This week on Autonomy Signals presented by KPMG, Grayson Brulte and Rob Grant discuss NHTSA opening a safety inquiry into Tesla robotaxis speeding in active school zones, XPENG launching its XPENG YOYO robotaxi service, and a Danish supermarket testing humanoid robots on the night shift.
NHTSA opened a safety inquiry into Tesla’s 2026 Model Y and Cybercab robotaxis after receiving public reports and video evidence of the vehicles speeding in active school zones. The inquiry covers an estimated 1,000 vehicles operating in Texas, Florida, and the Bay Area. No crashes, injuries, or citations were recorded in the submitted evidence.
The inquiry adds to mounting federal pressure as NHTSA audits whether the Cybercab, built without a steering wheel or pedals, meets federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS). With both timelines converging around December and January, Tesla faces the potential risk of a software recall or of operating conditions, such as school zone restrictions, attached to any potential approval.
XPENG announced the name its new robotaxi service called XPENG YOYO and opened public registration in China with international commercial service targeted for 2027. In a strategic move, XPENG will not operate fleets. Instead, it will act as a technology provider, earning revenue from hardware sales, software services, and commission sharing with local fleet operators globally.
A Føtex supermarket near Copenhagen is testing Unitree G1 humanoid robots to stock shelves and handle repetitive tasks during night shifts. The robots run the Heimdall intelligence platform from Danish startup Hive Robots. They work more slowly than human employees, need close supervision, and under Danish regulations cannot operate autonomously around shoppers.
The goal is independent overnight restocking with the store closed by early 2027. Hardware costs just over $50,000 and the first year total cost of ownership exceeds $100,000, so the trial is aimed at learning rather than near term economics. Føtex is owned by the Salling Group, Denmark’s largest retailer with more than 2,000 stores across six countries, which gives the program a path to scale.
Episode Chapters
0:00 KPMG Sponsor Introduction
2:44 Signal 1: Tesla Robotaxi NHTSA School Zone Safety Inquiry
27:00 Signal 2: XPENG Introduces its YOYO Robotaxi Service
49:50 Signal 3: Supermarket Humanoids Hit The Night Shift In Denmark
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