Today was the deadline for Google to reveal how it’s complying with Judge James Donato’s order to crack open Android for third-party app stores, stop illegally tying its Google Play Billing system to its app store, and let developers link to ways to download their apps outside the Play Store in the US.
Technology
Ready to drive without your hands on the wheel or eyes on the road?
Are you ready to use your daily commute to catch up on your favorite show, respond to emails or simply enjoy the view without worrying about the road ahead?
This vision of the future is becoming increasingly real thanks to advancements in autonomous driving technology. Stellantis, the parent company of brands like Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler, has just unveiled its STLA AutoDrive 1.0 system, which the company hopes will soon revolutionize the way we drive.
STLA AutoDrive 1.0 system (Stellantis)
The future of driving is here … almost
Stellantis has developed its cutting-edge Level 3 automated driving system. This innovative technology allows motorists to safely take their eyes off the road and hands off the wheel. Stellantis’ STLA AutoDrive 1.0 system is designed to handle driving tasks autonomously at speeds of up to 37 mph in traffic and on highways under certain conditions. This means drivers can potentially engage in activities like watching movies, reading books or catching up on emails during their commute.
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The system will manage steering, acceleration, braking and maintain safe distances from other vehicles without human intervention.
However, there’s a catch: Despite being fully developed and ready for deployment, Stellantis isn’t launching these features just yet. The company cites a limited market for Level 3 autonomous driving as the reason for holding back, that they’ll introduce the technology once the market becomes more receptive.
STLA AutoDrive 1.0 system (Stellantis)
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What sets STLA AutoDrive apart?
STLA AutoDrive offers several impressive features that make it stand out in the world of autonomous driving. It offers hands-free and eyes-off functionality at speeds of up to 37 mph, allowing drivers to completely disengage from driving tasks. The system is designed to work at night and in light rain, providing reliable performance in various weather conditions.
Additionally, an automated sensor-cleaning system ensures that critical components remain clear for optimal reliability and functionality. Built on a cloud-connected platform, STLA AutoDrive can receive over-the-air updates to improve its capabilities, making it a scalable and adaptable technology. Furthermore, Stellantis hints at potential upgrades that could enable operation at speeds of up to 59 mph and even off-road automation.
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STLA AutoDrive 1.0 system (Stellantis)
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The challenges of Level 3 autonomy
Level 3 autonomy, often referred to as “conditional automation,” presents unique challenges. The system can only be activated under certain driving conditions, requiring specific environmental and traffic criteria to be met. Also, drivers must remain alert and prepared to take control at a moment’s notice, which can be a difficult standard to maintain. Regulatory authorities also face challenges in setting and enforcing standards for this level of autonomy, as it requires a delicate balance between safety and technological innovation.
STLA AutoDrive 1.0 system (Stellantis)
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The race for autonomous driving
Stellantis isn’t alone in the pursuit of Level 3 autonomy. Mercedes-Benz was the first to launch an SAE Level 3 system in commercial vehicles in Europe and the U.S. in 2023. Other major automakers, including Honda, Ford, GM, Volvo, Sony, Kia and Xpeng, are also developing their own Level 3 systems, indicating a competitive and rapidly evolving landscape in the automotive industry.
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What this means for drivers
When STLA AutoDrive eventually hits the market, it could significantly change the driving experience. Automated driving in heavy traffic could make commutes less stressful, allowing you to relax or engage in other activities. Additionally, you might be able to use travel time more efficiently, whether that means catching up on work or enjoying leisure activities. Enhanced safety is another potential benefit, as advanced sensors and AI could reduce human error and improve overall road safety.
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STLA AutoDrive 1.0 system being used at night (Stellantis)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Stellantis’ STLA AutoDrive is no doubt a significant milestone toward fully autonomous vehicles. While the technology is ready, the market and regulatory landscape are still catching up. As automakers continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, we’re inching closer to a future where cars truly drive themselves. However, the transition will likely be gradual, with safety and consumer acceptance playing crucial roles in the widespread adoption of Level 3 and beyond autonomous driving technologies.
Are you ready to take your hands off the wheel and let technology do the driving? Why or why not? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
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Even at $1,000, the Xbox Ally X handheld didn’t ship with magnetic drift-resistant joysticks, and neither did the $600 model. But for an extra $20 at Amazon, you can change that today — with officially Asus-approved and sanctioned TMR joysticks from Gulikit, the company that’s made a name for itself by supplying aftermarket drift-resistant sticks.
The company says it worked with Xbox Ally manufacturer Asus to create these sticks, that they’ll be “automatically recognized” when you swap them in, and that you can use the handheld’s built-in Armoury Crate app to calibrate them afterwards.
And while I haven’t tried these ones (I do have a pair in my Switch), I can confirm it’s pretty easy to pop open the Xbox Ally to install. Just loosen the Philips-head screws, poke in a guitar pick pry tool to create a small gap, and pull a little harder than you think you need to pop open the clips. The joystick modules are right underneath. There’s nothing blocking you — just pop a ribbon cable and undo their three screws.
Here’s the company’s walkthrough in case you want to see for yourself — though I do not recommend taking sharp tweezers to ribbon cables when your fingernails can do that job safer and easier. (I may have broken a few ribbon cables in my life.)
When we’re talking about TMR or the older and slightly less power-efficient Hall effect joystick technology, I usually write “drift-resistant” instead of “drift-free” because you may find your center point drifting over time — but the beauty of magnetic is you just have to recalibrate! Unlike the potentiometer joysticks that ship with Nintendo, Sony PlayStation, and Microsoft Xbox controllers, you’re not scraping away material that’ll lead to permanent drift as you use the magnetic versions.
Gulikit’s new Xbox Ally sticks are $20 in the US today, and should also be available in the UK for £20, and in Italy, France, and Spain for €22, this January.
Shyam Sankar, chief technology officer of Palantir Technologies Inc., speaks at the Hill & Valley forum at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on April 30, 2025. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images )
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.
IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:
– AI fuels blue-collar productivity boom across manufacturing, Palantir technology chief tells FOX Business
– New exoskeleton adapts to terrain with smart AI power
– Purdue becomes first university to require AI competency for all undergrads as universities race to adapt
RISE OF MACHINES: Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar told FOX Business artificial intelligence is fueling a blue-collar productivity boom, not mass unemployment as forecast by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Sankar said AI is accelerating hiring, training and American industrial growth.
SMART STEPS: Recreational exoskeletons have been popping up for years, but the new IRMO M1 exoskeleton feels like a turning point. This next-generation wearable blends artificial intelligence (AI), a forward-facing camera, LADAR sensors and lightweight robotics to give your legs a serious boost on trails and city streets.
With training and assist modes, the M1 adapts to your goals whether you want more power or more strength. (IRMO)
EDUCATION REWIRED: Purdue University has announced a new “AI working competency” requirement, the first of its kind at an institution of higher learning, for all undergraduate students on their main campus, Indianapolis and West Lafayette, to complete starting in 2026.
‘DISPARATE IMPACT’: White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks called out blue states Tuesday for inserting “woke” ideology into artificial intelligence as the Trump administration moves to cut what he described as “unnecessary” regulations on the rapidly developing technology.
EYES TO THE FUTURE: Artificial intelligence (AI) is charging into a new phase in 2026 – one that could reshape business operations, global competition and even which workers thrive, according to Goldman Sachs’ Chief Information Officer Marco Argenti.
Artificial intelligence enters a new phase in 2026 that could reshape business operations, global competition and workforce outcomes, according to Goldman Sachs Chief Information Officer Marco Argenti. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)
‘MORE USABLE’: OpenAI announced an update for ChatGPT Images that it says drastically improves both the generation speed and instruction-following capability of its image generator. A blog post from the company Tuesday says the update will make it much easier to make precise edits to AI-generated images. Previous iterations of the program have struggled to follow instructions and often make unasked-for changes.
HANDS-FREE TECH: Chrome on Android now offers a fresh way to digest information when your hands are busy or your eyes need a break. A new update powered by Google Gemini can turn written webpages into short podcast-style summaries. Two virtual hosts chat about the content, making it feel easier to follow during your commute or while you multitask.
DESANTIS VS. TRUMP: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, said on Monday that state officials have the right to regulate artificial intelligence despite President Trump’s recent executive order aiming to require a national AI standard the president argues would overrule state laws.
TECH FORCE: The Trump administration launched a new initiative Monday aimed at recruiting top-tier technical talent to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) at the federal level. The hiring program, known as “Tech Force,” plans to recruit roughly 1,000 early-career technologists for a two-year service term across various federal agencies.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, says state officials have authority to regulate artificial intelligence despite President Trump’s executive order seeking a national AI standard he says would override state laws. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)
HOME RUN: Baseball teams have long searched for a way to study the entire swing without sensors or complex lab setups. Today, a new solution is entering the picture. Theia, an AI biomechanics company, debuted a commercially available video-only system that analyzes bat trajectory and full-body biomechanics together. This new approach works in real baseball environments and needs no reflective body markers, wearables or special equipment.
POLICING PUSH: Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., helped advocate for the AI Civil Rights Act last week in order to prevent companies from using what Democrats describe as “biased and discriminatory AI-powered algorithms.”
PRICING GAP : Instacart is using AI-enabled pricing experiments that are substantially raising the prices of identical products for different customers, according to an investigation by Consumer Reports and Groundwork Collaborative.
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Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here.
But Google isn’t just letting app developers do things however and whenever they’d like. The company’s quietly updated its support pages with a January 28th deadline to enroll in specific Google programs for “alternative billing” and “external content links” — and these programs will come with large alternative fees of their own, assuming Judge Donato doesn’t opt for Epic and Google’s proposed settlement instead.
While it isn’t collecting fees yet, Google says it will charge developers $2.85 for every app and $3.65 for every game a user installs within 24 hours of clicking a link that takes you outside Google’s app store to download them outside the Google ecosystem.
Plus, it’ll take a 20 percent cut of any in-app purchases and 10 percent of any auto-renewing subscriptions. Apps still need to be submitted to Google for review, use a Google API to track them, and developers have to report all transactions (including $0 free trials) if they want to participate.
Meanwhile, developers who want to offer their own billing solutions will only get a 5 percent discount compared to Google’s current fees, likely making it not worth the effort to try alternative billing at all. Google will charge 25 percent for in-app purchases and 10 percent for auto-renewing subscriptions there; devs will need to integrate a Google API to track those, and report all transactions within 24 hours.
The company will cap some of these fees at 10 percent of a developer’s first $1 million of earnings, making it a bit easier for small developers, but perhaps no easier than it is currently. Google already offers a similar cap at 15 percent, so this too is a 5 percent discount.
How will Judge James Donato react? When Apple told Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers it would require a 27 percent fee for external payments in the parallel Epic v. Apple case, she found Apple in contempt of court, and an appeals court backed up that decision just days ago. However, the appeals court did suggest that Apple may be able to collect some fee, writing that:
Apple should be able to charge a commission on linked-out purchases based on the costs that are genuinely and reasonably necessary for its coordination of external links for linked-out purchases, but no more.
Google currently claims that “the fees associated with the external content links program reflect the value provided by Android and Play and support our continued investments across Android and Play.”
But Google also says it won’t collect any fees quite yet, writing:
In the future, Google intends to apply a service fee on successful transactions and downloads completed via external content links. At this time, however, Google is not assessing these fees and is therefore not requiring developers in this program to report these transactions or downloads to Google.
In their joint progress report today, Epic and Google’s lawyers write that while Epic agrees with the January 28th deadline and other requirements, “Epic has indicated that it opposes the service fees that Google announced it may implement in the future and that Epic will challenge these fees if they come into effect.”
Of course, none of this will come to pass if Judge Donato accepts Google and Epic’s proposed settlement instead, which would generally apply worldwide (instead of just in the US) and comes with lower standard transaction fees.
But Google signaled that settlement, too, would come with fees on alternative billing and external app downloads, and Judge Donato seemed skeptical of the settlement in November. He’s ordered an evidentiary hearing on January 22nd before he makes a decision.
Since Google’s support pages seem to be fluid as Epic v. Google continues, we’ve archived copies of their current text below.
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
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