Cruise ‘driverless’ taxis require human help, Legend of Zelda to become movie

Cruise CEO Kyle Vogt confirms reports that his AI robo-car maker's now-paused driverless taxis need regular human intervention to help them make sense of the road, yet he is downplaying the severity. Vogt made his statement not on any official channel, but in a Hacker News thread about a New York Times story in which unnamed…

New Electric Mini to be made in Britain, Roblox comes to PlayStation

BMW has announced plans to build its next-generation electric Mini in Oxford after securing a Government funding package. The German-based manufacturer’s multimillion-pound investment to transform its existing plant will secure 4,000 high-quality jobs, according to ministers. Government sources declined to set out the level of taxpayer support being offered to BMW, but did not dispute the previously reported figure…

Facebook not guilty of psychological harm, second hand EV sales surge

There is no evidence the global spread of Facebook is linked to widespread psychological harm, an Oxford Internet Institute (OII) study suggests. The research looked at how wellbeing changed in 72 countries as use of the social media platform grew. It counters the common belief that social media is psychologically harmful, the researchers argue. Several…

Google claims quantum computing breakthrough, Tesla delivers record number of EVs

Left: Artist's rendition of the Sycamore processor mounted in the cryostat. (Full Res Version; Forest Stearns, Google AI Quantum Artist in Residence) Right: Photograph of the Sycamore processor. (Full Res Version; Erik Lucero, Research Scientist and Lead Production Quantum Hardware) Google has developed a quantum computer that instantly makes calculations that would…

ShinyShiny snippets: Fiat offers £300 e-grant for the electric 500

Fiat will launch its own EV grant as part of a nationwide incentive to encourage customers to buy its electric cars, making it the first manufacturer to do so.  The grant, called Fiat E-Grant, which is immediately available for customers, is worth £3000 and is applicable to purchases of the electric Fiat 500 and Fiat 500C. The Italian…

The 7 types of Electric Vehicle driver

Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly common sights on UK roads and now experts have identified seven types of EV drivers. Virtue Vultures, Night Owls and Range Worriers are just some of the types of EV driver we’re most likely to encounter, according to experts LeaseElectricCar.co.uk. From the peacocking braggart who wants everyone to see their…

ShinyShiny: TikTok boss faces grilling at US congressional hearing

Bruising, damaging, relentless. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew faced four-and-a-half hours of questioning at a US congressional hearing on Thursday. As one congressman pointed out, some people run marathons quicker than that. Mr Chew will certainly be feeling it, after a torrid time giving evidence. Many tech execs have stood before Congress, and they often…

ShinyShiny snippets: TikTok facing complete US ban

TikTok is facing a complete ban in the US over fears that China is using the app as a covert tool for spying and spreading propaganda. CEO Shou Chew will testify before Congress on Thursday, with members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee set to raise their concerns about how much access the Chinese…

Shiny Shiny snippets: Spotify latest tech firm to cull staff

Swedish music-streaming giant Spotify says it will cut 6% of its about 10,000 employees, citing a need to improve efficiency. "In hindsight, I was too ambitious in investing ahead of our revenue growth," boss Daniel Ek wrote on the company's blog.  Spotify has never posted a full-year net profit, despite its popularity in the online…