Waymo Expansion

Waymo is expanding its self-driving car service, Waymo One, to more areas in the Bay Area, including Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, and parts of Sunnyvale. The company has spent several years testing its self-driving cars in Mountain View, where its headquarters is located. The expansion will cover an additional 27 square miles of Silicon Valley, bringing the total area covered by Waymo One to 82 square miles.

Waymo has been expanding its services to new cities, including Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin, Texas. The company plans to test its vehicles in 10 new cities this year, including Las Vegas and San Diego.

Rivian Software Update

Rivian is rolling out a new software update that includes several new features, including Enhanced Highway Assist, which allows for hands-free highway driving. The feature uses an infrared camera in the rearview mirror to ensure that the driver is still paying attention to the road.

The update also includes a new driving mode called Rally Mode, which is available on Rivian's Performance Dual-Motor lineup. The mode provides heightened responses to steering and throttle on a range of terrains. Additionally, several Dual-Motor vehicles are getting the option for a post-purchase performance upgrade that introduces three new drive modes: Rally, Sport, and Soft Sand.

Other features included in the update are side mirror auto-tilt when the car is reversing, allowing a driver better visibility of their wheels and the curb when parallel parking, and tire puncture detection. Rivian is also adding an option to change wheel type in the mobile app's Settings menu to receive more accurate driving range estimates.