FutureLink, a key part in the second phase of METRO’s AV testing program, is an autonomous zero-emission shuttle that can operate on city streets, providing residents with first and last-mile connections between Texas Southern University and METRO’s Eastwood Transit Center. The mid-size L4 autonomous, zero-emission shuttle bus can seat up to 14 passengers and accommodate up to two wheelchairs. Funding for the project was provided through the Federal Transit Administration’s Accelerating Innovative Mobility program. The second phase of METRO’s pilot program is expected to run through October 2024, with a final report to be completed by March 2025.

More broadly, METRO is a public transit provider for the Harris County region and offers various transportation services. Included in its transit network are local bus, METRORail, Park & Ride commuter buses, the METROLift paratransit service, HOV/HOT Express Lanes, curb2curb microtransit service and METRO Star Vanpool.

The all-equity round was led by the NTT Group, with further funding from autonomous technology company’s existing financial and strategic investors – including Toyota Ventures, Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Company, State Farm Ventures, BMW i Ventures, Cyrus Capital and Trucks Venture Capital. Following its prior Series B and Series C funding rounds, this latest round brings May Mobility’s total funding to approximately $300 million.

The company plans to use the proceeds to accelerate the advancement and commercialization of its AV technology and services in the U.S, Canada and Japan. The funding will also help the company to scale operations and reach profitability.

Through its investment in the company, the NTT Group acquired the necessary rights to distribute May Mobility’s proprietary autonomous vehicle technology throughout Japan. Together, NTT and May Mobility will work with the Toyota Motor Corporation to develop an autonomous driving ecosystem, partnering with local stakeholders to deploy May Mobility-equipped AVs across a variety of vehicle platforms. The companies will further leverage May Mobility’s technology to enhance Japanese transportation networks.

The lane will be located on the I-45 highway, which operates between the two Texas cities. Much like its Dallas terminal, Aurora’s new terminal in Houston will work to support and services driverless trucks at a commercial scale. More broadly, the terminals house, maintain, prepare, inspect, and deploy its autonomous trucks between destinations.

A dedicated terminal blueprint implements a layout and list of features that ensure these terminals are ready for the commercial launch of driverless freight operations. Here, the blueprint is designed to maximize the time autonomous trucks are on the road hauling freight. On-site weigh stations, for example, support enhanced pre-trip inspections that ensure Aurora’s trucks are compliant with regulatory standards while allowing them to bypass inspection sites on the road.

Aurora’s Houston terminal is located in a logistics hub near the company’s pilot customers, including FedEx. This proximity allows Aurora to quickly integrate autonomous trucks into the middle-mile operations of these customers.

The Transurban-led coalition partnered with law enforcement and first responders to identify situations in which CAVs need to respond quickly and appropriately, such as the presence of first responders, work zones or traffic incidents on the road. Here, the demonstrations worked to show how technology integrated into infrastructure, like the smart Express Lanes, can make CAVs safer, more reliable, and more efficient.

With a focus on safety, the demonstrations saw a CAV navigate through several scenarios designed to challenge it and ensure that it kept passengers and other road users safe. These scenarios included a law enforcement officer providing hand signal around a simulated crash scene, detecting upcoming hazards out of the line of sight of the CAV through communication with the roadway technology, and navigating safely around first responders and construction workers and work zones. Another scenario involved forming a tight vehicle formation based on real-time speed and distance information from infrastructure increasing road density.

Transurban, with its partners, is planning to conduct a second round of CAV demonstrations on the same 395 Express Lanes in November.

The system is set to launch in late 2023 on a limited fleet of EQS sedan models in California and Nevada – where it has been formally approved for use. In early 2024, the OEM then plans to launch model year 2024 EQS Sedan and S-Class models equipped with the system to authorized dealers in California and Nevada. Following its initial launch in these two states, Mercedes-Benz will then look to launch the ADAS in additional U.S. markets.

Drive Pilot itself enables the vehicle to take over control of the dynamic driving task at speeds of up to 40 mph (64 km/h) on suitable freeway sections and in high-density traffic. Upon activation, it independently controls both the vehicle’s speed and distance while maintaining its lane position. During these operations, the driver can access certain infotainment apps from the center display that are otherwise blocked when the vehicle is driving.

While building on the OEM’s existing Driver Assistance Package, Drive Pilot also utilizes a suite of safety sensors – including a LiDAR sensor, rear window camera, microphones that detect emergency vehicles, and a road wetness sensor in the wheel. Supporting this hardware is a set of redundancies that work together to ensure the driving task is safely handed back to the user, including redundant steering and braking actuators as well as a redundant on-board electric system to ensure maneuverability if one of these systems fails.

As it rolls out, Drive Pilot will be installed on select EQS and S-Class models at the factory, with the driver then unlocking and activating it through the Mercedes me connect store. Here, the system will be offered through a subscription model that will start at $2,500 (£2,407 / €2,371). While Mercedes-Benz confirmed that it will offer additional pricing plans for the system at a later date, details on these have not yet been provided. In opting for a subscription model over a one-time purchase, Mercedes-Benz said that it will provide flexibility for users who may activate Drive Pilot in California or Nevada, use it, and then move to a state where it has not yet been approved – at which point they can cancel their subscription accordingly.

While sharing details on its planned rollout for Drive Pilot in the U.S., Mercedes-Benz also provided new insights into the system’s key safety features – including a high-precision positioning system that determines the precise location of the vehicle within a range of inches. A digital HD map provides further safety support, working alongside the data collected by its sensor suite to develop a three-dimensional image of the road ahead and its surroundings.

This map additionally provides information on the road’s geometry, route characteristics, traffic signs, and details on special traffic events (such as road accidents and construction zones). This information is stored in backend data centers, and consistently updated to ensure Drive Pilot remains accurate while the vehicle stores a copy of this information on-board, comparing it with the backend data and updating the local dataset as necessary.

Across all three of its grades – Luxe, Essential, and Sensory – the new QX55 offers ProPILOT Assist as standard. Equipped with Intelligent Cruise Control, including Full-Speed Range and Hold with Steering Assist, the system helps drivers accelerate, brake, and steering when driving in a single lane. It can also assist driving in stop-and-go traffic scenarios. Infiniti’s three-year Premium Care maintenance is offered on all model year 2023 vehicles sold in the U.S and provides a suite of benefits, including inspections, oil changes and tire rotations. 

Inside the vehicle itself, the standard dual touch screens (8.0-inch upper and 7.0-inch lower) spearhead the infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto compatibility. An active noise cancellation system, also offered as standard, filters external sounds, while an available Bose Performance Series sound system provides a premium, sixteen-speaker, audio experience. The cabin features five USB ports, two USB-C and three USB-A for charging devices and additional infotainment capabilities.

For rear passengers, a USB-C port is now standard to help charge devices on the go, while blind spot intervention across all grades provides further support the driver. On the Essential grade, available from $54,250, Traffic Sign Recognition works similarly with auto levelling and an adaptive front lighting system.

Exclusive to the QX55’s SENSORY grade, a Head-Up Display projects key vehicle information onto a 9.0-inch area of the windshield to minimize distractions. The HUD also provides speed-limit information from the Traffic Sign Recognition system to further support drivers across different areas, including in construction zones.

While a specific release date has not yet been confirmed by Infiniti, the 2023 QX55 will arrive at the OEM’s U.S showrooms in summer 2022.

The Einride Pod will operate on public roads with mixed traffic while executing real life workflows. This will include the movement of goods and coordinating with teams at various warehouses for loading and unloading. A Remote Pod Operator will be remotely monitoring the vehicle at all times – a first of its kind role that Einride sees critical in safely scaling autonomous vehicles by keeping humans in the loop and creating jobs to fulfill a future way of shipping.

The public road pilot, which will take place in Q3 of 2022, will be done at a GE Appliances manufacturing facility to complement other existing operations already in place together. Einride was the first to have a fleet of operational autonomous and electric vehicles on U.S. soil in partnership with GEA in 2021.

Ghost was founded in 2017 with the belief that driving should not be dangerous. Despite all the technology and features included in modern cars, cars still crash – accidents and fatalities are going up, not down. Even semi-autonomous and fully autonomous vehicles struggle to recognize and avoid every potential obstacle on the road, instead relying on human intervention to handle edge cases and prevent crashes.

To solve this problem and realize the promise of safe self-driving, Ghost has invented crash prevention technology capable of detecting and handling any obstacle, regardless of speed, size, or type. Unlike existing systems, Ghost does not need to recognize an obstacle to avoid it, instead applying new uses of artificial intelligence and physics to track objects in motion and avoid incoming threats. Engineered to keep drivers safe in even the most unusual circumstances, Ghost’s fully automated crash prevention never relies on last-second human intervention.

Building on its commitment to consumer vehicle safety, Ghost has appointed former NHTSA Chief Counsel and Acting Administrator Jacqueline Glassman as General Counsel. She brings more than 25 years of experience in motor vehicle and consumer safety across both the public and private sectors. 

Ghost is currently testing in California. The company will use the new capital to continue development and introduce the product next year.

Continental is advancing construction on a new manufacturing facility in the state. When complete, the plant in New Braunfels, Texas will manufacture products for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). It is a long-term investment of approximately $110 million (€100 million) in the future of mobility and the New Braunfels community. Operations are expected to start in the second half of 2022.

Continental develops key components for assisted and automated driving around the world. The location of their new ADAS facility will enable the company to expand its R&D and manufacturing capabilities in the United States. This is especially important for the company as demand for intelligent safety functions, such as ADAS, continues to increase.

The New Braunfels facility will build upon Continental’s expertise and research capabilities within sensors, software, and intelligent connectivity. This is their second facility in Texas, and, with it, they will offer 580 jobs over the next four years.

It will also assist the company as they increase their investments in assisted and automated driving. When the plant opens, local workers will produce radar sensors – these sensors enable sophisticated safety solutions such as blind spot detection and forward collision warning.

Continental and Texas have had a long successful partnership. This will be the company’s second automotive manufacturing location in the state. With this new location, Continental will offer 580 well-paying jobs with excellent benefits over the next four years in New Braunfels.

Verizon Public Sector and MCAS Miramar announced the first-ever 5G Ultra Wideband deployment on a military base last July. Since then, in collaboration with a number of strategic partners, they have created a true testbed for innovation, exploring 5G-enabled innovations across autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, and drones.

Robotic Research officials see the nationwide rollout of 5G as creating huge opportunities for autonomous vehicles by enabling higher-bandwidth and real-time sharing of data between vehicles and between vehicles and infrastructure. Among the other areas of focus being pursued, the 5G Labs team within Verizon is exploring the benefits of 5G around public safety, frictionless commerce, and energy management.

One area of innovation includes onboard safety attendants. Currently, in most autonomous shuttles, there is a steward who monitors the health and status of the vehicle. But as the autonomous industry continues to mature, it could follow a similar model to that of home security systems.

All that is required is a reliable data backbone, and Robotic Research officials see Verizon’s 5G network as the next step in the right direction.

The two organizations, which collectively represent the interests of millions of frontline transportation workers, are together calling on lawmakers to use five key policies, which promote safety, equity, and the integrity of jobs and wages, as the foundation of any legislation designed to regulate AVs and corresponding technology.

Transportation labor’s principles for AV legislation include:

1. Prioritizing safety by abiding by the framework developed in the Joint AV Tenets introduced by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.
2. Appropriately defining the scope of AV technologies, including continuing the carve-out for vehicles over 10,000 pounds, requiring vehicles under 10,000 pounds to have a human driver or operator, and including the regulation of delivery bots and other alternative-design small vehicles being used for commercial purposes in comprehensive AV legislation.
3. Creating a robust workforce training and job-loss mitigation plan, and a commitment to move this plan in conjunction with any AV bill.
4. Ensuring consumer rights, equity, and accessibility are key components of any framework
5. Calling for the assurance that any federal employment policies and procurement plans that include the development and use of AVs will lead to good middle-class U.S. manufacturing jobs.

Labor leaders warn that if lawmakers fail to adopt these protections, and AV technologies operate unregulated – as has been the case in recent years – the U.S. will face significant economic, safety and mobility challenges.

Reports estimate that as many as 3 million workers could have their jobs replaced or fundamentally altered by automation. Meanwhile, a deluge of recent accidents involving Waymo, Tesla, Uber and other AVs have resulted in serious injuries and even death. And serious questions have surfaced about the extent to which AVs will truly increase equity, transportation access and environmental outcomes.

The policies come ahead of a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing that will examine the promise and perils of automobile technologies. 

With help from Prospect Silicon Valley, this project is the nation’s first autonomous vehicle project to focus entirely on accessibility. The project is anchored by the development of three new features: a Smarter AI Gateway that applies precision AI models to Olli’s internal and external cameras to notify Olli when a passenger is using a mobility device, an automated wheelchair ramp, developed by BraunAbility, and a ride-hailing application that allows mobility device users to customize their ride preferences, built by Liftango.

The project’s next phase will have passengers interact with these accessibility features at the VA Hospital campus in Palo Alto, operating in mixed traffic from the VA hospital complex to the Palo Alto and Mountain View transit centers. The multi-stage Accessible Automated Vehicle Project was funded using a grant facilitated by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. Other partners in this venture are Robotic Research and Mineta Transportation Institute.

Stay Aware for Everyone (SAFE) Act: The bill – the Stay Aware for Everyone (SAFE) Act – will tackle the threat of distracted driving, a problem that is only increasing with the proliferation of “driver assistance” technologies that can encourage complacency if misused on the road. The SAFE Act will specifically require the DOT to study how driver-monitoring systems can prevent driver distraction, driver disengagement, automation complacency, and the foreseeable misuse of advanced driver-assist systems.

The legislation also requires a rulemaking to mandate the installation of driver-monitoring systems based on the results of this study, which shall incorporate appropriate privacy and data security safeguards. A copy of the SAFE Act can be found HERE. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is also a cosponsor of this legislation.

This is Ohio State’s second project to be funded through ARPA-E’s Next-Generation Energy Technologies for Connected and Automated On-Road Vehicles (NEXTCAR) program. Research will be led by Ohio State’s Center for Automotive Research (CAR).

In the current project, Ohio State, BorgWarner and the Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC) will integrate advanced system-level optimization and control technologies for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) with level 4 (L4) automation, aiming to improve energy efficiency by more than 30%. Level 5 vehicles are fully autonomous.

Light-duty vehicles, like those targeted through the NEXTCAR program, are responsible for almost 60% of overall energy consumption in all vehicles across the transportation sector. Further increasing vehicle efficiency in this sector through the development of connected and autonomous vehicle technologies like those in the NEXTCAR program can drastically reduce emissions across the transportation sector, leading to a more efficient domestic vehicle fleet and further reducing U.S. dependence on fossil fuels.

The Intelligent Driving technology developed as the result of the first phase project is already being commercialized by BorgWarner for deployment to vehicles with low levels of connectivity and automation (L0-L2). As vehicles with L3 capabilities and beyond come to market, the energy efficiency improvements developed and demonstrated in Phase II will impact these vehicles as well.

TRC Inc. signed a ten-year agreement with the Merced County Board of Supervisors to manage the 225-acre CATDC testing complex and bring TRC Inc.’s nearly 50 years of technical expertise as an engineering services firm to help create a one-stop-shop approach to affirming the safety, quality and competitiveness of new technologies.

TRC Inc. was selected to manage and expand the county-owned research center after an extensive RFP process conducted by KPMG International for the Merced County Board of Supervisors.

Since its inception several years ago, CATDC has attracted innovators in and around Silicon Valley and the wider San Francisco Bay region.  CATDC currently operates high-speed and urban-grid automotive test zones on a substantial system of existing infrastructure.  A range of US-based, Asian and European OEMs and technology firms are presently conducting testing and development on the site. 

When TRC Inc. assumes management of the Merced County facility, it will work to complete development of advanced testing facilities, especially new capabilities geared toward research on autonomous and connected vehicles. In Ohio, TRC Inc. operates a 540-acre SMARTCenter which provides transportation innovators with a roadway complex especially designed for testing automated and connected vehicle systems in a safe, secure and repeatable real-world environment.

“This comprehensive plan lays out a vision for the safe integration of automated vehicles into America’s transportation system while ensuring that legitimate concerns about safety, security, and privacy are addressed,” said Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

The AVCP illustrates how the Department’s work, including myriad efforts with our stakeholders beyond government, is focused on meeting the challenges of a transportation system that must adapt to technological advancements. The AVCP provides real-world examples of how the Department’s operating administrations collaborate to address the needs of emerging technology applications.

The AVCP builds on the U.S. Government’s core principles related to automated vehicles, outlined in Ensuring American Leadership in Automated Vehicle Technologies: Automated Vehicles 4.0 (AV 4.0). It also complements the Department’s earlier statements A Vision for Safety: Automated Driving Systems 2.0 (ADS 2.0) and Preparing for the Future of Transportation: Automated Vehicles 3.0 (AV 3.0).

Development of the AVCP was informed by extensive stakeholder engagement conducted over the last several years through events (in-person and virtual) and public notices. 

The AVCP will be published in the Federal Register for public review and comment.

Today’s event featured remarks from Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy Finch Fulton, NHTSA Deputy Administrator James Owens, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Deputy Administrator Wiley Deck, Wyoming Department of Transportation Director K. Luke Reiner, and Ariel Wolf of the Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets.

The information provided will help keep the public informed of the progress, advancement, and safety implications regarding the automated vehicles that participate in the program.  The portal is available on NHTSA’s website and will be updated as new information is submitted.

AV 3.0 supports the safe development of automated vehicle technologies by:

• Providing new multi-modal safety guidance
• Reducing policy uncertainty and clarifying roles
• Outlining a process for working with USDOT as technology evolves

The new AV 3.0 guidance provides several updates to the Department’s initiatives relating to automated vehicles, by:

• Stating that the Department will interpret and, consistent with all applicable notice and comment requirements, adapt the definitions of “driver” or “operator” as appropriate to recognize that such terms do not refer exclusively to a human, but may include an automated system.
• Identifying and supporting the development of automation-related voluntary standards  developed through organizations and associations, which can be an effective non-regulatory means to advance the integration of automation technologies.
• Affirming that the Department is continuing its work to preserve the ability for transportation safety applications to function in the 5.9 GHz spectrum.

AV 3.0 also announces and discusses several upcoming rule makings and other actions being taken in the near future by the Department’s operating administrations, including:

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will request public comment on a proposal to streamline and modernize the procedures it will follow when processing and deciding exemption petitions.
• The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will initiate an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to address automated vehicles, particularly to identify regulatory gaps, including in the areas of inspection, repair, and maintenance for ADS.
• The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announces plans to update the 2009 Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), taking into consideration new connected and automated vehicle technologies.
• The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is initiating research to develop and demonstrate a concept of operations, including system requirements, for the use of automated and connected vehicles to improve safety of highway-rail crossings.
• The Maritime Administration (MARAD) and FMCSA are evaluating the regulatory and economic feasibility of using automated truck queueing as a technology solution to truck staging, access, and parking issues at ports.
• The Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) is researching the ability to enable the digital transmission of information to first responders before they arrive at an incident that involves hazardous materials.
• The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has published a five-year research plan on automating bus transit.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has launched a series of meetings with key stakeholders to discuss the ramifications of automated vehicles on U.S. roads. The “national dialogue” meetings are being held across the country to engage a diverse group of stakeholders from industry and the public sector to understand the key areas of interest and concern.

The dialogues specifically focus on highway automation – essentially, the readiness of highway infrastructure, information and institutional systems for automated vehicles and related technologies. Participants will include industry leaders and other stakeholders who are involved in the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of U.S. roads as well as inviting automotive makers and technology providers.

FHWA will host several of these meetings nationwide throughout this year to facilitate information sharing, identify key issues and prepare the highway and broader transportation and infrastructure community to safely and efficiently incorporate automation on the roadway network. Areas of focus will include planning, policy, data and digital infrastructure, multimodal safety, infrastructure design, traffic operations and freight.

Though automated vehicles and related technologies hold the promise of saving lives while making travel more convenient and efficient, Hendrickson added that input from state departments of transportation and others will be needed to make informed decisions.

The insights received during the sessions will inform national research, policy and programs and aid in the development of a national transportation community for automation.

Source: FHWA

Drive.ai has announced a pilot program to bring an on-demand self-driving car service to Frisco, Texas beginning in July 2018.

Working in cooperation with the Frisco Transportation Management Association (TMA), Drive.ai will offer rides to over 10,000 people in self-driving vehicles within a geofenced area comprised of retail, entertainment, and office space. The initial pilot will run for six months, beginning with fixed pickup and drop-off locations around HALL Park and The Star, and with planned expansion into Frisco Station.

The Frisco TMA includes the City of Frisco, HALL Group, Frisco Station Partners, The Star, and the Denton County Transportation Authority, which will administer the program.

Leading up to the July launch date, office employees, residents, and patrons of these partners’ Frisco developments will gradually on-board into the program, gaining access to Drive.ai’s ride-hailing smartphone app. Once the program is live, riders will use the app to hail complimentary on-demand rides in self-driving cars that connect to popular destinations in one of Frisco’s most lively areas.

In addition, informational signage will be placed throughout the route, the vehicles will be painted a highly-visible orange, and they will feature four external screens that communicate the vehicles’ intended actions to pedestrians and other drivers on the roads.

Source: Drive.ai