Technology June 23: Tesla launches self-driving taxi service, Apple accelerates AI capabilities

Tesla officially launched its self-driving taxi service in Austin with much expectation but also full of controversy.

Hanoi organizes Medical Equipment Technology Exhibition 2025

150 healthcare companies will participate in K-MED Expo 2025 and Hanoi International Medical Equipment Exhibition 2025, organized by the Korea Medical Equipment Industry Association (KMDIA), Korea Exhibition and Convention Center (Kintex), Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) in collaboration with Exporum Vietnam Company.

The exhibition has the participation of more than 200 booths displaying products from diagnostic equipment, surgery, therapeutic materials, dental equipment to medical equipment components of famous brands from Korea and Southeast Asia. In particular, outstanding products such as automatic blood pressure monitors, blood glucose meters, blood oxygen concentration meters, and medical equipment in the beauty industry such as skin care equipment, cosmetic surgery and non-invasive beauty equipment will be on display.

Hanoi Medical Equipment Technology Exhibition 2025 will be held from July 10-12.

The program takes place from July 10-12, 2025 at ICE Hanoi International Exhibition Center - Friendship Cultural Palace, Hanoi.

Tesla officially launches self-driving taxi service

Tesla has launched a self-driving taxi service using its self-driving Model Y in Austin, Texas, marking a major step forward after years of promises by Elon Musk. Each ride costs a fixed $4.20 and operates from 6 a.m. to midnight. However, the service is limited to a small area in south Austin, with about 10 cars operating.

A Tesla self-driving test vehicle.

The big difference is that Tesla uses only cameras and end-to-end artificial intelligence instead of radar or LIDAR like its competitors. Each car still has an employee sitting in the front seat as a “safety monitor,” but it’s unclear how much power they have to intervene.

Some people have already received early access to the experience, mostly to Tesla’s social media supporters. The company is also encouraging people to share their experiences—but with strict conditions, such as no smoking, drinking, or filming in violation of regulations.

Despite Tesla’s extensive marketing, it has been reluctant to share details, even going so far as to block media access to records from Texas authorities. Some videos show the car braking suddenly when passing a police car, raising concerns about its driving behavior.

This project does not use the Cybercab line of vehicles as previously announced, but rather the 2025 Model Y with new Full Self-Driving software called “unattended self-driving”. The service is still in the real-world testing phase with many unanswered questions.

Apple Acquires Perplexity AI, Accelerating Its AI Capabilities

According to Bloomberg, Apple is considering the possibility of acquiring Perplexity AI, a startup that specializes in providing artificial intelligence-based search services. Internal discussions are being led by Apple's head of M&A Adrian Perica along with leaders in charge of AI. However, the discussions are still in the early stages and are unlikely to lead to a formal offer.

Apple has reportedly discussed internally acquiring AI startup Perplexity.

The main goal may be to build its own search engine, as Apple may lose its long-standing partnership with Google, which is the default search engine on Apple devices. Perplexity’s service, which is known for its ability to provide real-time answers to the latest information on the web, currently handles about 780 million queries per month and is growing by more than 20% per month.

Although Perplexity has denied any merger talks, analysts say the acquisition would help Apple narrow the gap with rivals that are investing heavily in AI, such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. Apple is still considered to be slow and cautious in the field of AI, focusing on hardware-based features rather than cloud AI infrastructure.

Successfully salvaged the super luxury yacht of tech billionaire Mike Lync

On June 21, 2025, the British-flagged luxury yacht Bayesian, which sank off the coast of Italy in August 2024, was successfully salvaged after a complex operation. The previous accident killed seven people, including British tech billionaire Mike Lynch and his daughter.

Bayesian salvaged after nearly a year sunk off the coast of Italy.

The 56-meter yacht was lifted from the sea after three days of work using steel cables and pumps. The hull was covered in mud and algae, while the 72-meter mast was cut away to facilitate the salvage operation. After arriving at Termini Imerese, the ship will undergo a thorough examination as part of the investigation into the cause of the sinking.

A preliminary report from the British side said the storm, with winds exceeding 70 knots, caused the ship to list 90 degrees in less than 15 seconds. Lynch was taking friends on a cruise to celebrate his acquittal in a fraud case in the US.

Minh Hoan

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/cong-nghe-23-6-tesla-tung-dich-vu-xe-taxi-tu-lai-apple-tang-toc-nang-luc-ai-ar950367.html