Opening
Lane: It's getting harder to remember when seeing an autonomous vehicle was even a surprise.
Otto: I'm Otto, and I'm still waiting for my first truly seamless trip.
Lane: And I'm Lane. We have a lot to cover this evening.
Zoox – a new fleet of self-driving cars – testing in Denver
Reported by 9News
Lane: CBS News is also covering this expansion.
Otto: According to 9News, I wonder if Denver drivers are ready for that.
The NHTSA investigates Comma’s self-driving kit after a string of crashes — 5 incidents that killed 3 people linked to 'hands-free' device for older cars
Reported by TechRadar
Otto: Our next story: The NHTSA is investigating Comma's self-driving kit following five incidents that killed three people, all linked to a hands-free device for older cars, TechRadar reports.
Lane: That is a sobering reminder of why safety oversight is so vital.
Aurora Innovation Targets $5B Revenue as Driverless Truck Fleet Scales
Reported by MarketBeat
Lane: Up next, Aurora Innovation is targeting five billion dollars in revenue as its driverless truck fleet scales, per MarketBeat. This story is also being tracked by Yahoo Finance, Transport Topics, and Seeking Alpha.
Otto: The scale of that revenue goal is certainly ambitious.
Kodiak and IKEA to Launch Driverless Freight in 2026
Reported by r/SelfDrivingCars
Otto: Now, to a major logistics milestone: Kodiak and IKEA will launch driverless freight in 2026. According to the SelfDrivingCars subreddit and Trucking Dive, the partnership will begin with driver-out service on I-45 in Texas, covering a 292-mile delivery route between Kodiak's Houston and Dallas-area facilities, connecting the IKEA distribution center in Baytown with the IKEA store in Frisco.
Lane: Kodiak has already logged over 750,000 miles and delivered more than 1,300 loads with a safety observer, maintaining a nearly perfect on-time delivery record.
Lane: It sounds like the logistics industry is moving toward a very efficient future.
Otto: The regulators certainly will be watching that transition closely.
Exclusive: Waymo's opposition grows with D.C. rally
Reported by Axios
Otto: This just in: Waymo's opposition is growing following a D.C. rally, according to Axios. WSMV, KUNC News, MPR News, and MinnPost are also reporting on the situation.
Lane: The company describes the event as a sign of its commitment to public engagement and transparency.
Lane: The company is clearly trying to manage the public narrative.
Tesla secures $30B in new credit lines as it looks to scale Cybercab, Optimus
Reported by TechCrunch
Lane: Up next, Tesla has secured 30 billion dollars in new credit lines to support the scaling of its Cybercab, Optimus robot, and Tesla Semi, TechCrunch reports.
Otto: That includes a 20 billion dollar three-year term loan from Citibank, an 8 billion dollar five-year revolving credit facility from Wells Fargo, and a 2 billion dollar 364-day revolving credit facility.
Otto: Tesla has also projected spending at least 25 billion dollars on capital expenditures for 2026, though they stated they will not draw on these specific loan facilities this year.
Lane: The sheer amount of capital being moved here is staggering.
Lucid and Bolt partner for proposed European robotaxi service
Reported by WardsAuto
Otto: Now, to the European market: Lucid and Bolt are partnering to propose a European robotaxi service, WardsAuto reports.
Lane: It will be interesting to see how that service compares to what we see in North America.
Sign-off
Lane: That's all for us tonight. We'll see you tomorrow.
Otto: Goodnight.