As artificial intelligence moves out of the digital realm and into vehicles, robotics, and other physical systems, one of engineering's hardest problems is no longer simply teaching machines to recognise what they see. It is preparing them for what they have never encountered before.While global debates around AI safety often focus on digital algorithms and chatbots, autonomous and AI-assisted driving systems represent the technology’s most critical real-world test. How reliable are these vehicles, and what can be done to protect passengers and pedestrians alike?To understand how Physical AI learns on the road, we spoke with Teja Gudena, Executive Vice President of Engineering at Netradyne, an AI driver safety and fleet management platform.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/openai-admits-ai-agent-scaled-the-fence-into-australia-government-system-apologises-we-are-sorry-1790658789423">OpenAI admits AI agent ‘scaled the fence’ into Australia government system, apologises: ‘We are sorry’</a><h2>AI-driven accidents that shocked the industry</h2>Before exploring how AI systems adapt to real-world edge cases, we must examine the high-profile incidents that highlight the stakes involved.In June 2026, 76-year-old Martha Avila was killed in Katy, Texas, after a Tesla Model 3 crashed directly into her home while she was standing in her front room. Her family filed a lawsuit alleging that the driver, Michael Butler, was operating the vehicle using an automated driving assistance system.In another notable incident in March 2025, three students in Tongling, Anhui, China, died when their Xiaomi SU7 electric vehicle caught fire after striking a highway cement barrier. Xiaomi confirmed that the vehicle was operating in its "Navigate on Autopilot" (NOA) assisted-driving mode at 116 km/h in a road construction zone. While the car's sensors detected the barrier and initiated braking, it could not stop in time. The incident drew widespread scrutiny, particularly because Xiaomi founder Lei Jun had previously stated that the car's Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system could detect stationary obstacles and automatically stop at speeds up to 135 km/h during the day and 120 km/h at night.<h2>AI vs. Human drivers: What the numbers show</h2>Despite high-profile crashes, statistical data indicates that autonomous systems are significantly safer on average than human drivers.According to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and autonomous fleet operators, AI-driven vehicles experience a 68% lower overall crash rate per mile travelled. Furthermore, they achieve an 81% to 82% reduction in injury-causing crashes compared to human drivers.Waymo reported that by late June 2026, its driverless fleet had driven over 270 million autonomous miles across major metropolitan markets, including Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. The company’s safety benchmarks showed that its autonomous driver was involved in 82% fewer injury-causing crashes than human drivers, preventing an estimated 841 injuries.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/openai-scraps-gpt-6-1-astra-before-launch-after-safety-tests-expose-troubling-behaviour-1790647162376">OpenAI scraps GPT-6.1 Astra before launch after safety tests expose troubling behaviour</a><h2>How fleet learning actually works</h2>Despite these impressive statistics, autonomous vehicles continually encounter unfamiliar situations requiring software and operational updates.For instance, Waymo previously issued software recalls—including one for nearly 3,800 vehicles after a robotaxi entered a flooded lane in San Antonio during severe weather, and another for nearly 3,900 vehicles after cars entered freeway construction zones after failing to recognise closure signs.These episodes highlight a central question for Physical AI: when a machine encounters an unfamiliar situation, what happens next?A common misconception is that an AI vehicle learns dynamically on the spot, immediately rewriting its own behaviour while driving. Teja Gudena points out that real-world safety requires a far strictly controlled process."In Physical AI systems, inference typically occurs at the edge, while learning occurs through a structured edge-to-cloud training and validation process," Gudena explains.In simple terms, the car's onboard computer (the "edge") processes raw sensor data to make real-time driving decisions, but it does not reprogram itself on the fly. Instead, data from unusual events is sent back to central cloud servers, where engineers analyze the scenario, train updated models, and validate safety improvements. Only after rigorous testing is the updated software deployed across the entire fleet via over-the-air updates."A vehicle cannot be allowed to experiment with unverified changes while carrying passengers or sharing the road with others," Gudena adds. "The AI does not make those decisions independently."Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ai-models-chose-to-harm-humans-to-stop-pain-alarming-study-raises-fresh-safety-questions-1790064496369">AI models chose to harm humans to stop ‘pain,’ alarming study raises fresh safety questions</a><h2>Moving toward contextual reasoning and world models</h2>"The real world presents an almost infinite number of possibilities," says Gudena. "No training dataset can capture every combination of road conditions, weather, vehicle interactions, human behaviour, animals, or unexpected events."As a result, modern AI driving architectures are shifting away from simple object recognition toward world models and contextual reasoning.Beyond Detection: Instead of merely asking "What is this object?", the system must evaluate where it is, how it is moving, and what surrounding road users are likely to do next.Predictive Awareness: When encountering animals, detecting a dog or deer is only step one. The system must determine if the animal is stationary, moving toward the road, or unpredictable, while simultaneously factoring in surrounding traffic.Edge Cases &amp; Bias: Physical AI must also account for human diversity. Addressing disparities in pedestrian detection across different lighting conditions, skin tones, clothing, and geographies requires diverse, representative datasets. "It is not enough to evaluate a model only on its overall accuracy," Gudena notes. "Performance must remain consistent across all populations and operating conditions."<h2>Balancing Speed with Safety</h2>While fast updates are critical, Gudena warns against rushing updates and over-sensitising systems. Rushing patches without proper calibration can lead to unnecessary alerts or erratic driving behaviour, creating new risks on the road.The ultimate goal of Physical AI is not simply to make vehicles learn faster but to ensure that every lesson learned by a single vehicle permanently improves the safety of the entire fleet.

No AI training dataset can predict every road condition, human action or unexpected event. So when a vehicle encounters something unfamiliar, how does it learn without experimenting on live roads? Netradyne’s Teja Gudena tells WION.

As artificial intelligence moves out of the digital realm and into vehicles, robotics, and other physical systems, one of engineering's hardest problems is no longer simply teaching machines to recognise what they see. It is preparing them for what they have never encountered before. While global debates around AI safety often focus on digital algorithms and chatbots, autonomous and AI-assisted driving systems represent the technology’s most critical real-world test. How reliable are these vehicles, and what can be done to protect passengers and pedestrians alike? To understand how Physical AI learns on the road, we spoke with Teja Gudena, Executive Vice President of Engineering at Netradyne, an AI driver safety and fleet management platform. Also read | OpenAI admits AI agent ‘scaled the fence’ into Australia government system, apologises: ‘We are sorry’ AI-driven accidents that shocked the industry Before exploring how AI systems adapt to real-world edge cases, we must examine the high-profile incidents that highlight the stakes involved. In June 2026, 76-year-old Martha Avila was killed in Katy, Texas, after a Tesla Model 3 crashed directly into her home while she was standing in her front room. Her family filed a lawsuit alleging that the driver, Michael Butler, was operating the vehicle using an automated driving assistance system. In another notable incident in March 2025, three students in Tongling, Anhui, China, died when their Xiaomi SU7 electric vehicle caught fire after striking a highway cement barrier. Xiaomi confirmed that the vehicle was operating in its "Navigate on Autopilot" (NOA) assisted-driving mode at 116 km/h in a road construction zone. While the car's sensors detected the barrier and initiated braking, it could not stop in time. The incident drew widespread scrutiny, particularly because Xiaomi founder Lei Jun had previously stated that the car's Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system could detect stationary obstacles and automatically stop at speeds up to 135 km/h during the day and 120 km/h at night. AI vs. Human drivers: What the numbers show Despite high-profile crashes, statistical data indicates that autonomous systems are significantly safer on average than human drivers. According to data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and autonomous fleet operators, AI-driven vehicles experience a 68% lower overall crash rate per mile travelled. Furthermore, they achieve an 81% to 82% reduction in injury-causing crashes compared to human drivers. Waymo reported that by late June 2026, its driverless fleet had driven over 270 million autonomous miles across major metropolitan markets, including Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco. The company’s safety benchmarks showed that its autonomous driver was involved in 82% fewer injury-causing crashes than human drivers, preventing an estimated 841 injuries. Also read | OpenAI scraps GPT-6.1 Astra before launch after safety tests expose troubling behaviour How fleet learning actually works Despite these impressive statistics, autonomous vehicles continually encounter unfamiliar situations requiring software and operational updates. For instance, Waymo previously issued software recalls—including one for nearly 3,800 vehicles after a robotaxi entered a flooded lane in San Antonio during severe weather, and another for nearly 3,900 vehicles after cars entered freeway construction zones after failing to recognise closure signs. These episodes highlight a central question for Physical AI: when a machine encounters an unfamiliar situation, what happens next? A common misconception is that an AI vehicle learns dynamically on the spot, immediately rewriting its own behaviour while driving. Teja Gudena points out that real-world safety requires a far strictly controlled process. "In Physical AI systems, inference typically occurs at the edge, while learning occurs through a structured edge-to-cloud training and validation process," Gudena explains. In simple terms, the car's onboard computer (the "edge") processes raw sensor data to make real-time driving decisions, but it does not reprogram itself on the fly. Instead, data from unusual events is sent back to central cloud servers, where engineers analyze the scenario, train updated models, and validate safety improvements. Only after rigorous testing is the updated software deployed across the entire fleet via over-the-air updates. "A vehicle cannot be allowed to experiment with unverified changes while carrying passengers or sharing the road with others," Gudena adds. "The AI does not make those decisions independently." Also read | AI models chose to harm humans to stop ‘pain,’ alarming study raises fresh safety questions Moving toward contextual reasoning and world models "The real world presents an almost infinite number of possibilities," says Gudena. "No training dataset can capture every combination of road conditions, weather, vehicle interactions, human behaviour, animals, or unexpected events." As a result, modern AI driving architectures are shifting away from simple object recognition toward world models and contextual reasoning. Beyond Detection: Instead of merely asking "What is this object?", the system must evaluate where it is, how it is moving, and what surrounding road users are likely to do next. Predictive Awareness: When encountering animals, detecting a dog or deer is only step one. The system must determine if the animal is stationary, moving toward the road, or unpredictable, while simultaneously factoring in surrounding traffic. Edge Cases & Bias: Physical AI must also account for human diversity. Addressing disparities in pedestrian detection across different lighting conditions, skin tones, clothing, and geographies requires diverse, representative datasets. "It is not enough to evaluate a model only on its overall accuracy," Gudena notes. "Performance must remain consistent across all populations and operating conditions." Balancing Speed with Safety While fast updates are critical, Gudena warns against rushing updates and over-sensitising systems. Rushing patches without proper calibration can lead to unnecessary alerts or erratic driving behaviour, creating new risks on the road. The ultimate goal of Physical AI is not simply to make vehicles learn faster but to ensure that every lesson learned by a single vehicle permanently improves the safety of the entire fleet.

No AI training dataset can predict every road condition, human action or unexpected event. So when a vehicle encounters something unfamiliar, how does it learn without experimenting on live roads? Netradyne’s Teja Gudena tells WION.

AI cars face situations they’ve never seen. Can they learn without risking lives? Expert explains

Driverless cars are hitting UK's challenging country lanes! Are we witnessing the dawn of a new era in road travel, or are there still too many unknowns? Watch this video to know more.

UK tests autonomous cars on challenging country roads

Elon Musk unveiled Tesla's new version of the humanoid robot Optimus Gen 2, which&nbsp;showed off their dancing skills at an event that also saw the launch of Cybercab, the company's new robotaxi and a robovan.

Musk described Optimus as the 'biggest product ever' that can do everyday human tasks, with an accompanying promo film showing the robots serving drinks and cleaning kitchens in households among other things.

At the event billed "We, Robot,"&nbsp;a fleet of the new Optimus Gen 2 robots walked on stage. At the close, they even showed off some dance moves.

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Musk introduced the new version of the robots saying they could do anything, from walking dogs to playing table games and mowing lawns and even babysitting.

He said that Optimus Gen 2 robots will cost around $30,000 which is an optimistic projection given that many cars these days are sold at that price.

Musk said the promo film is not a canned video, but Optimus will 'walk among you' soon.

Watch: Tesla scouts for showroom locations in major Indian cities

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The event on Thursday (Oct 10) evening in California also showed off the wing-like doors and futuristic sleek design of the Cybercab robotaxi, minus the pedals and steering wheel. It also featured the 20-seater robovan.

At the same event, Musk&nbsp;hinted that Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y cars will have fully autonomous features by 2025, pending regulators' nod.

But regulatory issues remain, with some of Tesla's self-driving models involved in crashes in spite of advanced sensors and radars in the cars.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/autonews/tesla-and-musk-prevail-in-shareholder-lawsuit-over-self-driving-claims-763577">Also read: Tesla and Musk prevail in shareholder lawsuit over self-driving claims</a> 
 
The cybercab also came after several delays. It was set for release in August but got delayed due to design changes. Rival companies like Waymo have already launched their robotaxis.

The robotaxi sector itself is not in good shape, particularly due to traffic incidents that raise questions about the viability of such driverless options.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/tesla-deliveries-continue-to-fall-in-2024-736880">Also read: Tesla deliveries continue to fall in 2024</a>

While he said commuting sucks today, the Tesla chief stressed the safety and profitability of self-driving vehicles, saying owners could rent off the robotaxis.

The cybercab which is expected to cost under $30,000 will start production only before 2027, which raised concerns about possible delays which Tesla is known for.&nbsp;

"I tend to be optimistic with time frames," Musk said humorously.

(With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk unveiled Tesla's new version of the humanoid robot Optimus Gen 2, which showed off their dancing skills at an event that also saw the launch of Cybercab, the company's new robotaxi and a robovan.

Elon Musk unveiled Tesla's new version of the humanoid robot Optimus Gen 2, which showed off their dancing skills at an event that also saw the launch of Cybercab, the company's new robotaxi and a robovan. Musk described Optimus as the 'biggest product ever' that can do everyday human tasks, with an accompanying promo film showing the robots serving drinks and cleaning kitchens in households among other things. At the event billed "We, Robot," a fleet of the new Optimus Gen 2 robots walked on stage. At the close, they even showed off some dance moves. pic.twitter.com/VK9vlGF0Ms — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 11, 2024 × Musk introduced the new version of the robots saying they could do anything, from walking dogs to playing table games and mowing lawns and even babysitting. He said that Optimus Gen 2 robots will cost around $30,000 which is an optimistic projection given that many cars these days are sold at that price. Musk said the promo film is not a canned video, but Optimus will 'walk among you' soon. Watch: Tesla scouts for showroom locations in major Indian cities × The event on Thursday (Oct 10) evening in California also showed off the wing-like doors and futuristic sleek design of the Cybercab robotaxi, minus the pedals and steering wheel. It also featured the 20-seater robovan. At the same event, Musk hinted that Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y cars will have fully autonomous features by 2025, pending regulators' nod. But regulatory issues remain, with some of Tesla's self-driving models involved in crashes in spite of advanced sensors and radars in the cars. Also read: Tesla and Musk prevail in shareholder lawsuit over self-driving claims The cybercab also came after several delays. It was set for release in August but got delayed due to design changes. Rival companies like Waymo have already launched their robotaxis. The robotaxi sector itself is not in good shape, particularly due to traffic incidents that raise questions about the viability of such driverless options. Also read: Tesla deliveries continue to fall in 2024 While he said commuting sucks today, the Tesla chief stressed the safety and profitability of self-driving vehicles, saying owners could rent off the robotaxis. The cybercab which is expected to cost under $30,000 will start production only before 2027, which raised concerns about possible delays which Tesla is known for. "I tend to be optimistic with time frames," Musk said humorously. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Elon Musk reveals Optimus Gen 2 humanoid robots at Tesla event, and they can dance too!

Tesla Inc. is the subject of a criminal investigation in the United States for making claims that its electric cars can drive themselves, reports Reuters.

Following more than a dozen mishaps, some of which were deadly, involving Tesla's driving assistance system Autopilot, which was turned on during the accidents, the US&nbsp;Department of Justice opened the previously unreported investigation last year, the people said.&nbsp;

Tesla's marketing brochures began praising Autopilot's capabilities as early as 2016. Elon Musk, the CEO of the Silicon Valley automaker, said in a conference call that year that it was "probably better" than a human driver.

Musk stated on a different call last week that Tesla would soon release an updated version of its "Full Self-Driving" software that would enable users to travel "to your work, your friend's house, or to the grocery store without you touching the wheel."&nbsp;

The person in the driver's seat is merely there for legal reasons, according to a video that is now available on the corporate website. He is not acting in any way. The vehicle is self-driving.&nbsp;

But the company has also made it clear that while using Autopilot, drivers must maintain control of their cars by keeping their hands on the wheel.&nbsp;

According to the company's website, the Tesla technology is intended to help with steering, braking, speed, and lane changes but its functions "do not make the vehicle autonomous."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-has-rejected-status-quo-on-taiwan-speeding-up-reunification-blinken-528715">China has rejected status quo on Taiwan, speeding up reunification: Blinken</a>

These cautions, according to the sources, might complicate any lawsuit the Justice Department might want to file.&nbsp;

The claims made about Autopilot's capabilities and the system's design are already being closely examined by federal and California safety regulators to see if they give customers a false sense of security, leading them to treat Teslas as truly driverless cars and grow complacent behind the wheel with potentially fatal results.&nbsp;

Due to the potential for criminal charges to be brought against the business or specific individuals, the Justice Department probe may constitute a more intense degree of scrutiny, according to the people familiar with the investigation.

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

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Tesla Inc. is the subject of a criminal investigation in the United States for making claims that its electric cars can drive themselves, reports Reuters. Following more than a dozen mishaps, some of which were deadly, involving Tesla's driving assistance system Autopilot, which was turned on during the accidents, the US Department of Justice opened the previously unreported investigation last year, the people said.

Tesla Inc. is the subject of a criminal investigation in the United States for making claims that its electric cars can drive themselves, reports Reuters. Following more than a dozen mishaps, some of which were deadly, involving Tesla's driving assistance system Autopilot, which was turned on during the accidents, the US Department of Justice opened the previously unreported investigation last year, the people said. Tesla's marketing brochures began praising Autopilot's capabilities as early as 2016. Elon Musk, the CEO of the Silicon Valley automaker, said in a conference call that year that it was "probably better" than a human driver. Musk stated on a different call last week that Tesla would soon release an updated version of its "Full Self-Driving" software that would enable users to travel "to your work, your friend's house, or to the grocery store without you touching the wheel." The person in the driver's seat is merely there for legal reasons, according to a video that is now available on the corporate website. He is not acting in any way. The vehicle is self-driving. But the company has also made it clear that while using Autopilot, drivers must maintain control of their cars by keeping their hands on the wheel. According to the company's website, the Tesla technology is intended to help with steering, braking, speed, and lane changes but its functions "do not make the vehicle autonomous." Also Read: China has rejected status quo on Taiwan, speeding up reunification: Blinken These cautions, according to the sources, might complicate any lawsuit the Justice Department might want to file. The claims made about Autopilot's capabilities and the system's design are already being closely examined by federal and California safety regulators to see if they give customers a false sense of security, leading them to treat Teslas as truly driverless cars and grow complacent behind the wheel with potentially fatal results. Due to the potential for criminal charges to be brought against the business or specific individuals, the Justice Department probe may constitute a more intense degree of scrutiny, according to the people familiar with the investigation. (with inputs from agencies)

Tesla undergoing criminal investigation in US over self-driving claims: Report

Self-driving cars or autonomous vehicles (AV) are the future. The idea of a car that can drive itself without any effort on your side might sound like a grand idea, but experts warn that this is not feasible in the absence of helpful human supervision.

As per Reuters, in order to build truly self-driving automobiles, autonomous vehicle (AV) firms have raised tens of billions of dollars. Much of the research and investment has been motivated by the fundamental idea that computers and artificial intelligence will significantly minimise accidents brought on by human error.

Watch |&nbsp;Self-driving cars safer than human drivers?

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However, the catch is that AI simply lacks a human's ability to predict and or assess risk on the spot, especially in the face of unforeseen accidents or "edge cases."

Similar to air traffic controllers, such human supervisors could be stationed hundreds of miles away watching video feeds from various AVs and occasionally controlling them with a steering wheel, ready to intervene and restart stuck robot drivers.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/are-children-at-risk-from-elon-musks-self-driving-technology-group-claims-software-will-mow-kids-down-505353">Are children at risk from Elon Musk's self-driving technology? Group claims software will 'mow' kids down</a>

When asked if he could imagine a day where remote human overseers might be eliminated from operations, Kyle Vogt, CEO of Cruise, a division of General Motors, responded, "Well, my question would be, 'Why?'"

"I can provide my customers peace of mind knowing there is always a human there to help if needed," he said adding "I don't know why I'd ever want to get rid of that."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/self-driving-cars-from-tesla-to-be-ready-by-year-end-says-elon-musk-511353">Self-driving cars from Tesla to be ready by year-end, says Elon Musk</a>

The ambitious rollout timelines for truly driverless vehicles were projected just a few years ago, but they are now far behind and the unfulfilled promises have raised the stakes for the AV industry.

Mike Wagner, CEO of Edge Case Research, which aids AV companies in risk assessment, management, and insurance, predicts that if these businesses don't flourish during the following two years, they will cease to exist.&nbsp;

"It's a case of put up or shut up at this point."

Imperium Drive's Kaveh predicts that "even decades from now you will not get to 100 per cent truly autonomous vehicles."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Self-driving cars or autonomous vehicles (AV) are the future. The idea of a car that can drive itself without any effort on your side might sound like a grand idea, but experts warn that this is not feasible in the absence of helpful human supervision.

Self-driving cars or autonomous vehicles (AV) are the future. The idea of a car that can drive itself without any effort on your side might sound like a grand idea, but experts warn that this is not feasible in the absence of helpful human supervision. As per Reuters, in order to build truly self-driving automobiles, autonomous vehicle (AV) firms have raised tens of billions of dollars. Much of the research and investment has been motivated by the fundamental idea that computers and artificial intelligence will significantly minimise accidents brought on by human error. Watch | Self-driving cars safer than human drivers? However, the catch is that AI simply lacks a human's ability to predict and or assess risk on the spot, especially in the face of unforeseen accidents or "edge cases." Similar to air traffic controllers, such human supervisors could be stationed hundreds of miles away watching video feeds from various AVs and occasionally controlling them with a steering wheel, ready to intervene and restart stuck robot drivers. Also read | Are children at risk from Elon Musk's self-driving technology? Group claims software will 'mow' kids down When asked if he could imagine a day where remote human overseers might be eliminated from operations, Kyle Vogt, CEO of Cruise, a division of General Motors, responded, "Well, my question would be, 'Why?'" "I can provide my customers peace of mind knowing there is always a human there to help if needed," he said adding "I don't know why I'd ever want to get rid of that." Also read | Self-driving cars from Tesla to be ready by year-end, says Elon Musk The ambitious rollout timelines for truly driverless vehicles were projected just a few years ago, but they are now far behind and the unfulfilled promises have raised the stakes for the AV industry. Mike Wagner, CEO of Edge Case Research, which aids AV companies in risk assessment, management, and insurance, predicts that if these businesses don't flourish during the following two years, they will cease to exist. "It's a case of put up or shut up at this point." Imperium Drive's Kaveh predicts that "even decades from now you will not get to 100 per cent truly autonomous vehicles." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Can self-driving cars ever be truly autonomous? Experts say 'no'

Roads of Shenzen, the "Silicon Valley of China" in the recent past have played host to a number of autonomous vehicles (AV) or driverless cars. However, technically they weren't truly driverless or exactly what tech startups imagined for the future, as they had to function with a safety driver at the wheel. However, the Shenzhen government recently unveiled a set of regulations that will move the sector one step closer to a driverless future.&nbsp;China's most explicit AV legislation has now been implemented in Shenzhen, a population of 18 million people. Starting on Monday, registered AVs will be permitted to run across much of the city without a driver in the driver's seat, although a driver must still be in the car.

Watch |&nbsp;This is how cars will look in future: steering wheel-less, self-driving, flying, solar-powered

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The CEO of DeepRoute, Maxwell Zhou, remarked,&nbsp;"This is not true driverless but it's a big milestone," adding "If you want more cars, eventually there will be accidents, so these regulations are very important for mass deployment."

Up until now, Robotaxis have been permitted to operate in Chinese cities on a limited basis with the approval of local authorities. However, Shenzhen's regulations are the first to establish a framework for liability in the case of an accident.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-announces-to-roll-out-robotaxi-with-no-wheels-or-pedals-by-2024-472851">Elon Musk announces to roll out robotaxi with no wheels or pedals by 2024</a>

In the event of an accident involving the AV, the driver will be held accountable. The owner of the vehicle will be liable if the vehicle is entirely driverless. Alternatively, the owner of the vehicle can also pursue compensation from the manufacturer if a manufacturing&nbsp;defect results in an accident.

Despite the fact that the United States is thought to have started testing autonomous vehicle (AV) technology first, the industry in Shenzhen seems to be shifting gears, with trial robotaxis quickly becoming a "regular sight".&nbsp;

In the past year, 50,000 people have taken trial rides on the hundreds of sensor-laden robotaxis that ply the busy Futian commercial district in China's southern tech hub. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Roads of Shenzen, the "Silicon Valley of China" in the recent past have played host to a number of autonomous vehicles (AV) or driverless cars. However, technically they weren't truly driverless or exactly what tech startups imagined for the future, as they had to function with a safety driver at the wheel.

Roads of Shenzen, the "Silicon Valley of China" in the recent past have played host to a number of autonomous vehicles (AV) or driverless cars. However, technically they weren't truly driverless or exactly what tech startups imagined for the future, as they had to function with a safety driver at the wheel. However, the Shenzhen government recently unveiled a set of regulations that will move the sector one step closer to a driverless future. China's most explicit AV legislation has now been implemented in Shenzhen, a population of 18 million people. Starting on Monday, registered AVs will be permitted to run across much of the city without a driver in the driver's seat, although a driver must still be in the car. Watch | This is how cars will look in future: steering wheel-less, self-driving, flying, solar-powered The CEO of DeepRoute, Maxwell Zhou, remarked, "This is not true driverless but it's a big milestone," adding "If you want more cars, eventually there will be accidents, so these regulations are very important for mass deployment." Up until now, Robotaxis have been permitted to operate in Chinese cities on a limited basis with the approval of local authorities. However, Shenzhen's regulations are the first to establish a framework for liability in the case of an accident. Also read | Elon Musk announces to roll out robotaxi with no wheels or pedals by 2024 In the event of an accident involving the AV, the driver will be held accountable. The owner of the vehicle will be liable if the vehicle is entirely driverless. Alternatively, the owner of the vehicle can also pursue compensation from the manufacturer if a manufacturing defect results in an accident. Despite the fact that the United States is thought to have started testing autonomous vehicle (AV) technology first, the industry in Shenzhen seems to be shifting gears, with trial robotaxis quickly becoming a "regular sight". In the past year, 50,000 people have taken trial rides on the hundreds of sensor-laden robotaxis that ply the busy Futian commercial district in China's southern tech hub. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China's Shenzen takes a step closer to truly driverless cars or 'Robotaxis'

The Tesla electric car driving in semi-autonomous mode when it crashed and killed its driver, was speeding just ahead of impact with a tractor-trailer, a preliminary probe showed yesterday. 
 
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said its preliminary findings showed the Tesla was traveling at 19 kilometres per hour ahead of impact, but noted that investigators have not yet completed an analysis of the crash data or assigned a cause for the fatal collision. 
 
The car was driving in excess of the posted speed limit of 65 miles per hour before the crash. 
 
&quot;All aspects of the crash remain under investigation,&quot; the NTSB said in a statement on its review of the May 7 fatality, which raised concerns about the safety of the rapidly growing field of autonomous driving technology. 
 
The NTSB said the driver was using the advanced driver assistance features called Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer lane keeping assistance. 
 
It was also equipped with automatic emergency braking that is designed to automatically apply the brakes to reduce the severity of or assist in avoiding frontal collisions. 
 
Tesla earlier this month acknowledged the crash and said its sensors failed to pick up the white side of the truck against a brightly lit sky. 
 
With the truck crossing the divided highway, the impact sheared off the top of the car and killed the driver. 
 
Some reports said the driver may have been watching a DVD at the time, ignoring Tesla`s warning to remain vigilant while using the Autopilot system. 
 
Tesla said the Autopilot system, introduced last year, is not a fully autonomous system and that drivers are cautioned that they need to be at the wheel and in control. 
 
The system allows the vehicle to automatically change lanes, manage speed and brake to avoid a collision. The system may be overridden by the driver. 
 
Backers of autonomous driving say that despite the Tesla fatality, the technology is likely to eliminate a large percentage of accidents, which are attributed mainly to human error. 
 
Most major automakers are also looking at autonomous cars. 
 
BMW has announced that it is joining forces with US computer chip giant Intel and the Israeli technology firm Mobileye to develop self-driving cars, aiming for fully automated driving in production cars by 2021. 
 
South Korea`s Kia has pledged to produce a self-driving car by 2020 and General Motors plans to test the technology with ridesharing giant Lyft. 
 
Google has driven its autonomous cars some 2.4 million kilometres with only some minor dust-ups 
 
(AFP)

The car was driving in excess of the posted speed limit of 65 miles per hour before the crash

The Tesla electric car driving in semi-autonomous mode when it crashed and killed its driver, was speeding just ahead of impact with a tractor-trailer, a preliminary probe showed yesterday. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said its preliminary findings showed the Tesla was traveling at 19 kilometres per hour ahead of impact, but noted that investigators have not yet completed an analysis of the crash data or assigned a cause for the fatal collision. The car was driving in excess of the posted speed limit of 65 miles per hour before the crash. "All aspects of the crash remain under investigation," the NTSB said in a statement on its review of the May 7 fatality, which raised concerns about the safety of the rapidly growing field of autonomous driving technology. The NTSB said the driver was using the advanced driver assistance features called Traffic-Aware Cruise Control and Autosteer lane keeping assistance. It was also equipped with automatic emergency braking that is designed to automatically apply the brakes to reduce the severity of or assist in avoiding frontal collisions. Tesla earlier this month acknowledged the crash and said its sensors failed to pick up the white side of the truck against a brightly lit sky. With the truck crossing the divided highway, the impact sheared off the top of the car and killed the driver. Some reports said the driver may have been watching a DVD at the time, ignoring Tesla`s warning to remain vigilant while using the Autopilot system. Tesla said the Autopilot system, introduced last year, is not a fully autonomous system and that drivers are cautioned that they need to be at the wheel and in control. The system allows the vehicle to automatically change lanes, manage speed and brake to avoid a collision. The system may be overridden by the driver. Backers of autonomous driving say that despite the Tesla fatality, the technology is likely to eliminate a large percentage of accidents, which are attributed mainly to human error. Most major automakers are also looking at autonomous cars. BMW has announced that it is joining forces with US computer chip giant Intel and the Israeli technology firm Mobileye to develop self-driving cars, aiming for fully automated driving in production cars by 2021. South Korea`s Kia has pledged to produce a self-driving car by 2020 and General Motors plans to test the technology with ridesharing giant Lyft. Google has driven its autonomous cars some 2.4 million kilometres with only some minor dust-ups (AFP)

Driver was speeding before fatal Tesla Autopilot crash, finds probe

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