Robotics

Zoox Robotaxi Service Expands to Austin, Miami & More San Francisco Neighborhoods Amazon’s autonomous vehicle company, Zoox, is significantly expanding its robotaxi service in the United States. The company is quadrupling its service area in San Francisco to include key neighborhoods like Chinatown, Marina, and Pacific Heights. In a major move, Zoox is also launching its autonomous driving technology in Austin, Texas, and Miami. This expansion is backed by impressive milestones, with Zoox having driven nearly 2 million autonomous miles and transported over 350,000 riders. In Las Vegas, the service will soon be available to popular destinations such as the Sphere and the Las Vegas Convention Center. Furthermore, Zoox has partnered with Uber to integrate its vehicles into the Uber app in Los Angeles by mid-2027, broadening its reach in the competitive ride-hailing market. ...

Pentagon Greenlights AI Model Training on Classified Data The Pentagon is moving forward with a plan to allow technology companies to train their artificial intelligence models on classified data. This initiative represents a significant step in advancing the U.S.’s defense technology capabilities. The strategy aims to accelerate AI development for national security purposes while navigating the complex challenges of juggling innovation with the protection of sensitive information. This move highlights the increasing integration of AI into critical defense infrastructure and the need for robust, adaptive cybersecurity measures to safeguard against potential risks. ...

This week in technology, major partnerships are reshaping autonomous transport, NVIDIA is pushing the boundaries of physical AI, and new platforms are emerging for custom enterprise AI. We also cover key developments in Kubernetes optimization, quantum computing milestones, and a significant acquisition in the open-source community. Here’s what you need to know. Uber and Rivian Partner for 50,000-Vehicle Autonomous Robotaxi Fleet In a landmark partnership set to reshape urban mobility, Uber and Rivian have announced a collaboration to launch a massive fleet of up to 50,000 fully autonomous R2 robotaxis. This initiative aims to accelerate the autonomous vehicle roadmaps for both companies, starting with an initial deployment of 10,000 vehicles. The first robotaxis are scheduled to launch in San Francisco and Miami in 2028, with an ambitious expansion plan targeting 25 cities by 2031. To support this, Uber will invest up to $1.25 billion in Rivian through 2031, contingent on achieving specific performance milestones. The Rivian R2 robotaxis will be available exclusively on the Uber platform. ...

Uber and Rivian Announce Major Partnership for Autonomous Robotaxi Fleet Uber Technologies and Rivian Automotive have forged a strategic partnership to deploy up to 50,000 fully autonomous R2 robotaxis. As part of this landmark deal, Uber is set to invest up to $1.25 billion in the electric vehicle manufacturer, with the investment contingent on Rivian meeting specific autonomous performance milestones. An initial commitment of $300 million has been made, pending regulatory approval. The first deployment phase will introduce 10,000 vehicles, with initial rollouts planned for San Francisco and Miami in 2028, expanding to 25 cities by 2031. These fully autonomous Rivian R2 robotaxis will be exclusively bookable through the Uber platform. ...

NVIDIA Advances Physical AI with Project GR00T for Humanoid Robots NVIDIA is accelerating the development of physical AI with the announcement of Project GR00T and the Cosmos world foundation model at its GTC 2026 conference. Project GR00T (Generalist Robot 00 Technology) is a general-purpose foundation model designed to empower humanoid robots to understand natural language and learn complex skills by observing human actions. To support this initiative, NVIDIA is releasing new simulation frameworks within Isaac Sim and new AI models. The company is deepening its partnerships with leading robotics firms like ABB Robotics, FANUC, KUKA, and YASKAWA, integrating its Omniverse and Isaac simulation platforms to develop and test sophisticated robot applications via digital twins. Furthermore, NVIDIA is collaborating with companies such as Skild AI and Workr to deploy AI-driven robotics for intricate manufacturing tasks like electronics assembly. ...

March 2026 Tech News: AI Agents, Kubernetes 1.36, and Quantum Leaps AI Industry Shifts Focus to Autonomous Agents and Advanced Hardware The artificial intelligence sector is undergoing a significant transition, moving from generative assistance models to autonomous agentic systems capable of executing complex, multi-step workflows. This evolution towards more sophisticated ‘digital coworkers’ is exemplified by the development of models like GPT-5.4. Concurrently, the industry is preparing for a major leap in hardware with Nvidia expected to unveil its new ‘Rubin’ platform, which promises a generational advancement in computing power for AI. These developments are occurring as the financial and physical sustainability of the current AI infrastructure boom faces increased scrutiny, sparking debates on the required capital investment and growing local opposition to new data centers due to environmental concerns. ...

Meta Unveils Four New Generations of Custom AI Chips to Reduce Nvidia Reliance Meta has announced a significant expansion of its custom silicon efforts with four new generations of its in-house Meta Training and Inference Accelerator (MTIA) chips. The new chips—MTIA 300, 400, 450, and 500—are engineered to manage the massive AI workloads for Meta’s services, including ranking, recommendation systems, and generative AI. This strategic move aims to reduce the company’s reliance on external chip suppliers like Nvidia while improving performance and efficiency for its specific needs. The MTIA 300 is already in production, with subsequent generations planned for a rapid six-month release cadence. The more advanced MTIA 450 and 500 models are specifically optimized for generative AI inference and are slated for mass deployment in 2027. ...

Nissan, Uber, and Wayve to Launch AI-Powered Robotaxi Service in Tokyo Nissan Motor Co., Uber Technologies Inc., and Wayve Technologies Ltd. have entered into a partnership to develop and launch a robotaxi service in Tokyo. The collaboration will utilize Nissan’s LEAF electric vehicles equipped with Wayve’s AI-powered autonomous driving system, which will be accessible to passengers through the Uber ride-hailing app. A pilot program is scheduled to begin in Tokyo by late 2026, initially with human safety operators present in the vehicles. This initiative marks Uber’s first venture into autonomous vehicle services in Japan and is part of a broader plan to introduce robotaxis in over ten major cities globally, including London. The partnership aims to address challenges such as driver shortages and improve the efficiency of urban transportation. ...

Nuro Tests Self-Driving Cars in Tokyo, Marking First International Expansion U.S. self-driving startup Nuro has commenced testing its autonomous vehicles on public roads in Tokyo, representing the company’s first international deployment. The vehicles are currently operating with safety drivers present. This expansion is notable as Nuro claims its system did not require pre-training on local Japanese driving data, a capability it refers to as “zero-shot” autonomy. The company’s technology is designed to learn the fundamental principles of safe driving, allowing it to adapt to new environments like Tokyo’s dense and complex streets, which feature left-side driving and different traffic patterns from the U.S. Backed by investors including Nvidia and Toyota, Nuro has established a local office and deployed a small number of test cars to begin data collection. The company is also partnered with Uber and Lucid Group. ...

Agentic AI Integration Accelerates in Desktop and Creative Software The trend of agentic AI is accelerating as major tech companies embed these autonomous AI agents into everyday software. Anthropic has launched ‘Claude in Chrome,’ allowing the AI to connect to a user’s session to perform actions across the web. The company has also introduced Claude integrations for Excel and PowerPoint. Similarly, OpenAI has released a standalone Codex application for Mac and ‘ChatGPT for Excel,’ both powered by its latest models. These desktop-native AI tools are experiencing rapid growth, with OpenAI’s Codex reaching two million weekly active users in early March. This shift signifies a move for AI from a content generator to a powerful workflow automator capable of executing complex, multi-step tasks. ...