New Atlas

Robotics Audio available

Robotic bar could soon be hailed like a drink-making cab

Ben Coxworth January 15, 2019

It was six years ago that we first heard about Makr Shakr, a robotic bar that can reportedly mix one Googol (the digit 1 followed by 100 zeroes) drink combinations. Now, its designers are planning on installing the tech in an autonomous vehicle that users can hail whenever they want a bevvy.

Users will be able to hail the Guido vehicle, and order their drinks, using an app

Automotive Audio available

Nuro makes first unmanned grocery delivery in Arizona

Paul Ridden December 19, 2018

Back in August, Nuro partnered with supermarket retailer Kroger to make autonomous grocery deliveries in Scottsdale, Arizona. Initially, the pilot program made use of a fleet of self-driving Prius hybrids, but now the first unmanned deliveries have been made with Nuro's R1 pod.

Nuro's R1 self-driving electric delivery pod has made the first completely unmanned grocery deliveries in Scottsdale, ...

Automotive Audio available

Volvo's self-driving trucks get hired to cart limestone around a Norwegian mine

Nick Lavars November 26, 2018

Volvo’s self-driving truck program has already opened up some interesting possibilities. And now the Swedish automaker is set to see how its robo-trucks fare in real-world scenarios, after inking its first commercial deal with a Norwegian resource company to cart limestone away from its mine.

Test runs with human supervisors were completed at the Norwegian mine, before the keys were handed ...

Automotive Audio available

Jaguar Land Rover works towards customized cabins that combat motion sickness

Nick Lavars November 4, 2018

Many visions of our self-driving future entail car cabins designed for passengers to relax, read and enjoy on-screen entertainment, but what will this mean for the prevalence of motion sickness?

The cabin of a self-driving Jaguar Land Rover research vehicle

Automotive

Muji-designed all-weather autonomous shuttle bus rolling out in Finland

Rich Haridy November 4, 2018

Japanese retail company Muji has joined forces with Sensible 4, a Finnish autonomous vehicle maker, to create Gacha, a stylish new autonomous shuttle bus designed to handle a wide variety of different environmental conditions.

The new Muji-designed autonomous shuttle bus set to roll out for trials in 2019

Automotive

Tesla rolls out Autopilot update for highway travel

Nick Lavars October 28, 2018

Tesla has edged a little bit closer to its vision of a fully autonomous driving future, introducing a new feature for the latest version of its Autopilot software designed to handle the bulk of highway travel.

Tesla calls Navigate with Autopilot its most advanced Autopilot feature ever

Automotive

Shrimp could help self-driving cars see better in dangerous conditions

James Holloway October 12, 2018

Readers will be familiar with the mantis shrimp, the marine crustaceans with club-like forelimbs used to overwhelm their prey. But their limbs aren't their only remarkable feature. Their eyes could help self-driving cars to see better in difficult conditions.

Mantis shrimp-inspired cameras could detect hazards three times farther away

Automotive

Volvo's self-driving Vera concept keeps on truckin' without a cabin

Nick Lavars September 12, 2018

Volvo has just announced a new electric vehicle concept built to tow loads around ports and factories all on its lonesome, so much so they it hasn't even bothered with a cabin.

Volvo has just announced a new electric vehicle concept built to tow loads around ports all ...

Automotive

Mercedes-Benz Trucks unveils semi-automated Actros

Aaron Turpen September 6, 2018

One of the more active players in the self-driving trucks game is Daimler, which owns Mercedes-Benz and other heavy truck brands globally. The company has made no secret of its plans to have automated trucking become the norm and took its first major step towards that goal with the new Actros.

The Mercedes-Benz Actros brings automated trucking a step closer

Automotive

Autonomous pods make eye contact with pedestrians

Aaron Turpen August 29, 2018

Jaguar Land Rover realizes that self-driving vehicles make people nervous. To counteract this problem, the company is experimenting with autonomous vehicles that can ogle people in the crosswalk. Trials of the idea are being undertaken now.

One of the eye-equipped pods "watches" a pedestrian