Tesla tests fully self-driving car in London and Swindon
The electric vehicle manufacturer released two videos showing a Model 3 car negotiating central London and Swindon's Magic Roundabout while the person in the driver's seat is not holding the steering wheel.
The three-minute clip shot in London demonstrates the car dealing with roadworks and passing landmarks such as Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Downing Street.
Tesla said the Model 3 used for the videos contains the same hardware as vehicles delivered to customers today, but has software currently available only to its engineers.
The company is awaiting regulatory approval to use its unsupervised full self-driving capabilities in the UK.
Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: 'It is a mistake to think that driverless technology won't be able to cope with the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of the UKs roads – hats off to anyone, or anything, that can successfully negotiate the Magic Roundabout.
'The challenge for the regulatory authorities – and the nagging worry in the minds of potential passengers – is how to be sure that these vehicles can cope in every combination of circumstances they might encounter, including those where the human drivers around them might be less inclined to stick to the rules.
'The regulatory test self-driving vehicles need to pass is not whether they can cope with our roads on a given day, it is whether they can cope every day in every combination of circumstances they might encounter.'
On Monday, the Government launched a consultation on what rules self-driving taxis should have to meet in future.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Entrepreneur
27 minutes ago
- Entrepreneur
Why Your Next Big Business Innovation Should Be Your Legal Strategy
A proactive legal strategy — once seen as merely defensive — is now a powerful, often overlooked driver of business growth, enabling companies to protect innovation, build trust, navigate regulation and gain a competitive edge. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In the race for innovation, businesses typically invest in tech, marketing and operations. Yet, one of the most powerful and underutilized growth levers sits quietly in the background: your legal strategy. Traditionally seen as a cost center or defensive function, legal is rarely viewed as a driver of revenue or innovation. But in today's complex regulatory environment, companies that embed legal thinking into their core strategy gain a clear competitive edge — protecting intellectual property, navigating emerging markets and building reputations grounded in trust and compliance. Here's how to turn legal into a growth engine — and why forward-thinking leaders are doing it now. Related: Online Legal Tools Save Time and Money. But They Aren't Lawyers. 1. Use legal strategy to protect and monetize innovation Case in point: Tesla doesn't just innovate in automotive tech — it aggressively protects its IP and uses litigation strategically. By securing patents early and publicly sharing some, Tesla built a moat and a brand known for cutting-edge transparency. Too often, businesses file patents only after launching a product, leaving themselves vulnerable. Instead, they should involve legal counsel during R&D to ensure patentability, avoid infringement and time filings to maximize defensibility. Proactive legal teams also help structure licensing deals or spin-offs that generate new revenue streams. A University of Connecticut article put it best: "Legal knowledge is the last great source of untapped competitive advantage." Companies that grasp this shift use legal foresight not just for protection, but to unlock growth. 2. Let legal drive brand trust and market differentiation Consumers today care about ethics, including data privacy, fair labor and responsible sourcing. Companies that build compliance into the core of their operations — not just their legal disclaimers — win customer loyalty. For example, Patagonia's public commitment to environmental and labor standards isn't just PR, it's supported by a legal backbone that guides supply chain contracts, employee policies and intellectual property use. That legal strategy reinforces the company's brand at every touchpoint. Even small businesses can follow suit. Transparent privacy policies, ethical employment agreements and sustainable practices — backed by strong legal frameworks — can differentiate your brand. It's not just risk mitigation; it's reputation building. Related: Nine Common Legal Mistakes Small Business Owners Make 3. Turn compliance into first-mover advantage Most see regulation as a burden. But the savviest companies see it as an opportunity to lead. For example, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance in the EU was expensive, but those who adapted early gained customer trust and avoided costly penalties. Many also discovered competitive advantages: cleaner data practices, better marketing segmentation and clearer consent frameworks. The 2024 ACC/Exterro report found that 84% of legal operations teams now engage proactively in business planning. These teams help companies anticipate regulation shifts, not just react to them. Emerging industries like clean tech, AI and health data are regulatory minefields. But early legal involvement allows you to develop compliant offerings ahead of competitors, capture early market share, and even shape policy. A tech-forward legal partner is key The American Bar Association's 2024 AI TechReport showed that over 30% of attorneys now use AI tools, with adoption surging at larger firms. These technologies do more than automate — they surface insights, identify trends, and improve outcomes. That's why entrepreneurs should partner with firms that don't just "do law," but operate like agile, tech-enabled businesses. Legal doesn't have to be just a back-office function — it can be a real engine of innovation. Start by bringing legal into the conversation early. Involving legal leaders in product planning and C-suite strategy helps you spot opportunities and risks before they become costly problems. Look for legal partners who aren't stuck in the past — firms that use AI, understand your industry, and go beyond the billable hour can add strategic value, not just react to issues. It's also worth being proactive. Regular audits of your contracts, data policies, intellectual property, and governance can uncover untapped value and reduce risk. Make compliance part of your culture — not just a checklist — with training that connects policies to real values like transparency and fairness. Finally, don't just view legal as a cost center. Track how legal contributes to smoother product launches, protects your brand reputation and supports long-term revenue growth. That's real ROI. Related: Why AI Isn't Your Advantage — Your People Are Think legal, think growth In today's landscape, legal strategy isn't just about risk — it's about results. From protecting innovation to navigating new markets and building brand trust, a proactive legal function helps you move faster, safer and smarter than the competition. The next wave of business innovation won't just be built in code or factories — it'll be forged in contracts, compliance and courtroom foresight. Make legal your advantage.
Business Insider
36 minutes ago
- Business Insider
Tesla's China Crisis Deepens as Rival Huawei Revs Up $1.39B EV Investment
Tesla's (TSLA) troubles in China intensified today after local tech giant Huawei pledged to invest over $1.39 billion into electric vehicle (EV) technology. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Huawei's joint EV brand with Chery – Luxeed – will benefit from the investment including an expansion of its research and development team to 5,000 people. Technology Gap In a WeChat post, Huawei said that the move would help strengthen the Luxeed brand's lead in technology terms. Indeed, they hail it as Luxeed's Phase 2.0 A new energy vehicle (NEV) company dedicated to Luxeed has been established, with production, sales, and services operating independently to provide a better service experience, the two companies said. Luxeed said that multiple new products are set to launch, with a more diverse product portfolio set to inject strong momentum into the brand's long-term development. Luxeed is already on the road. It launched the S7 pure electric sedan in November 2023 and rolled out its second model, the R7 in September last year in a challenge to both the Tesla Model S and Y. Earlier this month it announced that it would begin pre-sales of updated versions of both the S7 and R7. The official launch of the revamped vehicles is expected next month. Tesla Tension It comes only days after it was revealed that sales of China-made Tesla EVs declined 8.4% in July 2025 year-on-year to 67,886 units. This marks the sixth month out of seven this year where Tesla's Shanghai shipments have seen a decline, reflecting the mounting pressure Tesla faces in the world's largest EV market. This is important given that a fifth of total Tesla revenue comes from China. It is already facing tough competition from the likes of BYD (BYDDY) and Xiaomi (XIACF), which offer more affordable new models. It is also suffering a backlash from chief executive Elon Musk's high profile and controversial on-off relationship with President Trump. Tesla plans to fight back in China launching a larger version of the Model Y this fall. It also aims to launch a longer-range, rear-wheel-drive Model 3 in China this September, called the Model 3+. The company hopes this new model will help compete with Xiaomi's SU7 sedan.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
National living wage to increase in 2026 - here's why some think it should be even higher
The government has been told to increase the national living wage next year - but many campaigners think it should be a lot higher. The national living wage should increase by as much as 65p next year to help people with the rising cost of living, a government body has recommended. The Low Pay Commission said the amount - an obligatory minimum wage payable to workers aged 21 and over - should be bumped to an average of £12.71 per hour, rising from the £12.21 per hour set in April. Depending on economic condition, it could reach as high as £12.86. As the body works to recommend a wage that keeps up with the ever-increasing cost of living, some organisations want to see the hourly wage increase higher to make sure it isn't outstripped by skyrocketing prices and rising rents. Here's what's going on with the rates at the moment, and what that means for you. What is the national living wage set at currently? As the table below shows, the national living wage is set at different rates according to a person's age and employment status. Apprentices under the age of 18 are paid just £7.55 while they are in training, according to this year's rate. The national minimum wage (for 18-20-year-olds) is set at £10, rising to £12.21 for those aged 21 and over. With this in mind, the Low Pay Commission also consults employers, trade unions and workers on narrowing the gap between the national living wage and the minimum wage rate for 18 to 20-year-olds. Usdaw, a union representing retail and distribution workers, said it "welcomes the Government's commitment to removing discriminatory age bands." "This is an issue Usdaw has campaigned on for a number of years and the updated remit will help to put an end to rip-off youth rates to deliver a single national minimum wage for all adults," the union's general secretary Joanne Thomas told Yahoo News. Should the national living wage be higher? One of the jobs of the Low Pay Commission is to suggest a wage that factors in economic and political factors - and not just the cost of living. While the Labour government has said boosting wages is a priority, Keir Starmer and the cabinet have reiterated their modest spending proposals while they fight a growing deficit and improve the UK's economic outlook. Introducing a minimum wage protects vulnerable workers from being exploited, but economists generally caution against setting a minimum wage too high because economic models predict that doing so could lead to higher unemployment. If a firm does not believe paying someone a certain wage is proportionate to the role, they may not make any additional recruits, or make redundancies. Nonetheless, some organisations think that - all things considered - the national living wage should be set a lot higher. Usdaw, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers who are paid an hourly rate, thinks a £15 per hour minimum is representative, no matter what age the worker is. This is because many low-paid workers among Usdaw's membership currently earn wages that do not reflect their contribution or provide a decent standard of living. The union's general secretary told Yahoo News: "We continue to engage with the Low Pay Commission to recommend as high an increase as possible with a goal of moving towards a rate of £15 for all workers. 'We very much welcome the steps being taken so far by government to tackle low pay and deliver a genuine living wage for working people. "Usdaw has consistently campaigned for significant increases in the national minimum wage, and it is great to see the progress already made on this issue under a Labour government." What is the real living wage? The Low Pay Commission's recommendation of a national living wage of £12.71 per hour next year would outpace the current "real" living wage" outside of London. But how does the real living wage differ from the one set by the government? While the national living wage and the national minimum wage are legally binding, the real living wage is a voluntary pay rate set by the Living Wage Foundation, independently calculated based on what it says is the actual cost of living. Whereas the Low Pay Commission weighs up the cost of living alongside political and economic interests, the real living wage takes into account factors like universal uptake, the average cost of a food shop, council tax, housing costs and childcare costs. It is currently set at £12.60 outside of London, and £13.85 in London. A total of 16,000 employers paying the real living wage are currently accredited by the Living Wage Foundation, like Sunderland City Council and the National Theatre. In an area where child poverty is significantly higher than the national average — standing at 39.1% — the Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Michael Mordey, said "becoming an accredited real Living Wage employer is simply the right thing to do". The council, which has paid the wage for the last 11 years to its staff, also encourages contractors to pay the real living wage to its hires. Others like sports and leisure business Levy UK cited the moral and economic case for introducing the wage to help employees during inflation and cost-of-living pressures. They also mentioned the cash boost improving staff morale, motivation, and retention. However, not every sign-up has been a roaring success. While several employers introduced the higher wage in response to the cost-of-living crisis, a number of employers have also cited it as a reason to end it. Outsourcing company Capita announced in 2024 it would no longer be paying the wage "following its second significant annual increase" of 10%, which raised the recommended rate outside of London from £10.90 to £12 per hour. The move sparked protests at the company's Lancashire office, with CWU regional secretary Carl Webb calling the decision "an absolute disgrace". Beer giants BrewDog also sparked backlash when it withdrew from the scheme in the same year, with the company justifying it as a necessary step to return to profitability following a £24 million operating loss in 2023, despite a revenue increase to £321 million. The company has been dealing with some financial setbacks, shutting ten sites including in Leeds, Oxford, Sheffield and York in July, citing "rising costs, increased regulation, and economic pressures".
