California's new AV permit rules will reshape who can run robotaxis in 2027

A revised set of permitting rules from the California Public Utilities Commission tightens the requirements for autonomous vehicle services. The companies most affected are not the ones making headlines.

Daniel Okafor · 22 May · 3 min

Why autonomous trucking is finally back, three years after the hype collapsed

In 2022, autonomous trucking startups were the most overhyped category in robotics. Most went bust. The survivors are now running real commercial routes, and the economics look different.

Helena Frost · 22 May · 3 min

Tesla's robotaxi launch faces a regulatory wall it cannot bypass with software

Tesla's robotaxi service has been demonstrated. The path to commercial scale runs through state-by-state permitting that is significantly harder than the company's posture suggests.

Daniel Okafor · 22 May · 3 min

Amazon's autonomous vehicle subsidiary has launched its first commercial service outside San Francisco.

Helena Frost · 4 May · 3 min

Baidu's Apollo Go and Pony.ai together now complete more daily autonomous rides than Waymo. The policy environments explain why.

Daniel Okafor · 3 May · 3 min

Actuarial data requirements are shaping which AV companies can expand and which cannot.

Helena Frost · 2 May · 3 min

University campuses have become the only setting where sidewalk delivery robots consistently make money. The reasons are instructive.

Daniel Okafor · 1 May · 3 min

After years of camera-only promises, the autonomous vehicle industry is converging back on lidar as a required component.

Helena Frost · 30 Apr · 3 min