Digging Into Self-Driving Data and More Car News This Week

The self-driving car world is a secretive one, where software, hardware, and testing methods are jealously guarded (and occasionally spark a major lawsuit). But this week, we got a glimpse into what these developers have actually been up to, thanks first to a newly released batch of "disengagement" reports every autonomous vehicle outfit testing in California provides to the state at the end of each year. The disengagement data isn't too helpful, but the reports do reveal a serious spike in would-be AV testing, among other tidbits. More intel comes from SoftBank's latest move in this space, a nearly $1 billion investment in AV startup Nuro. In non-robo news, we get a tour of all the tools and tricks that keep Nascar races racy, and bid adieu to the 380, Airbus' freakishly large passenger jet.