Autonomous trucking is coming to USA

Welcome, Tech enthusiasts.

The era of autonomous trucking lurched closer this week, with self-driving tech company Aurora passing a crucial first milestone for eventual mass production.

With pilotless vehicle testing on Texas roads slated next, the advances inch driverless disruption of the trucking sector closer to reality. Let’s explore…

In today’s tech rundown:

• Aurora’s autonomous trucks pass first milestone

• AR window tech improves sightseeing experiences

• 8 new products

• Apple begins distributing ‘Batterygate’ payments

• Samsung Galaxy S24 images leak ahead of launch event

• Researchers develop ‘crumple-recoverable’ electronics

Read time: 3 minutes

TODAY’S HEADLINES

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

🚚 Aurora’s autonomous trucks pass first milestone

The Rundown: Aurora and supplier Continental just completed the initial hardware blueprint for mass-producing self-driving systems, a major step toward the eventual implementation of commercial driverless trucks.

The details:

• The hardware blueprint is the first phase of the $300M program to develop autonomous tech for commercial trucking.

• The company also finalized the design of a secondary computer for redundancy in case the primary system fails.

• Aurora plans to launch up to 20 fully driverless trucks for initial testing in Texas this year, utilizing the models for transport between Dallas and Houston.

Why it matters: With so much of commercial transportation still reliant on long-haul trucking, mass production of autonomous semis would completely alter logistics and supply chains — while also potentially upending the job market for truckers across the country.

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AUGMENTED REALITY TECH

🪟 AR window tech improves sightseeing experiences

The Rundown: New interactive window tech from South Korea’s Industrial Technology Research Institute uses eye-tracking cameras and GPS data to recognize attractions passengers are looking at, displaying info matched to their gaze via augmented reality.

The details:

• The tech utilizes a wide-angle gaze detection camera mounted above each window to track rider attention direction continuously.

• The display also factors in current GPS-based vehicle speed and location to identify specific sights the rider's eyes are fixed on.

• A small image of the attraction appears on a transparent microLED display next to the user's view, with the ability to tap the photo to pull up dynamically positioned text boxes with facts around sights.

Why it matters: The applications for this type of tech are endless — from trains, tour boats, and museum exhibits all standing out as perfect candidates for an interactive boost. And without the need for any equipment or glasses, it’s a simple AR application that could appeal to the masses.

NEW PRODUCTS

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SNIPPETS

Apple has started issuing payments to users affected by the intentional slowing down of older iPhone models in response to "Batterygate.”

Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander is set to be the first American spacecraft to land on the moon in over 50 years.

The FAA has grounded about 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes for inspections following an in-flight cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight.

Live images of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra have been leaked, showcasing its design and color ahead of the official launch event.

Senior AWS dev accuses Amazon of quietly encouraging employees to quit, a tactic called “silent sacking” or “quiet firing.”

China and the US team up to create the world’s first functional semiconductor constructed from graphene, working to replace traditional silicon chips.

Researchers at Ajou University develop “crumple-recoverable” electronics that can recover their original shape after compression.

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THAT’S A WRAP

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