WASHINGTON, June 18 — Waymo is recalling 3,871 ‌robotaxis in the US after identifying a software issue that could likely cause the vehicles to enter a closed freeway construction zone and continue driving at speed, ‌the National Highway ⁠Traffic Safety Administration ⁠said today.

The recall pertains ⁠to ⁠certain Fifth Generation Automated Driving Systems (ADS) in ⁠robotaxis.

The auto safety regulator said Waymo has modified the scope of vehicle operations to ⁠restrict freeway driving.

Waymo will update the ADS software ⁠to detect where the vehicle is, ⁠to ⁠avoid entering construction zones, free of charge, ‌NHTSA said. — Reuters

 

Hong Kong authorities are considering issuing 10,000 ride-hailing permits under a new regulatory framework for on-demand transport services, according to local media.

The Hong Kong Economic Journal (HKEJ) reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources, that the government viewed a cap of 10,000 as a “reasonable starting point,” as the figure would not excessively affect taxi drivers’ income or exceed road capacity.

Authorities believe that Uber’s suggestion of 30,000 permits is too ambitious, while the taxi trade’s proposal of 3,600 would fail to meet public travel demands, the report said.

In a submission to the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Transport on Monday, the government did not specify a final number of permits but noted public opinion favoured a range of 10,000 to 15,000 permits.

A government consultancy report conducted between November 2024 and January 2025 estimated that ride-hailing services facilitate about 114,000 trips in Hong Kong on an average day.

Meanwhile, the number of active ride-hailing drivers was believed to be fewer than 30,000, as many work part-time, the government said.

The government said public opinion remained divided. According to its submission document, some advocate a higher cap because ride-hailing vehicles far outnumber traditional taxis in some major cities around the world.

However, others believe that Hong Kong’s situation is “unique” and that the number of permits should not exceed the city’s current taxi fleet of about 18,000.

In a submission on Tuesday, Uber said it had more than 30,000 active ride-hailing drivers on its platform over the past year, arguing that the proposed 10,000 or 15,000 caps would not meet demands.

Uber estimated that, if the number of permits were capped at 15,000, four in 10 ride requests could go unfulfilled during rush hours, while waiting times might double, and fares could increase by 70 per cent.

The ride-hailing platform urged the government to issue enough permits to ensure a “flexible” service and to protect existing drivers’ livelihoods.

Authorities are expected to introduce the final cap by the end of June and begin enforcing the regulatory framework in the fourth quarter of this year.

In October, LegCo passed a bill to introduce a licensing regime as part of a regulatory framework for ride-hailing services in Hong Kong.

Under the framework, ride-hailing platform operators will be required to obtain a licence, while drivers will also need to acquire a permit for themselves and their vehicles to provide ride-hailing services.

A Hong Kong taxi driver has been arrested after a fatal traffic incident in Ngau Tau Kok that killed a woman and seriously injured four people.

A taxi driven by a 70-year-old man went out of control while he was driving downhill along Chun Wah Road and mounted the pavement and a sitting-out area on Choi Ha Road, knocking down two female pedestrians at 1.50pm on Wednesday, according to police.

One of the pedestrians, a 38-year-old woman, suffered serious leg injuries and was rushed to United Christian Hospital in an unconscious state and was later certified dead at 2.26pm on Wednesday.

The other female pedestrian, 31, also suffered leg injuries and was sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in an unconscious state.

The two passengers in the taxi were sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital with injuries. The 62-year-old male passenger sustained chest and leg injuries, while the 62-year-old female passenger suffered chest, back and neck injuries.

According to the government, as of 10.30am on Thursday, the second female pedestrian was in critical condition, and both passengers were in serious condition.

The taxi driver, who sustained chest injuries, was sent to United Christian Hospital in a conscious state.

He was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and is being detained, the police said. He was in stable condition as of 10.30am on Thursday.

The police are investigating the traffic accident and are urging witnesses to call 3661 0277.

Hong Kong is mulling tighter health checks for elderly taxi drivers, but progress has been slow.

Currently, all drivers – including taxi drivers – aged over 70 must provide the Transport Department with a medical examination certificate completed by a registered medical practitioner at least once every three years.

See also: Hong Kong taxi union hits back at lawmakers’ suggestions of mandatory retirement age for cabbies

The government proposed in 2023 that taxi drivers aged over 65 should conduct mandatory health checks every year.

The government is working on law amendments related to mandatory health checks for taxi drivers and plans to table the bill later this year, Sing Tao Daily reported on Wednesday.

An elderly Hong Kong taxi driver has appeared in court over dangerous driving that killed two pedestrians in Ngau Tau Kok.

Ng Kam-cheong, 70, wore a mask and sunglasses when he appeared at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, Court News reported.

He was charged with one count of dangerous driving causing death and three counts of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm.

Ng was arrested on May 13 after a fatal traffic incident in Ngau Tau Kok on the same day.

He was driving downhill along Chun Wah Road when his taxi went out of control, mounted the pavement and a sitting-out area on Choi Ha Road, and hit two female pedestrians.

One woman was certified dead at hospital around 40 minutes after the crash. The other pedestrian died in hospital on Monday, five days after the accident.

The two passengers in the taxi suffered chest, back and neck injuries – they were in stable condition as of Monday.

The taxi driver himself sustained chest injuries.

The case was adjourned to August 13.

The defendant was granted bail of HK$50,000 on the condition that he must surrender all travel documents, be barred from leaving Hong Kong, hand over his driving licence, refrain from driving any class of vehicle, and report to a police station every week.

The offence of dangerous driving causing death carries up to 10 years’ imprisonment in Hong Kong, while the offence of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm is punishable by up to 7 years in jail.

In the mid-20th century, before preservation efforts revived Miami’s Art Deco South Beach neighborhood with bright colors and lavish hotels, the area was a whitewashed holiday haven for retirees. And in a third-floor room of the Colony Hotel, which looked out onto the building’s marquee and the street below, a unique artistic endeavor unfolded.

Ukrainian artist Jonko “George” Voronovsky (1903-1982) transformed his humble, long-term residence into a vibrant environment of paintings and objects that he described as “memoryscapes.” Having endured incredible hardship amid the political maneuvers of the U.S.S.R. and the Nazis during the 1930s and 1940s, he chose to work in a bright, optimistic style that summoned idyllic remembrances from his youth. A short film by Dia Kontaxis, “George V.,” spotlights his legacy.

By all accounts, Voronovsky experienced a loving, typically middle class upbringing in Ukraine in the early 20th century. He spent his youth exploring his village and local forests, studying music, and dabbling in visual art. By the time he was a teenager, the Russian Revolution of 1917 marked the beginning of a protracted period of upheaval in Ukraine. His father died during this time, and the country entered the control of the Soviet Union.

By the early 1930s, Voronovsky had moved to Kyiv. He married in 1933 and became a father to two children. He worked as a mapmaker, and he witnessed the systematic destruction of Kyiv’s historically baroque architecture, which the Soviets replaced with the propagandistic Stalinist style.

In 1941, life would again change drastically. Hitler invaded Ukraine and took control of Kyiv. Three years later, Voronovsky and his family were forced—like many thousands of Ukrainians—to resettle in a camp. They were marched hundreds of miles to Prague, where he then was separated from his family when he was furthered on to a labor camp in Germany. Although he later sent them a portion of his wages to support them, he never saw his wife or children again.

Throughout the 1940s, Voronovsky drifted, traveling with a group called the Musical Wanderers that played in Displaced Persons camps around Ukraine. In 1951, as part of a program that eased immigration quotas in the U.S. to welcome European refugees, Voronovsky landed in New York, then moved to Philadelphia, where the Ukrainian immigrant community was well established. For a while, he found work with the railroad, continued to play music, and traveled. During the 1960s, he created some of his earliest work, a series of nude sculptures.

Eventually, due to his health and a desire to retire somewhere warm, Voronovsky took a room at the Colony Hotel in Miami Beach. Piece by piece, he filled his modest space with colorful paintings and sculptures made from wood, styrofoam, aluminum, and other found materials. These elaborate, often joyful compositions drew from his memories of Ukraine. They highlighted animals, dances, architecture, and bucolic, sunny landscapes. Completely concealed from public display, it was only a matter of chance that his work was seen from the street by a young artist named Gary Monroe, who knocked on the door and befriended the artist.

The amount of work Voronovsky fit into his space was staggering. “This little room was probably nine by 12 feet—5,000 objects,” Monroe says. Star-like forms made from drink cans covered his cabinets and were arranged around paintings. He’d use the backs of pizza boxes and magazine spreads to make his work, drawing from the post-consumer landscape of Miami Beach.

It’s thanks to Monroe that Voronovsky’s work was introduced to a wider audience, first shown in 1986 at a Miami bookstore called Books & Books. It wasn’t until 2023 that the High Museum of Art in Atlanta organized the first major solo exhibition of the obscure artist’s work, recognizing his contribution to the canon of self-taught art in the U.S.

Kontaxis’ film spotlights the High Museum’s exhibition along with interviews and archival footage. See more of her work on Vimeo.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article A Delightful Short Film Highlights the Remarkable Self-Taught Art of George Voronovsky appeared first on Colossal.