Robotics & Devices
Robots, drones, autonomous vehicles, IoT and manufacturing.
Audi's Regional Pivot: Why the Q9 Is Built for America, Not the World
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner outlines a shift from global cars to regional-specific production, highlighting the US-focused Q9, RS5 Avant possibilities, and hints at a V8-powered R8 successor.
GM’s EVs Are Quietly Becoming the Grid’s Secret Weapon
GM isn't just selling cars anymore—it's turning 250,000 EVs into distributed grid batteries, with sodium-ion storage and V2G tech that could slash utility costs. Here’s how it’s really working.
Robotaxis Are Here — But They’re Still Not Ready for Rain
Waymo's retreat from rainy cities and freeway closures reveal the brutal gap between commercial launch and real-world reliability in autonomous mobility.
Children Read Intent in Human Eyes but Not in Robot Gazes — Study Highlights Limits of Mimicry in Embodied AI
An international study finds 3-year-olds interpret human gaze as intentional but fail to read the same signals from humanoid robots, underscoring the need for richer, multimodal interactions in child-facing AI.
Tesla Disputes Claims in Fatal Texas Home Collision Case
A family in Texas is suing Tesla after a fatal crash involving a Model 3 into their home; this article explores legal disputes over FSD liability, critical questions surrounding automated driver-assist technology, and broader regulatory context.
Shinkei Systems and the Future of Humane, Robot-Processed Seafood
Shinkei Systems founder Saif Khawaja and Founders Fund partner Delian Asparouhov discuss the company's Poseidon robot, which automates ike jime to humanely harvest fish, extending shelf life and reducing spoilage in the seafood supply chain.
AeroVironment and Ubiqconn Team Up on Common Drone Control System for Taiwan
U.S. defense technology leader AeroVironment partners with Taiwanese aerospace company Ubiqconn Technology to develop a common UAV controller for Taiwan's indigenous uncrewed systems program, providing Kinesis command-and-control software and hardware integration.
Theker Secures $85 Million for Non-Specialized Factory Robots That Adapt to Any Task
Barcelona-based AI robotics startup Theker has raised $85 million in Europe's largest ever robotics Series A to develop generalist robots that can be reconfigured for multiple production line tasks without specialized programming.
AH-64 Apache Downed by $35,000 Shahed Drone Near Strait of Hormuz - Asymmetric Warfare Analysis
An Iranian Shahed drone struck a US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, downing the $25 million aircraft. The incident raises critical questions about asymmetric warfare capabilities and whether Iran has acquired Russian-modified drones capable of tracking moving targets.