Verne, Pony.ai, and Uber have announced a partnership to launch Europe’s first commercial robotaxi service, starting in Zagreb, Croatia. The collaboration combines Pony.ai’s autonomous driving system, Uber’s ride-hailing network, and Verne’s operational expertise.
Pudu Robotics has introduced the PUDU BG1 series, large-scale AI-powered floor cleaning robots designed for commercial and industrial environments.
Agile Robots SE and Google DeepMind have announced a strategic research partnership to integrate DeepMind’s Gemini Robotics foundation models into Agile Robots’ industrial systems, aiming to develop adaptable, intelligent robots for real-world applications.
ASUS and Hugging Face have announced a collaboration at NVIDIA GTC 2026 to bring embodied AI to the desktop through the Reachy Mini robot and the ASUS Ascent GX10 system, powered by NVIDIA technology. The partnership aims to make local, privacy-focused robotics development more accessible to developers.
RoboForce has secured $52 million in new funding to scale its Physical AI robot platform and prepare for commercial deployment across industrial sectors.
Skild AI has announced partnerships with ABB Robotics, Universal Robots, and NVIDIA to deploy its AI-powered Skild Brain across industrial and collaborative robotic systems. The technology aims to enable robots to learn from data rather than manual programming, broadening automation use cases.
D-Robotics has completed a $120 million Series B1 financing round to accelerate development of its full-stack robotics and embodied AI platform, in collaboration with Horizon Robotics.
Orqa has signed a teaming agreement with Red River Army Depot in Texas to support the U.S. Army's small Unmanned Aircraft System manufacturing expansion and strengthen its Global Manufacturing Program.
TIER IV has unveiled new AI-powered software stacks for Level 4 autonomous driving, expanding testing across Japan, the U.S., and Europe. The software, built on the open-source Autoware platform, enables automakers to develop and refine AI models for various vehicle and sensor configurations.
AMC Robotics and HIVE Digital Technologies have entered a collaboration to advance AI-driven robotics applications using HIVE’s GPU-based compute infrastructure. The partnership will support AMC’s development and deployment of autonomous robotics systems, including its quadruped platform Kyro.
Wayve, Uber, and Nissan have signed an agreement to develop and test robotaxi services in Tokyo, marking Uber's first autonomous vehicle partnership in Japan. The pilot, based on the Nissan LEAF and powered by Wayve’s AI Driver, is planned for late 2026.
ADLINK Technology has signed a strategic alliance with Noble Machines to combine edge AI computing with whole-body robotic control systems, targeting industrial sectors such as manufacturing and energy.
Vitestro has closed a $70 million Series B funding round to support development and commercialization of its Aletta Autonomous Robotic Phlebotomy Device, with participation from Labcorp Venture Fund, Mayo Clinic, and Sutter Health.
RoboSense has secured an exclusive contract to supply its digital LiDAR suite for Baidu’s next-generation Apollo Go Robotaxi fleet, featuring its EM4 and E1 models for 360-degree autonomous driving coverage.
JFB Construction Holdings and XTEND have begun deliveries of tactical drone systems under an $8 million defense contract, expandable to $25 million, with a government defense customer in the Middle East.
Dexterity Inc. has introduced Foresight, a physics-consistent world model and 4D packing agent designed to enhance autonomous truck loading and other industrial robotics applications.
TIER IV has completed proof-of-concept tests for a Level 2+ semi-trailer truck designed for long-haul autonomous logistics, in partnership with Yamato Transport and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation.
NAVER D2SF has invested in Anyware Robotics, a startup developing autonomous robots for logistics operations such as truck unloading and pallet stacking. The company’s technology combines mechanical design and intelligent software to handle multiple logistics tasks efficiently.
DFI announced it will present new edge AI platforms developed with Intel at Embedded World 2026, including systems for defense, medical, and industrial automation applications.
NAVER D2SF has made a pre-seed investment in Khameleon, a robotics startup developing physical AI solutions for hotel housekeeping automation in North America.
Weekly coverage of AI-driven robotics advances in industrial automation, autonomous vehicles, and robotic systems.
