Day: October 16, 2025

https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-veo-31-is-better-at-generating-videos-from-images-220829129.html?src=rss

Google has released a new update to its Veo AI video generation model that should make it do a better job of sticking to prompts and converting images into videos. Veo 3.1 is available to try today through Google’s Gemini API and is now also powering the company’s Flow video editor.

Veo 3.1 builds on the new capabilities Google introduced with launch of Veo 3 at Google I/O 2025. The new model offers better "prompt adherence," according to Google, and should have an easier time creating videos based on the image "ingredients" you upload alongside your written prompt. Veo 3.1 also makes it possible to convert images to video and generate audio at the same time, a capability that wasn’t available with Veo 3. 

In Flow, Veo 3.1 supports at least a new feature that gives you finer control over the videos you generate. With what Google calls "Frame to Video," Flow lets you upload a first and last frame, and then generates the video in-between. Adobe Firefly, which is powered by Veo 3, offers a similar feature, but Flow will be able to pull it off and create audio at the same time. Those added audio skills will also apply to the video editor’s ability to extend clips and insert objects into existing footage, too.

Based on the samples Google’s shared, videos generated with Veo 3.1 still have an uncanny quality that seems to vary greatly depending on the prompt and subject. Even if it’s missing some of the realism of OpenAI’s Sora 2, though, the company’s decision to try and make Veo more useful to people who actually work with video rather than a source of social media spam is a welcome move.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/kc14I53

via Engadget http://www.engadget.com

October 15, 2025 at 05:17PM

https://www.autoblog.com/news/xiaomis-fatal-crash-exposes-a-deadly-door-design-problem-hiding-in-plain-sight

Tech giant Xiaomi faced its steepest market decline since April after a fatal Xiaomi SU7 crash in Chengdu, China, exposed critical electric vehicle safety concerns. Xiaomi’s shares tumbled over 5.7%, wiping out billions in market value as investors confronted uncomfortable questions about the company’s rushed entry into automotive manufacturing and the engineering shortcuts to get there.

Electronic Door Locks Trap Driver in Burning Vehicle

The incident occurred when a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra collided with a median barrier at high speed, immediately bursting into flames. Bystanders desperately attempted to rescue the trapped driver, but the vehicle’s electronic door handle system malfunctioned after impact, preventing anyone from opening the doors. The driver sadly perished in the inferno while would-be rescuers watched helplessly outside.

This tragedy highlights a disturbing trend in modern door handle design: manufacturers prioritizing sleek aesthetics over reliable emergency access. The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra features flush, electronically-controlled door handles that require electrical power to function. This means the door opening mechanism fails during crashes when power is lost. What was once a simple mechanical latch has become a complex electronic system with deadly consequences when it fails.

Tesla Under Scrutiny For Door Handles Too

Tesla is now redesigning its door handles after federal regulators launched investigations into reports that electronic handles failed, leaving children trapped inside vehicles. The NHTSA investigation found at least nine complaints, with four cases where parents smashed windows to free their kids. Tesla’s design chief announced plans to combine electric and manual door releases into a single, more intuitive mechanism, an admission that over-engineering basic safety features creates unacceptable risks.

Industry experts note that proper EV fire safety protocols require redundant mechanical door releases that function without power, a basic safety standard that Tesla is being forced to implement and that Xiaomi apparently failed to prioritize. As regulators worldwide scrutinize flush door handle failure risks, Xiaomi faces not only reputational damage but potential regulatory action.

Why It Matters

The swift market response reflects growing concerns about Xiaomi’s engineering capabilities. While the company made headlines with the SU7’s impressive performance specifications and competitive pricing, this fatal crash suggests those achievements came at the expense of fundamental safety features. The electronic door locks malfunction represents precisely the kind of over-engineering that creates unnecessary risk in life-or-death situations.

This incident serves as a stark reminder that automotive engineering requires decades of safety-focused expertise that some newer manufacturers cannot replicate through aggressive timelines and flashy specifications.

via Autoblog https://ift.tt/IiWx10o

October 15, 2025 at 03:03PM