Lucid, Nuro, and Uber have used CES to unveil their production-intent robotaxi as well as the model’s in-cabin rider experience. The companies also announced on-road testing began in December, ahead of a scheduled launch in the San Francisco Bay Area later this year.

Based on the Gravity SUV, the Level 4 robotaxi features a next-generation sensor array that consists of high-resolution cameras, solid-state lidar sensors, and radar sensors. These provide a 360° view of the vehicle’s surroundings and the equipment is integrated into the Gravity’s body as well as a roof-mounted halo.

More: Uber And Lucid Partner For Thousands Of Robotaxis

Information is fed to the Nuro Driver, which is a Level 4 autonomous driving system. It’s supported by Nvidia’s Drive AGX Thor, which allows for “high-performance” computing and real-time AI processing.

Uber’s role is to own and operate the robotaxis – along with third-party fleet partners – and allow for rides using the company’s popular ride-hailing platform.

An Intuitive User Experience

While the companies are still being coy on specifics, they revealed a handful of details about the user experience. This begins as soon as the robotaxi approaches as the ‘halo’ has multiple displays that show the rider’s initials, ensuring people get into the right vehicle.

Riders are envisioned to hop in the second-row, where they’ll be greeted by a screen that says their name and where they’re going. There’s also a digital button that enables them to open the liftgate and store luggage in the back.

Once riders are ready to go, they can tap “Start Drive.” The screen will then display their estimated drop off time and animations showing what the vehicle is doing. This includes “maneuvers such as yielding to pedestrians, slowing at traffic lights, changing lanes, and dropping off a passenger.”

Riders will be able to access a handful of vehicle controls including settings for the climate control system, heated seats, and audio system. They can also contact support and tell the vehicle to pull over to the side of the road. Users can also view a traditional Uber-style map, which isn’t much of a surprise considering the ride-hailing giant developed the experience.

While a number of riders will likely be traveling solo, the companies said the robotaxi is also great for groups. It can accommodate up to six passengers and their luggage at a time.

We’ll likely learn more about the robotaxi in the coming months, but Lucid is expected to begin production later this year in Arizona. The vehicles will then be deployed in the Bay Area.

If everything goes according to plan, Uber will deploy at least 20,000 Lucid robotaxis over six years in dozens of markets around the world.

General Motors is looking to the future and planning ahead. Some of its biggest targets surround software innovation, EV profitability, and autonomy. To help make those goals a reality, it has brought in Sterling Anderson, a former Tesla executive and Aurora co-founder with a strong track record in exactly those areas.

If he manages to lead GM to success in those targets, he could very well be the next CEO of the entire brand.

Read: GM’s Mary Barra Promises Cleaner Engines, But Looser Rules Fuel More Gas Guzzlers

Anderson officially joined the team in June of 2025, and according to people familiar with the matter, he did so with the CEO’s chair in mind. That’s according to Bloomberg, which also received official comment from GM stating that no succession plan is currently in place.

Anderson himself also declined to engage in CEO chatter, saying his focus remains squarely on his current responsibilities. “My focus is on what I’m doing. I’ve got plenty work to do where I am,” he said.

Succession Speculation Inside GM

Current GM CEO, Mary Barra, turns 64 soon and is under no obligation to hang it up. GM President Mark Reuss, 62, is also very much in the mix, underscoring that Anderson’s potential rise, if it happens at all, is likely years away.

That all said, Anderson could make all the sense in the world if he really does manage to successfully help GM achieve EV profitability while pushing its software and autonomy far ahead of where they stand today.

Anderson is 42 and before GM, he was chief product officer at Aurora Innovation, where he helped steer the company away from robotaxis toward fully autonomous freight trucks now operating in Texas. Before that, he led development of Tesla’s Model X and played a major role in the early Autopilot system.

From Tesla to Trucks

He ultimately left Tesla following disagreements over how Autopilot was being developed and deployed, a technology that has since drawn scrutiny from federal safety regulators. So far, his strategy at GM has been to listen first and change later. 

As he put it, “You simply cannot afford to break a company and hope to pull the pieces back together. What you want to do, and what I told Mark was my intent, is understand how it works and then start to surgically make changes across the company to where they needed to be made. And that’s been the attack, that’s been the approach.” 

Expect several changes over time, including more software subscriptions, SuperCruise-style autonomy taking on urban environments, and changes to EV supply chains and materials. If those changes lead to success over time, he could be the next person at the top of one of the nation’s largest automakers.

Source: Bloomberg

Airport ground vehicles often come across as quirky and a bit outdated, but Toyota’s latest tug introduces a far more forward-looking approach. Now entering service at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, the driverless model is equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities, technology that typically stays well clear of the tarmac.

The project was first announced in March 2021, with trial operations beginning that October. Development has continued under Toyota Industries Corporation, working in partnership with All Nippon Airways (ANA), and the tractor went on to win an iF Design Award in 2022.

More: VW Built A Car That Doesn’t Want You To Touch Anything

Starting in December 2025, three autonomous towing tractors will be put to work handling baggage and cargo for domestic flights. Another three are scheduled to join the lineup by the end of March 2026.

According to the company, this marks the first practical application of Level 4 autonomous driving within a Japanese airport’s restricted area. Though Level 3 systems have been tested at various domestic airports since 2019, this is a big step up in both scope and capability.

These vehicles are built to tow container dollies between aircraft and terminals, using onboard systems for localization and obstacle detection. A remote monitoring setup supports the autonomous system by handling more complex conditions that might arise near active runways and busy airport lanes.

Visually, the tractor hasn’t strayed far from earlier prototypes. The front bumper and side sills have been subtly updated, but the overall structure remains the same. A Toyota badge sits up front, flanked by car-like headlights, and there’s seating for two in the cabin, even if no human is expected to spend time behind the wheel.

More: Hyundai’s Latest Robots May Be Eyeing Your Job

Multiple sensors, including a LiDAR unit, are positioned on the fenders, the vehicle’s nose, and along the sides. Together, they give the system a full read of its surroundings.

How It Handles the Haul

Toyota hasn’t published specs for the electric motor or battery system just yet. What we do know is that the vehicle’s performance varies depending on whether it’s driving itself or being operated manually.

In autonomous mode, the tractor tops out at 15 km/h (9 mph) and can tow up to 13 tons (28,700 pounds). With a human driver at the wheel, those limits jump to 25 km/h (16 mph) and 27 tons (59,500 pounds).

The primary route these vehicles will cover is about 1.5 km (just under a mile), connecting terminal areas with the cargo shed. Along the way, they’ll pass two traffic signals, which the system is designed to recognize and respond to in coordination with the new management platform.

Alongside the vehicle rollout, Toyota and ANA are introducing a Fleet Management System (FMS). This platform issues dispatch instructions, assigns lanes for departures and arrivals, and integrates with the airfield’s traffic light system to smooth out vehicle movement and minimize delays.

Toyota Industries Corporation

Self-driving cars are supposed to eliminate traffic jams, human error, and awkward you-turn-or-mine eye contact at four-way stops. But last weekend, three Waymo robotaxis in San Francisco proved that even artificial intelligence can panic when faced with a bad decision and no escape route.

The scene unfolded on a hilly residential street in North Beach, where a TikTok video captured what can only be described as a low-speed robot showdown. Two Waymo Jaguar I-Pace SUVs ended up nose-to-side at an intersection that also happened to be a dead end.

A third Waymo arrived moments later, assessed the situation like a confused NPC, and came to a complete stop, effectively sealing the street shut.

Related: Waymo Robotaxi Rolls Through LAPD Crime Scene As Suspect Is Held At Gunpoint

Bystanders watched from the sidewalks as the cars sat motionless, their sensors apparently locked in an eternal debate about who should move first.

One resident trying to leave the area summed it up best by asking whether the cars were “just going to stay there forever.” For a few long minutes, that seemed like a real possibility.

Autonomous paralysis

According to an ABC7News report, the two robotaxis may have lightly contacted each other while one attempted a turn on the tight street. The third vehicle, doing what it was programmed to do, detected an obstruction and politely waited.

Unfortunately, polite waiting does not help much when everyone involved is a robot and no one will make a move.

Eventually, a Waymo employee arrived to manually intervene and restore order, proving once again that the most reliable fail-safe in autonomous driving is still a human with the ability to hook reverse and take a look over his shoulder.

Waymo expansion

To be fair to Waymo, the company remains the poster child for functional robotaxis. Its vehicles log millions of miles in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, mostly without fault, and are now venturing onto freeways. The company recently launched in Miami and plans to add services in Dallas, Houston, San Antonia, and Orlando.

Those cities can expect to experience their own Waymo glitches in time because moments like this are a reminder that self-driving cars excel at following rules, but struggle with edge cases that humans solve instinctively.

Lead image chii_rinna

Four years after first showing its Mobile Eccentric Droid (MobED) concept, Hyundai’s Robotics LAB has now revealed the production version in Tokyo, Japan. The debut marks an important step in the company’s expansion into advanced robotics.

The compact platform has been engineered to be fully autonomous and uses advanced artificial intelligence that allows it to cruise over different surfaces and provide incredible adaptability for different use cases.

How Does It Move?

Central to MobED’s capability is its Eccentric Control Mechanism, a clever system that lets the robot adjust its posture and each wheel individually. The result is an uncanny steadiness, even when crossing inclined or uneven terrain.

Read: Like All Eccentrics, Hyundai’s New Mobile Eccentric Droid May Be Going Into The Film Business

For spatial awareness, Hyundai equipped the platform with a suite of advanced cameras and LiDAR sensors. An AI-driven obstacle detection system adds another layer of awareness, helping the robot navigate confined or crowded spaces without missing a beat.

Hyundai envisions it taking on various roles, from last-mile deliveries to logistics support, with minimal human intervention.

Two Flavors Of Droid

Hyundai has revealed two versions of the robot: the Basic and the Pro. The Basic measures 1,150 mm (45.2 inches) in length, 750 mm (29.5 inches) in width, and 430 mm (16.9 inches) in height. It weighs 78 kg (172 lbs) and can carry up to 57 kg (125 lbs).

The Pro variant stands a little taller at 650 mm (25.5 inches) and heavier at 88 kg (194 lbs), though its payload capacity drops slightly to 47 kg (104 lbs).

Where they diverge most is autonomy. The Pro comes equipped with Hyundai’s full self-driving system, while the Basic relies on manual operation via remote control.

What Keeps It Rolling?

Powering both versions is a small 1.47 kWh battery that provides up to 4 hours of operating time. However, compared to some of Hyundai’s EVs, the MobED charges slowly, needing 2.5 hours to juice up the battery from 10 to 90 percent.

Each robot also features universal mounting rails that make it easy to attach a variety of tools and modules. In the future, they could perform a range of important tasks in factories and warehouses, as well as crucial functions at production facilities, reducing the need for human labor.

Commercial sales of the MobED are expected to begin in the first half of 2026. Hyundai has yet to announce pricing, though it’s clear the company sees the robot as more than a novelty.

Autonomous driving may have come a long way in the last decade but, apparently, there’s room for improvement. Waymo, one of the leaders in the space, still has some bugs to work out – and one of them is how to handle active crime scenes.

Video from just a few days ago shows one of the firms’ robotaxis casually rolling through an intersection as police with guns drawn attempt to make a felony arrest. 

Footage of the incident popped up via content creator Alex Choi. In the video, we see the car turning left at an intersection. Just off the road in the oncoming lane is a parked truck with the driver’s door open. Just to the left of the truck, a suspect is face down on the ground with officers holding him at gunpoint. 

More: Waymo Robotaxis Racked Up 589 Parking Tickets In A Year

Strangely, the robotaxi actually slows down and appears to pause as it passes the suspect. Keep in mind that the car itself was in the line of fire at this point. The video ends after the car has left the scene, while the police move in for the arrest.

Police told NBC that the incident happened around 3:40 a.m. and that officers’ tactics were unchanged by the robotaxi’s interference. 

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A post shared by Alex Choi (@alex.choi)

For its part, the company responded that the entire situation lasted just 15 seconds. “Safety is our highest priority at Waymo, both for people who choose to ride with us and with whom we share the streets,” a spokesperson said.

“When we encounter unusual events like this one, we learn from them as we continue improving road safety and operating in dynamic cities.”

The company has logged more than 100 million miles of autonomous driving as of mid-2025 and boasts a strong safety record, but it hasn’t been immune from oddities and public-relations headaches.

Earlier this year, pranksters redirected 50 Waymos to the same San Francisco intersection, gridlocking traffic. In a separate incident, five Waymo vehicles were set ablaze during protests in Los Angeles.

The plan? At dusk, 50 people went to San Francisco's longest dead-end street and all ordered a Waymo at the same time.

The world's first: WAYMO DDOS pic.twitter.com/DEDH0tdMKP

— Riley Walz (@rtwlz) October 12, 2025

Credit: Alex Choi

Tesla took to X over the weekend to announce that Dutch automotive safety regulator RDW had committed to approving its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system in February 2026. As it turns out, Elon Musk’s company jumped the gun, and the agency made no such commitment.

Watch: Tesla Fans Gave FSD The Wheel For Elon’s Coast-To-Coast Trip

The claim sparked quick clarification from the regulator and a flurry of online chatter about Tesla’s ongoing bid to expand FSD beyond American roads.

While Tesla has been offering its Full Self-Driving system in the United States for years, it hasn’t been able to do the same in Europe.

Europe’s Roadblock

According to the carmaker, it has already provided FSD demonstrations “to regulators of almost every EU country” and believes the most effective path to rolling out the system across the continent is through the RDW, with the goal of securing an exemption for the feature.

In its X post, Tesla Europe & Middle East proclaimed that “RDW has committed to granting Netherlands National approval in February 2026.” The company even urged followers to contact the regulator directly to “express your excitement & thank them for making this happen as soon as possible.”

However, the regulator quickly pushed back. In a statement published on its website, the regulator explained that it expects Tesla to demonstrate FSD next February, but it denied making any commitment to approval.

Tesla has been working hard toward shipping Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Europe for over 12 months now. We have given FSD demos to regulators of almost every EU country. We have requested early access, pilot release programs or exemptions where possible.

We have developed…

— Tesla Europe & Middle East (@teslaeurope) November 22, 2025

“We do not share details about ongoing applications from manufacturers, as this concerns commercially sensitive information,” it wrote. “Both RDW and Tesla are aware of the efforts needed to reach a decision on this matter in February. Whether this timeline will be met is yet to be determined in the coming period.”

Regulator Grows Tired of Tesla Fans’ Calls

The regulatory agency also asked Tesla’s fans to stop contacting it about FSD, noting that “it takes up unnecessary time for our customer service,” adding “this will have no impact whatsoever on whether or not the schedule will be met.”

Recently, Tesla boss Elon Musk said, “pressure from our customers in Europe to push the regulators to approve would be appreciated.”

Speaking with Bloomberg, the head of safe autonomy at the University of Warwick, Siddartha Khastgir, said it’s unusual to see a carmaker attempting to pressure the RDW.

“An approval process of an automated driving system is a deeply technical one to ensure the safety of the public,” he explained. “The sanctity of any such approvals is ensured by its independence and rigor, not force. While public sentiment is important for all authorities, this shouldn’t undermine the rigor of the approval process.”

Ford is widening the reach of its “hands-off” driving tech, showing just how quickly features once kept for top-tier models are filtering into everyday vehicles. BlueCruise now targets the brand’s most accessible SUVs in Europe, giving buyers a taste of advanced driver assistance without having to climb the price ladder.

Besides the Puma and the fully electric Puma Gen-E, the system will soon be offered on the Kuga compact SUV and the Ranger PHEV midsize pickup as part of an optional Driver Assistance Pack.

The BlueCruise made its European debut with the Mustang Mach-E in 2023, before gradually expanding from the UK to 16 countries across the continent.

More: Ford Racing Is Readying A Secret ‘Road Car’ For January

Starting from spring 2026, Ford’s small and compact SUVs and its midsize pickup will also be offered with the hands-free system. That leaves only the VW-based Capri and Explorer EVs, the Transit/Tourneo range, and the ICE Mustang without access to the technology.

The BlueCruise, which is based on the Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, allows the driver to take their hands off the wheel while keeping their eyes on the road. It manages acceleration, braking, and steering, with cameras and sensors monitoring traffic, lane markings, and even the driver’s gaze and head position to ensure attentiveness.

More: Ford’s Ranger Street Truck Just Got Louder And Greener With New PHEV Punch

In Europe, the BlueCruise can be activated on over 135,000 km (84,000 miles) of highways, which are marked as “Blue Zones”. For example, one could use it to travel from Stockholm to Rome, covering 2,000 km (1,500 miles) across six countries and totaling around 25 hours of hands-free driving.

Globally, Ford and Lincoln owners have logged over 888 million km (552 million miles) using BlueCruise-equipped vehicles. However, the majority of those were most likely covered in North America.

The company says that the tech will be available in “selected new model year vehicles” of the Puma, Puma Gen-E, Kuga, and Ranger PHEV starting in spring 2026. Subscription options and pricing for the Driver Assistance Pack will be announced closer to that date.

The BlueCruise is currently available in select European markets, including Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.

Toyota’s booth at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show brimmed with futuristic ideas, from spider-like delivery bots to a six-wheeled Lexus minivan. Yet among all the tech-heavy marvels, one creation charmed visitors more than any other: the Kids Mobi, a self-driving, bubble-shaped EV made exclusively for children.

More: Honda Shogo Is A Tiny EV That Brings Joy To Hospitalized Kids

Framed as a “safe and secure AI-powered personal mobility for kids,” the concept blurs the line between toy and vehicle. It has a smooth, pod-like body with enclosed wheels and animated LED “eyes” that mimic expressions.

Even the sensors on the roof are shaped like ears, with the whole thing being reminiscent of an animated character.

The canopy, lifted straight from a sci-fi sketchbook, swings upward to reveal a snug single seat built for children up to 130 cm tall (about 4 feet 3 inches). Once inside, the canopy closes and an AI assistant called the “UX Friend” comes to life, chatting and playing with the young passenger throughout the ride.

While the Kids Mobi obviously relies on autonomous tech for navigation, Toyota says children can still participate in the drive, giving them a sense of control.

“It’s not just adults who want to drive and enjoy some time to themselves,” the company explains. “Kids also want freedom of mobility. And just as adults have cars, kids deserve a trusty sidekick.”

Letting a child ride solo in an autonomous pod may sound like science fiction at best and unsettling at worst, but Toyota argues it could eventually prove safer than a traditional school bus.

For now, the Kids Mobi remains a concept, though it reflects what the automaker calls the “ultimate goal” of its AI x Robotics Data Center. That means the idea will keep evolving long after the show floor closes.

Still, the project represents the “ultimate goal” of the automaker’s AI x Robotics Data Center, so development will continue.

More: Toyota Wants To Teach Your Kids To Drive With Camatte Petta Concept

Until the Kids Mobi is ready to hit the road (or, more likely, the bike lane and sidewalk), visitors of the Japan Mobility Show can check it out up close and snap a photo with it. Toyota will also give each kid an original keychain as a souvenir.

Another Kid-Friendly Concept

Interestingly, the 2025 lineup at the show includes another Toyota concept that could serve as a helpful companion for toddlers.

The Chibibo is a quadruped robot that walks alongside people and vehicles serving as a last-mile delivery solution. A shown in the official renderings, it could help a child carry their backpack, lunchbox, or any other item that would be too heavy for them.

The spider-like design allows the robot to navigate narrow alleyways and climb stairs, taking parcels to places that vehicles can’t. When idle, it crouches down into a resting pose, much like a loyal robotic pet.

Toyota