In autonomous and self-driving vehicle news are Tesla, Aurora, Guident, AEye, WeRide, LG Innotek, Aeva, PlusAI, Arbe, Sensrad, DeepRoute.ai and AiMOGA.
In this Article
Tesla Found Part Libel in Fatal Crash— $243 Million
A federal jury in Florida has found Tesla partially liable for a 2019 crash involving its Autopilot driver-assistance system, awarding $200 million in punitive damages and about $43 million in compensatory damages to the victims’ families.
The case stems from a tragic incident in Key Largo where 22-year-old Naibel Benavides was killed after Tesla driver George McGee crashed into her vehicle while distracted. McGee testified that he believed Autopilot would intervene to prevent a crash, highlighting growing concerns about consumer misconceptions surrounding the system’s capabilities.
The verdict marks a significant legal setback for Tesla, which has largely avoided courtroom losses tied to Autopilot despite a growing body of incidents linked to the technology. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has connected Autopilot to hundreds of crashes and dozens of deaths, but Tesla prevailed in two jury trials in 2023 and had another case dismissed last year.
At the heart of the case was the question of whether Tesla has misrepresented its technology. Critics, including the California Department of Motor Vehicles, have accused the company of misleading advertising by labeling its driver-assist features “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving,” suggesting capabilities the cars do not fully possess. Tesla denied wrongdoing, arguing that McGee was solely at fault for the crash. In a statement, the company called the jury’s decision “wrong” and warned it could hinder the development of advanced safety systems. Tesla plans to appeal the ruling.
Tesla’s San Francisco Ridehailing ins Not REAL Robotaxi
Tesla’s recently launched ridehailing service in San Francisco is not yet a fully autonomous “robotaxi” operation. While the company began offering rides in Austin last month with a safety monitor in the passenger seat, recent footage from San Francisco reveals that Tesla vehicles are still being operated by human drivers behind the wheel—contrary to the expectations surrounding autonomous service.
Under California law, companies must obtain three separate permits to operate a commercial robotaxi service without a human driver. At this point, Tesla has secured only one permit, which authorizes a ridehailing service that still requires a human operator. This significantly limits Tesla’s ability to market the offering as a true autonomous experience.
In contrast, Alphabet-owned Waymo remains the only company currently authorized to provide fully driverless commercial rides in San Francisco. As Tesla continues to promote its Full Self-Driving capabilities and test robotaxi concepts, the gap between its branding and regulatory approval has come under renewed scrutiny.
Aurora Driving in the Dark
Aurora Innovation has surpassed 20,000 autonomous miles and expanded its self-driving truck operations to include nighttime commercial hauls on the Dallas-to-Houston corridor, doubling vehicle utilization and accelerating delivery times. The company now operates three fully driverless trucks and recently opened a new terminal in Phoenix to support westward expansion.
Equipped with long-range FirstLight Lidar, the Aurora Driver can detect obstacles in the dark up to 450 meters away—addressing safety concerns related to nighttime truck crashes. Aurora is currently running freight for customers like Hirschbach and Werner on long-haul routes and unveiled a public livestream, Aurora Driver Live, showcasing real-time autonomous operations.
The company also reported strong Q2 2025 financials, announcing sufficient liquidity to fund operations through Q2 2027. Aurora’s progress marks a key step toward transforming the freight industry through 24/7 autonomous logistics.
Guident & Florida Atlantic University: Urban Mapping Using AV Data
Guident Corp., a Florida-based autonomous vehicle teleoperation company, has partnered with Florida Atlantic University’s I-SENSE institute to create high-resolution urban maps using sensor data from AVs. The collaboration aims to develop detailed “Digital Twins” of cities—virtual replicas built from video, lidar, radar, and other AV-collected data—to support smarter infrastructure planning and real-time urban management.
The initiative is part of the NSF’s Smart Streetscapes program and combines Guident’s industry capabilities with I-SENSE’s academic research. These digital models will empower public and private stakeholders with actionable insights to optimize traffic systems, simulate development impacts, and improve operational efficiency in urban environments.
The partners plan to pursue additional funding and commercialization paths to expand the project’s reach, further advancing data-driven solutions for smart city development and autonomous mobility.
AEye Launches OPTIS™: Intelligent Infrastructure and Real-Time Perception
AEye, Inc. has begun field deployments of OPTIS™, its new full-stack lidar system built to enhance real-time perception and responsiveness across industries. Powered by AEye’s Apollo lidar and NVIDIA Jetson Orin, OPTIS™ offers high-resolution 3D sensing with object detection up to one kilometer. The flexible, software-defined architecture allows seamless updates and AI integration without costly hardware changes. AEye is opening the OPTIS™ platform to developers to expand AI capabilities and target a $50B+ market. Initial deployments include airport security, perimeter monitoring, and transportation logistics. OPTIS™ will be showcased at the 2025 ITS World Congress in Atlanta.
WeRide Secures Saudi Arabia’s First Robotaxi Permit
WeRide has become the first company to receive a Robotaxi autonomous driving permit in Saudi Arabia, marking its sixth country with AV approvals alongside China, the UAE, Singapore, France, and the US. In partnership with Uber and Ai Driver, WeRide has launched pilot operations in Riyadh, covering key locations including the airport and major highways, with full commercial service expected by end-2025. The permit follows successful completion of Saudi Arabia’s rigorous AV Regulatory Sandbox. WeRide is also deploying Robobuses and Robosweepers in Saudi cities, furthering its autonomous mobility footprint across the Middle East.
LG Innotek & Aeva 4D LiDAR for AVs +
LG Innotek has entered a strategic partnership with U.S.-based LiDAR pioneer Aeva to jointly develop and supply next-generation 4D LiDAR systems using frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) technology. The collaboration includes a supply agreement for ultra-slim, long-range LiDAR modules—capable of detecting objects up to 500 meters—designed for behind-windshield integration, enabling greater design flexibility for automakers.
The companies also signed a joint development agreement to co-create LiDAR solutions for autonomous vehicles, robots, and industrial automation through 2027. LG Innotek plans to invest up to $50 million in the venture, including the acquisition of a 6% equity stake in Aeva. The alliance will be formally presented at the upcoming “Aeva Day” event in New York, where executives from both firms will outline a roadmap for expanding the use of FMCW LiDAR across mobility and automation sectors.
PlusAI Advances Toward 2027 Launch
PlusAI, a company pioneering AI-driven virtual driver systems for autonomous commercial trucks, announced key performance indicators (KPIs) that demonstrate steady progress toward the commercial deployment of its SuperDrive™ system by 2027. These metrics reflect PlusAI’s commitment to safety, operational efficiency, and transparency as it moves toward a public listing and prepares for fleet trials.
In the first half of 2025, PlusAI reported major gains across its core KPIs:
- Safety Case Readiness (SCR): 86%, up from 75%
- Autonomous Miles Percentage (AMP): 98%, up from 97%
- Remote Assistance Free Trips (RAFT): 76%, up from 69%
These indicators measure the maturity of PlusAI’s autonomous system and its capability to operate safely and independently. The company aims to reach 100% SCR and over 90% RAFT before launching commercially in Texas in 2027.
CEO David Liu emphasized the company’s disciplined, transparent approach: “We are committed to safe, scalable deployment. Sharing our KPIs keeps our partners, regulators, and the public informed of our progress.” Fleet trials are scheduled to begin in fall 2025 in Texas and Sweden.
Safety is central to PlusAI’s strategy. The company uses a structured Safety Case Framework, an industry-standard methodology from sectors like aviation and nuclear energy. This five-tiered system—comprising “Understand,” “Design,” “Develop,” “Prove,” and “Deploy” stages—validates that SuperDrive operates safely under a variety of conditions.
Performance is tracked through AMP, which quantifies the percentage of route mileage completed autonomously, and RAFT, which gauges how many trips require no human or remote intervention. Together, these metrics highlight SuperDrive’s increasing reliability and autonomy in real-world environments.
Having already logged over five million autonomous miles globally, PlusAI continues to enhance its system using a generalizable “driving intelligence” platform. Built on generative AI models, this platform features self-training algorithms, auto-labeling, and high-performance in-vehicle neural networks.
Chief Architect Tim Daly noted the company’s transition to an “AV 2.0” architecture—streamlining software by replacing manual components with end-to-end AI—to accelerate development and readiness for production.
PlusAI’s trajectory signals growing maturity in autonomous trucking, offering a glimpse into the industry’s future.
Sumitomo Drive Technologies Uses Swisslog’s AutoStore and Autonomous Forklifts
Swisslog announced that Sumitomo Drive Technologies USA will implement a state-of-the-art AutoStore system integrated with autonomous forklifts at its Chesapeake, Virginia headquarters. The automation upgrade—managed by Swisslog’s SynQ software—will streamline warehousing and assembly operations by consolidating parts storage, improving picking accuracy, and enhancing workflow efficiency.
The system will feature 14 AutoStore robots handling over 22,800 bins for small parts, alongside 11 autonomous forklifts managing larger components. Swisslog’s SynQ software will orchestrate all logistics functions, enabling just-in-time delivery and kitting for assembly lines without expanding the facility footprint.
Swisslog emphasized the project as a best-practice model for durable goods manufacturing, offering improved labor efficiency and work conditions without workforce reductions. Sumitomo sees the initiative as a strategic investment in both technology and people, signaling a major step forward in its modernization efforts.
Arbe & Sensrad Launch First Radar Series for Defense
Arbe Robotics (Nasdaq/TASE: ARBE) announced that Swedish radar supplier Sensrad has begun delivering its first radar series powered by Arbe’s 4D imaging radar chipset. The new radars are being deployed in autonomous off-road vehicles for a U.S. defense project and in China’s Tianyi smart road infrastructure initiative.
Sensrad recently placed a major order for Arbe’s chipsets, signaling progress toward broader commercialization across sectors beyond traditional automotive, including defense and infrastructure. To support this expansion, the companies signed a support and maintenance agreement, with Arbe providing ongoing engineering services, software updates, calibration, and certification support.
Executives from both companies emphasized the importance of the collaboration, highlighting how Arbe’s cutting-edge radar technology and support structure enable Sensrad to deliver high-performance, field-proven solutions for diverse, real-world applications.
DeepRoute.ai Named Leader from IDC
DeepRoute.ai has been recognized as a top performer in IDC’s 2025 Assisted Driving Capability Assessment, excelling in urban and highway autonomous functions like Navigation on Autopilot (NOA) and Lane Centering Control (LCC). The company’s strong performance in complex urban environments reinforces its position as a leading autonomous driving technology provider.
As the market shifts toward Level 3 autonomy, DeepRoute.ai is propelling innovation with its upcoming Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model. The VLA system introduces breakthrough advancements in scenario comprehension, human-like reasoning, and natural language interactions, enabling explainable and interactive vehicle control. These developments mark a major step toward mainstream adoption of advanced autonomous driving systems.
AiMOGA’s Humanoid Robot Mornine Opens Car Doors Autonomously
AiMOGA Robotics has achieved a major breakthrough in embodied AI with its humanoid robot, Mornine, which autonomously opened a car door at a functioning Chery dealership using only onboard sensors and reinforcement learning—no human control or scripted programming involved.
Trained through millions of simulation cycles, Mornine uses a sensor suite including 3D LiDAR, depth cameras, and a visual-language model to identify and manipulate the door handle. This real-world deployment—enabled via Sim2Real transfer—marks a new level of robotic capability in high-friction, physical tasks.
Now deployed in multiple Chery 4S dealerships, Mornine also assists with customer service tasks like greetings, vehicle tours, and deliveries, signaling a shift in robotics from controlled labs to everyday retail environments.