Vueron Newsletter
No. 204
2025.05.13
| Pony.ai Reveals 3 New Self-Driving Taxis Set for Mass Production | ||
| Autonomous trucking | Canada in robot trucking vanguard, with one driverless semi already here | |
| LiDAR | Hesai unveils “Infinity Eye” lidar solution for L2, L3 and L4 autonomous driving systems | |
| Innoviz Technologies Partners with Fabrinet to Launch InnovizTwo Mass Production | ||
| Parallel Systems to Launch First Commercial Pilot |
1. Pony.ai Reveals 3 New Self-Driving Taxis Set for Mass Production
- Pony.ai introduced its seventh-generation autonomous driving kit (ADK) at the Shanghai Auto Show, featured in robotaxi models from Toyota, GAC, and BAIC.
- The ADK is automotive-grade and designed for longer lifecycle and higher safety standards in L4 autonomous systems.
- Component costs have been reduced by 70%, largely by minimizing computation requirements and optimizing LiDAR use.
- The system ensures 360-degree perception and includes sensor cleaning features for stable performance in adverse weather.
- Modular design allows the ADK to be integrated across various vehicle types, with future robotruck applications in development.
- Pony.ai plans to begin mass production in 2025, supported by advancements in tech readiness, integration, and operations.
- The company leverages its simulation platform PonyWorld to develop decision-making systems that exceed human-level behavior.
- Pony.ai recently received approval to test in Luxembourg, marking its first entry into the European autonomous driving market.
Pony.ai has unveiled its seventh-generation autonomous driving system and three robotaxi models, set for mass production in 2025 with enhanced safety, scalability, and reduced costs.
2. Canada in robot trucking vanguard, with one driverless semi already here
- Gatik operates a fully autonomous box truck on public roads in Ontario, making daily deliveries for Loblaw between fixed locations.
- The company began operations in Canada in 2020 and has developed strong local roots, now running six autonomous trucks in the Greater Toronto Area.
- NuPort Robotics, in partnership with Canadian Tire, is testing autonomous Volvo trucks for internal logistics at distribution centers north of Toronto.
- Waabi Innovation, a Toronto-based startup backed by Uber, Nvidia, Volvo, and Porsche, is operating autonomous trucks in Texas via Uber Freight.
- Waabi uses a proprietary AV 2.0 platform, leveraging generative AI to simulate complex driving scenarios instead of relying on traditional rule-based systems.
- The AV 2.0 approach enables human-like decision-making and accelerates safe, scalable development of long-haul autonomous trucking systems.
- Autonomous trucking is seen as a strategic solution to labor shortages and growing logistics demand in Canada and the U.S., offering improved efficiency and reduced operational costs.
3. Hesai unveils “Infinity Eye” lidar solution for L2, L3 and L4 autonomous driving systems
- Hesai unveiled Infinity Eye, a modular LiDAR solution designed for L2–L4 autonomous driving systems, featuring configurations A, B, and C.
- Each configuration is optimized for a specific automation level: L4 robotaxis, L3 conditional autonomy, and L2 ADAS.
- The system integrates Hesai’s latest products: AT1440, ETX, and FTX, representing advancements in range, resolution, and solid-state design.
- AT1440 offers ultra-high definition with dense point cloud generation, enabling fine-detail perception in complex urban environments.
- ETX boasts industry-leading range and compact design, with mass production scheduled for 2026 and selection by a major European OEM.
- ATX, used in the L2-targeted Infinity Eye C, has already entered mass production and is being adopted by 11 major OEMs, including BYD and Chery.
- The new platform is powered by Hesai’s fourth-gen Intelligent Point Cloud Engine, filtering 99.9% of environmental noise for all-weather operation.
- Hesai expects to deliver up to 1.5 million LiDAR units in 2025, targeting automotive, robotics, and industrial markets with a unified, scalable platform.
Hesai has launched the Infinity Eye LiDAR suite, a modular solution optimized for L2 to L4 autonomous driving, with advanced performance, scalability, and cost-efficiency across three product tiers.
4. Innoviz Technologies Partners with Fabrinet to Launch InnovizTwo Mass Production
- Innoviz Technologies, a Tier-1 LiDAR and perception software provider, has selected Fabrinet as its global manufacturing partner for the InnovizTwo LiDAR product line.
- The partnership includes full-scale production of long-range and short-to-mid-range InnovizTwo models, supporting a variety of autonomous driving use cases.
- Fabrinet passed VDA 6.3 audits by major OEMs, ensuring high-quality automotive manufacturing compliance.
- InnovizTwo will be produced at Fabrinet’s global sites across the U.S. and Asia, enabling scalable and cost-efficient volume supply.
- The collaboration allows Innoviz to focus on core R&D and innovation while leveraging Fabrinet’s optical and electro-mechanical manufacturing capabilities.
- InnovizTwo is designed for automotive-grade robustness, aligning with growing demand from global OEMs for scalable, reliable LiDAR solutions.
- The mass production milestone marks a significant step toward mainstream ADAS and autonomous vehicle adoption using solid-state LiDAR.
- This move positions Innoviz to expand its market share in both established and emerging autonomous vehicle programs.
Innoviz has partnered with Fabrinet to begin mass production of its InnovizTwo LiDAR platform, accelerating delivery of high-performance, automotive-grade sensors to OEMs worldwide.
5. Parallel Systems to Launch First Commercial Pilot
- Parallel Systems will launch its first commercial pilot on two railroads in Georgia following approval from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
- The company is developing autonomous battery-electric freight vehicles designed to replace short-haul trucking with a cleaner, safer rail-based system.
- Parallel’s platoon-based railcars operate without couplings, allowing for flexible and modular rail logistics.
- The company has raised a total of $100 million, including a recent $38 million Series B round led by Anthos Capital.
- Its system reduces congestion, shipping costs, and emissions, while improving efficiency and road safety.
- Parallel is scaling production of its third-generation vehicle and train control software, with over 300 units on order.
- The solution has been tested with Union Pacific for integration with Positive Train Control (PTC), validating its readiness for national deployment.
- Initial commercial operations are expected to begin in 2026, with expansion plans in both the U.S. and Australia.
Parallel Systems has received regulatory approval to launch its first commercial pilot of autonomous battery-electric railcars, advancing sustainable and efficient alternatives to short-haul trucking.
*Contents above are the opinion of ChatGPT, not an individual nor company
