October 2024
- Opinion
- Opinion
Ride-sharing robopods are the future of cities
Self-driving, on-demand cars could change the way we move around cities and dramatically increase throughput of congested streets.
- Vinod Khosla
- Opinion
- Automation
Why Elon Musk’s robotaxis will have to share the road – or disappear
The day after Tesla revealed its driverless Cybercab, the company’s stock dropped 9 per cent. Seismic shifts in transportation happen slowly.
- Tim Rossanis
Are you ready for a driverless taxi?
No steering wheel, no brake, no accelerator, no door handles: Musk says Tesla’s Cybercab will be in production before 2027 – and to cost less than $US30,000.
- Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson
September 2024
- Opinion
- Opinion
Why is Australia stuck in the slow lane on driverless cars?
Australian regulations put a far higher bar on robot drivers than human ones. That makes little sense when it’s likely that the tech is already safer.
- Marion Terrill
July 2024
No great leap to self-driving cars, just small steps
The head of Mercedes-Benz’s automation program admits self-driving is lagging, but says the tech is already bringing big gains in safety.
- Tony Davis
June 2024
‘Grandkids won’t learn to drive’: New driverless car push in Australia
Despite the spinning sensors and eerily self-turning steering wheel, self-driving vehicles quickly felt normal in our testing on the streets of San Francisco.
- Nick Bonyhady
May 2024
How your electric car is watching your every move
Electric vehicle makers are among the worst offenders when it comes to protecting the personal data of their customers, and Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind is worried about it.
- Tom Burton
April 2024
Elon Musk’s robotaxi dreams plunge Tesla into chaos
Plans for a self-driving taxi are being prioritised over a cheaper Tesla that investors prefer, company insiders say.
- Edward Ludlow and Dana Hull
January 2024
Why Kia spends $100m on the tennis
The Australian Open is a hotbed of branding and marketing during January as companies look to use it to kick off their year on top.
- Patrick Durkin
September 2023
- Opinion
- Opinion
Self-driving cars are a Silicon Valley fantasy that won’t work
Investors’ and politicians’ time would be better spent solving motorists’ real problems.
- Ben Marlow
July 2023
- Opinion
- Opinion
I wanted to love driverless taxis, but then my ride took a sinister turn
San Francisco is being used as a living laboratory for robotaxis, with mixed results. A recent incident means it might be some time before I climb back into an autonomous vehicle.
- Elaine Moore
June 2023
The shocking toll of Tesla’s Autopilot: 17 fatalities, 736 crashes
Tesla’s driver-assistance system, known as Autopilot, has been involved in far more crashes than previously reported.
- Faiz Siddiqui and Jeremy Merrill
February 2023
Eight big changes coming to EVs
From software and greater power to a new focus on traditional design and simplicity – here’s what’s shaping next-generation vehicles right now.
- Tony Davis
- Exclusive
- Start-ups
Mass redundancies at $300m driverless car start-up Baraja
Baraja, a heavily backed Australian driverless technology start-up valued at $300 million in 2021, has laid off a large chunk of its workforce.
- Paul Smith
January 2023
Musk faces SEC probe for role in Tesla self-driving claims
US regulators are investigating Elon Musk’s role in shaping Tesla Inc’s self-driving car claims.
- Lydia Beyoud
December 2022
Smoothly driving towards the holy grail of self-driving
The 2023 Cadillac Escalade promises assistance rather than autonomy, but a highway test drive shows its remarkable capability is a step in the right direction.
- Tony Davis
May 2022
- Exclusive
- Funding
Why self-driving car pioneers are backing an Aussie start-up
Strong Compute, which allows AI developers to train their algorithms faster, has raised $11m from VCs and heavy hitters in the self-driving car space.
- Tess Bennett
January 2022
- Opinion
- Opinion
My ride in a fully driverless car still required two humans
There’s a reason why robo-taxis are not ready to be unleashed on the public.
- Updated
- Ira Boudway
December 2021
Green cars full of vim and vigour are coming to Australia
Australia is an exciting test market for the new players propelled by the structural changes in the multitrillion-dollar car industry.
- Tony Davis
October 2021
It started in a tiny garage, now this car tech company is worth $300m
Six years ago, Peruvian Australian Federico Collarte had a light-bulb moment about what that many believe is the essential ingredient for self-driving vehicles.
- Tony Davis