autonomous

Work absenteeism in ITV workshops has skyrocketed in some autonomous communities. The solution: private detectives

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The public company SITVAL, in charge of managing technical inspections of vehicles in the Valencian Community, has put out to tender a contract of 140,000 euros to hire detective agencies to investigate possible unjustified absences, incompatible activities or fraudulent situations among its staff. Just like inform from El Español, the measure seeks to tackle an absenteeism problem that has skyrocketed since the ITVs went under public management in February 2023. The underlying problem. Since Ximo Puig’s Government reverted service to the public sector, work absenteeism in Valencian stations has skyrocketed to between 16% and 18% on average, according to share the middle. The figure doubles the regional average for absenteeism in the community, which stands at 6.4%, and is well above the national 7%. The result is a collapsed service with waits exceeding eight weeks for heavy vehicles, according to the Valencian Federation of Transport and Logistics Entrepreneurs (FVET). What will the detectives do? The contract, published On October 27 on the Public Sector Contracting Platform, it commissioned the agencies to observe, monitor and prepare documentary and audiovisual reports on SITVAL personnel. Just like share El Español, detectives must collect truthful information about possible unjustified absences and, if necessary, appear before administrative or judicial bodies to ratify their reports. The contract is divided into three lots, one for each Valencian province, with an execution period of two years. It is not an isolated case. The Valencian Generalitat is not the first administration that uses private investigation services to control absenteeism in public ITVs. The Government of Andalusia launched a similar service in August of last year, divided into two lots for the western and eastern areas of the community. Consequences. The middle emphasize That the reversal of the service, which occurred three months before the 2023 regional elections, has generated an unexpected effect: the massive relocation of inspections. According to data Officially, in 2024 a total of 291,662 vehicles chose to pass the ITV in other autonomous communities such as Murcia, Castilla-La Mancha or Tarragona, which means less income compared to the 2,332,087 inspections that were carried out in 2022. Qresion in it transportation sector. The situation has led the Valencian Federation of Transport and Logistics Entrepreneurs (FVET) to announce the departure of its presidentCarlos Prades, from the board of directors of SITVAL at the end of October. “We pay more than in other communities for a less efficient, slower service that generates uncertainty,” denounced Prades, who added that “Valencian stations are no longer a real option for many companies.” The figures don’t add up. Puig’s Government justified the transition to public management arguing that it could generate up to 40 million euros per year in operating income for the Generalitat, compared to the 7 million euros paid by private concessionaires together. Although it seems that the forecasts have not taken into account the impact of absenteeism, the drop in inspections carried out or additional costs such as this investigation services contract. Cover image | FVET In Xataka | Yes, there is a way to check if the V-16 beacon is working correctly. And you are not going to alert the DGT or the emergencies about it.

AI companies promised to be happy with their autonomous agents, until they came across Amazon

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AI agents promise us to perform complex tasks autonomously, such as book trips either make the purchase. Although is improvingagentic AI still it’s quite greenbut it has just come across an obstacle that we had not counted on and that could change everything: that there are companies that do not want AI agents roaming their stores. This is what just happened between Amazon and Perplexity. What has happened? They tell it in Bloomberg. Amazon is suing Perplexity to stop the agent built into its Comet browser from purchasing items from Amazon. According to Amazon, Perplexity has committed computer fraud by allowing its agent to browse and make purchases as if they were a real person, which violates its terms of service on transparency. They also claim that the use of automated agents can negatively affect the shopping experience on their platform. Why is it important. The case could set limits for autonomous AI agents in real-world tasks that require using third-party services, such as in this case Amazon. If stores or travel platforms close the door to AI agents, the promise of autonomy is compromised. On the other hand, leaving all doors open could influence e-commerce. It is something that has already happened before, such as cases of bots buying tickets to shows. Bullies. Perplexity has responded with a post on your blog in which they describe the move as “corporate bullying” and affirm that it is “a threat to all Internet users.” They also highlight that Comet users love the agentic AI features and that Amazon should too because it translates into more purchases and happy customers. For the company, an AI agent should have the same rights and responsibilities as a real human user since the agent is acting on behalf of the user. “It’s not Amazon’s job to oversee that,” Aravind Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity, said in an interview. Agents on Amazon. Amazon already has its own assistant Rufus and is developing its own agents, so there are more reasons behind this movement against Perplexity. It is not about protecting the experience, or at least not only about that, but that Perplexity is a direct competitor. Perplexity champions choice. “I don’t think it’s customer-centric to force people to only use their assistant, who may not even be the best shopping assistant,” Srinivas said. AI Ecosystems. The dispute between Amazon and Perplexity is the first example that the AI ​​war is also about ecosystems. It presents a scenario in which service providers decide whether an AI agent can enter their stores or travel platforms, or if they prefer to develop their own and force users to use that. The truth is that Amazon had already blocked the Perplexity agent a few months ago, but the company released an update that circumvented the blocking. We’ll see how everything turns out. Image | Pxhere In Xataka | CAPTCHAs had become an excellent tool to fight bots. Until ChatGPT Agent arrived

China’s plan to fill the streets with electric and autonomous cars in 15 years is now official

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With the European Union launching into the electric car, with the intention of definitively abandoning the combustion engine and manufacturers trying to stop this possibility, China has presented its new automobile roadmap. The institution in charge has been China Society of Automotive Engineers (CSAE) who have revealed the Energy-Saving and New Energy Vehicle Technology Roadmap 3.0. Or, in other words, its roadmap for the automotive industry between now and 2040. The “new energy” car, that is, electric and plug-in hybrid, will be the cornerstone of a strategy that focuses on a reduction in polluting emissions but also on intensive automation of mobility. In said document, they assure ChinaDaily2,000 experts have been involved and it has taken 18 months to carry it out. “New energy” and autonomous cars The key points of the new Chinese roadmap in relation to its automobile market are summarized in CarNewsChinawho have exhaustively compiled the main pillars of a strategy that has gained in complexity. And this is based on the 1+5+26 concept: 1 roadmap or general strategy to establish global objectives 5 technological groups that group the technologies to be applied 26 specialized research topics to delve deeper into each area Among the key points of the new Chinese strategy, the following stand out: goals: It is expected that in 2028, polluting emissions produced by the automobile industry will reach their maximum. From there, the goal is to reduce them by 60% in 2040. It is expected that by 2040, 85% of cars will be “new energy”, the name China uses to call plug-in hybrids and electric cars. Of those, around 80% are expected to be fully electric. In 2040, it is expected that a third of cars sold will continue to use combustion engines, either as hybrids, plug-in hybrids or extended-range electric vehicles. From 2035 all passenger vehicles will be, at a minimum, hybrids. As a result, new energy vehicles are expected to lead sales from 2030 onwards. Gradual penetration of cars with technology level 4 autonomous driving (current robotaxis) and appearance of level 5 cars (same way of operating but in any type of circumstance, without restrictions due to lighting or weather circumstances). In the presentation Zhang Jinhuapresident of CSAE, has pointed out that one of the big differences between this roadmap and the previous ones (they already presented similar documents in 2016 and 2020) is that this time the program has focused on put more emphasis on production strategies that must be put in place to promote these technologies when. In previous documents, he assures, they would have focused on the technology itself and not so much on the industry. This has its consequences therefore in all areas of the industry. First, because manufacturers must adapt their production models to reduce polluting emissions when manufacturing vehicles, but also because, they say, a more robust connected network integrated into the cloud will be created to servicing autonomous vehiclesimproving their safety and independence when driving on their own. This is essential to achieve the great objective: “zero accidents, zero victims and high efficiency.” Regarding emissions targets, a classification system and methodology will be created to improve efficiency during production. The final goal is not only that in 2040 manufacturing will emit 60% less pollution than in 2028. Manufacturers are expected to save costs by working with data interconnection to analyze the most efficient system, even for the supply of parts or the sale of items. The program also focuses on the solid state batteries. This type of energy accumulators promise to position themselves as the element that allows the electric car to be consolidated at all levels, with promises of ranges of a thousand kilometers and greater safety for the batteries. For make China the leader in the sectorit is wanted that in 2030 the solid state batteries They are already part of the reality of their industry, although on a small scale. The great productive leap is not expected until 2035. So far, CSAE has presented two other roadmaps that have been gaining weight within the Chinese State. To understand how the situation has changed in less than ten years, 500 experts participated in the first program, a quarter of those who made up this latest presentation. In 2016 The program focused on the 1+7 strategy, with an overall roadmap and seven technologies in which China wanted to be a leader: energy-saving vehicles, “new energy” vehicles, hydrogen vehicles, smart connected vehicles, battery technology for electric cars, technologies related to vehicle weight, and automotive manufacturing technology. In 2020the program was expanded with the well-known 1+9. Then, that same roadmap was expanded with two new objectives, the development of combustion engines and the intention to make the Chinese automotive industry cleaner. 1,000 experts already participated in that redesign. Now the new project review some of the previous objectivesremaining as specified at the top of the article. What is certain is that in China they have been meeting the goals they had set. For example, in the 2020 roadmap they anticipated sales of 20% for “new energy” cars in 2025. However, this figure is almost 50% at the end of September 2025. Photo | Xataka In Xataka | Speed ​​has moved to China: BYD and Xioami are breaking all the records that Europe once dreamed of

Shenzhen metro is transforming into an autonomous logistics network. The key is a legion of AI robovans

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During the day, Shenzhen’s stations look, in some ways, like those of any big city: full of movement, loudspeakers and announcements marking the passage of trains. But when traffic eases, something changes. In the same space where a few hours ago there were crowds, autonomous vehicles and small robots appear that move with precision, transporting packages from one point to another. There is no spectacle or artifice, just a different use of a familiar environment. The metro network, designed for travelers, is also beginning to serve urban logistics at a time when every minute and every square meter counts. The idea of ​​taking advantage of the subway to move goods does not arise on a whim. In Shenzhen, as in many large Chinese cities, surface traffic has become in an obstacle for daily logistics. Delivery companies deal with extreme urban density and the constant growth of e-commerce, which forces them to deliver faster and with increasingly tight margins. Using trains outside of peak hours allows us to alleviate this pressure and reduce costs, while at the same time making use of infrastructure that usually remains underused for much of the day. When travelers leave, robots stay According to the Xinhua agencyone of the officially documented pilots takes place on line 11 of the Shenzhen metro. Every night in Futian District, SF Express staff sort and pack packages, which are then loaded into metal cages. These cages are transported by means of a autonomous shuttle vehicle to the platform, where they are destined for the sixth coach of the train, enabled as a logistics car during off-peak hours. In less than thirty minutes, the goods cross the most congested stretch of the city and arrive at the Bihaiwan area, near the airport, where they continue their journey to the distribution center. The aforementioned operation is supported by a fleet of robovans. Nikkei Asia explains that These are small vehicles capable of moving autonomously along predetermined routes, where they transfer packages from a storage center to the subway loading area. Each one can transport up to 500 kilos and has a useful space of about 3 cubic meters. Another official test takes place on subway line 2, at Wanxia station, where delivery robots are able to board the train by themselves to deliver goods to stores 7-Eleven inside the station. The system, described by Guangdong Department of Transportationcombines autonomous route planning, laser sensors and a control system that allows it to move safely between passengers. The project, promoted by Shenzhen Metro Group, Vanke and Wanwei Logistics, remains in the testing phase and seeks to verify whether it can be applied on a larger scale in the city’s underground commercial network. The Chinese industrial ecosystem is one of the reasons why these types of projects are advancing so quickly. The aforementioned newspaper highlights that strong competition between national manufacturers has made key components such as LiDAR sensors cheaper and has driven the development of more efficient batteries and specific chips for autonomous driving. On this basis, production costs are significantly reduced. A robovan is already between 20 and 30% cheaper than a traditional commercial vehicle, and the difference increases by eliminating cabin space and the cost of the driver. The development of these initiatives is not without difficulties. Autonomous vehicles still depend on human supervision at various stagesespecially in the loading and unloading of goods. Its speed inside the stations is reduced to guarantee the safety of passengers, and that limits the operational pace. For now, operations remain limited and are far from mass application. Even so, they reflect a clear trend: the attempt to optimize each section of urban space, even the underground. Shenzhen functions as a laboratory for a model that seeks efficiency without altering the rhythm of the city. Ultimately, these tests speak less about technology than about management: about how a metro network can serve two different purposes while remaining, above all, a public service. Images | Guangdong Department of Transportation (1, 2, 34, 5) | Shenzhen Government (1) In Xataka | Many Spanish ports have become luxury resorts for the rich: owning a pleasure boat is increasingly difficult

the only autonomous community that continues to be a leader in its region thanks to jotas, folklore and walks in the countryside

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It is a unique phenomenon among regional television stations: together with TV3but with much more modest programming (and budget), it is the only channel of its type that is the most seen in its autonomy above the national generalist television networks. Neither Telemadrid, nor Canal Sur, nor TVG can boast of such a feat: what Aragonese people like to see most is television that talks about Aragon. A special case. Aragon TV It began its official broadcasts on April 21, 2006 after a long and complex political and technical process that lasted more than two decades, from the first legislative attempts in the 1980s to the final implementation. The first attempts to create autonomous television ran into multiple obstacles, both political and legal. This extensive process made the late birth of Aragón TV a unique case in the field of Spanish regional television. Grow without stopping. A few days ago we saw this amazing tweet from @hugo_cnm which visually made the situation very clear in terms of audience: Basically, Aragón TV has experienced a sustained growth in audience, reaching a historical record in 2024 with 11.6% annual screen share, an outstanding figure for regional television. In the recent months of 2025, it continued to grow with shares greater than 12%, leading key schedules such as after-dinner hours and surpassing other regional channels (except TV3 in Catalonia, which is the most watched with shares closer to 13-14%). In addition, its news programs reach peaks of up to 30% or more in share, being the most viewed in Aragon and with a quality recognized nationally. Aragon against Catalonia. As we sayTV3 has a more notable general audience, but there are days like last October 11, to which the aforementioned tweet refers, in which Aragón TV soars, reaching 27.1% on recent key days (now we will see why), and with very strong audiences in slots such as after-meal (18.9%). ETB2 and Canal Sur Andalucía complete the podium in the most viewed regional list. What Aragón TV does stand out above all its competitors is that it is the autonomous one with greater penetration and loyaltyfar exceeding the average of the autonomous communities in Spain.​ But… what does Aragón TV broadcast? The network stands out for entertainment programs with a strong local component such as ‘Oregon TV‘, one of its historic and longest-running formats (almost 20 seasons), which makes humor with native content, in the style of its clear reference, ‘Polónia’. Another successful program is ‘Jotalent‘, a talent show focused on the Aragonese jota, which scored an 18.7% share in its last season with 200,000 viewers between DTT and internet. Or ‘Giving it my all’, also focused on regional dance and songs. But beyond humor and information, Aragón TV offers a varied range of cultural, social and leisure programs, often focused on rural life: ‘Here and now’ (morning show with more than 36% of share), ‘Pasados ​​por agua’, ‘Aragón Connection’, ‘The countryside is ours’, and programs on gastronomy, routes, history, environment and Aragonese heritage. It is a programming that contrasts with the usual general programming, and where the demand for rural life plays an important role. Without getting wet. Aragón TV also responds to an avowed editorial strategy that avoids delving into territorial or political controversies (something, without a doubt, much easier to carry out than on TV3), focusing on inform and entertain from close proximity and the representation of the average Aragonese. Its programming is oriented towards the proximity and plurality of the territory, with strong dishes that burst the audiometerssuch as the retransmission of the Pilar Festival: during the ten days of the festivities, Aragón TV averaged a 20% screen share. On October 12, Pillar Daythe broadcast of the Offering of Flowers reached 29.9% of sharethe network’s third best historical record, with 692,000 unique viewers. In the first section of the Offering, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the audience reached an impressive 44.5%, and in the second section, 30.8% with peaks of up to 60.5% share. The news program Aragón Noticias 1 achieved a season record with a 43.8% share on that day. To all this we must add more than 500,000 views on its digital platforms. In Xataka | In the midst of the housing crisis, in Zaragoza they have had an idea: build a building in pieces like a giant LEGO

Lockheed Martin has had an idea to make the Black Hawk a more lethal weapon. He removed the cabin and made it autonomous

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During the annual fair of the Association of the United States Army, The Black Hawk reappeared unrecognizable. The helicopter that has accumulated decades of service lost its cabin and controls to gain a bow that opens into two doors and makes way for an expanded hold. The new name is U-Hawk and the conversion is carried out by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company. Within ten months, a UH-60L became an unmanned prototype with autonomy architecture, presented for the first time in public at AUSA. The U-Hawk was officially shown on October 13, converted from a former UH-60L of the US Army. According to Lockheed Martinthe project went from concept to demonstrator in that period and is in the validation phase before its first flight, scheduled for 2026. For now, the development has been financed internally by Sikorsky and is supported by the company’s previous experience in flight automation. From Black Hawk to U-Hawk: the old helicopter that is reborn without a cabin The most visible change is in the bow. Where controls and instrumentation were once concentrated, there are now two type gates clamshell that open to the sides and a motorized ramp that allows loading and unloading even with the rotors running. Integrate a system fly-by-wire third generation together with MATRIX, Sikorsky’s autonomy technology that coordinates sensors, cameras and algorithms to manage flight without human intervention. The redesign provides 25% more useful space compared to a conventional UH-60L. The extension of the front fuselage not only frees up space, it also multiplies cargo options. The U-Hawk can carry up to 3,175 kilos inside and lift another 4,080 kilos using the external hook, just like a conventional Black Hawk, but with more room for bulky objects. The warehouse supports four standard JMIC containers, twice as many as before, or a full pod of six HIMARS rockets. It can also accommodate two Naval Strike Missiles anti-ship missiles and an unmanned ground vehicle that enters and exits via its own ramp. One of the most striking new features is the internal launch system that Sikorsky calls quiver. This module, installed in the warehouse, can house between 24 and 50 drones or loitering munitionsready to be deployed in mid-flight. Each payload can be configured for surveillance, reconnaissance or electronic warfare tasks, and the system supports mixed combinations depending on the mission. The company maintains that this design will allow the U-Hawk to act autonomously before the arrival of troops, clearing or analyzing the terrain with its own means. Autonomy is one of the strong points of the U-Hawk. According to Lockheed Martin, it can cover up to 1,600 nautical miles without assistance, about 2,960 kilometers, and stay in flight for up to 14 hours without refueling. The company indicates that it can carry internal tanks to extend the range or time on station, but has not specified whether they are necessary to achieve these maximum figures. In any case, the operating margin presented by these data is unusual for a helicopter of this class. Sikorsky describes the U-Hawk as a forward reinforcement of the air assault. In a typical mission, the helicopter would take off before the troops and release several launched effects for reconnaissance or attack. It would then land, deploy an unmanned ground vehicle and rise again without human intervention. This sequence seeks to reduce the exposure of soldiers and open a path in hostile areas, with an approach that also contemplates non-military uses such as support in fires or natural disasters. Sikorsky wants to make operating a U-Hawk as simple as using an app. Operators enter mission objectives from a tablet, and MATRIX software calculates the route, controls takeoff, and manages the flight autonomously. The level of intervention can be modified depending on the circumstances, from closer remote monitoring to minimal supervision. Additionally, the system recognizes whether it is in civil or military space and adjusts its behavior. The U-Hawk was also born as a commitment to efficiency. Sikorsky is taking advantage UH-60L fuselages retired of the US Army, which it replaces flight systems and electronics with its own simpler and lower cost versions. The company claims that this vertical integration, by manufacturing its own management computers and actuators, reduces the total cost of the system and facilitates its maintenance. Being based on the H-60 ​​family, it also inherits a fairly consolidated supply chain. If the schedule is met, the first flight of the U-Hawk will take place in 2026. It will be the decisive step to check whether full autonomy can be integrated into the H-60 ​​fleet, a model that the US Army plans to keep operational until at least 2070. The idea of ​​converting a classic helicopter into an unmanned platform points to a future in which machines with and without pilots coexist. Whether this vision is translated into a new generation of aircraft will depend on how this first prototype works. Images | Lockheed Martin In Xataka | A new army has arrived to put order in the Arctic: an F-35 squadron that does not belong to China, Russia or the United States

The one with autonomous cars

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While in some cities in the United States and China it is no longer so weird to meet Robotaxis without driverin Europe we remain stuck in a tangle of regulations that slow the development of autonomous driving. However, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has already given the alarmadmitting that “autonomous cars are already a reality in the United States and China. The same should be true here in Europe.” And the strategy in the EU seems to be very in the line that with AI: “Safety First” (first security). The background problem. Europe maintains technological capacity and large manufacturers, but its regulatory fragmentation is leaving it out of play. Each country has its own rules to test and homologate autonomous vehicles, which complicates large -scale deployment. Meanwhile, states such as Arizona or California in the US, and cities like Beijing or Shenzhen in China, They have been testing robotaxis for years in its streets without bureaucratic obstacles. China and the US have the front. In China, more than 60% of cars sold this year include level 2 autonomous driving technology, often standard even in basic models. Companies like Weride, Pony AI or Apollo Go have the support of the Chinese State and They are expanding aggressively. In the United States, Waymo, owned by Alphabet, already has License to test in New Yorkwhile Tesla He already did evidence Also in Austin last June when transporting passengers in their cars. In fact, Musk’s company would give the tycoon A bonus of one billion dollars If, among other objectives, it manages to put a million robotaxis in circulation. Europe tries to react. Volkswagen He has presented his id. Buzz Ad through Moia, its mobility subsidiary, with plans to display autonomous vehicles in Europe and the USA From 2026. Von der Leyen has proposed Create a network of European cities to pilot cars without a driver, with 60 Italian mayors already interested. However, analysts warn that mass adoption will not arrive before 2030-2040. The road is long and the delay, evident. China accelerates. Blocked in the US market for national security reasons, Chinese autonomous driving companies are accelerating their arrival in Europe. Qcraft has announced a headquarters in GermanyMomenta is associated with Uber to test in Munich, and Deeproute.AI negotiates with European and Chinese manufacturers to install a data center on the continent. “Europe is the only market to which they can come,” assures You, founder of the consultant but Auto Insights. This generates alarm among some European competitors, which demands subsidies and greater regulation to level competition. Delay in Europe. The EU has established strict barriers in data protection and artificial intelligencewhich forces other foreign companies to adapt their systems, but does not prevent their entry. Some European executives, such as Alex Kendall from Wayve, They advocate for an open market that accelerates development. Others, such as Jim Hutchinson from Fusion Processing, They ask greater regulatory intervention. There is a substantive issue, and it is the control of the data that are processed in vehicles, very valuable sensitive information for companies that seek to capitalize on it. What is coming. The European Commission works to harmonize regulations to facilitate the evidence and deployment of advanced systems, but for now only countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom They allow tests beyond level 2 basic. Autonomous driving is one of the segments in which a large investment is expected by specialized companies, and everything indicates that Europe will continue to opt for strict regulation. Cover image | Baidu In Xataka | The European Union will impose a new CO2 tax in 2027. And that means one thing: more expensive gasoline

117,000 will review for autonomous driving failures

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Xiaomi has announced a campaign that will affect 116,887 units of your electric sedan Su7 due to failures in the driving assistance system. The measure arrives six months after A fatal accident Starring this model lit the alarms on the safety of its level 2 autonomous systems. The background problem. The State Administration for China Market Regulation has determined that the SLE7 motor autopist pilot system presents “insufficient recognition capacity” and may not detect or properly alert over certain risk scenarios. This affects all vehicles made between February 2024 and August 2025. The tragedy that triggered him. Last March, three university students lost their lives in China when their Xiaomi Su7 crashed into a cement post at 97 km/h on a highway. The vehicle circulated in autonomous driving mode and caught fire after the impact, which occurred seconds after the driver recovered control after receiving an obstacle system alert. The technical solution. Xiaomi will address the problem through A free software update that will be sent via Ota (over-the-Air) to the affected vehicles. The company will notify the owners in China through text messages and their mobile application. Regulation. This withdrawal coincides with the hardening of the norms Safety for vehicles with level 2 automation in China. On Wednesday, the authorities published a draft of new security standards that will enter into force in 2027. Under current regulations, level 2 systems require that the driver keep his hands in the steering wheel at all times and pay constant attention. Change of trend. The Xiaomi measure is part of a growing tendency towards greater transparency in the Chinese automobile sector. Recently, Xpeng too He notified his clients For its P7+ model for a failure in the direction, breaking with the previous practice of avoiding call calls in the Chinese market. In the case of Xiaomi, although the campaign consists of a software update that is installed wirelessly in the owner’s car, the Chinese authorities continue to classify it as a ‘call to review’ because it affects the safety of the vehicle, it requires regulatory approval and the manufacturer has to follow a series of notification protocols. In Xataka | China is manufacturing so many cars that concessionaires already send a message to the industry: they do not want to become their warehouses

China’s first Autonomous Wind Park is already reality

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What just a few years ago seemed science fiction is already reality: in China, robot dogs are not only exhibited in Technological Fairs o They serve as laboratory experiments, but patrol critical infrastructure. In full desert of Gobi and the Loess Plateau, metal quadrupeds monitor wind farms in areas where only humans arrived on foot, under sandstorms. A park without humans. It is about to meet a year since the third Wind Park Tongli, 70 MW, It works without the presence of a single human worker. Built by China Three Gorges and equipped with Goldwind GW150-3 MW turbines, it is the first completely autonomous wind park. According to Rechargethe system combines Robot X30 dogs from Deep Robotics, drones and more than 300 intelligent cameras and sensors that cover about 5,000 inspection tasks. Everything that previously required walking hours on gravel roads is now supervised at a distance, from the Litong Maintenance Center, 30 km from the installation. The change translates into more than 3,000 hours of inspection, a 27% increase in labor efficiency and the elimination of human risks in one of the toughest environments on the planet. Total automation. The wind farms of noxia are located in a difficult access region, with extreme temperatures and frequent sand storms. Before, maintenance personnel had to walk more than 10 kilometers to perform weekly inspections, even in adverse weather conditions, According to a Deep Robotics statement. The deployment of roboperros and drones now allows two daily inspection rounds of about 80 minutes each, with reports transmitted in real time. Thus, plants become authentic “dark factories”, a concept taken from industrial automation that points to facilities that work without the need for human presence. The great protagonists. The X30 of Deep Robotics, According to company specificationsit is a quadruped of 56 kg can operate between -20 ° C and 55 ° C, climb stairs and move in total darkness, walk on gravel and sand without losing stability, recognize with analog and digital meters, ignition indicators, infrared temperature readings, and emit instantaneous alarms when it detects anomalies. According to Deep Robotics datathe precision of recognition reaches 96.5%, which makes these robots reliable tools for industrial control. In addition, they work even if communication with the operations center is interrupted: their integrated algorithms allow them to manage inspections and data analysis autonomously. Beyond the wind. The use of these quadrupeds is not limited to wind energy. According to RechargeDeep Robotics has already deployed its models in steel factories, converting stations and solar parks. It also presented in 2025 a hybrid prototype called Lynx, which combines legs and wheels to move in snow and ice. The bet also extends to new plants: Goldwind has already developed other “unmanned” plants for Powerchina, and China Three Gorges plans to replicate the experience in solar projects. A new energy era. With the launch of Ningxia Tongli, China shows how incarnate artificial intelligence can transform the energy industry. Robot dogs, drones and sensors form a 24/7 surveillance ecosystem without human intervention that promises to reduce costs, improve safety and guarantee operational continuity in extreme environments. What seemed like a science fiction scene – a robot dog patrolling between turbines in the desert – is already a daily routine in northern China. The question is inevitable: If today they monitor wind farms, tomorrow where will we see these new metallic guardians? Image | Deeprobotics and Unspash Xataka | The new wind energy giant will not be in China. Germany begins to lift a higher wind turbine

In 2024 Japan introduced autonomous buses. Now 68% of the prefectures want one

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Urban mobility is immersed in a process not only of change, but of revolution. When electrification still has not advanced to the combustion car in All countriesthere are already those who move file in the autonomous driving. And not with Promises like ‘Robotaxi‘, but with autonomous vehicles that are already circulating in the cities. Japan is an example of this and, after months testing an autonomous bus on a very specific route, almost 70% of the country’s prefectures want to. And it is not because ‘Mole’: Japan is one of those countries that, almost more than any other, needs public vehicles without driver. Autonomy Level 4. At the end of December last year, A driver without a driver began to cover A route of 800 meters between the stations of Takahama Eki-MAE and the terminal of the port of Matsuyama. It would repeat the path 60 times a day and, although its figures are modest (12 passengers and a speed of 35 km/h), it has become an example for something very concrete: it has level 4 autonomy. The vehicle is quite bland, but it is up to sensors and AI systems that allow analyzing everything that happens around it in real time. It is what allows you to operate on its own, even in danger situations, and Five levels of autonomy which establishes the Society of Automotive Engineers, this minibus is almost at the maximum level. Although there is a Operator ‘Vigía’. Buses. The manufacturers have put the batteries, since Japan made a review of the Road Traffic Law with which, as of April 1, 2023, they allowed the use of level 4 autonomous vehicles on public roads. Several companies put themselves to it and, apart from the mentioned Matsuyama line, other companies are offering an internal bus service, all with level 4 certification. They are very specific journeys such as Haneda Innovation City In Tokyo, with a level 4 bus that leads at a maximum speed of 12 km/h in an internal circuit of 800 meters or those of Tier IV that already They operate A continuous service between Komatsu station and Komatsu airport. Expansion. The government itself is promoting The expansion of this technology, setting objectives such as establishing services at the regional level in at least 50 locations by the end of this 2025 and in more than a hundred by 2030. The priority is mobility services such as buses or taxis, not so much private or logistics vehicles. He liked it. Both the measures and the operation of these buses have liked, so much that almost 70% of Japanese prefectures They are considering Adopt level 4 buses to guarantee the mobility of the inhabitants, especially in poorly populated areas to which it perhaps does not ‘rent’ so much to send a bus operated by a human. And is there any benefit to the traveler himself? At the moment, the studies point to rates that are not very different from those that are applied in conventional services, but the savings for the traveler is estimated at 11% for bus trips and up to 61% for taxi trips as technology evolves, matures and settles. But of course, that is the estimated thing, another song will be that companies apply sales as the product costs them less. Need. And the most important thing about this expansion of autonomous buses, at least in Japan, is that it is not simply to apply technology for applying or saving jobs. It is something that responds to a real need: Japan has no workers. Long and tendency we have treated the demographic winter that the country is living and the measures they are adopting (some more effective than others) to relaunch birth. The problem is that The population is very aged, There are no young workers And that is why Robots are used either Autonomous systems. And not only urban mobility, since it is raising that the first ‘bullet train’ debut in 2029. And it is not that it is unique in the world (years ago We already got on one in Malaga), But as we say, in the case of Japan we are talking about something crucial because, if there are no workers, the robots will have to assume the task. Image | Iyotetsu In Xataka | The autonomous driving was the great absent in the presentation of the Xiaomi Yu7 and there is a reason: the Chinese government

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