Tesla reveals development of wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle

teslarati.com Jul 13, 2026

Tesla reveals development of wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicle

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Jul 13, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Tesla announced on Monday that it is developing a purpose‑built, wheelchair‑accessible autonomous vehicle at its Gigafactory Texas near Austin. Senior Policy Advisor India Herdman told the Washington D.C. City Council that the new model will operate without a human driver, aiming to address the challenges of paratransit and give permanently wheelchair‑bound users independent mobility. The initiative expands on Elon Musk’s September 2025 tweet confirming work on accessible rides within the Robotaxi platform, which currently relies on the Model Y. While Tesla’s Cybercab has begun employee trials, it is not designed for wheelchair access, leaving a gap that the company hopes to fill with either a modified Robovan or a new body style. The project also seeks to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and avoid legal pitfalls faced by rivals.

💡 Why It Matters

· Providing a fully autonomous, wheelchair‑friendly ride could set a new industry benchmark for inclusive mobility, forcing competitors to prioritize accessibility in their own autonomous fleets.

Read full article on teslarati.com

AVU: The Open-Source Robot Assistant Redefining Home Help

AVU, short for the Finnish “avustaja,” is an open‑source autonomous mobile robot designed to perform a range of household tasks, from pet monitoring to safety checks. Developed by a maker known as Michael on Hackster.io, the project aims to break the single‑purpose mold of current consumer robots such as vacuums and smart speakers. AVU’s architecture is modular, allowing users to add hardware modules, software packages, and AI models to expand its capabilities over time. The robot is intended to patrol homes, verify doors and windows, and ensure appliances like stoves are off, while also serving as a research platform for makers. By offering a versatile, community‑driven chassis, AVU seeks to make general‑purpose domestic robotics accessible to average consumers.

💡 AVU could democratize advanced home robotics, turning a once‑expensive, specialist technology into a customizable tool for everyday households.

9to5google.com · Jul 14

Walmart’s cheapest Google TV stick isn’t dead yet, but there’s a shift…

Walmart is set to overhaul its Google TV streaming stick lineup as the retailer’s low‑cost FHD model briefly disappeared from its website last week before reappearing at $29.98. The stick, introduced in 2023, is the only device in Walmart’s catalog that has not received a recent refresh and is regarded as overdue for replacement. Industry source AFTVNews reports that Walmart plans to shift production from current supplier SDMC to Chinese manufacturer Skyworth, a change hinted at by an FCC filing released in May. The new Skyworth‑built unit appears identical to the existing model, though it is unclear whether the currently sold sticks are the updated version. Walmart is expected to transition additional Google TV devices to Skyworth in the coming months.

💡 Switching to Skyworth lets Walmart sustain sub‑$30 pricing, pressuring rivals to find equally cheap sourcing options.

9to5google.com · Jul 14

Pixel 11’s Tensor G6 chip beats the iPhone 18 to TSMC’s 2nm…

Google’s upcoming Pixel 11 smartphones will be powered by the Tensor G6 chipset, which, according to Economic Daily News, will be the first commercial chip built on TSMC’s 2‑nanometer process. The move places Google a month ahead of Apple, whose A20 chip is slated for the iPhone 18 in September, and precedes Qualcomm’s Snapdragon and MediaTek’s Dimensity flagships that will also adopt the node later in the year. Leaks suggest the Tensor G6 adds new CPU cores, an upgraded but still modest GPU, and enhancements to the security module, modem and other subsystems, though the overall performance jump is described as incremental rather than revolutionary. Google has confirmed an August 12 launch event for the Pixel 11 series, with early Amazon listings already showing new color options and higher price points.

💡 Securing the first 2 nm smartphone chip gives Google a brief technological edge that could sway early adopters and set performance benchmarks before Apple’s September rollout.

9to5google.com · Jul 14

Almost every Google Pixel 11 model appears on FCC website

Regulatory filings on the FCC website have listed five new Google Pixel 11 devices. The obscure model identifiers – GPQQ7, GUJ0N, G7SWN, GBC0H and G4HCD – are believed to map to the standard Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL and two variants of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, which uses a separate code. The filings show three phones will support Ultra‑Wideband (UWB) and Thread mesh networking in addition to 5G mmWave and satellite links, while two lack those features, likely base‑level models. All units are listed with a MediaTek modem, confirming a shift from the previously speculated Exynos chips and aligning with earlier reports that Google is testing MediaTek modems for its Tensor G6 processor for the upcoming launch official.

💡 The inclusion of UWB and Thread in most models shows Google positioning the Pixel 11 line as a hub for emerging smart‑home and location‑based services, differentiating it from rivals that still lack these radios.

futurism.com · Jul 14

The Backlash Is So Strong That People With “Pervert Glasses” Are Afraid…

Meta’s AI‑enabled “smart glasses,” equipped with cameras and facial‑recognition software, have sparked a backlash after influencers—predominantly men—used them to covertly record interactions with women, posting the footage online and, in some cases, attempting extortion. The controversy intensified following allegations that Meta itself breached privacy and its recent integration of facial‑recognition capabilities. Users now refer to the devices as “pervert glasses,” and several owners have admitted they avoid wearing them publicly, fearing stigma and accusations of predatory behavior. Despite the uproar, the glasses have outsold earlier wearables like Google Glass, prompting other tech firms to develop competing products. Meta continues to promote the glasses, recently launching a high‑profile campaign featuring Kylie Jenner, while CEO Mark Zuckerberg maintains they will eventually supplant smartphones.

💡 The public’s rejection of Meta’s glasses highlights a tipping point where privacy‑invasive wearables may become socially untenable, threatening the commercial viability of a technology that companies bet on to redefine personal computing.

chromeunboxed.com · Jul 14

Googlebook’s Magic Pointer app hits the Play Store with some new looks…

Google has quietly released a new Android app called Magic Pointer on the Play Store, offering a contextual AI assistant anchored to the cursor. The app, listed under the package com.google.android.desktop.gpointer.app, debuted on June 9 and is at version 1.0.260708 with just over 1,000 downloads before being removed. Its description says users can select any on‑screen element to receive Gemini‑powered suggestions, and the cursor displays a Gemini spark icon when active. Mockups show the pointer delivering actions such as Lens search, image generation via the Nano Banana engine, and direct shopping links. The screenshots also reveal a Googlebook UI that mirrors the current Android tablet layout, including a redesigned system status bar, confirming Google’s plan to run a unified Android stack on its upcoming laptop line.

💡 The app demonstrates how Google intends to embed Gemini AI directly into the desktop workflow, turning the cursor into an always‑on assistant and hinting at a seamless Android‑based laptop experience.