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It’s been a minute, people! As you would possibly recall, the publication took a little bit vacation break. We’re again and nicely into 2026. And so much has occurred since the final version.
I spent the first week of the yr at the Client Electronics Present in Las Vegas. And whereas I wrote about this last January, it’s value repeating: U.S. automakers have left the constructing.
What has crammed the void in the Las Vegas Conference Middle? Autonomous automobile tech corporations (Zoox, Tensor Auto, Tier IV, and Waymo, which rebranded its Zeekr RT, to identify a number of), Chinese language automakers like Geely and GWM, software program and automotive chip corporations, and a great deal of what Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang calls “bodily AI.”
The time period, which is generally referred to as “embodied AI,” describes the use of AI outdoors the digital world and into the actual, physics-based one. AI fashions, mixed with sensors, cameras, and the motorized controls, enable that bodily factor — humanoid robotic, drone, autonomous forklift, robotaxi — to detect and perceive what’s on this actual atmosphere and make selections to function inside it. And it was throughout the place from agriculture and robotics to autonomous automobiles and drones, industrial manufacturing, and wearables.
Hyundai had one among the busiest and largest reveals with a near-constant line wrapped round the entrance. The Korean automaker wasn’t exhibiting vehicles. Nope, it was robots of varied kinds, together with the Atlas humanoid robot, courtesy of its subsidiary Boston Dynamics. There have been additionally improvements which have come out of Hyundai Motor Group Robotics LAB, together with a robotic that expenses electrical autonomous automobiles, and a four-wheel electrical platform referred to as the Cellular Eccentric Droid (MobEd) that is going into manufacturing this yr. It appears everybody was embracing and showcasing robotics, notably humanoids.
The hype round humanoids, particularly, and bodily AI, typically, was palpable. I requested Mobileye co-founder and president Amnon Shashua about this as a result of his firm simply purchased his humanoid robotics startup for $900 million: “What do you say when individuals let you know humanoid robots are all hype?”
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“The web was additionally a hype, bear in mind in 2000, the disaster of the web,” Shashua stated. “It did not imply that [the] web is not an actual factor. Hype implies that corporations are overvalued for a sure time period, after which they crash. It does not imply that the area is not actual. I imagine that the area of humanoids is actual.”
A number of notable tales from CES:
Nvidia launches Alpamayo, open AI models that allow autonomous vehicles to ‘think like a human’
This is Uber’s new robotaxi from Lucid and Nuro
Mobileye acquires humanoid robot startup Mentee Robotics for $900M
Now onto the different non-CES and newer information …
A bit of chicken
President Trump made feedback this week at a Detroit Financial Membership assembly about welcoming Chinese language automakers into the United States that did not sit nicely with many in the auto business, in accordance to insiders I’ve spoken to. Particularly, I’ve been instructed the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (the business lobbying group) is “freaking out,” one DC insider instructed me.
“If they need to are available and construct a plant and rent you and rent your folks and your neighbors, that’s nice, I like that,” Trump stated, according to reporters in attendance. “Let China are available, let Japan are available.”
A few notes. Japanese corporations like Toyota are already very a lot in the United States. The larger hurdle, past protests from inside the boardrooms of U.S. automakers, is current legislation. In 2025, the U.S. Division of Commerce’s Bureau of Business and Safety issued a rule that restricts the import and sale of sure linked automobiles and associated {hardware} and software program linked to China or Russia. This primarily bans the sale of Chinese language automobiles in the nation.
Avery Ash, who is CEO of SAFE, a nonpartisan group targeted on securing U.S. vitality, vital supplies, and provide chains, weighed in about the risks of permitting Chinese language automakers to promote their automobiles in the United States. Facet word: Ash was on my podcast, the Autonocast, which touches on a few of this topic.
“Welcoming Chinese language automakers to construct vehicles right here in the U.S. will reverse these hard-won accomplishments and put Individuals in danger,” he said. ”We’ve seen this technique backfire in Europe and elsewhere — it might have doubtlessly catastrophic impacts on our automotive business, have ripple results on our complete protection industrial base, and make each American much less safe.”
In the meantime, Canada is opening the door to Chinese language automakers. Canadian prime minister Mark Carney introduced his nation will slash its 100% import tax on Chinese language EVs to simply 6.1%, Sean O’Kane reports.
”Acquired a tip for us to share in the Little Hen part? E-mail Kirsten Korosec at [email protected] or my Sign at kkorosec.07, or e-mail Sean O’Kane at [email protected].
Offers!
Finances provider Allegiant agreed to purchase rival Solar Nation Airways for about $1.5 billion in cash and stock.
Dealerware, which sells software program companies to automotive OEMs and retailers, was acquired by a gaggle of traders led by Wavecrest Development Companions and Radian Capital. Automotive Ventures and automotive business executives David Metter and Devin Daly additionally participated. The phrases had been not disclosed.
Lengthy-distance bus and practice supplier Flix acquired the majority share of European airport transfer-platform Flibco. Luxembourg firm SLG will retain some possession stake in Flibco. Phrases weren’t disclosed.
JetZero, the Lengthy Seashore, California, startup creating a midsized triangular plane designed to save on gasoline, raised $175 million in a Collection B spherical led by B Capital, Bloomberg reported.
Joby Aviation, an organization creating electrical air taxis, reached an agreement to purchase a 700,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Dayton, Ohio, to help its plans to double manufacturing to 4 plane per thirty days in 2027.
Luminar has reached a deal to promote its lidar enterprise to an organization referred to as Quantum Computing Inc. for simply $22 million. If that appears low, you’re proper. Luminar’s valuation peaked in 2021 at $11 billion.
Notable reads and different tidbits
Bluspark World, a New York-based delivery and provide chain software program firm, didn’t notice its platform was susceptible and open to anybody on the web. Here’s how a security researcher (and TechCrunch) got it fixed.
The Federal Commerce Fee finalized an order that bans Normal Motors and its OnStar telematics service from sharing sure shopper knowledge with shopper reporting businesses. Read the full story on what that means.
InDrive, the firm that began as a ride-hailing platform that lets customers set the value, is diversifying and beginning to execute on its “tremendous app” technique. Which means extra in-app promoting throughout its prime 20 markets and increasing grocery supply to Pakistan. Read the full story here.
Motional, the majority Hyundai-owned autonomous automobile firm, has rebooted. When Motional paused its operations final yr, I wasn’t certain it was going to survive. Different AV corporations with huge backers have seen their funding disappear in a blink, so it was actually believable. However the firm is right here and with a brand new AI-first method. Earlier than you roll your eyes at that time period, take a read of my article, which features a demo trip and an interview with CEO Laura Main. Then be happy to hit my inbox along with your ideas.
New York governor Kathy Hochul plans to introduce laws that may successfully legalize robotaxis in the state with the exception of New York Metropolis. No details on this but; I’ve been instructed it would all be revealed in her govt finances proposal subsequent week. What we do know is the proposal is designed to increase the state’s current AV pilot program to enable for “the restricted deployment of economic for-hire autonomous passenger automobiles outdoors New York Metropolis.” My article delves deeper into what she shared and gives an update on Waymo’s NYC permit.
Tesla is ditching the one-time fee option for its Full Self-driving (Supervised) software program and can now promote entry to the characteristic via a month-to-month subscription.
On-demand drone supply firm Wing is bringing its service to one other 150 Walmart shops as a part of an expanded partnership with the retailer.
Disclaimer: This article is sourced from external platforms. OverBeta has not independently verified the information. Readers are advised to verify details before relying on them.
