Being a passenger in a self-driving taxi sounds cool and all, but it can also be uncomfortable — and even terrifying. Sometimes robotaxis freak out and get confused. Wouldn’t you want to know what happened in those instances? Well, you can’t. At least, regarding Waymo. On Tuesday, the California Superior Court in Sacramento ruled that Alphabet’s Waymo can keep crucial safety and crash data about its autonomous vehicles secret. What’s the story? In January, Waymo sued the state’s Department of
Cars are simply not built for the stresses of modern cities. From traffic to parking, it’s often more a hindrance than a boon to own a four-wheeler in urban environments. But one company thinks its cracked the code for the perfect city vehicle: Arcimoto and its electric autocycles. These are somewhere between a car, bike, and motorcycle. Yesterday, Arcimoto cut the ribbon on a 250,000 square foot manufacturing facility — and launched two new vehicles in the process. I sat down with Mark Frohnm
Meta has launched Facebook Reels, its short video product for the blue app, across 150 countries. This is likely a bid to restore its plummeting user base, and restore some ad revenue. After seeing some success with Instagram Reels, the company began testing its short video platform within the Facebook app in India last March. Later in September, it launched this feature in the US. But is this global launch of Reels enough to right its sinking ship? Stonks The social media giant has had a horrid
Perpetrators of domestic abuse are increasingly exploiting digital tools to coerce and control their victims. Where there is abuse in a relationship, technology will also feature in how that abuse is conducted. Police forces now expect as much, when responding to cases of domestic abuse. Such technological abuse features everyday tools, from smart devices to online platforms and mobile phone apps. And the information on where to find them and how to use them is easily accessible online, often us
Experts predict artificial intelligence will gain sentience within the next 100 years. Some predict it’ll happen sooner. Others say it’ll never happen. Still other experts say it already has happened. It’s possible the experts are just guessing. The problem with identifying “sentience” and “consciousness” is there’s no precedent when it comes to machine intelligence. You can’t just check a robot’s pulse or ask it to define “love” to see if it’s alive. The closest we have to a test for sentience
Let’s face it: parking sucks. From endlessly searching for a spot during peak traffic times, to performing surgeon-esque maneuvers in order to fit into a tight space, it’s always a nightmare. My dream is a world where my car will drop me off, park itself, and then pick me up whenever I want. “Come down to Earth, Ioanna,” you might say, “it’ll never happen.” But you’d be wrong. Because my dream is coming true as we speak. The technology is known as automated valet parking (AVP) — and it doesn’t
The giant planets – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune – are some of the most awe-inspiring in our Solar System, and have great importance for space research and our comprehension of the greater universe. Yet they remain the least explored – especially the “ice giants” Uranus and Neptune – due to their distance from Earth, and the extreme conditions spacecraft must survive to enter their atmospheres. As such, they’re also the least understood planets in the Solar System. Our ongoing research l
Last week, French automaker Renault released a sneak preview of a hydrogen-powered car. We don’t know that much about the car yet. Any car can look good with a few sexy neon lights and a dark backdrop. More news will come in May, but we have no real way of knowing if the concept car will even make it to market. Renault’s teaser pic for their hydrogen car. Credit: Renault But it’s important not simply to dismiss the idea out of hand, and here’s why: Not Renault’s first rodeo Firstly, this is
Welcome to TNW Basics, a collection of tips, guides, and advice on how to easily get the most out of your gadgets, apps, and other stuff. At TNW, our editorial team has a daily Slack huddle scheduled at a daily Slack huddle to discuss our coverage for the day. Chances are, at that time, I might be singing a tune that’s stuck in my head, receiving a parcel at my doorstep, or expelling the loudest post-lunch belch you could possibly imagine. As such, it’s in everyone’s best interest that I join th
It’s a popular idea that the path to sustainability lies in high-tech solutions. By making everyday items like cars electric, and installing smart systems to monitor and reduce energy use, it seems we’ll still be able to enjoy the comforts to which we’ve become accustomed while doing our bit for the planet – a state known as “green growth”. But the risks of this approach are becoming ever clearer. Many modern technologies use materials like copper, cobalt, lithium and rare earth elements. These