The month of May was big for Carmera, a startup in New York City developing high-definition maps for use in autonomous vehicles. The company rolled out a new development partnership with auto supplier Lear, and it landed a big name advisor and investor with Shaun Stewart, the former chief business officer of self-driving technology business … Continue reading “Carmera Scores Lear Partnership, Adds Ex-Waymo Exec to Advisory Team”
Tag: Toyota Research Institute
Mobility News: Cruise’s New Cash, Tesla’s Pivot to Robotaxis & More
As the mobility industry waits with baited breath to see how Uber’s IPO will play out on Friday, there is plenty of news being made elsewhere in the sector. Cruise scored another massive investment, Toyota AI Ventures opened a new fund, scooters continue to rev up, and more. Read on for details. —Our own Bernadette … Continue reading “Mobility News: Cruise’s New Cash, Tesla’s Pivot to Robotaxis & More”
Toyota, Ford, GM, and SAE Form Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium
The SAE World Congress Experience, a three-day conference featuring discussions, networking, and exhibits of new technologies pertaining to the mobility industry, took place in Detroit this week and covered a ton of topics. SAE, originally known as the Society of Automotive Engineers, began in 1905 and was intended to be an umbrella organization for the … Continue reading “Toyota, Ford, GM, and SAE Form Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium”
With $500M Toyota Deal, Uber Sheds Go-It-Alone Driverless Car Goal
When an autonomous Uber car being tested in Arizona collided with a pedestrian last March, it resulted in the first known fatality caused by a driverless vehicle. The accident had a jarring effect on the entire mobility industry, but Toyota was one of the few players that took direct action in the wake of the … Continue reading “With $500M Toyota Deal, Uber Sheds Go-It-Alone Driverless Car Goal”
ACM Report: AVs May be Less Disruptive to Trucking Jobs Than Expected
The advent of autonomous vehicles is expected to drastically change the transportation industry and affect those who work in it, but perhaps not as significantly as once thought, according to a new report commissioned by the American Center for Mobility. The study, which looked at potential impacts over the next decade, was funded by Waymo, … Continue reading “ACM Report: AVs May be Less Disruptive to Trucking Jobs Than Expected”
Toyota Sees Opportunity to Lead Industry on Safe Mobility Innovations
When a self-driving Uber car killed a pedestrian in Tempe, AZ, a few months ago, it shook up the mobility industry. The accident served as a gut check, and it sent already tenuous rates of consumer acceptance plummeting. One of the main benefits associated with driverless cars is safety, but it’s hard for riders to … Continue reading “Toyota Sees Opportunity to Lead Industry on Safe Mobility Innovations”
Toyota Research Institute to Open New Driverless Car Test Bed in MI
The state of Michigan notched another mobility-industry win today when the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) announced that a 60-acre parcel in Ottawa Lakes, MI, will be the home of a new autonomous vehicle development and testing facility, the first dedicated exclusively to TRI’s use. TRI is Toyota’s research arm, which aims to enhance the safety of … Continue reading “Toyota Research Institute to Open New Driverless Car Test Bed in MI”
Playboy Article: Detroit is “Silicon Valley of Smart Mobility Tech”
We’ve all heard the cliche about reading Playboy only for its articles, but it turns out that the magazine really does have some stellar reporting. On Monday, Playboy posted an article that brings some validation to southeast Michigan’s role in the development of autonomous vehicles. Titled “Detroit is Becoming the Silicon Valley of Smart Mobility … Continue reading “Playboy Article: Detroit is “Silicon Valley of Smart Mobility Tech””
May Mobility CEO: We’ll Beat Waymo, Uber, and Cruise to Market
When we spoke with Ed Olson, CEO of May Mobility, in January, he told us that his driverless-vehicle company had raised a little over $11 million in seed funding in 2017. Last week, May disclosed more details about its $11.5 million seed round: it was led by venture investment arms of Toyota and BMW, and … Continue reading “May Mobility CEO: We’ll Beat Waymo, Uber, and Cruise to Market”
Jill Ford Scores New Tech Investing Gig with Toyota AI Ventures
Jill Ford, the city of Detroit’s former head of entrepreneurship and innovation, says she was already interested in the mobility field when she landed a new job last month with Toyota AI Ventures, the Silicon Valley-based investment arm of the Toyota Research Institute. “After hearing about Toyota AI Ventures and its mission, I was fascinated by … Continue reading “Jill Ford Scores New Tech Investing Gig with Toyota AI Ventures”
After Y Combinator, May Mobility Ready to Test Self-Driving Fleets
[Corrected, 10:16 am. See below] There has been a lot of speculation about what Ann Arbor, MI-based May Mobility has been up to since the company began working in stealth mode early this year. The new company has to do with autonomous vehicles—one of the hottest fields in tech—but until this week its website revealed … Continue reading “After Y Combinator, May Mobility Ready to Test Self-Driving Fleets”
Toyota’s First Venture Arm Gets $100M for AI, Robotics, Mobility Startups
Toyota Research Institute, the Toyota R&D unit that has parked branches near Stanford and two other top U.S. research universities, is now spinning out a corporate venture capital arm that will finance and incubate startups in artificial intelligence, robotics, and autonomous mobility. The research institute, also known as TRI, is devoting at least $100 million … Continue reading “Toyota’s First Venture Arm Gets $100M for AI, Robotics, Mobility Startups”
Grab Your Ticket for Robo Madness 2017— A.I. Gets Real on March 28th
There’s no doubt robotics and artificial intelligence will become an even bigger part of our daily lives in the next few years. In one week, Xconomy is bringing together Boston’s top entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators to discuss future opportunities in these industries. Join us next Tuesday, March 28, at Google in Cambridge, MA, to take … Continue reading “Grab Your Ticket for Robo Madness 2017— A.I. Gets Real on March 28th”
Robo Madness 2017— A.I. Gets Real: Early Bot Rate Ends Today!
Grab your ticket to attend Xconomy’s third annual robotics event at Google, which was a total sellout last year. Leaders in robotics and artificial intelligence will discuss the opportunities and challenges, emerging technologies, and new business models in the industry. Join us on March 28 at Google’s office in Cambridge, MA, to take a look … Continue reading “Robo Madness 2017— A.I. Gets Real: Early Bot Rate Ends Today!”
Don’t Miss Your Chance to Save on Robo Madness 2017— A.I. Gets Real
You’re already planning on attending Xconomy’s Robo Madness 2017— A.I. Gets Real, so why wait any longer to buy your tickets? We’re lining up some of the most forward-thinking entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators in the robotics and artificial intelligence industry. Join us for an afternoon of spotlight talks, demos, and panel discussions on topics such … Continue reading “Don’t Miss Your Chance to Save on Robo Madness 2017— A.I. Gets Real”
Toyota and Others Enabling Self-Driving Cars to Talk to Each Other
Drivers have plenty of ways to communicate with their fellow drivers, beyond the basic turn signal. Some methods are nice, like a friendly wave to beckon a merging car into your lane. Others, not so much. We’ve all probably cursed or honked at another driver, or been given the finger. But if driverless cars become … Continue reading “Toyota and Others Enabling Self-Driving Cars to Talk to Each Other”
Optimus Ride, Fueled by $5.25M, Advances Self-Driving Vehicle Tech
Optimus Ride has received a $5.25 million injection of cash to goose its development of autonomous electric-vehicle technology. The funding round was led by NextView Ventures and FirstMark Capital. The news was reported by TechCrunch and confirmed by NextView in a blog post. The race to deliver reliable self-driving cars is heating up, and the Boston … Continue reading “Optimus Ride, Fueled by $5.25M, Advances Self-Driving Vehicle Tech”
NuTonomy, Optimus Lead Pack of Self-Driving Vehicle Startups
Here comes the blind fury of autonomous vehicle startups. We knew it was coming, since everyone from Google and Uber to GM and Tesla is working on the technology. Boston-area startup NuTonomy, founded by a pair of MIT scientists in 2013, is the latest to make a splash. The company announced on Tuesday a Series … Continue reading “NuTonomy, Optimus Lead Pack of Self-Driving Vehicle Startups”
Toyota Opens New $1B Autonomous Vehicle Research Hub in Ann Arbor
All anyone in the automotive industry seems to be talking about these days is the race to develop autonomous cars and new mobility applications. The announcement last month of a new $1 billion Toyota vehicle research operation in Ann Arbor, MI, is another significant milestone in Michigan’s quest to lead the nation in the development … Continue reading “Toyota Opens New $1B Autonomous Vehicle Research Hub in Ann Arbor”
Google and Boston Dynamics: Do Humanoid Robots Need an MVP?
Bloomberg reported Thursday that Google’s parent company has put Boston Dynamics, a prominent robotics division, up for sale. According to the report, which cited anonymous sources, Alphabet executives think “Boston Dynamics isn’t likely to produce a marketable product in the next few years.” Possible acquirers would include Toyota Research Institute and Amazon, the report said. … Continue reading “Google and Boston Dynamics: Do Humanoid Robots Need an MVP?”
Robot Tidbits: Toyota, Amazon, Humatics, Franklin, 6 River, More
As we gear up for our Robo Madness conference at the end of the month, it’s worth noting a slew of recent developments at robotics companies around town: —Toyota Research Institute in Cambridge, MA, has hired the 16-person software engineering team from Jaybridge Robotics, an autonomous-vehicle company also based in Cambridge. TRI is building up … Continue reading “Robot Tidbits: Toyota, Amazon, Humatics, Franklin, 6 River, More”
AI Rising: Boston Tech Dives Into Robot Cars With New Toyota Lab
By now, almost everyone has heard about self-driving cars. When a New Yorker cartoon uses the technology as a premise, you know it has gone mainstream—at least in concept. The reality is that a huge amount of work lies ahead before robot cars will be accepted by society. Now it looks like the Boston area … Continue reading “AI Rising: Boston Tech Dives Into Robot Cars With New Toyota Lab”