News Roundup: Driverless Tesla Model 3 Hits Dubai, Boston Looks to Expand Driverless Car Testing, and More
Jennifer van der Kleut
A roundup of recent headlines from the driverless and connected-car industries:
Video shows driverless Tesla Model 3 on Dubai roads
A new video released by the Dubai Media Office shows a number of civilian passengers getting into a driverless Tesla Model 3 on on Sheikh Zayed Road and Emirates Towers. The car can then be heard asking the passengers’ desired destination, illuminating a map of Dubai on the video screen. The passengers then select their destination and the car takes off. The video was released shortly after Tesla Motors founder and CEO Elon Musk announced he would be appearing at the company’s launch event on Feb. 13. A statement from Tesla says United Arab Emirates is one of several new markets the company will expand to in connection with the launch of the Model 3 car. Read more and see the video from ArabianBusiness.com.
Man throws himself in front of driverless EasyMile EZ10 bus, technology stops bus to save him
The U.S. tour of the EasyMile EZ10 driverless shuttle bus continues. This time, it was the city of Los Angeles that was wowed by the new technology. Perhaps the one part of the ride demonstrations that impressed bystanders the most was when a man purposely stepped in front of the moving shuttle bus while in a parking lot, and the on-board technology sensed the man and engaged the EZ10’s brakes, stopping the bus in time before the man was hit. Paul Brubaker from the Washington D.C.-based nonprofit Alliance for Transportation Innovation 21, which is sponsoring the demonstrations, said he believes vehicles like the EZ10 bus can help prevent 94 percent of the 35,000 lives lost on U.S. highways each year due to driver error. Read more from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
Nutonomy tests driverless cars in Boston as lawmakers mull statewide regulations
Cambridge-based startup Nutonomy has started testing driverless cars in Boston, and the move is prompting major automakers to ready themselves to lobby state lawmakers in order to expand rules to allow even more testing. Officials from both General Motors and Volkswagen have filed the necessary documents to lobby in Massachusetts in an effort to convince state lawmakers to allow testing in more areas in and around Boston, and some news outlets are reporting that Nissan and Toyota plan to lobby as well. As of now, for a self-driving car to be tested on state-owned roads, the car must pass a DMV inspection, must have a steering wheel and pedals, and the manufacturer must be able to prove the vehicle can be operated safely without a danger to the public. Read more from NBC Boston.
Photo: Tesla Model 3 / Credit: Tesla Motors