Wall Street Reaches New Record Highs as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Markets 
Marvell Stock Rises After Record Q1 FY2027 Earnings Fueled by AI Demand 
US Quantum Stocks Surge After $2 Billion Government Investment 
Kevin Warsh Faces Early Fed Test as Inflation Risks Challenge Rate-Cut Expectations 
US Dollar Slips as Markets Weigh Potential US-Iran Peace Deal and Oil Price Outlook 
Meta Subscription Push Could Add Billions in Recurring Revenue, Says Rosenblatt 
Trump Adviser’s Investment in Thrive Capital Draws Scrutiny Over Federal Contracts 
Autodesk Beats Q1 Estimates, Acquires MaintainX for $3.6 Billion 
Wall Street Hits New Highs as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Talks Boost Market Sentiment 
Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions 
NIO CEO Says China’s Auto Industry Has Passed Its Golden Era Amid Weak Car Sales 
Snowflake Stock Soars 30% After Q1 Earnings Beat and Major AWS AI Partnership 
S&P 500 Hits Record High as Tech Rally Slows Amid Iran Peace Uncertainty 
Mega IPOs Like SpaceX and OpenAI Could Reshape S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 Portfolios in 2026 
JPMorgan Sees Biotech Sector at Turning Point, Upgrades Top Pharma Stocks 
Oil Prices Fall as Markets Await U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Decision 
U.S. Launches New Strikes on Iran as Trump Signals Peace Deal Uncertainty 
The decision on General Motors' Cruise self-driving technology unit's petition to deploy up to 2,500 self-driving vehicles annually without human controls will soon be made by U.S. regulators. Ann Carlson, the acting Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety, announced this on Wednesday.
The petition, filed in February 2022, seeks government approval to deploy vehicles annually without traditional components like steering wheels, mirrors, turn signals, or windshield wipers. According to Carlson, the crux lies in determining whether computer-driven vehicles should adhere to safety standards designed primarily for human drivers. These standards include features such as mirrors, sun visors, windshield wipers, and more.
Cruise, however, declined to comment on the matter. Presently, they offer a limited service in San Francisco, utilizing a small fleet of Chevrolet Bolt vehicles equipped with driverless technology. They aim to deploy the Origin vehicle, which boasts subway-like doors and lacks steering wheels.
In 2018, General Motors petitioned the NHTSA to permit the use of a Chevrolet Bolt vehicle on U.S. roads, one that lacked both steering wheels and brake pedals. Nonetheless, in 2020, the petition was withdrawn after receiving no response from the agency.
The NHTSA can also grant autonomous vehicles (AVs) exemptions solely for research and demonstration purposes. Carlton revealed that they seek to establish a new program to provide greater transparency regarding AV safety and deployment, ensuring public confidence in their oversight of AV deployment on public streets.
Meanwhile, Congress has deliberated for quite some time on whether to enact legislation concerning self-driving cars. A U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee plans to hold a hearing later this month.
In 2017, the House passed legislation to accelerate the adoption of self-driving vehicles. This legislation also aimed to prevent states from imposing their own performance standards and to expand the deployment of exemption-approved vehicles. However, the measure failed to pass the Senate.
Furthermore, in December, the NHTSA initiated a formal safety probe into Cruise's autonomous driving system. This followed reports of two rear-end crashes resulting in injuries. The NHTSA expressed concern that Cruise vehicles might engage in inappropriate hard braking or become immobilized.
Photo: Cruise Media
