Autonomous Car Progress

[diplomat33]

Argo.AI begins driverless operations in Miami and Austin:

Argo AI Begins Driverless Vehicle Operations in Miami & Austin

Industry-leading autonomous vehicle technology company Argo AI commenced driverless operations in Miami and Austin.

www.argo.ai

 

[EVNow]

Argo.AI begins driverless operations in Miami and Austin:

I read the presser but still can't make out what "operations" mean. Are they starting to deliver goods or do "robotaxi" services or just testing operations ?

I'm continuously amazed at the PR team of these companies that spend hours to obfuscate than communicate and give themselves bonuses for being so clever.

 

[diplomat33]

This feels like a clear dig at Cruise and Waymo:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1526593319312179200

 

[diplomat33]

Interesting.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1526595530280812545

 

[diplomat33]

I read the presser but still can't make out what "operations" mean. Are they starting to deliver goods or do "robotaxi" services or just testing operations ?

I'm continuously amazed at the PR team of these companies that spend hours to obfuscate than communicate and give themselves bonuses for being so clever.

Argo is testing driverless rides with employees. Before that, they had been doing public ride-hailing with safety drivers. They are also doing deliveries.

The on-road driverless operations in Florida and Texas are currently focused on using Argo’s in-house developed ride hailing app to transport employees around the two cities. This approach is similar to that used by Waymo and Cruise for the past several years in the Phoenix and San Francisco areas. Argo has also been carrying members of the public through its partnership with Lyft in Miami Beach since late December, 2021 but those rides still have safety operators on board. Argo is also doing Walmart grocery deliveries in both cities.

Argo AI Begins Driverless Testing In Austin And Miami

Argo AI, the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based automated driving company majority owned by Ford and Volkswagen has just begun its first driverless testing on public roads in Miami and Austin.

www.forbes.com

 

[ThomasD]

Where in Miami are they testing? So they still have someone in the front just incase the car messes up?

 

[diplomat33]

So they still have someone in the front just incase the car messes up?

The driverless testing does not have anyone in the front.

 

[EVNow]

Argo is testing driverless rides with employees. Before that, they had been doing public ride-hailing with safety drivers. They are also doing deliveries.

So, are they going to do driverless taxi service for non-employees in Miami & Austin ? That would be big news.

 

[diplomat33]

So, are they going to do driverless taxi service for non-employees in Miami & Austin ? That would be big news.

Yes, that is the goal. Similar to Waymo and Cruise, they test the driverless first with employees and then they open it up to non-employees. The article even mentions that they are testing their ride-hailing app. So it would make sense that they will eventually open up the ride-hailing app to the non-employees after they finish their employee testing. So the news today about driverless testing with employees is important because it is means they are one step closer to a driverless taxi service for non-employees in two major US cities, Miami and Austin.

 

[johnm]

6 months of operation:

Driverless shuttle survives its first Minnesota winter

Autonomous pod operates in downtown Rochester.

www.startribune.com

 

[Doggydogworld]

6 months of operation:

Driverless shuttle survives its first Minnesota winter

Autonomous pod operates in downtown Rochester.

www.startribune.com

"In other cases, motorists and cyclists get frustrated with its slow speed of 10 to 15 mph and frequent stops."

It also says it averages 10 riders per day. Another winning business model! Of course non-commercial trials are needed to develop the basic technology. But it seems teams focus way too much on building a product instead of meeting market needs.

 

[ThomasD]

Who is the person in the right front seat that doesn't get out of the car At 18 seconds you can see a person in the right front seat

 

[Bitdepth]

Looks like Waymo is progressing rapidly. The times between major announcements are getting shorter and shorter. They should be opening up driverless rides to trusted partners in DT Pheonix in a few weeks based on the current trajectory.

 

[EVNow]

Looks like Waymo is progressing rapidly.

LOL.

 

[Terminator857]

Looks like Waymo is progressing rapidly. The times between major announcements are getting shorter and shorter. They should be opening up driverless rides to trusted partners in DT Pheonix in a few weeks based on the current trajectory.

The difference between downtown Phoenix and Chandler isn't that much. In other words downtown phoenix isn't very dense. To me this suggest that mapping and testing is a bigger hurdle than I previously thought.

 

[diplomat33]

To me this suggest that mapping and testing is a bigger hurdle than I previously thought.

How so? Waymo obviously mapped downtown Phoenix before they launched the trusted tested program in March. Now, less than 2 months later, they are announcing that they will go driverless in downtown Phoenix and adding the major Phoenix airport in "coming weeks". That does not seem like mapping and testing is a big hurdle to me.

 

[ThomasD]

At 37seconds you can see someone's leg in the right seat. At51 seconds someone is in the right front seat.

"In other cases, motorists and cyclists get frustrated with its slow speed of 10 to 15 mph and frequent stops."

It also says it averages 10 riders per day. Another winning business model! Of course non-commercial trials are needed to develop the basic technology. But it seems teams focus way too much on building a product instead of meeting market needs.

It can operate in Snow. Could the pod be level 5

 

[diplomat33]

It can operate in Snow. Could the pod be level 5

No. The pod is Level 4 since it is geofenced.

 

[ThomasD]

Will the Airport runs include places like the Chandler area

 

[ThomasD]

At least the pod can operate when it is Snowing.