Toyota testing small drone system to aid off-road driving

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Toyota Motor is exploring the use of small drones to enhance safety and visibility for vehicles operating on rough or unpaved terrain, according to a filing with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The proposed system would help drivers gain a better view of their surroundings — including obstacles beneath or around the vehicle — allowing them to plan safer routes. “At times, operators may fly a drone above the treeline to capture terrain videos,” Toyota noted in its letter to the FAA. Most drone flights would remain close to the vehicle, the filing said.

The initiative coincides with a U.S. Transportation Department proposal to expand drone operations beyond the operator’s line of sight, a step expected to accelerate commercial drone applications. Toyota submitted comments on the proposal, revealing its ongoing research into the technology.

While the company has not confirmed any product rollout, a spokesperson stated that Toyota “is constantly working on new technologies in various fields” but has “no product plans to announce at this time.”

The Transportation Department said relaxing current drone restrictions could significantly expand their use in manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics, including the delivery of essential medical supplies.

Elon Musk’s xAI closing in on $20 billion raise backed by Nvidia chips

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Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is nearing a massive $20 billion capital raise tied to Nvidia’s cutting-edge GPU technology, according to Bloomberg News. The report says the financing will combine both equity and debt, with Nvidia investing up to $2 billion as part of the equity tranche.

The funds are linked to Nvidia’s graphics processing units (GPUs), which xAI plans to deploy in its upcoming Colossus 2 data center. The financing structure reportedly includes around $7.5 billion in equity and as much as $12.5 billion in debt, channeled through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) designed to purchase Nvidia chips.

Neither Nvidia nor xAI has commented publicly on the deal. However, the move signals a deepening relationship between the world’s leading AI hardware maker and one of its most ambitious software challengers.

In September, Musk dismissed reports claiming xAI was raising $10 billion at a $200 billion valuation, though he confirmed the company would seek capital “in the coming months.” Founded in July 2023, xAI aims to build an alternative to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, focusing on developing artificial general intelligence systems with tighter integration to Musk’s broader tech ecosystem.

Dell boosts growth targets as AI server demand soars

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Dell Technologies has nearly doubled its profit growth forecast for the next four years, confident that booming demand for artificial intelligence servers will sustain its momentum. The company now expects adjusted earnings per share to grow at least 15% annually, compared to its earlier projection of about 8%, according to a statement on Tuesday.

The tech giant, which counts Elon Musk’s xAI and cloud computing firm CoreWeave among its major clients, also raised its revenue growth expectations to between 7% and 9% per year, up from a prior range of 3% to 4%.

The surging need for high-performance servers powering AI platforms like ChatGPT has transformed Dell into one of the leading beneficiaries of the generative AI revolution. Analysts say Dell’s large-scale operations, global supply chain, and deep ties with major buyers give it a cost and volume edge over competitors such as Super Micro.

CEO Michael Dell emphasized that customers are “hungry for AI” and the computing infrastructure needed to deploy it at scale. He added that the company is still in the early stages of AI adoption despite two years of strong growth.

Dell reiterated its fiscal targets for the year and maintained its projection for AI server shipments to reach $20 billion in fiscal 2026. The company now forecasts 11% to 14% long-term annual revenue growth for its Infrastructure Solutions Group — which includes storage, software, and servers — up from 6% to 8% previously. Meanwhile, the client solutions segment, including personal computers, is expected to grow at a modest 2% to 3%.