle is essentially doing all of the work, including parking and reversing. Carmakers XPeng and Tesla have plans to introduce Level 4 driving systems to China’s roads shortly, but for now, it seems Mercedes-Benz is getting a head start. 

• US to Call for Limits on Chinese Vehicle Software Over Data Security Concerns (BNN Bloomberg, August 6, 2024)

  The US is escalating its tech confrontation with China by planning to restrict sales of Chinese vehicle software, targeting autonomous and internet-connected vehicles due to security concerns. The Biden administration, responding to a cybersecurity review initiated in March, aims to limit the use and testing of Chinese technology in these vehicles. This move addresses risks from devices in modern cars, which connect to the internet and are vulnerable to hacking. The restrictions will hinder Chinese companies from collecting data on US drivers and prevent Chinese suppliers from dominating the US market. The Commerce Department will enforce these measures, allowing a phase-in period for automakers to adjust. US officials are coordinating with international partners and have engaged in discussions with China. The measures will initially focus on software and systems that collect vehicle data, with potential future restrictions on hardware. The aim is to secure US automotive supply chains and mitigate national security risks.

• Tesla sued by family of motorcyclist killed in Autopilot crash (Yahoo News, August 2, 2024)

  Tesla is in the news again as another wrongful death lawsuit was filed against the automaker.  The parents of Landon Embery are suing after their son was hit on his motorcycle by a Model 3 on a Utah highway in 2022.  The Tesla’s driver had Autopilot engaged at 75-80 mph.

  The complaint states, “A reasonably prudent driver, or adequate auto braking system, would have, and could have slowed or stopped without colliding with the motorcycle”.  This lawsuit continues to add to the scrutiny of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving and Autopilot capabilities.

• Toyota shows ‘an engine reborn’ with green fuel despite global push for battery electric cars (AP News, May 28, 2024)

  While many manufacturers in the auto industry are pushing for electric vehicles, Toyota has announced “an engine reborn,” at a Tokyo hall on Tuesday, offering compact engines that run on green fuels, like hydrogen and bioethanol. In hybrids, Toyota plans for the electric motor to become the main driving force, with the new “reborn” engine to take a lesser role. 

  Toyota’s Chief Executive Koji Sato stated that the “engine is optimized for the electrification era,” with goals to meet emissions standards and to push for “carbon neutrality” globally. Officials for the Japanese automaker have repeatedly stated that a complete shift to electric vehicles is not economically possible due to the millions of jobs in vehicle production at stake. “The carbon neutrality the world is aspiring toward isn’t likely attainable for decades to come. It’s going to be a long marathon race,” stated business professor at Waseda University, Takahiro Fujimoto.

• Major robotaxi firms face federal safety investigations after crashes (The Washington Post, May 24, 2024)

  The self-driving vehicle industry faces increased scrutiny as federal investigations into Amazon’s Zoox, Google’s Waymo, and GM’s Cruise highlight potential flaws linked to numerous collisions. NHTSA is probing incidents involving rear-end collisions with Zoox vehicles, erratic behavior by Waymo robotaxis, and an ongoing investigation into Cruise after a pedestrian accident in San Francisco. Despite the industry’s rapid expansion, with around 40 companies testing autonomous vehicles in California and significant investments aiming to revolutionize transportation, these incidents challenge claims of superior safety compared to human drivers.

  Matthew Wansley, an expert on automotive technologies, notes that the period of unrealistic expectations is over, with companies under increased scrutiny. This scrutiny comes as NHTSA uses crash data to identify potential safety risks in autonomous driving technologies. As incidents involving self-driving cars accumulate, the NHTSA faces growing pressure to preemptively regulate rather than react post-incident.

• Hyundai Motor and Plus Announce Collaboration to Demonstrate First Level 4 Autonomous Fuel Cell Electric Truck in the U.S. (Morningstar, May 22, 2024)

  Hyundai Motor and autonomous driving software leader Plus have debuted the first Level 4 autonomous Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell electric truck in the U.S. at the ACT Expo. This collaboration aims to enhance road safety and freight efficiency. The truck, a Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell model, is equipped with Plus’s Level 4 SuperDrive™ system and is undergoing initial autonomous driving assessments in the U.S. By integrating Plus’s advanced autonomous driving technology, Hyundai seeks to provide safer, more efficient, and sustainable solutions in trucking. The XCIENT Fuel Cell truck has already proven its reliability in real-world applications across eight countries since its introduction in 2020.

  “We are thrilled to collaborate with Hyundai Motor Company on this important initiative to create more sustainable and safe transportation options. A decarbonized future with autonomous hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks that also improve safety and efficiency is one that Plus is proud to support with our cutting-edge autonomous driving technology,” said Shawn Kerrigan, COO and Co-Founder at Plus.

• May Mobility launches first driverless transit service for Early Riders in Arizona, takes next step toward transforming the way riders get around cities and urban environments (PR Newswire, December 18, 2023)

  Another AV startup attempting to buck the trend of recent scale backs in the space is May Mobility, which recently announced that it will launch its first commercial driverless service on public roads in Sun City, Arizona, a retirement community northwest of Phoenix. The company is starting slowly, with just two autonomous minivans operating within a 4.5-mile service area within Sun City. Early riders can use May Mobility’s app to request a driverless shuttle pickup to and from a variety of popular stops, including resident complexes, grocery stores, pharmacies and medical centers. After an initial phase, May Mobility plans to add more vehicles and riders in a larger area.

  “Today, we take the key step of beginning rider-only operations, a cornerstone for our commercial growth and expansion moving forward,” said Edwin Olson, CEO and co-founder of May Mobility. “We believe it is critical to work closely with our key strategic partners, regulators, insurers, and riders, as we roll out our technology step-by-step.”

• Mercedes Permitted to Use Turquoise Marker Lights for Drive Pilot (Car and Driver, December 19, 2023)

  Mercedes-Benz has officially received approval in California and Nevada to add a fourth color of external lights on its vehicles to indicate when a Mercedes vehicle is driving itself. In addition to the standard three colors – red for brake lights and rear lights, white for headlights and reverse lights, and gold for turn signals – the blue lights will indicate when a Mercedes vehicle has Drive Pilot engaged. Unlike Tesla’s Full Self-Driving or GM’s Super Cruise, a driver in a vehicle equipped with Drive Pilot can remove their hands from the steering wheel, feet from the pedals, and eyes from the road under certain conditions until the system alerts the driver to take over.

  The specific turquoise blue shade was first recommended by the Society of Automotive Engineers because the color is unlikely to be confused with any other vehicle lights, police lights, or traffic lights. Mercedes is the first automaker to receive approval for the use of the blue lights on the headlights, taillights, and side mirrors, which will alert passing vehicles that the car is driving itself. The 2026 EQS Sedan and S-Class will be the first vehicles produced with the new lights.

• GM’s Cruise robotaxi lays off 900 workers with investigation into San Francisco crash ongoing (AP, December 14, 2023)

  Dominoes continue to fall this week in General Motors’ troubled Cruise autonomous vehicle unit with the announcement that it will be cutting over 900 jobs, about a quarter of its workforce. These cuts come a day after reports that nine key leaders are no longer with the company as a result of corporate restructuring due to the October crash involving one of its driverless robotaxis that forced it to suspend operations. The executive departures included leaders from legal, government affairs, commercial operations and safety and systems teams, Cruise said. These departures come just weeks after Kyle Vogt resigned as Cruise’s CEO.

  “We are simplifying and focusing our efforts to return with an exceptional service in one city to start with,” said President and Chief Technical Officer Mo ElShenawy. “As a result of our decision to slow down commercialization, we are restructuring to focus on delivering the improvements to our tech and vehicle performance that will build trust in our AVs (autonomous vehicles),” ElShenawy added.

The past year has proven to be quite tumultuous for the autonomous driving industry. Shortening runways and pivots to more commercially viable ADAS seem to have become the norm. Notwithstanding, leaders at Mobileye recently laid out a path for its pursuit of consumer-level autonomy, which they believe is attainable in the near future. This new approach, which was presented at CES 2023, centers around a different way of talking and thinking about consumer AVs, which unlike the engineer-driven SAE J3016, focuses on simplified consumer-facing automation taxonomy. By laying out a new consumer-oriented classification system, Mobileye hopes to bring more attention to the real benefits of autonomy in terms of safety, convenience and efficiency.

By way of quick background, SAE J3016 was drafted by engineers and for engineers in 2014. Today, the following rather complex descriptions of six levels of automation are widely accepted as the industry standard for AV development and regulation: