Autonomous Vehicles

This week saw variations across the robotics funding landscape, artificial intelligence support companies and Internet of Things systems.

The 2018 RBR50 list collects the world's leading robotics companies. This free download explains how they were chosen, what tech categories they fit into, and what applications they serve.

Recent funding transactions in the robotics and AI space include investments in the military, automotive, factory automation, and medical arenas.

The U.S., China, and other nations are looking to make the most of their AI opportunity in the races for self-driving cars and the world's fastest supercomputer.

Toyota AI Ventures has invested in startup Boxbot, which promises to extend logistics automation from warehouses to last-mile delivery.

The end of May saw automation spending gravitating to AI, robotics firms, and self-driving vehicle companies.

A commission in the German transport ministry has recommended ethics rules for self-driving cars that could provide a model for China and other nations.

While the U.S. military has historically been a leader in the development of swarm robots, universities are also significant. Costs, controls, and applications offer opportunities for business.

Swarm robotics can provide an agile way to gather large amounts of environmental data and coordinate operations of multiple devices. The U.S. military has been a key backer.

To meet the demand for fast, efficient e-commerce order fulfillment, collaborative piece picking robots are the goal of many organizations. DHL's Adrian Kumar discusses how he sees the evolving market.