Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Transportation

Zhen Robotics develops mobile delivery robot e-commerce in China

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A company called Zhen Robotics has unveiled a small, wheeled autonomous robot that can be used to make deliveries of packages to the home. (Main picture and video below.)

The vehicle, which is about the size of a small suitcase, is called “Little Yellow Horse”, and is developed with the backing of the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland, Imperial College in London, UK, Tsinghua University, in China, and Alibaba, the well-known e-commerce giant.

Zhen Robot describes itself as an artificial intelligence company which develops such things as precision navigation technology for robots, intelligent control technology, and environmental modeling technology, which refers to deep learning methods for identifying pedestrians and dangerous objects to enable robots to safely avoids obstacles.  [Read more…] about Zhen Robotics develops mobile delivery robot e-commerce in China

Hitachi shows off advanced mobility technology at Japan auto show

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Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. showed its autonomous driving and electrification-related products at The Automotive Engineering Exposition 2018 in Nagoya Japan in mid-July.

Among its autonomous driving products was “360o sensing technology” whichdetects surroundings by combining peripheral recognition sensors such as cameras and radars, and “safety control technology” which uses data from the sensing technology.

Additionally, “Auto Valet Parking” was displayed, showing a use case of autonomous driving where a car can automatically park and pull out of a parking space near a set destination without a driver by following directions from the control centre.

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Siemens report urges cities to plan now for arrival of autonomous vehicles

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The advent of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV) has the potential to cause major and disruptive changes to cities worldwide, according to a report launched by Siemens.

The report, Cities in the Driving Seat stresses the need for cities to plan early and tackle the issue in a wider context of mobility transformations.

Launched recently at the World Cities Summit in Singapore, the study explores the interdependencies between urban development, public transportation policies, power supply, pollution and the increasing share of CAV in city traffic.

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How autonomous vehicles navigate Samsung semiconductor production lines

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Self-driving cars sit at the intersection of artificial intelligence and the automobile industry, presenting an exciting new opportunity for transport.

While the commercialisation of autonomous driving awaits technological refinement and regulation, Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor production lines are using systems that share similarities with self-driving technologies.

These systems feature the use of Overhead Hoist Transport (OHT) devices that are responsible for carrying materials automatically around the manufacturing facility.

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Toyota to make connected vehicles its new standard in Japan

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The future of just-in-time vehicle services and support has arrived in Japan in the form of two Toyota vehicles – the Crown and the Corolla Sport, launched just this year.

Crown and Corolla Sport, as the first generation of “Connected Cars,” come standard with an on-board Data Communication Module (DCM) that links to a Controller Area Network (CAN).

By using this hardware, Toyota can provide various connected services to T-Connect subscribers through its proprietary Mobility Service Platform (MSPF), an information infrastructure developed by the company for Connected Cars. Toyota aims to equip most new passenger vehicles in its domestic market with DCM.

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NXP contributes to smart city initiative in Columbus, Ohio

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NXP Semiconductors N.V.  has announced the next phase in its Smart City collaboration with Columbus, Ohio. NXP will contribute key technologies for smart and safe mobility to the Smart Columbus Experience Center, which opened on June 30, 2018.

The centre allows visitors to see how new mobility options, such as connected, autonomous, shared and electric vehicles, can help make Columbus a more connected community.

Hands-on educational experiences and technology demonstrations aim to show visitors how technology and innovation in transportation can grow the local economy and create ladders of opportunity for central Ohio residents.

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Bosch and Daimler to turn metro area in California into ‘pilot city for automated driving’

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Bosch and Daimler are speeding up the development of fully-automated and driverless driving (SAE Level 4 / 5) in the city and are decisively setting the course.

The companies, which have become close partners to develop this technology, have chosen California as the pilot location for the first test fleet.

In the second half of 2019, Bosch and Daimler will offer customers a shuttle service with automated vehicles on selected routes in a Californian metropolis.  [Read more…] about Bosch and Daimler to turn metro area in California into ‘pilot city for automated driving’

Maxim and Qualcomm partner to develop in-car infotainment systems

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Maxim Integrated says that selected products from its portfolio now work with solutions by Qualcomm Technologies to help carmakers and tier-1 suppliers integrate Maxim’s Automotive Safety Integrity Level solutions using the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 Automotive Platform for infotainment applications.

Maxim’s high-performance solutions are designed to provide the necessary building blocks for next-generation vehicles.

Maxim’s advanced ASIL-rated power management, USB charging, next-generation gigabit multimedia serial link serializer and deserializer, remote tuner, and software-defined radio technologies are optimized to work with the Snapdragon 820 Automotive Platform.  [Read more…] about Maxim and Qualcomm partner to develop in-car infotainment systems

Volkswagen Group reorganises components in era of e-mobility

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In future, Volkswagen’s component development and production activities will become an independent corporate entity under the umbrella of Volkswagen AG with effect from January 2019.

For many years, the strengths of Group Components, with 56 plants and about 80,000 employees throughout the world, have included the development and production of strategic vehicle components, from engines, transmissions and electric motors through to steering systems and lightweight parts.

The independent corporate entity “Group Components” is designed to improve efficiency and optimise investments with a view to ensuring a coordinated entry to e-mobility.

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Daimler obtains road test licence for highly automated driving in Beijing

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Daimler has become the first international automaker to receive a road test licence for highly automated driving research vehicles (level 4) in Beijing, marking a major new milestone in the company’s research and development efforts in China.

Urban traffic is one of the biggest challenges to autonomous driving. With this approval, Mercedes-Benz test vehicles will now begin real road tests to further perfect the technology in the Chinese capital of Beijing, a metropolis with unique and complex urban traffic situations.

Daimler has already obtained automated driving test licences in Germany and the U.S., and has continuously pushed forward automated driving development in China, working together with its local partners to adapt its technologies to China’s traffic environment.

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