Vueron Newsletter
No. 208
2025.05.27
| Uber finds another AI robotaxi partner in Momenta, driverless rides to begin in Europe | ||
| Autonomous Driving | Waymo’s Self-Driving Cars Are in a Growing Number of Cities | |
| Autonomous Driving | Lucid and Saudi Arabia’s KAUST announce strategic partnership to advance EV technology leadership | |
| MG Windsor Pro teased with ADAS ahead of tomorrow’s launch | ||
| World’s first autonomous road-to-rail truck to launch on California’s Skunk Train route |
1. Uber finds another AI robotaxi partner in Momenta, driverless rides to begin in Europe
- Uber has announced a strategic partnership with Momenta, a China-based autonomous driving technology company, to expand robotaxi services to Europe.
- This partnership follows Uber’s recent agreement with May Mobility, highlighting Uber’s commitment to scaling autonomous driving technology globally.
- Uber already partners with several autonomous driving companies, including Waymo, Motional, and Serve Robotics, expanding driverless services across the US.
- The collaboration will integrate Momenta’s AI-powered autonomous driving technology with Uber’s global rideshare network.
- The initial deployment of Momenta’s robotaxis on the Uber platform will begin in Europe in early 2026, with safety operators onboard initially.
- Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi emphasized that the partnership will provide safe, scalable, and efficient robotaxi services to customers worldwide.
- Momenta, known for its success in China, is expanding its international presence through this agreement with Uber.
- The partnership is part of Uber’s broader strategy to lead the global robotaxi market by collaborating with advanced autonomous driving technology providers.
Uber has partnered with Momenta to launch robotaxi services in Europe by 2026, expanding its global autonomous driving network.
2. Waymo’s Self-Driving Cars Are in a Growing Number of Cities
- Waymo, the autonomous driving division of Alphabet, is expanding its fully autonomous ride-hailing services across multiple cities, including Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin.
- The company plans to further extend its services to Washington, DC, Miami, and Tokyo by 2026, showcasing its ambition to become a global leader in autonomous mobility.
- Waymo has partnered with Uber to offer its driverless rides in select cities, including Atlanta, where users can hail a Waymo vehicle through the Uber app.
- In addition to its existing fleet of 1,500 autonomous vehicles, Waymo is expanding production by adding 2,000 new all-electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles at a new facility in Phoenix.
- The company recently reached a preliminary agreement with Toyota to explore autonomous driving technology for privately owned vehicles.
- Waymo is enhancing safety with sixth-generation self-driving technology, featuring smarter sensors designed to operate in challenging weather conditions.
- As part of its international expansion, Waymo is partnering with Japanese taxi service Nihon Kotsu to test and deploy autonomous vehicles in Tokyo.
- In a recent study, Waymo demonstrated that its autonomous driving system has 85% fewer crashes with serious injuries compared to human drivers over 56.7 million miles.
3. Lucid and Saudi Arabia’s KAUST announce strategic partnership to advance EV technology leadership
- Lucid Group has announced a strategic partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia to advance electric vehicle (EV) technology and autonomous driving capabilities.
- This partnership will grant Lucid access to KAUST’s supercomputing capabilities, enabling accelerated research and development in materials science, AI, and digital twin technology.
- Lucid aims to leverage KAUST’s world-class research infrastructure to enhance its ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) and autonomous driving technology.
- The collaboration will focus on developing next-generation EV components, including advanced fluids, materials, alloys, and software-defined vehicle platforms.
- Lucid will utilize KAUST’s facilities to design and prototype advanced vehicle systems, covering mechanical, electrical, thermal, and chemical engineering.
- Lucid’s SVP Eric Bach highlighted the importance of high-performance computing in optimizing vehicle safety, crash simulation, and AI training.
- This partnership supports Saudi Arabia’s vision of becoming a global hub for mobility innovation while strengthening Lucid’s global R&D network.
- Lucid’s CEO emphasized that this collaboration will drive innovation from the laboratory to real-world applications, reinforcing its leadership in EV technology.
Lucid has partnered with Saudi Arabia’s KAUST to enhance its EV, ADAS, and autonomous driving capabilities using advanced research and supercomputing.
4. MG Windsor Pro teased with ADAS ahead of tomorrow’s launch
- JSW MG Motor India is set to launch the Windsor Pro, an upgraded EV model featuring Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) with 12 key safety functions.
- The Level 2 ADAS includes features such as Traffic Jam Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Lane Departure Warning, enhancing driver safety on Indian roads.
- These ADAS capabilities provide a multi-layered alert system with audio, visual, and haptic warnings, ensuring a safer driving experience.
- MG Motor India has been a pioneer in introducing ADAS technology to the Indian market, previously implementing it in the Gloster and Astor models.
- The Windsor Pro also supports Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capabilities, expanding its functionality beyond standard transportation.
- It is powered by an electric motor generating 134 bhp and 200 Nm of torque, paired with a 50.6 kWh battery sourced from Wuling Cloud EV.
- MG Motor expects the Windsor Pro to continue the sales success of the standard Windsor EV, which has been India’s best-selling electric vehicle for seven consecutive months.
- With the introduction of Windsor Pro, MG Motor aims to strengthen its leadership in ADAS and autonomous driving technology within the Indian EV market.
MG Motor India is launching the Windsor Pro with Level 2 ADAS, aiming to enhance safety and strengthen its position in the Indian autonomous driving market.
5. World’s first autonomous road-to-rail truck to launch on California’s Skunk Train route
- Glīd Technologies and Mendocino Railway are launching a pilot project featuring the world’s first autonomous road-to-rail truck, which will operate on California’s historic Skunk Train route.
- The pilot will utilize Glīd’s hybrid-powered GliderM and fully autonomous AR2RV (Autonomous Road-to-Rail Vehicle), integrating next-generation intelligent logistics solutions.
- These autonomous vehicles will operate along a 40-mile stretch of the California Western Railroad, a route known for its scenic redwood forests and historical significance in logging and freight.
- The project aims to transform first-mile and last-mile logistics, providing sustainable, intelligent freight solutions for rural and underserved regions.
- Kevin Damoa, CEO of Glīd Technologies, emphasized that the initiative is not only a technological advancement but also a way to revitalize legacy infrastructure.
- The collaboration between Glīd and Mendocino Railway highlights the potential of autonomous technology to modernize freight mobility while preserving historical heritage.
- The hybrid GliderM and autonomous AR2RV will demonstrate how intelligent transport systems can operate in both road and rail environments.
- This project aligns with the U.S. trend towards greener supply chains and could serve as a model for other short-line railways looking to modernize.
Glīd Technologies and Mendocino Railway are launching the world’s first autonomous road-to-rail truck, transforming sustainable logistics on the Skunk Train route.
*Contents above are the opinion of ChatGPT, not an individual nor company
