Autonomous driving (road traffic)

In Berlin, representatives of the Federal Association of Taxi and Rental Cars spoke with Bliq about new mobility models. It wasn't just theory: The delegation also tested an autonomous vehicle on public roads.

For driverless regular operation, providers must undergo a three-stage authorization process. In the event of accidents, there are also special liability limits for autonomous vehicles.

45 vehicles are already registered in Texas according to a report; in the long term, a significantly larger production is planned. Waymo and Zoox are also pushing their robotaxi fleets forward.

Waymo has developed autonomous robotaxi from a pilot project to a regular mobility offering: with rapidly increasing ridership, expansion in several cities and initial international plans – accompanied by technical, legal and societal debates about safety and everyday practicality.

The autonomous vehicles are to be deployed in the future together with taxis and rental cars via the ride-hailing platform. Initially, the partners are testing the technology in Brent.

(dpa) After the upheaval caused by electric mobility, the industry faces the next technological shift. Saxony sees opportunities for industry, research and public transport.

A few years ago, the partnership between Volkswagen and Bosch was regarded as one of the most ambitious technology projects in the German automotive industry. Together the two groups aimed to develop systems for automated driving that would be deployed not only in premium vehicles but also in mass-market models.

In the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, a model of the autonomous shuttle “HOLON urban” is being driven for the first time. At the same time, the identically built vehicle is gathering further experience in public road testing on Hamburg’s streets.

A new subsidiary, job openings, and indications of test activities raise the question of when autonomous ride-hailing services will first be commercially deployed on German roads.

With driving demonstrations and new AI methods, the consortium presents solutions to some of the most challenging challenges of automated mobility.

Elon Musk doesn't think much of restraint when it comes to the future of Tesla. For years, he has emphasized that autonomous driving is the key to the success of the electric car manufacturer. Now the controversial e-car pioneer has applied for a ride-hailing license.

At the meeting with Federal Minister of Transport Schnieder, BVTM puts forward its key demands regarding robotaxis, PBefG evaluation, and the role of taxis in rural areas.

(dpa) Two vehicles got stuck in floodwaters in Atlanta and San Antonio. The provider, according to its own statements, is working on software adjustments and is also pausing highway driving in several U.S. cities.

When in San Bruno a robotaxi from Alphabet subsidiary Waymo attracted attention for an unauthorized turning maneuver, the stop ended up in a legal gray area. The police were able to stop the vehicle – but could not issue a ticket. There was no one to cite. A driver was not at the wheel.

At the annual meeting of Motor Vehicle Insurance (VdK), SIGNAL IDUNA's risk carrier for the commercial sector, Gregor Beiner described the situation as a double challenge: technological upheaval on the one hand, intensified competition on the other.

In Orlando, the expansion of an autonomous fleet for public transport begins. The first trips are scheduled for 2026.

(dpa) While the driver-assistance system awaits EU-wide approval, the group is significantly increasing its investments. Revenue, profit and deliveries are rising again after declines in the previous year.

(dpa) Accident data raise questions about camera recognition in poor visibility — now the NHTSA is intensifying its investigations into the FSD system.

(dpa) By integrating driverless vehicles, Uber is expanding its platform strategy in autonomous mobility. In addition to Waymo, Zoox models are also expected to be available in several U.S. metropolitan areas in the future.

With the start of pre-series production in Hannover, the Roboshuttle project reaches a new phase. The vehicles are part of an integrated solution for autonomous mobility services in cities.

In the Gigafactory in Texas, a vehicle has rolled off the assembly line that resembles less a conventional car than a mobile device on wheels. Tesla has produced the first near-production prototype of its Cybercab – a robotaxi that omits a steering wheel and pedals. The serial production of the two-seater is set to begin in April 2026.

At the annual industry meeting, representatives from more than twenty countries discussed technological developments, legal frameworks, and the common challenges facing the taxi trade.

Mercedes is testing in the United States, in collaboration with Nvidia, an advanced driving assistant that is intended to relieve people even in urban traffic. In the long term, this system is to operate autonomously. A first test drive in the evening rush-hour traffic of the West Coast metropolis proved promising.

(dpa) Tesla promises to turn all vehicles into self-driving cars - and rival Rivian now as well. Unlike Elon Musk, the challengers want to use more than just cameras to achieve this.

(dpa) A birth in a car is rare, but it does happen from time to time. In San Francisco, the situation for the woman in labor was even more unusual: she was in a robotaxi with no person at the wheel.

(dpa) Allianz calls for uniform testing standards for the approval of autonomous vehicles in Europe. Both experts and consumers expect greater safety.

In the Furttal, testing of autonomous electric vehicles under real-world conditions begins. Technology, fleet management and communication of the systems are tested in several phases, with a publicly bookable on-demand service slated to launch before 2026.

(dpa) China's automakers are rapidly catching up in autonomous driving. German brands like Mercedes and BMW are nevertheless in a better position than expected. That is mainly due to one reason.

With "AmiGo", PostAuto will begin testing automated, electric, on-demand vehicles from 2025. The concept resembles taxi- and ride-pooling services—but is part of public transport. For the industry, the project could serve as a test case for future mobility services.

As part of the research project MINGA, SWM and MVG, together with partners, are testing automated shuttles. The test in the Gern/Nymphenburg district provides data on technology, maintenance and user behavior and is intended to create a guide for future deployment in local public transport.

(dpa/tk) In the northwest of Berlin, a large-scale trial is beginning these days that is likely to be of interest to the taxi industry: The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) are launching their largest pilot project to date on autonomous driving. Five fully electric minibuses will be on the roads in the coming weeks in the districts of Spandau, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and Reinickendorf – at first still without passengers.

(dpa) The future of Tesla, according to Elon Musk, lies in self-driving cars. But the U.S. transportation authority is now investigating software flaws that are supposed to one day turn all Teslas into autonomous vehicles.

Gradual tests with safety drivers, internal passengers, and later paying customers are intended to pave the way for the regular deployment of autonomous vehicles at SFO.

Three collisions on the first day, an injured passenger and another incident without official mention – Tesla's entry into the robotaxi market raises questions about the technology and the FSD system.

Tesla's plans for an autonomous ride-hailing service are facing criticism. According to the industry outlet Electrek, a small fleet of robotaxis in Austin was involved in three accidents a few weeks after its launch in July. In two cases, there was only property damage; in one case, a person sustained minor injuries but did not require hospitalization.

In Bavaria, thousands of driverless shuttles and buses are expected to be on the road in the coming years. Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder wants to make the greater Munich area the center of autonomous driving. And on board is the platform operator Uber.

The Bavarian state capital is becoming the European pilot site for highly automated driving. Momenta is relying on AI technology that is already built into hundreds of thousands of vehicles and is being tested in robotaxi operations in Shanghai.

(dpa) Germany is considered a pioneer in autonomous driving, but there is no type approval for Level 4 buses. Experts criticize a patchwork of test projects and call for planning certainty for manufacturers and transport operators.

While discussions are still ongoing in Europe, Shanghai is issuing several robotaxi licenses at once. Companies like Pony AI, Baidu, WeRide, and SAIC Motor are now allowed to offer their services commercially in selected urban areas – without safety drivers.

With modern sensor technology, barrier-free access, and electric drive technology, the new shuttles are set to operate in the south of Hamburg from 2026. The mixed operation with manual vehicles is already firmly planned.

Autonomous driving is the next big thing in the automotive industry. Who is ahead in robo-driving? Is it the Chinese carmakers? Or is it Tesla? Are the German manufacturers hopelessly behind?

(dpa) Four seats, 13 cameras, nine lidars, five radars: The new E-Bulli is set to drive autonomously at speeds of up to 120 km/h and roll off the production line in Hanover in large series. For regular and on-demand services, VW is targeting production figures in the five-digit range.

(dpa/lhe) Autonomous driving via app – the pilot project "Kira" is introducing self-driving cars into regular service for the first time. Southern Hesse is testing what could soon become everyday life everywhere.

How can AI, data protection, and cybersecurity be safely regulated in cars? The new position paper from the TÜV Association provides concrete recommendations for lawmakers and industry – from the digital vehicle record to the testing of learning systems.

(dpa/mv) The district of Ludwigslust-Parchim is testing a new mobility concept for rural areas. By 2028, passengers are to be transported without drivers – on demand, by booking, and entirely without a fixed timetable.

The car drives up, the door opens – no one is sitting at the wheel. What sounded like science fiction years ago is now rolling onto the asphalt in some US cities. And Volkswagen wants to join in: By the end of this year, the test phase for the ID.Buzz AD, an autonomous version of the well-known electric minibus, is set to begin in Los Angeles. No less a partner on this journey than Uber.

(dpa) Waymo's robotaxis (mostly) navigate comfortably through the dense traffic in U.S. cities like San Francisco or Los Angeles. However, a fast-food restaurant drive-thru was insurmountable for one of the cars.

A new concept for urban mobility is currently being tested in the American city of Detroit. The pilot project "Corktown Carshare" combines remote control of vehicles with traditional driving by the user.

Tesla wants to produce its autonomous Robo-Taxi Cybercab not only in the USA but also in Europe. According to a report by the specialist portal Edison, the vehicle is to be manufactured in the company's Gigafactory in Grünheide, Brandenburg. However, when it will be approved for European roads is still open.

Autonomous vehicles are intended to make urban traffic more efficient and safer. However, in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Waymo's robotaxis are increasingly coming under scrutiny for parking violations. The vehicles operated by the Alphabet subsidiary received a total of 589 parking tickets for illegal parking in San Francisco alone in 2024. The imposed fines there amounted to 65,065 US dollars.

The Alphabet subsidiary Waymo is now offering its autonomous ride service in several cities in Silicon Valley. Customers in Mountain View, Palo Alto, Los Altos, and parts of Sunnyvale can use the driverless vehicles in the future. The new service area covers 70 square kilometers. Previously, the service in this region was only accessible to company employees.

Mercedes-Benz receives approval to test special marking lights for automated driving in Germany. The Stuttgart-based automotive company establishes turquoise as the color of automated driving

Ordered via an app, a car with an empty driver's seat pulls up, remotely controlled from the headquarters, it then brings the boarding passengers to their destination: Already 49 percent of Germans are familiar with remote-controlled driving, while 47 percent have not heard of it yet.

(dpa) A document gave the impression that a US department wants to spend 400 million dollars on Tesla cars. Incorrectly recorded, it is now said. Trump wants to dispel concerns about Tesla CEO Musk.

ioki, a European technology company for digital mobility and a pioneer in the field of autonomous transport in public transit, is the software partner of the pilot project for autonomous driving in public transport in the canton of Zurich.

(dpa) Images of a projection at the Tesla factory recently caused a stir. The police have no more doubts that the projection actually happened. Did the initiators commit a crime?

(dpa) For Tesla, it was only moving upwards for a long time. But by now, the business of the electric car market leader is running more unevenly. Company chief Elon Musk makes big promises for the future.

(dpa) Elon Musk has long been promising to make all Teslas self-driving cars. Soon, the automaker's first robotaxi service is set to launch in a U.S. city.

(dpa/lno) Since April 2019, the electric shuttle minibuses of the company Moia have been on the road in Hamburg. In 2024, the overall number of passengers decreased, but it increased for one group.

(dpa) Actually, the remote-controlled cars of the Berlin start-up Vay were primarily supposed to drive in Hamburg. However, due to better conditions, the rental cars are mainly operating in Las Vegas.