The first two test robots from Marble, a San Francisco-based robotics company, began mapping out the city streets and sidewalks of Arlington, Texas on Friday, August 17, according to NBC DFW.
Marble is the first company to deploy this type of technology in Arlington after the City Council gave approval for private companies to deploy robotic delivery devices to test their usage in the city back in June.
“This is our first step in interacting with the city of Arlington and we are very excited to be here,” says Marble representative Jackie Erickson.
Autonomous Vehicles
Autonomous Vehicles
ASV Global and TerraSond successfully complete hydrographic survey using unmanned vessel
ASV Global and TerraSond have successfully completed a hydrographic survey for charting off the coast of Alaska using ASV Global’s C-Worker 5 unmanned vessel alongside the Q105 survey ship acting as the mother vessel.
Fitted with a multibeam echosounder, the C-Worker 5 unmanned vessel conducted 53% of the 10,649-kilometer survey.
This latest operation was ASV Global and TerraSond’s fourth unmanned charting survey for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in as many years. The total unmanned survey lines completed now stands at almost 15,000 kilometers.
Navya and Keolis Canada announce Canada's first autonomous shuttle pilot project on public roads
Navya and Keolis Canada recently announced the launch of a 12-month autonomous shuttle pilot project, which is set to begin at the end of this month in Candiac, Quebec, Canada.
During the year-long pilot, Navya’s AUTONOM shuttle will operate in real traffic conditions on public roads, which will be a first in Canada. In an effort to determine how to best meet user's mobility needs, especially during their home-work trips, the shuttle will carry users on a two-kilometer route, with several stops throughout the city.
Kroger and Nuro launch autonomous grocery delivery service in Arizona
After announcing their pilot program for a fully autonomous grocery delivery service in June, Kroger and Nuro have now announced that the program is launching in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Starting August 16, customers can place delivery orders with a single location of Fry's Food Stores via the store’s website or the Fry's Food Stores mobile app. Orders are placed based on slot availability.
Grocery orders can be scheduled for same-day or next-day delivery by Nuro's fleet of self-driving vehicles. There is no minimum amount required to place an order, and the service charges a flat fee of $5.95.
New reports shed light on automated vehicle future
Two recent reports highlight the way that industry and government are seeing the automated vehicle market shaping up.
The Governors Highway Safety Association, made up of state and territory highway safety officials, released “Preparing for Automated Vehicles: Traffic Safety Issues for States,” funded by insurance giant State Farm and drawing on research, survey findings, government documents and other sources.
Weekend Roundup
This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World
Last week, the City of San Diego, along with Cape, a company that builds software that unlocks the “true potential of drones,” completed a public UAS deployment, marking the city’s first UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP) demonstration by the San Diego Fire Department. The event began with a live public safety demonstration in which Cape and the San Diego Fire Department used Cape's Aerial Telepresence platform during a simulated fire call. (The Drive)
FiveAI to test autonomous cars in London starting next year
According to TechCrunch, FiveAI, which is a startup in the United Kingdom seeking to deliver a fully autonomous shared transport service for Europe’s cities, will conduct its first on-street trial in 2019.
The trial is aimed at commuters in the London outer boroughs of Bromley and Croydon, and will initially start with a 10-month “data gathering” exercise that includes five FiveAI vehicles—equipped with drivers—collecting information about road conditions, the movement of pedestrians and various vehicles, and other variables to help train its artificial intelligence platform.
Michigan Technological University set to open Maritime Autonomy Research Site
According to the Detroit News, Michigan Technological University is opening the Maritime Autonomy Research Site, which will give researchers a space to try out new technologies that would facilitate greater use of unmanned research and survey vessels.
Located on Lake Superior’s Portage Canal in the Upper Peninsula city, the Maritime Autonomy Research Site is the first freshwater testing spot of its kind in the world, according to officials.
A launch ceremony for the site was scheduled for Friday, August 10, and on the same day, a new organization called the Smart Ships Coalition was also scheduled to be announced.
Weekend Roundup
This Week in the Unmanned Systems and Robotics World
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, an Indian state-owned aerospace and defense company, has successfully demonstrated a helicopter UAS in the presence of its Board of Directors. During the 10-minute flight, a variety of the helicopter’s capabilities were demonstrated, including Attitude Control Attitude Hold (ACAH) mode, Position Control, and low speed flight in forward, backward and sideward directions. (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited)
University of Western Australia testing autonomous bus on campus
Starting August 12, an autonomous bus will begin operating on the campus of the University of Western Australia (UWA).
The bus, which has been supplied by EasyMile, will be trialed over the course of a nine-day period, including Open Day.
“The trial will be used for teaching and research but it will also provide input into ways we can plan for a sustainable campus of the future,” says UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater.
“The University is spread over a wide area and it is interesting to investigate if vehicles like this could be used in the future as a sustainable transport link between places.”
