Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for December 10, 2019

Bosch and Mercedes-Benz start automated ride-hailing service in San José

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Bosch and Mercedes-Benz’s joint project to develop urban automated driving has now entered a new stage.

Their pilot project for an app-based ride-hailing service using automated Mercedes-Benz S-Class vehicles has now been launched in the Silicon Valley city of San José.

Monitored by a safety driver, the self-driving cars shuttle between West San José and downtown, along the San Carlos Street and Stevens Creek Boulevard thoroughfares. [Read more…] about Bosch and Mercedes-Benz start automated ride-hailing service in San José

Plus Automation wins its first robotics-as-a-service contract

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Logistics and supply chain technology startup Plus Automation has won its first robotics-as-a-service contract with Jun Co, a Japanese company with diversified interests including fashion, food and fitness products. 

The company was jointly established in June 2019 and is 60 per cent owned by Mitsui, a Japanese conglomerate, and GLP Japan, said to be the largest Japanese logistics company but also has real estate and other interests.

The contract between Plus and Jun consists of a standard annual subscription together with the option to add robots when cargo volumes increase, making it “a highly convenient service package”, says Plus. [Read more…] about Plus Automation wins its first robotics-as-a-service contract

Mitsubishi Electric unveils new autonomous car for testing new technologies

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Mitsubishi Electric has unveiled the latest version of the xAUTO, (main picture) a vehicle capable of autonomous driving on surface roads without high-definition maps and autonomous parking both indoors and outdoors.

The xAUTO is a demonstration car that incorporates Mitsubishi Electric’s cutting-edge technologies for autonomous driving.

Mitsubishi Electric’s autonomous driving system is realized with sensor-fusion technologies implemented with peripheral sensors, millimeter-wave radar and cameras, and so on, as well as infrastructure-assisted technologies incorporating Centimeter Level Augmentation Service signals from the Quasi Zenith Satellite System and high-definition three-dimensional maps. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric unveils new autonomous car for testing new technologies

Nokia provides venue to showcase 5G technology for last-mile delivery robots

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Engineers attending this year’s 5G Days at Nokia’s Paris-Saclay campus were likely to stumble into an unusual gofer rambling the streets of the 4,000 employees’ facility: a small autonomous delivery robot, with parcel lockers, delivering goods without human intervention or guidance. 

The robot was part of a one-shot demonstration for Nokia customers and partners, but it could soon become the default option for the delivery of small parcels across the campus.

Jean-Philippe Bellaiche, of EIT Digital, says: “Campus facility manager Sodexo, together with Nokia have decided not to deliver parcel below 5 kilos to the personnel on the campus anymore. [Read more…] about Nokia provides venue to showcase 5G technology for last-mile delivery robots

Massive growth in mobile robots expected as 6 million forecast to be shipped in 2030

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The robotics industry is set for “seismic change”, according to a report by ABI Research, which says that, of the 8 million robots forecast to be shipped in 2030, nearly 6 million will be mobile.

ABI says it has released its “most comprehensive robotics tracker yet”, and it shows that the robotics market is “set to transform over the next 10 years”.

There will be enormous growth across all sub-sectors, highlighted in a total market valuation of $277 billion by 2030, says ABI. [Read more…] about Massive growth in mobile robots expected as 6 million forecast to be shipped in 2030

GM and LG agree $2.3 billion partnership to mass-produce car battery cells

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General Motors and LG Chem have agreed a partnership to mass-produce battery cells for future electric vehicles.

Together, the companies will invest up to a total of $2.3 billion through a new, equally owned joint venture company.

The joint venture will establish a battery cell assembly plant on a greenfield manufacturing site in the Lordstown area of Northeast Ohio that will create more than 1,100 new jobs. [Read more…] about GM and LG agree $2.3 billion partnership to mass-produce car battery cells