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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.

Lyft and May Mobility Launch Robotaxi Service in Atlanta

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Ride-hailing company Lyft and autonomous vehicle startup May Mobility have launched a pilot robotaxi service in Atlanta, marking the partnership’s first public deployment.

Starting Wednesday, customers using the standard Lyft app can hail Toyota Sienna minivans retrofitted by May Mobility to operate on routes in and around Midtown Atlanta. The fares will be comparable to regular Lyft rides.

The service begins with a small fleet, each vehicle staffed with trained in-vehicle operators who can answer passenger questions and take control if needed. This rollout highlights Lyft’s strategy to integrate self-driving options into its platform through partners such as Baidu in Europe and Mobileye, as competition intensifies in the robotaxi space.

Jeremy Bird, Lyft’s executive vice president of driver experience, said the fleet will expand gradually: “We’ll start in the single digits of cars, move up to dozens, and over time to hundreds and thousands.” Neither Bird nor May Mobility CEO Edwin Olson gave a specific timeline. Olson noted the vehicles use a redundant drive-by-wire system and a 360-degree sensor suite combining lidar, radar, and cameras.

The pilot will be integrated into Lyft’s hybrid marketplace, allowing passengers to choose between autonomous and conventional rides. Management of the fleet will be handled by May Mobility, rather than Lyft’s Flexdrive operations unit.

Last month, Lyft held an AV Driver Forum in Atlanta to brief drivers on the program, while both companies engaged with local and state officials to ensure smooth deployment.

Competition in the U.S. robotaxi sector is heating up. Waymo, owned by Alphabet, has expanded its paid autonomous services in major cities, Uber has partnered with tech firms for global self-driving deployments, and Tesla launched its first robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, as well as a ride-hailing program in the Bay Area earlier this year.

Global Tourism’s Growing Carbon Footprint Threatens Climate Goals, Research Shows

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The travel industry’s carbon footprint has been growing at an alarming rate, outpacing the overall global economy, according to new research published in Nature Communications. The rising demand for international travel has led to significant increases in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions over the past decade, with tourism-related emissions growing nearly twice as fast as the global economy, researchers say.

The study highlights that tourism in the top 20 emitting countries, including the United States, China, and India, is expanding by up to 5% annually, exacerbating energy consumption and CO2 emissions in these regions. These countries contribute to about three-quarters of the total tourism-related carbon footprint, underscoring the inequality in per-capita emissions.

Transportation, particularly air and ground travel, is identified as a primary contributor to these emissions. Despite some technological advancements aimed at improving fuel efficiency, slow progress in decarbonization continues to drive up the sector’s emissions. The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily halted travel, reducing emissions by 60% in 2020, but tourism has rebounded strongly since, with growth expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024.

In addition to regular commercial flights, private aviation has been a significant contributor. A separate study on private jet emissions found a 46% increase in CO2 emissions between 2019 and 2023. Private jets, which make up a small portion of total aviation, can have an outsized impact. For instance, major international events like COP28 and the FIFA World Cup saw a spike in private jet use, contributing thousands of metric tons of CO2 to the atmosphere.

The broader impact of tourism on global emissions is troubling, with previous studies indicating that tourism contributes approximately 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions—this number has likely grown since. The research stresses the urgent need for effective policies to curb tourism’s environmental impact and align the sector with global climate targets. However, only countries like New Zealand and Denmark are currently monitoring tourism-related emissions at the national level.

Tourism, worth an estimated $10 trillion in 2023, is one of the largest economic sectors globally, driving demand for transportation, accommodation, food, and shopping. The study emphasizes that the tourism industry’s expansion, coupled with its rising emissions, calls for immediate attention from governments and the global community to reduce its environmental impact.