Key facts
- NHTSA proposed new lighting requirements for autonomous vehicles, including optional cyan lights.
- The lights would signal when a vehicle is operating autonomously without a human occupant monitoring the road.
- GM plans to debut a vehicle overhaul in 2028 with an autonomous highway driving feature.
- Rivian acquired Third Dimension, an AI startup focused on simulation for autonomous vehicles.
- Reliable Robotics raised $115 million, valuing the company over $1 billion.
US federal safety regulators are proposing new lighting requirements for autonomous vehicles (AVs) to help the public identify when a vehicle is operating autonomously. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests using steady cyan (blue-green) lights, visible from all sides, to signal autonomous mode. This initiative aims to create a uniform identification method for AVs and is part of a larger effort to update regulations for faster adoption while maintaining safety. The proposal also includes removing requirements for manual controls like turn signals and high beams.
In parallel, GM is overhauling its vehicle's electrical and computational systems, set to debut in 2028 with the Cadillac Escalade IQ. This includes an autonomous highway driving feature and a custom AI assistant. GM has also adopted enterprise AI to halve its development timelines. Rivian acquired Third Dimension, an AI startup specializing in turning images and videos into 3D worlds for AV simulation, to address the 'sim-to-real gap'. Reliable Robotics, focused on autonomous flying technology, raised $115 million, pushing its valuation over $1 billion. Other developments include inDrive partnering with Pony.ai and Nvidia for robotaxi testing in Kazakhstan in 2027, and Google upgrading its Gemini AI for vehicles with personal intelligence features.