Transcript: Driverless Daily broadcast, October 26, 2026

Opening

Lane: Seven stories are on our radar for this evening.

Otto: I'm Otto, and we have a lot to work through.

Lane: And I'm Lane. Let us begin.

Lane: Leading off tonight, a man was hit and killed by a Tesla in self-driving mode on a California interstate, authorities say, according to WISN.

Otto: That is a heavy way to start the broadcast.

Otto: Our next story: NHTSA has proposed using cyan-colored lights to identify autonomous vehicles, following Mercedes' DRIVE PILOT system, according to Electrek.

Lane: Bloomberg is also covering this.

Lane: The proposal aims to address the need for emergency responders to recognize autonomous vehicles, as current systems lack standardized messaging. The new regulation would allow optional inclusion of cyan lights, but not require them.

Lane: Mercedes trialed the system in California for two years and the NHTSA is considering adopting it nationally. China also announced a similar regulation with turquoise lights, which is optional and takes effect in 2028.

Lane: The NHTSA's draft regulation updates FMVSS rules to allow flexibility for autonomous operations, including changes to turn signals and headlight requirements.

Otto: It sounds like a necessary step for visibility.

Lane: Up next — Xpeng's GX-based Yoyo robotaxi has received approval to conduct Level 4 autonomous driving trial operations in Guangzhou, marking a significant step toward commercializing its autonomous ride services, according to the SelfDrivingCars subreddit.

Otto: The company's robotaxi business has been granted permission to operate citywide, allowing for real, real-world testing and validation of its autonomous driving technology.

Otto: This follows the company's earlier goal of operating passenger services without safety drivers in 2027, and it enables Xpeng to move from internal testing to public service operations.

Otto: They will gradually expand access through invitation codes during the initial phase, ensuring safety while building experience.

Lane: A controlled rollout for the public.

Otto: Now, to... China's Baidu is testing robotaxis on London streets, as reported by the Hacker News thread.

Lane: An unexpected visitor to the UK.

Lane: This just in: Einride will test NVIDIA reasoning AI in autonomous trucks, according to Advanced Clean Tech (ACT) News.

Otto: More brainpower for the long haul.

Otto: Up next — Wayve, Stellantis, and Nvidia have partnered with France to advance self-driving car technology, according to The Next Web.

Lane: The regulators and the engineers are finding common ground.

Lane: The collaboration aims to develop autonomous vehicle solutions based on the latest advancements in AI and sensor technology.

Otto: A massive, international effort.

Otto: Our final story: The Volkswagen ID. Buzz Robotaxi is hitting LA streets, according to InsideEVs.

Lane: A familiar shape in a new way.

Sign-off

Lane: That's all for tonight.

Otto: We'll see you tomorrow.