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• Volkswagen’s autonomous mobility arm, Moia, is launching a pilot robotaxi service in Hamburg.
• The company said it will start with 10 VW ID. Buzz vehicles with safety operators.
• Moia also plans to launch a passenger service in the US with Uber.

Volkswagen’s Moia is launching a pilot robotaxi service in Germany, marking another major automaker stepping deeper into the autonomous mobility arena.

Moia announced Wednesday that select, preregistered Hamburg residents can now book rides in a self-driving Volkswagen ID. Buzz van through the company’s app. Up to five vehicles will operate at initial launch, with the fleet expected to expand to as many as 10 cars, a Moia spokesperson told Business Insider.

Each car will have a trained safety monitor behind the wheel who can intervene when necessary. The spokesperson said Moai expects future driverless operations to be handled by the company’s remote operations center.

The pilot will function more like an autonomous shuttle — or a shared robotaxi — than a private ride like those offered by Alphabet’s Waymo. Passengers traveling in the same direction may share a vehicle, while pickups and drop-offs will take place at designated virtual stops.

The service will cover about 4 square miles within Hamburg. It will gradually expand to around 14 square miles, the spokesperson said.

“Registration was open to anyone with the Moia app, and several thousand people have already joined the waiting list,” the Moia spokesperson said. “The strong interest highlights the demand for autonomous mobility in Hamburg.”

Rides will be free during the pilot. Moia said passengers will also eventually be able to book the autonomous vehicles through Hamburg’s hvv switch public transit app.

“Our first passengers are now experiencing autonomous mobility in Hamburg’s urban traffic for the first time,” Moia CEO Sascha Meyer said in a statement. “For Moia, this marks an important milestone in the development of our European solution.”

Moia has primarily operated a human-driven, ride-pooling service in Hamburg using electric shuttles and its own booking app. In the past several years, the company has been building an autonomous-mobility platform that combines vehicles, self-driving software, fleet management, and passenger-booking technology.

The company’s recent robotaxi efforts integrate VW’s vans with Mobileye’s autonomous driving technology.

A Moia spokesperson said operating a standalone robotaxi service is not part of its broader business model. Instead, it plans to provide a ready-to-use platform to public and private fleet operators.

The pilot deployment in Hamburg is part of a government-backed venture called ALIKE, which looks at how autonomous technology could complement public services.

“The ALIKE project is funded through mid-2027,” the Moia spokesperson said. “Any future commercial deployment and its scope will depend on decisions by the responsible public transport authorities, local mobility strategies, and the regulatory framework.”

Volkswagen is not the only automaker investing in robotaxi services. Hyundai Motor Group backs Motional, which launched a pilot service in Las Vegas in partnership with Uber. Tesla is also working on its own robotaxi platform, using its vehicles and software.

A company spokesperson said Moia is targeting a European approval for the ID. Buzz in 2027 for driverless operations.

In the US, Moia plans to deploy an autonomous service with Beep, an autonomous shuttle company, and Uber.

Moia said it expects to launch the Beep service in Orlando later this quarter and the Uber service in Los Angeles before the end of the year.

• Sunday says Memo folded laundry in unfamiliar homes with a success rate above 99%.
• Its ACT-2 AI model can apply lessons learned in one setting to new homes and garments.
• The $1.15 billion startup plans to place Memo in homes through a beta this fall.

In the race to bring autonomous robots into the home, Sunday Robotics says it has solved one of the field’s hardest problems: getting a robot to work in homes and handle objects it has never seen before.

On Thursday, the Bay Area-based startup unveiled ACT-2, a new AI model that powers Memo, its wheeled home robot. Sunday said that Memo folded laundry successfully more than 99% of the time when tested in unfamiliar homes, and on garments it had not been specifically trained to handle.

“I think 2026 will be when the timeline for autonomous home robots shrinks in a very drastic way because of this breakthrough,” Sunday Robotics CEO and cofounder Tony Zhao told Business Insider.

For decades, home robot companies have struggled to build machines that are both reliable and adaptable. A robot may master a task in a controlled setting and falter in a new room or when handed an unfamiliar object, like folding a scarf when it’s been trained to fold jeans. Sunday says ACT-2 can carry what it learns in one environment into the next, potentially avoiding the costly process of retraining Memo for every home.

Sunday raised $165 million earlier this year at a $1.15 billion valuation.

Sunday proposed a new robotics standard

Sunday also proposed a new industry standard for measuring progress in robotics. Called a “Solve,” it is meant to distinguish reliable capabilities from flashy demos that often omit how many attempts a robot needed or the conditions under which it was tested.

“Each demo is a different robot, setting, and object, and it’s really hard to figure out if we’re progressing,” Zhao said. “It’s like apples-to-oranges comparisons.”

Under Sunday’s framework, companies would clearly state what a robot can do, where it was tested, and how much extra training or human assistance it requires in each new setting.

Sunday considers laundry folding Memo’s first Solve capability.

To reach that level of reliability, Sunday trains ACT-2 in two stages. First, it learns basic physical skills from people performing everyday tasks while wearing sensor-equipped gloves that Sunday developed in-house. The gloves cost about $200 to make and mirror the shape and sensor layout of Memo’s hands, allowing human movements to be translated more directly into the robot’s movements.

Then, Sunday’s in-house fleet of robots enables the model to learn from its mistakes. With its initial knowledge, the robot can learn new skills and improve its performance within minutes.

“Memo’s performance in our office almost perfectly transfers to its performance in the wild,” Zhao said.

He added that the company has spent the last few months testing the model in employees’ homes and Airbnbs to see how well it performed in unfamiliar environments.

Sunday competes with other home robots

Zhao, who left Stanford’s computer science Ph.D. program to build Sunday, and cofounder Cheng Chi started the company with a small team in a Silicon Valley hacker house in 2024. They chose to focus on the home because, unlike a factory, it is messy and unpredictable. Building a robot that can handle that, Zhao said, is the clearest path to physical artificial general intelligence, a term for AI capable of performing a broad range of real-world tasks as well as or better than humans.

Sunday has since grown to more than 100 employees. Conviction’s Sarah Guo, who wrote the company’s first check, previously told Business Insider that she backed the founders because they were “completely cracked researchers” with “a real commitment to building products that got deployed and an Elon-style religion on delivering a mass-consumer product.”

Sunday’s advance comes as several companies prepare to put robots in homes. Y Combinator-backed Weave Robotics plans to begin shipping Isaac 1, a $7,999 wheeled robot that folds laundry, in California this fall. 1X aims to start delivering its $20,000 NEO humanoid around the same time, while Tesla is working toward bringing Optimus into homes.

Sunday plans to place Memo in homes through a beta program this fall. Zhao declined to say how many homes would participate.

Memo will operate autonomously in homes, Zhao said, with a remote operator stepping in only when customers need help, similar to the remote assistance used by Waymo’s self-driving cars. Unlike many robotics companies, Sunday does not plan to use those interventions to collect training data from customers’ homes.

“Being fully autonomous is the best way to build trust,” Zhao said. “We are not trying to creep in a teleoperator into your home to collect your data so that we can get our model to be better.”

Sunday previously demonstrated an earlier model, ACT-1, clearing a dinner table, loading a dishwasher, and pulling a shot of espresso. The company wants ACT-2 to eventually make those capabilities more reliable, starting with laundry. It is learning to vacuum, organize toys, fasten zippers, and make coffee.

Those tasks, Sunday said, are not yet reliable enough.

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• I’ve traveled alone to all 63 US national parks and have picked up lots of tips along the way.
• Travelers should secure reservations ahead of time and visit during off-peak hours to avoid crowds.
• I encourage solo travelers to take lots of pictures during their trip.

I spent my 30s traveling solo on a quest to visit all 63 major US national parks.

A decade later, I’ve accomplished this goal — and to say I’ve learned a lot would be an understatement. 

I’m frequently asked for tips for new visitors who want to make the most of their time in the parks. Of course, there is no one right way to travel, but several considerations will make a first-time trip much smoother.

Here are my 10 best tips for first-time visitors.

Don’t be afraid to go alone.

When I entered my 30s, I wanted to visit the Grand Canyon but had no one to go with. Instead of waiting for company, I went for it alone. 

That was just eight years ago, and now I’ve visited hundreds of NPS sites and all 50 states on my own. None of that would have happened if I hadn’t taken that first step solo. 

Research and secure reservations and permits ahead of time.

Like it or not, many of the most popular parks have implemented some form of reservation or timed-entry system in the past few years. 

Although it’s necessary to combat the overuse and degradation of pristine landscapes, some of the systems can be confusing. That’s why it’s vital to research the reservation process ahead of time and follow it closely. 

Visitors can — and will — be turned away at entrance stations without a reservation.

Arrive early (or late) for smaller crowds.

Visitation at some of the most iconic national parks has exploded, leading to frustrating crowds and congestion. 

To mitigate this, I always recommend entering a park early in the morning. If you’re not an early riser, later in the afternoon, when other visitors leave, is also a good time to explore.

Invest in an America the Beautiful Pass.

At just $80 for US residents, an America the Beautiful Pass grants you (and those in your vehicle) entry into all of the 63 major national parks.

It also covers the entry fees at lands managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and US Army Corps of Engineers. 

With some parks charging entrance fees of $35 alone, just a few visits each year will recoup your investment.

Ask a park ranger for tips — and then ask a local what they’d do on their day off.

Park rangers are an incredible resource for planning your day. 

After I talk with them, I love to go into a gift shop or nearby restaurant and ask a local what they do in the park on their day off. Often, their recommendations lead me to places that are less crowded and more peaceful.

Respect and preserve the land.

It should go unsaid, but when visiting any park, you must always respect the land. Be considerate of others, of wildlife, and of the land itself. 

Becoming familiar with the seven Leave No Trace Principles is a fantastic way to minimize the impact on future generations.

Keep your itinerary fluid.

I’ve visited Glacier National Park four separate times, but due to wildlife and weather closures, I was only able to complete a hike I’ve had on my list during my last visit. 

Although national parks can seem like a natural Disneyland, it’s important to remember that you can’t control nature. Have some hikes and stops in mind, but also have backup plans in place.

Use social media as a resource for planning.

Although social media can be a bit of smoke and mirrors, it’s still one of my favorite resources for planning a national park trip. 

I love to search hashtags or location tags for the places I visit to find trails, overlooks, hotels, nearby shops, and restaurants. I typically save the posts to a folder or screenshot them for reference.

Don’t be shy with photos — your trip is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

When I started traveling solo to the parks, I was embarrassed to take photos of myself. 

I didn’t want to seem narcissistic, be seen setting up my tripod, or draw attention to the fact I was alone by asking others to snap a picture for me. I now regret not taking more photos and would love to be able to reflect on those special memories.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to check all the boxes — just enjoy the beauty.

Traveling can become stressful quickly, even when surrounded by nature’s beauty. In my experience, trying to fit too much into one trip or experience is a recipe for disaster.

Instead, my goal is to just enjoy the beauty. And if I do that, it’s all been worthwhile.

This story was originally published on September 24, 2023, and most recently updated on July 15, 2026.

• Lucid filed paperwork forcefully denying rumors of its bankruptcy.
• The company still finds itself in the EV “valley of death” — but says it has enough cash.
• Lucid is about to start production of its all-important, mass-market SUV.

Lucid Motors wants everyone to know it’s not going bankrupt.

On Tuesday, the luxury EV maker filed paperwork with the SEC, forcefully denying two articles from EVs.com that — citing anonymous sources — reported the company was considering bankruptcy or going private. The automaker also sent the publication a cease-and-desist letter demanding that it retract the reports.

Cláudio Afonso, the founder of EVs.com’s parent company, CARBA, told Business Insider that the company had responded to Lucid’s letter but declined to comment further.

“Lucid is not considering bankruptcy or a transaction to take the company private,” Silvio Napoli, the company’s recently-appointed CEO, wrote in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday. “Those reports are false. The Board did not explore either scenario. Period.”

Nick Twork, Lucid’s communications chief, also pushed back in a series of posts on X.

The reports have sent Saudi-backed Lucid’s shares on a wild ride this week. The stock price dropped from an opening of $5.53 on Tuesday to a midday low of around $2.40 following the articles. By Wednesday, the stock had largely recovered, rising more than 18%.

Lucid confirmed that it was working with AlixPartners, an advisory firm known for corporate turnarounds, but said the firm was helping improve its operations and execution — not preparing it for bankruptcy.

“My priority is clear: turn this company around,” Napoli wrote.

This moment is consequential for Lucid Motors. The company is still climbing through the so-called “valley of death,” where startup automakers burn through vast amounts of cash while trying to reach mass-market profitability. Last quarter, Lucid lost more than $1 billion.

During its May earnings call, an investor asked management about concerns that Lucid could eventually face bankruptcy. The company declined to address “market rumors or hypothetical strategic alternatives.”

Lucid said it ended the quarter with $3.2 billion in total liquidity and said subsequent financing would have raised that figure to about $4.7 billion on a pro forma basis — enough, the company now says, to fund operations well into 2027.

Lucid has gone through two major layoff events this year, including a 12% staffing cut in February and an 18% workforce reduction in June.

Napoli, who took over as CEO on June 1, has overseen major C-suite changes, too: The company eliminated the chief operating officer position held by Marc Winterhoff, the recent interim CEO. Chief financial officer Taoufiq Boussaid also left in July.

Lucid has struggled to build sales momentum for its current lineup. Lucid reported 3,953 deliveries, below an analyst estimate of about 5,000. It’s now offering massive incentives on its 2026 Gravity SUVs, including 0% financing for up to six years.

The biggest test is still coming

Right now, both of Lucid’s cars — the Air sedan and Gravity SUV — carry luxury prices.

The long-awaited Cosmos is supposed to change that. The midsize SUV is expected to enter production by the end of 2026 on a new platform that Lucid says will support vehicles starting below $50,000.

That would put Lucid into the heart of the American auto market — and one of its most competitive segments.

Rivian began delivering its R2 in June, while Tesla has continued expanding the Model Y lineup. The Cosmos will also compete against established electric SUVs, including the Toyota bZ, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Chevrolet Equinox EV.

Its gas-powered competition may be even tougher. The Honda CR-V was the country’s best-selling SUV during the first half of the year, while Toyota has been ramping production of its redesigned RAV4 amid tight supplies and strong demand.

Lucid plans to follow the Cosmos with a more rugged SUV called the Earth and has previewed a purpose-built robotaxi called the Lunar.

• Boston Dynamics is testing Spot, its robot dog, for delivering packages to your doorstep.
• Spot can take packages from delivery vans to houses, the company said Tuesday.
• It could bring automation to the “final frontier” of delivery, Boston Dynamics said.

Getting deliveries from a truck to your front door might soon involve a robot dog.

Robotics company Boston Dynamics is testing Spot, its canine-shaped robot, as a delivery worker that can ride along in trucks and hop out to leave packages at customers’ doorsteps.

The delivery-focused version of Spot includes a conveyor belt. A video posted by the company on Tuesday shows a human worker placing packages on the conveyor belt, followed by Spot walking up to houses and rotating the belt to set them down.

Robots are already carrying some deliveries most of the way to their destinations. Spot, though, is meant to tackle the last few feet of those deliveries — the “porch gap,” as Boston Dynamics calls it.

“So much of logistics is already automated, but we believe that the final frontier of logistics automation is that last 50 feet,” Marco da Silva, vice president and general manager for Spot at Boston Dynamics, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Boston Dynamics said it’s in talks with major logistics companies to test Spot for making deliveries. The robot has previously been used for other applications, from security to site inspections, Boston Dynamics said.

Loading deliveries into autonomous delivery vehicles and getting them from curbs to doorsteps are challenging, DoorDash CEO Tony Xu said last year. It’s one aspect of the delivery that human workers can navigate more easily than robots can, Xu said.

DoorDash has been using Dot, its autonomous delivery robot, for some deliveries in Arizona. The stroller-sized robot is small enough to fit through doorframes and travel on surfaces where full-sized cars can’t — an advantage for picking up and delivering items directly to customers’ doors, DoorDash has said.

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