Self-Driving and Autonomous Vehicle Updates: General Motors, Cruise, Aurora, Teledyne, FLIR, Mobileye, Innoviz, U Power, aiMotive, Sony, and Asahi Kasei in the Spotlight
In the ever-evolving world of technology, autonomous vehicles continue to make strides towards becoming a common sight on our roads. Here's a roundup of some key developments in this exciting field.
The year 2026 marks the start of production for an integrated system that promises to revolutionize the autonomous driving landscape. Meanwhile, General Motors (GM) is focusing on developing advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) for its path towards fully autonomous personal vehicles, with a notable decision to halt funding for its autonomous vehicle subsidiary, Cruise, due to safety concerns posed by robotaxis.
In a move to accelerate the adoption of autonomous vehicles worldwide, Mobileye, a leading provider of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), has partnered with Innoviz, a LiDAR sensor company. This collaboration aims to integrate Innoviz's LiDAR sensors into Mobileye's Level 4 autonomous driving system, Mobileye Drive™, for improved scalability and reduced complexity in autonomous vehicles.
U Power Limited, a company specializing in autonomous logistics vehicles, has unveiled an AI-driven autonomous battery-swapping logistics vehicle. This innovative vehicle integrates autonomous driving with UOTTA's automated battery-swapping system, offering seamless, unmanned energy replenishment.
In terms of safety, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 127, set to take effect in 2029, requires Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking (PAEB) systems to detect pedestrians in various lighting conditions and at higher vehicle speeds. Teledyne FLIR OEM, in collaboration with VSI Labs, has tested the new FMVSS No. 127 for PAEB systems, with their thermal camera system passing all testing scenarios.
Aurora Innovation, another player in the autonomous vehicle market, has opened a new advanced lidar facility in Bozeman, Montana, to support the continued development of its proprietary FirstLight Lidar technology. This investment strengthens Aurora's presence in Montana and contributes to the growth of the state's photonics sector.
The partnership between aiMotive and Sony Semiconductor Solutions aims to advance ADAS and autonomous driving technologies by integrating Sony's IMX728 sensor into aiMotive's aiSim platform. However, as of 2025, there are no publicly reported joint projects between Sony and aiMotive.
Asahi Kasei's fifth annual Automotive Consumer Survey has shed light on consumer preferences for autonomous vehicles. The survey highlights safety concerns, interior design preferences, and sustainability perceptions shaping the future of autonomous vehicles across major markets.
In other news, GM plans to increase its stake in Cruise to over 97% and streamline Cruise's operations post-restructuring. This restructuring is expected to reduce GM's annual spending by over $1 billion starting in 2025, with GM ceasing robotaxi investments and reallocating resources to personal autonomous vehicles.
Sony's current involvement in self-driving technology is centered on the Afeela EV with Honda, leveraging Qualcomm's Snapdragon Ride platform for autonomous capabilities. This all-electric sedan, expected in 2025, utilizes advanced autonomous features designed for Level 2+ to Level 4 autonomy.
As we move forward, it's clear that the autonomous vehicle industry is poised for significant growth, with safety, sustainability, and consumer preferences playing crucial roles in shaping its future. Stay tuned for more updates as these technologies continue to evolve.
- The automotive industry is expanding its focus on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), as General Motors (GM) is developing such systems for its path towards fully autonomous personal vehicles, while Mobileye and Innoviz have partnered to integrate LiDAR sensors into Mobileye's Level 4 autonomous driving system for improved scalability.
- In the finance sector, GM is restructuring its autonomous vehicle division, Cruise, by increasing its stake to over 97%, aiming to reduce annual spending by over $1 billion starting in 2025, as it shifts resources from robotaxis to personal autonomous vehicles.
- Technology companies are also investing in self-driving technology, such as Sony, which is collaborating with Honda on the Afeela EV, an all-electric sedan leveraging Qualcomm's Snapdragon Ride platform for autonomous capabilities, targeting Level 2+ to Level 4 autonomy.
