Articles by Hyunjoo Jin and Brenda Goh

California Halts Pony.Ai’s Driverless Testing Permit After Accident

A California regulator on Monday said it has suspended a driverless testing permit for startup technology firm Pony.ai following an accident – the first time it has issued such a suspension. On Oct. 28, a Pony.ai vehicle operating in autonomous …

Whistleblower Claim Prompts SEC Probe of Tesla Over Solar Panel Fire Risks

The U.S. securities regulator has opened an investigation into Tesla Inc. over a whistleblower complaint that the company failed to properly notify its shareholders and the public of fire risks associated with solar panel system defects over several years, according …

Agency in California Opposes Cruise Robotaxi Application, Citing Safety

San Francisco’s public transit operator has challenged an application by Cruise to charge for robotaxi rides, saying on Wednesday promotional videos from the General Motors Co unit show Cruise passengers illegally hopping in and out of vehicles in the middle …

California Autonomous Delivery Service Rolling out from Nuro, 7-Eleven

Self-driving tech startup Nuro said on Wednesday it was rolling out California’s first commercial autonomous delivery service in partnership with 7-Eleven, a convenience store operator. Nuro and rivals such as Waymo are launching or planning to launch autonomous delivery services …

Citing Software Issues, Tesla Pulls Latest Full Self-Driving Beta

U.S. electric car maker Tesla Inc. on Sunday rolled back the latest version of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta software, less than a day after its release, after users complained of false collision warnings and other issues. The setback comes …

GM, Alphabet Win California’s First Autonomous Permits for Passenger Rides

General Motors Co.’s Cruise and Alphabet Inc.’s Waymo self-driving car subsidiaries on Thursday became the first companies to receive autonomous vehicle permits to offer rides to passengers in California. Cruise has obtained a permit from the California Department of Motor …

It Turns Out That Humans Are Secret Weapon for Autonomous Vehicle Startups

Self-driving startups like Cruise and Pony.ai have begun testing their driverless cars in some parts of California in the past year, with an additional feature: Human operators. While there is no driver behind the wheel, the passenger seat is occupied …

Safety Agency Has Begun Probe Into Tesla Autopilot

U.S. auto safety regulators said Monday they had opened a formal safety probe into Tesla Inc.’s driver assistance system Autopilot after a series of crashes involving emergency vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that since January 2018, …

Tesla Auto Caught Fire During Driving, Lawyer Alleges

A Tesla Inc. Model S Plaid electric vehicle burst into flames on Tuesday while the owner was driving, just three days after the $129,900, top-of-the-range car was delivered following its June launch, an attorney for the driver told Reuters. The …

Despite Safety Questions, Tesla Sticks With Autopilot Cameras Without Radar Sensor

Tesla Inc. said on Tuesday its Model 3 and Model Y vehicles will be equipped with cameras and no radar sensor for semi-automated driving in North America starting this month. The move came amid growing scrutiny by regulators and media …