Waymo’s NYC State of Mind

Godspeed Godspeed

3 weeks ago

3 MIN READ

Waymo will deploy its robotaxi fleet to Manhattan next month — first manually with human safety drivers, then autonomously if NYC grants its permit — a major step toward introducing fully driverless ride-hailing in New York City. Here’s the overview:

Trial launch: Human-operated Jaguar I‑Paces begin mapping and live driving in July, pending NYC DOT approval.
Regulatory push: Waymo’s lobbying for state-level law changes to drop the requirement for safety drivers.
Expansion boost: Already operating 1,500+ vehicles, delivering ~250,000 weekly paid rides across San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Austin.

Cracking NYC’s dense, unpredictable streets would be a milestone — not just for Waymo, but for the self-driving sector.

The robotaxi race is heating up. All eyes on Elon tomorrow…

Meta Eyes Big Opportunities

Meta released the Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses, built for performance and real-world use.

Styled after Oakley’s rugged HSTN frame, they pack a 3K ultrawide camera, five mics, open-ear audio, and Meta AI.

With 8 hours of battery (plus 48 via the charging case), IPX4 water resistance, and PRIZM lenses, this is wearable tech that can keep up.

The limited-edition model drops July 11 for $499, with standard versions at $399 later this summer.

We’ve eyed smart glasses for some time. It’s a form factor ready to thrive in an AI-infused world.

Meta sees the opportunity and is well-positioned to capitalize. The company expects to sell 10M glasses per year starting in 2026.

Here’s Meta with more.

Honda Enters The Private Space Race

Honda’s R&D arm just scored a breakthrough with its first reusable rocket test in Taiki, Japan – launching a 21-ft prototype to around 890 feet and landing it upright within 37 centimeters of the target after a 57-second flight.

The suborbital hop, using four retractable legs and tech pulled from Honda’s combustion, control, and even self-driving vehicle divisions, marks a bold step in its space ambitions.

Honda aims for a full suborbital flight by 2029, though its path to commercialization remains undecided.

With Japan’s space venture fund backing domestic players and global heavyweights like SpaceX and Blue Origin advancing reusable designs, Honda’s entry signals both rising competition and innovation outside traditional aerospace.

Energy Department Announces New Pathway to Test Advanced Reactors

The Department of Energy launched a pilot program to fast-track advanced nuclear reactor testing, letting developers build and operate test reactors on DOE-managed sites outside national labs using Atomic Energy Act authority. Here’s the breakdown:

Goal: Have at least three advanced reactor designs reach criticality by July 4, 2026.
Cost: Applicants fund everything — from design to decommissioning — in exchange for DOE-backed approval and a fast path toward NRC licensing.
Timing: Initial applications due July 21, 2025, with a June 25 “Industry Day” briefing soon.
Impact: Designed to remove red tape, unlock private investment, and accelerate U.S. leadership in next-gen Gen IV, SMR, and microreactor tech.

This isn’t incremental — it’s a high‑speed launchpad for American nuclear innovation, cutting time-to‑criticality and fueling a clean‑energy comeback.

Here’s the Department of Energy with more.