A Waymo robotaxi and a Serve delivery robot collided in Los Angeles ... and more Tech news
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What happened during the collision between the Waymo robotaxi and the Serve delivery robot in Los Angeles?
On December 27, a Waymo robotaxi collided with a Serve Robotics sidewalk delivery bot in West Hollywood. The Serve bot was crossing the street and attempting to reach the sidewalk when it paused at the curb, then moved into the vehicle turning lane. The Waymo robotaxi, making a right turn, applied hard braking but still made contact with the bot at 4 mph. Neither vehicle was damaged, and both continued after being locked together for a minute.
How did Waymo's autonomous system respond to the collision with the Serve bot?
Waymo's autonomous system correctly identified the Serve bot as an inanimate object and applied hard braking before the collision. The system is designed to prioritize safety and is programmed to be more cautious around pedestrians and children. In this case, the Waymo driver classified the bot and acted based on the information available at the moment.
What steps does Waymo take after a collision involving its autonomous vehicles?
After a collision, Waymo's autonomous driver notifies the company's fleet response and rider support teams. The fleet response team reviews the scene remotely and dispatches roadside assistance if needed, while the rider support team checks on passengers and contacts first responders if necessary. In this incident, there were no passengers in the robotaxi.
What is Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, and why is its launch significant?
Blue Origin's New Glenn is a 320-foot-tall orbital rocket designed to compete in the space launch industry, currently dominated by SpaceX. It will generate over 3.8 million pounds of thrust using seven BE-4 engines and is capable of carrying payloads like the Blue Ring spacecraft. The launch marks Blue Origin's entry into the competitive orbital launch market, with plans to reuse the booster up to 25 times.
What was the nature of the cyberattack on the U.S. Treasury in December?
In December, Chinese government hackers gained remote access to certain U.S. Treasury employee workstations and accessed unclassified documents. The breach was attributed to a China state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat Group. The Treasury engaged the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for assistance and confirmed no continued access by the threat actor as of December 30.
How has the U.S. Treasury responded to the cyberattack attributed to China?
The U.S. Treasury has significantly bolstered its cyber defenses over the past four years and continues to work with public and private sector partners to protect its financial systems. The department engaged CISA for assistance and confirmed that the threat actor no longer had access to Treasury information as of December 30.
- Waymo robotaxi and Serve delivery robot collided in Los Angeles.
- The collision occurred at an intersection.
- The Waymo driver's system correctly identified the robot as an inanimate object.
- Neither vehicle was damaged.
- Both companies are working together to avoid future incidents.
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