Latest news with #Wayve
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Autonomous vehicles not far off for B.C. roads, once officials allow them
Self-driving cars aren't something you will find on B.C. streets — last year, the province prohibited the use of fully automated features — but tech optimists promise that autonomous transportation really is just around the corner, after more than a decade of experiments. Autonomous vehicles are on the streets of a growing number of U.S. and United Kingdom cities, and the artificial intelligence behind the technology has 'really turned a corner,' according to Jamie Shotton, chief scientist for the company Wayve. Shotton was on one of two panels that discussed advances in autonomous transportation during the tech conference Web Summit at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Thursday. 'It's like a lightbulb has gone off in the AI's brain,' Shotton said of his company's artificial intelligence-powered system. 'It's now able to really cope with remarkable complexity, and furthermore it allows us to scale really quickly.' This spring, Wayve brought a trio of its test cars to Vancouver during a West Coast road trip to prove how well their 'AI driver' is learning to cope with complex environments. 'The more places we go, the more places we learn to drive, the more general purpose (the AI driver) gets,' Shotton said. Wayve isn't completely driverless yet, however. The Society of Automotive Engineers classifies automated driving in levels from L0, where a driver is in complete control with automated warnings of hazards, all the way to L5, where AI is completely in control. Shotton described Wayve as 'L2-plus,' which means the use of automatic braking, steering and lane centring in adaptive cruise control, with a driver at the wheel. 'Hands off, but eyes on,' he added. 'Having to pay attention to the road, but you can take your hands off the wheel and it will drive you from point A to point B.' That falls within B.C.'s rules, which prohibits automated systems higher than L2. Getting to L4, which allows for cars to be driverless under specific conditions — the technology used in so-called 'robo taxis' such as Waymo — is probably closer than people realize, even in rainy cities such as Vancouver, said Edwin Olson, CEO of the company May Mobility. Olson spoke during a second session on the conference's centre stage, and in an interview explained that, 'Our rule of thumb is, if the windshield wipers are intermittent, you're probably fine.' 'If they're going faster than that, I think most (autonomous vehicle) companies would balk at that.' Technology is rapidly improving though, and Olson expects by 2027, 'We'll be able handle almost all the weather you can throw at us.' The difference in the technology, Olson said, is that a decade ago, the 'hype was well before the technical reality' for autonomous transportation. 'Now, I think it's the other way around,' Olson added. 'Right now, what you're really seeing is an inflection point.' People can travel to cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles or Atlanta and ride either Waymo robo taxis or May Mobility's shuttles, 'and it's real,' Olson said. The next step for a wider rollout of light-duty vehicles will be devising business cases for using what will be expensive vehicles, which will likely rule out strictly personal use. When a reporter asked if he saw a case for individual ownership soon, his answer was, 'God, I hope not.' The philosophy of Olson's company, which runs fleets of L4-capable Toyota Sienna shuttle vans in 19 cities (but only two locations without safety drivers), is to use autonomous vehicles in a way that reduces the need for individual automobile ownership. To date, the business cases for autonomous vehicles has been stronger in industries such as mining or trucking, where the products involved are high value, but where getting enough drivers might be an issue, said Qasar Younis, CEO of the company Applied Intuition, who spoke on the same panel as Olson. For light-duty vehicles, 'it's going to be pure economics,' Olson added. And that will be based on whether vehicles can command enough revenue from ride-hailing services such as Lyft or Uber to pay for the cost of expensive sensors used in the vehicle, before the car wears out. depenner@ B.C. courier company secretly tests driverless vehicle in Metro Vancouver Driverless vehicles: They'll be both disruptive and, eventually, safer
The Province
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Province
Autonomous vehicles not far off for B.C. roads, once officials allow them
B.C.'s regulatory system is still standoffish to autonomous transportation, but experts say the technology has reached an "inflection point." Ossa Fisher (left), president of the autonomous trucking firm Aurora; Jamie Shotton, chief scientist of the company Wayve; and moderator J.D. Durkin discuss where companies are making progress using autonomous transportation technology during the Web Summit in Vancouver on Thursday. Self-driving cars aren't something you will find on B.C. streets — last year, the province prohibited the use of fully automated features — but tech optimists promise that autonomous transportation really is just around the corner, after more than a decade of experiments. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Autonomous vehicles are on the streets of a growing number of U.S. and United Kingdom cities, and the artificial intelligence behind the technology has 'really turned a corner,' according to Jamie Shotton, chief scientist for the company Wayve. Shotton was on one of two panels that discussed advances in autonomous transportation during the tech conference Web Summit at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Thursday. 'It's like a lightbulb has gone off in the AI's brain,' Shotton said of his company's artificial intelligence-powered system. 'It's now able to really cope with remarkable complexity, and furthermore it allows us to scale really quickly.' This spring, Wayve brought a trio of its test cars to Vancouver during a West Coast road trip to prove how well their 'AI driver' is learning to cope with complex environments. Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'The more places we go, the more places we learn to drive, the more general purpose (the AI driver) gets,' Shotton said. (L-R) Qasar Younis, CEO of Applied Intuition; Edwin Olson, CEO of May Mobility and Vancouver Sun editor in chief Harold Munro talk about how ready autonomous driving technology is for the roads at Web Summit in Vancouver. Photo by Derrick Penner / PNG Wayve isn't completely driverless yet, however. The Society of Automotive Engineers classifies automated driving in levels from L0, where a driver is in complete control with automated warnings of hazards, all the way to L5, where AI is completely in control. Shotton described Wayve as 'L2-plus,' which means the use of automatic braking, steering and lane centring in adaptive cruise control, with a driver at the wheel. 'Hands off, but eyes on,' he added. 'Having to pay attention to the road, but you can take your hands off the wheel and it will drive you from point A to point B.' That falls within B.C.'s rules, which prohibits automated systems higher than L2. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Getting to L4, which allows for cars to be driverless under specific conditions — the technology used in so-called 'robo taxis' such as Waymo — is probably closer than people realize, even in rainy cities such as Vancouver, said Edwin Olson, CEO of the company May Mobility. Olson spoke during a second session on the conference's centre stage, and in an interview explained that, 'Our rule of thumb is, if the windshield wipers are intermittent, you're probably fine.' 'If they're going faster than that, I think most (autonomous vehicle) companies would balk at that.' Technology is rapidly improving though, and Olson expects by 2027, 'We'll be able handle almost all the weather you can throw at us.' The difference in the technology, Olson said, is that a decade ago, the 'hype was well before the technical reality' for autonomous transportation. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Now, I think it's the other way around,' Olson added. 'Right now, what you're really seeing is an inflection point.' People can travel to cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles or Atlanta and ride either Waymo robo taxis or May Mobility's shuttles, 'and it's real,' Olson said. The next step for a wider rollout of light-duty vehicles will be devising business cases for using what will be expensive vehicles, which will likely rule out strictly personal use. When a reporter asked if he saw a case for individual ownership soon, his answer was, 'God, I hope not.' The philosophy of Olson's company, which runs fleets of L4-capable Toyota Sienna shuttle vans in 19 cities (but only two locations without safety drivers), is to use autonomous vehicles in a way that reduces the need for individual automobile ownership. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. To date, the business cases for autonomous vehicles has been stronger in industries such as mining or trucking, where the products involved are high value, but where getting enough drivers might be an issue, said Qasar Younis, CEO of the company Applied Intuition, who spoke on the same panel as Olson. For light-duty vehicles, 'it's going to be pure economics,' Olson added. And that will be based on whether vehicles can command enough revenue from ride-hailing services such as Lyft or Uber to pay for the cost of expensive sensors used in the vehicle, before the car wears out. depenner@ Read More News News News Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Sun
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Vancouver Sun
Autonomous vehicles not far off for B.C. roads, once officials allow them
Self-driving cars aren't something you will find on B.C. streets — last year, the province prohibited the use of fully automated features — but tech optimists promise that autonomous transportation really is just around the corner, after more than a decade of experiments. Autonomous vehicles are on the streets of a growing number of U.S. and United Kingdom cities, and the artificial intelligence behind the technology has 'really turned a corner,' according to Jamie Shotton, chief scientist for the company Wayve. Shotton was on one of two panels that discussed advances in autonomous transportation during the tech conference Web Summit at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Thursday. Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Westcoast Homes will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'It's like a lightbulb has gone off in the AI's brain,' Shotton said of his company's artificial intelligence-powered system. 'It's now able to really cope with remarkable complexity, and furthermore it allows us to scale really quickly.' This spring, Wayve brought a trio of its test cars to Vancouver during a West Coast road trip to prove how well their 'AI driver' is learning to cope with complex environments. 'The more places we go, the more places we learn to drive, the more general purpose (the AI driver) gets,' Shotton said. Wayve isn't completely driverless yet, however. The Society of Automotive Engineers classifies automated driving in levels from L0, where a driver is in complete control with automated warnings of hazards, all the way to L5, where AI is completely in control. Shotton described Wayve as 'L2-plus,' which means the use of automatic braking, steering and lane centring in adaptive cruise control, with a driver at the wheel. 'Hands off, but eyes on,' he added. 'Having to pay attention to the road, but you can take your hands off the wheel and it will drive you from point A to point B.' That falls within B.C.'s rules, which prohibits automated systems higher than L2. Getting to L4, which allows for cars to be driverless under specific conditions — the technology used in so-called 'robo taxis' such as Waymo — is probably closer than people realize, even in rainy cities such as Vancouver, said Edwin Olson, CEO of the company May Mobility. Olson spoke during a second session on the conference's centre stage, and in an interview explained that, 'Our rule of thumb is, if the windshield wipers are intermittent, you're probably fine.' 'If they're going faster than that, I think most (autonomous vehicle) companies would balk at that.' Technology is rapidly improving though, and Olson expects by 2027, 'We'll be able handle almost all the weather you can throw at us.' The difference in the technology, Olson said, is that a decade ago, the 'hype was well before the technical reality' for autonomous transportation. 'Now, I think it's the other way around,' Olson added. 'Right now, what you're really seeing is an inflection point.' People can travel to cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles or Atlanta and ride either Waymo robo taxis or May Mobility's shuttles, 'and it's real,' Olson said. The next step for a wider rollout of light-duty vehicles will be devising business cases for using what will be expensive vehicles, which will likely rule out strictly personal use. When a reporter asked if he saw a case for individual ownership soon, his answer was, 'God, I hope not.' The philosophy of Olson's company, which runs fleets of L4-capable Toyota Sienna shuttle vans in 19 cities (but only two locations without safety drivers), is to use autonomous vehicles in a way that reduces the need for individual automobile ownership. To date, the business cases for autonomous vehicles has been stronger in industries such as mining or trucking, where the products involved are high value, but where getting enough drivers might be an issue, said Qasar Younis, CEO of the company Applied Intuition, who spoke on the same panel as Olson. For light-duty vehicles, 'it's going to be pure economics,' Olson added. And that will be based on whether vehicles can command enough revenue from ride-hailing services such as Lyft or Uber to pay for the cost of expensive sensors used in the vehicle, before the car wears out. depenner@
Asharq Al-Awsat
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Uber Ready to Put Robotaxis on UK Roads by 2027
Uber has said it is 'ready to go' now with driverless taxis in the UK but the government has put back the date it expects to approve fully self-driving vehicles. The previous administration said fully autonomous cars were 'set to be on roads by 2026,' but the new government says it is now more likely to happen in the second half of 2027, according to BBC. While limited self-driving technology is already permitted on UK roads, a human driver must be at the wheel and responsible for the vehicle, even if automated technology is being used. With some companies trialing more advanced tech on British streets, a person took an automated car ride across central London in a car using a system developed by UK AI firm Wayve. 'We're ready to launch robotaxis in the UK as soon as the regulatory environment is ready for us,' said Andrew Macdonald, senior vice president of mobility at Uber, who joined me for the ride. The ride-hailing firm is working with 18 automated car tech companies including Wayve. It is one of several companies which already offers robotaxis in the US. They are also on the roads in China, the UAE and Singapore. But Macdonald disagreed that the UK was behind the rest of the world, arguing that the US and China were ahead largely because that is where the majority of the tech had been developed. 'We are working quickly and will implement self-driving vehicle legislation in the second half of 2027,' the Department for Transport said in a statement. 'We are also exploring options for short-term trials and pilots to create the right conditions for a thriving self-driving sector,' it added. 'Hands-off' experience In the US, Macdonald said robotaxis typically operate for 20 hours per day, seven days per week. Even though there is no driver to pay, Uber says the fare is currently the same as a ride with a human behind the wheel. The option to take one appears on the app if one is available, and customers can opt in or out. That's partly because, aside from the regulatory environment, another potential barrier to their uptake is the public's reticence about travelling in a self-driving vehicle. A poll by YouGov in 2024 suggested that 37% of Brits would feel 'very unsafe' travelling in a car without a driver. But Macdonald insisted new customers' initial nervousness was short-lived and the experience soon 'becomes the new normal.' In the UK there are also practical questions around insurance, ownership and liability when a self-driving vehicle is involved in an accident. Macdonald said they were all still being worked out. Tom Leggett, vehicle technology manager at Thatcham Research - an independent car safety center - said robotaxis would have to be 'safety-led' in the UK. 'Secondly, they will have to make sure the data is available to those who need it – insurers and those investigating incidents when they occur.' The government says self-driving vehicles have the potential 'to build an industry worth £42 billion and provide 38,000 jobs by 2035.' But of course they are a source of concern for people who earn a living driving. Andy Prendergast, GMB national secretary, said the 'significant social implications' driverless cars and taxis could have - such as potential less work or unemployment - for workers and the public must be fully considered. Uber's Macdonald meanwhile believes automated vehicles will transform the way many people travel in the near future. 'I've got young kids,' he said. 'Do I think my daughters will necessarily get their drivers licenses when they turn 16?' [the legal age in his home country, Canada]. 'No – I think the world is changing a lot.'
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
UK driverless cars unlikely until 2027 - Uber says it's ready now
Uber has said it is "ready to go" now with driverless taxis in the UK - but the government has put back the date it expects to approve fully self-driving previous administration said fully autonomous cars were "set to be on roads by 2026", but the new government says it is now more likely to happen in the second half of limited self-driving technology is already permitted on UK roads, a human driver must be at the wheel and responsible for the vehicle, even if automated technology is being some companies trialling more advanced tech on British streets, I took an automated car ride across central London in a car using a system developed by UK AI firm Wayve. "We're ready to launch robotaxis in the UK as soon as the regulatory environment is ready for us," said Andrew Macdonald, senior vice president of mobility at Uber, who joined me for the ride-hailing firm is working with 18 automated car tech companies including is one of several companies which already offers robotaxis in the US. They are also on the roads in China, the UAE and Mr Macdonald disagreed that the UK was behind the rest of the world, arguing that the US and China were ahead largely because that is where the majority of the tech had been developed."We are working quickly and will implement self-driving vehicle legislation in the second half of 2027", the Department for Transport said in a statement."We are also exploring options for short-term trials and pilots to create the right conditions for a thriving self-driving sector," it added. 'Hands-off' experience In the US, Mr Macdonald said robotaxis typically operate for 20 hours per day, seven days per though there is no driver to pay, Uber says the fare is currently the same as a ride with a human behind the wheel. The option to take one appears on the app if one is available, and customers can opt in or partly because, aside from the regulatory environment, another potential barrier to their uptake is the public's reticence about travelling in a self-driving vehicle.A poll by YouGov in 2024 suggested that 37% of Brits would feel "very unsafe" travelling in a car without a Mr Macdonald insisted new customers' initial nervousness was short-lived and the experience soon "becomes the new normal".That was certainly my experience during our ride. I was in a Ford Mach-e, fitted with Wayve's autonomous driving sensors and uses a radar and seven cameras. In the boot there's is a computer which is running the AI-driven software that processes all that sensor data in real time and controls the car's automated tech handled every scenario without a hitch, including pedestrians in the road, parked cars, heavy traffic, temporary traffic lights and delivery our safety driver, did not touch the controls once and a big red button, which shuts off the automated system immediately, was not anything the robo-ride was a far more patient city driver than I am – and has no voice, making it a lot less autonomous vehicles are more or less safe than human-driven ones is still being numerous studies suggest that automated vehicles are less accident-prone than human drivers, based on US there have been a number of incidents involving robotaxis in the countries where they operate, ranging from road accidents to passengers being locked January, a man in Arizona, in the US, documented how his robotaxi drove round in circles in an airport carpark, with him trapped in the vehicle, unable to stop the car or get Motors paused its driverless taxi service Cruise in San Francisco in 2023 because of safety concerns."The reality is that one accident is too many," said Uber's Mr Macdonald. "That said, with EV (electric vehicles), human drivers… we operate in the real world and stuff happens."In the UK there are also practical questions around insurance, ownership and liability when a self-driving vehicle is involved in an accident. Mr Macdonald said they were all still being worked out. Tom Leggett, vehicle technology manager at Thatcham Research - an independent car safety centre - said robotaxis would have to be "safety-led" in the UK."Secondly, they will have to make sure the data is available to those who need it – insurers and those investigating incidents when they occur."The government says self-driving vehicles have the potential "to build an industry worth £42bn and provide 38,000 jobs by 2035."But of course they are source of concern for people who earn a living Prendergast, GMB national secretary, said the "significant social implications" driverless cars and taxis could have - such as potential less work or unemployment - for workers and the public must be fully Mr Macdonald meanwhile believes automated vehicles will transform the way many people travel in the near future."I've got young kids," he said. "Do I think my daughters will necessarily get their drivers licences when they turn 16?" [the legal age in his home country, Canada]."No – I think the world is changing a lot."Additional reporting by Liv McMahon Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.
